As soon as Nova started clicking, the atmosphere on set changed instantly.
Zeno fell into a pose—one hand loosely tucked into his pocket, the other lazily holding the leash. His head tilted ever so slightly, lips parted just enough to make it look like he'd been caught mid-thought. The kind of expression that made you wonder what he was thinking. The wind caught the strands of his hair just right.
Click.
Nova paused, glanced at the first few shots, then gulped. Dog food shouldn't look this appetizing. And yet, the way Zeno modeled made her feel like she wanted to eat it.
Mirae wasn't faring any better—on the verge of barking as Zeno continued working his magic.
Even the staff, who hadn't expected much, looked dazed. It felt like they were on the set of a luxury campaign rather than a comrcial for slightly expensive dog food. They all had the sa thought as Nova.
Why does the dog food look delicious in his hands?
Zeno dropped into a crouch, one arm resting on his knee, chin tipped up. There was sothing strangely sincere in the way he looked into the lens—unpolished but honest. None of that try-hard intensity from trained models. Just Zeno. It appeared like he didn't care whether he looked good... and maybe that's what made him look better than anyone expected.
Nova kept clicking. She tried to find a bad fra—a blink or maybe a weird angle. But every photo scread one word.
Perfect!
Models usually had bad cuts throughout a shoot.
But, Zeno was different! His photos told stories.
Nova's heart raced in her chest.
She felt Kairos Sterling's energy through Zeno Han. She knew it was impossible because they weren't even from the sa tiline, but Nova couldn't help but compare Zeno to her lifelong idol.
Zeno sat on the wooden crate ant for product display like it was a throne. Legs spread in a careless, boyish way, and back slouched. He rested his cheek on his knuckles and gave the smallest smile—just a tug at the corner of his lips.
That was the one that made Mirae drop to her knees.
"This is it," she whispered. "Father, I am ready to get married."
"Where's the dog?" Mirae suddenly asked, snapping out of it.
Her assistant scratched the back of her neck. "The dog ran away."
"What?" Mirae gasped. "I thought the dog was already here!"
"He was. But he ran off after seeing Zeno. The owner said this has never happened before."
Zeno, now on a short break, overheard them. "Is sothing wrong?"
Mirae turned toward him with a sugary smile. "Nothing, sweetheart."
Nova, anwhile, was still glued to the monitor. Of all the models she had worked with, Zeno looked exactly like he did on screen. She felt like she'd discovered a hidden gem. She had been so wrong to misjudge him at the start.
"I heard the dog isn't cooperating," Zeno said. That much wasn't surprising. Maxie had taken her ti warming up to him. It seed that other creatures, besides humans, could also tell he wasn't exactly from this planet.
"It's alright," Mirae chuckled, appearing smitten. It seed like she'd believe anything that ca out of his mouth. "We already got good cuts. We can just edit the dog in."
"Can we bring soone else in?" Zeno asked, scratching the back of his head. "I think she could really help."
Mirae's eyes narrowed slightly. "She?"
"Just a second," Zeno said, heading to the parking lot.
Monts later, he returned—carrying what looked like a mini golden retriever in his arms.
The crowd cooed.
Maxie, a little aloof, had just been promised a truckload of food in exchange for good behavior. It was a fair deal."This is my dog," Zeno said, clearing his throat.
"She didn't want to leave this morning. I guess, this is why. Is it alright if we shoot with her?"
Mirae reached out. "Say no more," she grinned. "This is even better. Zeno Han's dog on the poster? That'll boost sales so much."
Maxie bared her teeth, just a little. Zeno recognized the look imdiately and whispered, "Rember the treat."
She cald right down. And with that, they got to work.
The click of claws echoed across the studio floor before a soft golden blur bounced into the fra. Maxie's tail wagged furiously, tongue out, ears flopping as she ran to Zeno like he was her whole world.
The treat threat had worked.
Zeno turned, arms open like it was part of the plan. Maxie leapt, paws against his chest, licking his chin. He laughed and tilted his head back, eyes crinkling in the most beautiful way.
Click.
Zeno got down on the floor—one knee bent, the other stretched. Maxie plopped beside him, sitting tall with a goofy grin, head tilted. Zeno mirrored her. Sa tilt. Sa grin.
The photographer wheezed while Mirae forgot how to breathe.
Click. Click. Click.
Then Zeno lay on his side, propped on one elbow. Maxie curled beside him. He rested his hand gently on her fur.
She licked his cheek while he scrunched his nose.
Click.
A toy flew into the fra. Maxie caught it mid-air—teeth flashing, fluff in motion. Zeno whistled, clapped, grinning so wide his dimple showed. For a second, it looked less like an ad and more like a cherished Sunday mory.
He hugged her from behind. Maxie leaned into him, ears twitching.
They looked like they belonged together in every fra. It was a perfect shoot. The two of them looked like they had the best relationship in the world…
Or so they thought.
Zeno and Maxie? They both just had hidden agendas.
By the end of the shoot, everyone had forgotten this was even for dog food.
One of the staff turned toward Mirae, who was busy snacking.
"Miss?" her assistant said, eyeing her warily.
Mirae, already chewing on the dog food like it was a bag of chips, smiled. "This is actually great," she said, eyes sparkling.
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