Escapism °• | NANA Fanfiction

[Chapter 13] I fear this will destroy me

Nanami looked at herself in the mirror, admiring the new ginger hair colour. It suited her well, giving her a vibrant, fresh look.

"$350, right?" she confirmed with the stylist, who nodded.

It was still quite affordable for six hours of detailed work. Nanami paid, grabbed her things, and stepped out of the salon. Outside, it was pouring rain. She lingered under the store's awning, hoping the downpour would let up soon.

Suddenly, a large blue umbrella appeared in front of her, followed by a familiar face. "Akira!" she exclaimed, surprised but happy to see him.

The umbrella tilted slightly, revealing his bright, beaming smile. "Wanted to be the first to see you. You look stunning," he said, leaning in for a quick kiss.

Nanami's heart fluttered. She felt warm seeing him, even though they lived far apart. "You came quite far. Is everything okay?" she asked with a raised brow.

Akira scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin on his face. "Just wanted to see you. And since you look really good today, it'd be a sin not to take you somewhere fun, right?"

Nanami laughed, her pride swelling at the compliment. "You're right, it would be sacrilegious," she teased, slipping under the umbrella to avoid getting wet.

Her freshly done hair and chic outfit — a cream-colored saris skirt paired with a cream top and knee-high boots — had her feeling on top of the world. The waist-length, knotless braids were expensive for good reason, drawing approving stares from passersby as she walked. And it seemed Akira agreed, as he guided her to a restaurant.

It was a bit unexpected, but considering she hadn't eaten all day and it was already 5 PM, she welcomed the idea wholeheartedly.

To avoid any wardrobe accidents with her white attire, Nanami opted for steak, cutting back on cocktails this time out of consideration for Akira's wallet. He ordered pasta, and as they sat across from each other, Akira's gaze never left her.

"If you keep staring at me like that, I'll get too self-conscious to eat," Nanami teased, glancing up with a smirk.

"You say that, but you're still eating." Akira chuckled. Despite her words, Nanami continued to devour her food with confidence. Self-consciousness wasn't really in her vocabulary, especially when so many others in the restaurant were also casting glances her way. Akira had to admit, he admired that about her.

"How's Dark Siren going?" Nanami asked between bites. "I haven't seen Julie in a while. I should drop by practice again."

Akira waved his hand dismissively. "You're busy, aren't you? You're practically on a 9-5 grind with school. Just focus on that."

School. Nanami grimaced at the thought. "Ugh, don't remind me. I was supposed to sing at this really nice event, but it was an afternoon gig, so I had to decline. It's frustrating."

Before Akira could respond, the atmosphere in the restaurant shifted. A woman approached their table. She was stunning — tall, strikingly thin, with porcelain skin that looked as if it had been sculpted from marble. Her blonde hair was styled perfectly, and her lips were cherries, heavenly, and curved into a smile.

"Akira? Oh my gosh, it's been forever!" The woman exclaimed, her voice light and cheerful. Akira froze for a second, caught off guard.

"Sophie?" Akira said, standing up slightly to greet her.

Sophie smiled warmly at Nanami, her perfect white teeth flashing. "Hi, you must be Nanami, right? I've heard so much about you! I do photoshoots for Dark Siren sometimes. You look amazing!" She extended her hand towards Nanami, her voice dripping with friendliness that Nanami disliked.