At My Beck-And-Call!?!

Chisaka Kutsuki

I tap (more like vigorously punch) the keyboard on my old laptop. This was my final attempt at trying to make a beauty blog. I’ve spent more than thirty-plus hours watching how-to vlogs about beauty and makeup. I was so confused, my brain was damaged by the words “mascara, eyeliner, lip balm, plumper, eye cream, lashes, blush, foundation, concealer…” I honestly didn’t even know what the heck these words meant, just that they existed.

My phone buzzes from beside me and I look at the time, it was time for Gina to pick me up.

Get in loser, we’re going to a photoshoot

I read over the Notification Center. Please don’t tell me this was an attempted reference—my brain is too beauty fried. I was way out of my league this time.

I pull on a long, black t-shift with my favorite manga character on it, a black choker necklace, and slap a pink clip in my hair to make it look like I had tried. I cared how I presented myself, but my sense of style was already nothing like what the models there would be wearing. Most of my clothes were black or dark colored—the complete opposite of them. I don’t forget my list of notes I’d made of all the beauty terms, and of course, the manga I was reading, just in case.

“Sorry, Gina.”

“No probs, my first fan, let’s go!” I open the car door as she blares popular radio music in the car. She could sense my awkwardness and switched it over to The Vampire Kings first album. I didn’t listen to it much, but it was recognizable, and it made me think about my not-so soulmate. That was the only reason I was putting up with all of this in the first place.

We pulled into a line of expensive cars, colors of black and pear-white without a scratch on the paint, it looked like each could hold at least two whole families. Some of the doors flipped up instead of sideways, and some of the cars had cool lights and detailing I never knew could be on a car.

Gina confidently walks up to a double door entrance and I hide behind her, taking each step with caution. Two heavily guarded men with an assortment of tools linked to their belts nod to both of us through their dark-tinted glasses and approve of us walking into the building. Why did this suddenly feel so much more intimidating?

“Don’t they seem a little scary?” I whisper in her ear.

“That’s their job, silly! Security guards in these places are actually the most relaxed people ever, it’s the others that are hard to approach.” I gulp, if Gina said someone was intimidating, then they were double the intensity.

“Welcome! You must be here to help the makeup crew, right?!”

“Yes, I’m Gina and this is-”

“Chisaka.” I bow at the beautiful girl. She smiles and leads Gina and I over to the makeup room.

“I believe the makeup crew is doing some refreshments to the current model… Nanaka? You can go help them on the photoshoot set!”

“OH MY GOSH, Nanaka is here?!” Gina squeals, then hushes herself, “Thanks, I better go help them.” The beautiful girl walks off and leaves Gina and I in the makeup room, alone.

“Stay here, I’m going to go help Nanaka. Ah, I can’t believe I get to do this!” Gina looked way too excited as she grabs her bag full of makeup and dashes out of the room.

How did I know my manga book would come in handy? I sigh, this wasn’t my place. I didn’t belong here. Everyone else was so glamorous and fashionable, they knew exactly what they were doing—I was just here, another ‘thing’ to take up space. I take out my manga and sit on a high pink stool seat, makeup products scatter the counters in front of me, but I ignore them, and read.

I was at peace.

“Hoy, why the hell is my makeup artist reading The Night of Vampires?”

I jump from my seat, unable to face the lean and tall guy towering over me. He was so close I could feel his warmth on my skin, the fragrance of expensive spice and vanilla cologne, just the right amount, mixed with hints of lavender radiating off of him.

“That’s Iuko, right? He’s about to go to bed right after getting bitten by the bad vampire, and the protagonist is giving him clean clothes. But she doesn’t know that he is also a vampire. A very hot scene indeed.”

My heart was already seconds from exploding. This guy was explaining one of my favorite manga to me. He knew the characters, and he—

A beat of his sweat drops from his face onto mine. That did it.

I swerve around, my face hot, and place my hands on his chest, pushing him away from me. A surprise mimicking my own, as he plummets down onto the ground from the force of my push. He was wearing an unbuttoned jacket, no shirt. I touched his bare chest, and slammed him to the ground. My cheeks hot as fire, a coat of pink on them, I gaze into the eyes I pushed—Ryota Mochizuki.

He looked mad. Like really mad.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

Ryota lifts himself from the floor, takes his jacket off, and sits in the chair I had risen from. He swivels around to face me, taking my hands into his own, soft and beautiful. I could see the red soul tie connecting both of our fingers—the red string of fate—the false…

“Can you do my makeup, please.”

He smiles so innocently at me, his perfect figure, toned chest, all sitting at my beck-and-call. His glowing auburn-red eyes really captured his nickname so well, they were even more ethereal in person. No one else was in the room. But on the chair in front of me, Ryota, the famous and beloved Vampire King, waits for me to do his makeup.

What the hell am I supposed to do?!