[CH.21] Surrounded by models
"Yes, both of you, look over here! That's it, great!"
I struck the pose as instructed, smiling, while I heard the distinct sound of the shutter characteristic of a DSLR camera.
This job I had heard about from Ms. Ando was indeed for a magazine model, but once again, it was a sudden replacement due to a vacancy. It felt like becoming a handyman to fill in the gap that had opened up.
Even in this era, there were fashion magazines aimed at children. I hadn't inquired about the specific reasons for the cancellation of the previous model, but this time, I had been offered the job for a second-grade elementary school girl. The outfits for the shoot were already prepared, so it seemed like quite a challenging task to find a suitable replacement. Children grow quickly, so the size chart for the talents affiliated with the agency I belonged to, managed by Ms. Oshima, was frequently updated. I had been measured just recently, so there should be no mistake, but I couldn't help but feel a little sad that the clothes prepared for a second-grade elementary school child fit me easily due to my petite size.
I had thought the shoot would take place in a studio, but it was done in various locations like parks, school playgrounds, in front of brick pathways, and trendy-looking tree-lined streets.
Currently, the theme seemed to be a sibling outing with an older boy. We both directed our gaze towards the camera while the boy's cheek rested against my shoulder. Of course, we were both smiling. Even though the boy's hand was wrapped around my back, causing goosebumps to form, I didn't let it show on my face. I might be a new model and a substitute, but I was getting paid for this. I aspired to be an actress, so I couldn't let personal emotions interfere.
That being said, when it came to children's clothing in this era, I had expected to see a lot of plain and simple outfits, perhaps with large character prints, or maybe it was because I had grown up in the countryside. However, this was a fashion magazine shoot after all. Viewing it from the perspective of the Heisei era, it might seem outdated or uncool, but in this era, there were only fashionable and stylish clothes.
It was the end of October, and the seasons were on the verge of transitioning from autumn to winter. Yet, I was dressed in a lace dress with a red skirt featuring white polka dots and a light cardigan, which was quite chilly. The boy playing my older brother wore a white checkered shirt with jeans and had a cardigan draped over his shoulders, tying the sleeves loosely around his neck.
Fashion magazines often shoot ahead of the season, and it seems that wearing weather-appropriate clothing during the shoot is almost never the case. Ms. Ando told me this during our break earlier. By the way, there were several costume changes, and before this outfit, I was dressed for the end of winter, so the lights shining on me were quite hot. Maybe it was because of the small umbrella-like thing they had set up, but the light was highly directional, and the area around my neck under the scarf was getting uncomfortably warm, almost to the point of burning, which was an experience I hadn't had before.
My shoot went smoothly, and I greeted the photographer and the producer who accompanied us with Ms. Ando. The photographer praised me, saying, "Easy to communicate with, obedient to instructions, and very easy to photograph." The producer, who seemed to have been paying less attention to the shoot, expressed strong gratitude for me stepping in as a substitute.
Afterward, Ms. Ando was called by the producer and told to wait for a while, so I went to greet the stylist and other staff members. However, my shoot was just one of many still ongoing, and the staff members were quite busy, so I made sure not to bother them and only approached those who seemed available.
Since Ms. Ando hadn't returned yet, either the conversation was dragging on or something else was happening. I sat on one of the provided chairs for breaks, lost in thought, and was approached by four girls older than me.
"Hey, we need to talk."
The girl who seemed like the leader or spokesperson stepped slightly forward and said that, making me tilt my head. I assumed they had something to say and waited, but the girl impatiently raised her voice.
"Come on, stand up already, and follow us over there!"
I had declined, saying that I was instructed to wait here by my manager, but they forcefully pulled my hand and dragged me into the shadow of the building. I was pushed against the wall of the building, and while it was probably to make sure no one else could see, the four of them stood around me.
"Hey, what's with you using those looks on Hayato-kun? You're clinging to him like crazy."
"And why is an unknown like you in the picture with Hayato-kun? It should have been Kayo's job in the first place."
These girls were trying to intimidate me with their words, but I couldn't understand their perspective at all. By the way, Hayato-kun was the boy who played the older brother in the previous photo shoot. He was probably in the fourth or fifth grade and did seem like he could grow up to be handsome, but I never expected fans of fellow professionals to come and intimidate me like this.
I couldn't care less about Hayato, but I couldn't accept being accused of taking someone else's job. After all, I was here to fill in the gaps in the entertainment industry, taking on substitute roles, and I should be thanked for accepting the substitute job, not criticized.
"Wait a minute, I don't know who this Kayo person is, but I didn't take her job. The agency offered me the substitute role."
"...I don't know about that, but if you hadn't accepted, maybe Kayo could have participated."
Huh? Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying. If the magazine was looking for a substitute for this Kayo person, even if they hadn't found one, it doesn't mean they would have used Kayo. I don't even know the reason why Kayo couldn't participate in the shoot, whether it was her decision or the magazine's. I have no way of knowing, so it's not fair to blame me.
"You see, everyone here is a professional model, right? This is my first modeling job, and while I'm here to satisfy the people who hired me as long as I'm getting paid, I don't have anything else on my mind. As for Hayato-san, I don't have any special feelings about him. If you want to give me advice about my work, I'll listen, but I don't want to hear such trivial matters brought up here."
I concluded my statement by saying that such complaints should be directed to the magazine that hired us. Regardless of whether it's children or adults, as professionals receiving payment, it shouldn't matter. This was my policy, but I had no intention of imposing it on others. However, if the other party was going to interfere with me in a nonsensical way, that was a different story.
Although my appearance was that of a very petite and scrawny elementary school girl, my personality was like that of an old man. I made it clear that I would say what I wanted to say, and I replied with a stronger tone. The girls didn't seem to expect someone to confront them in this outnumbered situation, and they hesitated for a moment.
But now, what should I do from here? Of course, I had no advantage in terms of numbers or physical strength. As I was pondering, another girl, presumably one of the other models, came forward. I couldn't see her because I was surrounded, but I could hear her composed voice.
"What are you all doing over there? The shoot is about to start."
"Tch...Madoka... Let's go, everyone."
The girl who seemed like a leader said this in a way that sounded like she was about to roll her eyes and then led the four girls back toward the shooting location. When the wall of girls was removed, and my field of vision cleared, it was clear that the voice I had heard earlier belonged to this girl. She had long black hair and a well-groomed face.
"Um, thank you. Thanks for helping."
"I didn't really intend to help. We're from the same agency, and if they cause trouble, it could make it harder for us to get jobs in the future."
She appeared to be a sixth grader, or perhaps a junior high school student. The girl named Madoka sighed softly and, looking somewhat annoyed, walked over to me.
"Be careful with people like them in this industry. Well, those guys probably won't be called to any job for a while."
"...?"
I didn't understand the meaning of her words, and Madoka repeated them with a somewhat weary tone.
"The Kayo they mentioned earlier is a girl about your age, but she would come to work and just play around instead of doing her job properly. She had a strong desire for attention and wanted to be praised and fawned over by everyone. Well, the modeling industry has quite a few like that, including those four we just saw."
"So, she got sidelined because of that attitude?"
"Yeah, someone at her previous job apparently had enough and yelled at her. It's a pretty small industry, so rumors like that spread quickly. This time, they were launching a new magazine, and they didn't want any bad publicity, so they canceled her participation."
It might seem unfair for the requesting party to unilaterally cancel, but it's her own fault, so there's nothing to be done about it. In the end, in this industry, it's the side offering the job that holds the power.
"Even those kids who participated in this shoot probably won't be called again next time because they were also doing whatever they wanted with Kayo. Your manager is probably being called because they want you to participate regularly in the future."
I was listening to Madoka's explanation with a thoughtful expression, but when she mentioned my manager, a question mark popped into my head. How did Madoka know that Ms. Ando was being called by the producer? I asked her about it, and her cheeks turned red.
"I-I wasn't watching you or anything! I just thought the shoot went smoothly, and even though you're a rookie, you responded perfectly to the photographer's instructions, so I wasn't thinking anything like that!"
I couldn't help but think Madoka might be a tsundere, but the term wasn't common in this era, so I didn't comment on it. I lightly bowed my head and said, "Thank you," causing Madoka's cheeks to turn even redder. Watching her mumble with a sulking tone, I initially thought she had a cool demeanor, but her cute side in contrast caught my attention, and I found myself liking her more.
It occurred to me that I hadn't introduced myself yet, so I told her my name. Madoka, still blushing, replied with her name, "Asakura Madoka." While I couldn't imagine becoming friends with the four girls I encountered earlier, I had an intuitive feeling that I could get along with Madoka. As I silently hoped for a long-lasting connection, I bowed and said, "Nice to meet you."
Soon after, Ms. Ando came to find me, and after greeting Madoka, we left. I felt bad for worrying Ms. Ando, but she had always stressed the importance of keeping her informed about what happens, so I shared the events in the car. Ms. Ando's expression seemed a bit angry as she checked my face and body with her hands to make sure I wasn't injured. Most of that anger was likely directed at those four girls, but some of it might have been aimed at me for following them so easily. Before she could scold me, I quickly apologized.
"Are you really reflecting on this, young lady?!"
Suddenly, Ms. Ando exclaimed and lunged at me. There was no escape in the back seat of the car, and I was quickly caught and subjected to tickling. She wasn't genuinely angry, it was likely her way of communicating with talents. She tickled my sides and neck mercilessly, and I couldn't help but let out uncontrollable laughter.
During my struggles, my elbow accidentally brushed against Ms. Ando's chest, and I felt its softness. Instead of feeling nervous, I found myself envious of that fullness. It was an odd sensation that made me momentarily lose focus and gaze into the distance.
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