Annoyance

Shawn approached an elevator at the end of the hallway to get to the filming studio on the ninth floor. There was to be a solo bathroom scene with the body gel that he was advertising - Leih, and one scene in a club with the female model, a typically sexualized take on taking a shower; turning women on.

'Mr. Rayo!' Sagaki shouted from behind.

Shawn turned to look at him. His tone was excited, but his lazy steps suggested otherwise.

'Yes? And please, call me Shawn.'

'Okay.' Sagaki smiled apologetically. 'Mr. Shawn, we have arranged your room on the eighth floor. Hair and makeup is waiting there. Could you please join me?' Sagaki stood at least a foot shorter than Shawn once he had stopped in front of him.

'My room?' Shawn didn't remember asking for a personal green room when he negotiated the contract. A big fat check and flexible hours was all he usually cared about. His sister however filtered the image inappropriate projects for him. Shawn let her make his career decisions that didn't involve music.

'Yes, of course. We can't let you be prepping in the common room, Sir.' Sagaki said in a broken Japanese accent.

'I'm the project manager of this ad-shoot, Sir.'

Shawn smiled and shook Sagaki's hand.

'Thanks. And no 'Sir' from now on, please.'

Sagaki shrugged with an innocent smile.

They both stepped into the elevator and Sagaki without waiting, pressed nine on the number board.

There was a long pause before Sagaki decided to break the silence. 'Shawn, the new replacement is also in the green room. We will have you both have a quick rehearsal of the clubbing scene. It's nothing complicated, as you already know.'

Sagaki eyed Shawn who stared straight at the elevator door. 'I see.' He waited a couple of seconds and then asked, 'What happened to the other one?'

'She... should be in the legal room right now. They are negotiating a compensation for her.'

'hunh!' Shawn grunted. He wondered how much he was being hated by her. Unknowingly he did ruin her big break. He made a mental note to get her contact from Sagaki later after the shoot or he could simply have Silvers do it.

His chain of thoughts was disrupted when the elevator door slammed open. Shawn almost shook at the thud it made.

'I'm so sorry. I had asked them to fix it, but I don't know why-'

'It's alright. Don't worry about it.' Shawn stepped out of the elevator and waited for Sagaki to lead his way. Sagaki's small form was barely visible behind his muscular frame.

'This way Sir.' Sagaki used his hands to gesture him to walk down the hallway to the right.

Two minutes later Shawn was ushered inside a huge dressing room, with a few people inside. They all got up, except the model, to welcome him.

Sagaki introduced him to his hair dresser, the makeup artist, his stylist, and the tall model. Shawn politely nodded at all of them following Sagaki's introduction one by one of them.

'And this is Miss Elaine Burton. She will be doing the club scene with you.'

The girl, who didn't look a day older than twenty, was busy using a hair straightener, and didn't look up at Shawn. Everyone else noticed her attitude, and felt awkwardness fill in. Shawn put his hands in his pockets and looked around the room; annoyed by the cold shoulder he was just shown.

'We have an hour before we take it to the cameras.' Sagaki addressed the room this time. 'Hurry!' He looked up at Shawn, smiled, and shut the door on his way out.

Shawn sat down in an empty chair different from the ones others were using. He took a deep breath before the three started working on him.

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