Chapter Nine

"I told you, your information was off!" Mimete gloated with a smirk as she walked by.

Tellu's eyes went wide in shock as the blonde threw down the largely printed photo on the desk for the office room to see as proof of her latest capture.

Eudial blinked in shock, "There is no way! That's totally shopped and you know it!"

Mimete glared, "I just took this off of the printer for your information. Would you like to see the damn card it's on?!"

"Viluy, come see this!" Tellu called out behind her.

"Ah I was just working on article for the next issue… What's all the ruckus for?" the blue haired woman said, walking over to the desk where everyone was surrounded, "Whoa! Is that Haruka Tennou and Michiru Kisaki kissing?!"

"Of course it is! Who else does it look like to you?! I was all cold and hungry in that garage too! It was totally worth it though!" Mimete exclaimed happily.

"This is better than Tellu's shot of Setsuna and Haruka...and we thought she was accurate with her information too..," Viluy said slightly shocked and disappointed all at the same time. It was all incredibly bizarre. Then again Tennou, Haruka was known to be bizarre and very sporadic with who she was dating.

Tellu rolled her eyes, "I assure you, I completely knew for a fact they were seeing each other..."

"Obviously, you weren't anymore wrong now that there's proof! No wonder Tennou wants her as a part of her label! She's seeing her!" Mimete explained.

"I'm so envious… They're both so perfect for each other. So unfair! How do two of the most perfect people ever just suddenly meet up and get together like that? I didn't even know Michiru Kisaki was a lesbian," said Eudial with a defeated sigh.

"Actually Michiru Kisaki being a lesbian would be the bigger story, wouldn't you think so ladies?" announced a smug voice from the corner of the room.

"Kaolinite!" one of the girls in the room said in shock and in response to the acknowledgment, they all bowed in respect to their superior who had entered the office area. She was the co-chief head for their department head and was highly respected.

The red haired woman strode over to the desk, darkly examining the picture with a smirk on her face.

"Interesting… Mimete you said you shot this correct?" she asked.

"Y-Yes!"

"I'll be showing this to Mr. Tomoe immediately. This is breaking news. Good job, get more shots like this one, and you'll be in for a promotion for sure. You ladies should learn from her," Kaolinite said picking up the photo. With that, she strode off her dark tresses of red hair flowing behind her as she made way into the office labeled 'Satoshi Tomoe'.

This was big news indeed…

Michiru didn't know what was more awkward. The fact that Seiya gave her a questionable look as she and Haruka entered the shoot area together, or the fact that she was wearing Haruka's girlfriend's dress for a cover shoot...and they had had sex the night before. Regardless, Michiru hoped there was as little explaining to do as possible. While she appreciated that Seiya would look after her, she really didn't want to explain her lack in decision making over a couple of glasses of wine and repressed feelings. This was not the morning to be doing it.

"Kisaki-san, can we get you to twist your body just slightly?" the photographer asked.

What had made the shoot even more awkward was the fact that the blonde haired label executive decided to overlook the shoot. It was making it rather hard for Michiru to focus …

"Ah, hai!" she responded to show she was listening.

"Perfect, perfect! Can we get another pose after this one? Maybe looking the other way?"

Usagi beamed amazed in admiration. Michiru Kisaki was amazing. No wonder she was in such high demand as a model. She delivered well, and hardly had to be directed as much as the other people who Usagi had spectated in the studio.

"She looks really beautiful Haruka. The dress selection was perfect," she commented to the woman beside her.

"Too bad she's not delivering as well as I hoped, she would," Haruka responded with a smirk. Michiru clearly wasn't giving her all, and she was aware of it it. She was unfocused and being the high-tier model that she was, the photographer was directing her more than needed. Haruka had to admit, that maybe she had a higher expectation of the model-to-be-musician before her. The photographer was being incredibly biased because it was Michiru, and it was almost starting to piss her off.

"What do you mean? Don't be such a jerk Tennou-san. You have the best model in the business," Seiya butted in with a glare.

Haruka glanced over at Seiya who looked perturbed.

"Tell me Kou-san, you observe Kisaki-san's photoshoots enough to know how well the routine goes yes? You know how well she usually does without much direction, right?" she asked.

Seiya blinked, a bit taken aback at the observation, unable to say anything.

"I make my point clear," muttered Haruka walking away up towards the photographer. With a few words exchanged, and he moved away from the camera. Michiru blinked confused.

"What a bitch..." muttered Seiya darkly. She was ready to pounce like an older sibling would for messing with their sister. Who the heck did Haruka think she was bullying Michiru around?

Usagi shook her head in disbelief, "Sometimes I wonder if she intentionally picks on her."

"Well your boss needs to knock it off," the red suit clad manager murmured back.

Usagi could only look toward the woman beside her apologetically. She couldn't do more than that. Haruka was head of this agency for a reason. She was a jack-of-all-trades and knew exactly what was best for her cilents. She had made girls like Minako Aino big and famous. Minako was the biggest diva there was, and because of that, she was also the most difficult to work with. Any other team would have struggled with a girl like her, instead, Haruka looked past the blonde's temper tantrums and made her a huge idol. If she could turn girls like that into stars, then she knew exactly what to do with Michiru…

"Is that all you got Kisaki-san?" Haruka called out mockingly.

"I'm not sure what you're implying..." Michiru trailed off with a raised eyebrow.

"Here you are in this beautiful gown; one that I specifically selected for you. You've been booked with the best photographer we could find…..other than myself of course! All for your promotional activity, all for this single you're due to release soon. Yet, you sit there like an emotionless doll and expect me to believe that you're the best model in the industry and not wasting everyone's time..?" the blonde haired woman called out, fiddling with the DSLR.

"Oi.." Seiya began.

"It's constructive criticism. Learn to let her take it and let her fight her own battles," Haruka snapped before Seiya could even protest.

"Seiya… Calm down. Kisaki-san should be fine. You have enough faith in her right?" encouraged Usagi.

Seiya sighed.

'Man Michiru...you better give this girl some shit…'

"While you might puppeteer your other girls around Tennou-san; I decide my own image," Michiru shot back.

"I never said that you couldn't decide for yourself," Haruka suggested lightly.

"Then what exactly do you want from me?"

"For you not to be directed by others when I know that you know better. I know you're tired today, and I do apologize for that," the blonde said hinting at the implication of last night's activities, "But business is business. I'm taking over this shoot. Perhaps you will feel more comfortable posing this way and at worst, I know enough of what to do if you can't give what I want out of you."

"Then please take care of me for the time being,"Michiru said politely as she could. She felt a bit humiliated with Haruka calling her out like that. It was hard for her to focus with her spectating the shoot. It would be even harder now that Haruka wasn't in the back, but directing the entirety of the shoot to the point of where she was behind the camera.

"Let's try again," Haruka gave a slightly encouraging smile and Michiru sighed. She needed to fake it until she made it. As distracting as this woman in front of her was, this needed to get completed and with her heart into it.

The aqua haired model turned and twisted her body trying to display the dress. Haruka had suggested her violin as a prop just to occupy her hands a bit rather than they be in typical places. Michiru had to admit that she was helpful and creative. She had almost forgotten what an amazing artist that Haruka could be. It had been such a long time since even Michiru had seen her work that it almost slipped past her why she had met her in the first place… And why seeing Haruka Tennou again had rekindled all of the repressed feelings she had held for years now. This woman had been her motivation, her demise, and her beginning.

Michiru felt all her feelings well up into her chest for a second realizing; she was on the same level as this woman. They were finally equals. They had been all along, but for once, Michiru didn't have to hide. It also reminded her disgustingly, how shallow Haruka was…. Those words from high school stabbed at her, and Michiru wanting nothing more than to rub all those nasty insults into her face by proving that she could be every bit talented as she was beautiful. Inside and out.

She knew surgery had made her a beautifully deformed monster and it was never something she would be proud to admit openly. However, these small things were her battle armor. Without them she wouldn't be able to fight…

'Fight what though?' Michiru thought to herself feeling slightly ridiculous, if not petty.

Suddenly, she noticed a good portion of the staff of the building were in the studio. This was odd. Michiru was aware that there had been more people in the studio than usual to start with since she was a newcomer and everyone had been curious to see what she was truly made of in person. But this, was a bit much. People had suddenly just started pouring in out of nowhere in the middle of the shooting session. Even Minako Aino herself had barged in glaring at her as if threatened. It wasn't the awed looks that made Michiru nervous, it was the exchanges of words between them. It was the realization that everyone seemed distracted by something, and it wasn't by the shoot taking place. It was the pale angry look on Seiya's face as Usagi gawked at her cell phone screen that the raven haired manager had just looked at that made Michiru's stomach drop in dread...

'What just happened….?'

Haruka had been so focused on the shoot that she hadn't noticed what had been going on around her, until she noticed her subject's concentration was lost. It took Yaten passing through the crowd directly to her with car keys in her hand, and an exhausted look on her face to have the blonde realize something had just occurred, and it was something huge.

"Haruka… Your business line is blowing up and Setsuna Meiou is demanding to speak to you immediately," Yaten said handing over Michiru's car keys to Haruka that she had retrieved, "Kisaki-san's car is parked in the garage but I wouldn't suggest her commuting home alone."

"What just happened?" Michiru asked confusedly, walking over to the two women.

"I highly recommend you both be a lot more careful of where you choose to be intimate at…." Yaten said pressing a smart phone into Haruka's hand. The blonde let out of string of curses realizing what scene had just been made and why everyone was gawking. This did not look good at all...

"Shit!"

Michiru stole the phone instantly, paling as she saw her and Haruka Tennou liplocked in the same parking lot from earlier this morning. The headline wasn't about them being a couple, or even about Haruka being unfaithful to her designer girlfriend. The headline read.

"Nation's Top Model-Out of the Closet and in an Affair with Head of Tennou Productions.."

Her sexuality had be outed to the world and a photo was worth a thousand words-the headline needing no more words over the physical proof that was in print beside it. Michiru almost wanted to accuse Haruka of setting her up…

Before she could however, Seiya had launched forward dragged Haruka by the collar of her expensive Armani dress shirt, punching her in the face and throwing herself on top of her once she was projected into the floor.

"You piece of shit! How DARE you!" Seiya hissed.

People dove in, trying to get Seiya off of Haruka who had equally tried to throw a couple of kicks in return. If Haruka hadn't been thrown off by such a sudden blow; she would have probably knocked Seiya into the table across from them thanks to her being at a height advantage. Girls were screaming, backing away into the wall on the other side of the studio while Yaten and a couple other male staff tried to get in between the two women. Michiru was stunned at the scene before her and she had never seen Seiya so mad in all her life.

"SEIYA!" she called out trying to get her attention.

"You set her up didn't you bitch? You're lower than fucking scum! You have no idea what you've put her through! I knew you were a play girl, but I thought you'd at least have enough class to keep your fucking hands OFF-" Seiya yelled out.

"SEIYA STOP IT! It was consensual. This is my fault too… Let go...please..," Michiru called out in an attempt to beg for her to contain herself. Seiya's head shot up stunned.

"Michiru..."

"Please... I know it looks bad and I'll explain when less eyes are on the situation but please get off of Haruka," the model stressed pleadingly.

Seiya sighed, "What the fuck….." she muttered, shaking her head in disbelief as she lifted herself off of Haruka, even offering her a hand up in truce. Haruka had a bloody lip and winced once it occurred to her that she had gotten punched in the face hard enough to make blood fly from her mouth.

"Enough of this! This does not leave this studio unless you want to risk your job position here. Get back to work," announced Haruka a slight cold threat to her voice.

People, eventually after a couple of moments, took the hint and inched away going back to what they were doing save for the people who were originally in the photography studio to begin with; who were currently at a loss at what to do.

Haruka began to open her mouth to say something but the chime of her cell phone ringing immediately interrupted her. She slowly closed her eyes realizing who it was reaching her on her personal line. This wasn't good…

"I have to take this… I promise I'll get back to this later. Please Kou-san, get her changed and fed," the producer said and then answered her phone as she walked off.

Michiru heard a faint, "I'm on my way Setsuna." she left and her heart sank. This was a disaster.

Usagi hesitantly walked up, a worried look was on her face as she looked between the two women.

"Is there...anything I can do to help?" she asked.

"You heard her Michiru... Go get changed. I'll pick up something to eat. You have a lot of explaining to do," Seiya announced.

Revised: 7/23/2016