Home Fanfics Go Back
Maya woke the first day of December to freezing temperatures in Tokyo. She glanced at her phone to see that it was just before 7AM, and shuffled into the kitchen to start the coffee, double checking that the sliding door to the balcony was locked against the chilling wind.
Still in her pajamas, she knocked on Claudine’s door as she usually did, in order to wake her slightly sleepier partner to start their workday. She brushed her teeth, watered her plants, and took her morning supplements: vitamins, fish oil, probiotics, psyllium, and collagen. She finished her morning skincare routine, and with Claudine still not making an appearance in the common area of their apartment, she decided to venture into her bedroom.
Things had been off since the other night, when Claudine had returned from her walk, claiming that her phone fell into the bay. Maya wasn’t sure if she should be concerned that Claudine was lying, or concerned that she wasn’t, and that she was close enough to the freezing waters of the bay that her phone fell in. But, now wasn’t the time to ponder that again.
Claudine’s northwest-facing room was still dim in the early morning light, and she lay sleeping on the bed comfortably, now that she didn’t have an alarm set to wake her, as she usually just used her cell phone. Their first schedule was for ten, so it was not important for Maya to wake Claudine right away, and she probably should just leave her to sleep, she realized. But she also realized that she didn’t much feel like doing that, drawn as she was to the other woman sleeping on the bed.
She thought of the hotel in Seoul, of sleeping comfortably together, and how far they had come since then. Carefully, so as not to disturb Claudine, she sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Maya…?” Claudine asked, groggily. “Is it time for work?”
So much for not disturbing her, she thought. “No, we still have plenty of time.”
Claudine sighed in relief. “Then lay down or something, you’re putting me on edge.”
Maya did as she was told, slipping under the fluffy white covers of Claudine’s bed. Perhaps this is what she wanted all along, she realized. Claudine turned on her side so they were close, impossibly close - Claudine had fallen back asleep in seconds, her head now resting on Maya’s shoulder. Maya gently stroked her fingers through Claudine’s hair, currently extra fluffy from sleeping on it, and Claudine snuggled deeper into Maya’s side.
Maya lay in the bed, not quite awake, but not close to falling asleep again, either. She had questions, many of them, but it never seemed like the right time to bring them up with Claudine. ’Why did you take that hiatus?’ was currently top of the list, along with ’Why did you return?’ That being said, both ’Where did your phone actually go?’ and ’What are our boundaries currently?’ took up ample space in her mind, as well.
“Hey,” said Claudine, waking up after a while, and turning over into her stomach to prop herself up on her elbows and look at Maya. “Are you alright?”
“Me?” asked Maya. ’I could ask that to you,’ she thought.
Claudine nodded. “I don’t think you got any sleep just now, I was worried.”
“I slept well last night, so I’m fine. I was just thinking about some things,” Maya said. She said this cautiously, unsure if now was a good time to start this conversation, or if it would just lead to a rotten day.
“Thinking about what?” asked Claudine, shifting to lean on one arm so she could use the free hand to toy with Maya’s hair, their previous arrangement now swapped.
Maya debated which question she wanted to ask - something she was curious about, but a question that Claudine perhaps wouldn’t be completely averse to answering. “I’m curious about you, is all. Why did you come back, after all this time?”
Now Claudine did release a small sigh, averting her eyes and bringing her head down to rest on Maya’s chest. She traced a pattern gently along the top of Maya’s sternum. “There were a few reasons,” she said. The sun was shining more brightly now, illuminating her face in profile. “For one, like I said, I wanted to contribute to my family, financially, and modeling is the only skill I have. For another, HANA was probably just about the perfect contact for me - simple, staffed by women who could be my peers, secure. And, well… I guess I felt like I had unfinished business in the industry.”
Claudine sat up, stretching out with a yawn. “I kind of felt like I had no choice but to leave back then, but now, I can continue my career on my terms.”
She stood up, slipping into her slippers, and then turned around to sit back on the edge of the bed, giving Maya a small kiss. “And I’m glad I came back, because I was able to meet you.”
Maya’s question died on her lips with that kiss, and with the soft smile on Claudine’s face as she spoke, and instead Maya simply watched as Claudine disappeared into their bathroom to get ready for the day. ’Why did you have no choice but to leave back then? The question hung in the air, Claudine’s deflection masterful, certainly intentional. It felt as though the answer to that question would help Maya understand so much, but it was constantly held out of reach.
She pressed her fingers to her lips, suddenly doubting their kiss. Their entire transition from friends to something more intimate was amorphous and undefined, happening slowly and without boundaries. A kiss here, holding hands there, sharing a bed there. Of course, these actions might be chaste in the scheme of most adult relationships, but Maya did not like the undefined nature of their relationship - the wondering that came with slipping into bed with Claudine, or the fear that came with capturing her lips with a kiss.
And then there was the concern of their relationship well, existing at all. Of course Maya liked Claudine, and Claudine was observant, she had likely picked up on this as well, but was it a possibility that Claudine was using her affections as a way to keep Maya from prying? Even unintentionally, the timing of their last kiss was such that it prevented Maya from continuing their conversation. Somehow, Maya felt that until the burden of secrets between them lessened, their relationship could not progress, at least without eating away at Maya’s trust.
That day at the office, the photos from the Tokyo Tower were being rolled out, a huge banner of one of the pair shots now hanging in the HANA lobby. Maya had to admit, the shots came out beautifully, a brilliant mixture of the manmade carmine steel and the organic-inspired dresses flowing in the high winds. The color grading of the shots had been adjusted to change the winter feel to one matching the [life on mars] concept more accurately: a warmer, rusty tone, and Maya took a moment to admire the work.
She caught sight of Junna in the corridor as she was approaching their morning meeting, taking some of the stack of winter catalogues from Junna. “I saw your Tokyo Tower shot in the lobby, Hoshimi-san, it looks brilliant.”
“Ah… th-thank you,” Junna replied. She seemed slightly thrown off by this comment, but Maya did not have time to investigate further, as Claudine caught up with her, eager to show her a video of a cat on Twitter.
The morning meeting was the bi-weekly session discussing the events for the next two weeks. Mostly it was preparations for spring, special holiday shoots, and the Ginza Fashion District Christmas Party.
There was the most buzz around the party, since it was the only event outside of HANA, and everyone began chatting about who would likely attend. Siegfeld was also in Ginza, as was Showtime, technically, though the creative director of Showtime would likely be in California. Maya breathed a sigh of relief that Sarazashi was headquartered outside of Ginza, but wondered if Seiran would attend.
That afternoon, she had a session with Kaoruko, so after eating lunch with Claudine, she ventured up to Kaoruko’s office, stopping at the front desk where this time, Futaba was stationed.
“Ahh, Maya-san, welcome. Go on in, I’ve got Kaoruko’s phones and I know she’s alone in there, so you’re good.”
“Thanks,” said Maya, knocking and then entering.
“Ah, Maya-han,” said Kaoruko, apparently feeling casual. “Tea?”
“Sure,” Maya accepted, knowing she would likely be here for a while.
Kaoruko took her time pouring the tea, and Maya looked around the office. Various fabrics lay on a large table in one corner, along with reference books and a large computer monitor. Towards an adjacent wall was a drafting table with a large sketchbook, pencils, and various rulers and curve tools, along with Kaoruko’s trusty tablet. It looked as though she was working on one of her classic ‘princess’ type dresses, on a sketch of a model resembling Maya.
“Can you drink while standing? If you’re going to be my muse I need to muse over you.”
“Your muse? Won’t Isurugi-san be jealous?” said Maya, deciding to go on the offensive a little more than she did on her previous encounter.
Kaoruko just laughed. “Please. A muse is simply one who ‘guides my genius’. I’ve had a few, and none can compete with my affections for Futaba-han. They simply… have the correct body lines for my vision.”
Maya sipped her tea (while standing), and watched as Kaoruko moved to the drafting table, flipping it the opposite way so she could stand on the wall side and face Maya while she worked.
“So, mirror images, hmm…” mumbled Kaoruko. Maya was surprised. Had she actually intended to use these sessions to get work done? Maya had thought they would just be check-ins or gossip sessions, an excuse for Kaoruko to pick on Maya, in a way. And yet Kaoruko pulled off a new sheet of drafting paper, sketching up a new model of Maya, or at least Maya assumed she was, from the way Kaoruko kept sizing her up for reference. The tilt of the drafting table prevented her from seeing what was actually happening. “Some people just have all the luck with their genes,” she said, shaking her head dismissively.
Maya wasn’t sure what to say to this, so she decided to respond to the previous point. “Did you say the spring theme is mirrors?” she asked.
“Hikari-han officially named it ‘crystalline’, so there will be a lot of blue, white, and crystal tones, shimmering fabrics, possibly even reflective surfaces. Instead of the ‘opposites’ theme of the fall campaign, we want you and Kuro-han to ‘reflect’ each other naturally.”
“Is Saijou-san working with Kagura-san then?” she asked. Kaoruko shrugged, in an ‘ask her yourself’ kind of way. “Hikari-han and I are working closely together on all of the designs. I will draft some and share my ideas with her, and she will do the same with me, so that our designs truly ‘reflect’ each other. But remember, you wear some of Hikari-han’s clothes, and Kuro-han wears some of mine. I’m just using you as a muse to get going,” she chided.
“Right, of course,” said Maya, settling into the routine as she sipped the tea and Kaoruko worked. She admired the way that Kaoruko could focus, sketching with small pauses from time to time to check a reference or feel a fabric, or observe Maya. Kaoruko often gave the impression of managing only from a highly macro level, but she was truly involved in the minutia of HANA - designing garments, understanding the themes of each campaign, getting to know every employee.
“By the way, I heard you were taking other work,” Kaoruko said, after a while.
“Oh, I hadn’t decided on whether or not to take it,” she said, wondering how word of the Blue Glitter offer got to Kaoruko. She supposed word traveled quickly in this industry and she would just have to accept it.
“Well if you do, just make sure to clear the contract with our lawyer. She’ll be sure to fill you in on any minutia you may have to consider while working outside the company. And share that schedule with Mahiru so she can work around it.”
“Of course. And I assure you I will make my HANA work my first priority, I wouldn’t inconvenience Mahiru.”
“Well, I suppose a short-term campaign like that outside the company will only increase your popularity, drawing your fans back to HANA. I say, go for it. Just don’t get greedy and try to take anything on in the spring.”
“Understood.”
Kaoruko looked to have gone back to her drafting, so Maya was surprised when she spoke again. “Oh, and the Blue Glitter designer should be at the Christmas party, so keep an eye out. Don’t just stand in the corner with Kuro-han.”
Somehow, her week went by in a blur and it was time for the Christmas party. Karen had posted the cute Christmas-themed shoot they had done earlier in the week on social media, and Maya found herself at the apartment, trying to sort out what to wear.
“Do you think the gray one is better than the navy one?” she asked Claudine, holding up two dresses as she stood in Claudine’s doorway.
“I don’t want to go back out,” Claudine said, laying back on her bed. “...But the gray one.”
“It’s just to Odaiba, we don’t have to go back to Ginza,” Maya said, laughing internally at the irony of the Ginza district Christmas party being held in Odaiba.
Taking Claudine’s advice, she changed into a gray A-line dress with a narrow belt, pairing it with black tights due to the cold weather. She would wear her wool coat to the venue, but planned on checking that at the door.
As Maya did her makeup, Claudine finally got the motivation to change, putting on a black, long-sleeved dress and putting her hair up into a loose bun. Claudine only wore sheer tights, despite the dress hitting just above her knees, and pulled out black ankle boots. She came to join Maya at their bathroom vanity to apply her makeup.
“You look good,” said Claudine, her hand gently grazing along Maya’s back.
And Maya wanted to accept the touch, she wanted to give her own touch to Claudine’s waist, but she held back, even tensing a bit, because of her confusion about their relationship. Because of the secrets that hung like a brick wall between them. Because of the small possibility that the gesture from Claudine was just a ruse to keep Maya from getting too curious and asking too many questions.
Claudine seemed to notice Maya tense and went back to her own makeup, not making a comment about it.
“Thank you,” said Maya, accepting the compliment a beat too late. “You look lovely as well.”
Claudine bit her lip as she applied eyeliner, and Maya couldn’t discern if this was something Claudine always did or if it was a response to her comment, but it was hard to watch Claudine for too long right now. It was difficult to stand inches away from the woman she had feelings for - whose feelings she hoped were true - and not know where they stood. Quickly, she finished her makeup and left the bathroom, before she burst forth with a torrent of questions that threatened to come out.
They made their way to Odaiba by car, bundled in winter coats and surrounded by a night sky that presented a Tokyo that was below freezing, but not yet covered in snow. As planned, they dropped their coats at the entrance, and entered into a warehouse that seemed to be part art gallery, a massive open space filled with lights, sculptures, and framed art. The overhead lights were darkened, creating a more intimate atmosphere, and allowing the light effects of the art installations to shine more brightly. Between the exhibits were tables set up for socializing, and staff walking about with drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Along one wall were some activities, like prize raffles and contests, and along another a DJ was setting up. Maya and Claudine descended the stairs into the already full room.
“Ugh, I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” said Yachiyo, rushing up to Claudine. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I’m fine,” Claudine answered, her tone annoyed as if she already knew Yachiyo had a bone to pick with her.
Yachiyo shook her head, as if she didn’t believe this answer. “Good evening, Tendo-san.”
“Good evening, Tsuruhime-san.”
Yachiyo snatched two flutes of champagne from a passing staff member and handed them to Maya and Claudine. “If you’re fine, then where is your phone?” asked Yachiyo, raising her eyebrows. Maya appreciated Yachiyo’s ability to ask these questions, even if she was envious of the fact that she couldn’t ask them herself.
“It’s not- ugh.. Can we at least go talk somewhere more private?” Claudine asked.
Maya knew she was referring to the guests at the party at large, not to Maya personally, but it still stung. Yachiyo nodded, and excused them politely, at least for the moment. Now alone, Maya plotted her next move.
Distantly, across the wide room, she could see Mahiru and Hikari chatting with some guests she didn’t recognize. A little more nearby, she saw Koharu chatting with Souda-sensei. She decided to go with this option, at least to let Koharu know about the Blue Glitter contract and to greet her old teacher - she had been unable to do so properly at the Eclipse show.
“Good evening,” she said, bowing slightly to Souda-sensei, careful not to spill her champagne, and smiling at Koharu.
“Good evening, Tendo-san,” said Koharu, her mood seeming to lift slightly.
“Ah, Maya! I was wondering if I would see you here!” said Souda. I’m not technically a Ginza industry professional, as Seisho isn’t in the district, so I came as a guest of Karasuma-san’s.”
“The reporter?” asked Maya, remembering the woman from a few interviews in the fall.
“The very best! Fashion*Butai is the top of the top in print reporting for Japanese fashion, at least in my opinion. Though Elle’s Daily is up there in terms of web content.”
“I’ll have to look at it more thoroughly in the future,” said Maya. She turned to Koharu next. “Yanagi-san, I wanted to tell you: I spoke with my agent and with HANA’s lawyers. I will be accepting the Blue Glitter contract.”
Now Koharu seemed to light up into a full smile, her excitement tangible. “Really?! That’s fantastic! Suzu and Hisame accepted as well, in the end, though no one else at Seiran did, so it looks like it will be the four of us!”
Maya was glad to be working with familiar faces, and friendly ones at that, for her first contract outside of HANA. “It’ll only be a few weeks, but let’s work hard,” she said.
“Of course! Let’s show them our full power when working together!”
Souda-sensei had a strange look on her face, as if she wanted to say something, but kept it to herself. Perhaps she may have spoken, if given another moment, but Yakumo Kyoko came and tapped her shoulder, offering a drink, and the two of them excused themselves.
“Hanayagi-san told me I should be networking tonight,” Maya said. “She said the Blue Glitter creative director will probably be here.”
Koharu pondered this, her expression cute as she thought. Her hair was curled over one shoulder, and she was wearing an asymmetric emerald dress, with silver accessories. Although she was shorter than Maya, her bearing easily gave the impression of ‘professional model’. “I don’t actually know the designer. If they’re a man or a woman. All the communication came through my agent and I haven’t researched it much beyond making sure the clothes were something I’d be comfortable wearing.”
“Hmm, alright, well I might check in with Hanayagi-san and see if she knows.”
“Yeah, I better check in with Hisame and Suzu as well, maybe I’ll catch you later, Maya!”
Maya bid goodnight to Koharu and began making her way across the floor. In all directions, she could see various people she knew, vaguely recognized, or didn’t know, and her brain automatically tried to sort them into categories: model, designer, agent, photographer, stylist, reporter, manager. It was difficult, especially at a party where everyone was trying to look their best and wasn’t dressed for work, and in an industry where she was so new, so she didn’t have much familiarity with the players.
When she was halfway across the room, eyes peeled for Kaoruko, she was stopped by a man who called out to her with a quiet, “Excuse me!”
Turning to him, he continued: “Are you… Tendo Maya?”
She wondered if this was him, the elusive Blue Glitter designer. Surely he would have gotten the names of the models on the contract by now. She turned back to meet him at his small table, where he had been standing with one other man who left as she approached. “I am,” she said, bowing slightly, just enough to be polite.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said. “I’ve been following your work ever since you’ve debuted.”
“Pardon my rudeness, sir, but I do not know who you are,” she said. She figured it was better to clear this up quickly than to give the impression that she knew who he was and then get caught in a lie. The man was tall, certainly, and large enough that he was likely not a model, but he could easily fit any other role. Since he said he was following Maya’s work, he was likely a photographer or an agent, but she couldn’t rule out a designer or reporter, either. Dressed in a rather fancy suit, he was an impossible read.
“That’s no problem. I’m not a very big name player or anything,” he said with a light, self-effacing laugh. From his pocket he pulled out a small case, opening it to slide out a business card. With two hands he offered it to Maya, and with two hands she accepted it.
Suzuki Rinshou
TRUTH Clothing
Recruitment and Talent Mangement
Above the text was a small logo of a giraffe. Maya had not heard of this man, but she certainly had heard of TRUTH. Originally selling denim jeans and denim jackets in a famous shop in Harajuku, they had expanded throughout Japan, probably the largest domestic seller for denim. “It’s nice to meet you, Suzuki-san,” she said. “I hope you’re not trying to recruit me, however. I am currently in a contract until the end of summer.”
“Well everything is negotiable,” he said, silkily. “But no, truthfully I just wanted to make your acquaintance.”
Before Maya could respond to that, a hand gripped hers tightly from behind, tugging at her urgently to leave.
“Ah, good evening, Claudine.”