A/N: Econs D:
-Imitation Black-
Reiichi blinked.
She did not expect this.
What she expected was Lavi driving them to their deaths, but somehow she was seated comfortably, enjoying the smooth ride. When her cousin drove them out of the school campus, she was all ready to jump out of the vehicle if it came down to that, but there was no need. Lavi signaled and entered the highway without any problems, all while looking as smug as ever.
Could it be that her cousin actually knew how to drive?
Well, obviously, Reiichi thought, sulking a little at her corner. And to think she freaked out for nothing.
"That's how much you trust me, huh," Lavi pouted, glancing back.
"If you won't give me a straight answer, I am entitled to my doubts," she defended, still feeling cheated.
"Well then to answer your question, I actually don't have a license,"
There was a pause.
"You're joking, right?" Reiichi started to dread as Lavi didn't seem to laugh.
"Nope, perfectly serious,"
"Are you crazy?" she half screamed. "That's illegal! Stop the car, Lavi!"
Lavi waved her off. "Rei-chan," he said in that all knowing voice. "Does it seem like I don't have a license?"
"..I guess not," she admitted. Heck, he drove better than Kanda, and she was pretty sure Kanda had a license. Or does he?
"There you have it," he concluded, as if it was all logical.
"If you get arrested, I am not going to bail you out," she clucked her tongue, turning to look out the window.
Lavi chuckled, because he knew that she was lying. She looked so cute, sulking unhappily at the back.
"Did you think Yuu would willingly let me drive if I couldn't?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Reiichi surveyed the sleeping model. His car seemed to be one of the rare things he actually liked, so it wouldn't make sense that Kanda would just offer up his car if he knew Lavi was incompetent. "Good point,"
Speaking of the said model, Kanda seemed to be in dream land quicker than she expected. She always pegged him as one of those people who were picky about their sleeping location, or maybe Kanda was just more tired than he was letting on. His face was void of any expression, purely relaxed.
"..He sleeps so...soundlessly," Reiichi commented, watching the man lean rock still against the car door.
"You expected him to snore?" Lavi laughed.
"Well, people are usually quite the opposite when they're asleep, aren't they?" Reiichi stated, turning to look out of the window again.
There was a peaceful moment of silence. Contrary to popular belief, Lavi did know when to keep silent when necessary. He knew Kanda would not appreciate it if he turned on the stereo, and Reiichi wasn't much of a talker herself. But he was getting oh so bored.
"Rei-chan?"
"Hmm?"
He peered through the rearview mirror to look at her. "Can you answer this seriously?"
"Depends on whether it is a serious question,"
"What do you think of Yuu?"
Reiichi sighed. At least it wasn't the imaginary boyfriend list. "Again? I thought this was serious,"
"It is. He's sleeping, so he's not going to hear anything." He prodded. "It's safe. Come on, true feelings?"
Reiichi thought for a while before answering.
"He's a little better than what I expected, I suppose..."
Lavi made no comment, only waited for her to continue.
"I mean, I can see his talent and potential as a model... but that's as far as it goes. His attitude needs some work. I mean, it's not that hard to be polite to people isn't it?"
"Yuu won't be Yuu without that," he stated seriously. "Can't have the best of both worlds, except in me of course,"
"Of course," she agreed sarcastically.
"Would you ever date him then?"
"Give it up. Just give it up."
"Just your opinion Rei-chan. No strings attached."
"No," she replied. "I won't date someone I don't like enough,"
"Going by that, you'd date him if you liked him," he countered.
"Not really. He's a top model, Lavi. Being with someone of that status is just going to bring trouble," she explained matter of factly. "I don't think death by a crazy fangirl would be a nice way to die."
"You're too technical about these kind of things," he chided. "You're young! Live! Explore! Life is about taking chances!"
"What about you?" She stared back through the mirror. "Why haven't you found a girlfriend yet?"
"I've already got a special girl in my life, Rei-chan," he smiled sincerely, gazing at her directly. "I don't think I can squeeze in another."
Reiichi was quiet for a few moments. She knew Lavi loved her, probably too much for his own good. But she loved him too. "I also want you to be happy, Lavi." She leaned forward to squeeze his shoulder. "Do something for yourself."
"What I do for you, I do it for me," he replied without batting an eyelid.
"Is that why you're trying to set me up with Kanda?" she asked dryly.
"He's a good guy Rei-chan. I think I can trust him more than some random boy you find off the streets,"
"I think you also haven't taken into account that Kanda would never like me?"
"What makes you say that?"
"There are so many other girls out there. Prettier girls. Girls out of their minds who are actually willing to be with him," she paused for a second. "Actually does he even like girls? He seems to be equally rude to everyone,"
"Nah, Yuu doesn't hit girls," He grinned. "Are you questioning his manliness my dear cousin?"
"Seeing as he walks in heels better than I can-"
"Wait, what?" His eyes flickered off the road to look at her. "Repeat that again, because I think I misheard you."
Reiichi realized her mistake. That incident in The Order was never to be mentioned. It was an unspoken rule. Kanda was going to annihilate her.
"Nothing," she cut in sweetly. "I'm not questioning his masculinity. Let's move on to another topic shall we?"
"You said Yuu walks in heels better than you," Lavi pressed on, his mind already forming the unsaid conclusions. "Which means that he wore them recently, as in the past week or so." He started to laugh hysterically, no doubt already picturing the image.
"Lavi!" Reiichi frowned, trying to hush him. "Kanda's going to wake up, and he's going to kill me," she paused, staring at the redhead who was wiping a tear from the insane laughter. "And you."
"Actually… he's awake," he quipped.
Sure enough, Kanda's voice was proof enough. "Shut up you idiots." He still had his eyes closed.
Reiichi jumped slightly, totally caught unawares. "I thought you said he was sleeping!" Then she realized Kanda most probably had heard their entire conversation. "You lied to me!"
"No harm done, Rei-chan," Lavi tried to reason with her, or else he'd have to face her wrath once he stepped out of the car. "It's not like you said anything of much related to him."
"Actually, our entire conversation was on him, if you so conveniently forgot," she muttered.
"Stop talking like I'm not here," Kanda snapped, this time visually awake and glaring at the two occupants in his car.
"I didn't hear you complaining when you were supposedly asleep," Reiichi retorted sourly.
"Peace guys, peace," Lavi tried to quell the growing irritation from the back.
Therein started a long length of awkward silence. Kanda opted to close his eyes again; Reiichi just did not want to talk anymore. Sometimes the people closest to him were really just so stubborn. He knew their personalities were so alike, but yet so different. Both of them preferred to avoid communication, but they had their own strong individualistic opinion. Lavi tried to break the ice.
"Yuu snores, so you know when he's really sleeping." He randomly commented.
"I do not." Kanda muttered crossly.
"Yes you do."Lavi insisted. "You can't prove me wrong – it's not possible to hear yourself when you sleep."
"I don't, so shut your mouth usagi."
Reiichi kept silent, but Lavi could see the small quirk of amusement on her lips.
The charity ball. Lavi loved parties, because he got to meet more gorgeous females to flirt with. It also helped that it expanded his work circle and usually got offers for side projects. This one, organized by the Noah clan, was probably not as simple.
He knew agencies liked to hold these kind of parties to pretend that they were doing a good cause, but honestly he only saw it as a way to flaunt more of their wealth and status than anything else. He knew Reiichi would agree with him that the amount of money spent to hold one of these parties would have been sufficient if it was just donated to charity.
This one in particular, was a little dodgy. Usually these parties were planned weeks in advance due to its grand scale, but they only got the invite last week. It was common sense that everyone would attend it even at their inconvenience, because to ditch the party would be an insult to the head of the clan, the Millennium Earl. Although Innocence did have the largest share in the industry in Japan, but Noah's Ark as they call themselves, had larger role internationally, seeing that their models usually worked in various countries.
Of course, it would take some time before Kanda was able to secure a strong foothold into the international market successfully. For now, he was still building up his reputation as a top model in Japan. The other models of Innocence too, were mainly based in Japan, but they were trying to resolve that.
After many unsuccessful attempts of trying to initiate conversation in the car and failing – Kanda nearly choked him in an attempt to shut him up and Reiichi pointedly ignored him – he entered the gates of the Noah manor. He could already see familiar faces he saw at work in the distance.
Once up to the front porch, he deposited the keys with the valet and held the door out for Reiichi. She thanked him nonchalantly, slipping out of the car carefully in an attempt to not humiliate herself with those heels. She nearly stumbled when she stood up straight, but Lavi caught her and steadied her.
"You alright?" He asked, seeing that she looked a little pale.
"Yeah, just nervous," She took the arm he offered, and they headed to the entrance together.
Kanda was ahead of them, scowling darkly.
"Hurry up,"
"Why doesn't he go in himself?" Reiichi questioned Lavi.
"You see Yuu-chan, here," they had reached Kanda, and Lavi slung an arm over his shoulder. "is painfully shy. He needs his BFF to protect-"
Kanda shrugged off the arm roughly, stomping angrily away.
"He seems really pissed this time," Reiichi commented.
"He'll regret it," Lavi whistled.
The relatives watched him enter the venue and immediately he was swamped but various models or fashion representatives. They could clearly see the panic that suddenly filled his eyes and the uncomfortable atmosphere as the model tried to refuse and fend off people.
"Come on, let's go greet people," he pulled her in excitedly, ditching Kanda to his fanclub.
The entire ballroom was decorated to the nines with sparkling silver or gold, with a live orchestra at the front and the middle for dancing. There were stand up tables at the side and a huge buffet table, comprising of delicacies that Reiichi could not recognize immediately. The room was littered with beautiful models, and she felt so out of place.
She felt somewhat confident when she saw herself in the mirror before she left her dorm, but now it seemed like that beauty paled in comparison to the mass of beautiful people here. She noticed people staring at her dress, but she could not tell if those were looks of concealed scorn or praise.
They spotted Komui and Lenalee huddled at the corner, with Lenalee exasperatedly trying to tell him something to no avail.
"Nii-san! Stop trying to scare everyone away!"
"Bu-but Lenalee! That boy was trying to take your innocence!"
"How does initiating a conversation with me equate to taking my innocence hm?"
"Still, your nii-san doesn't approve! "
Lenalee spotted the duo making their way towards them and turned her attention to them, ignoring her brother. Smiling widely, she was a picture of elegance in her purple number and white heels. Her hair was tastefully done into two pigtails, showing off her slender neck that was drawn to attention to by a sparkly set of diamonds.
"Reiichi! You look absolutely stunning," Lenalee grinned. "I love your dress!"
"Thank you," the girl ducked her head slightly in embarrassment. "I would say you look beautiful, but you always are."
"I have to agree with Rei-chan on that," Lavi beamed, taking her hand and kissing it. "Good evening."
Lavi suddenly felt a death aura emitting behind Lenalee, and he squeaked.
"Laviii…." Komui's eyes were practically on fire.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" Lavi tried to pacify the sister complex, but only failed as it fuelled Komui's advancement on him.
"You don't think my precious Lenalee is pretty?" his words were dripping with acid.
"No! I mean- Komui!" Lavi whined. "You know that I know that if I did anything to her you will gut me and hang my carcass out to dry as a trophy."
Komui seemed to calm down a little. "Good," he pushed his glasses up. "Remember it."
Reiichi stifled a laugh at her cousin's expense. It was a change seeing Lavi being scared of someone else than the usual way round.
"Oh, I think I see Allen!" Lenalee quipped. "I'm, um, going to him."
She quickly took the chance to head over to the said person, leaving Komui behind. Koumi whined and lunged, but Lavi caught him back.
"Give her some space man," he tried to say, but Komui was dramatically leaking out rivers of tears.
"Komui-san," Reiichi cut in, unable to watch the sister complex go on. She did think that it was sweet that Komui cared so much for Lenalee, and she generally respected the COE, but there were limits. It was starting to freak her out. "Don't you have people to talk to? Clients to meet…?"
Komui stopped, suddenly the gears in his brain moving. "Yes, you're right, Reiichi. I do have something to settle," he looked around. "Enjoy your evening, I'll see you around."
Lavi brought her around, meeting various people in his –now hers – line of work. She got acquainted with various professional photographers and models, mostly from Innocence itself or from the other agencies. Some of them were genuinely nice, such as the German model Miranda (she seemed to lack in the self esteem department more than her) and American model Cloud Nyne, Reever and Bak, Innocence photographers, but others subtly subbed her as she had little reputation thus far.
They eventually came upon Allen eating at a corner.
"Moyashi," Lavi grinned, sliding up next to him. "Where's Lenalee-chan?"
"She went off to find Ba-Kanda," Allen replied between chomps. "Hey Reiichi."
"Hey," she smiled, finally finding someone she could talk to comfortably. It was a scary but interesting experience meeting all those new faces of which she mostly likely would not remember their names. "Where's Cross-san?"
Allen made a face. "He's not here."
The trio had an affinity of understanding. The brothel, of course.
"Lavi, I think I want to check out the food," Reiichi stared at Allen's fast diminishing plate of food. He had already gone through a whole slice of cake and it was making her hungry.
"Go ahead," he smiled. "I'll go find Yuu. Allen-chan, you'll be here right?"
"Yup,"
"We'll meet back here,"
Reiichi nodded, walking off to the buffet table. Immediately she headed for the dessert section. She knew it wasn't good for her stomach, but there were so many morsels to choose! Taking a set of cutlery, she stood in indecision. Should she take the macaroons, or the tiramisu? The cheesecake looked mouthwatering too…
"Try the chocolate cake," a voice next to her startled her out of her thoughts. "Skin likes it, so it's probably good."
Reiichi looked up to see a boy around her age standing on her right with a plate and fork in hand. He was wearing a punk outfit that clashed so horribly with the classy formal theme of the ball, but he did not seem to care. He wore a tight black tank underneath a fur coat that hung loosely off his shoulders, and his pants were decorated with belts. He was dark skinned and his hair was waxed into a style that of a rocker. He was familiar, probably because he was a model she'd seen somewhere in one of those magazines.
"The name's Debitto," he grinned, stabbing the said recommended dessert on the table.
Reiichi's eyes widened finally tagging his name to his face. Of course! He was the trend setter of the punk goth scene, not to mention the lead singer of Jasdevi, a duo with his apparent twin whose songs she had listened to before. More importantly, he was a member of the Noah clan.
"I'm-"
"Kuroshi Reiichi, yeah I know," he chomped off half of the cake. "Sheryl's gonna freak if he sees you. He's been ranting about you since that picture on Mugen-" he caught himself from saying anything more, picking up another piece of the cake on his now empty fork and dumping it on her plate.
"So do ya like rock music?" Debitto flippantly asked, turning back to the dessert table.
Reiichi ate the cake, eyes lighting up as the sweetness filled her mouth. "I did like your number, the Blue Bullet."
Debitto paused suddenly, and then his face split into a huge grin. "A fan? Could it be?"
"Quite," she admitted, smiling as she saw the pure jubilation on his face.
"I like ya," he stated seriously, "No one here appreciates my kind of music,"
"Where's Jasdero-san?" Reiichi asked curiously. It was odd because he usually modeled with his twin, so seeing Debitto alone was a little weird.
"He's under house arrest from the Earl," Debitto was off choosing another dessert to pick. "He-" he stopped himself again, turning to her. "You'd be a good addition to the family, sista. At least, I approve."
Addition to the family? What was that supposed to mean? Reiichi liked Debitto, but she had a bad feeling about his words. He was a little jumpy on his words, as though he was forbidden to say several things.
"Aw shucks," Debitto's curse brought her out of her thoughts.
She followed his line of sight to see a man entering the doors.
"That's Sheryl," Debitto whispered. "The thing is, I'm not supposed to be here. Keep a secret can ya, sista? I'll see you around,"
Reiichi was going to reply, but he had disappeared as suddenly as he came. She looked to the doorway to see the very same man walking towards her. He reached her easily, smoothing down the front of his suit.
"I am Sheryl Kamelot, managing director of Noah's Ark," the squinty eyed man kissed her hand in chaste greeting. "I would like to congratulate you on your success of Lavi Bookman's on-going project," he started. "It certainly deems a lot of praise."
"Thank you," she responded politely, slightly embarrassed at the direct compliment.
"How have you found your evening so far?" He started off conversationally.
"It's great," she responded. Really, what else could she say to the man in charge? "I love your food," she added when Sheryl didn't seem to believe her.
"Ah yes, we had professional chefs design the menu," he smiled lightly. "Have you tried the champagne? Top quality, I assure you."
He took off two glasses from one of the waiters walking by and handed one to her. Reiichi raised an eyebrow inwardly, but took a sip of the drink. It was bubbly and warmed her stomach. It tasted good, but she knew she would have to watch it because she was drinking on an empty stomach.
"I have something to propose," Sherly dived straightforwardly into topic. "We, the Noah clan, recognize your talent and would like you to do a stint with us. I understand that you are under contract with Innocence, but it would just be a small, off side project."
Reiichi listened silently, evaluating his words. What he meant that he was headhunting her? It was a surprise, because the Noah clan was notoriously famous in the fashion industry. They were second to Innocence in Japan, but possibly bigger in the international market. All family members were in the modeling business, either directly or behind the scenes. Why would they be interested in her, especially since she was only one week into Lavi's project? It was a good chance to break off those coattail riding rumors if she was successful, but this felt like betrayal to Lavi.
Sheryl saw her hesitation and glanced to the masses of people around him. He made a hand motion to someone and tall man made his way over. He was dressed in an impeccable suit that complemented his image. Hair neatly gelled back; he was a picture of aristocracy. His facial features were well defined that of a European, and Reiichi recognized him. This was Tyki Mikk, an international model of the Noah clan.
"Tyki, come and meet Kuroshi Reiichi," Sheryl smiled elusively, tugging the Portuguese model closer. "The one who has been designing Kanda Yuu's clothes."
"Good evening," He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, all while maintaining eye contact with her. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise Mikk-san," Reiichi returned coolly, ensuring that her facial expression did not give anything away.
She knew Tyki Mikk was an experienced ladies' charmer. His greeting no doubt proved it. Even his voice seemed to possess some kind of quality and accent that made it silky smooth and pleasant to the ears. It really did not help when his liquid golden eyes were as dangerous as it was captivating. It seemed as though he was looking right at her soul, which disturbed her a little.
"I do hope you will consider our proposal," he handed her a card. "Well then, I have some matters to attend to – Tyki, do show the lady a good time hmm?" Sheryl gave Tyki a look.
Tyki sighed tiresomely inwardly, but managed to keep his composure. "Of course,"
They watched Sheryl scuttle away, disappearing into the crowd.
"Does he always do this?" Reiichi stated more to herself, but Tyki caught the question.
"Do what?"
"Leaving you to charm ladies into joining your agency," she replied blandly.
Tyki stared at her for a moment before chuckling. "I do have a 100% success rate after all," He smirked at her.
She smiled amusedly, finishing up the cake. Egoistic. But that wasn't something to be surprised at.
Owari.
It's already chapter nine! And it only has been two weeks since Reiichi and Kanda met. She's taking such a long time to warm up to him. This scene was planned to be chapter 4 initially, but look how much I've dragged the story. Now I wonder how the entire 7 weeks of them together is going to be…
I know you guys were expecting Lavi to be a horrible driver, but really, would Kanda let his car suffer in Lavi's hands?
Kanda will also not get his alcohol fix this time, sadly. ):
About Debitto: I originally wanted him to be part of the sort-of-love-triangle (because Tyki is so difficult to write!) but Debitto became more and more out of character as I wrote him. I can't pin down Jasdero's character properly either. I only know that both the twins are pretty insane.
I also wanted to use Link as a model, but I remembered he was a vice principal. Oh well. I love Link. He's a teenager yet he's comes off totally mature and adult in the manga. I couldn't believe it when I found out he was 19 in manga-verse. Same age as Kanda and Lavi, imagine!
