Hello to anyone who's reading this and thanks so much for reading this story too. :)
First off, to those of you who are also reading any of my 2 other stories...i am so so so SORRY for the SUPER long wait. and a SUPER SUPER SORRY again for not updating them now either... sorry.
I promise i will do so, soon-ish but i'm just extremely busy at the moment with..well, life haha. so pleeeeeease bear with me and i'll do extra long chapters for them next time :D
In the meantime...i decided to start a new story (which is slightly annoying as i'm really bad with the updating..soz) but i just had to write it coz this ideas been nagging me for aaaaaages.
so here you go and hopefully it'll sorta make up for me not updating the other 2 stories?
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
*ding*
The elevator came to a stop when it reached the 32nd floor of the towering 40 storey glass building of Urahara Studios. The young woman inside took in a deep breath before exhaling and stepping out of the large elevator as its doors opened to the immaculate, spacious office foyer of the 32nd floor.
"Good Morning Miss Hinamori," the young blonde receptionist greeted cheerfully.
"Morning Kiyone." Hinamori replied with a bright smile then proceeded through a translucent glass door, down the long polished hallway leading towards her office.
"Morning Hinamori-san."
"Good Morning Miss Hinamori – loved your cover photo for Vogue."
"Ohayo Miss Hinamori, how are you this morning?"
"Oi Hinamori! Great job on the Louis Vuitton shoot, I saw their new catalogue this morning.
"That new Dior advertisement image was beautiful Hinamori!"
"Ohayo gozaimasu Hinamori-san."
"Morning Ishida-san. Hello –glad you liked it Isane. Ohayo Nemu-san, I'm good thanks. Hey Renji –thank you. Thanks Yumichika. Good morning Hanatarou…" Hinamori replied to the many people in the hallway greeting her.
"Good morning Hinamori-sama," a young brunette with unbelievably straight hair framing her child-like face greeted Hinamori.
"Morning Tobiume, bright and early as usual." Hinamori replied and smiled at the girl before unlocking the door to her office and stepping inside with Tobiume following behind her.
"Your coffee, Miss," Tobiume said as she handed Hinamori a Starbuck's cup.
"Thank you. What have you got there?" Hinamori asked, eying the enormous stack of paper files that Tobiume was carrying.
"These are all photoshoot requests for you Miss Hinamori."
"Ugh." Hinamori groaned as she placed the stack of files on her office desk and sat down to sort the files. "No, no, no, no…Here, give these 8 to Ishida down the hallway…and umm, Nemu might like these ones…tell Hanatarou to take care of this one," Hinamori said as she started to hand most of the files back to Tobiume. "And…try to interest Kira with the rest." Hinamori finally said as she handed the rest of paper files to her assistant.
"Umm, but, Miss, they were supposed to be for you…" Tobiume said, puzzled, as she stared at the remaining 2 files sitting on Hinamori's desk which she had picked out.
"Don't worry 'bout it, I'm just trying to make life easier for us," Hinamori winked.
"H-hai. Miss Hinamori. Urahara-sama also wants to see you in 10 minutes." Tobiume said before heading out of Hinamori's office. A split-second after Tobiume had left, a crystal-blue eyed strawberry blonde burst in through the office door.
"Hay haaaay! How's the world's best photographer doing this morning?" the strawberry blonde chirped happily as she plopped herself down on a couch in front of the wall-size window.
"Hey Rangiku, I'm good and thanks for the compliment but no thanks, I am definitely not the world's photographer." Hinamori laughed.
"Ok Momo, have you seen these pictures that you took? Do they not scream AMAZING at you?" Rangiku exclaimed as she stood up then smacked the new Louis Vuitton catalogue down on Momo's desk.
"Ehn, I guess they're pretty good…" Momo said nonchalantly.
"Just pretty good? Tch. Girl, you have some serious problems." Rangiku said as she sat back down again and flicked through the Vogue magazine which Momo also shot the cover image for. "Anyway. So, how was your date with Ogidou last week hmm?" Rangiku asked slyly.
"Ehn. The restaurant was nice…" Momo answered indifferently.
"So…you like him?"
"Heck no."
"Wow. What the heck is freaking wrong with you Momo? Half the girls in this building are going after Ogidou but he's only got eyes for you and you what? Don't feel a thing for him? I'm seriously starting to think that you're lesbian…" Rangiku said as she eyed Momo suspiciously.
"Rangiku! I'm am NOT lesbian! I just...haven't found the right guy yet k?" Momo protested.
"Well I'm gonna be one happy woman when you finally do find the guy." Rangiku laughed. Then suddenly, without warning, Rangiku leapt off the couch and ran over to turn on the big flat screen TV set on the wall on the other side of Momo's office. After the TV turned on Rangiku plopped back on her seat contentedly. "Phew! I can't believe we nearly missed our favorite show!"
"You mean your favorite show." Momo corrected.
"Whatever. I know you like all the celebrity gossip too." Rangiku replied.
"Our crew catches up with some of your favorite celebs at the Shinigami Cup last night…" the host on the TV screen started saying. "After attending the past 10 movie premieres dateless, our reporter asks Hitsugaya if he's losing his 'touch' but the billionaire playboy heartthrob, Hitsugaya Toshiro, says that he's found 'the one'…"
"Pfft. Found 'the one' my ass." Momo scoffed.
"I thought he found 'the one' last month." Rangiku commented.
"Yeah, he's found about a trillion 'ones' so far this year and it's not even September yet." Momo muttered.
"Hmm…although this 'one' does seem to be a little special, ne Momo?" Rangiku said. "I mean he's usually with a different girl like, each week."
"I'm pretty convinced this is just another one of his 'hit-and-runs'." Momo replied.
"Well don't worry, we'll know if it is by like...tomorrow. He's on the media like, every single day."
"Yeah, and that's another thing I don't get, it's like the global population will die if he doesn't appear on the media for 48 hours. Sheesh, it's so pathetic." Momo scowled.
"Well, I get it, it's 'coz he's hot, sexy, super rich, young, smart, does wonders in bed…" Rangiku started to list but then stopped when Momo raised an eyebrow at her last suggestion.
"What? Haineko talks about him constantly, that girl's seriously in love with him, and plus, that's what they always say on-" Rangiku's sentence was cut off when a tall blonde guy with a long fringe covering half his face came into Momo's office.
"Um, excuse me Hinamori-san…" the blonde started to say.
"Hmm yes Kira?" Momo said.
"Um, these, ah, files are, um…for me?" Kira asked and lifted up the huge stack of files in his hands. On the other side of the room, Rangiku silently muttered a 'Wow'.
"Mmhmm, yup. Yes they are for you and...do you have a problem with that Kira?" Momo replied.
"Um, no, but-"
"Then that's great! See, I've been getting so much of these photoshoot requests and bookings lately. And, it's just so frustrating because it puts me under all this stress which is really just, not good for my health. So, thank you so much Kira, for being so understanding and considerate by doing this small favor for me." Momo said sweetly then gave Kira an persuasive smile. Kira turned 10 shades of red and gulped.
"N-n-no p-problem Hinamori-san, anytime, glad I could help." Kira stuttered then left the office with the pile of files.
"Ohh…That. Was evil, Momo." Rangiku laughed. Momo just smirked and took another sip of her coffee.
"But seriously," Rangiku continued. "Do you really get that many requests each week?"
"No, that was about two-thirds of this week's requests. I split the last third between my own photographers and myself." Momo replied. "Jeez, seriously, all these bookings are driving me crazy! Ugh."
"Well that's what you get for being amaziiiiiing." Rangiku sang.
"Rangiku. My photography still has a long way to go."
"Well, fine, even if you weren't amazing –which you clearly are– you just had to go ahead to do all these different types of photography instead of just choosing one category."
"I like doing it…and plus, you can't really say much, Matsumoto Rangiku – wardrobe, make-up and hair stylist." Momo retorted.
"Hey wait a sec, doesn't Kira work under Shuhei not you?" Rangiku suddenly asked.
"Yup. Kira always gets his photos in to me on time so I figured that if I gave him most of my bookings, it'll save me chasing up my own photographers for overdue images. And, it's also a good thing too that you're here to deal with Hisagi very soon…"
As if on cue a tall man with spiky black hair and a 69 tattoo on his face came into the office looking very annoyed.
"Hinamori! The last time I checked, I believe Kira Izuru works as a photographer in my department NOT yours. So I'd like to know what the hell a huge pile of files under your name is doing on his desk." Hisagi barked.
"Aww Shuheeei!" Rangiku whined. "Don't shout at Momo! Are you always this mean to her? –is he always this mean to you Momo?" Momo put on a puppy-face and nodded at Rangiku. "Shuhei! How can you be so insensitive?" Rangiku complained.
"No, no, no, Rangiku-san, no, that's not what I meant when I shou–no , speak very loudly to Hinamori. What I meant was that, ah...it's good that Hinamori-san always gives Kira extra work 'coz it keeps him busy all the time you know, so yeah. I'm just, uh, here to tell her to feel free to pass on her work to Kira anytime." Hisagi lied with a fake smile.
"Aww! How sweet of you Shuhei!" Rangiku beamed.
"Byeee Hisagi." Momo said mockingly as she waved.
"Tch." Hisagi glared at the younger photographer then left the office. As soon as Hisagi walked out the door, Rangiku and Momo started to laugh like crazy.
"Woah, did you see the look on his face? Oh, and Kira's before? Woo, I swear the two of us could run this whole building. I mean, name one person in this building that we couldn't handle." Rangiku laughed. Just then Momo's office telephone started ringing and a middle-aged male's voice automatically came over the receiver.
"Ohayo Hinamori-san, I believe you were due in my office 30 minutes ago…" Urahara's menacing words were subtly masked by his lighthearted tone.
"Oh, that person." Rangiku muttered.
"Crap." Momo whispered as she smacked herself on the forehead.
"So I suggest you make your way up here very soon Hinamori-san –Ooh, and I'd also like to tell you that I've recently developed a high-tech sensor to help me keep an eye on my employees. And right now, one of my sensors on the 17th level is telling me that Matsumoto Rangiku has been absent from her office for the past 40 minutes. I am very certain that she has in fact been in your office this whole time so, Hinamori-san, would you please kindly remind Matsumoto-san that she works here as a stylist not a photographer and stylists here live under the 20th floor which means that she should not be in photographers' territory which is above the 20th level." Then Urahara hung up.
"What a dick." Rangiku grumbled.
"Tell me 'bout it." Momo said as she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I gotta go, so, see ya later huh?"
"Ok –meet up for lunch?"
"No sorry, can't do lunch today, Orihime asked me to go do the new catalogue for Omaeda Jewellers."
"And there goes our amazing photographer again." Rangiku laughed.
Momo mentally groaned as she stopped in front of the office door with a silver name plate reading:
Urahara Kisuke
CEO
Momo knocked on the door before going in. Urahara was sitting on a big black leather office chair behind his huge mahogany desk.
"You asked to see me sir?" Momo asked.
"Ah, Hinamori-san, yes, good to see you –Please, have a seat." Urahara replied as he gestured to one of the leather seats in front of his wooden desk. Momo sat down.
"Is there a problem Sir?" Momo asked.
"Oh, no no no, no there isn't a single problem. In fact, I just wanted to let you know that the Louis Vuitton shoot was very impressive. It really was, I've had a ton of very positive feedback from critics all over the world this morning after the new catalogue came out. It really will be very beneficial for our company's reputation as one of the world's leading photography studios. Well, anyway, the main point is that, although you may be working very hard for this new promotion, Hinamori-san, you should be aware that Hisagi-san is also working just as hard to get the same promotion. You two are really neck-to-neck at the moment so I've decided to liven things up a little with the Kuchiki House Art Exhibition next month. You two will both attend and take photos which both of you will display at the photography expo the following month. Only one photo is allowed to be edited and that can also be your main piece for the night if you want it to be. Is that understood?"
"Yes Sir."
"Good. I'm expecting great things, Hinamori-san. You're dismissed."
"Hey Orihime." Momo said as she approached the glass bench at the center of a massive, brightly-lit room on the 5th floor of the big building known as Omaeda Jewellers.
"Oh, Momo-chan, hey!" Orihime beamed. "Great. You're here! Marechiyo-sama's been nagging Mareyo-chan constantly about when the photographer was gonna arrive to photograph the new jewelry. Anyway, these are our newest designs and prime selection of rings." Orihime said as she gestured to the long glass cabinet in front of her. "And...We've also got the new necklaces, earrings and bracelets in the other display room so I'll go and get them ready now. So you can just have a look and pick out the ones you would like to put on the cover page and choose a few for our advertisements too ne?"
"Sure…but if you leave now, what about the customers?" Momo asked.
"Momo-chan, this is the top level of Omaeda Jewelers, only the richest of the richest can afford the stuff on this level and they usually come around Valentines' Day, so don't worry 'bout that." Orihime said before she left the huge room.
A few minutes after Orihime left, Momo had become so occupied with examining the various rings in the glass cabinet with ridiculously large diamonds, that she didn't notice the presence of another person standing in front of the glass cabinet.
"Ahem." The person coughed.
"Mmm…" Momo murmured a reply without averting her gaze from the rings.
"Ah, I'd like to buy an engagement ring," the man's voice said.
"Well, um…this whole room's full of rings? –oh, the new collection's on my right." Momo replied indifferently while point to her right without looking up.
"Thanks," the person replied and the sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the huge room as he walked over to Momo's right. "Um, I need some help please?" the person asked after a short while.
"There's cheaper rings downstairs." Momo stated, still not averting her eyes from the rings in front of her.
"No, it's not a money issue. Are these the biggest diamonds you have here?"
Surprised by the customer's response, Momo finally stood up straight to face the person standing in front of her. Momo's breath hitched when she saw and realized who it was. The young man in front of her wore jeans and a black suit jacket over a white shirt with the top buttons undone. He had unruly snowy white hair, lightly-tanned skin and dazzling aqua-teal eyes. This was Hitsugaya Toshiro.
"Oh…well, of course you won't have a money issue." Momo replied sarcastically, unfazed by his presence. "There's bigger diamonds here," Momo said as she gestured to the glass cabinet displaying the rings she was examining a minute ago.
"Thanks." Hitsugaya replied, surprised by Momo's calm reaction to his presence. "So, the price, how much do you think I should be looking at?"
"That, depends on how much you're willing to lose when you break off the engagement." Momo replied coolly.
"What makes you so sure that I'll break off this engagement?" Hitsugaya replied as he raised an eyebrow.
"Are you kidding? Do you really want me to answer that?" Momo half laughed.
"Wow, are all the staff here like you?" Hitsugaya asked, surprised by the rudeness of this 'retail assistant'.
"Momo-chaaaaan," Orihime called as she walked back into the room.
"Aw, well, it's just too bad that I don't work here," Momo replied sarcastically as she picked up her car keys and turned to face Orihime. "Hey I've picked out the rings Orihime, so just tell Omaeda that I'll be sending someone over tomorrow to take the pictures k? I gotta go, see ya some other time ne?"
"Bye Momo-chan!"
"…hmm…how 'bout the new girl? Kujo Nozomi? –she's pretty cute too. Maybe she'll get Ogidou's attention huh?" Rangiku asked as she flipped through Urahara Studios' staff photos which had been printed that morning. "Nanao-chan would look pretty good with Kira, don't you think?"
"Mmm…" Momo replied nonchalantly as she arranged her appointments in her journal. Rangiku was in Momo's office again playing 'matchmaker'.
"Ooh! How 'bout your assistant! Ogidou and Tobiume would make a pretty cute couple right?" Rangiku asked enthusiastically.
"Tobiume?" Momo looked up at Rangiku who was nodding at her. "…and Ogidou, huh…" Momo grinned slyly.
"Right. It's decided then. I have to get those two together! –but I swear they had a little something going last year..." Rangiku declared. Just then a there was a knock on the door before it was flung open and a flushed Tobiume came running into Momo's office.
"Tobiume?" Momo asked, surprised by her assistant's sudden entry.
"Ohayo Hinamori-san, Matsumoto-san!" Tobiume beamed at them.
"Morning Tobiume…today's your day off…" Momo said, confused.
"Yeah I know but I had to get here straight away!" Tobiume exclaimed. "I'm getting married!"
"To Ogidou?" Rangiku squealed happily as she jumped out of her seat.
"Umm…no. It's not anyone from this company..." Tobiume replied uncomfortably and cringed slightly at the mention of Ogidou's name.
"Aaaah! I'm soo happy for you Tobiume! Congrats!" Momo squealed, ignoring the awkward moment between Tobiume and Rangiku, as she ran up to hug her assistant.
"WOW. Look at the size of this thing!" Rangiku exclaimed as she held up Tobiume's hand to examine her ring. "Your fiancé's pretty loaded huh? -Cannot wait to meet this guy."
"Hinamori-san could you please, pretty pleeease be the photographer for the wedding? And Matsumoto-san, would you do my hair and make-up on the day?" Tobiume asked.
"Yes, of course I will!" Momo replied happily.
"Well, that's two yes's then." Rangiku replied cheerfully after Momo.
"Kyaaaaaaaah! Great! Thank you so much! So, tomorrow afternoon's my engagement party – here's the address and time. –Oops! Sorry Hinamori-san, Rangiku-san, I've gotta go meet up with my bridesmaids. Bye!" Tobiume called as she ran out of the office.
"Well that's a big fat 'X' over my 'get Ogidou and Tobiume together' plan," Matsumoto sighed.
"Yeah, that's quite a pity, but hopefully this guy who's marrying Tobiume is just as good," Momo replied.
Suddenly, Momo's door flew open again as Haineko, Matsumoto's short-haired brunette assistant burst into Momo's office wailing. A loud bang was heard as the door smashed loudly against the doorstop from Haineko's force. "Ouch. There goes the door...and the doorstop." Momo cringed and muttered as she made a mental note to ask Kira to arrange for her doorstop to be replaced.
"Huh? Haineko? What's wrong?" Matsumoto asked surprised by Haineko's abrupt entrance and tear-stained face.
"H-h-he's g-ge-g-getting m-ma-marrieeed!" Haineko cried as she continued bawling her eyes out.
"Who? Who's getting married?" Matsumoto asked as she handed Haineko a Kleenex. Haineko took the paper towel and blew hard into it and continued hiccupping, then reached out to grab one after another from Momo's table as she continued blowing.
"Yup. That's fine, just burst in here, smash my door, break my doorstop and use up my Kleenex too." Momo snapped as she snatched her box of Kleenex away from Haineko's reach. She had never quite understood Haineko and her weird behavioural patterns.
"Shhh! Oi Momo!" Matsumoto scolded before turning back to Haineko who had now calmed down a bit. "So, who's getting married?" Matsumoto asked cautiously as she took a sip of Momo's coffee, earning her a glare.
Haineko tried to compose herself. " H-H-Hi..." Haineko started to hiccup again and tears started welling up in her eyes too.
"H-Hitsugaya Toshiro–WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Haineko started to wail again.
Matsumoto spat out the coffee, choking on it in the process and started a coughing fit.
"And there goes my carpet too," Momo muttered as she stared at the coffee Matsumoto had just spat out on her clean carpet. Momo sighed and shook her head as she looked at the troublesome and uncomprehendable pair in her office.
There you go. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that you guys liked it. So so sorry again for not updating..
:(
please review? they mean alot :D thank you.