Nesuko fiddled with the apartment key as the driver drove her to her next photo shoot. It's been about three weeks since Nezuko offered Muichiro to come to her family's bakery. Muichiro hadn't replied to her offer, and she was too stubborn to offer it again. Nezuko was totally confused when he gave her the key to his apartment. Furthermore, she had no idea where said apartment was at. Not like she wanted to go or anything. She was simply curious. Nothing wrong for being curious since it's the natural human instinct. Nezuko had an idea where it might be at, but she decided not to confirm it. Nonetheless, Mr. Tokito wouldn't even approve of a teenage girl barging into their apartment. Even if she was an employee of his, or his son's fake girlfriend.
She already gathered Mr. Tokito was a very private man in such a short time. Muichiro , on the other hand, was quite a mystifying fellow. She couldn't figure him out, almost like a complex math problem. There were two sides of him: the devious one and the sweetie pie. When they were at school or in photo shoots together, he was a real sweetheart. He even won himself to be in Makomo's good gracious, despite Nezuko warning her friend that he was two faced. Now, when they were alone together, he was quite a cheeky little shit. However, his constant flirting and ridiculous puns, slowly grew on her. Nezuko had a strange understanding of why he portrayed himself as such. The evidence of that showed how controlling and manipulative Muichiro's father could be. Muichiro had to let himself loose or put his guard down somewhere, and he chose it by being with her.
Sure, Muichiro could get carried away sometimes, but she always kept him in line. Strangely, he did the same with her. It was weird, but they looked out for each other. When the photographers or scary fangirls gave her a hard time, Muichiro always came to her rescue. When Muichiro's dad was giving him a hard time, she would be right there to ease the tension. Being around Muichiro , made her boldly confident or a stuttering fool. It depended on the latter.
"We're here, Miss Kamado," The driver said politely.
Nezuko ade her way out of the nice Honda before she thanked the driver. She settled the apartment key into her purse as she walked into the Akuma building. Nezuko went up to the front desk and smiled when she saw Kanao. Nezuko grew fond of the ravenette secretary, even though Kanao didn't say much. Kanao continued typing on her keyboard as she acknowledged Nezuko's presence.
"Good afternoon, Nezuko, a pleasure to see you again. The photo shoot is at the same room from last time, do you need to be escorted?" Kanao asked with a pause.
"Nah, I'm sure I can find it. I've been to that room a dozen of times, I can find it with my eyes closed!" Nezuko said with a laugh, which made Kanao crack a smile as well.
"If you're sure, but please come back here if you can't find it," Kanao insisted with concern.
"Thanks Kanao," With that, Nezuko headed towards the elevators.
Nezuko gingerly pressed the button, which awarded her with a ding sound. She clambered herself into the tiny compartment. When she was about to close the elevator, a girl's yell stopped her from doing so.
"Please hold the elevator!" She obliged to the girl with pink to green hair plea.
"Thanks so much," The girl said in gratitude with heavy breaths.
"No problem," Nezuko responded with a smile.
Nezuko glanced at her elevator buddy before she squealed at the spot. It was Misturi Kanroji. She's been in a lot of perfume commercials, a few romance movies, and had advertised her own perfumes.
"I'm a huge fan, I love your work. I loved the movie Arabian Night's. You and Obanai were so cute in it!" Nezuko exclaimed giddily.
"Aww, thanks so much, you're so sweet. I think you and Muichiro take the cake though," Mitsuri said with a giggle.
"Really?" Nezuko asked dumbly.
"Of course, me and Obanai romance was fake. While yours on the other hand, is the real thing!" Nezuko never realized how badly it hurt to fake a relationship. She hated how she was deceiving people.
"Well, I have to say, you're a good actress," Nezuko commented, hoping it would change the subject.
"Thanks! You're a great model by the way, very talented!" Mitsuri boomed proudly, which made Nezuko blush madly.
"Oh my goodness, thanks so much, but you're way more of a fantastic model than little old me. You're very pretty and totally awesome!" Nezuko stuttered like an idiot as Mitsuri laughed heartily.
"Have more confidence in yourself, Nezuko. You're pretty amazing as well, okay?" Mitsuri soothed as she gingerly put her hand on Nezuko's shoulder.
"Okay," Nezuko replied when the elevator swung opened.
"That's my cue, it was nice to finally meet you, Nezuko. I hope we see each other again... sometime," Mitsuri said before she got off the elevator.
"Oh, wait, Mitsuri. Are you familiar with this photographer named Sanemi Shinazugawa? He's going to be our new photographer." Nezuko asked quickly.
"You poor thing, Sanemi is a nightmare to work with, especially with photo album projects for that matter. Stay strong, Nezuko!" Mitsuri answered pitifully.
Then, before Nezuko could reply, the elevator doors closed.
Time Skip
The photo shoot she would be working on was completely foreign to her. She would be in a new photo album, which took a lot more work. The theme of it was: 'April showers, brings a lover's Quarrel and Forgiveness'. Nezuko almost laughed at the cheesy headline for the Akuma's April sale. As for the photographer and director, Sanemi Shinazugawa , he was a real prick. The moment she got in that room; all he did was criticized her and say harsh things to her.
She tightened her hold on the umbrella and glared at the back of his head. Oh, how she would love to take this umbrella and whack it on his puny head. Nezuko took a deep breath, and calmed herself down. She schooled her expression when Sanemi beckoned her to the set again. They had to portray a scene where Muichiro and her were fighting for the first act. The funny thing is that those two fight so much, it was almost comical. It surprised her a great deal that Sanemi wasn't satisfied with their portrayal.
Nezuko could tell Muichiro was getting tired, he's been exhausted a lot lately she noticed. She had to ask about it soon when she got the chance.
"Focus people, I want to see a quarrel!" Sanemi shouted, which made her ears bleed.
Nezuko collected herself as she got herself into character. Here she stood in the rain, with a red umbrella, and glared at her fake lover. She expressed herself with white-hot anger, and directed it a Muichiro. As for Muichiro , he looked dismayed, and tilted his head back slightly with his jaw clenched. Suddenly, an idea glittered in her mind for this particular pose. She did a swift curtsy with her bumble bee skirt as she slightly hit his head with the umbrella. Muichiro's eyes danced with mirth for a second, but he schooled it to an appalled glare
"What the hell was that!" Sanemi screeched loudly.
The two models pulled away and looked at the photographer in confusion. Honestly, they both thought that pose was satisfactory. The rain stopped when Sanemi came on set. He went to Nezuko's personal space, which made Muichiro glare harden.
"You stupid girl, that is not what I wanted. My eyes are the camera, not you!" Sanemi bellowed with a huff.
"I just thought..." Nezuko began, but was cut off by him.
"You are paid to just stand here and look pretty. You are not supposed to think! I don't know why you won that contest, you're nothing but plain looking..." Sanemi mumbled the last part loudly.
Nezuko ouldn't help it. Probably him shouting at her and the stress of this photo shoot had gotten to her. Nezuko started to cry, no matter how hard she tried to blink the tears away. Muichiro was now in her teary-eyed vision. Sanemi was no longer hovering over her. Muichiro gently touched her shoulder and made soothing sounds for reassurance.
"Mr. Shin, I don't like it when someone makes Nezuko cry," Muichiro stated calmly, but his intense eyes told another expression.
"If you want a good pose, then let's start with forgiveness first, since you didn't capture the quarrel you made towards my girlfriend." Out of the all the years that Sanemi has worked with Muichiro . He had never encountered this side of Muichiro before. Quite frankly, Muichiro frightened him.
He obliged Muichiro's order to go back to his camera and to cue the rain again. Nezuko could feel the heavy rain drops pounding against her, but she didn't care at the moment. Suddenly, she no longer felt the rain and she felt warmer somehow. Nezuko gazed up and faced Muichiro , who held the umbrella up for her.
"You're beautiful, Nezuko. So no more crying, I don't like it when you cry," Muichiro admitted bashfully when he put his opposite hand behind his neck. With that, she rewarded him with a radiant smile. In that moment, Nezuko realized, she really wanted to be Muichiro's friend.
"And cut, that's a wrap. Will do the poses for the quarrel tomorrow," Sanemi said nonchalantly.
Muichiro grabbed her hand, which she didn't mind this time. They passed by Sanemi, and both of them glared at him.
"Hey, Muichiro . I want to thank you for back there," Nezuko said when they were out of earshot.
"No problem, saving a damsel in distress is my specialty!" Muichiro proclaimed with a lopsided grin.
"But still, I really want to give you something for my thanks. And don't you dare say a kiss," Muichiro pouted like a little kid being denied something sweet.
"Aww, but how am I ever going to let you fall for me if I can't even kiss you?" Muichiro blubbered.
"Men," Nezuko mumbled with a roll of her eyes.
"How about this, I can give you something sweet," Nezuko tempted with a wicked smirk.
"Really, and what's that?" Muichiro inquired.
"Come to the bakery and let's hang out there for awhile..."