Art was truly a subjective thing, Hikaru realized a few days later.

Some people like certain things and may consider some things are that others don't. Not only that, but people also had different tastes on what was considered good art. Some prefer 2D canvas art, while others enjoyed looking at sculptures. Heck, some people's favorite version of art was fashion design and dress making.

She was not one of those people.

"What is it with me getting put in so many dresses lately?" She complained as she pulled at the too tight collar of her tight and lace filled dress.

"Stop messing with it!" Miyuki smacked her hand away. "I worked for almost three months on this dress, and I will not have you ruin it! You agreed to this, Hikaru!"

Hikaru squeaked as she tightened the corset a bit more, as if to spite her further. She gritted her teeth and sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to get out of this anytime soon.

This was all Sai's fault. This type of thing always was. If he hadn't suggested that she's take the job as a model for her mother's friend's new Lolita line, then she wouldn't be here in a dress that was heavier than she was to be photographed to show off to potential buyers.

But then she'd also be dirt poor again.

'I am being paid for this. I am being paid for this. I am being paid for this.' She kept reminding herself as she was dragged over to spot in front of the large mirror.

She nearly cried when she saw herself.

Her hair had been pulled back into a bun and a various pins were shoved into her head to keep it in place. Her dress was black and white, simple to look at, but intricate with various bows and frills thrown in certain areas. Her skirt poofed out at the waist and reached down to her knees. Her arms were covered by white elbow length gloves and she was wearing white stockings that were way too tight to be comfortable. In all…

"I look stupid." She said.

Sai finally laughed, holding no shame as he took delight in her misery and circled around her. She never wanted to kick him more than in that time.

'Yeah yeah. Laugh it up. I hope you know that I know where you sleep at night.'

"You do not. Besides, you're only the model. People are here to see the clothes I make, not the person wearing them. Now let's go. I need to get these photos done before 7."

She wasted no time in shoving Hikaru from behind the curtain and onto the platform where she was supposed to stand. In an instant, the lights from the flash blinded her and she resisted the urge to cry.

She lost count on how many photos were taken, along with how many poses she was told to stand or sit in, and especially how long it took. All she knew was that by the time that lunch rolled around, she was ready to drop dead in exhaustion.

"Alright! I have enough shots for this dress, Hikaru. You can get your clothes and leave if you want, or you can stay for food." Miyuki said. "We're having pizza today."

Hikaru instantly forgot about her discomfort and exhaustion when she saw the interns bringing in the large boxes.

"Food!" She yelled, throwing the prop umbrella she was handed to an intern and hopping off the platform to the awaiting table.

"Hikaru! The dress!" Miyuki's scream fell on deaf ears as the teen started to fill her plate with pizza slices and salad ingredients.

'Is eating that much really healthy?' Sai asked, much like he did every time that she got food.

'Relax Sai. I burn most of this off during the day anyways and I missed breakfast to be here. Let me have mu fun.'

She took her plate towards the end of the long table, trying not to cringe as the dress tightened around her waist when she sat. She really should have changed first or at least loosened it, but it was too late now. Food came first.

'How did women survive with these things?' She shifted again to try to fix the pressure.

'They didn't tie them as tight at Miyuki-san did. Real corsets were about support and posture and the women that wore them said that they were comfortable to be in.'

Hikaru paused in her shuffling to give the ghost a surprised and teasing look.

'How do you know this, Sai? Got anything to tell me? Don't tell me you've warn a few in your lifetime?'

Sai sputtered, turning red. Or, as red as a ghost can get.

'I-I would never! I simply heard this from the foreign ladies that came to visit Torajiro in his later years!' Sai cried, shuffling his arms about in a hilarious way.

'Uh hu. Sure. I believe you.' She winked, then turned back to her plate.

'Hikaru!'

After three slices, a nice helping of salad, and a bit more punch than she cared to admit, lunch was over, and she was ready to change out of this monstrosity that was threatening to crush her ribs.

'I mean, it makes sense that she tied it so tight.' Hikaru grimaced as she stood up. 'Fashion nowadays is about looks over function. And trust me, this isn't function.'

"Hey, Miyuki-san! Do you have my clothes?" She called over to the woman.

Miyuki san simply nodded, then tapped her nearest intern to grab them for her.

"Alright. Come over here so I can take that off."

Hikaru thanked the universe above.

Except the universe did not seem to appreciate that thanks. In fact, it seemed to have such a vendetta against her thanks that it decided to make her take it back.

Hikaru watched in absolute horror as the intern with her clothes ran into the other intern holding the leftover punch from the table. She felt the very essence of her core, the soul that kept her alive, be crushed by the universe's petty hands as the bright red liquid spilled over onto the intern, but more importantly, onto her shorts and t-shirt.

Her heart shattered.

"Hikaru, I'm so sorry!" Miyuki shouted, grabbing her now soaking wet and stained clothes in a panic.

Hikaru could only stare as her salvation lied dead in a pool of red.

"Oh dear. I'm really sorry. I'll try to find something you can wear home! Just…" Miyuki said, scrambling over to the first clothes rack that she saw. "I have to find it before the next session starts."

"It's fine…" Hikaru said on instinct, trying to hold back her dramatic tears. "You're really busy. I'll just call someone to bring me extra clothes."

Miyuki still looked guilty. She shifted through the rack, then sighed when she found nothing that would remotely fit.

"You can take the dress home with you." She finally said. "Your mother is still at work, isn't she? I don't want to make you wait here for another four hours when you were about to leave. Just have your mother hand it back to me the next time we meet."

Hikaru felt her eye twitch at the though of going out in public in this getup.

'You don't have much of a choice.' Was Sai's very helpful advice.

In other words, screw you, universe.

The universe didn't like her today.

She had left the building with her clothes (and a promise that Miyuki would pay for their wash), and the stares she got were only grinding her gears even more. She wiped her eyes, accidentally smearing the makeup and only adding to the look.

Not to mention that she had to take a detour to the main city area after getting hopelessly lost on the train ride home. She really wished the universe would just smite her where she stood instead of taking the more drawn-out route.

As she was on her way to the next train, the universe proved its undying hatred for the poor thirteen-year-old.

"Shindo-san?"

She didn't even have much in her to react at the voice of the only person that could make this worse. She took a deep breath, turning around to the pompous boy that looked so bewildered and concerned that it would have been comical, and trying not to seethe.

She didn't blame him. Here she was, in a ridiculous outfit, holding a bag of soaking wet clothes, and a bit more disheveled than she cared to admit with the smeared make-up.

"Not a word about this, Touya-san."