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Written: 2o.1o.o5

Last Edited: 12.11.o5

(a/n)

Alas, this is most likely my last Takari (cries). It is called 'Paparazzi,' an original idea so PLEASE don't steal. I've had the plot in my head for almost 2 years now, but I've never gotten my chance to write it. Since I'm in a writing mood, and I can't be stuffed to revise for my psychology test tomorrow…I've decided to write the first opening chapter to this new story. Hope you enjoy it.

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Paparazzi

Chapter One: Autograph Please!

By Flipstahhz

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Hikari Kamiya gave a frustrated growl. She sat on the cold hard cement as she frantically pulled on the tight denim jeans. Sometimes she absolutely despised sticking to fashion, but with her current job she needed to be concerned. Being a photographer for one of the most popular magazines in Japan was a daunting situation to be put in. It was a dream of hers ever since she was child. And she, without a doubt, loved it cherishingly…

Not tight jeans

She contemplated that she shouldn't have consumed down lunch before shopping for new vintage clothing. She continued to tug the jeans on in the small dressing room, making loud continuous groans in the process as she kept banging onto the walls. Giving one last sigh of desperation, she pulled herself off the ground into a squatting position and gave the jeans one final hard yank she had ever done in her life. The next thing she knew, poor Hikari had thrown herself against the solid wall of the cubicle, hitting her head.

" Are you okay in there, Kari?" a voice toppled over from the other side of the dressing room.

"I'm fine," she grunted aloud as she painfully stood up while giving her sore head a good massage.

Her brown eyes glanced at herself in the narrow mirror, checking her figure out with a frown. In seconds the frown turned upside down when she realized that she had managed to pull on the jeans after all. Perhaps it was worth purchasing it…

Kari pushed the door open and gave a modeling spin in front of her older best friend who had been patiently waiting for her there the whole time.

Her best friend gave a delightful laugh as she let her eyes draw on the jeans, " You should buy it!"

" You reckon Yolei?" she gave a lopsided grin, giving twirled around.

" Yeah, your ass looks good in it," Yolei gave a flirtatious wink as she flipped her long lilac hair. She mocked, " It makes me want you, too bad I'm taken."

They both cracked up laughing. Yolei Innoe was always great for a laugh. She had just turned twenty a month ago and had the fun hyperactivity of a ten year old. She was easy to hang out with, but dangerously scary when she got pissed off, which was a reason why Kari made sure she always stayed on her good side.

" You done with looking in this shop?" Hikari questioned after getting over her giggles.

" Yeah," Yolei shrugged and nudged her head towards one of the shops. " I really loved this top…I couldn't really decide which colour looked best so I bought all six."

" Shopaholic," Kari smirked.

" I know that already, I don't need to be told," Yolei said. " Can you get out of those jeans and buy it already? I want to go to the other shops on this level."

Kari rolled her eyes. They had already ventured through about twenty stores already and Kari was getting tired, though it was considered normal to go through every clothes store in the mall. Especially since her company was Yolei.

" Only if it's a few!" Kari called behind her back as she reentered the dressing room, shutting the door shut behind her. She stared at her reflection again and gave a sigh as she stared at the jeans she was wearing. " Now…how to get out of these…"

After trying on numerous skirts, jeans, blouses, jackets, shirts, belts, hats, tops, dresses and jewelry they were exhaustedly tired from carrying all the shopping bags.

" It's good the company pays for all this," Kari gave a broad simper. " Cause after how many things I've bought today I know, for a fact, that I'd be in major debt or even be bankrupt."

" Just be thankful that you got accepted by me," Yolei said.

It was true. Without Yolei accepting her, she wouldn't have gotten the job…nor would she have even made a new best friend. As the pair was about to walk out of the shopping mall they couldn't help but notice the huge crowd of people. Curiousness swept over the two girls, so they mingled with the crowd to see who was there.

" Oh no!" Yolei groaned.

" What?" Kari asked as she stared at her friend who was hitting herself on the head. " You're losing brain cells."

" The reason we went here was to also take some photos and write an article on them," Yolei exclaimed at a poster of a large basketball team all dressed in a scarlet uniform. " The OSG Phoenix Bball team. Argh! How could I forget?"

" You got overly excited with shopping?" Kari offered then she place a finger on her chin pondering thoughtfully as she stared at the poster. " Though that team does vaguely seem familiar…"

" Of course! You should be familiar with one of Japan's best bball teams! This could have been a good article!" her friend sighed. " If only we had prepared it all…"

" So…are we letting this article go? Come on, Yolei! All you do is think of work! Let this one go…" Kari suggested as they both began to walk away. " I don't see how you work so much and still manage to have a boyfriend."

" Ken loves me. I love him. He understands my position at work," Yolei shrugged. " I should be asking you…why don't you have a boyfriend? You've got the looks…friendly personality…I don't understand. You haven't even dated!"

" I don't believe in such nonsense," Kari rolled her eyes. " All guys are after one thing…"

" Yeah. That's the usual answer a woman who doesn't date says. Give me something new," Yolei snickered.

" It's a long story…" Kari said quietly as her last words were dissolved from the loud cheers from the crowd as a group of basketball players appeared on the stage. Kari yelled over the noisy racket, " What! I don't get it. Why are there more girls fans here than boy fans? This is basketball after all!"

" Kari," Yolei said in the 'are-you-crazy?' tone. " Most of these guys are good looking. Especially that Takaishi guy. He is hot. As in boiling. As in sizzling. As in frying. As in scorching. As in erupting –"

" I get the point. How many synonyms can you come up with?" Kari snapped. " You're three timing, Yolei. That's not good. Ken won't be happy. First you checked me out when I put on those jeans and now you want the whole basketball team, and that Takaishi guy! I think I'm leaving now since we are not doing or anything for the magazine."

" Just an autograph?" the lilac haired girl pleaded. " Come on!"

Her friend shook her head violently, " No."

" Please?"

" No," Kari repeated sternly. " I'm off. I can't stand those girls screaming."

The brunette headed girl marched off from Yolei, aware that she was going to follow after her. Soon enough, her taller friend was walking next to her.

" You're no fun, Kari!"

" I hate basketball," the brunette haired girl mumbled as she continued to walk and avoided the 'floor is wet' sign, slipping onto the tiled ground, losing her balance as she fell onto another person. " … and heels."

Yolei giggled uncontrollably. " Well…that's too bad. You're currently lying on a basketball player."

Kari furrowed her eyebrows and turned down to the person she had fallen onto. Without thinking, she burst into giggles too.

" It's not funny," the male growled as he used his uniform's sleeve to wipe the latte that had spilled all over his face when he had collided into her. But the drenched male couldn't hold his serious expression before he joined in with the laughter, blue eyes dancing in amusement. " I don't usually have a girl fall for me this hard. I may actually get a wound!"

" I didn't do it intentionally, Mr. Basketball," Kari sighed. "I'm not that desperate!"

" It's Mr. Takaishi-"

" I don't care. Here," She had untied the folded materia wrapped around her head, (which she had used as a headband) and tossed it to him, allowing her short brown hair fall to down from her ponytail.

The basketball player chose to not reply and thankfully used the material as a cloth to clean out the remaining splotches of latte on his clothing and face. As he was about to hand back the material he stared at Kari. His azure eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at her and glanced at the customary camera that was clung around her neck.

" KARI!" his mouth dropped open.

" W-What?" she arched an eyebrow. How did he know her name?

" I barely recognized you cause you had your hair up!" Mr. Takaishi stood up and got a better look of the person who had spilled the latte all over him. " I haven't seen you in ages how are yo-"

" Do I know you?"

Kari backed out from his embrace as she studied the stranger. His drenched blond hair and blue eyes…it could be …no it couldn't…his name wasn't –

" It's me! TK!"

It was her time to stare at the other person in disbelief. " TK! But…your surname is Takaishi!"

" I had to change it…didn't want people to know I was related to Yamato."

" Oh…" Kari muttered, understanding. She fidgeted with her fingers uncomfortably, finding it hard to stare directly in his eyes. She hadn't seen TK for about two full years. He had grown quite a lot since she had last seen him, but he still carried the same happy positive aura he always held.

Letting her feelings get the best of her, she gave him a tight embrace. She let go.

" Who would have known you'd make it this far…" Kari smiled sincerely then asked him, even though she knew the answer, " Why are you here?"

" Signing autographs," he chuckled truthfully. " How about you?"

" Shopping with my friend. Where is she?" Kari glanced around, about to introduce Yolei…but Yolei was just standing there gawking at them silently.

And Yolei was never quiet…

It was clearly unhealthy for her to be.

" YOU KNOW EACH OTHER!" She exclaimed staring from Kari to Takeru. They both stared at her, startled.

" Went to my old high school. My old best friend," Kari said simply then introduced them to each other. " Yolei, this is TK. TK, this is Yolei."

They exchanged greetings and chattered on for a bit until TK realized that he was 'meant' to be signing autographs on the stage with his other companions in the team.

" I've got to go," TK said with a frown. " See you around, Kari! Do you still have the same number?"

" No. Just ring Tai, he'll give it to you. You can get his phone number of Matt."

He gave a nod and jogged off. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on her arm. She angrily turned around to Yolei who seemed equally angry.

" Why'd you do that for?" Kari leered.

" You didn't get me an autograph!" Yolei cried as if she was stating the obvious. " You owe me."

" Fine, I owe you," she knew it was hopeless getting into a fight with Yolei and ending up losing.

" Great!" Yolei grinned. " I've just thought of an idea."

" Fill me in," Kari didn't like the sound of this…

" Since you know TK, issit? Or is it Takeru –"

" Get to the point, Yolei."

" I want you to interview you him since he is your friend. Then you can get great juicy information for the mag!"

It was too bad that her best friend was her manager…

" I can't…you know that's violating moral rules here," she shook her head. " I can't…it's just wrong…"

" The pay is good," Yolei suggested, knowing that it would tempt her. " I mean…you can develop a great friendship…and maybe a relationship! Girl, you really need romance in your dull life!

" Fine," Kari gave in, rolling her eyes. Anything for a pay raise was a good enough reason for her..

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