Escape artistry

11. The secret second hand shop (now)

I couldn't breathe.

Hadn't I fallen asleep last night to the dream of ever even seeing Tobirama again? Hadn't I been certain I would never see him again? And here I stood, having just been invited to be the assistant to his next Broadway show.

But I wasn't only excited. I was angry. I looked at the letter again; couldn't he at least have written it to me himself? I looked up at the agent. Couldn't he have knocked on my hotel room door himself?

Speaking of knocking on my hotel room door...

"How did you know I was here?" I asked suspiciously.

"I'm Mr Larson's agent." It took me a while to realise Mr Larson was Mr Senju who was Tobirama. "I am capable of finding out most things he wants me to find out."

I looked down on the letter again. There was something about it... An irony, like a game. This wasn't the personality of the Tobirama I had known, sending a sunglass-clad penguin to me, giving me a formal letter. Had he changed due to the fame? Or due to internal processes of his own? Or was it just a mask?

"Okay", I said. "I'll come."

"I'll pick you up at five thirty pm Monday for practice", the agent said.

Then, he left, leaving me dumbstruck, doing the only thing I could think of which was going back to bed.

On Monday, I had to assure several of the colleagues of my department I was fine. But when Chris saw me, he asked me what had happened.

"It's Tobirama", he said. "Tie-me-up-Tobias is Tobirama."

It took him a while. Then, he gaped.

"Holy shit. Are you okay?"

"Yeah", I said, and I told him about the agent.

"Shit, our little Izuna on Broadway!"

"I haven't even thought of that. Fuck. I have no scene training. "

"But that doesn't matter, does it?" Chris asked carefully. I shook my head. "You do it for Tobirama? Tobias?" I nodded. "Do you... Have any idea how he got where he is now? Why you lost contact?"

I shook my head.

"I will have to ask him", I said. "At some point."

At five thirty, a shiny black car came up to the entrance of the skyscraper in which my company lay, and the mirrored window on the passenger's side came down.

"Mr Uchiha."

It was the same agent who had knocked on my door.

He took me to a smaller theatre where many circus artists were performing. I knew Tobirama, or whomever had written that letter, had said he wouldn't be here, but when I came in and saw he genuinely wasn't, I realised I had hoped he would be because I became incredibly disappointed. I tried to focus as I learned to tie different ties and how handcuffs worked, and it was a good distraction seeing it was much detailed work. I had expected them to be fake props which would explain how Tobirama got loose and that I would have to sign a contract of confidentiality, but none of that was true; they were all solid ropes and handcuffs.

I was surprised to discover how much fun I had the entire week after work, learning my cues and how to move on stage as Tobirama's main assistant. Then, Friday came, and the last repetition. When I came out of the theatre, the black car stood outside. I frowned. I had always taken myself home.

I climbed in and sat down on the passenger seat, saying a hello to the agent, which I had become quite friendly with.

"What owes me the pleasure?"

"Costume shopping, Mr Uchiha", he said simply. "You need to wear something appropriate for the stage."

"Oh", I said; I hadn't thought of that. "But it's eight pm! Nothing is open!"

"Being the assistant of the world's most famous magician comes with its privileges, Mr Uchiha", the agent said unsmiling.

"Oh", I said again, feeling pretty dumb but I didn't know why. I suddenly thought of something. "Can I bring my friends?!"

"Certainly, Mr Uchiha", the agent said. "You phone them and I'll pick them up if they're available."

If being famous meant having agents in suits picking up your friends by your command, I wouldn't even mind the hate.

Both Chris and Sandra, the laid-back female colleague who had been with us on the after-work and explained the magic show to me, joined. I told her a very brief version of the story, and she became sweetly excited for me.

We didn't have to tell the agent were to go; he apparently had orders about which shops to visit. The thought that Tobirama had somewhere decided on where I would be driven, made a plan while thinking about me in his car, made me shiver with pleasure.

We went to several amazing costume shops, open just for us and I realised they must have been contacted beforehand for us. They were clearly exclusive, offering pieces that were sparkly and eye-catching without being tacky. I tried several suits and shirts, but nothing felt right.

We had a lot of fun, though, but when we came out of the last shop, all three of us having agreed there was nothing good, I started to panic.

"Still empty-handed, Mr Uchiha?" the agent asked as we came back to the car.

"I'm sorry", I said. "You may leave us, you must have a family to go home to."

He was quiet for a while, but it wasn't an irritated silence. Then, he spoke.

"I... Actually know a place." He cleared his throat. "My daughter runs a shop with vintage clothing. It isn't Versace and Dolce Gabbana like you could find in the stores we've been in previously, but..."

"Would she mind?" I asked, feeling eyes sparkle with hope.

He phoned her, and soon, we were welcomed into the most artsy little shop by his daughter, a tall, curvy woman who was about thirty and had curly red hair and a toothy smile. She presented herself as Camilla and I immediately liked her.

Her shop had a pink shopfront with purple and magenta flowers clambering over the walls, making it stand out among the silvery grey of the New York skyline. As I stepped in, I immediately felt at home among the incense smoke and cream-colored walls and faint smell of leather. Even the agent had come in to keep his daughter company, and even if he looked very at odds with the place, I found his company soothing.

We browsed and browsed, and after about half an hour, I was beginning to lose hope.

"Wait", Camilla said, a frown on her face. "I have something in the back that I think you might like. But please, don't be offended."

She went before I could answer, and frowned as I wondered what on earth could offend me.

But then, she came back...

And she was carrying the most exquisite piece I had ever seen.

My hands flew to my mouth. Sandra gasped. Chris whistled.

But I also understood why she had asked me not to be offended.

I tried it on, and all of us immediately knew it was right. I had never felt so at home and as beautiful in anything.

I looked at the price tag then, and my heart sank.

"I'm so sorry", I whispered and blushed in shame. "I can't afford it."

"Don't worry", the agent said. "It's a gift from Tobias."