Red Strings ¦¦ Chishiya Shuntarou x OC

Fifty-Fifth String

A/N: After a million years, I am updating this. Oops. But also, just wanna let people know that I do have a new fic 'Borderland Academy' out. So go and check that out.

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"A what?"

"A photoshoot!"

This was new territory for both Chishiya and Kurenai, but they were both experiencing it a little differently.

Growing up, Kurenai was no stranger to a photoshoot.

Every so often, her father would drag the entire family to have their photo taken so they could put it out for the public to see what a happy family they were. Any and every photo out there of their family at a park, having a picnic, or at a theme park, they were all scripted. That one picture of her smiling on the Merry-Go-Round? The ride never moved, and she was simply placed on a horse and told to smile.

To her, having her photo taken was agony. Which was why she never did after she grew up. She did not have a single photo around her house because she did not need any to remind her just how fake her family was.

That was until Chishiya gifted her four framed photos for Valentine's Day. From there, four became eight, eight became sixteen, and before they knew it, she had photos hanging on almost every wall at home.

For Chishiya, the concept of taking a photo with his family was unfamiliar.

As far as he could remember, they probably took one photo together and that was it. He did not think there were any photo albums documenting his childhood lying around either (which Kurenai was not happy about, because she wanted to see a baby Chishiya).

While Kurenai's father was obsessed with the idea of a perfect family, Chishiya did not think that his father would care at all. If he were to ask his father for a photo, he would not even get an answer because his father would not have the time to even answer a simple question.

He was still rather unsure about a photoshoot, even after seeing how excited Kurenai was for it. He had no problems with just taking photos on their phones and having those printed instead. To be in a professional studio, standing in front of a professional camera and photographer, however, was an entirely different story.

"Holy..."

Chishiya looked up when he heard Aoi's comment. Kurenai came out from the dressing room, having changed into a red wedding dress. With her long black hair done up, and her signature red lips, she looked like a princess in those fairytale books. Even Chishiya was a little taken aback by how beautiful she looked. How in the hell did he get her to fall in love with him?

"How do I look?" Kurenai asked.

"You look perfect, Miss Kurenai. Absolutely beautiful," Ayako answered, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"I don't think she was asking you, Ayako-san..." Aoi whispered.

"Beautiful, as always," Chishiya smiled, taking her hand and squeezed gently. "Everyone looks like a peasant next to you."

That earned a giggle from Kurenai, though Aoi was not quite happy.

"Excuse you, we share the same DNA," he stated. "You're the peasant here."

"No, my Shuntarou is royalty too," Kurenai said, fixing the bowtie for him. "He's my King, after all."

After a round of compliments for each other, the shoot was finally beginning.

Although the original intent was for this to be a wedding shoot, Kurenai changed her mind almost last minute. She wanted photos with Chishiya, but she also wanted photos with her family. Not the fake one that Atsushi crafted, but the family who stuck by her, and was truly supportive and loving like a real family.

And so, the shoot started with some individual shots of Kurenai, Aoi, and even Ayako.

Then, they moved on to the sibling photos. Despite seemingly not getting along with each other, when they stood in front of the camera, the Chuya siblings looked like professional models. The photos came out looking chic, and looking so good that they could possibly be used as a promotional poster for a movie about two siblings who were partners in crime.

"I know they hate their father, but you have to admit that this family has some good looking genes," Ayako smiled, looking at Chishiya. "When you have children with Miss Kurenai, they will be the most gorgeous babies."

"They may not, after mixing with my peasant genes," Chishiya joked.

While he was joking about it, Chishiya was feeling quite the opposite on the inside.

Children?

It was a subject he never thought about, simply because he never thought he would get this far in a relationship. Hell, he never even thought he would ever get into a relationship to begin with. Kurenai never mentioned anything about children either, nor did she ever talk about how she felt about them in general.

Could two people as broken as they were have children?

Once the siblings had a couple of photos with Ayako, it was finally the headliner's turn.

"Could you turn this way? Other way."

"Smile more."

"Be more sincere with your smile."

"Hold her by the waist."

"Pull her closer."

"Look her in the eyes."

It felt unnatural to be standing there and prompted to do this and that by someone else. Chishiya felt like a marionette, moving only when someone would move him. And his awkwardness and uncomfortableness was showing through the photos. Even the photographer was getting a little frustrated by the fact that he did not get a single good photo in the last twenty minutes.

While they took a small break so the photographer could figure out how to solve this problem, Kurenai undid Chishiya's bowtie and did it up for him again. It was a small moment, but it was an intimate one. The way she was smiling so gently, and the way Chishiya was looking down at her with so much love in his eyes.

This was the raw emotion the photographer had been looking for.

And he grabbed his camera before he missed it, taking several pictures without the couple knowing.

"Ayako-san was telling me just now about how good looking you and Aoi are."

"She's not wrong," Kurenai grinned.

"And I was thinking how lucky I am to be the person you said yes to."

Every so often, Chishiya would slip into affectionate mode, and he would say things that were moving or sweet. Or both. And even to this day, Kurenai could never get used to it. Every time he would say things like that, it melted her heart and it would bring tears to her eyes.

"Well, don't cry," he laughed, wiping the one rogue tear for her. "I love you."

"I love you too. But I think I love you a little less if I have to stand here for another thirty minutes in these heels."

"I thought you lived in heels?"

"Actually, we're done," the photographer said. "I've got quite a few good pictures."

They gathered around the computer and the photographer was scrolling through the photos. Neither of them was aware that they were secretly being photographed, but that was the main reason why the photos came out so good. They were natural.

"I'm tempted to use your photos as advertisement for my business," the photographer laughed. "It's been a while since I took pictures of such genuine emotions from both parties. You guys must really love each other."

"Eh, only sometimes," Kurenai commented.

"Yeah, I don't particularly love her when she's with the cat."

"Well, the cat doesn't love you either."