The Reve - Part 1

Chapter 4: Red Dress

Already wide awake from breakfast delivery Hyori remained in bed until her phone made a notification sound. She had received a text from Orochimi. The manager was waiting for her inside room 301 for a photoshoot. The girl changed and cleaned her face again before putting her wig on.

In the hotel room, Haru was setting the camera while the manager requested her to wear one of the dresses inside a cardboard box. She picked the first one. It was a ruby dress with a plunging neck and a corset that redefined the silhouette. Once dressed, the girl put on one of the red flat shoes from the box. The manager urged her to unpack her violin and walk into the bedroom to sit in the small salon.

"You need to smile at all times. Our guests won't be entertained by a closed face."

She did as instructed and played a slow melody. The manager stood beside the occasional photographer while giving her commands.

"Set your instrument on the side and remove your shoes."

After taking pictures with the flute, Orochimi wanted her to sit on the bed, then arrange her hair on one side, and then lay on her back.

"Look at the camera and hug yourself. Don't forget to smile... Good. We can't have you undress now with your current shape. You can leave with the clothes box."

Hyori hurried to retrieve her instruments and leave. She didn't want to change where she could be seen. The session had been disturbing with Haru around. In the basement, she beelined into her bedroom and changed into an indoor outfit.

Her nerves were heightened. Evry couple of days, the manager had a new trick to unsettle her. It was one thing to know the receptionist was aware of her hosting activities but it was another to be witnessed by him in such positions.

One ground above the basement, Orochimi was choosing the pictures to upload on Haze's profile. The shots hinted at the host's musical ability. The dark wig reminded the manager of the girl's Mother. She supposed Hyori looked like a younger version of Miss Shinsou, with wide-set eyes, heavy lids and a round big head.

The more the manager looked, the more she was convinced there was an opportunity to tap into her resemblance with her Mother. As if she were afraid the idea would escape her mind, the snake lady hurriedly opened her archive files and looked for the list of all the people she arranged with Shinsou Hina.

Names, pictures, phone numbers and positions. She would have to update their data before contacting them. She intended to lure them with a look-alike of their old flame, hoping that effects still lingered in their minds.

~~~

Later in the week, on Friday, Hyori hastily dressed for hosting. The service's application had notified her of her upcoming session. She hadn't checked her phone and just discovered she had to host.

Mister Doe, her guest for the night, had requested her to dress in a 'traditional attire'. She didn't understand all of his words but a few were similar to the ones she read in French textbooks. Following the request, she selected the scarlet Yukata and her sandals. She styled her wig in a neat bun held by twin pins and took her violin case before leaving.

Inside Room 216, a man sporting a platinum buzz cut and a furnished beard greeted her with a heavy accent. His green eyes lingered on her belt before he talked in a language she didn't understand. It didn't sound like French at all.

The guest was surprised she didn't understand. He tried again to no avail and Hyori sensed his discontentment as he retrieved his phone. The device spoke in broken Japanese. He wanted her to brew him tea using the service on the low table.

As she proceeded, the guest's eyes were focused on her fingers until she offered him a cup. Before taking the beverage, he typed again and his phone voiced the command to play soft music.