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The afterparty to tonight’s fashion event was in full swing. This year, arrangements have been made to have the party take place on the shores of Miura Beach. A modest floating restaurant was rented for the party, and by the time evening fell, the boat shone brightly under the dusk-colored sky.
Ann was excited for this afterparty, seeing as this is her first time attending one as a true, bonafide model. There were several occasions that she was able to attend these kinds of events with her parents, but only as their daughter. (She didn’t really care much for it back then. Ann as a young girl would find these sorts of events… boring, especially when she was often separated from her parents.) Now, she was a model in her own right, and she did a pretty good job in today’s event. How could she not be excited about it? She deserved to let loose after working so hard in preparation for this annual event. And as a bonus, why not wow the crowd even further in a little number she chose for herself?
The eye-catching model strutted down the pier in a tight-fitting red mermaid dress. The sweetheart neckline of the dress accentuated her neckline, and the tight-fit of the dress showed off her curves in all of the right places. Ann's blonde hair was down and parted, cascading down her back in beautiful, styled waves. Her wrists sparkled in the night thanks to the jeweled bracelets she was wearing, and the earrings she wore were small, skinny things that dangled from her ears. Both accessories were small and beautiful, yet they didn't take away from the stunning dress she was wearing. Ann was dressed to kill, fully intending on enjoying herself and making an impression while she was here. And to make things even sweeter? She had a very handsome date under her arm.
Akira cleaned up well whenever he had to dress for the occasion. His often messy curls were styled a little differently than normal, with it being parted and combed rather than just letting the frizziness run wild. (And even then his frizzy curls would stubbornly find their way back to the surface after some time… such was the nature of his hair.) His fitted suit was mostly black. The jacket, vest, trousers, even his tie… almost everything was colored in a dark shade of black. The one pop of color that Akira did have on his suit was from his dress shirt, which was promptly dark red to contrast Ann’s bright red dress. Akira didn’t have on many accessories. The only thing that he had on was his watch. But then again, he never needed much. The only thing that was potentially more dangerous than the beautiful lady on his arm was that signature roguish smirk that has remained with him long after the thieving days were over. Akira was always a handsome guy, but with that debonair charm of his paired with Ann’s little stylish touches? Damn. Ann almost didn’t want to let him out of their house! Almost.
Akira was there as a constant source of support for Ann. He had a front row seat as he watched his Panther own the catwalk as if it was her own backyard. And now he’s here on the docks with her as her plus one for the afterparty. Though he knew what he was getting into, Akira was relatively new to this side of Ann’s life. He definitely wasn’t used to this much… glitz and glamour going around at full force compared to the photoshoot sets that he stood through. Still, Akira took the environment in stride as he lightly nudged Ann’s shoulder to get her attention.
“You excited?” he asked.
“Mhm!” Ann said, nodding enthusiastically. “Even more so now that you’re with me.”
“Always.” Akira replied, flashing a smile. “Let’s liven up the party.”
They walked down the dock and entered the restaurant together. The boat was already crowded with people upon their arrival. The attendees consisted of other models, fashion designers, agents from clothing lines and magazine companies, photographers, and, of course, the waiters and waitresses that worked in the restaurant. Hardly anyone was sitting down at the tables themselves. They simply stood around chatting amongst themselves as the current DJ played music in the background. Each one of the tables were set and decorated with fine cloth and good china, with boat shaped napkins placed upon center of the plates.
“Whoa, looks like it was a huge turnout!” Ann whistled in awe as she looked around the room. “Since this boat’s really a restaurant, I wonder if the food here’s any good… As cool as the party is, I’m seriously hungry.”
“Only one way to find out, right? Just don’t get too crazy like last time.” Akira warned.
“Oh, come on! Let Chinatown go!” Ann whined. Long story short, a fit of hunger in Chinatown caused Ann to go on a major shopping spree of food and sweets. It took a lot of time and trouble for Akira to rein her back, and needless to say… he was not happy. “It’s not my fault that those dumplings were so good!”
“Yeah, the dumplings. And the pot stickers. And the honey buns. And the sugar cookies. And you would’ve topped it all off with the mooncakes if I didn’t stop you.” Akira said, listing off all the food Ann ate during that particular venture. “Moderation, babe.”
“...Yeah, I know.” Ann sighed. “Lucky I’ve got you watching my back, right?”
“You know I do.” Akira assured, before he formed a sly grin. “Although… I wouldn’t mind actually watching your back. Especially in that dress…”
“Ah-ah. Be a good boy.” Ann tutted. Despite her scolding, it didn’t stop her from teasing him by pulling her hair around to expose more of her back to him on purpose. That heart-shaped cut of her dress really did wonders for accentuating the shape of her body… in the back and the front. Ann knew what she was doing by teasing him like that.
“So cruel, my lady.” Akira sighed dramatically. Ann grinned in her triumph.
“Ann-chan!”
A sudden call made Ann and Akira turned their heads towards a well-dressed woman with a quirky demeanor and a rather unique haircut. While Akira stayed quiet, Ann smiled as she stepped forward to greet her.
“Takara-san!” she greeted.
Takara… Akira guessed that she was either one of the designers that were featured in this event, or a very eccentric talent agent from Ann’s agency. Whoever she was, she beamed brightly as she and Ann exchanged brief greeting kisses on both cheeks.
“Fantastic show today! You and the other models looked absolutely divine tonight!" Takara gushed. "I particularly loved that stunning little blue number on you during that summer lineup. And here you are just making a killer in red! You really do look good in a rainbow of colors!”
“Hehe, thanks so much! You’re making me blush a little.” Ann thanked, leaning against Akira’s arm a bit as she blushed. Takara then took notice of Akira herself, and she audibly gasped at the sight of him.
“Ooh… and who’s this tall and dark gentleman?” she inquired, looking him over with great intrigue. Akira didn’t mind the intrigue, but he narrowed his eyes when he saw that Takara was getting too close to him. Somehow even that seemed to goad her on. “That smouldering, sharp gaze… that lean physique... is he one of the new male models in the wings? We could definitely use a looker like that in our catalog!”
“Hey! Look, but don’t touch. He’s mine.” Ann huffed, clinging to Akira’s arm protectively. As outgoing as Takara was, even she wasn’t exempt from Ann’s protective streak. Especially if Ann sensed that Akira was getting uncomfortable.
“Such fire, Ann-chan! Is this mysterious beau that important to you?” Takara then asked with a sly grin.
“As a matter of fact, yes! That’s why he’s my date!” Ann stressed.
“Oho, I feel like I just stumbled on a little scoop tonight!” Takara mused in her excitement. Maybe Akira’s appearance was a surprise to her, specifically. If someone worked with Ann for a long period of time, like her manager and some of the staff, they would have known about Akira a long time ago. He’s become a sort of… open secret over the past three years.
“But listen to me babble on and gossip, feel free to go mingle! I know some of the agents from the magazine brands are raving about you in particular, Ann-chan! Maybe they’re having talks about who’s going to their next cover girl in future spreads?” Takara hinted.
“Really? You think so?” Ann asked, surprised.
“I’d bet my car on it! Anywho, enjoy the party! The food here is great. I’d definitely recommend it!” Takara gushed. As Takara backed away from the two of them, she glanced over at Akira one more time for good measure. She nodded to herself in her certainty before she looked back at Ann. “I definitely know a ladykiller when I see one! Make sure this dark gentleman doesn’t cause a scene, Ann-chan! Some of the newer models would definitely be all over him.”
“Aha… Right…” Ann said, feeling a sweat upon her brow.
Takara waved to them enthusiastically before she finally turned around and walked off to another part of the boat where she could mingle with the other guests. Ann sighed to herself in exasperation, shaking her head as she loosened her hold on Akira’s arm.
“Geez, is she that wired up already?” she sighed. Takara was actually a good person, but she’s definitely something if Ann can admit that she can be a bit… much at times. When she turned her head towards Akira with the intention to apologize for Takara, she noticed that he had a grin on his face.
“What’s the big smile for?” she asked.
“‘He’s mine’?” Akira quoted, still grinning.
“O-Oh! Y-Yeah, that. I had to say something to get Takara-san to back up off of you.” Ann stuttered, her cheeks tinting red. Recalling that little statement she made at that moment caused Ann to become more flustered. As her blush deepened, she huffed again. “Argh…! I dunno why I’m getting all worked up now! I meant what I said!” she exclaimed.
“I know. It’s the truth.” Akira said. He boldly took one of Ann’s hands into his own and raised it up to his level. He then pressed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand, still wearing that cheeky grin of his as he did it. Though Ann was used to that particular show of affection from him, it never fails to make her smile and blush a little.
“Hey. Let’s go snag a table with a good view." he then suggested. "We are on a floating restaurant… I say we make the most of it.”
“Right! I’m with you!” Ann agreed, nodding enthusiastically.
The two of them walked around the restaurant floor looking for a good table to sit in. Ann, friendly as she was, took the time to say and wave hello to any familiar faces that she recognized. Akira simply smiled as he kept a lookout for that good table with a view. So long as Ann was enjoying herself after a job well done, he was more than happy to pick up the slack and do the minor things like looking for a good seat in the restaurant. But as they walked together, Ann couldn’t help but hear the whispers of the greener models at times. A few commented on Ann herself and her performance at the show, but the main attraction to most of them was obviously Akira.
“Oh my god, who is that with Ann-senpai?”
“Holy shit, he’s hot… Where and how did Takamaki find him?”
“Now that is a man! Look at that body… I’d let him ravage me anytime.”
“Wonder if he’s nice and cut under that suit… he looks fit.”
“If I asked him to come back to my hotel room with me, would he do it?”
“Hey, back off. I called dibs!”
“I don’t know if I should be jealous of her or high-five her…”
‘Guess Takara-san was right about one thing…’ Ann thought to herself with a sweat. She could hear the gushing whispers and the thirsty comments from some of her peers over her very charming boyfriend. It doesn’t surprise Ann that Akira’s appearance would turn some heads. He was handsome and charming, and virtually unknown to this side of the job. Ann actually didn’t blame them for acting the way they do.
People always had a fascination towards people they are attracted to, as Ann herself often knew growing up. However, that fascination always had a chance of simply being infatuation from a physical level. There were so many things that those girls wouldn't know about Akira. They wouldn’t know that he was actually from a small town in the countryside, or that he goes to college, or that he's funny and finds humor in dumb puns, or that he has a strong sense of justice, or that he's one of the kindest people that Ann's ever met in her life. There were so many great things about Akira that those starry-eyed girls wouldn't know just from thirsting after him from afar. The most obvious thing that they wouldn't know is that Akira and Ann have been together for three years. Even though it was an open secret around the set and all of their friends and family knew that, the relationship itself wasn't public knowledge to the masses yet.
Even so… those green models shouldn’t get too frisky with their desires towards her man. If they dare to do so, then Ann would have four simple words for her peers, the very same words that she fiercely declared to Takara not too long ago:
Look, but don’t touch.
After walking around and greeting people as they went, they eventually caught sight of a table with a beautiful view of the open deck behind it. The sights of the beach and the sea was easily accessible from that spot. Perfect. Akira went ahead and offered to warm the table so that Ann could interact with some of the other agents and magazine people that must still be chatting with each other and the other models. Ann didn’t want to go too far from him and practically ditch him in the middle of the party, especially with some of the other models eyeing him like hungry animals, but Akira shook his head.
“This is your night, Ann. Enjoy it.” he encouraged. “Let ‘em know your name.”
“What about you?” Ann asked worriedly. “I don’t wanna leave you alone in the middle of a party.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t be too far.” Akira assured. “I’ll be here if you need me.”
“Akira...” Ann slowly formed a tearful smile as she clasped her hands together in joy. That Akira… how did she luck out by having him at her side? “You’re the best, y’know?” she gushed. She immediately drew closer just so she could pull him down to her and plant a loving kiss on his lips in gratitude. When Ann drew away, she noticed that some of her lipstick colored Akira’s lips a little, which made her giggle.
“Hehe… Whoops.” she laughed. Ann would say that she’s sorry… but she really wasn’t sorry.
“You’re lucky that it goes with my suit,” Akira quipped, winking at her playfully. “Knock ‘em dead, Panther.”
Ann beamed, blowing kisses at Akira’s direction as she walked away from their table. She looked around and aw a few groups of people that she could mingle with for a little while, so she boldly decided to make herself known. Some of the agents and designers that were talking amongst themselves gave Ann a warm welcome as she approached them. Some of the people there gave her showers of praise about her performance on the runway tonight, and some offered to set up talks of potentially adding Ann to some new photoshoot spreads in the future. And… should those talks go as planned and Ann keeps up the good work she’s doing in Tokyo, she may potentially get job offers abroad from their affiliates. That was major to her! She’s already trying to cover her linguistics in college so that she could take those jobs overseas. It was a major step towards her goal of becoming the number one model in the world. And Ann felt really proud of herself right now.
Eventually Ann took a step back from the groups of talent agents, saying that she should probably eat something after a hard night’s work. While that was true, she was really intending to make her way back to Akira. Even though he encouraged her to mingle with the crowd in the first place, she still felt bad for leaving him alone at the table. Ann made her way back to the table with the seaside view, and she saw a few of her juniors trying to socialize with her boyfriend.
Ann wasn’t going to lie. She twitched at the sight of these girls trying to get their paws on him. If they were simply trying to be friendly and get to know him better, then she wouldn't blink. But their intentions were made clear by the looks on their faces and the way they presented themselves. That made Ann twitch.
While Akira was cordial to them like the gentleman he actually was, he kept himself at arms length from the models. Even when the girls try to move closer to him, he smoothly turned his body to back away, or he would charmingly deflect their prying questions they had for him. But the more he dodged, the more they would stubbornly pry to satisfy their fascination of him. It was a double edged effect from being a smooth talker all the time, she supposed. But Ann wasn’t just going to simply stand by and let this all play out. Oh, no. She can lend a helping hand, so to speak. Ann marched her way to the table with a fierce clack of her heel, and wore a smile that was noticeably a little too bright.
“Hey! Looks like you’re pretty popular tonight!” she commented cheerfully.
“O-Oh! Ann-senpai!” One of the models gasped as Ann approached the table. While they were beginning to recoil, Akira simply smiled as Ann walked towards him and rested her hand on his shoulder.
“Welcome back.” he greeted casually.
“Good to be back.” Ann said, leaning her body down just so she could comfortably rest her chin on top of his head. “Guess I wasn’t the only one mingling, huh?”
“A-Ann-senpai! We were just… introducing ourselves! I mean, he is a new face so we thought he was a new model like us!” One of the other models stuttered.
“I’ve been getting that a lot tonight.” Akira commented, lifting his head up slightly to look at Ann. “Think I’ve got a shot at a job?”
“You’ve never been interested, though!” Ann pointed out.
“That’s true.” Akira chuckled.
“Anyway… it’s good to mingle and meet new people! You get to learn things about others that you never knew about before.” Ann said cheerfully. She wrapped her arms around Akira’s shoulders protectively as her eyes darted over to the two models currently sweating bullets. “...Like how they’re already dating someone, for example!”
“....” The two models gulped, noticing how Ann sounded a little too cheerful at that moment. Good. They got the hint.
“Why don’t you two stick around for a bit? The table’s got room for more people!” Ann offered. “Besides... since I just walked into a conversation, I’d love to catch up with you guys!”
“U-Uh… That’s okay, Ann-senpai! I think we’ll just… go over to the bar!” One of the models hurriedly sputtered out as an excuse.
“Y-Yeah! I’ve heard their drinks are to die for!” The other model added, coughing a bit.
“Huh. Probably a good idea. Wouldn’t want you guys to be too thirsty after a hard night’s work!” Ann commented. “I’ll see you guys around then.”
“....” Completely embarrassed over that encounter, the two models hurriedly walked away from Akira and Ann’s table with bright red faces. Once they were finally out of their sight, Akira sighed to himself as he looked up at Ann once more.
“I’ve taught you too well.” he sighed. “Should I be scared?”
“Why? You haven’t done anything wrong.” Ann replied casually, giving him a small peck on the cheek. Ann’s lipstick made its mark on Akira’s face once again, this time with a faint red lipstick mark on his cheek. Akira saw the proof of Ann’s kiss on his cheek through his reflection off of a spoon, and he chuckled to himself.
“A new badge of honor.” he quipped.
“For being a good boy.” Ann replied cheekily, before finally taking her seat next to him. "You're becoming an eye-catching attraction, mister. I thought the thieving days were over, but here you are stealing the show!"
"Once a thief, always a thief. Even if I don't always do it on purpose." Akira sighed, shrugging his shoulders.
"Does that mean you're stealing hearts again too? Those two models were swooning all over you, y'know." Ann pointed out. "Told you that charm of yours was dangerous."
"Even when I said I was taken..." Akira groaned, shaking his head in slight annoyance. "But you know? Let 'em swoon and gush to themselves. They can do that all they want. It's not gonna do them much good... all because of one simple thing."
"What's that?" Ann asked.
"While those girls have their eyes on me..." Akira began, lifting his hand up just so he could gently stroke Ann's cheek. "They can also see who I've always had my eyes on, even from the very beginning."
Ann's cheeks flushed after hearing that statement of his, the red color almost rivaling the shade of her dress. Despite her blushing, she smiled at him as she giggled lightly. Dangerous indeed... those smooth words of his never failed to make her go a little weak in the knees, regardless of how many times she's heard it at this point. Akira chuckled to himself in amusement after seeing her blushing face, still stroking her cheek with his thumb. He then leaned in closer, pressing his lips against hers in a loving kiss. And it was one that Ann reciprocated with no shame. He's made it clear for all who was watching who was the only one allowed to touch and kiss him with wild abandon. And Ann in turn has made it clear who was the only one that had her heart.
"Always the charmer." Ann quipped, still giggling as she drew back from him.
"One of the things that you love about me." Akira quipped in return, grinning at her.
"Cheeky devil," Ann laughed, shaking her head. She knew all of that was true. All of it. “In other news… I’ve got so many things to tell you, Akira! Things are really looking up!”
“Oh yeah?” Akira asked, quirking a brow. “Spill.”
With great enthusiasm, Ann told Akira all of the things that she’s been told by the people she’s interacted with while she was gone. She told him about how impressed they were over the show tonight, the opportunities that were on the horizon for her if she continues at this pace, and of course, the possibility of her getting an overseas gig becoming more and more likely thanks to the success of this show. Ann talked about everything over their dinner. (Even in small breaks when she wasn’t eating the food with gusto.) Akira listened to every Ann had to say with open ears. When she finally stopped talking about it, he smiled.
“I’m proud of you.” he said warmly.
“Thanks…” Ann thanked, her cheeks tinted pink. “I’m definitely on my way now. There’s still a long way to go, but… someday I know I can look back on moments like tonight with pride. But for now, I’m definitely proud of myself for working so hard.”
Akira nodded at her statement, before he took a look towards the outside deck. The DJ changed the music to something more slow-paced, and he smiled to himself as an idea brewed in his mind. He wiped at his lips and chin with a napkin before he rose up from his seat. When Ann noticed him moving, she’s met with the sight of him offering his hand to her.
“This celebration calls for a dance, my lady.” he said smoothly. “May I?”
Ann giggled at him as she dabbled her napkin against the corners of her lips. “Always such a gentleman.” she cooed, before taking his hand gladly.
As Ann rose up from her seat and smoothed out her dress, Akira proceeded to lead her towards the outside deck where the two of them could dance together in their privacy. Ann wrapped her arms around Akira’s neck as he held her close to his body, and the two of them began to sway together to the slow beat of the music. A cool sea breeze blew by as they danced slowly under the evening sky, with the obscured stars above as their only witnesses. The two of them felt so comfortable in that dance that Ann rested her head against Akira’s chest as they moved together, not caring who would happen to catch sight of them out on deck.
“This is such a nice view…” Ann said, admiring the sights of the sea around them. “It’s kinda romantic, seeing the sea from a boat instead of the beach. Not that looking at it from the beach isn't romantic, 'cause it totally is, but this... this feels nice in a different sort of way. Sunset came a long time ago, but seeing the sea paired with the night sky like this... and with us dancing by ourselves out on deck... It feels like a nice wrap up after all of the running around I had to do today.”
“It is nice… but I’m not gonna stop it here.” Akira promised. “When we get home, I’m gonna pull out the works.”
“Mm… Of course the party’s not gonna be enough for you.” Ann hummed, smiling to herself. “What did you have in mind?”
“For one thing…” Akira began, smirking as he leaned down and started to whisper lowly in her ear. “...I’d get you out of that dress.”
Ann shivered in his arms once she heard his low voice in her ear. Oh damn. She had an idea about where this was going, especially if Akira was lowering his voice like that. “I thought you liked my dress.” she said playfully.
“I love your dress,” Akira replied smoothly. “But you won’t need it for what I’ve got planned.”
“Ooh…” Ann felt herself shiver again in excitement. Damn, he’s really good at that. “What are you planning, mister?”
“Hm… maybe I’d run a nice, hot bath for my leading lady. I’d light a few candles around the tub… I’ll even make some nice bubbles while I’m at it. I know how much you love bubbles.” Akira said, whispering his plans in Ann’s ear as he slowly twirled her hair around his finger. “And when you’ve made yourself comfortable in the water… maybe I could massage your tired shoulders until you’re all loosened up. I won't even stop there. I'll cover your back, your legs... everything. All of that for a job well done.”
“Oh my god, that sounds like heaven...” Ann gushed. Nevermind the fact that Akira made all of that sound so goddamn alluring. And he says that she’s the seductive one? Liar. That voice alone would make a girl go weak in the knees.
"I figured you'd like that." Akira said, chuckling lowly.
“Are you gonna join me?” Ann then asked. “You know I’d also love the company.”
“Hm…” Akira hummed, drawing back just so he could cup Ann’s chin. While he searched her anticipating gaze, his roguish smirk made its appearance once again. It was directed solely at her, and Ann knew by now what it meant. “That could be arranged.” he answered, before leaning down to claim her lips in a deep kiss. Ann reciprocated in full as her hold on him tightened, fully into this romantic moment. By the time he drew away from her, Ann was left breathless… but eager for what’s to come.
“Let’s go home, baby,” Ann said dreamily. “We can start our own afterparty.”
“Then let’s go be the life of that party.” Akira replied.
With that promise set in stone, Akira and Ann made their way towards the exit. They walked together across the docks and into the mainland so that they could return home, leaving the floating restaurant behind as it continues to illuminate the sea and the sky.