Six: Weight
"Forget that dress.", Gary announces.
It was the next day, and the group gathered in the atelier. Gary's statement rattles all of them.
"What?!", all of them says.
"Wait!", Drew starts his complaints. "Not this again!"
May whines. "Gary!"
Drew facepalms. "It's almost done!"
"Yeah!", agrees May.
Gary ignores them and places his new designs on the table. "Here."
"But we're almost finished!", Drew continues.
May nods. "We can't start all over again, Gary!"
Gary still ignores them. "This is the one."
They all sigh in frustration. "That's easy for you to say!", May defeatedly says.
They can't really make Gary give up, anyway.
A car stops in front of Celadon Academy. A man in a black suit goes out of the car and opens the backseat door, revealing an old man.
Wallace was leaving the academy when the old man calls his attention. "Mr. Wallace, instructor slash professional make-up artist?"
Wallace's face lifts in recognition. "Ah, Gary Oak's 'father'!"
Gary's father nods. "Could I talk to you?"
They both went to a classy café nearby, as suggested by Gary's father.
"Gary Oak's future?", Wallace asks.
"He'll be graduating soon, and as his father... I want to think seriously about his career."
The old man puts down his cup of coffee. "Do you think he'll be able to do well as a dressmaker? Give me your honest opinion."
Wallace sips on his coffee before starting. "If young Oak goes pro, they'll crush him. Most people struggle to find their talent. But he's had that talent right from the very start. For him it's natural. For him, making clothes... is like breathing." He sets down his cup. "But as a pro, you don't breathe freely. There are restrictions, and problems put in your way. When someone clamps a hand over his mouth... he won't be able to fight back."
"It's been too easy, then? That's my fault for pitying him, I guess.", Mr. Oak smiles emptily. "But I'm glad to hear that. Now my conscience is clear. He can work for me."
Wallace's attention was caught. "As a salaryman?"
Mr. Oak nods. "Why not? We're society's engine, you know. Not artists."
The next day, Leaf comes to the atelier and finds the group there.
She greets, "Morning-", but stops when she sees the atmosphere.
There were many boxes inside the atelier, Leaf notices.
…
"What's in these?", Leaf asks. She was helping in putting the boxes on the backroom.
May answers, "Paradise Kiss consignments. They were all returned."
Leaf's eyes widen.
"We didn't sell a thing. I guess nobody wants our clothes." May smiles sadly.
Leaf shakes her head in disagreement. "That's not true! I do."
"But this decides it. I'm afraid ParaKiss is dissolved."
Leaf couldn't believe what was happening. "Dissolved?"
"You're breaking up?", Leaf asks Gary as they were walking outside the streets near the atelier.
"That was the deal. Having fun and making it work are two different things.", Gary flatly says. "If it didn't work, we'd quit. Now we'll all go our own ways. When the show's over, I'm going to Kalos." He faces Leaf with an empty smile. "I'll be a lone warrior, going around the maisons."
"For how long?", Leaf inquires.
"All my life, maybe. That's why this dress will be the last one we ever make together."
Leaf goes silent and looks down.
Leaf goes back inside the atelier's backroom and looks at the boxes of Paradise Kiss' clothes.
"The last dress we ever make together...", she repeats to herself.
Leaf opens her phone and decides to call home.
"Yes, Green residence...", a young male's voice can be heard on the other side.
"Red, is Mom there?", Leaf asks in a gentle tone.
"No. She's really mad, you know.", Red answers. "I've never seen her this mad. Why don't you come home? Aren't you tired yet?"
Leaf goes silent.
Red sighs. "With Dad posted away, Mom's got to be Dad, too, and it's hard. She's trying her best."
Leaf just smiles sadly. "You really are a lot smarter than me. Red, would you give Mom a message?"
The next day, Celadon Academy of Arts' Graduation Fashion Show…
"Lea!", May calls out to Leaf who just entered the building.
"May! I'm here.", she greets.
"Gary's already here. Why didn't you come with him?", May asks in curiosity. "Did you have a fight?"
Leaf shakes her head. "No, we didn't."
The group gathered to their borrowed room. They were finishing the final touches to the dress.
"How many more?!", May asks in panic as she was gluing the cloth to make a rose.
"Lots and lots!", Drew answers while painting roses.
May accidentally burns her finger with the glue gun. "Ow!"
"Careful.", Drew reminds her.
"Could I help?", Leaf offers.
"No amateurs.", Gary rejects.
Leaf frowns. "Oh...I see."
They were alerted when a voice rang from the PA System.
"Your attention, please. The 3rd-year Fashion Show rehearsal is about to begin. Please assemble in the Auditorium."
"Here we go." Gary says. He turns to Leaf. "Shall we?"
They made their way to the Auditorium. Lights welcomed their sight, and Leaf saw the number of seats in the venue.
When Leaf laid her eyes on the runway, a heavy feeling fell on her.
This is… the show?
The pair returns to the room silent. Leaf stayed stuck by the door, while Gary went to the other side of the room.
May worriedly asks, "Didn't rehearsal go right?"
"All she had to do was walk.", Drew says.
Leaf stayed silent and hung her head low.
Drew's eyes widen. "Couldn't you even do that?"
Gary facepalmed. "It looked like slapstick comedy! You're like a robot!"
"Well, she's never walked on a runway before.", May tried to defend. It scared her whenever Gary was mad.
"All she has to do is walk normally!", Gary seethed.
Their attention was caught when a group of laughing girls opened the door. It was Misty and Team Beautiful. They stopped laughing when they realized who were inside. "This room's in use? We'll find another one." Misty was still snickering. "Sorry to bother you."
When the door closed, Harley frowned. "What's she glowing about? I hate her!"
"I'm going to go and practice.", Leaf says.
Gary reminds her, "Be back in 30 minutes. It's almost show time."
"Your attention, please. The Fashion Show is beginning. Please come to the Auditorium."
Gary, Leaf and Harley were now in the Make-up Room.
"Don't look around. It's too late.", Gary says. He was sitting in front of Leaf, about to put foundation on her face.
"I shouldn't have treated this as just a game.", Leaf mumbles.
"Don't worry. A festival's supposed to be fun.", Harley appeases.
"No. I can't mess up in your very last dress.", Leaf says. "I'm the only one who didn't take this seriously."
"What else is new? When did you take anything seriously?", Gary snapped. "You're all pretend. You pretend to try hard, to brood, to be different..."
Harley puts a hand on his shoulder. "Gary..."
Leaf's eyes well with tears. "I'm sorry."
This caused Gary to slam his hand on the table, and walk out of the room. Gary's anger made Leaf cry more.
Harley, pitying the scared girl in front of her, offers her his handkerchief. Leaf accepted, and muttered another apology to Harley. It was a good thing there wasn't a layer of make-up on her yet.
"You know, Leafy... ever since I can remember, I never felt right as a male. Inside I was a girl, but I had to live as a boy... one long day after another." This earns the girl's attention. "Then in Grade 3 I told that to a boy named Gary, and a while later he gave me a hand-made dress. With that one dress, I was reborn from a lifetime of tears. With make-up and a pretty dress, a girl is reborn over and over."
Harley continues. "Beautiful clothes give people courage and confidence. That's why we've gone on making them."
Harley takes the handkerchief from Leaf and wipes the leftover tears. He touches her cheek and smiles.
"Maybe in the dress we've made... courage will work its magic on you."