Chapter Text
While good things don't last, bad things, however, tend to linger a little longer.
The metro construction started off pretty smoothly, with the promise of a fortnight's inconvenience.
Mid-construction, another issue was observed. Then another. And another.
Two weeks went up to three. Then four. Finally the deadline was estimated to be seven weeks. Though there were constant updates on construction status, that didn't make things any better. Especially for a young woman who woke up earlier than she would like to for work.
It had been 3 weeks since she started going on her new detour through Ribuya Street. Her work was in full swing, with projects and deadlines marked in her calendar and her head. It wasn't all too hectic by itself, but if you combined it with the rest of the things in her life, it left her exhausted to do anything else.
Before work, she had enough after-hours after college to tend to her grandma. But with work and the travel involved, it wasn't easy.
If only I could afford a nurse...
Even if she could, it wasn't smooth sailing from there. Her grandma hasn't had a great history with nurses, with many being intimidated by her.
She got down from the bus and crossed the road. She could feel the eyes on her. And for good reason. It wasn't every day that you saw a woman with wavy brown hair, who towered over the average East City male (who stood at a comfortable 170 cm).
She kind of enjoyed the stares. It wasn't about attention, but more about the feeling of looking down on people that gave her a kick. She can shut down most people in an argument. That gave an adrenaline rush of its own, but the mere act of intimidating by presence, yeah, that was a feeling of its own.
But still, height and hair don't pay the bills. If that gave a career, she would have done so much.
As she walked through the Ribuya stores, she could feel a presence behind her. Her brows furrowed as she reached for her pepper spray.
Him again.
It had been going on for a few days now. She had seen him once a few days before, in a well-tailored suit, talking to another woman before he turned to look at her.
Since then, he'd been stalking her every time she went through the route.
Probably an office worker looking to get lucky. Tch. If only the metro construction were resolved...
She then heard a voice behind her.
"Excuse me, Miss!"
She then turned around, immediately took her pepper spray out and sprayed it aimlessly all over, only to see him hold his bag in front of his face with a nervous look on his face.
She growled as she went up and grabbed him by the collar.
"Asshole! You've been creeping around me for days! Should I report you to the cops?!"
The guy frantically waved his hands in surrender.
"I...I...I am...it...it's not what it looks like! Please! I...I'm not a creep!"
"Then explain why you're following me around like one!"
"I...I'll explain...just...can you let me speak...please? Just...just give me a few minutes."
She glared at him for a few seconds, then dropped him to the ground.
The man heaved for a few seconds as he got up. He then dusted his suit.
The girl scanned the guy as he reached out to his bag...just in case she had to give a description to the cops.
The guy pulled out a visiting card and handed it to her.
"I...I...my name is Heiji Takahashi. I work for JYX Model Management. I...I scout models and...I couldn't help but notice you when you walked the street a few days back."
The girl was caught off guard. She took the card from his hand, glanced at it, then back at him, who seemed anxious.
A...model...scout?
The guy continued.
"I...I think you're just the kind of look our agency needs. Like...you have the height, the presence and the whole...you know..."
He gestured an hourglass shape as he looked away shyly.
The girl raised an eyebrow as she looked back at the card.
Well, the card seems genuine. I've heard of them before. He seems to be telling the truth as well.
"I'm assuming you're new to the job, seeing that you clearly don't know how to talk to a woman."
The guy's anxiety burst out in annoyance.
"Well yes, I am! So cut me some slack, okay! I'm still an intern! And I went to an all-boys school! Of all the jobs I can do, I just had to get a job at a modelling agency talking to tall...intimidating...pretty women who are close to my height...or taller. Well, that's really a fun job!" he said sarcastically.
"Oh, believe me, I know how a 'fun job' feels," the girl replied dryly.
"...you an intern too?"
The girl glanced up from the card. "Well, yeah. What, I don't look that way?"
The look she shot him gave a clear message:
Pick your next words carefully.
"Well, yeah. I mean...you look like you have a lot of stuff figured out already...unlike a nervous mess like me."
"Believe me, my life is anything but put-together. And you're doing pretty well so far, so don't be too hard on yourself."
Heiji heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh, that's good."
The girl asked, amused, "Isn't this the part where you ask me some questions?"
"Oh, oh....oh yeah. That part."
He then took a notepad and a pen and flipped through the pages to land at a page.
"How old are you?"
"19 years old."
"Your height?"
"174 cm."
"Any tattoos, scars or piercings?"
"No."
"Where are you from and where do you live now?"
"My mother's from the mainland itself. My father is Grecian. Hence the...you know." She gestured to her face.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Where do you live now?"
"I live near Kokolat Street here in East City."
Heiji raised an eyebrow at the distant location of her house.
"Well, that explains the grumpy mood early in the morning," he muttered.
"You said something?" She asked sharply
"Nope. Nope. Nothing at all. Are you currently in school or working a job?"
"I'm a university student. Business and Management. I've completed my second year and I'm doing an internship at Zygarde Tech."
"Hmm...impressive."
"You think so?"
"...Yeah. It's a mid-company, but anything above it has to have some money involved to get in as an intern."
The girl raised her hands in a little burst of excitement.
"Well...thank you! It's good to hear someone say it! You've literally made my day."
"A minute ago you almost used pepper spray on me," he joked.
The girl chuckled.
"Well, you will get the same treatment if you approach a girl like that again."
He also chuckled, amused. It was more comfortable to talk to her than he was used to.
"There are a few more questions."
"Shoot."
"You play any sports or anything? Like how do you maintain and keep your...your..."
"...my figure."
"Yes. Yes. Your figure."
"I was a track athlete in school, and I do a run in college pretty regularly, so..."
"Okay, cool. Are you signed with any other agency currently?"
"No, I'm not."
He looked at the notes one last time.
"Okay...so fresh face, naturally athletic build, intelligent features and... intelligent." He said the last part with an amused, teasing smirk.
She rolled her eyes with an amused grin as he continued.
"Well...I think you'd do perfect. We're casting for several high-end campaigns...like fashion, cosmetics, even some editorial work. You wouldn't need to quit your studies. Many of our talents balance both."
She glanced down at the card again, then back at the scout. Part of her wanted to dismiss the offer immediately. Modeling seemed frivolous compared to the heavy course load she had chosen.
Seeing her hesitation, Heiji continued.
"Some advice I have on my side...I think it's worth a shot. The whole modelling thing has a business side to it as well, so...you can jump to it easily with your experience once you don't want to go on photoshoots...and it pays well too."
She adjusted her glasses slightly.
"I'll think about it," the girl said finally, slipping the card into her satchel. "But I make no promises."
"Fair enough. And also...yeah, I'll be needing your number too."
The girl glanced at him again.
"What? It's protocol, okay? It's not me asking."
"Nope. Not giving it. I'm not risking getting spam calls."
Heiji's shoulders fell.
"Wha- hey, now how do I-"
The girl then grabbed his notepad and tore a sheet of paper.
"Instead...you give me your number. I'll call."
The guy blinked.
"Oh...oh yeah, that works too. Cool."
He then wrote his number and gave it to her. He then went to pick up his bag.
"Okay! That about settles it. I'll...be...waiting for your call then...try coming to the office sometime if you want to ask anything else."
As he turned around, she then asked with an amused look on her face,
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
Heiji blinked.
"Huh? What...did I misplace something...I often tend to do that..."
She rolled her eyes and asked with her hands folded,
"Think about it...go through all the questions you've asked me so far."
He then got his notebook and went through it again.
"Height...age...hobbies...job...family...I even gave my number...what did I miss again...?"
The girl doubled down on her question, asking slowly,
"Let me ask you again....Heiji...you've forgotten to do one more thing. What...did you...miss?"
Heiji then slightly blushed...not being used to someone calling him by his first name besides family and friends.
"H... Hey, don't just call me by first name like that! I'll forget all the questions I had to-!"
He paused mid-sentence. Then something hit him suddenly.
It was a fun series of faces to watch...first indifference...then realization...then a replay of the whole conversation so far...then piecing the two together.
The girl found herself giggling when she saw the horror sink into his face.
"THE NAME!" he exclaimed, which had the girl burst out laughing.
"Oh shit, I forgot to ask your name! Oh...Oh no... oh kami, this is so embarrassing...kami, I'm so stupid!"
The girl held herself mid-laugh and then comforted him.
"No no, it's fine. Like I said, you were doing pretty well so far. Just...just that little thing left."
"...Did I forget anything else?" he asked in slight horror.
She let out a light laugh.
"No no, I think you pretty much covered it all. I'll call and inform if you missed anything."
Heiji then took a deep breath and then took his book again.
"Last question.... your name?"
The girl replied with a confident smile.
"Elena. Elena Karras."