Chapter 4

    So beautiful, it's like you’ve stolen my heart.

    The entire studio was filled with an awkward atmosphere.

    And that was because...

    "P'Lin, where's your photographer?"

    Even though today was supposed to be a good day for shooting the new product for Brand Milly, the brand owner was frowning. The reason was the photographer Nalin had arranged... was late.

    "Hey, I'm sorry on behalf of my cousin. Just wait a bit, he’s almost here." Ramil's question made Nalin swallow nervously. Having been together for a long time, she knew how much he disliked lateness. Nalin glanced at the clock showing five past ten, which meant her cousin was already over five minutes late. Kacha had mentioned that the taxi got lost, causing them to detour through several intersections.

    "He is here, He is here."

    As soon as she saw the person she had been waiting for, Nalin quickly ran to welcome him. Ramil let out a sigh of relief because, finally, the waiting was over. The Queen of the industry rose from the chair with a calm gaze and turned to look at the newcomer.

    And then his eyes widened in shock.

    "This is my cousin, Kacha."

    "!!!"

    For heaven's sake...

    How did Beta Sasaeng end up standing right in front of him?

    "Kacha just got back from abroad and isn't familiar with the area yet. So the taxi decided to take a detour, don't hold it against him, Mil."

    Nalin's explanation of why the other person was late was completely lost on Ramil.

    "You... why..."

    The young Omega stared at the person in front of him in disbelief. Who would have thought they would run into each other again?

    Of course, this behavior made the manager of the famous Queen curious.

    "What... do you two know each other?"

    "Well..."

    "No, P'Lin. We've never met before."

    Thud.

    Just as Ramil was about to recount the incident, Beta Sasaeng interrupted, turning to him and...

    "Hello, Mr. Ramil. Nice to meet you. I'm Kacha. You can just call me Cha."

    He finished with a smile that made the Queen of the industry twitch an eyebrow... feeling an overwhelming urge to pinch the other's mouth.

    Alright... alright then.

    If that was how he wanted to play it, then he should be prepared for the counterattack.

    "So what's the deal, Mil? Have you met my cousin Cha before?"

    This time, the one being questioned was the one who smiled. His handsome face lifted with confidence.

    "No. I must have... mistaken him."

    Ramil answered the manager's question while looking at Kacha with a glint in his eyes before extending his hand toward the other.

    "Nice to meet you... Nong Cha."

    "..."

    It was an introduction that Kacha found... not pleasant at all.

    Naturally, it made him squint with distrust. That tone and smile were anything but normal.

    For heaven's sake... Nong Cha, huh?

    He did not know why, but he felt a shiver run down his spine.

    The owner of the hand started to exert pressure with a look when he saw that Kacha remained still. The industry's Queen raised an eyebrow as if urging him. Turning to the side, he found Nalin staring with curiosity. In the end, what could Kacha do but take a deep breath and reluctantly reach out to shake the other's hand?

    "Yes... P'Mil."

    Grab!

    "!!!"

    As soon as their hands touched, Kacha immediately realized he was being targeted.

    Ramil squeezed his hand tightly, causing pain that forced him to quickly mask his expression. He wanted to pull his hand away, but the other would not let go, no matter how much he glared. Kacha had to subtly jerk his hand away so Nalin would not notice they were engaged in a silent battle.

    That action made Ramil chuckle softly as soon as their hands parted, before turning to ask Nalin,

    "How old is your cousin?"

    "This year, twenty-six... right, Cha?"

    "Yes."

    "Still so young... Are you sure you can take photos? Are you any good?"

    Hmm... the last question was directed at Nalin, but he kept his eyes fixed on Kacha. It seemed this mental battle would not end easily.

    "Well, I think..."

    "You haven't seen my work yet, so don't judge me too quickly. If today's work doesn't satisfy you, I'll shoot for you for free."

    Ramil grinned with delight upon hearing that. Seeing the other's innocent face but unexpected determination made him quite entertained.

    "Alright... let's see if I'll have to pay you today."

    With those words, the host of the event walked away to get ready, and Kacha did the same. This left only Nalin, who was nearly fainting from the realization that hercousin was in a silent war with Ramil. She had no idea who would win or lose this battle, nor did she understand why they were at odds. It could not be because Ramil was upset about Kacha being late; her talent was not that unforgiving.

    So, the only thing Nalin knew for sure was...

    "I'm so screwed with this job."

    .

    .

    .

    About ten minutes later, everything was ready for the shoot.

    The main product of the day was a facial serum, elegantly packaged in a blue and gold container, giving it a sleek and luxurious feel. It was unisex, suitable for both men and women. The first set of photos would be taken with the owner of Brand Milly, Ramil.

    The young omega was already prepared on set. His tall, slender figure was dressed in a white suit with an open collar, complemented by a silver necklace in the center. His blonde hair was styled to reveal half of his face, while the other half fell over his forehead. From the left, Ramil looked handsome, and with a slight turn to the right, he appeared beautifully graceful, living up to his title as the industry's Queen.

    "Is everyone ready?"

    The photographer for today was ready as well. Kacha stood in front of the camera, checking the readiness of the lighting and assistant teams.

    Then he turned to meet Ramil's gaze, which reminded him of something.

    "Ah... that's right."

    "..."

    Kacha looked into those blue eyes and smiled faintly.

    "Someone once taught me... you have to ask permission before taking someone's photo..."

    "..."

    "So..."

    "..."

    "Mr. Ramil, may I take your picture?"

    The question made the owner of the name smile at the corner of his mouth immediately, as they both knew there was a hidden story behind it.

    "Of course, you have my permission, Nong Cha."

    Naturally, the other did not hesitate to respond, while the photographer and model stared at each other intensely. Nalin, observing the scene, clasped her hands in prayer, hoping for the shoot to go smoothly.

    "For the first round, I'll let you freestyle."

    When it was time to work, Nalin found that both of them displayed professionalism without any flaws. Even though ten minutes ago they might have been locked in a fierce cold war, now she saw only their dedication shining through in their roles and responsibilities.

    Ramil was not to be overlooked. Nalin knew well how dedicated he was to his work. His expressions, gestures, and the intensity in his eyes were always perfectly captured by the camera, never faltering for a second, earning her admiration every time. Even the positioning of the product or the angle of his face to match the lighting was executed flawlessly, living up to his reputation.

    Kacha, on the other hand, performed admirably as well. Though still an amateur, Nalin knew her brother's skills were second to none. His work was infused with love and dedication, ensuring every detail was meticulously attended to. Kacha knew exactly how to make Ramil stand out while also highlighting the product clearly, without overshadowing it. This made her feel incredibly proud of both of them.

    "Now..."

    After shooting for a while and achieving satisfactory results, Kacha suddenly walked over and stood in front of the owner of the project.

    "You mentioned this product is unisex, and you've already captured your beautiful side quite a bit."

    "..."

    "May I?"

    Swoosh.

    "!!!"

    He gently touched Ramil's chin, tilting it upward and softly guiding his sculpted face to the other side.

    "You'll look great from this angle. Your hairstyle reveals the line of your jaw, giving your face more dimension. Your nose appears more prominent, and if you squint and clench your jaw while slightly parting your lips, you'll achieve a very handsome look."

    Twitch.

    The young omega paused for a moment at the unexpected word.

    "Handsome?"

    "Yes, very handsome. I think this will show that men can use this product too. Two faces, two characters, two perspectives of the product," Kacha replied while checking Ramil's photos on the camera. Once he found the angle he wanted, he prepared to take the shot.

    However, the model remained still... prompting the young Beta to recall something.

    "Oh... I'm sorry. You don't like being called handsome, do you?"

    "No..."

    Ramil cleared his throat slightly, feeling a strange sensation... How long had it been since he last heard that word? Since entering the industry, no one had ever used that word for him. Everyone always called him beautiful, giving him the title of Queen of the industry, making him known to many.

    But that Beta Sasaeng... saw him in a way no one else ever had.

    And Ramil admitted it felt really good.

    "Then let's start shooting this set."

    Snap!

    "Great, very handsome, looking good."

    Snap!

    "Good, keep going, Mr. Ramil."

    Snap!

    "Grit your teeth a bit more. Yes, just like that... You're so handsome it's heart-melting."

    "!!!"

    "Now turn your face slightly and smile at me. Let's capture this angle differently. One... two..."

    The young omega could not grasp the last sentence at all, too stunned by the previous words. He looked at Kacha, who was now completely focused on the camera, with a strange feeling inside.

    So handsome it was heart-melting... really?

    For heaven's sake.

    Why did his heart have to race because of those crazy words?

    "Uh... Mr. Ramil, are you okay? Do you want to take a break?" Seeing the Queen of the industry standing there, seemingly lost in thought, Kacha turned his attention from the camera to ask him immediately.

    Of course, it made Ramil avert his gaze, and naturally, he would not admit to needing a break.

    "No... let's continue."

    Even though he said that, the loud beating of his heart and those words echoing in his head made it impossible for Ramil to smile. Yet, being a professional, he forced himself to continue working, resulting in his smile looking strained several times until...

    "Are you smiling or baring your teeth, Mil! Smile properly!"

    "Smiling too much makes my mouth sore, P'Lin!"

    Ramil tried to refocus after Nalin's reprimand. This time, he made an effort not to look at what Kacha was doing and concentrated solely on the camera lens in front of him.

    But then...

    "Good, beautiful, very beautiful."

    Snap!

    "Okay... very good. Mil, your smile is stunning now."

    Snap!

    "So beautiful, it's like you've stolen my heart."

    Freeze.

    "Oh, Mil! Is your jaw stuck again or what! The kid's helping you, so make a good face, will you!"

    "Uh... I know!"

    Hmm... Just as he was recovering from the previous shock, a new one took its place. Nalin's complaints made him click his tongue in frustration, and he was even more annoyed when he saw that the Beta Sasaeng was trying to suppress a small laugh. Even though the other person did not show it openly and tried to hold it back, the slight smile on his lips made him want to... pinch those soft cheeks so badly.

    This strange new feeling made him nervous, and for heaven's sake... Ramil did not want to admit that this nervousness started from someone else's compliment about his handsomeness.

    It was as if the feelings from before he was eighteen were coming back.

    As if something buried deep inside a drawer was being unearthed.

    "We're done... today you did very well, Mr. Ramil."

    After nearly an hour, the shoot wrapped up successfully as planned. Ramil and Nalin finished by checking Kacha's work briefly on the screen, and they could not help but be impressed by the younger man's talent.

    A third of the photos were flawlessly beautiful, captivating, and matched the brand's elegance. Another portion emphasized grace and depth, highlighting Ramil's striking handsomeness, which left him quite impressed. The final set balanced both styles, with a clear unisex appeal depending on the viewer's perspective.

    "Is my work acceptable, Mr. Ramil?"

    "..."

    And yes... no matter how much he did not want to admit it, Kacha's work made the renowned brand owner exhale deeply.

    "Well... it's beautiful."

    The industry's queen replied softly, pretending to clear his throat before awkwardly looking away. Despite the brevity of the compliment, it made the listener smile broadly.

    "I noticed on Instagram that you like posting photos from this angle, so I tried shooting in this style. This is the traditional product style, and this set explores new angles in case you like them."

    Kacha handed over the new style photos for review, and you know what was funny?

    "Mm..."

    He actually liked what the other had prepared just in case.

    "See, I told you my little Kacha's work is top-notch. You like it, don't you?"

    Nalin's question made Ramil roll his eyes as the manager began to endlessly praise her relative's abilities. He could not deny that there might be some truth to what she was saying, but if he were to add to the compliments for Kacha...

    "It would be even better if he wasn't late."

    "Oh, come on. My brother wasn't late on purpose, you know. The taxi driver took..."

    "It's okay, P'Lin. I should have planned for more time myself."

    Kacha spoke to his cousin before shifting his gaze to someone else.

    "I'm sorry... I have no excuses. So, for this round, I won't charge for..."

    Ramil knew what Kacha was about to say.

    But what he did not understand was

    "Never mind. Finishing on time is good. Otherwise, I'd have to deduct the studio rental fee from you."

    Why did he feel the need to quickly respond with guilt?

    "Uh, so... since we're done, how about we all go grab something to eat together? It'll be a good chance to get to know each other better."

    Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Nalin quickly interjected, hoping to ease the situation. Kacha glanced at Ramil, who crossed his arms and looked away, feeling a bit nervous at the thought of dining with someone who did not like him.

    Yes... even though Nalin invited him with good intentions,

    Ramil probably did not really want him to come along.

    "P'Lin, I think I shouldn’t..."

    "Well, when an elder invites you, it's polite to accept, Nong Cha."

    "!!!"

    But... unexpectedly.

    Kacha's eyes widened in shock at those words. What did that mean? He had already backed off, so how did it end up like this?

    "Come on, let's go together, Cha. You've worked hard, so why not celebrate with a little relaxation? It'll be a chance to see something new, right..."

    With Nalin's persuasion, what could a soft-hearted person like Kacha do but...

    "Okay... I'll go."

    With those words,

    "Alright, everyone, let's go. This meal's on me,"

    Ramil announced with a smile to the team and immediately grabbed his bag, leading the way out. Kacha stood there, blinking in confusion. If Ramil did not like him, should he not have just let him go his own way? How could eating with someone who disliked him be enjoyable? Or was this some kind of prank?

    "Just bear with it, Cha. Even though he might have a sharp tongue, he's actually a really nice person,"

    Nalin said, patting Kacha's shoulder lightly, speaking just for the two of them to hear, which made the young beta smile awkwardly.

    "If P'Lin says so... I'll try to believe it."

    Yes... he thought he would try.

    But whether he could manage it or not, he was not sure...