SWAY

Summary: "Because if people were meant to be controlled, they'd have come with a remote!" No matter how much you try to control the things you love, in the end, they end up controlling you. "Don't," he seethed as he took hold of her wrist, "I don't know what I might do."

Prologue

There's always this divine occurrence that leads the main character to their fated destiny. For Kae Miyazono though, it was going to lead to her demise.

"H-he's actually coming here personally?" Kae stuttered.

"Don't mess this up now," her manager said in a cold voice, "Do whatever you can, just make it up to him somehow."

He left her alone in her office.

"Make it up to him?" Kae hoped her enigmatic manager didn't imply any hidden innuendos in his words.

She fell back in her chair and sighed.

This wasn't happening, she told herself. There was no way a business tycoon like Akashi Seijuuro was going to visit some no-name artist like her. And it wasn't like he was visiting on decent grounds either, he was coming here because she messed up on her job! How she hated herself for following her gut on that accursed day. She should never have accepted the job in the first place.

A perfectionist like him would never accept such a gaffe by someone like her. She should have just done her job as she was told and went off on her merry way.

"What am I gonna do?" she whined simultaneously with the knock on her door.

Here it comes, she was going to die. She wondered if she would be allowed to have any final wishes.

A peon held open the door to her office. Footsteps inched closer to her office by each millisecond. It was certainly true that people saw things in slow motion right before their death. She held her breath as the rhythmic footsteps stopped.

She stood up, something you'd do in respect for someone superior, but she didn't know if it was her courtesy or his sheer, domineering presence.

Red hair swayed, as he walked inside, his footsteps so cadenced you'd think someone was tuning an instrument. He motioned for her to sit down; and it was only then that he'd spared her a glance, she noted. His eyes were mismatched, she could only hold his glance for a second, maintaining eye contact for too long made her feel timid. It was certainly her first time seeing someone with heterochromatic eyes. She would've stared at him too, if only his glance wasn't so piercing. He took a seat in front of her, and she'd never seen someone move so – she pondered for a word - sophisticatedly. "How do you even move sophisticatedly?" she wondered at the back of her mind. But looking at him again made her think, "Ah, that's how you move sophisticatedly."

She didn't notice the peon serving tea at the table.

She let out the breath she'd been holding as he gave her a moment to recollect herself when he glanced at the name plate on her desk.

"Miyazono Kae," his clear voice cut through the air. It signified acknowledgement, superiority, contempt and commandment. And after the initial refuge that he'd provided her, he didn't once break eye contact after speaking out her name.

"I believe you already know the nature of my visit."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

His voice was regal, if she wasn't sitting on a chair right now, would he make her bend her knee in front of him?

"Yes, Akashi-san. I do know the reason behind this visit." How she did not stutter, that she did not know.

"You accepted complete responsibility of the project, I believe you do know what that implies."

Such a calm voice laced with such weighted words. Was he even reprimanding her? She braced herself; it was always calm before the storm.

"I do. I request you, please do not associate my actions with this company's reputation. What happened was completely my fault. Please do not let this affect your opinion of our company for further projects."

He stared at her for a moment, as if trying to see through her.

"Then why don't you tell me, Miyazono-san, would you continue doing business with yourself had our roles been reversed?"

There it was…the question she subconsciously knew she'd have to face if she was going to get him to listen to her. The notion seemed too far off now though.

She was taking too long, he was probably getting impatient. Someone like him waiting on her just made her more nervous. She looked around.

Calm down.

Her eyes darted to the window of her office. This was the first floor, she could just jump a few feet down and be out of this tense atmosphere. She glanced back towards him, his eyes were still calm. Somehow, her nervousness made her think that he already knew she was thinking of fleeing.

So this was how it was going to be. He was the predator and she was his prey.

How many seconds had passed? Just get it over with already. There was no choice except moving forward right now.

"No, Akashi-san. I wouldn't."

He cocked his head upwards slightly. That was her cue to continue.

"I certainly wouldn't want to continue doing business with such an institution. But if I were to meet the person behind the mishap in person, and if the person took responsibility for their actions-"

"How do you think the person would take responsibility for their actions, Miyazono-san?" he said, looking at the window nonchalantly.

"The person would take responsibility by leaving the job. Getting fired, I mean. Being fired would make a huge impact on the person's portfolio. And then, I would offer another chance to the company, considering the connections established since decades of work."

"So you're implying that you'd be petty enough to throw a tantrum in front of your business partner to get the person fired?"

Shit. Shit. Shit.

"A-ano…you must feel insulted after what happened and-"

She was slipping up.

"And you assume I'm childish enough to hamper the person because I feel 'insulted'?"

She couldn't take it anymore. Nothing she said would ever make it right. He held everything she had gained through years of persistence in the palm of his hand. She knew she was being too hopeful when she thought she could just leave the job and start over, but no, of course he was going to smother her – literally.

"Th-then I would just respect your decision and accept your verdict."

She probably sounded like she was going to cry. She couldn't be bothered about her appearance anymore though, there was something much bigger that she was dealing with right now.

He seemed unaffected by her situation though; he looked just the way he did when he had entered the room – neat and concise, as if he meant business.

"I'd like to know the reason behind this mistake. Anyone with a well-balanced IQ would realize that it wasn't a mistake."

And yet, he was the only one who realized that it was on purpose. Was he implying that he didn't consider other people intelligent enough for him? Well, she certainly didn't doubt it if he did.

"I guess you are the only person around here with a well-balance IQ, Akashi Seijuuro," is what she'd have liked to tell him, but she was a coward, so of course she did not.

"Cultural appropriation," she blurted out.

He cocked an eyebrow. Cue explanation, you dumbass.

"Th-The sculpture you had us made was of Chinese descent, an Imperial Guardian Lion."

"I believe I already know that. Your point, Miyazono-san?"

She took a deep breath. Here it goes.

"The Imperial Guardian Lion is a traditional symbol of heritage for Buddhism in China. I was instructed to make a few decorative additions to the sculpture as it was a Christmas event. Your company was celebrating a deal with Dongxiang, a Chinese company. I didn't think they would like it if someone from a different culture made alterations to their cultural heritage. I would find it disrespectful, if I must say so myself."

Years of arguing with her mother to get her point across had really helped her. She was seasoned to speak strings of long sentences with complete coherence at lightning speed.

The way he just stayed still made her think he hadn't heard a single word of what she'd just blurted out. He blinked once; it was only in that moment of recklessness, she looked at his eyes as he was absorbed in thought. His right eye was orange-ish while his left one was deep crimson. His pupils framed like slits, he was a cat, contemplating in silence. His eyes shifted to hers, catching her off guard and locking her in a complete daze. He wasn't a cat, she corrected herself. He was a lion, on a hunt. The moment you took your eyes off of him and tried to run was the moment he'd pounce at you.

She gulped nervously. There was no escape.

"You studied on the deal," he stated.

"I-I did. I always do when taking on such projects. I-I tried to contact your manger about it, but he didn't respond after the first few calls."

"I appreciate your honesty."

He stood up abruptly, making her jolt up in fear. She stood up after him and he interrupted her before she could say anything.

"The purpose of my visit has been fulfilled. Have a nice evening," his eyes glanced at her name plate another time, then at her perturbed face, "Miyazono Kae."

The door closed with a dull thud as he left the room, and she collapsed into her chair. She wasn't sure if the outcome of this meeting had turned out to be positive or negative. Guess, she'll find out soon. At least she wasn't losing her job though.

But for some reason, she found herself still anxious, the knot in her gut hadn't settled. She didn't realize it then that she'd got a mild intuition of the havoc this little meeting was going to cause in her life, and the lives of the people around her.

Her eyes fixed at the untouched cup of tea in front of her that had probably turned cold.