Dreams
"I knew it, Rin. Tete and Tata aren't happy with the sudden changes of the script."
"But, Miss Yowane, variety shows are supposed to be impromptu, right?"
"That's what you think it is. In actual fact, whatever you've seen on TV is ninety percent staged for an organized and perfect performance."
"And is that why I've to be a cheerleader? I've to lie about my background as well in order to entertain my audience? It makes no sense!"
"Rin, there's no absolute truth in showbiz."
Chapter 37: The Make-up Artist
The two handsome comedians stared at each other for a moment till one of them sighed loudly. The other fell onto the couch and groaned in frustration.
"I'm really sorry for the inconvenience caused," Haku spoke politely and lowered her head. "And thank you for letting us revert back to the old script."
"No biggie, Miss Yowane," the man who was famously known as Tata on stage said with a forced smile. "Tete and I know our lines well. We aren't sure about Miss Rin Kagamine though..."
Haku nodded and said, "She memorised well too. Don't worry."
"Alright." The other man who was famously known as Tete crossed his arms. "I hope the show later... will be a success."
"It will. I know it will," Haku assured with a bow before leaving the comedians' dressing room.
It was really lucky that the organisers and the comedians had allowed such dramatic changes in their plans, especially their script and props, at the last minute. Usually, the show would have gone on the way it originally was. Rin should be the one thanking them instead of her.
She opened the door and stepped into Rin's dressing room, declaring loudly, "Rin, I've said your thanks on your behalf."
Wearing the cheerleading outfit, Rin stood up and shouted happily, "That's great! Are they still unhappy with me?"
"Apparently, yes."
Rin pouted and fell back on the chair again. Just then, a figure emerged from behind the dressing curtain and headed towards Rin. Haku was initially shocked at first because she thought they were the only ones in the dressing room but it turned out that there was someone behind the curtain...
Someone who looked very familiar...
As the person approached closer, Haku's jaw slowly dropped in pure astonishment and horror.
"Good evening, Miss Yowane. I'm Miss Rin Kagamine's make-up artist," the person introduced himself with a smile. "I'm pretty experienced so do expect Rin to be very beautiful after I'm done with her."
Haku narrowed her eyes and bellowed, "What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean? I'm this model's make-up artist."
"Nobody told me that you're going to be her make-up artist!"
"Well," the make-up artist sighed as he kept his cool, unlike Haku. "I hope to get along with the both of you. Do take care of me."
"That's not the point, Dell Honne!" Haku yelled and glared at the man.
The man remained unaffected as he stared at her with a poker face. His deep red eyes were locked on Haku's red ones which were slightly paler than his. Rin was looking at the two of them, clueless as to what was going on between them. All she knew that Haku knew this make-up artist and had some sort of disliking towards him. Rin narrowed her eyes at Dell, hoping to figure out what he was thinking. He reminded her of Len whom she always could not read no matter how hard she tried.
Rin stood up again and said, "Miss Yowane, should I... leave the room?"
Without leaving his eyes from Haku, the make-up artist said sternly, "Stay. We got to hurry. The programme is starting soon."
"We need to talk," Haku grunted.
He turned around and signalled to Rin to sit back down."Not now. Miss Kagamine is my priority... for now."
Rin slowly sat down while her eyes still staring nervously at the two of them. Despite her emotionless face, Haku's hands were trembling, showing her deepest fear for this person. The make-up artist started applying facial moisturiser on her face but Rin's eyes never left Haku. Haku stood still, looking dazed for a moment before she clenched her fists and stomped out of the room.
Rin crooked her head to the side a little and looked at the make-up artist. His face was so close to hers and somehow, she felt like she had seen him before. With squinted eyes, she scanned his face a few times and compared his face with other guys she had met in school and on television.
"Newbie, I don't go for little girls."
Rin flinched and gave the man an awkward smile.
"N... No... Don't get the wrong idea. You... you look kind of... familiar?" Rin stammered.
"Hmmm..." The man moved away from her and put the bottle of moisturiser on the dressing table. "That's not the way you pick up men."
"Huh?" Rin frowned as her face turned red. "I'm not..."
"Don't get so irritated. I was just pulling your leg," the make-up artist said with a stoic face.
Groaning loudly, Rin rolled her eyes and puffed up her cheeks. Well, that was silly of her to be assumed to be like that. The make-up artist returned back to her side with a pink handkerchief in his hand and pressed the moistened spot of the small piece fabric against her forehead.
"You look like your manager..."
Rin's eyes widened and looked at him, puzzled. The man finally smiled but his smile was only a small one, not so obvious to people who were not observant enough... like Rin.
Rin snorted and pushed his hand away. "Oh, are you trying to pull another leg of mine?"
"... when she was young."
He pressed the handkerchief in the middle of her forehead again and his not-so-obvious smile vanished. This time he pressed her forehead harder and slowly moved the fabric lower, towards the bridge of her nose. Stubbornly, Rin pushed his hand away again and stared hard at him.
"I think I know you..." Rin blurted out her thoughts and smirked.
Of course, why didn't she notice it before? The reason why Haku had known this person was because...
"You're the guy in Miss Yowane's photo!"
As she was smirking away proudly, the make-up artist remained still and emotionless until he let out a soft but heavy sigh.
-:-:-:-
Rin covered the script with her hands and recited her lines over and over again to make sure that she would not screw up the show. She was going to lie, act and deceive her audience.
She was a cheerleader. She had good grades. She was a spontaneous person. She was the talented newbie model who was proudly chosen by ALICE Studio. None of which was true. She was a total opposite of which she should be! A non-talented model who failed four assignments in her first semester of her first year, who was chosen by Miss Yowane because of her passion to make people smile, and who had a weird debut in a comedy variety show. Rin squeezed her eyes shut and pondered. Did all models lie about themselves too? Luka Megurine as well?
'Beep!'
The screen of her handphone flickered. Rin picked up her handphone and looked at the words on the screen which was written: 'You've received a text message from Len Kagamine. Open? Yes/ No.'
"This guy... he sure knows when to text me," Rin mumbled irritably but deep inside her, she felt something very sweet filling up her chest.
'Hi Miss Kagamine...'
She read the greeting and immediately turned sour. "Geez! It's Rin! I want you to call me Rin!"
'How's the outfit? I'm coming for your show later so please don't be distracted by me.'
Rin blushed and yelled at the handphone, "Who's going to distract who?"
'Be yourself. It's important to be yourself, okay? All the best!'
Rin put her handphone and her script down on the dressing table, and stared at herself in the mirror. She was scared and anxious for this comedy variety show. It would be her first time on stage. It would be her first time having her face appearing on television, then on the newspapers and magazines the following day. It would be her very first time as a new Rin who was created by the script. Nobody would judge her for who she actually was as long as she followed the script.
But was that what she wanted?
Be yourself...
"Argh!" Rin picked up the script and held it in front of her. "I'm sorry... That cab driver..."
Closing her eyes tightly, she held her breath, counted to three and deliberately tore the script into halves.
"He's right. Be myself."
Suddenly, the door knocked and Haku came rushing into the room.
"It's starting in a minute. Hurry!" the manager said in between pants and ran out of the room again.
Rin threw the torn script on the table and grabbed her orange handphone before running out of the room hurriedly for her new chapter to start...
As a new model and the same old Rin Kagamine.
Hi guys, thanks for reading up to Chapter 37. I would like to thank those who had reviewed Chapter 36. Thanks for all those encouragements. Hope to hear more from you again! :D
Here are the reviewers:
- Lalala
- fujin of shadows
- mirrors02
- Ama Zon
- evartsarielle
- Lizway
- Mimi02
Next, I would also like to thank those who had story alerted and favourited this story.
Preview of the next chapter:
Chapter 38: Game of Honesty
I can't believe it. Rin just announced to the world that a special someone made that outfit for her. Special someone... me...
Len gently patted his stomach and groaned. He hated this weird feeling which seemed to be brewing inside. No, wait. It seemed as if his insides were tying knots. No, no, giants butterflies were fluttering clumsily inside. Hold on, it must be time to answer his nature call...
"Ah! It's you! The cab driver!"
Len lifted his head up a little and stared at a girl with short dark green hair sitting next to him. She waved to him with a beam on her face. Narrowing his eyes, he studied her face as he tried to recall who she was and wondered if he ever knew her. Probably a passenger, but that was strange! What kind of passenger would remember him? No, Rin was the exceptional.
"Does a girl in tight bunny suit interest you?" the girl spoke in a cheeky tone.
"Huh?" Despite how shocked he was, Len felt like he had heard this random question before.
"What about girls who show off their cleavages and... thighs?"
Len raised his hand up and held it in front of the girl's face. "Okay, you're random. Very random. And do I even know you?"
"We've met each other once before. In your cab." The girl giggled and whispered, "Do you think I should make this girl wear something revealing to attract guys?"
"Who?"
"For Sensuous."
Author's note:
I was contemplating whether I should spill some spoiler to you all or not, but I guess a tiny bit wouldn't kill the suspense of this story... right? We have left 13 more chapters to go for the second part of this story. As you can see in the preview, Len is starting to feel something. Yes! After 37 chapters, there is finally an obvious sign that he has something for Rin. Furthermore, Rin has grown so much as compared to the first chapter of this story. Facing challenges is part of growing up and self-exploration. Rin has definitely been through a lot before stepping on stage. Kudos to her! :)
- Len's POV on Rin's performance, the mysterious green-haired girl and his childhood friend will be revealed in the following chapters.
- Haku's and Dell's relationship with each other will be revealed by the end of Part Two. Their relationship is the reason why Rin could pass the audition.
- Lastly, the relationship between Rin and her friends will turn sour due to the carelessness of a certain someone... and her strong feelings for Len take her on a wild emotional ride - a journey of the realisation of love, jealousy and craziness. Her love will never be the same as before.