There was no mistake in the arrangement of the outfits for the photoshoot. How could a famed magazine like Dazzle make such a stupid error, especially when the models they were shooting that day were S Country’s most famed supermodel and the top-trending newly debuted singer?
No, the assistant had come to reclaim that wedding gown, because Marja Ralpha wasn’t happy with the dress she’d been given for the cover photoshoot. An asymmetrical neckline would highlight the elegant lines of her neck, making her thin shoulders look less bony.
She gave the assistant a nod the moment the timid girl suggested the gown as a replacement for the flat-neckline dress initially assigned to her. Yet she still wanted to see the gown with her own eyes, so as not to cause unnecessary rumors that she was a snobby supermodel simply for being the daughter of such a highly regarded family.
That was why Marja rose to her feet and followed the assistant shortly after she left. Little did she expect the model the dress had been assigned to was the girl she had known her whole life.
"You look fine," Kaija muttered, her expression flat.
The gown fit her perfectly; there was no loose fabric anywhere, despite what the assistant had claimed. Eyeing Marja’s slightly curved baby bump, Kaija briefly wondered whether such a tight fit would squeeze to death the creature her ex-best friend was nurturing .
"Perhaps consider getting the dress in a slightly larger size. I find this one squeezes my waist more than it should," Kaija added.
Marja was momentarily stunned by the lukewarm comment. Not a single hint of displeasure crossed Kaija’s face, nor any trace of joy at seeing her again after such a long time.
"Kaija..." Marja stammered, confusion and guilt warring in her chest. "Have you... have you... forgiven me?" Her deep blue eyes were already glistening with tears again.
"Forgiven you?" Kaija repeated indifferently. "Oh... right. About that. Truth be told, I almost forgot about you and your entire existence before seeing you again here today."
A suffocating air flooded the room. The assistant shifted uncomfortably, her voice small as she tried to smooth over the awkwardness.
"Thank you for your feedback, Ms. Sepala. But I suggest we let Ms. Ralpha try the gown on first. Her bump isn’t that big, since this is her first child, as you can see. Maybe it will still fit her well, if you could please undress and hand me the gown."
"Yeah, try it all you want, but wait outside for a moment, will you?" Kaija gestured toward the door. "I don’t enjoy undressing in front of strangers, even when we’re both women."
The single word strangers crushed Marja’s heart into pieces. She knew there was only one stranger Kaija was referring to, since the assistant had obviously helped her with the gown before, and the photographer had been inside the studio the entire time.
"I’m very sorry for disturbing your photoshoot," Marja replied timidly, bowing her head. "Thank you for your generosity. I truly appreciate it."
The supermodel was about to rush toward the door when the photographer’s voice stopped her.
"I’m afraid no gown is leaving this room right now, Ms. Ralpha. I’m very certain Dazzle sent me the finalized looks before the shoot, and this gown right here was assigned to my model, Ms. Sepala."
Startled, Marja slowly turned around, only to meet the cold green eyes of the handsome young man standing beside Kaija. A warm smile played on his lips and his voice was soft, but the firmness in those sharp eyes was unmistakable.
Marja lowered her voice into polite tones, though she could barely hide the displeasure on her face.
"I’m very sorry, but are you suggesting that I’m making this up just to steal a dress?"
Juho’s gaze swept over the stunning woman, her face already familiar to him. He’d seen her countless times on the covers of this famed magazine and in luxury campaigns tied to her family name, but she was indeed more beautiful in person.
What caught his attention first were the deep blue eyes, the same shade as Kaija’s beside him, but what surprised him most was how remarkably unintelligent she was to talk to, so unlike Kaija.
"Did I mention anything about you making things up, Ms. Ralpha?" Juho asked calmly. "I was only stating the truth, that there was no mistake with the outfits to begin with."
"But Kaija already agreed to let me have the dress."
"Haven’t my model made it clear to you that she doesn’t know you?" Juho replied coolly. "Please address her as Ms. Sepala, the same way I address you as Ms. Ralpha."
Marja’s jaw clenched, her gaze darting nervously toward Kaija for support. What she received in return was an indifferent look and a stifled yawn. Frustration boiled over, her voice rising as her finger jabbed squarely toward Juho’s face.
"Listen, photographer! I don’t know who you are, but I am doing the cover shoot. I’ve never seen your face around here, but even if you’re new, you should know by now that cover shoots take priority over every other shoot in the issue!"
Juho’s smile deepened, as if he’d been waiting for her to say exactly that. "Since cover photoshoots are higher priority, I’m sure your outfit was finalized at the beginning of the month, and you didn’t bother checking with the Art Director before the shoot. Just so you know, the gowns for my shoot were booked yesterday."
The supermodel froze, teeth sinking into her red lower lip. With her little act exposed, she had no face left to stay. Her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she turned away.
"Fine! Keep the gown. It looks good on your model anyway! I’ve never dealt with such an unreasonable photographer. I’ll report this to the Art Director!"
The assistant hurried frantically after the fuming supermodel out of the room, not without giving Kaija one last apologetic bow.
With both women gone, Kaija’s voice rang out, mischief lacing her tone. "What was that just now? You nearly made a pretty girl cry."
"That girl, you seem to know her beyond just her name or fame," Juho said, neatly dodging her question.
"I’ve known her since I was six, and we used to be friends, until one day, the guy I dated for four years cheated on me with her."
Realization made Juho’s face stiffen for a brief moment before he composed himself back into calm neutrality. He’d noticed something fragile beneath Kaija’s earlier tone when she spoke to Marja, but without context, he couldn’t tell what was quietly boiling between the two women.
"Go on. Tell me everything," he urged, his fingers once again finding the chiffon gently hugging Kaija’s shoulders.
Not once had he even stayed to listen to all the stupid, predictable stories from all the women he’d slept with, so why was he even inviting Kaija to share with him such a classic tale of two girls losing years of friendship over a cheating guy?
As Juho listened to the rest of her story, he made the final adjustments, smoothing the bodice, loosening the waist. His touch was gentle, and it seemed to ease her shoulders, despite the heartbreak woven through her words.
"It seems my instinct was right to fight for this gown," Juho said, taking one last careful look. "This Marja girl has taken enough from you. I couldn’t possibly let her take this gorgeous gown from you as well."
"How did you even know she was making up that whole mistake story just to get the dress?" Kaija asked, curiosity slipping into her voice.
"I’ve been to enough shoots and fashion shows to know that competing for better outfits is common. All models are beautiful, so some try to stand out by securing clothes that suit them best."
"And you think Marja fell into that category too?"
"I didn’t think," Juho corrected. "I observed. She was crying and acting timid in front of you, fishing for forgiveness. Yet the moment she saw you in this dress, jealousy was written all over her face."
Kaija’s lips curved into a sly smirk, though she hardly believe a single word Juho’d just said. Marja, being jealous of her? That was the first she’d heard.
"Look at you, so experienced with a girl’s emotions," she teased. "Honestly, I’m impressed by how fast you read the little situation between me and Marja from just a few seconds of watching us."
Juho’s hands suddenly rose to her shoulders, gripping them firmly. "Let me correct you once more, Kaija Sepala. I’m not experienced with any girl’s feelings, because I never cared enough to think about them."
The way things were going, if he wasn’t going to fix that horrible playboy image he’d unintentionally engraved into her mind, there was no way he could make her look at him the way he wanted any soon.
Kaija’s brow furrowed in confusion, though the teasing never left her voice. "Hm, really? Then how did you get them to spread their legs for you?"
"Look, they did that on their own, without much coaxing from me," Juho admitted, with a dispassionate roll of his eyes.
Kaija’s eyes curved, a laugh almost slipped out of her. "What a way to boast your charm, my dear photographer. Am I supposed to be impressed by that too?"
"No," Juho replied firmly, the green in his eyes dimming with dissatisfaction. "You’re supposed to understand that nothing I did in the past ever meant anything to me."