Rene

Rene's a boy who grows on you.

When I was first introduced to him as a prospective HMBoys model, I wasn't too sure.

And the circumstances didn't help too much, either.

Summoned across the city by one of our talent scouts, I had to make a very slow journey through heavy traffic - only to find, when we got to the right district, that the taxi driver had absolutely no idea where the street in question actually was.

And when I ultimately did arrive at a nondescript looking suburban villa - which turned out to be a guest house that doubled up (for its guests who couldn't be bothered with that taxi ride into the city bars) as a "house of boys" - Rene didn't make that much of an initial impression.

To be fair, though, the competition was tough.

It was the height of the tourist season, the guest house was full and so, like bees to honey, the city's money boys had flocked to the in-house bar for the afternoon in the hope of turning a trick or two.

But gradually, as we sat and talked over a few beers, Rene won me over by the sheer impact of his personality.

I don't know if it communicates well in photographs (though it certainly does in the video that you'll soon be seeing) but Rene is a real charmer with an impish sense of humour and a great smile.

In fact, we were having such a great time together that I almost felt embarrassed to suggest that, if he wanted to make some cash, we needed to go upstairs to do the work.

Not that Rene made it look like work at all, though.

You'd think he was actually enjoying himself.

And, in fact, I think he really was…