- Somewhere inside the LAW Arena... -
“Hello~ I’m a little early, aren’t I? Haha...”
Blonde Blazer threw open the studio door and strode inside. Today was the day of her official profile photo shoot! Having arrived well ahead of schedule, Blazer made straight for the mirror. She turned this way and that, tilting her head as she experimented with every expression and pose she could think of. She pursed her lips to check the color, then carefully inspected her blonde hair, its silky strands gleaming beneath the studio lights. Even so, she ran her fingers through the ends, frowning as though the mere possibility of dryness were personally offensive.
As her scheduled time drew closer, Blazer began her final preparations. She flashed a radiant smile, raised her chin in a heroic pose, then tried a sterner, more determined expression. After several moments of indecision, she finally settled on something she liked and gave herself a firm nod of approval. She returned to the waiting area, lightly drumming her fingers against her knees as she awaited her turn. She could barely contain her excitement.
Beyond the curtain, camera flashes kept firing. Each pulse of light that bled through the fabric made her heart beat a little faster. This was a special moment for her. It had been far too long since she had taken part in a proper studio shoot like this. For a moment, BB found herself thinking back to her early days as an actress, standing beneath brilliant lights, following the photographer’s direction, smiling until her cheeks hurt. Everything had been unfamiliar then, yet dazzlingly exciting.
But her scheduled time came and went without anyone calling for her. She cautiously approached one of the staff members and asked what was happening. The previous session was still underway, she was told. They apologized and asked her to wait just a little longer.
“Oh... I see. Of course.”
With an awkward smile, BB returned to her seat. Her shoot should already have begun. Yet whoever had booked the studio before her showed no sign of finishing. The flashes flickering beyond the curtain and the hurried voices from within made it clear that the session was still underway. With nothing else to do, BB returned to the mirror. She placed her hands on her hips, crossed her arms, and tilted her head at various angles. A bold heroic expression. A warm smile for her fans. But as the minutes dragged on, the brilliant smile in the mirror gradually stiffened. Ten minutes became thirty. Thirty became sixty. The studio beyond the curtain remained as busy as ever. It was not simply the waiting that bothered her. It was the creeping sensation that she had been overlooked, that everyone had somehow forgotten she was even there.
That was something BB could never endure for long. And now there was another problem. Her costume was unbearably hot. Heat began to build beneath the full-body suit, and the first beads of sweat threatened to undo all her careful preparation. At this rate, her long-awaited LAW profile shoot might be ruined before it even started. That settled it. BB rose from her seat, determination hardening her expression, and marched toward the studio. The staff members noticed her approach and hurriedly stepped into her path.
“W-wait! You can’t go in there right now... We’re very sorry.”
“I’ve been waiting for over an hour.” The smile vanished from BB’s face, though her voice remained measured and clear.
“Whatever is happening in there, I think I deserve an explanation.”
She stepped forward. When one of the flustered staff members took hold of her arm, BB gently but firmly pulled free and pressed on past them.
“It’s just that... the person in there is...” BB raised an eyebrow.
“Who exactly is in there? Who could possibly be so important that everyone else has to be kept waiting like this?”
Despite the staff’s protests, she did not stop. Unable to suppress her frustration and curiosity any longer, BB grabbed the curtain and swept it aside.