Finding Serenity

I pointed out the pond further down the gravel path. Most days the park was far too busy to take pictures, especially in the very center of it. But this day was surprisingly calm.

"That sounds great," she said with glee in her voice.

I looked down at her face full of joy and felt a warmth in my chest. Her presence seemed to soothe my soul and I could not get enough of it. I was starting to understand why she was as famous as she clearly was. Not only was she extremely pretty, but she was also so sweet to be around that she could brighten your darkest day. If nothing more came of today, I knew I would be watching her streams from now on.

I set up my camera equipment as swiftly as I could. I did not want to keep her waiting for too long, but it was hard to focus on my task as she stood in front of me, eagerly watching me.

"Okay, that should be great, can you come a little this way?" I indicated for her to move to her left. "The light will be better from this angle."

She did as I said and then quickly looked at herself in a pocket mirror.

"Is this good?" she asked.

I watched her strike a pose through the lens, and I lost my thought. Her slender arms looked so defined as she held them to her face.

"That's great," I said reassuringly and took a few pictures.

She turned to her side and gazed at the camera with a sultry look. I felt my heart hammering in my chest, but I tried my hardest to focus on my work and not on the pretty girl watching me as if she wanted me.

She did a few more poses without any real direction from me, she was a natural. I took the photos while admiring her gorgeous body.

"Do you want some close-ups too?" I asked, partly because I just wanted to take more pictures of her serene beauty, but more so because I wanted her near me.

She smiled at me. "Sure."

She walked up to me, and I felt my heart flutter. I fumbled through my bag awkwardly.

"One second, I have a better lens for close-ups."

It was hard to focus so close to her, as if her proximity interfered with my ability to think.

I finally managed to set my camera up for close-up photography. Up close she was even more beautiful, her skin looked so soft I longed to touch it, her eyes shone as she longingly looked at the camera.

I could have stayed in that moment forever, but she eventually decided she had had enough. The sun had well and truly begun to set, and I wondered how long we had been at it.

It was a perfect ending to a day that had started so poorly. Not only had I gotten to do a photoshoot of Emi, but she had complimented me on my work and given me her number. We had bonded well, I thought, for a first-time encounter. It was a great sign I had come across as a good person that she had agreed to follow me to a park on her lonesome, especially after learning how famous she was. I was glad I had gone against reason and done something impulsive. Perhaps that day was where my change in outlook on life truly started.

Chapter Four: Doubt and Disillusion

Days went by slower after that, we had a brief correspondence over texts where I shared the pictures I had taken with her. Despite my objections, she even paid me for my work. Somehow the fact she did left a sour taste in my mouth. It made it seem too formal and professional when I had just enjoyed the moment as a more spontaneous and genuine experience. But there was no denying her will; she was adamant I be paid for my work.

I learned much about her by doing a little research. It felt wrong to look her up, but she was such a public figure that it made it seem less creepy.

She was a far bigger content creator than I had imagined, I found her stream and watched parts of her vods, I found her quite popular Youtube channel, but biggest of all was her Tiktok. She had millions of views, and I could see why. She looked so dreamy in them that I could not stop watching.

I could have never imagined such a kind-hearted, normal person would have such a vast following. I imagined any person who amassed that sort of fame would automatically develop an ego and become unbearable. But not Emi, she was one of the most genuine people I had ever met, in spite of her prominence.

I thought about reaching out, but upon learning who she was, I lost a bit of confidence in myself. I was sure she had enough people in her life, and that I would just be a nuisance. So, I settled to become a fan from afar, I would always treasure the day we had together, and be glad I had discovered her existence at all.

Until one day, from out of the blue, she did reach out. I was just about to get an early night when my phone lit up my dark bedroom.

"Hey, are you awake?" The text read. It was from Emi. My heart immediately raced at the sight of it, and I hurriedly texted back a yes. Then I waited with bated breath, and after what felt like a long time, another message finally came through.

"I'm going to LA to do a cosplay collab with Valkyrae. I never asked if you lived there or not. I was so happy with the pictures you took of me, I wanted to ask if I could hire you to do a shoot with us both?"

My heart pounded in my chest as I read her words. I did not know who this Valkyrae person was, but I was willing to do anything to meet Emi again.

"I do indeed live in LA. And I would love to work with you again, you don't even have to pay me. It would be my pleasure." I responded.

She was absent for a while again and I wondered if I had been too keen. I started wishing I could redo my text until I saw her start typing again.

"Of course, I will pay you, I will be in touch with more details when I know more. I hope all is well with you. x"

Seeing her finish her message with a kiss made my heart flutter, I grinned like a crazy person, alone in my bed. I always thought it was stupid to send a kiss in a text message, but when Emi sent one it was different. Again, I reflected on my own prejudice, all the while smiling broadly.

Chapter Five: Unplanned Occurrences

To say the next few days dragged would be a profound understatement. I did not know how I had come to be so engrossed in her after such minimal contact. But I had. I could not focus on anything else than our scheduled time. I spent the days leading up to it eagerly waiting, watching her stream, and making poor work of anything else I attempted to accomplish.

Emi contacted me a few times during those days, initially, she would ask some questions she needed answered: about locations, where and when to meet, what time I was available, etc. But then our conversation would wander to more personal topics.

At first, I imagined I was bothering her with my frivolous small talk, but when I stopped carrying the conversation, she seemed keen to keep it going. I could not tell for sure if she did this because she liked talking to me, or if she was just being polite, but the former started seeming more likely after each time.

When the day finally arrived, I lost my composure. I failed to get adequate rest in the night, and during the day I was an anxious mess. The day seemed more important than any day ever had before, I had to make sure everything went right. I went over my whole wardrobe before I settled on what I would wear, I tested my camera equipment multiple times to make sure everything was functional and charged, I even thought about bringing an extra camera if something went wrong with my expensive one, but ultimately decided that might make me seem overly cautious or incapable of handling my own equipment. I could not force myself into her life, but I could put my every effort into being the best me I could be.

As I drove to the address I had been given, I felt the sluggishness in my muscles that too little sleep had inflicted me with. My mind was likely tired too, but my brain did not allow me to feel anything but anxiety and stress.

The house I arrived at was one of someone wealthy. I was stopped at a gate by security and had to explain who I was before I was finally admitted. I parked behind a much nicer car than what I was driving, and then brought out my camera bag.

As I walked to the large front door under one of many balconies, a hundred thoughts rushed through my head. I stopped outside to take a few deep breaths before I rang the bell. A man opened the door and studied my face.

"Hello, I'm here to meet Emiru and Valkyrae for a photoshoot." I tried to give him a friendly smile, but I was too nervous, and it came out forced.

"Ah, come on in," he said and opened the door for me. "They're still streaming I believe. I will let them know you are here. Please make yourself at home." He indicated the couch for me and then left me alone in the grand living room.

It was a spacious mansion. The room I was in seemed to lead off to other sections and rooms of the house in every direction. The ceiling was high above my head and a chandelier hung from it. I expected many people lived in the house, but I could hear no one.

I tried to steady my nerves and slow my breathing, as she might step through a door at any moment. I had to be ready.

After a painful few minutes that seemed much longer, I heard them approaching. I jerked out of my thoughts and sat up straight.

Valkyrae was the first to enter, I recognized her from the quick research I had done when Emi told me about her. She wore a red and white dress, with what looked like multiple white tails behind her. It showed her thick thighs, and I could not help but surrender a glance.

"Hello, I'm Valkyrae, but you can call me Rae, nice to meet you!" she greeted me.

I politely smiled at her and introduced myself, but my attention was quickly shifted to Emiru.

She walked through the door with far less charisma than Rae had, but again my mouth practically hung open as she approached. Her hair was blue and her eyes pink. Her top was so small it was practically a brassiere. One breast of it was pink and the other black, and they were joined underneath by a strap made to look like a belt, adorned with large bullets.

Her pink, tantalizingly short shorts too, were adorned with the same bullets. The whole cosplay left little to the imagination and I felt myself stir at the sight of her. She looked perfect in every imaginable way.

She seemed to have no knowledge or regard for the effect she had on me, or she was just polite and did not want to make it evident she could see me staring.

"Hii," she greeted me. Her voice was warm and loving.

I implored all my will to act normal and not stare as she approached me. I quickly realized I did not know how to appropriately greet her. A handshake felt too formal, but a hug when she wore this little clothing was, despite my grave desire, inappropriate.

I reached out my hand and smiled warmly at her. I thought I detected a hint of disappointment at my choice of greeting, but it passed almost immediately.

"Hey Emi," I returned, trying my best to hide my nervousness.

She shook my hand, and I felt the soft skin of her fingers envelop mine. I reluctantly let go much sooner than I would have wanted.

"We just finished up our stream," Emi said and included Rae in her look. "Isn't her cosplay beautiful?"

I studied her dress as if I knew anything about cosplay or the character she was portraying. "Yeah, it looks great, that tail must be annoying though."

Rae shifted it into view and looked down at it. "Yeah, it is heavier than it looks, we should get this done so I can take it off and relax my back."

She was really quite pretty in her cosplay, but she paled in comparison to the goddess who stood at my side. My heart still hammered in my chest loud enough to wake the dead. I was surprised I was able to maintain a relatively calm demeanor.

"Are you all set?" Emi asked me.

I grabbed my bag by the shoulder straps. "I'm good to go."

The spot they had picked was not far away, I had been told. The rich area Valkyrae lived in was enveloped by green hills and sparse forests. We were headed to a small waterfall in walking distance from her house.

It was a hot summer's day and our walk turned out to be mostly through the open field, with no shade to speak of. I worried Emi might burn her beautiful, pale skin if we would be much longer. I voiced my concern and asked if she had sunscreen, but she only laughed.

"I'll be okay," she said, looking up at me sweetly.

"It's just here," Valkyrae added.

We left the open hillside and entered a winding path through the forest. It grew denser the further we went, but the trail was manmade and pleasant to traverse. I heard the waterfall before I could see it. The air I breathed felt moister as we approached.

"This is beautiful," Emi said with profound admiration in her voice.

I smiled, enjoying Emi's delight more than the waterfall itself. She turned her gaze toward me.

"What do you think?" she asked.

I inadvertently glanced at her lean stomach as the light hit it so perfectly, then I looked behind her at the waterfall, hoping she hadn't noticed.

"Yes, this will be great!" I looked around, pretending to be considering my work and what angles to use, but in truth, I was just trying to calm myself down, I did not want to come off as creepy just because she had elected to wear such a risqué cosplay.

Suddenly she walked up to me, and my focus went back to her.

"Thank you for doing this, I would have worked with you sooner, but Texas is a long way away."

She looked so pretty as she talked to me that I struggled to focus on her words.

"Anytime," I told her honestly. "I would even come to Texas sometime if that makes it easier for you."

She gave me a warm look and spoke with a heartfelt voice. "You're so sweet."

Even though she had pink contacts on, I lost myself in her eyes. I don't know how long we held each other's gazes before Rae spoke up and snapped us back to reality.

"Emi, could you get these leaves off of my tail?"

She was standing at the edge of the river, by the waterfall, looking over her shoulder at it, trying to brush off leaves and twigs that had got caught in it. Emi went to help her, and I couldn't help sneaking a look as she walked away from me.

She bent down to the ground and started picking the tail clean, I pretended to unpack my equipment, but it was more of an excuse to seem like I was doing something. I could not help but look at her fine body as she knelt down. There was a light sheen on her soft skin, either from the heat or the constant spray of the waterfall plunging into the small river underneath. Whatever it was, it made me desire her with all my heart.

"Maybe we should have just done the shoot inside," Rae complained.

Emi glanced over her shoulder and caught me looking and I hastily went back to focusing on my camera. But I saw her through the corner of my eye mischievously holding back a giggle. I blushed but was also happy this was her response to me staring at her. If she thought me creepy, she would have had a far less pleasant response, I imagined.

"This will be beautiful, just try to stand still. And if you must move, lift your tail up." Emi spoke the words as she got back up.

I wanted to look but I was too embarrassed. Instead, I worked in silence, assembling my equipment and bringing out my camera stand. I saw them whisper to each other, but I had no chance of hearing them over the constant roaring sound of the waterfall. I saw them watching me as they giggled together, and I felt my cheeks turn red again.

As I brought out my camera to mount it on the stand, Emi sighed audibly and stretched out her arms. I could not help but gawk at her as her chest pushed up and her armpits were exposed. Her little stomach looked so appetizing in the dim light of the forest, and I longed to kiss it. As I stared at her and dreamed of all the things I wanted to do to her, she finished her stretch and again looked at me, knowing I had been staring. I quickly reached for my bag on the ground, but in doing so, my feet got caught under one of the legs of the camera stand. Had I been more alert I would have caught it, but I was running on little to no sleep, and Emi's beauty had my mind too preoccupied to stay focused.

It fell away from me, and I stupidly stood there watching my expensive camera helplessly fall to the ground.

"Oh no." I heard Emi say as she hurried to my side.

I bent down to inspect the damage with dread in my heart, I had heard the unmistakable sound of glass shattering. I was right, it had landed with the lens first on a small rock in the otherwise seemingly rock-less forest. The odds of it were so minuscule I almost wanted to laugh. Emi and Rae just watched me in horror awaiting my reaction. I did not wish to cause a scene, even though I was mortified.

"Well...shit," I said, with as positive a voice as I could muster.

Upon closer inspection, the camera seemed to function as normal, apart from the broken lens. That made reparations much more manageable, but still not something I could accomplish myself, in the woods.

"I'm so sorry," Emi said. There was pain in her voice, and it sounded more like an admission of guilt than an offer of condolences. But even though I did not want her to feel guilt for me being clumsy, it felt weird to even imply it might have been her fault in any way.

"No, I'm sorry," I said. "I've ruined our shoot with my clumsiness."

I couldn't look at her, I felt so stupid. I cursed myself for so easily losing my cool. Everything had been planned out so well in my head, that nothing could possibly go wrong, but all it had taken was Emi to innocently stretch in front of me, and I had lost my composure and ruined everything.

I felt her pitying look, but before she responded Rae saved me.

"I have a camera at the house, let me get it. I'm sure it's not as good as yours, but I bet you can take great pictures with any camera."

I seized the opportunity she gave me to save the day.

"Please, that would be great. I would feel terrible if you didn't get any pictures at all after we went all the way out here."

I considered offering to get it myself but thought it might be rude to go rummaging through her things. Emi helped her take off the tails so that she didn't have to drag them all the way back and forth, then Rae ran off, leaving me and Emi alone in the forest.

I had been alone with her before, but somehow my heart beat faster this time. I did not know if it was due to my shame, or because we were more secluded than we had been before, or maybe simply that her body was so exposed as she regarded me carefully. Likely it was a mixture of all of the above.

"How much is another lens?" she asked mournfully.

I studied her carefully and responded with honesty, "It varies, this one was eight hundred dollars."

Her mouth practically hung open. "And you're not more upset?"

I shrugged, not wanting to reveal my true emotion. "It is what it is."

I was angry at having broken such an expensive piece of equipment, but mostly I was furious at myself for ruining the photoshoot for Emi. She had paid me to come all this way and I had messed everything up.

She walked up closer to me as I stared into the distance. "I will buy you another one, don't worry."

I looked at her in protest, but before I could object, she silenced me by grabbing my hand. Every thought I had disappeared as the touch of her skin sent lightning through my whole body. She took my other hand, and we stood there in front of the waterfall, studying each other's faces fondly.

"Kiss me, idiot."

I needed no more guidance than that, I gently leaned my head over hers and our lips met. My hands went around her back and held her tightly, while hers pressed up against my chest. Her soft skin against my fingertips sent my blood rushing through me. Her lips tasted like ripe succulent strawberries and every touch of her tongue sent flutters through my heart.