Chapter Thirty-Eight

-Miku-

"Alright, showtime!" Miki and I are interrupted by the sounds of Gakupo entering the backstage area with a clap of his hands. Miki and I exchange an excited glance as the other models hurriedly line up behind us.

Galaco, who looks completely different, is wearing a bowed tan blazer over a black dress with the most incredible heeled pumps. However, her hair is what strikes me as incredible. Her bangs remain, unlike mine; however, the color is gone from them- and with it, the crown. I hold in a gasp at how altered she looks with the crown missing… it's almost like she's… weaker.

Seeu looks as sophisticated as ever. I am actually quite pleased at how her hair turned out. While it's still larger than a mountain, it's quite beautiful, and the golden curls shape up quite nicely.

Teto may look the strangest out of us all. Her hair has been dyed a softer pink in order to variate with Miki's, and her face looks… far more different. Her bangs are replaced with sections of hair swept back in order to create a 19th century look, while her outfit screams business woman of tomorrow.

I am surprised, however, to see many other models forming a group behind us. They seem to be far older and more mature-looking than us, though. Did I really think Mr. Kamui was going to run a fashion show on just us five? I guess there's a lot that a last-minute model like me doesn't know… I suppose we represent the youth, rather than the entire collection.

First to leave the backstage area is a tall woman with a slick brown bobcut, wearing a black pencil skirt with a red blazer. Though she looks nice, I don't think she's part of the fashion show- she's probably simply going to introduce it.

I guess I guessed correctly, because I hear her voice amplified through the entire room, including the backstage areas. After saying a few words to introduce the show, she ends with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Belle Fashion Studio's own Gakupo Kamui!"

Upbeat trance music begins playing as the sides of the catwalk light up. The judges prepare their signs. I take in a deep breath and ready myself. Luka was much more made for this than I was… I hope I'm doing her justice when I walk out there. I want to ask Miki when I go out… but that'll seem silly, won't it? Maybe I should just go right after she does- she seems to know what she's doing.

The first model leaves the backstage area as my heart flutters. Here it goes. I try to watch from backstage, though I don't want the audience to see me. I swallow in the nervous feeling rising in the pit of my stomach. Something about the music begins pulling memories from the fabric of my mind. My whole entire vacation seems to twinkle in front of me.

I can't help but smile as I remember the strange, curvy path that we took to get to the relationship we're in now. I wonder if he'll be there to see me on stage. I think about how Rin and Len are doing now. They sure have been spending a lot of time with each other lately. If they're not already dating, I'm sure Luka'll be more than happy to set them up. I think back to Kaito, though that sparkly feeling I used to get when I thought about him… simply doesn't exist anymore. I shrug it off. Finally, I think about Gumi too. I decide it's been a while since I've seen her in our household. Has she been spending all her time with Kaito, Luka, Rin, and Len?

Half of the fashion show seems to go by in a flash. It's not long before it's almost time for me to model my outfit. I take another deep breath in and out. Galaco quickly pushes us aside, as it's her turn to go on. While she's lacking the crown, she's still got the attitude. I watch her strut until she disappears from view. Her hips sway from side to side as her feet cross one foot over the other as she walks. She holds her head up high, not seeming to care about anything in her way (though there really isn't anything in her way). Her hair bounces with her stride, only adding to the confidence and conceit that she seems to radiate. Is this what I'm supposed to look like?

After both Galaco and Miki have gone on, I take in a deep breath, swallow, and begin my walk, trying to mirror Galaco's motions in every way I can. It actually seems to be pretty easy for me, as I'm used to mirroring people's motions from the dance classes I used to take with Rin. The moment I step out onto the runway is probably going to be a moment I'll never forget. I hold my head up just as Galaco had done, putting on a superior expression as the lights seem to blind me. I duplicate her walk, making sure I feel comfortable in the heels I'm in.

The second my eyes adjust to the bright lights, they jump straight to my friends in the audience, triggering my heart to nearly skip a beat. However, through all of this, I keep on walking, my head facing forward as I throw on a runway-perfect countenance. I must stay professional… I'm sure that this is exactly what Luka would want me to do.

The amount of time I spend up on the runway seems to fly by faster than the time I spent with all my friends on this whole trip. Come to think of it… it's all over now. Tomorrow is the last day we get to spend time here in Paris… Tomorrow is the last day I'll be with Piko… We'd better make it count. I make my way off the runway as I kiss the final showing off of my dress goodbye. The moment my feet hit the bottom stair, from the corner of my eye, I can see Miki throwing me a smile. I make my way backstage as I return the same warm look.

"You did so great!" she whispers, waiting until the black curtain closes silently.

"Thank you!" I grin, my eyebrows rising.

"Was Piko out there?" she asks, fumbling with her cardigan as she shifts her weight.

"Yeah…" I drop only one eyebrow, "But didn't you say you were over him?"

"You're right," she stammers, not willing to meet my gaze, "But, it's just like… I don't know… I feel like…" she breathes a sigh, trying to pull the right words from her mind. I wait for her. "It's like… I've made the mistake of letting people like him take over my existence, y'know?" she looks up. I give the slightest of nods, encouraging her to continue. "Like… Everything I do is merely t-to… impress him… Show him my worth!" she concludes, her forehead wrinkling. "Prove to him exactly what he broke up with!" she raises a finger.

"You're an incredibly strong girl, Miki," I interrupt her, blinking once. I hear her swallow. "I have to admire you for that."

"T-Tha-"

Before she has the chance to finish her phrase, the backstage door opens again to reveal a tired-looking Teto.

"I'm exhausted, you guys!" she runs up and squishes Miki with a choking hug. I can't help but wince. "Do you think I did well? My hair has never looked better!" she practically shouts. Miki raises up a scolding finger to her lips and shushes Teto reprimandingly. "I'm sorry," she whispers really, really loudly.

"I can't wait until this whole thing is over," Miki says, her eyes seeming to light up. "All I want right now is to see him. I don't care what he did to me, I just wanna see him happy!" she sighs, her stare seeming to catch on nothing in particular. "I wanna be able to catch up… and talk to him like we're friends," she grins, her shoulders bouncing with laughter from the thought of it.

"I'm sure you'll be able to," I assure her, adding a smile. "And I'm really, really glad I met you, Miki. I think… you taught me something. Even if we only got to chat and be friends like this for a couple days, I'm still gonna be thankful that our paths finally crossed again. And, I guess, when you really look at it, people come and go, and some come back, and others don't. But, when you add up all the people in your life, sometimes only the ones you knew for a couple days… those are the ones that'll stay in your heart for a lifetime."

Miki's cerise eyes seem to glisten as they widen even larger. "T-Thank you…" she mumbles, the corners of her lips wobbling as they raise. I hold out my arms and walk toward her, wrapping mine around her and she does the same. "I'm so glad I met you," she sighs. I giggle, pulling back.

"Well, hey, me too," snorts a voice from behind. We turn around to see Luka strutting over to us with her bandaged leg. "Come give your auntie Luka some love!" she sings, joining the hug party.

"Oh my gosh, Luka"! I gasp, "How-?"

"Relax," she rolls her eyes with a laugh, "They let me back here upon request. Apparently, I have some street cred here," she brushes her hand over the air.

"Looks like someone needs to quit talking to Rin for a day," I splutter, pushing her face away. She giggles.

"Hi, Miki. Miku told you why I couldn't model, right?" Luka suddenly changes her attitude upon turning to Miki. Miki nods. "Great, because I just came back here to deliver some great news!" Luka flips her hair with a girly grin. I perk up at the sound of this. "Piko, Len, and Kaito have all decided to take us ladies all out to dinner at a fancy restaurant tonight!" she squeals. If I had been drinking anything, it would have been spit out right then.

"Seriously?" I swallow, my jaw dropping as tonight's scene instantly begins running through my head. Piko smiles at me and orders for me and the waitress doesn't even question my leek obsession and the whole entire scenery is perfect with like plants and stuff and the moonlight sets the tone and me and Piko have balcony seats and we can eat in private and chat and gaze into each other's eyes and share noodles like they do in the movies (teehee) and-

"Except…" Luka cuts me off, pointing a finger at my face and snapping me out of the dreamy state. "You'll have to go through the horror of seeing Kaito and Len in tuxedos!" she gasps, clasping her hands to her cheeks like the boy from Home Alone. I burst out laughing, ignoring the confused look from Miki. "But… you do know that Kaito and Gumi are 'a thing' right now, right?" she raises and eyebrow with a sly grin as she drops the gossip like a bomb.

"I… suspected it," I shrug, checking my newly-painted nails coolly. In reality, the news completely blows up in my face. Kaito is such a player! At least he doesn't like me anymore… this part is good. That way, Piko and I can live free of guilt. But poor Luka, now she's the only one of us that's left single. Even Rin and Len seem to be hitting it off.

"Oh! Ooh! Ooh!" she squeals, trying to conceal her excitement. "One more thing… this one's kind of a shocker, believe me. Len and Rin are actually brot-"

Her sentence is cut off by the sound of thundering applause from outside the stage. The show must be over now. I didn't even notice Seeu and Galaco slipping behind the curtain!

"Oh, do you think we should go back now?" Miki asks. I nod.

"Bye, Luka! I'll see you tonight after this whole thing lets out, okay?" I shout over the noise.

"You made a wonderful replacement, Miku! I hope you had fun!" Luka grins, waving as she exits the backstage curtain. "I'll tell you about Rin and Len later!" she adds, slipping back into the audience.

Exactly what was she saying about those two? Oh, well, I'm sure I'll know by tonight at dinner.

"How sweet of Piko to invite everyone out for dinner like that," Miki smiles, looking down. "I… I hope I'm not a-asking too much… but… can I come too?" she mumbles once we're walking down the hallway, followed by Teto, Galaco, and the silent Seeu.

"Of course!" I almost chuckle, "I'm sure Piko will love to see you there. You guys have a lot to catch up on, and this will be a perfect time. You totally deserve it."

"R-Really?"

"Yeah… we all do," I grin, "And don't forget, you knew the others in our earliest school-years!"

"You're such a good friend, Miku."

"R-Really?"

"Really."

Gaaahhh! I am so sorry that this was uploaded so late! I'm so busy this week and last week! I've got tests everywhere and a whole ton of homework and a speech to give and all this other CRAP that's dragging me down. *huge sigh*

Alright, gotta go complete homework in five subjects (on a Sunday). Adios. I have two hours.

Hope you have more fun this week than I do! :)