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Aiba hummed as he entered the studio, he was greeted almost immediately by several staff, but not the person he was looking for Where is she? Right at that moment he was bumped into by a person wielding several large boxes, the two crashed and all sorts of props spilled out all over the ground

"AI! Gomenosai!" he cried out, quickly bending down to help pick them up. 

The lady lifted her hair out of her face and gasped "Aiba-San?"

"CHAN CHAN Aiba-Chan" He muttered lifting his eyes "OH! Na-Chan?!" he cried out, wrapping the girl in a hug "Genki desu? I missed you! Oh by the way Arigatou Gozaimaas for helping Nino-Kun out with Jun-Pon.  I mean I knew something was going on but obviously Nino knew everything and then when he called us saying that he wanted to talk to Jun I was really-"

"Aiba-Chan, Aiba-Chan Matte!"

"Oh, gomen, Sho-Kun does say I get too carried away and too excited for my own good. I'm just so happy to see you again!" he squealed engulfing the girl in another hug.

"I'm glad to see you too Aiba-chan" Anna said as she tried to squirm out of Masaki's tight grip.

"Neh, Na-Chan I have to do some magazine ads but after that-"

"CHOTTE MATTE! YOU'RE DOING THE MAGAZINE ADS TODAY?! ARIENAITSUNO!" 

"Eh? Nande?"

"I'm shooting those ads today!"

"KYAAAAA!" Aiba screamed as he jumped up and down "I get to work with Na-Chan, ah wait till everyone hears about this!"

He quickly took his cellphone out, despite Anna's protests and texted his other members

I get to work with Anna-Chan today!!!!! \ (^-^*)/ Omo, and I heard I might even have to take my shirt off.  You think she knows that? hehehehe ;)

Well I just thought you'd like to know

~Masaki <3 <3

Anna sighed in defeat as both her cell phone began ringing

"Moshi Mosh" She answered

Sho's deep voice came through the speaker "Anna-san, be careful with Aiba ne?  He gets a bit excited and, doesn't always realize what he's doing.  He doesn't mean to make things awkward or uncomfortable, I hope you realize that." Sho continued on worriedly

Anna smiled as she watched Aiba cheerily pick up the rest of the props, humming.

"Daijoubu Sakura-San.  I'm sure Aiba-Chan and I will be just fine."

"So Deska.  Well, I was planning to pick him up on my way to a meeting so I will see you later then huh?"

"Mhmm, Matta ne"

Aiba's head perked up as Anna snapped her phone shut, he gave her a big smile

"Anna-Chan I'm so glad I got to see you again!"

Anna slowly nodded

"Ano, Aiba-Chan may I ask you a question?”

Aiba nodded as he dusted himself off

"Why are you all, so fond of me?  I only met you all once, and that didn't even go so well."

Aiba laughed "If we based all of our first encounters off of MatsuJun we would barely have any friends, and I don't know how to explain it but- you're different, well obviously you're American but there's also just something about you that's different.  Yes you are an Arashian, but you're not like one of the crazy fans- although I love all of our fans! I just wish sometimes they would remember that we are people as well as idols."

"But that's what makes you guys so amazing!  That you’re still the same throughout your fame!"

Aiba glowed, "Domo Arigatou Gozaimaas.  That's the best compliment anyone could ever give me."

"Well, let's go get you ready for this photo-shoot!"

About 15 minutes later Aiba entered the area set up for his photo-shoot.  Anna was bustling around arranging equipment and checking light fixtures, for a minute he was reminded of his drama My Girl, he had been in Anna’s place except this time it was real.  Aiba wanted Anna to feel as relaxed as possible, but he knew because of his status as such a famous idol the pressure was on for her, but she seemed to be in complete control.  Anna cast a glance upward and saw Aiba awkwardly standing there as the make-up artist ran around mercilessly painting his face. He did hate it to be honest but he knew it was necessary.  Looking up at Anna he scrunched his face up in a pout and smiled when she laughed out loud.  Coming up to Aiba she held her hand up to the make-up artist. 

“That’s more than enough.”

Before the artist could protest Anna took a cleaning cloth and wiped gently wiped Aiba’s face, grimacing at the cloth in her hand she held it up to the make-up artist’s face

“Do you see this?”

The artist nodded, bewildered.

“This is unacceptable.” Anna declared before throwing the cloth on the floor at her feet. 

Grabbing Aiba’s wrist she huffed “Come with me please AIba-Chan.”

 Casting a glance behind him Aiba saw the white cloth had completely changed from white to the lightly tanned colored concealer the make-up artist had been dabbing on his face.   Anna was silently muttering to herself in English but Aiba caught words such as

“Ridiculous... Unbelievable... Why?” Aiba hadn’t even realized they had entered a different section of the studio before Anna slapped a door open with her free hand

“Hibari!” She declared walking into the room, dragging Aiba in with her “I have an emergency.”

At the entrance of the pair a figure in the corner jumped up, it took Aiba a minute to realize it was the same Hibari-Chan that had introduced Anna to Arashi a few months prior.  She had been sitting in a large pinky chair, eating a box of crackers, while painting her toenails, cotton balls separated her toes; the rest of the bag had flown out of her hand and she angrily chided Anna as she bent down to pick them up. 

“Seriously Anna?! You know I’m on my break can’t you give me a moments peace or something!”

Her rant was cut short when she caught sight of Aiba, he was awkwardly standing behind Anna, examining the room with a cautious gaze.

“Ano.. Is that, Aiba Masaki?”

“Hai” Anna nodded, “I have to shoot him for a magazine ad today and the make-up artist that was assigned to me was just, ruining his beautiful face.  I tried to take as much as I could off before I brought him here, but there wasn’t enough time.”

Hibari nodded sympathetically before giving Aiba a small bow “Ah, gomenosai Aiba-San for having to see me like this.”

“Iie,” He replied wholeheartedly “It’s I who should apologize; I don’t mean to interrupt your lunch hour.”

Hibari laughed “Oh Aiba-San, it’s not but Anna who should be apologizing but I already know she won’t she doesn’t need to- the real sin would be to let that beautiful face of yours be covered by layers of useless make-up.”

Aiba blushed at the compliment and simply nodded.  Waddling over to the two on the heels of her feet Hibari gently lifted Aiba’s chin with her fingers, inspecting his face and gently turning it this way and that so as to get a good look at him.

“She went way to hard with the concealer, I see where you took it off compared to where it still is and, oh” Hibari sighed “It’s a disaster.” 

Turning toward the large table in the room she pointed to it, Aiba silently sat down without delay. 

“Anna, I will never understand these people.” Hibari continued as she waddled towards the table, rummaging through a basket to pull out a bottle of what Aiba assumed to be make-up remover.

“Here we have someone with completely glorious skin and they cover it as if he were the plague.”

Anna nodded in understanding before throwing herself onto a large fluffy hair, she sent a grin to Aiba as he looked at her in the mirror and nodded, as if to say Don’t worry, she knows what she is doing. Hibari dampened a cotton ball with some of the liquid from the bottle and began to wipe Aiba’s face with it, it felt different from most make-up removers he had been used to and so he couldn’t help but ask what it was. 

Hibari beamed  “It’s my own special recipe.”

“Hontoni?” 

“Well it’s not so much special as it is basic.  It’s baby shampoo, baby oil and water.” 

Aiba’s mouth dropped “It works though!”

Anna laughed “I know right?  You should hear about all the other things she knows how to make.”

“MatsuJun would love you.” Aiba murmured.  His comment was received by both women loudly laughing “Oh, Aiba-San don’t say things like that, Anna-Chan is very protective of her bias.”

“YAH!” The mentioned woman yelled as she threw a pillow toward the older woman, managing to only hit her in the .

Shaking her head Hibari turned back to AIba, staring at him critically she suddenly asked Anna very seriously “So what’s he modeling?”

“A few things, but what’s important is to know that he’ll be working with animals.”

“Animals!?!” The others squealed

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“Oh that’s so sweet!”

“Mhmm,” Anna murmured, idly spinning around “Aiba’s going to portray an angel to poor and helpless animals, of course he’ll be modeling clothes but since he’s so well-known for being an animal lover it was decided that we’ll include some animals in the shoot.”

Aiba beamed as Hibari nodded and thought for a moment “So we’ll want something simple, yet powerful. Hmm, now let me see” She turned her back toward the large table and began searching for something. 

“Aiba-San please hold out your hand” After he had complied she quickly drew a line on his hand with three different eyeliners, after looking at them she asked him “What do you think?”

He was taken aback, usually he was just sat down, had whatever make-up put on him and then went out, he was never asked his opinion and honestly he didn’t even think having an opinion was expected of him.  Looking down at the three lines on his palm his eye was attracted to a deep, dark and thick line of blue/black. 

“That one?” He said hesitantly

“Are you asking me or telling me?”  Hibari demanded with a serious face.

Aiba swallowed before stuttering “This one, I like this one.” 

Suddenly Hibari smiled “Good, because that’s the one I liked too.”

Usually when Aiba was getting his make-up done he loved to chat because he would be so bored but with Hibari he felt as if he were watching a master, and he strangely felt honored to be her canvas.  He watched in fascination as she accentuated his fine points, without caking him in make-up.  He wasn’t used to the little details of his face being brought out and he unconsciously smiled

“What’re you thinking about?” Hibari asked softly as she moved a wisp of his hair back

“You’re going to laugh but, I feel... pretty?”

Hibari smiled softly and Aiba could have sworn she had tears in her eyes “Well then, I’m doing my job.” She gently smoothed his hair down and he closed his eyes and nuzzled her hand with his cheek before he even realized.  His eyes shot open and the two of them stared at each other

“Go-Gomen” He whispered, Hibari simply nodded and straightened herself up. 

The pair looked to Anna but she was gone, “I don’t remember hearing her leave do you?”  Aiba asked Hibari, who shook her head.

“Well, thank you for everything.  You’re very good at your job.”

She smiled and returned his bow “So are you.”

Aiba cocked his head at the girl who was now blushing and staring at her toes as she wiggled them

“Hibari-Chan… I know I just met you, but uhm… No, never mind that’s just-” He hesitated, scratching the back of his neck, wishing he knew a way to ask this.

“Here” She said suddenly taking an eyebrow pencil and grabbing his hand scribbled something down on it before grabbing a pair of flip flops and walking out the room.  Aiba glanced down at the jumble of numbers on his hand and his brain stopped functioning

“What’s this?”

Hibari stopped in the doorway and looked over her shoulder “My number.”

Aiba gaped just a bit “You’re just giving it to me?”

Hibari nodded

“So, this means I can call you right?”

Hibari smiled “Maybe.” And just like that she left

10 points to the person who could guess the song I was referencing in the last part of this chapter!