Chapter 38: Magazine Shoot: You are the superior in this relationship
On December 19th, Juventus played against AC Milan at home. The two sides ended the game with a score of 0-0, and the players started a short winter break to welcome Christmas.
Assistant Mateo took advantage of this short holiday to get Kaka some endorsements, which required him to go out and shoot commercials, so the club gave him a holiday. Kaka was busy outside during the day, and the time he spent meeting Leah did not increase.
Because it was the off-season and Christmas was approaching, there were not only no games, but also fewer strikers and marches on the streets. As the captain who was only responsible for order management, Leah had no place to use her skills. The police station directly sealed the organized files and sent them to the gendarmerie. The gendarmerie was only willing to accept the files because they were about to go on holiday and were unwilling to spend any more time making arrangements. So they simply gave her a holiday in advance and told her to report to the gendarmerie after Christmas.
In this way, Leah always appeared at the scene where Kaka went out to shoot. For a while, the reporters who had been chasing the star all over Italy didn't have to think about the reports. They just put up the photos of the two of them and said a few words about good things coming, and they could get through the issue with such ambiguous words.
Today they are going to shoot a magazine cover again, but it’s not Kaka alone, but a couple cover.
When Mateo told her that the magazine wanted to shoot a couple cover for Leah and Kaka, her first reaction was to refuse: "What? For a magazine? Forget it, I don't have that idea."
Kaka puffed up his cheeks, looking unhappy, and said, "Why? Don't you want to be in the magazine with me?"
"No."
Leah felt that he had been particularly sensitive recently because of his upcoming engagement. He had been very picky about everything from where to book the hotel for the engagement ceremony, what dishes to choose, and even how to arrange the flowers. He made four or five plans and finally decided to hold it at Leah's manor.
After looking at all his designs, Ms. Christine and Simone decided to exclude him and take charge of the engagement ceremony.
Faced with the depressed Kaka, even his mother Simone just perfunctorily told him that he could worry about the future wedding ceremony and forget about the engagement because his talent was not there.
But how could he worry about getting married? He definitely had to choose a reliable company to handle it, and that was a long time in the future!
Kaka was unhappy when he thought about this. Even his eyebrows drooped, like an abandoned puppy: "I can't decide on the engagement ceremony..."
Leah's head hurts at the mere mention of an engagement ceremony. Ever since Matthew and Kristen returned from vacation and heard about the ceremony, they've packed up Bosco and Simone and taken them back to the manor, locked the gates, and told the couple not to return before the ceremony, lest the surprise be ruined. Kaka can't get into the house, and Bosco and Simone won't let him know, leaving him in the dark and mired in anxiety, muttering to himself, "engagement ceremony, engagement ceremony..."
I start reciting it when I wake up in the morning, and even recite it in my sleep at night.
Di Gan, who rushed over from Brazil, didn't want to stay with his brother for any longer, and went around Milan with Enzo, who was also kicked out.
"Okay, okay, stop nagging. I'm going!" Leah was afraid that he would nag Mateo away as well. If she couldn't find an assistant temporarily, wouldn't she have to do it?
"Okay, it's settled!" Kaka's expression instantly changed after receiving a satisfactory answer, a look of joy that showed no sign of frustration or disappointment. Fearing Leah would change her mind, he put away the magazine's proposal and rushed out of the house with the documents, telling Mateo to respond immediately without delay.
Leah: “…”
Mateo: “…”
-
So, on this day, the filming site was unusually crowded. When Leah finished her makeup and changed her clothes, she found that there were several times more people here than before, and she could even hear the murmurs of people outside the studio.
She asked doubtfully, "Is there any other celebrity coming to shoot today?"
The girl who had finally managed to grab the temporary assistant smiled awkwardly and explained to her in a low voice: "No, everyone is here to see you and Kaka."
She can understand looking at Kaka, but why is she looking at her?
Faced with Leah's doubts, the assistant girl did not explain any further, but took her to the photographer.
"Wow! I knew this dress would suit you!" The photographer's eyes lit up when he saw Leah. He put down the camera he was fiddling with and quickly walked over, praising her generously. "You are such a beauty. You and Kaka are a perfect match."
His sudden enthusiasm startled Leia. She looked down at the halter dress she was wearing, and a question mark slowly appeared above her head.
Has this photographer seen too many strange fashion shows and never seen ordinary clothes?
Before she could rack her brains for a non-awkward response, Kaka appeared. He was wearing a white shirt and a black tie. The simple style was particularly eye-catching on him. The makeup artist had simply trimmed his eyebrows and applied a layer of shadow to deepen the contours, making his features more sharp.
Leia noticed that as soon as he appeared, almost everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and looked over, accompanied by several loud, deep breaths.
But Kaka's attention was completely focused on Leah, completely oblivious to everything around him. He strode over and naturally placed his hand on her bare shoulder. The cold touch of his hand made him frown and whispered, "Why is it so cold?"
He waved his hand, signaling Mateo to take his coat and put it on Leah, straightening the collar. Only after he had her tightly in his arms did he look up and greet the photographer: "Hello."
Without waiting for the photographer to reply, Kaka continued: "Can't you change clothes? My fiancée is very cold and it's easy for her to catch a cold."
The photographer had heard a lot about Kaka from his colleagues: he was good-tempered, cooperative, and never gave anyone a hard time. He had initially thought today's shoot would be simple, but he got stuck at the first step. The outfit wasn't his choice; it was a joint decision made by the team and sponsors, so he couldn't help.
Hearing his words, Kaka frowned, still wanting to fight for something. Leah tugged at his sleeve and soothed him, "It's okay, I see the studio is air-conditioned. And there aren't many photos, so it should be done quickly."
"Yes, I will finish the shooting as soon as possible. You can also ask the assistant to get clothes for the lady to put on during the breaks." The photographer was relieved to see that Leah was easy to talk to, and agreed repeatedly. He waved his hand and asked the staff to close the doors and windows, and asked someone to turn up the air conditioner temperature.
After completing a series of operations, Kaka reluctantly nodded, but did not let go. He still held Leah in his arms and tried to keep her warm: "If you feel cold, tell me, don't keep it to yourself. I'm afraid you'll get sick."
Leah enjoyed his thoughtfulness and agreed with a smile.
The two of them stood in front of the camera like conjoined twins and listened to the photographer explain the movements.
The theme of this shoot was love and hate, and the photographer wanted them to show a different kind of indifference than usual, preferably with a hint of hostility. He first led the two to a wooden door, with Leah inside and Kaka outside, ready to come in, to capture their gaze as they met.
This was completely different from Kaka's usual shoots, which mostly focused on sports. The only times he'd show off his endorsement accessories were when he was shooting them himself, and since he was the one doing the shoot, he was able to hold it in. Now, having to take pictures like this with Leah, with so many people watching, he felt like something wasn't right, but there was nothing he could do but go along with it.
The photographer took several pictures from different angles, but couldn't get the desired effect, so he was so anxious that he kept turning around in circles.
Before the shoot even began, Leah relaxed. Noticing Kaka's tie was a little askew, she beckoned him to lower his head. She was wearing low-heeled shoes, which shortened the distance between them, but it was still awkward. Kaka, relying on his height, deliberately tilted his neck back, daring her with a look that would have her fix it.
Seeing her lack of cooperation, Leah narrowed her eyes, reached out and grabbed his tie, pulling him forward, the distance between them suddenly closing. Their eyes met, Kaka's face still lingering with the provocation from earlier, while Leah's expression was impassive. She tugged at his hand mercilessly, her every move exuding a dangerous aura.
“Crack—”
The flash suddenly went off, startling the two of them, and they both turned to look at the photographer.
The photographer popped his head out from behind the camera, raised his right hand and shouted, "Bravo!"
This scene seemed to have triggered his inspiration. For several subsequent actions, he asked Leah to use this state to control Kaka: "You have to show that you are suppressing him. You are the superior in this relationship and you are in control of everything."
"Okay." Leah thought.
Amidst the constant cheers of the photographers, Kaka sat in a chair. Leah stood behind him, her hand reaching out to pinch his face. Her other hand, like a snake hunting its prey, snaked its way up from his shoulder to his neck. She leaned her head over Kaka's face, her eyes fixed straight ahead, fixed on the dark camera. Kaka's movements rose and fell under her hand, his eyelashes half-covering his eyes, like a human being coveted by Medusa. His tie was removed, his hair tousled, making him appear even more pure and sacred.
The photographer kept pressing the shutter and changing the angle to record it.
He asked them to change their clothes and put on some makeup, then took them to another room.
The room was furnished with a bed and a table. He gestured for Leah to sit on the table first, then asked Kaka to lean over and held her under him with both hands: "You are the leader of this group."
The photographer's assistant brought an apple and asked Leah to place it between their faces.
Kaka's sleeves were half-rolled up, revealing his well-defined forearms. He squeezed between Leah's legs, leaning over the table. They were so close, their lips pressed against the apple. Kaka pretended to bite the apple, but his eyes were fixed on Leah's. With the help of eyeliner and shadow, Kaka looked particularly aggressive, making Leah straighten her back, feeling the sense of crisis that only comes with work.
These photos were taken quickly, and the two of them followed the photographer's instructions and went to the bed. While he was adjusting the lighting, Kaka quickly touched her calf and asked, "How is it? Can you still hold on? If you're cold, let's call a halt. I see we've taken a lot of photos before. If not, I'll ask him to put on more clothes to compensate when we take individual photos later."
He had just started shooting and felt that Leah's body was cool, fearing that she had really caught a cold from the magazine shoot.
Leah took the hot coffee Mateo handed her and took a few sips before she felt warmer. After hearing what he said, she shook her head and said, "I'm fine. I'll just go home and take some medicine as a precaution. Are you cold, though?"
Athletes have restrictions and cannot take many medicines. She was afraid that if he caught a cold or fever while wearing so little, he would have to endure it, which would be even more uncomfortable.
Kaka took her outstretched hand in his backhand, put it to his mouth and kissed it: "I'm fine, don't worry."
While the two were talking, the scene had already been adjusted. The photographer came over and said, "It's almost over. This is the last group."
He had Leah sit on the bed, leaning back. She bent one leg, one hand resting on the soft mattress, the other tugging at Kaka's tie. Kaka knelt on one leg, one hand at her waist, the other reaching forward as if to touch her face. Although it was Leah pulling his tie forward, Kaka arched his body slightly, his muscles tense, like a tiger poised for action.
Without them urging him, the photographer quickly took the photos and signaled his assistant to wrap the two of them up quickly, asking them to change clothes first and then look at the photos. He also did not forget to ask Kaka's makeup artist to change his clothes and makeup.
After hearing this, Leah looked at Kaka twice. Kaka sensed something and walked over to ask her, "What's wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable?" As he said that, he was about to touch her forehead. She didn't have any filming next, so she didn't have to worry about ruining her makeup.
Leah shook her head: "No, I just think your clothes and makeup look pretty good." She looked at it several times.
Kaka seemed to be thinking about something. "I'll tell the photographer to send me the negatives later. We'll develop them and put a few of them at home."
He asked Leah to change her clothes quickly and he went to negotiate with the photographer. After getting a reply, he went to the director sent by the sponsor.
"Hello, I want to buy this dress. Could you please ask for me?"
The person who came was the director of Armani. Kaka was the brand spokesperson for Armani, and Mr. Armani himself was very possessive of him. He did not allow Kaka to appear in magazines wearing other people's clothes. At the same time, he also paid for the suits he wore to attend all events. There was even one time when he refused to let Kaka join the team to shoot for other people's magazines.
Armani's director's eyes lit up and he quickly agreed: "No need to buy it, I can give it to you as a gift. It will suit you perfectly."
The sponsor would be very happy if the spokesperson likes the clothes of his own brand and is willing to buy them, so he would definitely not refuse.
Seeing that things were going so smoothly, Kaka smiled, cooperated very well and took a photo with him. He thanked him again before going back to change his clothes.
Leah liked this dress so much, he planned to wear it at the engagement, which was the only surprise he could give her.
-----------------------
The author has something to say: The National Day holiday is over [burst into tears] It feels like it hasn’t even started yet, how come it’s over?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
