Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or any of its characters. All the fictional characters and brands used in the story are purely fictional and any resemblance to real people or brands is coincidental.
I was stunned, bewildered, flabbergasted, astounded, taken aback and at a loss for words at Tayo Takata's offer. The words, 'How would you like to become the new face of Yama-Gucci?' ran through my head over, and over, and over again. I looked the man in the eyes and everything about his expression said sincerity. He sincerely wanted me to become the new face of Yama-Gucci. Why, I did not know but he obviously saw something in me that I didn't. And at a time where I was struggling with the fact that I may not easily get a job, one massive opportunity comes crashing down in front of me.
"Why…why me?" was all that I could say. My heart was racing, by brain was running itself in circles. However, I was truly excited by the prospect. This was the chance of a lifetime, as they say, and I would be a fool to let it slip by me. "Why you?" Tayo said. "Because you're the kind of woman who knows fashion naturally, yet you never really notice it. You're not into designer labels and you never ever considered for once in your entire life to be a model. That makes you the perfect choice in my eyes. Listen Rei, every single person I auditioned in there, all of them, self-obsessed girls who think they know fashion because they have all the magazines and sixty pairs of shoes. That's not what I'm looking for. Now, by some stroke of luck, I've stumbled onto you. I think you would be perfect the new face of Yama-Gucci. Not only are you attractive, you also seem sincere, and you're very modest. I don't want to make the same mistake I did when I recruited Yumi Kimura. I don't want a model who lives the high life out to extreme. I would like someone just like you, Rei. I sincerely offer you the place as Yama-Gucci's top model."
It was incredibly flattering, all adding to the frenetic excitement that I was experiencing. Never in my life had I felt this way. It was a truly incredible feeling and I knew that if I signed up for this, I would get much more of this feeling. "Mr Takata, I would gladly accept your offer," I said with a beaming smile. And it was not often that I smiled this way. "I'm glad you say that, Rei," Tayo said with a smile of his own. "And you can call me Tayo. Mr Takata is way too formal for my liking."
"Okay…Tayo," I said nervously.
"That's better," Tayo said. He then turned to his driver and said, "Ken, cancel the meeting. I have a much more important matter to deal with!"
"But sir! The board of directors have been waiting to meet with you for the past week…"
"Just do it Ken, please? If they ask, tell them I have found the new face of Yama-Gucci," Tayo said.
"This young lady?" the driver inquired.
"Yes, Ken. I would like you to drive Miss Rei Ayanami and I to Yama-Gucci's head office, if you please."
"Certainly sir," the driver replied.
Tayo looked up at me with a smile and said, "Well Rei, are you coming to begin your future at Yama-Gucci?"
I felt like jumping up and down and giggling like a little girl but instead I managed to say, "Yes please."
I climbed aboard his limousine and seated myself on the luxurious white leather seats and took a look around. Everything about it looked so expensive. The insides of the doors were lined with what I believe to be mahogany while there was a small fridge along from me as well as an LCD screen TV on the partition between the driver and the passenger compartment. Being the owner of such a prestigious designer label, it was not surprising that Tayo Takata had such an extravagent vehicle yet I was still very impressed with his limousine, most likely because I have never been in anything quite like it.
"I take it you like the limousine?" Tayo asked with a chuckle.
"It's very impressive," I answered.
"It gets me from A to B," Tayo said. "I would prefer to drive on my own but the board of directors kind of force me into using this thing wherever I go."
"The board of directors?" I asked.
"Yeah," he replied. "The company is owned under my name but really, the board of directors call a lot of the shots, especially over what I do. I guess them trying to control me is because my father is the chair of the board."
"I see," I said. "And it is frustrating for you?"
"Very," Tayo said with a sigh. "You'll learn very quickly that behind the glamour of fashion, there's a much more tedious element to this industry. And unfortunately, the board of directors will want to meet you, scrutinise you and try to make you as uncomfortable as possible. Hopefully I can get you settled into the job before that happens."
That was most worrying. This board of directors sounds like a very intimidating group of people. I was hoping that what he said would be true and I would be settled into this new line in life before I meet them. However, I was also surprised by how open Tayo was, despite only just having met. He clearly felt that this board of directors were holding him back. I assumed many men his age who were highly successful and wealthy felt the same way about the higher ups.
Before I knew it, the limousine had stopped and the driver had opened the left-hand side door. Tayo stepped out very quickly and I followed suit, emerging from the vehicle and out in front of the Yama-Gucci head office. It looked very much like a piece of modern art and the majority of the exterior of the building was covered with glass walls. It appeared as if someone had dropped a spherical blob of a viscous goo-like substance and let it droop over at one side. It didn't really appeal to me and it didn't have the grandeur of the towering skyscrapers in the centre of the city but it did stand out, which was probably its only redeeming feature.
Tayo led me inside and through the building and immediately I felt eyes all over me. It just seemed that everywhere, people were looking at me, judging me and dissecting my appearance and every move. It didn't stop until Tayo and I entered the elevator and the doors had shut behind us. Tayo looked over to me and I could tell that he could see that I was nervous. I had never felt scrutiny liked I just felt when I walked through the ground floor of Yama-Gucci's head office. It had made me feel very self-conscious.
"Are you okay?" Tayo asked.
"I'm…fine," I said slowly, although the nerves were apparent in my voice.
"People judging you and your appearance…it's just something you'll have to get used to," Tayo said. "This is where you might find this business unsavoury."
"It's okay," I said, managing a weak smile.
"Everybody there must be wondering who you are. They'll find out soon enough," Tayo said. The elevator took us to the eighth and top floor of the building where Tayo smiled to me and led me out towards his office. Once inside, he instructed me to take a seat. I did, and as I did, I looked around his very impressive office. It followed the same modern styling as the exterior of the building. On some of the walls were photographs of clothes that Tayo must have designed. I also noticed that some of his photos had Yumi Kimura in them. That led me to wonder whether my photograph would be up on his wall.
"Okay Rei," he said. "I just need to ask you a few questions."
"Very well," I said.
"How old are you?" he asked first.
"I am 23 years old," I replied.
"Do you have any family?" he asked next.
"I have one half-brother," I replied, "but I never knew my parents. I was orphaned at birth."
"I see. I am sorry to hear that."
"It is all right."
"You were just job searching right?"
"Yes, that is correct. I had just graduated from university with an economics degree and was currently searching for a job."
"I see. What of your childhood, school, hobbies, the like?"
"I, uh, well, I shall start with school. I did well in the latter years of high school, receiving good grades. I didn't really have many hobbies. I enjoyed reading and swimming, mostly."
"The intellectual type?"
"Not really. The quiet, reserved type."
Tayo chuckled before continuing, "Okay. Have you had any past modelling experience?"
"None whatsoever," was my honest reply.
"Not to worry," Tayo said. "Now, the next part involves you signing a contract to Yama-Gucci. However, your lawyer has to be present during this process."
"I don't have a lawyer," I said.
"Yeah, I was guessing that much. However, there is somebody I know how would be great for you as both an agent and a lawyer," Tayo said. "I'll just give her a call."
Tayo went to work straight away and picked up his phone handset before dialling a number. He waited for several seconds on the line before he said, "Hello. It's me, Tayo…yeah, I'm fine thanks. You? …Good to hear, good to hear. Now, listen, I've got a job for you. I've got someone in who I want as the next top model for Yama-Gucci and I was wondering if you could come in now. I know it's a lot to ask…you're just outside the building? …You were planning to come in anyway? That's great! It would be great if you could pop up to my office, thanks. Are you definitely up for this? …Sure, sure, that's great! Thanks a lot. I'll see you in a second!"
Tayo hung up and then placed his attention on me. "Now listen Rei, I've kind of went forward and hired you an agent slash lawyer on your behalf. I hope you don't mind," he said.
"It's all right," I said. "Who is she?"
"Oh, you'll love her. She's about your age and flew right through law school in about half the time it usually takes. She's got incredible people skills and has a firm sense of authority. We were lucky to recruit her for use with our models and she's turning out to be the best of the best," Tayo said. "Her name is Hikari Horaki."
"Hikari Horaki?" I asked in surprise.
Tayo was caught off guard, "You know her?"
"I went to school with her and she was always in my class," I replied. "We went to different universities though."
"Ha, that's great! Small world, huh?"
"I guess so," I said. It was quite incredible. I hadn't really heard from Hikari since I heard she had graduated law school two years early with an honours degree. I had heard she was a bit of a prodigy in her field but had no idea that she ended up working for Yama-Gucci.
"Hey Tayo," she said, walking into the office unannounced. Tayo looked up to her and smiled and I turned around to see her for the first time in years. "And this must be the new…whoa, hold on! Rei?! Is that really you?!" she exclaimed. I understood her surprise. I was probably the last person she expected as the new face of Yama-Gucci. "Oh my god! It is you Rei!" she said. "I can't believe it! You're the new face of Yama-Gucci?! That's incredible!" I couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, Hikari," I said. "And it's nice to see you again."
"It's nice to see you as well!" Hikari said. "God, I never expected this."
"Me neither, to be honest," I said.
"That makes the job a whole lot easier, doesn't it?" Tayo asked with a chuckle.
"It sure does!" Hikari said.
Her appearance really wasn't too different from how I last remembered. She still had those freckles on her checks that were a distinguishing feature of her face. The only noticeable differences were her hair and the clothes she wore. Her hair was in a single ponytail rather than the pigtails she always had them in when we were in school and she was wearing a rather suave grey suit that she was most likely expected to wear being a lawyer for such a big company. Apart from that, she was still the old Hikari. I knew that she was engaged to Toji Suzuhara. 23 years of age seemed a bit young to be preparing to get married but I guess if it was their wish, then there was nothing stopping them.
"So, now that Hikari is here, we can seal the deal," Tayo said.
"She's not signing anything until I've looked over the contract," Hikari said, going into business mode.
Tayo chuckled and said, "Of course." Hikari picked up the contract and scanned through and when she was finished, she scanned through it. I had not considered that this would be an incredibly hefty commitment and that if the terms of the contract couldn't suit me, then it was maybe worth considering negotiating the terms. Hikari finished reading through it a second time and placed it in front of me. "You can have a read yourself," she said. "But from what I've seen, it seems a very fair and flexible agreement."
I nodded my head and scanned through the terms. And Hikari was right; it was very fair and flexible. It was definitely worth taking. I looked up and Tayo was holding up a fountain pen in his right hand. "Well, this pen's only good if you want to sign it," he said. With a smile on my face, I took the pen and signed my name at the bottom of the contract. "There," I said. "It's done."
"Welcome to Yama-Gucci, Rei," Tayo said, standing up from behind his desk. He extended his hand and I took it where we shook as a reaffirmation of the sealing of the contract. He gave me a smile as he did, although this was different from all the other ones I had seen. This wasn't the businessman smile that he used as part of his charismatic appeal; it was more like the smiles I used to see Shinji give Asuka. It gave me an odd sensation that rather agreeable, but I wasn't too sure what it was. "Now, Hikari," Tayo said once we were done shaking hands. "You'll have a copy of the contract faxed to you as per usual."
"That's fine," Hikari said. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'm going out to catch up with Rei."
"You're more than welcome," Tayo said. "Rei, it's been an absolute pleasure meeting you."
"And it has been a pleasure meeting you, Tayo," I said with a smile.
Hikari and I left the building and emerged onto the streets of Tokyo-2. It was approaching lunchtime and I was feeling rather hungry. "How does lunch sound?" Hikari asked, as if she was reading my mind.
"That sounds great," I said.
"I know this great place just opposite the football stadium," Hikari said. "I'll just get my car." We walked on for about five minutes before we reached a multi-storey car park and went to the ground level to get into Hikari's car. I wasn't sure what make it was, but it was very nice and fairly expensive looking.
She set off at a pretty rapid place and we got to the restaurant in about fifteen minutes despite the traffic. It was a modern Japanese restaurant that had a traditional flair to it which appealed to me. After entering, we took our seats inside. "So, tell me Rei, tell me what you've been up to in the years we haven't seen each other?" Hikari asked after we had placed our orders.
"Graduating university and trying to find a job until this all happened," I replied. "And you?"
"Well, I graduated Osaka Law two years ago and I've been working as a lawyer for Yama-Gucci for the past year and a half. Apparently, Tayo thinks I'm good so I got about half a year working with Yumi Kimura until her little incident in Paris. After that, I was kind of without a job and I was coming today to check if Tayo had any new work for me and then there you are, the new face of Yama-Gucci," Hikari said.
"Tayo said it was a small world," I said.
"Sure is," Hikari agreed. "How are Asuka and Shinji doing?"
"They are currently in Cambodia from what I've last heard," I answered. "They are travelling the world for six months."
"Really? That's news to me," Hikari said. "Just Asuka and Shinji?"
"Yes."
"Together?"
"Yes."
"Without anyone else?"
"Yes."
Hikari laughed and said, "Sounds like they hit it off."
"I do believe that they are in a relationship together," I noted.
"That pretty much confirms it," Hikari said.
"I hear that you are engaged to Toji, is this true?" I inquired.
"Guilty as charged," Hikari replied. "He proposed to me just after he graduated. It was so incredibly sweet; he went down on one knee and everything! Obviously, we plan to have a long engagement period before we finally tie the knot but honestly, I couldn't think of any other person to spend the rest of my life with."
"That is good to hear," I said with a smile.
"What about you, Rei? Is there a man in your life?" Hikari inquired.
Her question caused me to blink in surprise. I had not expected that one coming. "Uh, no, there isn't," I replied.
"Really? Come on Rei, surely there had to have been someone you met during university or something," Hikari said.
"No, not really," I replied. "None of those guys really interested me."
"Do you prefer the intelligent type?" Hikari asked.
"I don't know," I said. "I don't really know what I would be looking for in a man."
"Oh, come on Rei! Just think of things off the top of your head that you want in a man!" Hikari said.
"Well…I would prefer him not to be arrogant. If they can hold down an interesting conversation, then that would be agreeable as well," I said, just thinking of the first things off of my head, just like Hikari said.
"Well, it's a start, isn't it?" Hikari chuckled. "What about Tayo? What do you think of him?"
"Tayo?" I asked. "I've not really thought about that."
"Surely you must have? He's so hot, it's unbelievable. And he's only, what, 26?" Hikari said.
"I thought you were engaged," I said.
"That doesn't mean I can't say Tayo's hot! And besides, there's only really been one man for me since the start. Anyway, you haven't answered my question!" Hikari said. And she looked at me expectantly, wanting an answer out of me. Her powers of persuasion were quite incredible. I guess that's why she was the class rep for every year she had been school and an extraordinary lawyer.
"At the moment, I can't say I haven't known him long enough to make that judgement. As it stands, he is just my boss," I replied.
"I see. You're the kind of girl who doesn't just want looks; you have to get to know the person to make sure they're the right kind of guy for you," Hikari said.
"I think that is it," I said. "But like I said, I'm not too sure what I want from a relationship."
"I can't believe you never indulged during university! Guys would kill just to breathe the same air as you!" Hikari complimented.
My modesty immediately kicked in, "I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, Hikari."
"But no, seriously, think about it? You're the new face of Yama-Gucci! You've obviously had the looks going for you and your dress sense is impeccable! You must have some reason why you never dated during university," Hikari persisted.
"Well, it must just be me trying to keep to myself," I said weakly. "Also, if those guys just want me for my looks, then what hope is there for me to get to know them?"
"Ah," Hikari said. "That's a very good point."
"I guess looks don't really matter too much to me," I added.
"Hate to break it to you, Rei, but you're in a business where you make it or break it on your appearance. Not that you would have to worry about your appearance, but be warned, it's a cut throat business. Thousands of girls would kill to be in your shoes. One mistake and that could be it for you," Hikari explained.
"If I went out of the fashion industry, then it would be no great loss," I said. "I can just do what I normally do from day to day. Maybe I'll even get another job."
"Rei, you're so down to earth, it's incredible!" Hikari said.
At that moment, our food came and we began to eat immediately before continuing our conversation. "As I was saying, you're so down to earth, Rei. From the models I've worked with and met, they all seem to have an air of snobbery about them, as if they are better than everyone else. Many think the world revolves around them. Now, I've only worked with a few so this probably isn't the case for the majority. You, on the other hand, are very different from the ones I've worked with. You're modest, quiet, reserved and yet you have this fascinating appeal about you. I can tell you right now, Rei, you're going to be a big hit. Fashion critics are going to love you," Hikari said assertively.
"Well…uh, thank you," I said, not knowing what else to say.
"And you better believe it, Rei," Hikari added. "As your agent, I'm going to make sure you get all the acclaim that you are worthy off."
"I'm glad you are doing this for me, Hikari," I said with a smile.
"Hey, it's my job. The fact that I'm working with a friend is just an added bonus," Hikari said.
Hikari raised her glass and said, "To you, the new face of Yama-Gucci."
I raised mine and said, "Thank you Hikari. Cheers."
"Cheers." We clinked our glasses together and took a drink. It is customary to do this with an alcoholic beverage, namely champagne but my apple juice and Hikari's coke would just have to do for the moment. It didn't matter anyway and at that moment, I began to think that things were looking up. Maybe being a model for a massive designer label wasn't the normal life I had been looking for but it was a life that I surely couldn't miss out on.
It was a new day and a new day that presented my first photo shoot representing Yama-Gucci. "This is going to be all over the big fashion magazines, newspapers, the TV, everything. The whole of Japan will have their eyes on the new face of Yama-Gucci. No pressure," Tayo said with a smile.
"Yeah, no pressure," I said. I had been feeling nervous all day yet Tayo reminding me of how many places I would be seen had slightly reassured me, instead of making more nervous. Maybe it was because he was smiling. I seemed to feel better when Tayo smiled, which seemed a bit odd because I never usually thought of smiles being more than a facial expression.
"Okay Rei, this is Kenji Yamamoto," Tayo said. "He's Yama-Gucci's head photographer and he made time out of his very busy schedule to come today and take your promo shots personally."
"Hello," I said.
"Hello there, Miss Ayanami. I understand this is your first ever photo shoot?" Mr Yamamoto inquired.
"Yes sir, it is," I replied.
"No need to call me sir! Far too formal! Kenji will do," he said. "And don't worry; I'll talk you through everything. After we're done, you'll have some of the finest shots of yourself you've ever seen!" The man was in his mid forties and wore his long hair in a pony-tail. He had sharp cheeks and his eyes were very intense. It looked as if he was always focusing on something and analysing it. That must be part of why he was a photographer in the position he was.
I was dressed in a white long sleeve top that was thin and light and it barely rested on my shoulders, hence why it was fairly low cut. Along with that, I was wearing a black mini skirt and black leather high heeled boots that came up to just below my knees. And they all felt glorious. Maybe the fact that it was designer really did mean higher quality. Getting it all on took quite a while. That was just the clothes. The make up and hair took at least half an hour and apparently that's how it long for them to do things quickly. As well as that, there was a team of people just dedicated to making me look good. I never realised all the fuss they made over just one person. It was hard not to feel like I was being treated like a queen but I tried to keep polite and thanked every person that helped me out. There were many thank yous to be said but I managed to go through all of them, I think. After getting dressed and prepped along with the accessories, Kenji took me through the poses he had in his head. It was simple enough but there was only a white background behind me. That meant that all the focus of the photographs would be me. No pressure.
"Okay Rei, just give me some of the poses we went over," Kenji requested with his camera at the ready. I began with the first pose and then suddenly, my body went into autopilot. I just went into different posses without really thinking about it. Some of them weren't even ones that Kenji had shown me. "Wow, these are just incredible! Are you sure this is your first ever shoot?" Kenji asked, still behind his camera. To answer him, I just managed a smile which was rather sultry, not something I would usually do. "Wow, looking gorgeous Rei! Keep them coming, keep them coming!" Kenji said, taking even more photos. I gave one last pose before Kenji stopped altogether. "That's marvellous babe, just marvellous!" Kenji said with a beaming smile. "We have two more shoots to do with two outfits from the new collection before we do a swimwear shoot. If those shoots go as well as that one just did, I think we're going to turn you into a star, Rei!"
The second outfit was a black dress with thin straps that went down to about the halfway point of my hips. I also had to wear black high heels and the high heels were something I wasn't too accustomed to. However, I could stand in them and that served my purposes well enough. The thing about this dress was that it was so tight. It seemed as if it were pushing my legs together and pushing my…well, my bust outward. However, my discomfort disappeared as soon as I was in front of the camera. Any uncertainties I had about modelling just vanished as soon as I struck the first pose. And it was turning out to be really good fun. "These are dazzling Rei, absolutely stunning!" Kenji said. "You're a natural!" At that moment, I blew a kiss to the camera which is completely and utterly out of character if I say so myself, but I did it anyway. "Wow! That was hot! Rei, these are incredible!" Kenji said in an excited tone.
After that shoot was done, I had to do one more which was in a dark blue silk kimono which was just wonderful to wear beyond belief. It took ages to get ready for the shoot but when I was good to go, I couldn't wait. After that was done, there was just the swimwear shoot. And that had gotten me worried. The word 'swimwear' never really dawned on me until now. I had to go out in front of the camera baring most of my body and all of a sudden, the nerves returned. I hadn't considered that I would have to be photographed in revealing clothing at first but I was quickly learning that it was all part and parcel of it all. I went out in front of the camera once again. "Okay Rei, it's time to work that magic of yours again!" Kenji said. I thought I would freeze in front of the camera this time. It turned out I was very wrong. As soon as I heard that first click, I was off on autopilot again, producing "yet another fabulous photo shoot" as Kenji put it.
The entire shoot took almost five hours yet it didn't seem that long to me. Time just flew by me and was long gone before I knew it. "Well, Miss Ayanami," Kenji said, extending his hand, "they are sure going to go crazy over these."
"Thank you," I said, taking his hand.
"No, thank you, Miss Ayanami. You really are a natural and I'll be honest, you're much easier to work with than Yumi Kimura ever was," Kenji said.
"It was a pleasure working with you, Kenji," I said with a beaming smile.
"The pleasure was all mine, I assure you," Kenji replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to head to my office to get these photos on the computer and once they're out, you're going to be a star, I assure you."
I bowed slightly to him as he left and he waved before disappearing off. "You must be the most polite model that's ever graced Yama-Gucci," Tayo said with a chuckle.
"Oh, hello Tayo," I said. "Did you just arrive again?"
"No, I stayed for the duration of the shoot," he answered with a smile.
"I am sorry. I never saw you because I thought you had left after the shoot had started," I said with a slight bow.
"No need to apologise. I was there, but I stayed out the way," Tayo pointed out. "I've been getting piles of praise about you."
"Praise?" I asked. I had only just begun. How could I have received praise?
"All the make up, hair and clothes people all commented on how polite and nice you are and Kenji said you've been the nicest, most polite and down to earth model he's ever worked with," Tayo explained.
"Oh, that is nice of all of them," I said.
"No, it's very nice of you. Rei, you don't have to be polite and say thank you to everyone who helps you. They're just doing their job, you're just doing yours. Yet, you choose to do so anyway and a little politeness goes a long way," Tayo said. "I was sure there was something different about you when we first met."
"I am just being…me," was all I could say.
Tayo took a step forward and placed his arm on my shoulder and said, "Keep doing that, Rei. It'll make you stand out from the rest of the crowd. The whole world will soon recognise you for who you are, trust me." He smiled that smile of his and I couldn't help but smile myself and feel good inside. This was where my journey into the fashion industry would begin.
The next morning, I woke up and headed off to the bathroom. I didn't make my bed, nor did I feel like doing so. After taking a shower, I went out into my kitchen and prepared myself some rice and miso soup (it was instant stuff, as to avoid the inevitable doom I would face had I actually attempted to cook). After eating breakfast, I turned on my TV to watch the news like I always did in the morning and was shocked and surprised that there was a news story just about me.
"…and after the dismissal of the former top model, Yumi Kimura due to cocaine use, a seemingly unknown model has been named as the new face of Yama-Gucci. The only thing we know about her is her name, Rei Ayanami. Everything about her is a mystery thus far. Top fashion magazines are frantically adjusting their monthly magazines which are set to be released in a week to accommodate for the sudden appearance of this new model that has all the fashion critics talking. After interviews with her are released, I'm sure we'll learn more about her…."
It was incredible, to say the least. I hadn't expected the news to travel this quickly but Yama-Gucci were obviously keen to let people know that I was their new top model. As I continued to watch the story, my phone rang. I went up to it and the caller ID identified the caller as one Misato Katsuragi. I picked the phone up and said, "Hello?"
"REI! YOU'RE ALL OVER THE NEWS!" Misato screamed down the line. I had to peel my ear away from the handset momentarily as she did. "I am aware of that," I said.
"The new face of Yama-Gucci?! How the hell did you pull this gig off Rei?! I had no idea you were into modelling and stuff!" Misato continued at a frantic pace.
"I wasn't into modelling before. I just met Tayo Takata in a back alley and he…well, offered me the place as their top model," I explained calmly down the line.
"YOU MET TAYO TAKATA IN A BACK ALLEY??!!" Misato cried once again. "Rei, you know that girls all over Japan would give an arm and a leg for your position?"
"I am aware of that," I said.
"You sound so calm, Rei! Aren't you excited?!" Misato asked.
"I am excited, yes," I said.
"That's good, that's good. Well, listen, I've got to make a dash for work. Good luck with everything! How you pulled this off, I will never know! Bye!"
"Goodbye," I replied before hearing Misato hang up. I checked the time. 8:47. It seemed Misato would be late for work again. She had a tendency to do so when I lived with her and I was surprised to find out that Misato was still so careless. But then again, it was just part of who Misato was.
My phone rang again and this time it was an unknown caller. I picked it up anyway. "Hello?" I said.
"Guten morgen, Wondergirl!"
I was happy to hear that voice, "Oh, hello Asuka!"
"Hello to you, Miss 'New Face of Yama-Gucci'! Everybody's talking about you back home, eh?" Asuka said.
"I believe so. Where are you now?" I asked.
"We're in Kuala Lumpur. I was just watching the Japanese news to find out what was going on and I saw your name up in lights!"
"I see. Is Shinji there?"
"The idiot's sleeping. It's still the early hours of the morning here."
"Ah, yes, so it is. Have you two enjoyed your trip?"
"It's been great! We've been about the place! The next stop is Australia and boy won't that be fun! I'm sure Shinji sent you another e-mail. We've got some great pics of us in Kuala Lumpur, although they aren't as saucy as your modelling pics!"
I chuckled and said, "I will be sure to check them as soon as I can. Also, you won't believe who my agent is."
"Who?"
"None other than Hikari Horaki."
"Hikari?! She's your agent?!"
"Well, agent slash lawyer."
"That's wacky. I never expected her to be a lawyer for Yama-Gucci. How did you pull this whole thing off anyway?"
"I met Tayo Takata in a back alley, we had a chat and he offered me the job."
"Wow, incredible. I guess this opportunity just kind of flew in straight in front of you, eh?"
"It did indeed," I said. "Listen Asuka, can I clear something up with you?"
"Sure, go for it."
"Are you involved with Shinji?"
"Involved as in…?"
"A relationship."
There was a brief period of silence before Asuka said, "Yes, I am. I think it's pretty serious, Rei."
"A serious relationship?" I asked.
"Yeah. I think I'm in love with him."
"That's great Asuka! That's good to hear."
"You know, after all we've been through, I never expected to see the day that I fall for the idiot and that you become a famous model!"
"I could see you and Shinji together before me being a model, to be honest."
"Well, you can take your pick! Anyway, my bed is calling me back to it and I've got a long day ahead of me. See you later Rei! And once you're at the top, remember who your friends are!"
"I will do Asuka. Take care."
"Bye Rei."
Whenever I talked on the phone, I always waited for the person on the other end to hang up first before placing the handset down myself. I guess it was one of my little habits. Oddly, as soon as I put the phone down it began to ring again. I picked it up and said, "Hello?"
"Rei, Hikari here, I've been trying to get to you for ages! Listen, you've got a pile of interviews lined up for today. Can you be at the office in an hour?"
"Yeah, sure, I'll be there."
"Thanks." I placed the phone back in its cradle once again and this time it didn't ring. I looked up at the clock was read nearly 9 o'clock. I was needed in one hour. Interviews Hikari had said. I guess this was where it would all kick-start.
Author's Note: I mention 'football' once in the story. Just to clarify, it is NOT the American variant of the sport. It's not big in Japan as far as I am aware.