Ch.193193. Wedding Photoshoot With the Bride

“Here comes the bride and groom. Please prepare the reflectors! We’ll start shooting again.”

Having returned to the set a bit late, Hwa Nabi and I walked back at an almost alarming pace. Looking around as we walked, I noticed the once bright background had changed to a darker tone, with an antique sofa sitting alone in the center.

“Sorry we’re late. I received an important call suddenly.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. In this line of work, being a little late is nothing. Both brides and grooms are so busy during this period.”

The photography director, with wrinkles around his eyes, smiled warmly at us. Feeling relieved at his response, I bowed my head again and stood in front of the sofa.

“Should I sit here?”

“Yes, just sit comfortably, and once we start shooting, just follow my directions.”

As I plopped down on the sofa as the director suggested, I could see staff members adjusting the angles of the reflectors. Would it be rude to stare while they’re working? I forced myself to look away and noticed the sofa.

For some reason, it seemed familiar, like I’d seen it somewhere before. Where had I seen this? As I was running my hand over it, trying to figure it out, the photography director spoke up.

“This concept is about the space between the ordinary and extraordinary. We need some facial expressions from the bride and groom, and since this concept requires you two to stand out much more than in the previous shoot, we deliberately prepared modest furniture.”

Seeing his unprompted explanation, he must have misunderstood my gaze at the sofa. I nodded leisurely while making appropriate sounds of acknowledgment.

“I see. I was just wondering about this sofa.”

“If I don’t explain this, many people misunderstand. They think we’re using cheap furniture to cut costs after they’ve paid good money. Even though it looks modest, each piece costs hundreds. It’s by a famous designer, Enzo Mari, an Italian…”

“Oh, is this his work? I didn’t know he designed sofas.”

“Yes. Before he passed away, he designed a few pieces exclusively for VIPs, but somehow they leaked out… Oh, you know Enzo Mari?”

The director, stopping mid-sentence, looked at me with surprise. I tapped the headrest of the sofa.

“Of course I know him. I studied his work a lot. I thought the design looked familiar, but I never imagined it would be his.”

“Right? Even people who claim to know design don’t recognize it. In his later years, he suddenly started working in fields he’d never touched before… Oh, then you probably haven’t seen the bed either?”

“There’s a bed too? Wait, are you talking about the one in the brochure earlier?”

“That’s right. You have a good eye to notice that.”

“…?”

While the director and I were chatting away, Hwa Nabi, who had been quietly listening, nudged my side. Judging by her puzzled expression, she couldn’t follow our conversation at all.

I briefly explained to her that this furniture was by a very famous designer, someone who couldn’t be left out when discussing modern design. But seeing her nod with a vacant expression saying, “Oh, I see. He must be an amazing person,” I realized my explanation wasn’t helping.

“Director, I think we should start shooting soon. The next couple will be arriving shortly.”

“Oh my, look at me. It’s just that I rarely meet young people who know about design, so I got carried away. I’m sorry, getting older makes me ramble on unnecessarily.”

“No, it’s fine. I enjoyed talking about it too.”

“Well, as a small compensation, I’ll make sure to take beautiful photos of you. Are you ready too, bride?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

“Then let’s begin. First, could the groom put his arm around the bride’s waist and gently hold her chin?”

“……”

…The first photo is already quite intimate? I’m fine with it, but I wondered if Hwa Nabi might feel uncomfortable.

So I turned to check, only to find her looking back at me with an expectant face, far from being uncomfortable.

After hesitating briefly, I followed the director’s instructions. I gently wrapped my arm around Hwa Nabi’s waist and slightly lifted her chin, which prompted the director to suddenly clap his hands.

“Wow, you two are so good-looking that even the basic pose looks like a masterpiece. Great, I’ll take a few shots like this. Try not to blink too much!”

-Click, click.

With the sound of photos being taken, camera flashes burst forth. Thinking we were done, I was about to release my hold on her waist when the director frantically stopped me.

“Wait! The feeling is so good right now, let me take a few more. Keep the same pose, but groom, please smile more while looking at the bride. You know, with that intense gaze? Like you’re about to devour her!”

The directing was so specific that I understood exactly what feeling he wanted.

Deciding to commit fully, I gazed intently at Hwa Nabi, speaking only with my eyes.

‘Why are you so beautiful today?’

‘Are you just saying that?’

‘No, I mean it. If people weren’t around, who knows what I might have done.’

This was my honest feeling. I was holding back only because we were in a wedding studio with people around. If we were at home like this, I would have pulled her close and done all sorts of things.

…Oh, I’m already holding her close. And we’ve already half-crossed some lines. I licked my lips unconsciously. It might just be my imagination, but I could still feel Hwa Nabi’s warmth on the edge of my lips.

‘Should we go somewhere after the shoot?’

‘Suddenly? Where?’

‘Somewhere you and I can rest together.’

‘…Oh, stop it.’

“Great, the bride’s expression is perfect! The groom’s feeling is good too, just stay like this for 5 more seconds!”

Hwa Nabi’s face was extremely red—was this really okay? I had my doubts, but I couldn’t ask, so I just kept quiet and counted to five in my head.

“Okay! Next, bride, please hold the groom’s shoulders. Then stand with your thighs and look down at him from above!”

Following the director’s instructions, Hwa Nabi faced me, raised her knee, and looked down at me while holding my shoulders. I briefly wondered where to put my arms, then gently extended them to wrap around her waist supportively.

‘Doesn’t this pose seem a bit off?’

‘Why?’

‘I can’t see your face.’

As Hwa Nabi pointed out, we couldn’t see each other’s faces in this position.

The reason was, well, I’m not sure if I should say this… but Hwa Nabi’s chest was too large. When she sat with her knees up, her chest came just below my eye level. With an average size, we would have been able to make direct eye contact.

The director, apparently not anticipating this situation, took his eyes off the camera and gestured toward us.

“Hmm… this pose won’t work. Bride, please come down!”

Hwa Nabi withdrew her arms and awkwardly sat down. The director stared at us intently, then tapped the shoulder of a female staff member sitting beside him.

“I think the next pose and the one after that won’t work either, right?”

“If the groom embraces the bride from behind, certain parts might be, well, too emphasized.”

“Hmm, what should we do…”

“The feeling and atmosphere are good, so why don’t we go in a direction that highlights that?”

“You mean embrace this atmosphere completely?”

“Yes. Something like ‘subtle eroticism emerging from modesty’…”

“This is a married couple’s wedding shoot, not a dating couple’s. Wouldn’t that approach be awkward to see?”

“Come on, Director. Young married couples are all like that these days. Only twenty years ago did people shoot normally. Haven’t you seen this year’s brochure from our competitors? We need some change too.”

After conversing for a while, the director turned his gaze toward us. With his eyes fixed on us, he mumbled something while tapping his camera.

“Would it be okay to cancel the next shoot?”

The staff member next to him looked startled.

“What? Cancel? The department head will be furious…”

“No, I think we need to cancel. I’ve got a feeling. If we shoot this well, it could be our main feature for five years.”

“If it’s that good… then we definitely should cancel. I’ll go make the call now.”

After an exchange of glances between the director and staff, the staff member jumped up and ran off somewhere. What’s going on?

As I was watching the situation unfold, the director also stood up and approached us.

“Bride, groom, would it be okay if we continued shooting at a different location?”

“Um… that’s fine with us, but weren’t we supposed to shoot everything here?”

Hwa Nabi asked on my behalf. The director crossed his arms, thought for a moment, then stroked his dark beard.

“Yes, that was the original plan. But you two look so good together, and the feeling is so alive that it would be a shame to end after just shooting on the sofa. If you agree, we’ll cover all the additional setup and shooting costs—you just need to come and pose.”

“How much longer will it take?”

“Including setup and shooting time, at least two to three hours. But don’t worry too much. I’ll try to finish as quickly as possible.”

Two to three hours seemed too long. I wasn’t the only one who thought so; Hwa Nabi also tilted her head and sighed, looking troubled.

“The conditions sound great, but even so, two to three hours is…”

“Then, how about this? After this additional shoot, we’ll feature your photos as our main display. That’s a really good deal, right?”

“Oh, the main display?”

“You saw the wedding photos on the exterior wall when you entered the studio, right? That’s this year’s main feature, and there are many benefits if you’re featured there. We’ll replace it as soon as the photo editing is complete…”

“…Will it also be included in the brochure and on social media? You know, the studio’s promotional accounts and brochure?”

“Yes, typically. We usually preview photos on our main account first and then publish them in the brochure. If you consent, we can also include the shooting record on our YouTube channel…”

“—We’ll do it! Siwoo, are you okay with this too?”

Suddenly, Hwa Nabi, who had been just listening, exclaimed loudly. Caught off guard, I nodded reflexively.

“Okay, then please wait a little longer while maintaining your makeup. I’ll tell them to set up right away.”

“Yes, understood. But where will the next shoot take place? From what you’ve said, it doesn’t seem to be in this studio.”

Hwa Nabi belatedly added, as if the question had just occurred to her. In response to her question, the director grinned and, glancing at me, replied:

“It’s a place where the groom will need to use some strength.”

…What?