Instinct

Author's jibberish: Thanks to those who reviewed!

I was such a fool. I didn't even notice it before it was too late. What if I was actually watching where I was going? I guess that if I was, I wouldn't be where I am today.

It was mid-April and I was walking through King Penguin Park when it all happened. I just got off from work and I was on my way home. I decided to take the shortcut through the park. There were some things on my mind; my boss got angry with me because I didn't sort the shampoo bottles on the bottom rack.

Oh, I forgot to mention. I work at a small beauty shop in Tomoeda named 'Beautiful'. It's run by Wari Okasaba, a strict beautician in her mid 40's. She's nice enough but strict to her employees; she expects the best. That's probably why a lot of people give up working there after a while. It's a nice little shop really.

The whole ordeal was bothering me, and I was watching the passing brick path as I walked. "Wait!" I heard someone called. I turned around and saw a camera pointing right at me. The man pulled the camera away from his face and I saw the most stunning amber eyes in the whole world. I almost choked, just staring at him...and probably because of my full-fledge embarrassment.

"Hoe! I'm so very sorry!" I bowed to the photographer. I tilted my head up and he was...smiling? I couldn't believe it. There was a strange twinkle in his eyes that I couldn't name.

He just shook his head. "It's alright. It was a mistake. No harm was done."

I looked around and bowed to everyone in sight. No one knew the embarrassment flowing through my body at that moment. "Sorry, sorry..." I continued to say. When I turned back to him, that same interesting look was in that photographer's eyes. I continued walking, so I could get out of their way. I couldn't help but steal a backward glance of that amber-eyed photographer.

I had no idea that I'd be seeing him again.

About two days later, I was at work when Wari-san asked me to sweep up all the hairs on the floor. I took out the big broom from the closet and at the same time, I heard a "Yeah, I just need a hair cut."

I peered from behind the door, and behold, it was the very same photographer! My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

"We have a special this month," my co-worker, Chiharu explained. "Haircuts come with a free shampooing. Would you like that?"

"Sure," he took off his brown jacket and black Nismo racing cap, revealing the unruly brown hair underneath it. He gave his belongings to Chiharu, who placed them in a cubby under the counter.

She led him to the sink area, and placed a towel around his neck. "Lean back, sir," she instructed him. She turned on the showerhead faucet.

Something urged me to step forward and go toward him. "Chiharu-chan," I whispered. "I can take care of it."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I told her. "You can take care of the register."

She shrugged. "Ok." And she quietly returned to her station.

I took the nozzle and directed it onto his hair. His hair was like silk; I know it's cliché to say but I never thought men could have hair like that. Well, he did. As I was shampooing his head, I remembered the rich amber eyes he had. They seemed so deep...my thoughts drifted back to the park...

And my clumsy, shampoo-hand slipped, brushing over his right eye. I heard him grunt a "What the...?"

I was absolutely mortified. "Hoe!" I practically screamed.

At perfect timing, Wari-san approached me. "What happened?"

"I...I..." I stammered. He sat up, took the end of his towel and rubbed away the suds.

Well, Wari-san put two and two together. "Oh, I'm so sorry sir!" she apologized, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright," he muttered.

She snapped towards me, sharply pushing me only enough to step back. "And you! Stop goofing around. You're daydreaming, that's why it happened. Go clean the front and tell Chiharu to come here."

"Ok," I said meekly. I bowed to him, "I'm very sorry Sir."

He turned to me, took a double take and realized who I was. "It...it's alright. No harm done."

Sad and humiliated, I left.

But luck seemed to shine upon me because at the end of the day, I realized he forgot his hat. Chiharu must have forgotten it and only given him his jacket. Well, I had the day off so I decided to give it back. There was only one problem: I didn't know where he would be. So, I checked out his credit card payment before I left work that night. It turned out his name was Li Syaoran and thank goodness there was only one Li Syaoran listed in the telephone book. I found out he owned a studio right here in Tomoeda, not far from Beautiful. So, I took the liberty to grab the hat and head to his studio.

It was part of a complex right on top of a music lounge. I climbed the stairs and saw the door was already opened. Hesitantly, I walked inside and saw Li-kun and his partner discussing something about a layout of some kind. I coughed a small "Um, excuse me."

They both turned to me. Immediately Li-kun smiled and approached me. "Hello. How are you?"

"I'm alright," I answered, clutching the cap. Does he recognize me, I asked myself. "How about you? How's your eye?"

He chuckled, and then absentmindedly had his fingers brush his right eye. "Oh, I'm fine. I can still see."

An uncomfortable giggle escaped me. "Yeah...oh!" I handed him his black hat. "Here. You forgot this at the parlor."

He took it. "Thanks." We both looked down to the floor, wordless.

I could have left then and there, but I badly wanted to stay. "So, what are you doing?"

"Oh, just working out the other shots for next month's magazine?"

"Oh, that's nice," I said. More silence.

And then a cough.

We both turned to a figure standing a few feet behind me.

Li-kun looked stunned, as if he just woke up from a daze. "Oh yeah! That's..." he blanked out, "Um...that guy..."

"I'm Hiiragizawa Eriol," the blue-haired man smiled. I had no idea how important he would be to me later.

But this isn't about him, now is it?

I bowed. "It's nice to meet you."

"Are you busy right now?" Eriol-kun asked me. When I answered no, he pulled me right in front of a crème and black marble background. "How about some practice shots, huh, Li-kun?"

"Hoe? Practice?"

"Yeah, we got a new camera today and need to test out the capacities of it, right?" Eriol-kun turned to Li-kun.

"New?" Li-kun was elbowed in the stomach by his partner. "Right, right! Yeah, new camera. Is it alright if we take shots of you for practice?"

Now, this was my first time as a model. I mean, I've done home shots at family parties and things like that but it was weird to be asked to model. "Um...sure?"

"Great!" Eriol-kun exclaimed. "Now just pose, act goofy, whatever."

So I did. I spent 5 minutes skipping, raising my arms, and overall posing like a little kid in front of a camera. They just smiled and said "Good, that's good!"

But Eriol-kun interrupted the session when he tapped on Li-kun's shoulder. "It's 1:00. Are we still going to the track?"

"Track?" I asked.

"Yeah. We race over at Tomoeda Raceways," Eriol told me.

I've heard of the place before: some millionaire bought acres of land and made it into a racetrack open to the public. I never knew anyone who raced. That is, not until that day.

"Race? As in cars?"

"We...we're not pros or anything?" Li-kun smiled, rubbing the side of his neck nervously.

I realized then that this must be something he enjoyed. Something he loved doing. He intrigued me and I wanted to know more about him. "Can you show me the track? Can I see you race?"

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Author's jibberish (again): If you know where I got the story idea from, don't spill please! I'll tell everyone later!

Preview of next Chapter

I was completely surprised when she asked me to take her racing. It was an interesting feeling; this beautiful girl wanted to know about me.

Racing is a powerful part of me. Without racing, I don't know where I'd be. It gave me something to look forward to after work. I mean, I like my job, but I sometimes I want to get away from it. It's the same feeling you get when you're on a roller coaster but the only difference is that I'm in control and I know what the car will do because I command it to do so.

So I decided that it would be good to take her to the track to watch me race. If she wanted, I would let her ride with me as I drove. You know, to share with her. But why would I want to share with a total stranger? I don't know, but love wasn't part of the plan...