When Kaija walked out of the master bedroom the next morning, there were still two pairs of men’s shoes sitting neatly on the shoe rack by the door.
The doors to the two rooms opposite hers were tightly shut, and that alone told her who was occupying each room.
"Ha..." Kaija’s face started twitching. "Better let them have more sleep."
Carefully, she got dressed and slipped out of her flat without waking the two men, who had both decided to stay the night at her place.
The interview with the editor in chief of Dazzle magazine was done, but the photoshoot that came with it was not. Within fifteen minutes, Kaija found herself climbing into the limousine with Esko, leaving the campus and heading toward the Dazzle headquarters downtown.
"Do you have any idea who’s shooting me today?" Kaija asked, glancing out the windows with boredom written all over her face.
No matter how comfortable she’d become after having so many nearly naked photoshoots with Juho during training, just the thought of modeling alone was already enough to draw a yawn from her.
"Dazzle only books photographers after they finalize the concept," Esko replied, more excited than his artist. "Given how rushed your debut was, I was informed they only finalized the concept for your photoshoot yesterday. I suppose we’ll only find out who’s shooting you when we arrive at the studio."
"And what’s the concept for today? Did they tell you?"
"I know it sounds very strange, but..." Esko hesitated, clearing his throat. "Don’t be too shocked, alright? It’s a bridal photoshoot."
As expected, Kaija went completely speechless. Her very first magazine photoshoot had her wearing a wedding gown, of all fashion choices possible?
"You’ll be wearing four different gowns, since they’re giving you four pages," Esko added, swiping through his phone before showing her. "Here, take a look. These are the looks you’ll be wearing today."
The gowns were from one of the most famous bridal brands in S Country. They held fashion shows in the capital every season, each gown costing so much that only daughters of the most prominent families and female celebrities wore them on their big days.
All of this, Kaija only learned from Esko, of course.
"Do you have any idea why on earth they’re making me, a newly debuted singer, wear wedding gowns for my first photoshoot?" Kaija asked, skimming over the extravagant designs warily.
"This shoot will be featured in the first issue after New Year’s Eve, Kaikai," Esko replied, trying to recall the briefing he’d been given. "The theme of the issue is weddings, since many couples get married when spring arrives. Even the cover will feature a wedding gown."
The limousine came to a stop, and the two of them quickly went inside the building without encountering Niklas again this time, thankfully.
In the dressing room, the makeup team was already waiting, and Kaija soon changed into the first of her four looks.
"How do I look, Esko?" Kaija asked, stepping out of the dressing room with great difficulty.
At this point, she was fully convinced Esko was her number one manager. He always gasped, his eyes on the verge of tears, no matter what outfit she put on.
"Oh my God, my superstar! You look absolutely gorgeous!" Esko exclaimed, already sobbing. He almost lunged toward his artist, but managed to stop himself before stepping onto the white silk separating him from the girl.
This gown was the most extravagant of the four, its silk pooling for meters across the floor around Kaija’s slim waist. Even so, it left her shoulders bare, her bust only partially covered.
"Good, I’m glad you like it," Kaija replied, not nearly as moved as her manager. "Now I need to figure out how the hell I’m supposed to walk in this thing all the way to the shooting studio without damaging it."
As much as Kaija enjoyed the blue mini dress given to her by her guardian angel, having this much of fabric pooling around felt incredibly stressful, especially when it was all white.
Ten minutes of struggling later, Esko and the entire Dazzle team finally managed to get Kaija and her three other gowns to the shooting set a few corridors down the same floor.
The scene was already set, decorated with elegant tree branches and fresh flowers in white and green.
In front of the refined backdrop stood a single tall male figure. If not for the digital camera in his hands, one might have mistaken the young man for a groom waiting for his bride at his own wedding.
He wore a black waistcoat over a white long-sleeved shirt, his trousers a matching black. When he turned around, the soft strands of his black hair swayed, and the deep green of his eyes widened at the sight of the girl stepping through the threshold.
"Juho?" Kaija’s brow shot up at once. Her face was no less shocked than Esko’s, whose mouth fell wide open upon recognizing the young photographer.
Had this city ran out of photographer? What were the chances that this famed magazine would have Juho booked as the photographer for her first magazine shoot ever?
No words came from Juho. He was too busy staring at Kaija, his entire form so still that not a single movement could be detected.
"Photographer Maley," an assistant finally called, "this is Kaija Sepala, the artist you’ll be shooting today. Kaija, this is the photographer we managed to book at the last minute. It seems... you’re already acquainted?"
"I am quite acquainted with Mr. Maley here," Kaija replied, her eyes never leaving the young man. Perhaps she could be at least glad that Juho was an actual pro. His shot for the cover photo for her released single was sensational.
"Thank you for helping my model all the way here," Juho said at last, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Now, as usual, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave the studio. I prefer to work with my model alone, as with all my previous shoots. Please leave the other outfits on the rack. I would call you should our model need some help changing into her next look."
The staff quickly followed Juho’s requests and filed out of the room, Esko included.
"Wow, it seems you must have had quite a bit of fun with all the models you’ve worked with for this prestigious magazine," Kaija said the moment the studio door closed behind them.
Working with his model alone? Leaving outfits inside the room so that he could conveniently help them get changed as well? She could already imagine vividly the sort of fun Juho must have had inside this room.
The little teasing comment made Juho stiffen, but he quickly recovered despite the frustration rising in his chest.
"Quite a few of them," he replied smoothly, playing along, "Why are you thinking about that now? Would it make you feel... jealous, perhaps?"
If Kaija was so keen on teasing him, perhaps a little teasing back to probe how she felt about him and his past action wouldn’t hurt.
"Quite the contrary," Kaija said, totally unaware of Juho’s intention. "What’s really troubling me right now is how the hell you manage to juggle so many jobs in so many places at once, without ever getting your cover blown for a single second, Juho Isota?"
Frustrated that the girl didn’t even seem to care about him or his love life at all, Juho gestured toward the backdrop. His reply came half-heartedly, though a warm smile was still playing on his face,
"I suppose blending into places, playing different roles, are just special talents God has given me specifically."
"Huh, really?" Kaija scoffed, eyeing his smile warily.
Such talents were the very reasons why Kaija found it impossible to read this young man, or his true intentions. Just how many people in the world could make him open up his heart, and surrender all the masks he wore?
Whoever they were, Kaija was certain she was definitely not among them. Her voice rang out, half teasing, half serious.
"Sounds more like a curse from God than a talent to me."