I do not own Skip Beat.
Enjoy!
Julia was 21 and a very motivated woman.
It didn't matter to her that she would have to pay thousands to come to Japan, she worked her butt off, and when she got to Japan, she got a job at one of those ridiculous shops where people wanted to express their 'Individuality', like dying their hair or wearing dark clothes.
Sure, she had strong-willed boyfriends in the past, but nobody truly had a backbone, they just pretended to have one because she was hot, but the truth was, once trouble arose, they were mysterious gone.
And then she saw him.
The monster looking guy who was eating a rat right in front of the apartment she shared with four other girls.
Both of them stared at each other and because of the ridiculousness of the situation she thought she was dreaming, so she closed the window and tried to go back to sleep.
However, the guy climbed right up the wall like something out of those cursed tape but she was ready for him, there was no way she was becoming a meal to a freakish guy.
However, she had to admit she was impressed when her hardest swing did nothing to him and his dead gaze cut right through her.
His smile was not human, but when she saw his full looks, she realised he was actually good looking.
Hmm, get eaten or get to know this attractive monster?
She could tell he certainly had skills and a backbone.
She agreed to be his link and then she suddenly felt faint.
When she woke up, she thought it was all a dream until she saw a large man sitting in front of her and he was eating a waffle.
They both stared at each other.
Ch 2: Connection to the Spirit World.
"...So, what are you?" Julia said once she established it wasn't a dream.
"...A spirit" said, Kuon, before he said. "You're taking my appearance well."
"I'm disappointed that you changed your appearance and are wearing glasses," She said, "But you're the most interesting thing that has ever come to visit me" before she saw the time and said. "I better get ready for work."
Then she got out of bed and went to the bathroom, Kuon did not follow her, he had become numb towards the female body.
He had killed spirits who were very attractive naked woman, but the moment they showed their true personality, all that beauty took a hit, and they appeared as the most hideous creatures to walk the earth.
Something like that can break a man.
And Julia certainly noticed the disinterested look in his gaze when she came out with a towel on.
Was he gay or did he not feel sexual urges as a spirit?
"First time, I've seen a man who saw me almost naked and did not become a stuttering mess," She said, interested as she changed right in front of him into a white flowing shirt and black jeans, she wore high heels.
Then she started to put on her make-up.
Kuon wanted to sigh; when he saw her clearly seductive way she was moving, she was barking up the wrong tree.
And then a woman walked into the room.
"Cain, I thought you said you were going to drag her to breakfast?" said, the woman and Julia blinked as the woman addressed the supernatural person in the room.
The man said nothing.
"I see, you still a man of few words," Said, the woman, before she said to Julia. "Hurry up; the breakfast will get cold!" then she closed the door.
Silence broke out between them.
"What did you do to Mikoto?" Julia said.
"She believes I'm your childhood friend who followed you to Japan and has known me for years," said, Kuon, not bothering to hide it.
That was the end of question as Julia finished up before heading to the kitchen and Kuon was right behind her.
Watching all four woman who lived in the apartment suddenly be friendly to a man they had never seen before, was quiet something.
"Cain, come sit with me. I got fresh sausages" Said, Ako while offering none to Julia who was clearly steaming because of it.
He took two sausages, while Julia wondered if he even needed to eat at all.
What was with this clear discrimination?
And then she finished eating and headed to the door; she found him following her.
"Why are following me?" She said as she opened the door.
What greeted her was a long neck on large eyes and a slim face, drooling from the mouth.
Quicker than she could see, Kuon hand had grabbed the supernatural face and began squeeze, before her eyes the monster was squeezed until there was nothing left.
"That's why," Kuon said, as she looked with wide eyes at his hand that did not look like it belonged to a human being.
However, when she got a full look at the world outside her apartment, her eyes were widening in shock.
Creatures that should belong in horror movies were everywhere, on lap post's, walking the streets and the population didn't seem to notice at all.
"Welcome to my world," He said, as she took a step back in shock.
"W-What are the-" She began.
"Spirits, like me. Living humans who can see us are the most delicious meal in the world to us" He said before he said. "Do you still want to go outside?"
This hellish landscape had plagued him for five years; he would understand if she was afraid.
However, instead of cowering away, Julia took a deep breath and said. "You're going to protect me, right? Let's go."
He was surprised by her guts, and the fact she didn't run from him as well since he was the same thing.
She bravely took a step outside and began to walk, seeing all those spirits suddenly turn her way having smelled her put the horror movie Tragic Maker to absolute shame.
It took mysterious courage to face such a scene head-on.
A headless head tried to take a bite out of her, only to be stabbed through the head by Kuon foot, it disappeared.
The action was heartless and showed his lack of remorse for his own kind, anything that lunging at her, met an unfortunate end as well.
All the while the surrounding people sweat dropped wondering if he was doing some kind of acrobatics or if he was right in the head.
However, for Julia, it was different because she could see it.
This spirit guy was strong.
He was no pussy like ever previous guy she had met, his strength matched his image.
They managed to make it to shop, only for Julia to see the shop she had worked in for the past year had been invaded by spirits.
They all creepily turned to look at her.
Kuon released his aura.
Back off, she's mine. His aura said.
His aura was the product of him killing and eating countless spirits, feeling this the spirits smelt that he wasn't somebody they could take on.
They back off.
Seeing them back off, Julia couldn't help but be impressed as she wondered if Spirits had ranks amongst them.
And then the manager came.
"Julia. Your late." said, the woman as a spirit passed by the woman, and then the woman noticed the man behind Julia and said. "Who the hel-"
His eyes met with her and Julia saw a visible change in the woman.
"Cain. Thanks for getting her to work" Said, the woman much to Julia confusion. "We got a new shipment, why don't you two restock?"
"Yes, ma'am," Kuon said, as he took Julia with him.
The worker saw him and said. "Who the hell-" they made eye contact. "Good morning Cain," she said with a smile.
He waved at her lazily.
And just like that, he had inserted himself into her working life, and nobody questioned it.
For Kuon, he had never worked at a clothing shop before, so it was quite a new experience for him.
While he worked, the customers who came in, certainly noticed him.
Maybe it was something in his stance that gave people an uneasy feeling about him despite him being dressed very plainly.
It was like a test, they could be waited on by attractive females but have to deal with the ominous feeling male in the shop, only those who were hardcore dared to enter the shop.
But it wasn't long before people noticed he wasn't going to murder them and barely spoke a word, some woman liked such man who looked at them like they weren't even there.
It helped that he was tall and not slender as well.
"How is it that it's not even lunch yet and your popular?" Said, Julia.
It was his curse that's why.
He tried to be as detached as possible and even covered his face and yet woman flock to him.
In a shop like this, he was a magnet.
And the shop manager sighed, for the 50th time today.
"What's going on?" Said, Julia to her fellow worker.
"Manager is trying to find models for the store's online website," said, her co-worker.
"Do you know what is wrong with Japan?" Suddenly the woman said. "We don't have a truly good-looking celebrity bad couple's"
"Eh?" Julia said.
"We don't have a couple in which people can't take their eyes off of" Said, the woman. "I tried recruiting aspiring models from that street where people go in hopes of being discovered. But the models are all wrong. They can't pull off the dark look at all."
And Kuon felt like he should be escaping, but he had to be in the same building as Julia, or the spirits would get her.
"What about the pictures of me?" Said, Julia.
"They attract male consumers, and that's pretty much it," Said, the woman harshly. "We need females. And that means we need an attractive male to bait them with."
Damn it. Kuon cursed, hoping that the woman doesn't truly notice him.
"What about getting one of those 'bad boys' that the entertainment industry is plagued with?" Said, Julia co-worker.
"Those guys? And on the money, I am willing to pay them? Not a chance" Said, the woman. "Anybody who has ever shopped here knows those guys are poser's, only doing it for publicity." before she gave an example. "Wow, dating three women at once and they know each other and are okay with it?" before she said, sarcastically. "That's so hardcore."
"Remember the Sho Fuwa debacle?" Said, Julia co-worker. "He dated multiple women at once, and all my friends could see right through him. The media was going crazy about how much of a womaniser he was as if he was the hottest thing since sliced bread."
And Kuon listened deeply to their slander of Sho Fuwa; it looks like Sho wasn't appealing to all the ladies.
Way to show Kyoko how little she meant by going full playboy...Kuon thought, with narrow eyes.
"I remember that," Julia said, "Woman were all over him, and I wanted to roll my eyes. Even his 'bad boy' clothes were laughably bad. It's enough to be hailed as a bad boy these days just by wearing one or two metal stabs on clothes. I bet he's never truly been to a shop like this one in his life. He goes to one of those shops that all the posers go to."
All those hot and bad girls were seeing right through Sho Fuwa, that was why he would never be taken seriously by one.
"The online commenters for the website email me to get a better male model, but it's impossible in this day and age," said, the woman.
"What about Cain?" Said, Julia.
What he feared had come.
"Cain?" Said, both females looking.
They saw a tall four eyes with untamed hair.
"Cain is actually really good looking without his glasses," Julia said.
"...Julia. I prefer if you don't tell people that" He said, he wore these so that people don't notice his looks and he could walk around in peace.
Now both women were looking at him curiously.
"You should be a model, Cain. You're supposed to follow me around everywhere right" Julia said, "Come on, let them see your face. What's the worst that can happen?"
Was this the way to go? Kuon couldn't help but wonder, if he modelled, surely somebody who know him would see his pictures.
But then again, this was only for a small shopping website; it wasn't like he would grow so huge that he would plastered all over Japan.
He took off his glasses as all three looked on with curiosity.
When his full face was revealed despite the long hair, both the shop manager and Julia co-worker froze.
His face remained them too much of a man whose face was plastered all over Japan's television five years ago, however, what made him different wasn't the colour of his hair but his eyes.
His eyes were dead and felt like he was without a soul.
No so-called bad boy in the media right now could produce such a gaze that was so chilly and yet you couldn't look away.
He was.
"Perfect" Said, the Manager before she said. "It's a shame you wear glasses, though"
Poser Bad Boys of Japan move over.
And scene!
Next chapter, they do the pictures in the basement, and the females browsing seem to like Kuon mysterious dark area and are extremely happy with the replacement. They notice chemistry between the two models. Cain fanbase grows in the dangerous community, and an incident happens that has them both becoming full-time models. Review/fav and follow.