Working as a model with a rival

Maki looked at Koga's face for the last time before teleporting to the location not far from the shooting.

Yoshi turned to him, "Go, it's alright, I am here."

Maki looked out of the empty alley. Today was all about the time, they were to shoot an editorial hoping for a nice sunset view, as well as, catching the sakura trees in the background. The location was further away from central Tokyo. Maki wasn't nervous about meeting the guy, taking into account that they'd fought before, he felt superior because he shared a secret with Koga, which Kazuo K had none of.

He turned around the corner and immediately noticed the girl assistant from the first shoot, she looked even more energetic today. Seeing him approaching, she jumped and gestured to follow her.

"Makio-san, thank you for coming! It's such a pity Koga was not invited to this shoot! You should see his editorial makeup, he is great! Let's see," she looked in her phone, "the other model will be a bit later, so you can start preparing there. This time you will have to be more creative with the posing, it should be fun!" She clapped her hands and ran off to someone else. He went to do the fitting, then the make-up. They did quite a colorful eyeshadow with purple glitter. For the first look, the assistant gave him a purple oversized suit with an orange turtleneck. This shoot was definitely more ambitious than the one he had been to before.

His mind was focused on Koga, he desperately wanted to call Yoshi and ask him whether there was any progress at home. The mood was off, he felt like he might not be at his best today.

Soon enough he heard people moving - the main star of the shoot had arrived. His eyes met Maki's for a brief moment, yet he remained calm, ignoring him completely. Maki couldn't suppress his jealousy and anger, so he stared at Kazuo a bit inappropriately. The assistant even came up to him, whispering,

"Makio-san, please be more polite. I know he is famous, and hot but..."

"I am not staring!" Maki tried to whisper back but was a bit too loud.

Kazuo "khmed" and continued to ignore him. Maki turned too, thinking how unnaturally handsome that freaking yokai was, and he had to compete with that with his kindness? He wondered what type of yokai Kazuo was. It was very hard to understand, as he concealed it very well.

The shoot was about to begin when Kazuo finally spoke, "Am I to work with this amateur? He can't even stand right!"

The assistant's face was full of worry, when she ran towards him, fanning his face, "Kazuo-san, please don't get angry, he was chosen by the art director, we can't kick him out. You should share your wisdom with him!"

Kazuo gritted his teeth and glanced at Maki arrogantly, "you, come here. Stand here, and raise your hand like this," he demonstrated.

Maki narrowed his eyes, however, decided not to cause the scene, following the instructions. The photographer was satisfied taking several shots and suggesting other poses, where they had to be uncomfortably close to each other. In the opinion of the art director, Kazuo's pale complexion and raven black hair would look great in contrast with a slightly darker-skinned, brown-haired man. They both were tall and slim and had unusual face shapes. One was conventionally attractive, it was always a game whether he would be seen as a woman or a man in the final shot, while the other had interesting masculine features, that worked in his favor.

In one of the close-up shots Maki was holding Kazuo's head in his arms - Kazuo stared at him provocatively, while Maki looked at the camera, seriously. The shots were great, photographer thought the sexual tension was undeniable. While the tension was real, it was not sexual at all. The two hated every second of this. They continued staring like this, wishing to beat the other up.

Sometimes Kazuo would turn arrogant, looking down (literally) onto Maki lying on his knees, or Maki would take the other's arm aggressively for a shot. The atmosphere started to get heated. The photographer paused grinning,

"Look you two, you seem to want to undress the other with some real fierceness, I appreciate your work, it's all that we wanted. Very good. We have one other look to shoot. Please bear in mind it's for art, don't judge it."

Maki stood in the tent confused. There were barely any clothes. He looked at the assistant, who shrugged her shoulders apologetically,

"Makio-san, I am not the one responsible. You will lie on top of each other in this scene. It's a replication of one shot with a man and a woman, but since it's a gay-friendly magazine..."

"I see." Maki's mood couldn't get any grimmer than it already was. He felt like he should say he wouldn't do it, but he was already in the process. He put the revealing "suit" on. There was nothing underneath the jacket, and the pants, well, they were with various cutouts. At least the most important parts were covered, he thought.

When he exited Kazuo was dressed in drag, calm as ever, smoking. "Wow, I guess it's good I am the one in drag, then..." his voice mocking.

"Whatever, you will have to be on top of me, or I?"

"I will be. Let's go." He threw his cigarette on the ground which made Maki cringe.

"Oh, you two look great!" The photographer arranged them on the couch, "Let's work fast, now it's the golden hour."

The work began, and surprisingly the atmosphere of hatred was helping them work it through. The tension was visible still, Maki didn't look uncomfortable with another man on top of him, because the picture of Koga in pain would not go away. Kazuo lowered his head,

"Listen, bird, you seem to be in the clouds for the last ten minutes, we don't have much time, return to your senses, or I'll refuse to work with you. Be professional."

"I am working!" Maki was immediately boiling over with anger. He grabbed Kazuo and sat on top of him, choking him. "Don't try playing with me."

The photographer made an excited "Oi" sound, taking pictures continuously. The shot was different than what he wanted, but the expression and the pose looked great.

Maki lowered his voice, "I know who you work for, you won't be able to win anyway."

Kazuo couldn't help but laugh, "You are a child, naive aren't you? You both, have no idea about anything. You walk for decades like two losers, you think it's my first time seeing you? I know of you, both of you. I have my fair share of years behind me too. You won't be able to find him, nor do anything to him. His power is great, you two are nothing to him. He doesn't even bother with you that much, that's how unimportant you are in his eyes."

"Shut up, or I will choke you!"

"Yeah, sure, you can try," Kazuo lifted his head making Maki's grip even stronger, provoking him, "You won't be able to kill me here, in front of all of these people. Try, and see what others say about it."

Maki glanced at the photographer, who paid them no mind taking pictures. He turned back,

"Listen you, I will find out the truth, one way or the other. He has to pay for all of his sins. You will follow if you ever were involved with him."

"Oh sure, dear. I am going to pay. Imagine that, the Underworld will make me? You should visit them more often, you see. It seems you missed how useless those officials are. They don't do anything, they never judge true to themselves. You should just let us be. We aren't attacking you, are we?"

Maki laughed, "It seems you are unaware of all of his deeds then, good for you."

Photographer stopped. "Hey you two, you talk a lot, stop it now."

The shoot was soon over, the sun had set. And the moment Maki was to approach Kazuo again - he vanished.

Just well. Whatever, I have no time to spend on this. Koga, I hope you are okay.

He teleported back, only to see the same picture from before. Yoshi turned to him, nodding slightly, eating a pudding.

"There is nothing new. I will go now." He waved with a spoon.

"Thank you. I will continue looking for him."

Maki touched the bedsheets, then glanced at Koga's face. He was frowning, and turning anxiously in his sleep. How painfully pale he looked now.