12 Chapter 12: Lumière Models Sakura

As they approached the entrance of the building where Reiji lived, a mature and elegant female figure entered his field of vision. Dressed meticulously, she stood out for her voluptuous breasts, dark red short hair, and an attractive, delicate face. Her amber eyes, reflecting the same hue as Mika Uehara's, sparkled with gentle curiosity.

"Reiji-kun? Oh, is that you? Good afternoon~" The mature woman greeted him with a smile that denoted a mix of surprise and satisfaction, casting a significant look at Kanade and Nene: "And… friends?"

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Landlady," Reiji responded, displaying a polite smile, and made the introductions: "Yes, they are my friends." Saying this, he gently touched Kanade's shoulder, who slightly startled at the unexpected gesture, yet maintained her composure. "This is Kanade Amakawa, my classmate," he continued, before turning to Nene and placing his hand on her head affectionately, "and this is my dear kohai, Nene Fujinoki."

"I see, I see." The building owner replied with a soft and warm laugh: "Fufu~ It's a pleasure to meet you two, girls. I am Nozomi Uehara, the owner of this building." Her welcome was both warm and slightly playful, as if she was discreetly enjoying the situation.

"Likewise," Nene and Kanade responded in unison, exchanging quick glances between themselves and then to Nozomi, an expression of courtesy mixed with a light curiosity stamped on their faces.

This brief encounter did not prolong. Reiji, taking the lead, guided the two to the second floor. With a key in hand, he skillfully opened the door to his apartment.

"Make yourselves at home, girls," Reiji said, gesturing inside with his hand as soon as the door opened, showing a welcoming smile.

"Excuse me…" Kanade murmured politely, entering the apartment with an expression of respect and a slight curiosity, as she crossed the threshold.

"I'm coming in~" Nene announced in a more spirited manner, her voice singing as she followed Kanade, her steps denoting barely contained excitement.

"Come in, come in," Reiji encouraged with a nod, closing the door behind them.

Upon noticing the slippers for guests, he promptly picked up a pair for each of them, extending them with an inviting gesture.

After slipping into the slippers, the two girls inevitably began to look around with curious eyes, their expressions lit by the interest in discovering more about Reiji's personal space. As they visually explored the environment, Reiji watched, perhaps somewhat apprehensive, but also amused by their clear curiosity.

Reiji stated: "Okay, I need to hurry, or I'll be late for work. Since you've decided to wait here, make yourselves comfortable while I'm away." He cast an encouraging look at Kanade and Nene, trying to convey a sense of comfort before rushing out.

///

Outside his apartment, he selected the option: [Go to Work] available in his system.

Immediately, he felt an uncontrollable urge to head to work. Driven by this impulse, he walked briskly to his workplace and began his daily activities as usual after changing.

Later, after the end of his shift, Reiji was changing out of his uniform into the casual clothes he had worn to go to work.

*Ding-dong!*

In the middle of changing his clothes, somewhat distracted, he heard a peculiar sound coming from his system, something he had never heard before. With a mix of curiosity and surprise, Reiji sat down on the bench in the center of the locker room and accessed his system, discovering that his [action points] for item exchange had increased to 4.

Upon exploring the [items] option, he noticed that the most accessible item, the [physical ability activation card – athletics], required 20 points. It was clear that, for now, this was out of reach.

Moreover, after using the action: [Go to Work], he noticed that the option had turned gray, indicating that it wouldn't be possible to accumulate points by repeating the same actions indefinitely.

"To quickly accumulate action points and exchange them for items, I need to perform a variety of actions..." Reiji reflected, running his hand over his chin in a thoughtful gesture.

Leaving the locker room, he passed by the counter and said goodbye with a wave: "See you tomorrow, Umezu-san."

"Yes, see you tomorrow, Reiji-kun," Umezu responded, offering his usual kind smile.

Once outside, Reiji stretched, releasing his tense muscles, and took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh air.

It was just another day of work. Although it was a simple effort for him, the sense of accomplishment was pleasant.

Quickening his pace, knowing that Nene and Kanade were waiting for him at home made him want to get there faster.

'By the way, are they getting along?' Reiji wondered internally. Aware of the feelings they both harbored for him, they acted like rivals in his presence; but, in his absence, were they still in conflict?

"Hey, you in blue, please stop for a moment...!"

"Huh?" Absorbed in his thoughts and picking up his pace, Reiji noticed someone was calling him. Turning around, he saw a woman approaching at a peculiarly slow run. 'Who could it be?' he pondered.

When the woman with long hair tied in a ponytail finally caught up to him, she was panting, leaning forward and placing her hands on her thighs as she struggled to catch her breath.

After taking a deep breath, she straightened up, now emanating a professional aura as she stood upright. Her determined gaze fixed on Reiji, as if he was exactly what she had been looking for.

"Good evening," Reiji said, adding with a slightly indifferent tone, "Do you need something from me?"

"Yes, and by the way, my name is Ayaka Nakamura, you can call me Ayaka." Although taken aback for a moment by his subtle indifference, she still kept her smile as she said: "I'm an agent from one of the city's most esteemed male model agencies. I'm constantly on the lookout for new talents and, seeing you walk down the street, your potential caught my eye. Your bearing, the way you move... You have an innate presence. It's something one is born with."

Then, she took out a wallet from her coat that displayed the agency's logo, a brand recognized by Reiji as Lumière. From the compartment, she extracted a business card and extended it to him.

The card was elegant and minimalist, perfectly reflecting the sophisticated image of Lumière Models Sakura. Made with high-quality paper and a pleasant texture, suggesting it was of superior weight to emphasize exclusivity and attention to detail.

On the front, the name "Lumière Models Sakura" shone in gold or silver letters against a contrasting background, black or white, offering a professional and attractive look. Below, the Lumière logo, whether an abstract design or the stylized representation of a symbolic element like a lamp or a ray of light, denoted illumination and clear vision.

On the back, Ayaka's contact details were neatly arranged, encompassing her name "Ayaka Nakamura", title "Talent Agent", phone, email, agency website, and links to Lumière Models' social media.

A QR Code added to the card instantly directed to the agency's online portfolio.

'This is certainly not just any business card, is it?' Reiji thought, impressed. He was not accustomed to such a level of sophistication in business cards and doubted that all agents offered something so detailed.

With the card in hand, Reiji looked up at Ayaka, evaluating her in a new light.

Ayaka, noticing that Reiji had finished examining the card, displayed a smile, infusing a seductive tone in her voice: "With the appearance and charisma you possess, I am convinced you would have tremendous success in the fashion world." She continued: "Naturally, this is if you're interested. I'm not here to pressure you, but I would love to offer the chance to at least visit our agency for a discussion. We can organize a test photo shoot, with no obligation, so you can get an idea of the process and decide if it's something you'd like to pursue."

'Uh...' Reiji reflected on the proposal. 'It doesn't seem like a scam, and the idea of becoming a model for Lumière Models is indeed tempting...'

During Reiji's pause to think, Ayaka maintained a calm wait, observing him with interest but without pressuring.

"Okay, I will get in touch to discuss this further and..." Reiji concluded, "And maybe do some test shoots, with no obligation, of course."

"Perfect," she replied with a radiant smile, clearly pleased with the response.

With the conversation concluded, Ayaka extended her hand again, this time in a gesture of farewell. "I eagerly await your contact. I'm sure you won't regret it," she stated, maintaining eye contact, reinforcing the sincerity of her words.

Reiji, in turn, nodded, returning the handshake firmly. "I will think it over and definitely get in touch. Thank you for the opportunity."

Ayaka, with one last welcoming smile, turned around and began to walk away, leaving Reiji alone with his thoughts. He watched her distance herself, pondering the new and unexpected possibility that had just opened up before him. Taking a deep breath, he pocketed the business card.

||- Note -||

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