"I'm sorry, Aizawa-san, but we won't be printing a retraction. This is the biggest story in the music world right now. "Rising star hit by car makes a comeback to cheering fans!" It took a lot of work for me to find the driver of that car, and when he told me you fell backward off the curb—possibly because you were drunk that night—we just couldn't resist printing the story."
"I was NOT drunk that night, nor did I stumble drunkenly off the curb. You've printed a lie, and I'll sue you for libel if you don't retract it."
"I never printed that. The exact wording is "The driver of the car claimed Aizawa looked stuporous that night and believed he'd been drinking, thus causing him to stumble backwards into the street."It's the absolute truth, insofar as it's honestly what the driver believed."
Taki was quickly losing his patience, Kaoruko could tell. She was rather surprised he'd held together this long—he wasn't exactly known for his composure under fire. His shrink must be doing him some good. Still, he paced wildly around the room looking like he wanted to slam his fist through something.
"You said I'm in rehab!"
"Well, aren't you?"
"No, I'm in therapy. That's different. I go to physical therapy so I can walk again, and I'm seeing a psychiatrist to help me cope with the trauma. That's totally different."
"It's rehabilitation."
"But that's not what the public pictures when they hear the word 'rehab'. You're slanting everything to make a sensational story, and it's fucking up my sales. I thought we had something of a partnership. You scored one of the hottest stories of your career when I told you Yuki Eiri was having an affair with Shuichi Shindo. You owe me."
"There's another story or two I could print if I wanted to, Aizawa-san. I have reason to believe Seguchi-san had something to do with your little accident, and I think it might be connected to your exposé of Yuki Eiri. Do you really want me to pursue that?"
"God, you're a bitch."
"Yes, I am. Glad we're on the same page. Here's something else to think about. Word around town is that you and Seguchi-san are romantically involved, and that's why he's backing your comeback so intensely. You wouldn't be riding the gravy train if you didn't have his powerful PR behind you. Do you want me to break that story?"
"Damn you, you fucking whore. There's nothing between me and Seguchi. Nothing but business."
"So you say. Now why don't you show yourself to the door before I have one of our security personnel show you out?"
"Chikushou."
He cursed and swore but left the office like a good boy, as Kaoruko knew he would. House always wins in this game. Why do the suckers bet at all? She had more important things to think about, like heading up to the boss' office. The front page story on Taki this month boosted sales by a record 17%. Pretty good for a magazine that was having financial trouble only a few months ago. When would fools like Aizawa ever learn it was all about the money?
She rose from her seat, wondering what she could spend the money on if she got a promotion. Swimming pool? New car? She'd have to think about it. So she was a bitch, was she?
Well, sticks and stones, Taki. Sticks and stones.