"That's it, handsome. Now, let's get to your hair."
Hana was just putting the finishing touches on Joonah's make-up, when Senghi returned from the convenience store, carrying a bundle of paper bags.
She handed Joonah his breakfast bag. He accepted it silently with a slight bow and a smile, then slowly started unpacking the food.
"Hana, are we still on schedule?" Senghi looked at the mess on the vanity in front of Joonah, suddenly feeling stressed.
The stylist briefly glanced at her wrist watch and nodded.
"No problems, we will finish up in ten. Sit down and have a rest, Senghi."
As requested, she sunk down in the barber chair next to Joonah's and tried to concentrate on her own sandwich. Despite herself, Senghi found it hard not to steal glances at Joonah in the mirror - he was an image of stoic professionalism as he sat there, immersed in his phone, mindfully sipping his coffee. In a moment of confusion, Senghi suddenly felt her lower abdomen contract at the sight of Joonah's pouting lips around the straw of his coffee drink. She couldn't believe her own reaction, immideatly mortified. Her cheeks helplessly heated up, and right at that moment, Joonah raised his gaze and looked at her.
Senghi tried to feign a face of indifference, but inside, she cursed herself. He must have caught her staring at his lips.
What the hell was wrong with her? She usually never lost her wits around men, at least not average-looking men like Joonah. However, she reluctantly admitted to herself, Joonah didn't come off as very average in person. There was something very charismatic and real about him, something that got to her.
Joonah gave Senghi a vague smile, a mix of confusion and curiosity in his eyes. If he was to be honest with himself (and unlike Goodwin, he mostly tried to be), he enjoyed the sight of his new manager. She was pretty, but not in the overpowering way of an idol singer or an actress, but in her own, captivating way. When he looked at her, listened to her voice or got close enough to smell her scent, he wanted to get even closer. He had felt it when they first met at the agency, and even more as he got in the car this morning. Senghi had a deep voice, and he constantly caught himself wanting to make her talk.
In the moment when he suddenly looked up from his phone and their gazes clashed in the mirror, her eyes seemed to have been fixed on his lips at first. He didn't know what to make of that. Was she craving coffee? Or maybe, just maybe, she enjoyed the sight of his soft, full lips enveloping the straw?
The mere thought made a small jolt of electricity run through his stomach. Joonah frowned, his feature turning serious. The whole thing was concerning - in just a few months, he would be going into heat.
He had better keep his act together, and not let old mistakes repeat themselves.
"Hair all done, Goodwin. You'd better get into your outfit now, or we will be late."
Senghi hastily got out of her chair at Hana's words.
"I'll go and warm up the car."
Back in the safety of the car's drivers seat, she fired up the Candy Crush app, playing intensly for a good few minutes. The warmth of the car fan was wasted on her, as her entire body was heated up by images of Joonah in the changing room. Having packed his stuff, she was all too aware of what kind of underwear he used. Those snow white, tight boxers...
Senghi closed her eyes, quietly groaning. She had to get a fucking grip now. Joonah simply was not for her. He was her client, for god's sake. A celebrity, a sort of bratty one at that, who made his living touring the country with a variety circus, making a spectacle out of himself on TV.
She put down the phone and stared at herself in the makeup mirror, slowly shaking her head. No, she wasn't interested. She was probably ovulating, having taken her celibacy too far, or she was just tired due to the early hour. Or all of the above.
Senghi flinched a little as the passenger door and the back door suddenly opened, Joonah's scent taking over the secluded space of the car. Once again, his gaze met hers in the rearview mirror, a teasing smile on his lips, as if saying 'we need to stop looking at each other in mirrors like this'. Or was that her imagination altogether? Flustered, she turned to Hana.
"All done?"
"Yes. Look at him Senghi, isn't he cute? I'm a frickin' genius."
"Um, yeah…" Senghi moisted her lips, searching her mind for an approriate answer.
"Come on, don't be shy. Look at my masterpiece. He's gorgeous, all dolled up and ready for the cameras." Hana's face was shining with pride as she reached out to give Joonah's silky bowl cut one last little puff.
Senghi swallowed, her voice coming out a little strained.
"He looks… great, Hana. Very 'BTS meets k-drama' or whatever", she replied in a feigned unbothered tone, while briefly turning around, pretending to give Joonah's appearance a thourough scan.
Joonah scoffed slightly at her words.
"Thanks, Senghi-ssi. I can't tell if that was a compliment or a diss, but I'll take it either way."
"Of course it was a compliment, can't you tell how flustered she is?" Hana excitedly blurted out. "See, Goodwin, this is next level for you, even being able to charm a scriptwriter. I'm working wonders with you today. "
Senghi laughed weakly, almost unable to grasp Hana's lack of manners, while she shifted her focus to the GPS and driving off. As she manouvered them through the now busy morning traffic of Seoul, she decided lay low for the rest of the drive.