A/N: Hello, again! I know I said I won't be updating this week, but that was because I wasn't sure if I'm going to have access to the internet at my relative's house. So, anyway… here's a chapter!

Pages of a Storybook

Chapter 07: July 23 - Piqued Interest

Kei's vision swam alarmingly, every detail blinking in and out focus. He felt very light-headed and he found himself struggling hopelessly to keep his heavy eyelids from dropping close. With a grunt, his arms reached forward blindly for anything to help him keep standing upright. Loud voices suddenly bombarded his ears and he inwardly cringed at the buzzing sounds that seemed to drill against his skull over and over again.

"Hazuki-kun!"

He was on the verge of closing his eyes when a hand was placed against his chest to steady him and an arm was wrapped around his waist in a sort of protective manner. His eyes snapped open at the unwelcome contact and he realized that he was face-to-face with a worried-looking woman whose name he couldn't recall properly at the moment.

"Are you all right, Hazuki-kun?" She asked in a gentle tone, her strong perfume drifting to his nose that it made him want to gag. He narrowed his brows at her not because of the concern displayed on her face, but because of their sort of intimate position. His shirt was completely unbuttoned and he didn't like the feeling of her hands on his bare skin.

But who was he to talk? He was the one leaning all his weight on her! He could tell that it was taking her a great deal of effort to stop themselves from falling in a tangle of limbs across the floor.

"Yeah, sorry." He murmured as he placed his hands on top of her shoulders and gently pushed her away. Laughter echoed all around the studio as the crew grinned widely at the pair of them. Realizing the situation, Kei pinched the bridge of his nose to chase off an incoming headache.

He had nearly fallen asleep while working... again.

"Don't worry, Megumi-chan..." One of the cameramen chuckled good-naturedly as Kei felt an arm snake around his shoulders. "He always gets like this when he doesn't get his usual afternoon coffee." He laughed directly at his ears and Kei had the urge to shove him away.

"Is he really all right?" He could feel the young model's concerned stare. "He looks kind of pale."

"Nah. He's just sleepy. We're actually very grateful you didn't let him fall on the floor." The cameraman squeezed his shoulder in a friendly gesture and Kei couldn't help but keep on cringing at the contact. "In fact, you should get used to this little quirk of his. In the past he-" Kei decided that he had enough and pried the older man's arm off him, drowning out the sounds of their chatter.

Feeling drunk even if he had never tried drinking anything with alcohol in his entire life, Kei headed towards the unoccupied chair near the back of the room. He dropped on it with a grunt, his eyes closing almost automatically as he leaned his head back.

Although he preferred a more peaceful place to sleep, the hustle and bustle going on around him were familiar to his ears. The continuous snapping of cameras, the bellows of orders from the crew, the intermittent clicking of the studio lights as they were switched on and off, and the low and steady grinding of all sorts of props and other contraptions created a unique music that he didn't mind that much anymore.

In fact, those sounds were putting him to sleep again.

He sighed heavily as he slapped both his cheeks in a lame attempt to wake himself up. If he went to sleep now, the photo shoot would take a longer time to finish than necessary. Coffee... That was what he needed right now. He needed the caffeine boost or else he would really consider sleeping on the chair or on top of one their tables. Where was his coffee? He'd specifically ordered his drink to be delivered around this time. What was taking so long?

And then, as if someone from above had heard his silent plea, one of the crews announced, "Finally! The drinks from ALUCARD are here."

"Sorry to keep you waiting! Here's your order." He opened an eye to peer at the small figure of a young woman at the door. He couldn't see her face clearly because the cameraman was slightly blocking his view. He immediately focused his attention on her hands and the cups she was carrying. He wanted his coffee. Now. He stood up from the chair and closed the distance between them, his gaze fixed firmly on his cup of mocha.

He wanted to just grab the coffee and leave, but as soon as he had taken a good look of her face, his legs stayed rooted on the spot. "Huh? You..."

Fate was laughing at him from above. He just knew it.

She was equally surprised. "Eh? Hazuki-kun! Why?"

Why? He could ask her the same thing. "Why what? I'm working."

He raised an eyebrow when her gaze drifted to his bare chest, but she quickly corrected herself and looked around the studio. "Ah, could it be a photo shoot for a magazine cover?" She stepped inside the spacious room to place the cups on one of their tables, gasping out loud when she almost tripped on one of the thick wires scattered across the floor.

As Kei watched her clumsy movements, it dawned on him the reason why it took so long for his coffee to be delivered. "Hn, something like that." He grabbed his mocha from the table and took a sip, savoring the bitter taste as the hot liquid trickled down his throat. "And you? Part-time job?"

A part of him was still dreading her reply even though it was obvious what her answer was going to be. "Yes." She smiled, looking strangely proud of herself. A part-time job as a waitress, huh? He frowned at the thought and at the same time was kind of impressed. Summer break had just started, but she chose to spend it by working. He wasn't sure if she was just in need of money or if she was a natural go-getter.

Why couldn't she have picked another job? They were already in the same class at school. Was he going to see more of her at work, too? Why did she keep on popping out of nowhere wherever he went? He knew it wasn't intentional on her part, but still...!

Then again, it wasn't that her presence bothered him that much. She wasn't really a nuisance, but he was seeing more and more of her lately that it was starting to grate his nerves. It was as if Fate was forcing the two of them together in every chance it got.

She must have noticed him frowning because she was now starting to give him a couple of nervous glances. "From now on, please don't forget to order from us, Coffee ALUCARD!" She forced a smile before hurriedly turning away to leave, but her hip bumped against one of the studio lights and she sheepishly apologized at the slightly irate cameraman.

He grew even more amused when she had unknowingly pulled one of the plugs. Most of the crew were now directing her a mixture of odd looks and annoyed frowns. She turned to him with eyes as wide as saucers. "Um... Good luck on your job then." Was his answer to her panicked stare and inwardly realized he had meant it fully.

She desperately needed all the luck she could get.

As she finally made her way out of the studio unscathed, his eyes briefly lit up at the thought. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad once he got used to her presence. If the coffee wouldn't be enough to keep him awake, her weird antics would probably make up for it.

The girl, after all, hadn't failed to surprise him yet.

A/N: Guhhh… I'm dying to hurry up with these chapters. I want to get to the part where Kei is in a smiling state, but I keep on getting stuck on some drabbles... Thank you so much again for reading and reviewing, people! See you all next year!

karen: Ooh! A new reviewer! Thank you for your thoughts, dear. It's really nice to know that people like my story. XD

darkness01: Hey! I was wondering where you've been. Hehe! XD Thank you for enjoying, but I hope the story's slow pace isn't a turnoff… It's just that I hate having them falling all over each so fast.

nattie: Aww… thank you! I feel very flattered. XD But I really would like to have a fellow Hazuki Kei writer, though… T_T He truly is a fun character to explore.