You(r) Tuber Vol 1.

3 Chop-khun's First Time On Camera

 

"Kati, we're having a new friend over today. Be on your best behaviour, okay?"

 

Chop-khun spoke gently to his Pomeranian, freshly groomed to the point he resembled a round, fluffy bear. Intouch had called ten minutes earlier to say he was almost there. Chop-khun set aside his sketchpad, where he'd been working on a client's design, and waited in the living room with Kati for his new team member to arrive.

 

Ding-dong...

 

The doorbell rang just before ten o'clock. Chop-khun patted Kati's head as the little dog, perched on his lap, perked up his ears in surprise. It wasn't often that visitors came to this new house, so the little dog was always curious.

 

"What's with that face, Kati?" Chop-khun chuckled at his dog's funny expression before setting him down on the floor.

 

"Stay here for a bit. I'll be right back." Seeing the little one obediently sit as instructed, Chop-khun walked to the front gate to greet his guest. The familiar scent of Intouch's cologne, subtle yet captivating, wafted through the air as he approached. 

 

Intouch dressed more casually than before, wearing grey slacks and a tucked-in white T-shirt. His jet-black hair was left unstyled, giving him a younger and more approachable look. Despite this, Chop-khun still felt a bit tense.

 

"Hello, was it hard to find my house?" Chop-khun greeted him.

 

"Not at all."

 

"Come on in." Chop-khun stepped aside to let him in, then closed the gate and led the taller man toward the house.

 

"Your house is really nice," Intouch commented as they passed the front garden. Hearing the guest initiate conversation, Chop-khun slowed his pace so they could walk side by side.

 

"Thank you. I forgot to ask, did you drive here yourself?"

 

"Yes, I did. I parked outside."

 

"Oh, next time, feel free to park inside. I have space for two cars, and one spot is still available. It's over there." Chop-khun pointed to the right side of the house, where a silver Mercedes-Benz C-Class was already parked. When Chop-khun opened the front door, Intouch noticed a small entryway designed for shoes, reminiscent of a Japanese genkan.

 

"You can leave your shoes in this cabinet. And here are some slippers prepared for you. I'm not sure if they'll fit, but give them a try," Chop-khun said, pointing to a pair of simple black indoor slippers. He then stepped onto the raised wooden floor and slipped on his own slippers, which had little Pomeranian plush heads.

 

"Thank you." Intouch placed his black designer sneakers in the cabinet and put on the slippers provided.

 

"Kati, I told you to wait inside," Chop-khun scolded gently. Intouch looked at the tiny white dog now sitting by Chop-khun's feet. When he looked at the plush heads on Chop-khun's slippers, and then at Kati, he realised they looked almost identical.

 

"This is Kati, the dog I mentioned before. Don't worry, he doesn't bite. I've trained him well, so nothing in the house will get damaged." Seeing Intouch nod and glance at Kati, who was adorably oblivious, Chop-khun led him further into the house.

 

Their first stop was the workspace they'd share. The room was just the right size for two people, as Chop-khun had initially planned to share it with the jerk Tewit. The workspace had high ceilings, as Chop-khun preferred open, airy environments. Large glass windows offered a clear view of the lush front garden. Two light wood desks were placed side by side, facing one corner of the room.

 

"This is my desk. And that one's yours," Chop-khun said, pointing to the one with a MacBook and some work supplies already on it, and then gesturing to the empty desk.

 

"Your house is beautiful. Did you design it yourself?" Intouch asked, setting his bag down on the empty desk. His sharp eyes scanned the room before landing on Chop-khun.

 

"Yes, I sketched out the design I wanted and worked with an interior designer to refine it. We adjusted things along the way until it turned out like this."

 

"Are you planning to do a full home tour or just certain parts?"

 

"Probably the whole house. Let me show you around first so you can get some ideas for filming."

 

"The main colours of my house are white, cream, and beige. As you can see, I chose furniture in tones that closely resemble wood. The flooring is white oak because I wanted the house to feel cosy and inviting."

 

“…”

 

"I didn't add walls to separate the rooms because the house isn't very big. I wanted it to feel more spacious. Plus... I don't have much free time, so it's easier to clean this way. Oh, right. When designing the house, I focused more on functionality than heavy decoration."

 

“…”

 

"This is the kitchen. I don't use it often because I'm not great at cooking. But if you want to use it while working, feel free."

 

“…”

 

"And this is my art studio. I love having lots of natural light, so I added a glass roof on one side."

 

"....”

 

After leaving the workspace, Chop-khun gave Intouch a tour of the first and second floors, explaining his design ideas for each area as if he were a real estate agent. 

 

Intouch, ever the attentive listener, nodded and jotted notes on his iPad throughout the tour. That made Chop-khun want to share more than he'd expected. Aside from his parents, Intouch was the first guest to set foot in this house. As for Tewit, there was no point in mentioning him. 

 

Since construction began last year, his ex had never once visited. He hadn't even cared to look at the house sketches Chop-khun had drawn. In the end, Chop-khun had handled everything himself, from decorating to moving in. But that turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as this house held no memories of that lousy ex.

 

"Can I take another look around the first floor? I'd like to capture a few more details," Intouch asked as they descended the stairs.

 

"Of course, take your time."

 

Chop-khun moved to the living room to wait, giving Intouch space to work without feeling pressured. The open layout of the first floor, except for the workspace and art studio, allowed him to observe the skilled cameraman at work. Intouch was meticulously photographing the house, capturing even the smallest details that Chop-khun hadn't expected him to notice. And then there was Kati...

 

The little dog followed their guest around like a duckling trailing its mother. Ever since Intouch had entered the house, Kati hadn't left his side. Whenever Intouch stopped to take a photo, Kati would sit down right next to him. Did I make Kati too friendly? If a burglar broke in, my dog would probably beg them to play with him!

 

"Kati, come here." Hearing his owner's call, the little dog dashed from the kitchen to the living room. "Were you bothering him? Come here and stay with me," Chop-khun said, scooping up the mischievous pup and stroking its soft fur.

 

"Does the light usually come in from this direction?"

 

While petting Kati, who was now dozing off, Intouch's voice broke the silence. "Yes, I designed that window specifically to let in natural light," Chop-khun replied.

 

"Natural light makes the house feel even cosier. Would you be okay with starting the shoot in the morning?"

 

"That's fine with me."

 

"Would it be okay if I started filming some parts of the interior and exterior today for editing?"

 

"Sure, no problem."

 

"And when would be a good day to film the parts with you in them?"

 

"How about the day after tomorrow?"

 

"Sounds good."

 

Chop-khun couldn't help but feel excited. Ever since his parents had gifted him this plot of land as a graduation present, he'd dreamed of building a house he truly loved. Over the past eight years, he'd worked hard and saved up, sketching designs along the way. Now, his dream house was finally a reality, almost exactly as he'd imagined. He wanted his home tour video to reflect his personality and share his story with the viewers through his home. And so, the day of filming arrived.

 

"I'm sorry, can we do another take?"

 

Maybe Tewit had been right. Chop-khun wasn't cut out for being on camera. He'd already asked Intouch to redo several takes since they started filming. He wasn't sure whether it was nervousness about being on camera for the first time or the presence of the professional cameraman behind the camera. But Chop-khun was leaning toward the latter! How could he not be nervous? He was just an amateur who'd never been on camera, while Intouch was a seasoned professional.

 

Thankfully, despite the numerous retakes, Intouch showed no signs of irritation. At first, Chop-khun had worried that Intouch might get annoyed, just like Tewit used to.

 

"It's okay."

 

"Let's try again."

 

Those were the words Intouch repeated every time Chop-khun made a mistake. Still, he couldn't help but feel guilty, as they'd barely made any progress.

 

"Why don't you take a break and have something to drink?" Chop-khun suggested, glancing at Intouch's calm, unreadable expression.

 

"Uh, sure."

 

"Sorry for wasting so much of your time."

 

"It's no trouble at all. Don't worry about it." 

 

Intouch's steady tone and faint smile eased Chop-khun's nerves a bit. He went to grab a bottle of water for himself and another for Intouch, who was sitting on the living room sofa.

 

"Can I ask what's making you nervous?" As soon as the other man sat down, Intouch asked the question. “I'm asking so I can understand and help us work through it together."

 

Chop-khun pressed his lips together before deciding to be honest. "I've never done this before. I don't know how to act or when to look at the camera. And honestly. You're so professional that it's intimidating. I'm sorry I'm not as good as the people you've worked with before."

 

Chop-khun wasn't sure what gave him the courage to say what he was thinking. Maybe it was because Intouch seemed genuinely open to listening. The atmosphere wasn't as tense or pressuring as he'd feared. He'd expected Intouch to be strict or scold him, but that wasn't the case at all.

 

"I see. How about we start fresh and get to know each other as friends?"

 

"What do you mean?" Chop-khun raised an eyebrow.

 

"How old are you?"

 

"Twenty-nine."

 

"Then let's change how we talk to each other. No need to be formal. You can just call me 'In ', and we can talk like friends."

 

"But you're older than me."

 

"I don't mind. It's just a year. We could even be classmates."

 

"Are you sure about this?"

 

"Absolutely. From now on, don't think of me as a professional cameraman or compare yourself to the people I've worked with. Just think of me as In, your friend. How does that sound?" 

 

His calm, deep voice was reassuring. Chop-khun hadn't expected someone as reserved as Intouch to take the time to break the ice like this. "Then you can just call me Khun."

 

"Sounds good. Take your time, no pressure. Even people who've been doing this for years make mistakes."

 

"Thank you." Chop-khun suddenly found it hard to meet Intouch's gaze when he changed his tone. Why did it feel so strange to hear Intouch talk this way? Maybe it was because Chop-khun hadn't expected Intouch to have this side to him.

 

"As for your movements, don't worry about them. Just do what you did when you first explained the house to me. You don't have to stick to the script word for word. That way, it'll feel more natural. Speak as if you're talking to a friend; imagine the camera is one of your friends. After a while, you'll get used to it."

 

"Alright." Chop-khun found himself quietly listening to Intouch's advice instead of doing all the talking.

 

"If you asked me to draw like you, I wouldn't be able to do it perfectly on the first try, either. These things take practice. From what I've seen today, you'll find your rhythm soon enough."

 

"Thank you. I'll give it another shot."

 

Today, Intouch had spoken more than Chop-khun had ever expected, and he couldn't help but compare Intouch to his ex. Tewit had always told him he'd never be able to do it, that he wasn't cut out to be on camera. Hearing such encouraging words from his new friend gave Chop-khun a boost of confidence.

 

I'm ready to try again!

 

"This house combines elements of Japanese design. It's a Muji-style home that focuses on functionality. I don't like clutter or excessive decorations, so the items on display are only things I truly love..."

 

Following Intouch's advice, Chop-khun naturally narrated the story of his house, without rigidly sticking to the script. It flowed much better, and he found himself enjoying it more. Intouch followed him with the camera, capturing angles that highlighted the house's details and beautiful lighting. Kati was left to roam freely, adding a natural touch to the footage.

 

"The living room is where I usually watch movies or sometimes work. That's why I put a lot of thought into the sofa. This one is my favourite; it's comfortable and doesn't trap pet hair. It's easy to clean when I let the dog sit with me. I'll include the details in the video description in case anyone's interested. You can even customise it to your liking."

 

This time, Chop-khun performed much better. The shoot progressed smoothly, though they didn't finish everything. The second floor and some minor details still needed to be filmed later.

 

"How did I do?" Chop-khun inquired, now using the casual tone they'd agreed upon. 

 

Talking this way really did make him feel less tense. He couldn't help but admire his new coworker for creating such a positive working atmosphere.

 

"You did great. Let's continue with the rest tomorrow," Intouch said as he reviewed the clips on his MacBook.

 

"By the way, would you mind if I used your house design sketches? Would that be okay?"

 

"What do you need them for?" Chop-khun turned to look at Intouch, who was sitting on a work chair that seemed a bit too small for him.

 

"I think it'd be nice for viewers to see the sketches you made. We could edit them into the video to make it more engaging."

 

"Oh, that's a great idea. Let me look for them, and I'll let you know."

 

Intouch's suggestion was intriguing. But...

 

Those sketches were at his ex's condo. I shouldn't have shown them to Tewit. Damn it!