For Better, For Worse

Chapter 8 - Fatigue

One kilometre later, I stop and get my breath back. Dr Harries takes me back to my room and tells me that she’s going to start taking my bandages off. I am excited, but also afraid. What if it looks different to what I had expected? But I had successfully gotten through surgery, so I didn’t want to turn back. This is it.

I look in the mirror as Dr Harries gently rolls the bandages off, and in the mirror is a horrible creature, uglier than the demon, with hair and harsh features-

“No!” I shouted, sitting up.

“What’s wrong?!” Tadao asked. What was he doing in my room…? I checked the time. 22:48. Only fifteen minutes had passed? Wow. Tadao was next to my wardrobe, looking very sneaky.

“What are you doing in here…?” I inquired sleepily.

“Your brother told me there was a spare duvet in here…” he replied awkwardly.

“Sure… take it… I don’t see why he couldn’t have done it himself…”

He opened my wardrobe doors and took out the extra duvet with ease. It was light and thin, great for the hot weather we were having – but not so much for the air conditioned apartment. He waved goodnight to me and left, but I couldn’t sleep for some time. That dream was a bit too crazy. I was pretty sure that I was excited to reveal my face, not scared. It was twisted, and I should’ve forgotten about it. So I tried my best to sleep, however it just wouldn’t come to me.

At 1am, I went out to get some water and for some reason Tadao was on the sofa instead of Hayato. I was taken aback by this and quickly drank the water before returning to my room. My heart was beating very quickly as I dived into the covers and put my earphones in, hoping that some music would calm me down and get me to sleep.

~

I pressed the snooze button for the fifth time before realising it was eight-thirty. Immediately I got up and blinked a few times, then went into the bathroom to find a certain someone washing their face in the sink.

“G-good morning, Tadao-kun…” I said timidly. He turned round from the mirror and nodded, quickly wiping his face with Kida’s flannel and coming out. I went in and locked the door – something Tadao did not do, and cleaned myself.

Fifteen minutes later, I was dressed in a simple orange cami and denim shorts, completed with some bracelets, two and a half inch wedges and sunglasses. The rain from last night had disappeared and it was a bright, sunny morning. I said goodbye to Hayato and Kida, who were sitting at the table eating breakfast, then hurried by Metro to the studio to start the new project.

“Hey Lily! How are you?” Beru-chin greeted. I answered her and told her about my nose coming loose. “Oh dear – come on, let’s get that fixed straight away. Listen, how about this Saturday I take you to the surgery nearby? I can’t keep gluing it back on, because it’ll become noticeable. I know a doctor who is confidential and really good, I’m sure he can get it fixed in no time.”

“Thank you, Beru-chin. Which studio are we in today?”

Beru-chin took me to Studio D where another shoot was currently going on. Misato was in the middle of lecturing the model, Melissa. She was often modelling for Dolce & Gabanna Japan but I didn’t see her a lot. She seemed to be struggling for new poses, and Misato was angry that she was doing the same ones again and again. I looked at the setting, and saw it was a very rich gold and black scene. She was wearing black trousers with gold lining and sequins, and a white shirt underneath a matching black and gold tuxedo. She wore black gloves and had an umbrella in her right hand, purse in the other. The designer was obviously looking for something sleek and professional, not inexperienced and poorly done.