Work Text:
You step on the set as confident as you could. Never mind that your nerves were high, your heart beating fast in your chest, palms sweaty. This was your first model job, and you were afraid you’re going to screw things up—despite all the training you went through to get here. It has been a painful and frustrating journey, but finally, you’ve been accepted in the big leagues. Today, you had a photoshoot with a huge fan favorite, so the stakes were high. One wrong move and you’ll be the laugh of everyone. You didnțt want to give a wrong impression to your coworker, the famous blonde superstar. You knew of her, even followed her on social media (she didn’t follow back). She looked gorgeous in the pictures, some showing delicious skin and others putting her in an innocent light. You could understand why she had a cult worshipping her; she was a natural at modeling.
You usually don’t care what people think, but you care what your partner will feel when she meets you. Which should happen soon if you decided to move out of the way. People were starting to stare at you, standing secluded in front of the exit.
You took a deep breath—
“[name]!” the voice scared the hell out of you, and you were embarrassed that you jumped a little at that. You turned towards the person that called you and then let out a sigh of relief. It was your manager, Tanaka-san, even if she looked rather annoyed. “I told you not to be late!”
“I’m sorry, I—” you steady your nerves; Tanaka-san was your friend, and she liked you. It said a lot judging by the fact that she disliked everyone else. But she seems interested in you as a person. She’s not here just for the money. “I wanted to calm down before the big meet.” You put on your best charming smile, which earned a huff from the fussy old lady.
She crossed her arms over her chest, “Alright. Let’s say I forgive you—”
“Thank you, Mi—”
“But—” she stops you with a hand; never use her real name when others are around, “—you have to get it together. We rehearsed this before.” Tanaka-san put her hands on your shoulder, squeezing them motherly. Her gaze softened. If someone saw her, they might say she was possessed. But this was your real manager. And you were grateful for having her here. “You can do this.”
You nod, “Yeah. Let’s go.”
She quickly adopts her professional persona again and signals for you to follow her. You walk with her into the set, where people are flocking around someone. You assumed it was your beautiful partner. The scene today was a beach: go figure. Of course, they wanted to show off your colleague’s body again —what leeches. Then again, this meant that you had to be exposed too. You wished that your first job would be more professional, but what can you do? Just endure and move on. Something better will surely come sooner or later, especially if you do a good job.
Tanaka-san doesn’t hesitate to push through the crowd, packing elbows left and right. You follow her, muttering apologies with a smile. You finally reach the one you were trying to meet, and for a few precious moments, time seemed to stop.
Because you’ve never seen anything like her before. She was gorgeous in pictures, but she was even more rapturing in real life. Your heart seized, and your breath halted, staring at her beauty. That long and wavy blonde hair, so natural and unusual in Japan. That flawless face with perfect skin, those lips painted with an innocent rose tint, and those eyes… You could get lost in them for an eternity. As bright and blue as the summer ocean. You barely even gave attention to her body, which was a favorite among her fans; but you could see why everyone was going crazy. She was slender and curved in all the right places, her long legs so enticing. She was just perfect , the proportions just right.
Simply enchanting.
“Close your mouth, you fool,” Tanaka-san chastises you with a whisper, and you wake up from your reverie. This was no good; if you got this distracted by her, you wouldn’t be able to get anywhere. You won’t be considered a professional, and that was a big no-no. ‘Focus, [name]!’ you shook your head just as Tanaka-san opened her mouth, “Excuse me!” Everyone turned around to watch her, even the blonde beauty. You tried to hide behind your agent, afraid to say or do something wrong in front of your partner. But Tanaka-san was sharp; she elbowed you hard in the stomach, and you took the cue to come up with a huge smile (and hopefully charming) on your face.
“Hello, everyone,” you say in your most persuasive voice, just like Tanaka taught you. It was always good to be polite and friendly.
“This is [name], here to be your model,” the old woman says, smiling widely. Another agent, a male this time, approached Tanaka and shook her head respectfully. A surge of pride went through you, knowing that your agent was talented and respected in the modeling world.
“Welcome, welcome,” the other agent shook both of your hands, bowing. “It’s so good to meet you. Here,” he invited you over, “let me introduce you to our star.”
This is it. Despite yourself, you gulp nervously. This was the moment that will change your life. The male agent guides you towards your partner, and, finally , your eyes meet. A spark went through your body, and you saw on her face that she felt it too. The undeniable attraction was there, and it caused butterflies in your stomach, the old cliche syndrome.
And she—
“This is Takamaki Ann,” her agent introduces her.
Then, just the two of you were left. Neither seemed to make a move; a surprised expression painted on her face. Her pink lips parted as she checked you out, just like you did earlier. You felt your cheeks redden at the attention, but you also wanted to show her the best in you. She was already splendid and you—you were magnificent in your own way, but compared to her, you paled. Ann—her name oh, so sweet —was like the sun.
“I—” she finally moves to speak, but it was unbecoming to let her do it first.
You jumped in eagerly, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Takamaki-san.” Thoughts ran inside your head about what you should do now. Should you take her hand and shake it or not? The decision was made by the blonde herself, taking the first step in meeting you halfway. She was also unsure whether to shake your hand or not, but the temptation was irresistible. She extended her hand at the same time you did, and your palms met. Hers was warm and smooth, yours cold and sweaty. But, at that moment, it did not matter. You’ve connected, and it was a wonderful experience.
Ann smiles brightly, cheeks tinting pink, “Likewise. It’s nice to meet you, [name].” She let go of your hand, and you felt longing. You did not doubt in your mind that Ann was your soulmate, but it embarrassed you to think that. You felt like you were exaggerating, but this was something you’ve never felt before.
You sigh dreamily, “Looking forward to working with you.”
The blonde model wants to say so much more, her blue eyes sparkling with an unknown sentiment; you felt your heart leaping in joy. “I am sure we’re going to have a lot of fun!” she adds, giggling cutely while twirling a strand of her hair flirtatiously. But before you can go ahead and say something stupid (like ask her out all of a sudden), someone else captures her attention. She turns around, but not before she waves at you, a gesture that promised a lot.
After she was gone, you stared after her like a fool; but you knew for sure that you were done. Irreversibly, you were in love.
**
After so much time, she was your introduction to everything. And you were glad that she was there for the ride. Your first secret kiss behind the stage, when the emotions before a big show got too high. Your first time in your new apartment after you moved together. Ann stayed by your side no matter what—and you wouldn’t trade her for anyone else.
“I love you,” she whispers on your lips, and you laugh sweetly. You embrace her tightly, picking her up and twirling her around. Years have passed since you first met—and now, at the peak of your careers, you both felt happy. She giggled happily and, as you put her down, the blonde girl kissed you passionately. You’ve been through a lot, through adventures, but you overcame everything. As you stared into her blue eyes, you knew you made the right decision in asking her out.
It has been a cliche, the idea of soulmates, but it worked out in the end. So you leaned into her, your heart singing:
“Love you too.”