Nico opened her eyes and closed them again, snuggling down into the purple duvet. The room felt cold, but the duvet was warm against her bare body. She felt Nozomi move next to her, pressing her large chest against Nico's back and wrapping her arms around the small girl, kissing Nico's neck before snuggling into it.
"It's time to get up, Nicocchi."
Nico rolled over and kissed Nozomi, the pair making out for a bit before Nico broke the kiss, "Why does it feel so… natural? Like it's perfect. It's not even awkward..."
"It was meant to be, Nicocchi, it's what was in the cards." Nozomi got up and stretched, leaving Nico in her comfy, warm bed. The small girl watched Nozomi walk away as her butt swayed with every step, heading to her closet.
"I'm glad I packed a change of clothes in your car… Anyway, what cards?"
Nozomi came out in a purple lace bra and panty set, all see-through, and grabbed a set of cards off her nightstand, holding them up, "Tarot cards, Nicocchi. And I'll run down and get your clothes once I'm dressed, just make some coffee. And take that caramel crap home."
"Ugh, fine." Nico got up and walked to the kitchen, still naked, and made some coffee, setting the bag of caramel coffee in her bag. Nozomi came down not long after the coffee was started and ran out to her car, grabbing Nico's clothes and bringing them back in. While she fixed them both coffee, Nico got dressed in the living room, trying her best to look presentable. By the time they sat down to drink their morning coffee, their phones buzzed.
Miss Yazawa,
Congratulations! You have been chosen to be a main in the cheongsam shoot.
Please report to set 8-B.
Promise Publications
"Eh? What's a cheongsam?" Nozomi asked.
"It's a type of Chinese dress, it's pretty short and normally has flower patterns."
"How'd you know that? Aren't they just recently popular here?"
"Oh, my major in college was fashion. The course on world fashion was actually pretty interesting, and it stuck with me," Nico informed, swallowing the last of her coffee, "Shall we get going?"
"Yeah, it is getting pretty late. Head to the car, Nicocchi!" Nozomi shooed Nico out of the condo, the pair running to the elevator, then sprinting to the car. Once they'd gotten their daily speeding out of the way, Nico finally asking how Nozomi ever got her license, they arrived at Promise, running towards the elevator.
But then they slowed down.
In front of them swayed a blonde ponytail, Eli dressed in dark blue tights, white heels, a light blue sweater dress, and a black leather jacket covered in zippers, sipping at a mocha from StarBs. The pair followed nervously behind her, then looked at the time, and began running again, zipping past Eli. Finally arriving at the elevator, they hit the button numbered 8, only to have the closing doors open again. Eli smiled softly at them, her dangling diamond earrings swirling around in the air, briefcase in hand.
"Good morning, Nico, Nozomi."
"Good morning, Miss Ayase."
Eli twitched at the use of formal terms, and got in with them, pressing the button numbered 13. Nozomi got out her phone and started messaging someone while Nico fidgeted, thinking she might have to get a fidget cube. They finally arrived to the 8th floor, exiting and bowing to Eli as the woman waved, her phone chiming. When the elevator doors closed, they resumed their running.
Arriving to set 8-B, they realized that, for once, they weren't the last ones on set. Honoka, Rin, and Hanayo were already fitted in their cheongsams, all decorated in an array of flower patterns across the front, a subtle, more elegant pattern in the background of the silk, silver Chinese frog fasteners decorating the frilly fronts, sleeves, and slits. Honoka's was a warm orange, the pattern in white, yellow, and a lighter orange; Rin's was bright yellow, the pattern in similar colors to Honoka's; and Hanayo's was the color of spring leaves, the pattern in white, yellow, and lime green. Rin and Hanayo also wore bun covers with yellow and green ribbon, respectively, while Honoka wore an orange ribbon around her side ponytail. The three also wore black shoes with gold heels.
"Ah, Nico! Nozomi!" Rin called.
"Rin! You look so well!" Nico cheered.
"The bosses forced medical leave on me, actually, so did my coach. I was forced to sit around and study..."
"Coach?" Nico asked.
"Yep! I'm in my junior year, on the track and field team. I'm nowhere near Honoka's level though, she was captain of her swim team by her junior year, and she had an actual major, t-"
"Food and nutrition!" Honoka interrupted, almost ramming Rin to the floor.
"Ah, yes, you do cook quite well, if memory serves," Nozomi commented.
"I'll have to invite you over sometime, Nico!"
"I'd love that, Honoka."
"I-Invite me over, too!" Hanayo squealed.
"Deal! Oh! You guys need your stuff!" Honoka gave them their cheongsams, an excited smile on her face, "They're difficult to get on, so you'll need help from the assistants, they're the only ones who know how to put them on."
A pair of assistants came over, Nico and Nozomi undressing, utterly shameless in their lingerie. Nozomi might as well have had nothing on, and Nico was wearing the bright pink lingerie, the pair with black lace. Nico's assistant undid the fasteners, allowing the petite girl to slip into the tight and short pink dress, her pattern consisting of white, cream, and peachy flowers, the style similar to the cheongsam that Hanayo wore. Nozomi, on the other hand, had to take off her bra completely, flustering her male assistant, and put on the bright purple cheongsam, the pattern colored with pinks and purples, a large diamond shape cut out around her chest, displaying her cleavage. Once they got their shoes on, Nico's pigtails were given bun covers at the top, decorated in pink ribbon, and Nozomi's lower pigtails were redone with light purple scrunchies.
The doors to the set burst open, revealing Kotori, "I-I'm so sorry! The train I normally take was super late!"
Kotori stripped out of her clothing quickly, her ashen hair bouncing around as the other models waited. Her cheongsam was white with blue, teal, and gray flowers on it, the style the same as Nico's and Hanayo's. An aquamarine ribbon was put in her strange little bun, and she put on her shoes, taking the red parasol offered to her. Nico was given a little panda plushie, Nozomi whispering that it wasn't a cheap plushie, believe it or not, and a small, foreign menu.
They walked onto the set, which was made to be a stone bridge over a river background, trees and lights set up to give a soft shade. Nico flipped through her menu, and Kotori opened her parasol, then posed as if they were advertising a new Chinese restaurant that just opened up, the panda plushie almost flying off of Nico's head. They posed with the two of them sharing Kotori's parasol, holding the panda, and sipping tea together as they sat on the bridge's ledge.
"Excellent! Set change!"
They moved the sets around, introducing a much bigger set with Chinese-style buildings in the background, bringing in a massive Chinese arch decorated in red, white, and gold. The six of them went up on the set; Kotori leaned against the arch, holding her parasol out; Nozomi leaned over slightly, showcasing the diamond window in her cheongsam; Rin sat on her knees next to Nozomi, the panda plushie now on her head; Nico posed near Kotori, holding her arms out with a large smile on her face; Hanayo was posed turned away slightly, both of her arms behind her, Honoka standing next to her, looking as if she was conversing with the shy girl. Several pictures were taken of the group, and many more of them all in pairs.
"Perfect!"
"Set change!"
The six girls stood and watched as the assistants brought in the next set, which looked like the inside of an ornate tea house. Red lanterns hung from the ceiling of the set, the set decorated in flower patterns and gold trim, luxurious tea tables decorating the floor of the set. Six tea cups were brought in, also ornately decorated in gold.
"Geez, how much does that tea set cost?" Nico muttered. She thought of how much time it would take her family to save up the money for that kind of set, thinking it would take a long time, that there were definitely better things to spend such money on.
"More than a parasol..." Kotori whispered.
"Probably more than one of these cheongsams," Rin commented.
"I wouldn't underestimate the cost of one of these, they're Ranpha brand," Nozomi replied, Honoka and Hanayo agreeing.
"Okay, girls! Want some tea?"
"Yes, please!"
They all grabbed a cup filled with tea, Nozomi receiving hers last. She took a sip, savoring the flavor as she walked on set. The other five were sat down already, waiting, but Nozomi glanced wistfully at the camera, as if recommending the tea. Quite a few photos were taken, Nico thinking, once again, that Nozomi's natural charm came in handy for her.
"If only this were an ad for tea, Miss Tojo."
"At least it isn't caramel," Nozomi interjected, Nico rolling her eyes.
Nozomi finally sat down, the six tightly squished around half of a table, smiling as they sipped on tea and held up their cups, the cameras going wild.
"Okay, let's do some individual shots. Uh… Miss Hoshizora, Miss Koizumi, you're up!"
Kotori, Honoka, Nico, and Nozomi got off the set, watching from the side. Rin pranced to the sidelines, making Hanayo go first. When she got up, her cheongsam had ridden up slightly, the girl blushing bright red and quickly fixing the cheongsam, pulling it down in the back. Consequently, her embarrassment was both documented in pictures and the front came up a little, the slit showing off her right thigh, almost going up to her panties.
"I-It's so short! C-Can't these be made longer?"
Hanayo tried, in vain, to hide her thigh with her right hand, holding the other up to her face, the photographers taking the opportunity to take adorable and sexy pictures. Seeing her struggle, Rin ran up to her, hands like a cat's, her attention caught when the camera focused on her butt.
"Eh?"
"S-So short… It's gonna show my panties to these people..."
"Perfect! Both of you were perfect!"
"I swear," Kotori stewed, "those two always have the perfect energy between them… It's like they're in love or something!" Honoka stayed quiet.
Nozomi giggled, "Well, they are the same age, still in school, they've known each other since they were children. They're kinda like you and Honoka!"
"Don't you dare compare me to her!" Kotori squealed. She tore off the cheongsam, ripping more than a few seams, and grabbed her stuff, walking off the set almost completely naked. The room was completely silent, everyone looking in the direction of the door.
The main photographer cleared his throat, "Er, well, great job, girls! I'm sure we all look forward to working with you all again."
"Thank you, we'd love to work with you as well," the remaining five said, in unison.
Once they all got changed, they headed out, all checking their respective emails. Nico had two, this time.
Miss Yazawa,
You have been assigned to the afternoon lingerie shoot.
Please report to set L-1.
Promise Publications
Another lingerie shoot? Don't tell me I'll be alone this time!
Miss Yazawa,
Due to your misconduct, please report to meeting room C on the 13th floor.
Promise Publications
Misconduct?!
Assuming that anything involving the 13th floor was much more important, she bid farewell to the other four and got onto the elevator, nervously stepping onto the 13th floor. A secretary, Fumiko, led Nico to meeting room C, where she almost fainted.
All three CEOs, sitting next to each other, Eli in the middle.
They all extended a hand, showing Nico to her seat. She noticed two boring men off to the side, looking foreign.
Nico nervously sat down, "Um… good afternoon to you all."
"Good afternoon, Miss Yazawa," the three said in unison.
The two men said something in Russian, Eli replying in the same language. After a short conversation with them, she turned her attention to Nico again.
"Now, Miss Yazawa, we want you to know that certain conduct here is acceptable, other conduct is not," Eli said.
"What conduct?" Nico asked, she was nervous and slightly agitated, afraid of losing her job.
"However," Maki began, "we are willing to forgive such conduct upon the agreement of certain terms."
"Please sign the paper," Umi stated, flatly.
"N-No! What is this about?!"
"It's not like the men are going to understand, Eli," Maki urged.
"They're part of… um… our faculty anyway," Umi convinced.
"Ugh, fine. In exchange for certain services, Miss Yazawa, we are willing to give you other services."
"In exchange," Maki emphasized.
"Certain services? Don't tell me it's anything like that!"
"Knowing Eli, it is," Umi interjected, "At least look at the contract, Miss Yazawa."
"Three contracts…" Maki mumbled.
Nico read over the contract, skimming over all three. They were pretty much the same. In exchange for, literally, certain services, such as sexual favors, Nico would be given all sorts of things, like a place to live and clothing.
"You want me to be… your sugarbaby?"
"Yes!" Maki eagerly said, a smile showing in her amethyst irises.
"Something like that, I suppose," Umi stated.
Eli spoke again to the Russian men, turning back to Nico once the conversation was finished, "Sign if you agree, Miss Yazawa."
Nico sat there for awhile, easily half an hour, staring and reading over the contracts again and again. Finally, she picked up the provided pen, and signed all three. The three CEOs smiled.
"Thank you, Nico." Eli handed Nico a set of keys.
"Please have all of your belongings packed within the next two days," Umi explained.
"Your condo is next to Nozomi's, you know," Eli said, winking.
Signatures practically signed in blood.
Soon it will be made clear who exactly is my least favorite girl... Anyway, I love the China Dress set! I wish I could get Nico and Hanayo, but I've gotten Rin about four times. Not fun.
Thank you for reading Promise!
