James could not help but be moved by this young man. "It's nothing too difficult kid," he assures warmly, "it's just that my no-good son is around here and I would like it a lot of you could try to strike a friendship with him, maybe some of your hardworking personality could rub off him."
Jia Hyson blinks, then squints a little doubtfully at James, "You brought Jacob here for the big boss' son?" He's heard many unflattering things about James' son, Jacob, both from James and Jenna, one of which was the grudging admittance that the guy was gorgeous enough for men to bend for. The fact that James invited his kid over to work today of all days, felt a little suspicious.
James blanched, "What? No! I wouldn't let my son anywhere near the young master of the Lanzoni family. I'll be finished if that happens," he shudders at the thought. Jia Hyson really wants to meet this Jacob character whose incompetence strikes so much fear into this stoic uncle's heart. But then he recognizes the name of the family.
"Oh damn I didn't know it was Lanzoni," he mutters. Since he wasn't going to meet the male lead anytime soon Jia Hyson never bothered to read up on him, he only knew the man was practically a son of heaven- rich, influential and handsome with a secret love of cooking.... And a pervert with a disgustingly large sex drive.
After spitting a few curses for the future lover of his sweet sister, Jia Hyson ponders about it for a moment before deciding to ignore this unexpected event. It's not like he can do anything to the male lead anyway. Right now he's just a cute little model who needs his paycheck ╮(╯∀╰)╭
"Mn, yes I’ve heard that the young master was dragged here in an attempt to coax him to think of seriously taking over the family businesses." James says, "When I heard about it, I thought it was a great idea to do the same with my Jacob, at the very least the models will interest the boys into coming."
"You want Jacob to be a photographer like you?" Jia Hyson prods.
James shrugs helplessly, "It would be nice, but as long as it isn't completely daft I'll support him no matter what. The problem truly lies in the fact that he's got good eyes but no vision." He heaves a heavy sigh, "I don't know what I'm going to do with that brat if he doesn't get himself together."
Jia Hyson silently observes the stress lining the older man's face before he quietly tells him, "You're a good father, don't beat yourself up too hard. Jacob is fifteen? Sixteen? He still has a lot of time to grow up."
"I suppose," James sighs again, his worries for his only son clearly weighing on his mind, "anyway, Jacob should be hanging around somewhere here, probably surrounded by some of the less... tasteful women. You have two hours before your next shoot with the orange and yellow models."
"Sunset colours, nice," Jia Hyson compliments with a nod before leaving with another bottle of water. Scanning the area for signs of this unruly son of his benefactor he starts to walk out of the studio and into the slightly busier halls. He hasn't seen any photos of him but from the descriptions, he should be tall for his age, straight dark brown bangs and exceptionally handsome to the point it would not be surprising that a flock of women would gather around him.
Personally, Jia Hyson had some doubts about that last part. After all, some models may be unscrupulous and it wasn't uncommon to hear about those in the industry violating the unspoken rules (sleeping their way to the top) but Jacob was an underage teenager. Sure Jia Hyson has a rather limited and flexible moral conscious but he would never think of sexually taking advantage of a young child just for some material benefits!
Of course, if he himself transmigrated into a world where he was a sixteen years old gorgeous young man that would be totally different.
Bebe: ...How?
Jia Hyson: Because I, as a fully consenting adult in mind and soul, would like to try and seduce someone to the depths of hell.
Bebe: wtf
Much to his system's disgust, Jia Hyson can't help but feel his mouth water and his body tremble in excitement as he briefly indulged in his fantasy. The inner turmoil, the self-hatred of a good person realizing they're nothing more than a depraved beast that wants to defile someone they shouldn't. Would they drown themselves in guilt? Would they blacken themselves? Ah, he wants to see them tremble as they try and restrain themselves from pushing him down and tying him up...
Bebe: WTF
##My promised top-level host is secretly a depraved man what to do## I think my host is a sadist but also wants to get tied up what does this mean?? ## Is it too late to switch hosts?##
"Ah, that must be Jacob," Jia Hyson suddenly says as he notices a group of beautiful woman all swarming at the end of the corridor like ants to a piece of candy. "Okay so maybe Uncle wasn't exaggerating about his looks."
Taking another swing of water, Jia Hyson thickened his skin and began pushing through the sea of women. Thankfully, because of his dusty appearance, everyone quickly learnt to avoid him lest their skin and clothes get stained. This was even more true for the models who were currently wearing their assigned designer outfits as they waited for their next shoots to start. Some had even looked at Jia Hyson in horror like he was carrying the plague. It was quite demoralizing.
Finally, at the heart of the swarm, Jia Hyson saw Jacob. Despite being exposed to models daily, Jia Hyson couldn't help but admit that he was a little stunned at the sight of the young man. Having barely stepped into adulthood and being that handsome had to be some sort of heavenly-defying sin. Despite scolding all the older models for eying up young meat just a minute ago, Jia Hyson ashamedly felt his heart skip a beat.
Really.. really not good (♡﹃ ♡)
Bebe: ಠ_ಠ
....
Drake Lanzoni was having a bad day. First, his father wanted him to follow him to one of the companies they own to observe how business is conducted. Second, his father threatened him to follow him to one of the companies they own to observe how business is conducted. Third, after finally threatening and dragging him there, he was promptly ignored for an hour and a half before he finally gave up and left the meeting room. The fact everybody was too busy talking business to notice him gone irked him even more.
In the end, after hiding in the corner to play games on his phone, someone recognized him and soon all the money-hungry crows had flocked around him with simpering voices and greedy eyes. Already in a bad mood, it took a lot of restraint not to shove them all away, he'd already gotten into trouble for being too violent earlier, it wouldn't be good if one of these shallow vases dares to complain to his father and demand money for their silence. Drake tried to focus on his gaming, though that somehow attracted even more people to speak to him, coming closer to him to the point he felt claustrophobia as he becomes tightly surrounded.
Somebody finally couldn't take being so blatantly ignored and snatched his phone from his hands, "Ah, ah, don't you know it's rude to play games when so many people want to talk to you?" She playfully scolds but she couldn't hide the irritation in her overly sweetened voice. "If you're feeling overwhelmed, why don't you let this big sister show you around instead?"
Clenching his fists, Drake was just about to yell at this bitch when a pink hand plucked the phone out of the woman's claws. "Big sister, don't you know it's rude to just take what doesn't belong to you? Stealing is wrong," a warm voice chides, loosely throwing the lady's words back at her. Drake looks up to see a handsome blonde man with a clean-cut, friendly demeanour that contrasts greatly with his alluring peach blossom blue eyes and the... bright pink powder that seem to be sprinkled on him from head to toe.
"Who are you?" The woman who snatched the phone originally demands, her pretty face twisting and reddening unattractively. The man wryly smiles in her direction but from Drake's angle, he could see the faint flicker of disgust in his eyes. He gives her an obvious once over before pointedly ignoring her in favour of handing the phone to Drake.
Drake reaches out for it dumbly but unexpectedly the man's other hand grabs his wrist. With only a sly wink as a hint to what will happen, Drake suddenly gets pulled off his seat and finds himself running with the handsome pink stranger through the crowd. Bursting out from the group, he noticed how much fresher the air was away from those stifling people. Intrigued, he picks up speed so he's no longer being dragged by the man.
Upon seeing Drake's sudden enthusiasm, the man laughs as they continue to run. Drake felt his blood rushing and heart thumping even harder when he heard such a pleasant carefree sound. Suddenly he felt very aware that this man was still holding his wrist.
It was very warm.
Once they reach a lift, the man doesn't hesitate to press the button for the ground floor and heartlessly lets the door shut in front of some of the more stubborn women that had been chasing them. Panting for breath both of them look at each other and burst into disbelieving laughter.
"Haha, I really felt like some hero saving you from a horde of beautiful zombies," the man giggles childishly, eyes curving up with amusement.
"You.." Drake felt his face heating up. The man's carefully styled hair was now messily unrestrained, with his flushed face and wet lips it gave the already beautiful stranger a rather seductive and ambiguous air. "I, thank you,"
The stranger waves it off easily with a shrug, "Ah, no worries, no worries, oh right, here," he tosses the phone to Drake, "want to have lunch? I've got two hours free." The man looks at him expectantly.
Despite the fact, he should be used to being in the center of attention, being stared at so intensely like that with those eyes made Drake feel flustered. He fiddles with his phone as he helplessly says, "I don't even know your name."
The man blinks, a little taken aback, "Your father didn't mention me?" He asks confused.
At the mention of his dad, Drake's mood immediately sours. "Why on earth would he mention you?" He scowls, cursing himself for being so naive, of course his father wouldn't trust him to be alone and sent people to watch over him.
The man squints his eyes looking genuinely confused and a little hurt, "I'm Adrian Marshall? Uncle James talks a lot about you so I assumed..."
"Oh, uh," Drake's mind was whirling. He quickly understands the situation after a moment of thought. He has met James Christopher and his son before and while he doesn't like him very much he is reluctantly aware that they share some similar traits. "I must have not been listening. Now that I think about it your name does sound familiar."
The man, Adrian, nods and accepts the excuse. Apparently, he is somewhat aware of Jacob Christopher's personality then. Drake feels somewhat torn about this. On one hand, he's very happy to not be treated as the Lanzoni family's second young master for once, on the other hand, he's being mistaken for James Christoper's idiot son...
"Well, your father is my benefactor who introduced me into modelling," Adrian explains straightforwardly, looking at Drake with an earnest face, "he asked me to see if we can be friends and talk some of the stupid out of you."
Drake Lanzoni: ...Such a nice looking face said something unexpectedly rude just then.
"Ah," Adrian looks a little embarrassed, "Sorry, your dad said that much nicer than that."
Drake Lanzoni: .....So those were your true thoughts then?
Finding it a little funny and enjoying Adrian's straightforward friendliness, Drake shrugs it off. "Ah, don't worry about it, at least I don't look like a walking advertisement for strawberry-flavoured bubblegum." he teases though since he's never really been so casual with anyone before it comes off a little awkward.
Adrian thankfully seems to have enough social skills for the both of them and plays along. He pouts, putting on an exaggerated wounded look as he clutches his chest like he'd been shot, "How cruel!" He gasps, "And here I thought we could be friends!"
Helplessly Drake's mouth curves into a smile, "You, you take a shower first then we can talk about friendship."
Adrian laughs again, it's not a very loud laugh, quite soft and gentle but still a little husky. Drake reaffirms to himself that it really is a laugh that is pleasing to the ear. And the smile as he laughs is pleasing to the eyes. Really, everything was just, quite.. pleasing. "You're very different from what uncle says."
Drake stiffens a little. After all, he may be intelligent but he was still only seventeen and has been a more or less obedient if rather a sullen child. He's never had to lie so thoroughly about something to this extent and was already feeling not a small amount of guilt for tricking this person he finds he really likes. "Uh, Mhmmm," he noncommittally hums before mentally slapping himself.
Adrian gives him a weird look but immediately shakes it off with a muttered 'Maybe there is just something wrong with his brain'. Feeling a little wronged but unable to protest, Drake quickly changes the subject. "So.. how exactly did, um, father introduce you to modelling?"
Luckily it seems Adrian doesn't have the best attention span and after only a moment of hesitation decides to give him some face and briefly recount how he met James Christopher's niece and in turn, James Christopher himself. Even though he didn't outright say it, Drake could read between the lines and see that Adrian's life hadn't very easy. Feeling a bit embarrassed about his own lavish lifestyle and not wanting to make Adrian think he was some ungrateful spoiled rich second generation, Drake quickly makes up a story about being teased and looked down on for his father's work in school.
Adrian looks at him sympathetically and the guilt inside him grows a bit bigger even as Drake inexplicably preens silently under Adrian's attention and the way he tries to encourage him. "Those kids are idiots," Adrian says seriously, before gently poking Drake's forehead, "but you're not much better! Your dad is working hard for your sake you know? Even if he's busy he still constantly worries about you, how can you dismiss such genuine fatherly love for some words spouted by shallow strangers? Understand?"
"En," Drake says, flushing a little at the scolding but his mouth was curving upwards in a pleased smile. Wasn't Adrian a little too... cute when he was worked up about something?
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