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Chapter 2: Photo Shoot
Ruki splashed cool water onto her face, the effect not at all brightening her unusually dull purple gaze.
Her skin was pale, her fiery coloured hair lying limp.
The previous evening was not a good one, particularly her sleep where in her dreams she found herself constantly falling.
"Ruki dear we're going to be late for my photo shoot!" her mother called from the bathroom door.
Ruki stared at the door.
Photo shoot?
She glanced back at her reflection sighing, finally remembering the week before when she had promised her mother that she would accompany her to her photo shoot.
She was so happy that evening, she remembered, she wasn't listening to her mother when she agreed.
That was because only moments before she had come home she had received her first kiss - from Ryo.
But as she reminisced she found she couldn't relive the pure bliss she had felt when his warm lips had touched hers.
All she could picture was Takato's shining cheeks and his scarlet features.
"Ruki!"
Defiantly she dried her face, striding out of the bathroom headed for her room.
She would not think about Takato.
Not today.
:X:X:
Saiyuki waited for him at the foot of the stairs, tapping the handrail impatiently.
"Takato will you hurry up? Honestly, we're going to be late!"
Takato appeared, sauntering down the stairs, his shoulders slumped.
Saiyuki glared, slapping his arm as he finally arrived at her side.
The slap seemed to bring some life to his sombre eyes.
"Hey what was that for? I'm still a little heartbroken y'know!"
Saiyuki raised a brow.
"Heartbroken or not Matsudo Takato today is a new day, now come!" Saiyuki responded sharply, grabbing his wrist and weaving her way through the small bakery and out the door, yelling a rather belated greeting to Mrs. Matsudo.
His mother watched them leave, blinking as they disappeared out of view.
"Teenagers these days!" she sighed returning to cleaning the counter.
:X:X:
The studio was a large one situated on the top floor of the twenty story building.
Upon entering, Ruki and her mother were met by an aisle of mirrors.
Ruki's face hardened as she ignored her reflection.
Forced to by her mother, she wore a short white dress that was strapless with a short blue jacket that covered only her shoulders, her shoes small white ones paired with blue knee high socks.
Ugh I look like I'm out to play tennis!
"Rumiko!"
Ruki glanced at her mother then at the female who had greeted her.
Her mother's eyes widened slightly.
"Yukimi! How nice to see you!"
Both ladies embraced one another lightly before stepping away from each other again.
"Yuki this is my daughter Ruki, Ruki, Ms Ichikawa Yukimi, founder and designer of the Touya label."
The older female smiled down at her, her emerald coloured eyes compelling.
"Hello Ruki, I can tell you are your mother's daughter-it's where you get your stunning looks come from!"
Despite herself Ruki reddened.
"Thank you Ms Ichikawa."
Yuki laughed aloud.
"Please Ruki, call me Yuki – being called 'Ms' reminds me of how dreadfully old I really am."
Ruki averted her eyes, turning a lovely scarlet.
"So Yuki, shall we get to it?" Rumiko asked.
Yuki blinked.
"Oh yes, that reminds me – Ruki, would you like to do a little modelling for me?" Yuki asked hopefully.
Ruki shared a look with her mother who clearly remembered the first time she had a photo shoot.
It instantly became the last.
"Uh – I don't-"
"You'll be with two others – my daughter is one of them in fact I just need an extra female to model my teen range of the coming autumn season – please?" Yuki pleaded sweetly.
Ruki glanced at her mother who, too, seemed to have a hopeful look on her face as well.
"Okay," she muttered.
Yuki grinned.
"Okay, Rumiko, we better get you ready, just make your way to the dressing room and as for you Ruki, you come with me," Yuki instructed.
Rumiko nodded as she glanced at her daughter.
"You'll do me proud sweetheart," she whispered, brushing her cheek.
Smiling weakly Ruki watched her mother move away.
"Come now Ruki, you're over here," Yuki directed.
:X:X:
"Sai are you sure -"
"Yes Takato, now just do it!" came the sharp reply.
Swallowing hard Takato brought his left hand to hold Saiyuki's cheek, his other hand on the small of her back.
Their eyes met.
"Wow Sai, I never knew your eyes were so – deep!"
"Takato shut up and just hold me will you?"
Keeping his face as straight as he could, he remained still.
:X:X:
"Great, great that's perfect!"
Ruki could hear the photographer from the other side of the room which was closed off with blue curtains.
"So do you have much experience with modelling?" Yuki asked her.
Ruki glanced at her smiling weakly.
"Uh-yeah, just a little," she responded.
Just then, the clinking of moving curtains sounded and both ladies witnessed the arrival of another female.
"Yuki? Yuki come here, I have another model for you!"
The younger Yuki was about Ruki's own age and stunning in appearance.
Her eyes, the purest of greens and her black hair long and lustrous, it was easy to see why her chosen career path was modelling.
She seemed dressed in one of her mother's outfits already dressed as she was in a white blouse coupled with a tweed jacket and brown miniskirt. The costume was completed with long grey socks that covered her lower thigh and brown shoes.
"Oh, you're Rumiko's daughter? Wow you guys look alike!" she greeted.
Ruki smiled thinly.
"So I've been told," she replied tonelessly.
Yuki looked down at her daughter and Ruki.
"Well I better leave you two to it then, and by the way, thank you Ruki, I know modelling isn't really a preference of yours!"
And turning, the older Yuki departed for the other side of the room.
Alone Yuki turned to Ruki, her face alight.
'Well you've definitely got the model face - you're quite the looker," she complemented as she led Ruki to the set.
Moving in behind the curtains Ruki saw the entire back ground.
The set itself was covered with leaves, the backdrop behind it the pictured of a large oak tree in the autumn. The sky was the palest of blues, the tree itself the darkest of browns. A range of brown, red and gold coloured leaves were painted on, falling and at the foot of the tree.
"We usually don't do this – painted backdrops and all but because we're short of staff at the moment we can't do any on-set modelling with the real thing but in the end it is the clothing that matters not the backdrop," Yuki explained from her side.
Ruki smiled painfully.
The girl seemed nice enough but regardless, she could not help soothe the sudden nervousness that filled her.
Ruki followed her to the 'dressing room' though dressing curtains would have been a better name.
The dressing room wasn't too grand, just simple with a body length mirror and racks of clothing plus two other smaller spaces closed off by another series of curtains meant for dressing, Ruki guessed.
"Now we're ready for the next set we just need you to get changed for the next shoot," Yuki began.
Ruki nodded.
"No one will disturb you after all there are only us and the male model that has his own room - you'll find your outfit hanging on the mirror and once you've put that on make your way through the curtains to the makeshift make-up room where you'll get all jazzed up and everything, do you have any questions?" Yuki asked.
Ruki forced a smile shaking her head.
"Okay then, well Takeshi the photographer or I will come get you when we're ready or if you're ready beforehand then you can just come and wait onset, that would be better actually – well, we're set!"
Ruki nodded.
"Great, well, I'll leave you to get ready – if you need anything don't be afraid to ask!"
And with that Yuki waved briefly, disappearing out through the curtains.
Ruki released a heavy sigh.
Now her outfit …
:X:X:
"Takato will you hurry up? Time does not wait for the slow!" Saiyuki shouted as she hammered on the door.
"Okay okay I'm coming ... can we go to lunch now?"
Saiyuki glared at him as he exited the room.
"No – but you sure do look nice," she commented, her hard gaze softening.
His hair purposely ruffled, he looked chic in his brown-black pants, white shirt and tan coloured jacket.
"Now come already!" she urged, grabbing his wrist not for the first time and dragging him with her.
:X:X:
Ruki stared at her reflection, blinking at the stranger that stared back.
She was wearing a Chinese-styled costume, a short dress with no sleeves but a stiff collar that was an inch high.
The black silk costume was pretty, Ruki admitted, with silver stitching in the formation of flowers, leaves and all things autumn. The shoes meant for the outfit were small black slippers that, to her surprise, were surprisingly comfortable.
Her hair was left long, brushed and made to look wavy, along with her fringe which was shaped to the side. The only touch of make-up that graced her face was the soft rose-coloured lipstick and the lack eye liner that brought out her clear lavender gaze.
"You look nice."
Ruki froze, her eyes darting from her reflection to the figure that appeared behind her in the room.
"What are you doing here?" she choked.
The male grinned as she turned to meet him, her eyes wide.
He laughed.
"Don't look so shocked! You're -"
"Wow Ruki – you're stunning!" another figure complemented from the curtains.
Yuki the younger closed the curtains swiftly before turning back to her.
Yuki glanced at the male present.
"He your friend?" Yuki inquired, looking him up and down.
Ruki nodded slowly.
"Uh – yeah, he is but I don't know what he's doing here …"
He smiled.
"Your grandmother told me actually, when I came to your house this morning – did you forget we were meant to go to the movies today?"
Ruki reddened as she lowered her eyes, silenced with shame.
"It's okay Ruki, your grandmother told me you promised your mother last week before we made this arrangement … besides, I knew you couldn't have come willingly," he added in a whisper.
Yuki stared at him.
"Are you busy right now?" she asked suddenly.
He turned to her, shaking his head slowly.
"No – at least I don't think so …"
"Do you think you're up for a little modelling? Hell knows we need another model – please consider. I know this is out of the blue but it's how we managed to get Ruki to model for us – please?" Yuki proposed, her hands clasped together at her chest.
"Uh – I suppose I could …"
"Fantastic!" she clapped, grinning at Ruki who smiled painfully in response.
He watched Yuki closely, his brow furrowed.
"Have we met?" he asked.
Yuki shrugged.
"I don't think so, after all I am a model and my face has featured on countless magazine covers," Yuki responded, flicking her long black hair over her shoulder melodramatically.
Ruki rolled her eyes.
"Well, for the record, I'm Akiyama Ryo," the male finally introduced holding out his hand.
She nodded clasping it.
"Well, I'm Ichikawa-"
"Saiyuki help!"
The three of them turned to see the curtains mould into the shape of a frantic figure.
She rolled her eyes as she approached the curtains.
"The gap Takato, the gap!" she murmured firmly as she pulled the figure through the curtains.
The person finally fell through the curtains clumsily, dressed nicely enough, apart from the poorly worn shirt he was fighting to hold together.
"Sai, I can't seem to get this shirt on properly …"
"Takato honestly! For one, you have it on inside out..."
Both Ruki and Ryo watched Yuki fawn over Takato, ordering him to take the shirt off and putting it back on, buttoning it and raising the collar.
"Takato?" Ryo inquired with a raised brow.
Ruki's eyes widened.
"Takato?" she whispered.
Takato, brows knitted, turned to the two strangers who seemed to know his name.
His once alight face fell so suddenly that all three of them took notice.
"Ryo?" he yelped, before turning to the female that accompanied him.
His face crumpled completely.
"Ruki?" he breathed, his voice barely audible.
Saiyuki looked from Takato to Ruki, her eyes widening.
"Ruki!" she cried.
The silence that followed was an intense one, one that was broken only when the call for the next shoot was heard.
Saiyuki blinked.
"Uh – we'll leave the happy reunion for later, right now you Ruki and Takato, you're up for the next shoot, just go straight to the set and Takeshi will take it from there - as for you Ryo, you will come with me."
And at Saiyuki's firm instructions, they all followed what she had asked.
:X:X:
"So this is the set?" Ruki asked, already knowing the answer but asking only to hear Takato say it.
Takato nodded.
"We have to stand in front of the back drop where Takeshi has marked," he responded dully as he walked on ahead.
Ruki watched him as she followed.
He didn't seem like himself at all, all of the sudden he was cold and indifferent.
"Great, pretty girl, cute guy, let's get this show on the road people!" Takeshi called as both Ruki and Takato stood before the camera at the marked spot.
"Okay – if the two of you could just turn yourselves on angle towards me – Ruki, you move forward a bit – perfect! Now lift your head up slightly …"
Ruki saw Takato lift his chin up in almost a defiance.
Determined to ignore his eyes Ruki did the same also.
"Perfect! Where's the fan dammit? Alright, aim it on their front …"
Takato felt the cool air lifting his short hair.
Why does she have to look to pretty? It's making my job of ignoring her harder!
"… leaves, the leaves? For goodness sake people where are the damn leaves? Fantastic … Takato, Ruki, hold hands -"
Ruki felt him take hold of her hand.
She turned scarlet.
"Great, now Takato put your arms around Ruki's waist …"
Ruki's eyes widened.
"No."
Ruki looked at Takato who did not meet her gaze.
"Uh – I thought we were supposed to be modelling the clothes? I – I don't see how my embracing of Ruki will do so, so if you could come up with a better – better pose or something? After all, I think she'd be more comfortable with the other male model Ryo than me – I know I would be more comfortable with Saiyuki," Takato spoke as he walked off set.
Takeshi blinked at Ruki who stood on the set alone.
"Okay – let's take a break, that's cool, back in 10," Takeshi called as he, along with the rest of the crew followed Takato's suit and left the set.
Ruki remained there still, staring at the backdrop behind her.
She turned back to where the camera was, her eyes growing hot.
So this is how it feels to be rejected.
Her fists clenched.
Why did Takato have to tell her how he felt?
Why did he have to cry when he ran away from her?
Why did he have to affect her so much?
And finally, why did he have to think that she would have rather had Ryo there with her instead of him?
"Actually Takato, I would have preferred you," she whispered.
:X:X:
A/N: there's the second chapter! My thanks again to all who reviewed and my apologies if it seems the fic is going really slowly – the third and final chapter should be updated sometime next week … I only hope you will review again!
Later days,
Lady Sapphira