Chapter Seven

Houjun entered the studio, juggling the stack of files in his arms as he nudged the door close with his foot.

"Myou Jyuan?" he called, staggering into the main office and setting the files down on his desk. "Myou Jyuan?"

"In here, Houjun!"

He dusted his hands off and entered the office just as the phone rang. Myou Jyuan made a frustrated sound and gestured for him to sit as he reached for the phone. "Hello?"

As his boss rattled on, Houjun noticed that the pictures scattered on the desk were that of the latest competition. Leaning forward, he grabbed the top picture and studied it, unable to help the smile that spread on his face. He traced the face in the picture with one finger thoughtfully.

This woman…she fascinated him.

He admired the raw appeal that spilled from her tousled hair, and her seemingly peering, deep-set, brilliantly flecked eyes.

Tasu Leika. You are so beautiful.

The phone was slammed down with a bang, and Houjun jumped up from his chair, interrupted from his mild reverie.

"Who was that?"

Myou Jyuan shrugged and waved his hand. "G Magazine. They want us to supply five pages of your work, because they're featuring outstanding photographers next month." He smiled at his chief photographer.

Houjun sat stunned. "Really?"

Myou Jyuan grinned and rose, shuffling the pictures on the desk into a random semblance of order.

"You got any model in mind?"

Do I…?

He looked down at the picture in his hand.

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Genrou could feel the itch that the lace on the dress was causing on the back of his neck. The sound of a group of girls giggling behind him made him spin, but they were only talking among themselves as they walked away.

I can't believe I'm wearing a dress AGAIN.

Mournfully, he pulled the sweater tighter around him and flinched when he felt the padding he had clumsily stuffed there. He glanced around to make sure there was nobody he knew in sight, before tottering down the corridor. His other hand, in the handbag he had ripped off his mother's rack, fingered the envelope nervously.

I can pull this off. I've done it before. I can easily do it again. I—

He froze as he felt a hand clap on his shoulder.

@@@

Miaka frowned as she entered the shopping center, looking this way and that trying to catch a glimpse of her brother. Genrou had seemed very disturbed and different these days; she was determined to find out what it was he had been up to, hence the shadowing of her beloved twin that day.

"Where can he be?" she muttered, tapping her foot impatiently, ignoring the curious glance of a passer-by. "I'm sure I followed him right here…"

She threw up her hands in frustration and continued walking.

@@@

"Hello," the deep, resonant voice greeted.

Genrou turned slowly, gulping back the deceit that his voice threatened to give away. And then his knees buckled in relief.

"It's only you!" he cried happily, before he remembered himself with horror and looked away hastily.

Doukun beamed at him. "You remember me?"

Hysterical laughter was bubbling up inside of his throat, and Genrou forced it away, pasting as innocent a smile as was possible on his face and nodding in reply.

"Well, what are you doing here?" Doukun asked casually.

Genrou blinked. He could feel the sweater falling open as his hands gripped the sides of the dress, and flushed, abruptly crossing his arms over his chest. "I came to…uh…came to…" What did I come here for? He grinned weakly at the photographer as he fumbled in the bag for the envelope. "To collect the prize money!"

"Ah," Doukun nodded knowingly, smiling at him. "I heard Houjun's shot of you took first place. Congratulations!"

"Oh, that! Uh, yes! Well, thanks." He could feel Doukun's eyes running over his body, from his feet, up his legs, to his chest, and back to his face. Heat spilled into his cheeks.

"Well, I'm actually headed to the studio now, myself. To collect the prints for the local paper…this month's edition."

"Oh."

Doukun cocked his head, and suddenly looked at him directly. "Tasu…I hope you don't mind me calling you that…but you do realize that you've got a marvelous opportunity now, right?"

I do?

Smile and nod, his brain advised.

Genrou smiled and nodded.

"Especially with your free portfolio. Houjun will be arranging it for you, seeing as how his was the picture that got you placed anyway. And Houjun does quality work; his photographs are published everywhere. Besides…"

His throat suddenly felt too dry as images of a tall, dark-haired, cinnamon-eyed man flashed into his brain. That's his name. I remember it. Houjun.

He realized belatedly that the other man was waiting expectantly for a response. "Besides?"

Doukun laughed, and moved closer. Genrou swallowed and automatically tugged the bag over so that it blocked any attempts at increased proximity. Doukun continued.

"You know…when I first saw you walk in the door, what I thought?"

Please…please…please don't tell me he's FLIRTING with me…

"What?" he managed, forcing a weak laugh.

"I thought to myself, 'That is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen'," Doukun said huskily.

Genrou's face flamed. Doukun watched him, noting with amusement how her eyes had darkened and were looking frantically away, and how the blush rose so easily to her skin. He exhaled, and reached up to tilt Genrou's chin back to him.

"With that said…would you like to go out sometime?"

A small cough sounded behind the photographer.