Start in DxD as Motohama: Leveling Up in Another World-Chapter 15: Unusual Situation (III)

"Thank you! You've been a great help!"

"N-no problem, I'm glad I could help, but... uhm... was it really okay?"

After the break, the photoshoot did not resume for some reason. On the contrary, André thanked them with a satisfied expression.

Shinji was curious about the type of photos they would use since he hadn't been able to see them. While he was lost in thought, André approached him with a bag.

"Here, take this."

"Huh? What is this? This is..."

Looking inside, there were lots of clothes.

"I really want to pay you, but since you're an amateur, it's a bit difficult for the agency. So instead, I'm giving you these clothes as a thank-you gift. Rest assured, everything is your size. I've also carefully selected pieces that suit you well!"

"Eh!? T-there's no need for this! It was a good experience for me too..."

"It's fine, just accept it! Basically, everyone who works gets some kind of compensation. This is common sense in society, you know?"

"Y-yeah... if that's the case... uhm... thank you very much."

When Shinji thanked him, André smiled. He couldn't help but think that this photographer was actually a good guy. While he was thinking this, Ai approached him.

"Shinji-san. Thank you very much for your time today."

"No, I should be the one saying that. It was a truly valuable experience for me, and more importantly... I think being able to do this with a professional who takes their work seriously will be beneficial for me in the future."

Shinji replied with a smile. Ai seemed surprised for a moment before smiling as well.

"That's great, then! If we get the chance to meet again, treat me well then too!"

"Yes, I'll be cheering for you too, Ai-san!"

Then, just as he was about to leave with a relaxed atmosphere—

"Sup. I'm late."

A cold-looking man approached them. His blond hair was styled with wax, and he had stylish earrings. He was also well-dressed, and in some way, his aura was similar to Ai's. But at the same time, Shinji felt something completely different, though he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Shinji wasn't sure who he was, but when he saw André—who had been all smiles a moment ago—now with a throbbing vein on his forehead, he knew this guy was trouble.

"This damn brat...!"

Hearing André's deep and angry tone, Shinji wondered who this person was to make him so mad.

"Umm... Ai-san. Who is that guy?"

He asked Ai.

"Err... he's the male model who was supposed to have a photoshoot with me today."

Shinji was convinced by Ai's explanation. He thought that the familiar aura he felt from the man must have been because they were in the same profession. The man noticed Ai's presence and walked over to her with a grin.

"Ai-chaaan! You have a photoshoot with me today, right? How's that? Makes you happy, doesn't it?"

"U-uhm..."

"Well, let's finish this session quickly, and then we can go grab something delicious to eat."

When the man placed his hand on Ai's shoulder, her expression showed that she was flustered and didn't know what to do.

This is...

"Hey, hey, don't worry."

"Excuse me..."

Shinji interrupted.

"Huh?"

The man looked at him, annoyed.

"Who the hell are you? Don't talk to me. You're annoying, get lost!"

Even though Shinji had only spoken, he was somehow being insulted. Why? He was stunned for a moment but soon felt irritated. He wasn't about to be pushed around by some punk.

"Look, Ai-san doesn't seem comfortable, so I'm asking you to step away."

"Sh-Shinji-san!"

"...Huh?"

Ai called Shinji's name with slight panic, and the man glared at him. He removed his hand from Ai's shoulder and stepped toward Shinji.

"You. Who do you think you're talking to?"

Shinji looked at him. Who was he? That wasn't something he cared about. If this guy was bothering his friend, then he would deal with him.

"Honestly, I have no idea. But I won't let you bother Ai-san..."

"Hahh..."

The man suddenly lunged at him, turning the situation somewhat dangerous.

"That attitude of yours pisses me off...!"

"Sh-Shinji-san!"

Shinji was surprised to be attacked so suddenly, but in his eyes, the punch was slow—it was nothing compared to the attacks of an Elite Goblin or a Goblin General. His body reacted on its own.

He caught the man's fist with the palm of his right hand, twisted his arm, pulled him forward, and threw him down.

"Gahh!?"

"Incredible..."

The man crashed to the ground, letting out a cry of pain.

"Gaah! I was trained in boxing!? How did you do that so easily...!?"

Shinji scoffed internally. Boxing training? That was nothing compared to his [True Martial Arts] skill. He fought against monsters with attack levels that were ridiculous for normal humans.

Thinking back, Shinji realized that Ai had panicked earlier—perhaps because she knew this guy had learned boxing. However, considering how much she had emphasized it, he wondered if this man had only ever solved things with brute force.

Saitou crouched down, looking at the man, and declared with a big smile as he made a phone call.

"Since you displayed violent behavior, your career as an entertainer is over. Even if you weren't an artist, this would still normally be a crime, you know? What a shame!"

"Wh-!? T-there's no evidence! Actually, I'm the one who got hit!?"

Shinji looked around. Indeed, there were people watching the whole exchange. He wondered which side they would take. He was a nobody, while the other guy was someone famous.

André grinned like a devil as he flaunted the camera in front of the man.

"I recorded everything from start to finish, you know~ ♡"

"D-damn it aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall!"

The man struggled violently on the spot but eventually gave up, realizing that Shinji's grip didn't waver in the slightest. In the end, the staff took him away.

"Damn... I didn't think things would turn out like this at first! But... Shinji-kun, you're really strong, aren't you? Even though that guy looked like that, he was actually pretty good at boxing."

"It just so happens that I'm also good at martial arts! Ahahaha..."

It wasn't like he could say that he trained in a different world. But if he tried to deny it, people would look at him weird, so he just made up a story. Then, he turned to Ai.

"Ai-san, are you okay?"

"Eh? A... uh... T-thank you so much!"

Ai was slightly startled when he called out to her, lowering her head as her cheeks turned bright red.

"Oh, so that's how it is... Don't worry! I was a little confused since you didn't say a single word before."

"Err... I felt relieved because that person had always been following me, so it was really helpful!"

Shinji gave a wry smile upon realizing that the guy had also been stalking her.

"It was a bit of a strange situation, but again... thank you so much for today. I hope we can meet again somewhere."

"Yes, let's meet again somewhere!"

"Shinji-kun, thanks for today!"

As he left the place, he reflected on everything that had happened. He had suddenly been asked to model, wasn't sure what to do, but in the end, it turned out to be a good experience. He felt truly satisfied.

As for the clothes—he had gotten outfits personally chosen by a professional in the industry, so of course, the result was excellent.

Anyway... he didn't know what would happen to that guy, but he hoped he'd receive a harsh punishment.

Putting that aside, it was time to go hunt a fallen angel.

...

"I wonder who he is..."

After Shinji left, André let out a sigh of admiration.

"A handsome guy with such a good sense of style... I've been in the entertainment industry for a long time, but I've never seen someone like him before. And he's just an amateur..."

"He was really amazing, wasn't he? Even though I'm a guy, I was captivated."

"Oh, you're right! I mean... he seems to have a charm that can draw everyone in."

"Well, yes, but since it was his first time doing a photoshoot, he still looked stiff. Though his serious expression was cool."

"But despite that, he still managed to bring a good atmosphere, even while giving off a serious aura, right? It was incredible!"

The staff who had participated in the photoshoot chatted about Shinji, seemingly drawn in by André's words. André gave a wry smile as he listened to them, but then, noticing Ai preparing to go home, he approached her.

"Hey, Ai-chan. Want to check out the photos now?"

"Oh, please, may I?"

"Of course! You can take a look as much as you want."

All the previous photos had already been transferred to a laptop, so instead of checking the camera, Ai reviewed them on the screen.

"...Looking at it again, Shinji-san really is amazing. It's inevitable that his expression would still be stiff since he's not a professional, but... I feel like I can't take my eyes off him. To the point where it doesn't even matter anymore..."

"Right? This time, we were shooting for a fashion magazine, so the main focus should have been the clothes, but... honestly, I got inspired just looking into his eyes, you know."

Yes, originally, for a fashion magazine photoshoot, the main focus should be the clothing rather than the models themselves. However, to increase the appeal of the outfits, they often use a famous idol like Ai, and she had done her job perfectly.

But in Shinji's case, he stood out more—it was as if he had absorbed the presence of the clothes themselves, even though they were supposed to be the main focus.

"Also, look at this. I was thinking of retaking the shot because Shinji stood out too much... But in the end, I couldn't. It's like the appeal of the clothes themselves was enhanced just to make Shinji shine. Like you, he has a natural talent for drawing people's attention."

Yes, even though Shinji was the main focus of the image, the clothes still became more appealing than before. As a result, the goal of the shoot was achieved.

Ai gave a wry smile after hearing about André's "problem." She remembered that similar things had happened when they first started working together. As she continued reviewing the photos, her eyes landed on a particular one.

"Huh? This photo..."

"Oh, you noticed it too, Ai-chan?"

Ai's eyes reflected an image of her and Shinji chatting during the break. The photo had a casual, everyday-life feel, but it looked so natural that they genuinely appeared to be a real couple. This had originally been André's intended photography concept.

In the picture, Ai's smile was relaxed and captivating, while Shinji's charm was so strong that it naturally drew people in without them realizing it.

"I was thinking of making this the main shot this time. It's really good, don't you think?"

"Y-yes... Shinji-san in this photo is very... um... charming..."

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Ai had been captivated by Shinji's extraordinary appearance ever since she first met him, but when she saw the photo of Shinji in front of her, she naturally felt her cheeks grow warm.

"Oh my? Oh my, oh my, Ai-chan, your face is red, you know?"

"Eeeh!? T-that's not true!?"

Noticing the change in Ai's expression, André looked at her with a playful smile.

"Well, I'll leave it at that for today."

"U-uh... Is my face really red?"

"It's as red as an apple. But right now, Ai-chan is also very charming, you know."

"I-is that so?"

Ai tilted her head to look at André, who was suddenly giving her a gentle expression.

"Fufu... Ai-chan in this photo is also full of charm. It's different from the usual Ai-chan. From now on, I think you'll have a lot more photoshoots, but don't forget the expressions and feelings you had today, okay?"

"Ah, yes!"

This photoshoot, which had been a valuable experience for Shinji, also provided a meaningful experience for everyone involved.