Chapter 7
Firstly, I'd like to express my gratitude to the brilliant people, who are very generous as to use their time and effort to read and review in this fanfiction, which I work really hard for. We are reaching the middle part of this story, and I really overwhelmed by the support of all you talented people here. Let's quit my Oscar Awards speech first. Allow me to present to you the seventh chapter of Japan's Next Top Model: Kazuki Undercover. Yeah, it's so weird for me to write down something fit for an Oscar speech, haha, well, as early as now, I want to express my thanks to all the support and everything. Here goes the seventh chapter, and the "surprise" will be appearing in the eleventh and twelfth chapters of this story. Continue supporting the lovely Kazuki Fuchoin! All of you are brilliant!
Kazuki woke up to the smell of wilted flowers beside his bed. Those were the ones Akabane delivered five nights before. His female roommate refused to throw them away even if they started to smell unpleasant. He felt awkward as he recalled what had happen. Akabane seemed to be interested in him. And Kazumi, his roommate who quickly became his friend seemed to fancy the hat-and-trench coat wearing transporter. He let out a sigh as he got up from his bed. Although the wilted flowers were not a nice welcome, at least he managed to gather some useful information from Akiko. He took out a notepad from his closet.
"So she's planning to take on Kirimi Mitsuhara first," murmured to himself. "I wonder how I can tell Florencias-san about this."
Not long after, Kazumi woke up. "Morning."
"Good morning, Kazumi-san."
"Take the "san" part away, won't you? I feel so old! How old are you anyway?"
"I'm twenty years old."
"So, I'm older than you are. That's so unfair!"
"What's unfair about that?"
"You're so naïve! Well, that gives you more than enough reason to add the "san" part on my name."
"You don't like it?"
"I don't. I really don't."
"I'm sorry; I was not aware of that."
"I'm only two years older than you are, dear, which gives you license to treat me the same way you treat other twenty year olds! You don't have to be so polite. We're friends now, right?"
"Yes."
"You can add "chan" instead."
"Okay, Kazumi-sa-, I mean, Kazumi-chan."
"That's more like it!"
The two laughed their stomachs out. Kazumi suddenly stopped laughing.
"I heard you talking about Kirimi Mitsuhara earlier, and I also heard about a certain "Florencias" whom you must talk about something. What's that all about?"
Kazuki hesitated to say something to Kazumi. She did not seem to notice, though.
"Kirimi is one of the strongest contenders of this show. Akiko is another one, and you are, too. But I notice that she seems to dislike you. What's up with that?"
"I don't really know. I notice that she always hangs out with Akiko."
"Well anyway, I don't really like them as well. Last night when I was out to get a glass of juice, I accidentally spilled some on Akiko. I could tell she was pissed; she actually cursed me. But I already said sorry, so what's with her, right? And that Kirimi just sneered like some hag."
"She should stop hanging out with Akiko. She may pay dearly for that."
"Why?"
Realizing what he just said, Kazuki tried to change the subject. "Oh, nothing. She may just become more than a hag if she continues to hang out with Akiko."
"You bet!" Kazumi disappeared to the bed sheets as she burst into fits of laughter. After a while, the two prepared themselves for a beach pictorial that afternoon. Everyone seemed very excited.
Akiko and Kirimi were happy as well.
"That Kazuki Fuchoin, she's the boob-less one, isn't she?" Akiko asked Kirimi.
"Yeah, the one who stole the spotlight with the darn Sexy Back song. I despise her!"
"I'm just thinking of doing something to her later on the beach. She seems to be close to that ugly Kazumi."
"Because they're as ugly and un-glamorous as each other! Birds of the same feather flock together."
They walked out the room with a wicked smile on their faces.
(That Afternoon…)
The pictorial started smoothly although Kazuki was very hesitant to wear a two-piece bikini. Kazumi was very supportive, telling him that his legs were his asset. Akiko and Kirimi whispered to each other; annoyed with how good Kazuki projected everything. He received a lot of compliments from the photographers.
"I've had enough of that flat-chested hag!" Kirimi bellowed.
Akiko smiled at her. "It's time for the show to start."
Meanwhile, Toshiki took a bus ride to the beach where the pictorial was being held. He had some important papers to collect from that beach's owner. He stepped out of the bus and looked at the blue waters. It felt refreshing.
Akiko and Kirimi decided that they want to push through with their plan already.
"Kazuki!" Kirimi called in a seemingly worried voice. "It's Kazumi-"
"Kazuki! Kazumi fell off the cliff! Quick, get her out!"
Kazuki was worried when he heard this. Kazumi had been good to him. He quickly ran off to rescue her.
"There, that's where she fell! She's unconscious right now."
"Take her out of there," Akiko said as she slowly pushed Kazuki to the edge of the cliff. Kazuki fell off. Akiko sneered at the sight of Kazuki. Kirimi was panicking.
"What did you do? It's dangerous! What if something happens to her, or to us?"
"I'll make sure nothing happens to me. Save yourself."
Kirimi ran off with Akiko, terribly guilty of what they did.
Kazuki felt a sharp pain on his leg. "Ouch!"
He lifted his hand away from the painful part of his leg. It was bleeding.
"Kazumi-chan! Where are you? Kazumi-chan?"
He called out to her nonstop, but received no answer. The pain on his leg grew so much worse. He decided he could not climb up.
The other contestants were getting ready to leave the beach.
"Where's Kazuki?" Kazumi asked to herself.
"Kazumi!" Kirimi called to her. "Kazuki fell off the cliff!"
At that moment, Toshiki walked into the contestants' bus. He walked away, avoiding to see Kazuki, when he heard Kirimi's frantic call.
"WHERE DID KAZUKI FALL?" He shouted to Kirmi. Kirimi told him the directions and Toshiki ran off as fast as he could. When he reached the cliff, he did not hesitate to jump down. He was greeted by a barely conscious Kazuki; leg bleeding more than ever. He did not realize his phone was ringing.
"Kazuki, wake up!" Toshiki called to him, on the verge of tears when he saw how much Kazuki's leg bled. "Wake up, talk to me!"
"Ju-bei," was all he could utter in his weak condition. Toshiki felt hurt but still did all he could to bring Kazuki out. They reached the land above when t began to rain. Toshiki covered Kazuki in his work jacket because he, Kazuki, was wearing only a two-piece bikini. Toshiki wrapped Kazuki's wound with his other shirt and carried him to the contestants' bus. Kazumi and Kirimi thanked him.
Toshiki walked away after he placed Kazuki safely on the bus. While he walked further, he realized that the papers he was told to get became soiled, and that his phone was ringing. He still did not answer it. He took a bus to go back.
When he reached Tsubaki's mansion, he was greeted by a very angry face. It belonged to Tsubaki.
"Why did you not answer my calls?"
"I'm sorry, Tsubaki-ojyousama. I saved my friend who fell from the cliff."
"And these documents are ruined!"
"I'm sorry, ojyousama."
"Is that friend of yours more important than your job?"
Toshiki did not answer.
"Is that friend of yours more important than your job?"
No answer still.
"Is she more important?"
Toshiki finally spoke.
"Yes, ojyousama. She's more important than anything, even my job."
A hard slap hit Toshiki's face. Kazuki is the most important for me.