I sat with Guardian in the photo studio, the vast white room transformed into a communal style hair and makeup set, the cameras and lights set up just on the other side. We were each assigned to a chair at a long table, makeup and various other accessories spread out to suit our needs. Two makeup artists tag teamed each other, sending band members before the cameras as they finished their work transforming them. Kota was on set, Aki waiting for me, leaning against a clothing rack behind my chair. The makeup artist worked diligently around my face and hair, and I tried my best to watch Kota as his photos were taken.
"Why is she here?" I made eye contact with Aki through the mirror as Rinna walked onto the set, carrying a bottle of water for Kota. I was more curious than I was threatened, but I was feeling defensive.
Aki didn't move, but flickered his gaze upward toward her then back to me in the mirror. "We're rehearsing for the tour right after the photoshoot." He said. He pushed away from the rack he was leaning on and bowed over my shoulder to kiss me. "I'm going to talk to her, so don't worry."
"Aki, don't mess up her lipstick. Or yours." The makeup artist snapped at him, clearly frustrated by her efficiency being interrupted.
Aki's smile was mischievous as he uprighted himself and held his hands up as if to prove he had no weapon. "I'm definitely going to kiss her on set." He said, backing away and pointing at me. "Do you have your phone on you?" I nodded and reached into my bag atop the table to take it out and show him. "I'll be right back."
I stood in the shadows behind the camera setup watching Hiro on set, finding myself fascinated at the character he became. Playing bass, Hiro was a key component of Guardian, just like Fuji keeping the beat on the drums. Hiro stayed in the background though, shy, hiding behind his long hair. As much as I had talked with him over the time I knew him, I still felt like I didn't know him at all. On set, he turned the shyness into fierce control, commanding his fans with stern expressions in his eyes. He didn't pose for photos like Aki did, but even in his more uninteresting stances, he exuded confidence. I felt as though I was studying, taking in all the tiny cues that I could apply to my own shoot. My phone began to vibrate in my hand as I watched, Aki's name on the screen.
"Aki?" I answered. I heard a voice, but it sounded like it was in the distance, and it wasn't Aki's. I squinted my eyes, trying to listen harder. The voice I was hearing was female, upset, and in some kind of argument.
"Yes, I'm telling you for sure right now, you don't have a chance." Aki's familiar voice was closer.
"You're just not being very fair about it." With some concentration, I realized the female voice was Rinna. Aki must have called my phone so I could listen to the conversation.
"There's nothing to be fair about, Rinna, you're acting like we have some grand history and I recently broke your heart." Aki sounded frustrated, like he had to keep repeating himself.
"You kind of did though."
"We had one night together more than ten years ago. And we were both way too drunk to even remember it. It never should have happened. I never showed any interest in you since."
I could hear Rinna begin to cry, the characteristic break in her voice. "It wasn't just one drunken night to me, Aki, you were my first."
There was beat of silence, and Aki's voice seemed to soften out of his state of frustration. "You were my first too, so what?" He said flatly. "I've been a first for two other girls since then too." His voice had taken on a tone of sadness. "Like some kind of punk virgin hunter."
"I'm sorry about Oda-san, Kota told me."
"This isn't about Masami. Listen, you had plenty of time back then to tell me whatever you wanted to tell me. It wouldn't have changed then either. You shouldn't have just run with some wild thought that what happened between us meant we were suddenly together. I would have told you I'm sorry, but I made a mistake, and I'm not interested. Which is what I'm telling you now."
I heard heavy footsteps through the phone and the sound of a door opening and closing firmly. "Natsu?" Aki's voice came through as expected.
"Aki?" I answered him, still unsure if he was really talking to me.
"Sorry you had to hear me say the phrase virgin hunter."
I laughed. "That conversation was harsh, Aki."
He made a sound of agreement, like he was pausing to choose his words carefully. "I hope hearing that gives you some peace. You don't have to worry about her."
I nodded, though he couldn't see it. "Aki, I trust you."
"You trust me because I earned it from you, Natsu." He said. "That doesn't mean I stop earning it. See you on set in a minute."
Kota had taken my hand and dragged me onto the photo set while we waited for Aki to join us. He pointed to the multiple cameras and lights, explaining what each of them were for, and which ones I should face. There was a single white bar stool on the set, and Kota danced around it strike pose after pose, showing me what I should do while the shoot was taking place. "Never stand still." He said. "After you see and hear the flash go off, move to the next pose."
I heard applause approaching, getting louder as it made its way toward us. I looked to find the source of it to see Aki strolling up to the set, clapping his hands together, a look of pride on his face. "That was really good, you guys looked great." He said. "Kota, you're surprisingly good at teaching."
"Why are you saying surprisingly?" Kota faked having his feelings hurt.
The photographer shouted for us to clear the set, having noticed that Aki was finally present. He stepped on set and became his character as the front man of the metal band Guardian. As I watched, Hasegawa Akira turned off and Aki turned on, and no matter how many times I witnessed the transformation, I was starstruck every time. He changed his poses once or twice so the photographer could test the lighting. I could feel his energy root to the earth, strap him down, as he became serious seducing the camera.
"Natsuko-san, you can join Aki on set now." The photographer called me over with an exaggerated wave over his head. Aki sat himself on the bar stool in the center of the set and patted his thighs with his palm as I walked toward him. I easily slid atop them, my legs on both sides of him, and his arms around my back. I heard the sound of the flash, and looked toward the camera startled. The flash sounded again.
Aki's hand guided my elbow to rest atop his shoulder and he leaned into me as I wrapped my hand around his head carefully to cradle him. Flash. I didn't move, but felt Aki's strong grip around my thigh, pulling my leg upward and toward him. Flash. His grip around my thigh tightened. "Hold onto my shoulder. Lean back all the way. I've got you." He said quietly to me. I held the top of his shoulder tightly and arched my back away from him, tilting my head back as well. Flash. On we went, just like that. One subtle movement, a flash, and another subtle movement. We stood together, We sat together, we danced together, and at the end of the set we even lay down on the floor together. I felt we could have been on the set for hours, but it flew by in minutes. My nerves had quickly melted away from me as I became the princess character to Aki's vampire prince. One flash after the next, and I felt more like I belonged by his side.
When we were dismissed from the set, the photographer was expressing his excitement over our performance, but I wasn't listening. All I could see was Aki. He took my hand, lacing his fingers in between mine as he slowed our walk toward his dressing room. "I have to get to rehearsals." He said. "And you should find Yamada. I hear she has something to tell you."
"What could she possibly have to tell me?" I was confused at how secretive his voice sounded.
He had already dropped my hand and had begun to walk backward away from me slowly, a slight bounce in his step, and he shrugged. "See for yourself. Come to the rehearsal studio when you're done."