The new modeling job I landed was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. Everyone on set was staring at me, and I mean everyone.

Girls swooned and drooled over me, asking for my number. I was so confused at first, I didn't know what they were talking about until they explained about these weird things called phones that people used to communicate and take pictures.

And that's when the problems started. Flash. Another flash. And another flash. The thing that I later learned was called a camera was blinding, and I couldn't even see straight.

I swear I thought it was a small cannon the first time I saw it.

But the lights were just the beginning. The job itself was physically demanding, I had to stand still for hours, strike poses, and try to look natural while the photographers shouted instructions at me.

The biggest shock for me, however, was when some of the staff members started touching me. They'd adjust my hair, brush away imaginary lint, and even lightly touch my face. It felt incredibly uncomfortable being manhandled like that.

Maybe Melody was right. This job IS exhausting!

And don't even get me started on the outfits they made me wear. One day, I was in a sharp suit. The next day, I was in a frilly dress shirt and tight pants.

I felt like a doll being dressed up and put on display for everyone to look at.

On top of all that, there was the constant pressure to look perfect. I had to make sure not a strand of hair was out of place. The smallest flaw could be magnified under the camera's lens

I was exhausted by the end of each day, but then I'd go back to the place I was staying in, which turned out to be this huge mansion. It was so luxurious that it felt like I was living in heaven.

And the bathtub. It was enormous, and I could immerse myself in it and let the warm water soothe my aching muscles.

I don't know if I liked this life I threw myself into. Everything was new and weird! Literally everything, their beds, their food, even the furniture was all the same white and navy blue color. It was as if I was still lonely but now rich as hell. I bet I lived in more luxury than the elf king himself.

I had things that emitted heat. They call them heaters. And damn! These things were really helpful. They helped stay warm, though I was literally a walking ice cube.

But the strangest thing of all was something called "social media." Apparently, the photos they took of me was shared there.

The man they called the manger, helped me get a phone, and even explained everything about it to me.

But I understood nothing, to be honest.

It only took me a week in this job, and almost the whole city knew about the new foreign model, who will sweep the fashion world.

I knew I could trick humans with my looks easily, but I never imagined that it could take me from being mistreated, abused, humiliated, and barely having a meal a day. To someone who's living like a literal king. They really did appreciate beauty like gold.

But even with all the success and luxury, I still felt empty inside, I had to stay in the human form for hours, and hours without a break, which made me almost get my identity exposed, because the ice trails would peak from under my clothes.

I knew I had to start the next part with my plan... to make Melody fall in love with me.

From what I've seen in the short time I worked here. Girls loved money more than anything. And I have more than enough of that... maybe I could use that to pull her into my trap. It's not like I am not already experienced with that...

~~~~~~~

<MILA'S HOUSE> [Matthew]

Grandma was bustling around in the kitchen, humming a tune as she chopped vegetables. Mila was working on her laptop, her nose buried in her homework. While I was sprawled on the couch, scrolling through my phone.

Suddenly, I jumped up, my eyes wide. "Guys! Come here, quick!" I called suddenly.

Grandma and Mila quickly looked up at me, their interest piqued by my unexpected outburst.

"Calm down, Matthew," Grandma admonished me. "What is it?"

I handed her my phone, pointing at the screen. "Look, it's that locust we helped last week. He's a model now, and he's like super famous! They even gave him the title 'The Fashion Prodigy'!"

"Oh my..." Grandma said, her eyes widening in surprise.

Mila frowned and snatched the phone from both of us. She looked at it for a minute and zoomed in, and scrolled down. "It's the same face but... why does he.. why does he look so different here?"

Grandma chuckled softly, returning to her chopping. "Looks can be deceiving, my dear. We only spent a short time with him, there's a lot more to him that we don't know."

"Yeah, but," Mila said, still scrolling through the pictures. "Just look at those clothes! And the jewelry! The expressions, what's with that sly smile?"

I grabbed my phone back from her, scrolling through the news articles, piped up. "It says here that he's the newest talent in the fashion industry. He's already done several photo shoots and runway shows. Apparently, he's pretty popular among the women, too - look at these comments!"

I started reading aloud some of the not-so-PG comments under his photos.

"Damn, I would literally let him ruin my life! 😁"

"Finally, some good shit. "

"He's so gorgeous, I can't even handle it."

"What I would give to have him next to me. 😏"

"Daddy is home~"

"How can someone be so good-looking? 🔥"

I couldn't actually read the others out loud. They were way too much.

"Gosh," Grandma exclaimed, shaking her head with a sigh. "Young girls nowadays have no shame. Tsk."

Mila looked really bothered by the topic. "But... he seemed so genuine. Like, he was so... humble. He didn't seem to care about fancy things or anything like that. I thought he was... different. I literally hate rich guys. They are stupid, self-absorbed, and shallow." She rolled her eyes.

Grandma chuckled softly as she placed two plates of cookies on the table in front of us. "I know a bad person when I see them, but that young man, deep down he has a pure heart. I hope him the best in whatever he's doing."

I shrugged and grabbed a cookie and threw it into my mouth. "Who cares about him anyway? He's just a random guy who got lucky."

~~~~~~~
ADONIS: THE MANSION

"Huh?!" I gasped as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. After a really long day of work, my eyes were wide in terror. "No, no, no, this can't be happening!"

My hand ran through my long hair strands, only to realize that a lock of it had turned silver white. And the ice trails extended from my chest up my neck and across the right part of my face. Making my right eye turn into a lighter shade of blue.

"Fuck.. crap..." I cursed under my breath as I quickly turned on the water taps of the bathtub. Soon the steaming hot water started filling the air, and white moist blurred the mirror in front of me.

I stripped out of the rest of my clothes and threw them around rapidly. Then I got into the tub, I hissed because the water was hotter than the necessary. But I didn't care. This needed to go away!

I breathed heavily as I held both my shaky hands up, looking as the icy veins slowly faded away. "Yes, yes, please work... please." I whispered desperately.

I took a deep breath, then slowly sunk my head under the water. My hair splayed out around my face in the water, I stayed like that for a couple of seconds until I couldn't handle it anymore and emerged out with a huge splash, gasping for air.

I coughed out some water and the pushed my drenched hair back, which panting heavily.

I stood up and got out of the tub then leaned on the sink, looking at my pathetic reflection once again. My eyes and body returned to normal, but unfortunately, my hair didn't.

I grunted in frustration."Fuck!! This wasn't supposed to happen so soon!" I punched the mirror so hard that it completely cracked and even some pieces fell into the marble floor, and echoing in the empty bathroom, the image of my reflection fractured and distorted.

I panted heavily as I pushed myself back up straight, my wet body tensed up and glimmering under the dim light, my knuckles dripping with blood into the ground. "I need to pull myself together... I still have time, I just need Melody's damn heart."

My eyes darkened. "I will get no matter how hard that would be!" I growled darkly. Clenching my fists tightly.

<<<~~~~~>>>