Chapter 26

Tuesday morning, Minako walked into her lawyer's office with Ami in tow. Ami was holding a rather thick book, and a notebook. Minako didn't question Ami, but was curious about both items. Minako, and Ami were called into the lawyers office. They entered the office, and sat.

"Good morning Mr. Hakasha. This is my friend Ami Mizuno. She asked to come today. She is pretty intelligent, and thought maybe she could help me understand everything better." Minako explained.

"Hello Miss Aino. It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Mizuno." Mr. Hakasha said.

"Good afternoon." Ami said politely, and laid her books in her lap.

"I have reviewed all of the documents you were served with, as well as the paperwork from the previous case. It appears that your parents do not have a case so I have already sent a cease and desist letter. Unfortunately, I am not seeing that we have a case for a countersuit." Mr. Hakasha explained.

"That's ok. As long as they can't sue me." Minako said, relieved to know her parents couldn't take more from her.

"Actually Mr. Hakasha, I have a couple of questions." Ami spoke up, and opened her notebook.

"Sure." Mr. Hakasha responded.

"Do you have copies of Minako's original contracts?" Ami asked.

"Yes I do."

"May I see them please?"

Mr. Hakasha looked at Minako. She was confused, but nodded. Mr. Hakasha opened a folder, pulled out some papers, and handed them to Ami. Ami seemed to skim through them quickly, flipped to the final pages of both contracts, then opened the large book to a marked page, and ran her finger down the page.

"That's what I thought." Ami stated.

"What?" Minako asked.

"Mina, when you signed these contracts did you have your own lawyer, and accountant?" Ami asked Minako.

"No. Why would I?" Minako responded.

"Wait a minute. Who's signatures are these?" Mr. Hakasha had come around his desk, pointing to some signature lines.

"The one is my dad's signature. The other is his lawyer." Minako answered. Still confused.

"WHAT?" Mr. Hakasha snapped. "Sorry girls."

"My parents brought a lawyer with them, and my dad is an accountant. What's the problem?" Minako said, startled by Mr. Hakasha's outburst.

"Did either company know the lawyer was your parent's lawyer? Did they realize your dad was your dad and not just a random accountant?" Mr. Hakasha asked as he sat back down at his desk.

"I guess. I don't know. What is going on?" Minako was getting really upset because she didn't understand what was happening.

"Mina, when a minor signs a contract like these, especially when a parent or parents are the minor's manager, it is required that the minor have their own separate lawyer, to review the documents to make sure they are in the best interest of the minor, and the accountant to handle the minor's earnings. The parents, when they are the managers are not to have access to the minor's accounts or earnings." Ami explained.

"So what are you saying?" Minako asked.

"That your parents acted against the laws protecting you, and both companies let it happen. It gets worse though." Ami said gently. "Mr. Hakasha, did you know it's illegal for a manager of the talent to make more than the actual talent?"

"Not in the case of a minor, no. I thought because Minako was a minor, that law didn't apply." The man answered.

"It applies to all talent. These contracts are employment contracts just as any contracts. The same laws apply no matter the employee's age." Ami responded.

"Oh dear. May I see that book please?" Mr. Hakasha asked. Ami handed the book over pointing out the laws that she said were important.

"I don't understand, Ami. What is going on?" Minako asked, upset about all of this.

"It mean Miss. Aino, that these contracts should have never made it through the legal departments of either company. Your parents falsified these documents. It also means that your parents embezzled money from you. They weren't supposed to be able to have access to your 30% at all. An accountant should have been managing your portion of your earnings." Mr. Hakasha explained.

"Um. Dumb it down for me please." Minako requested.

"It means, Mina, that those aren't legal, and should have not ever gone thru." Ami said simply.

"WHAT?!" Minako exclaimed.

"It means they're not legal." Ami said.

"Does that mean I have to pay the money back for all of those years and my contracts are canceled now?" Minako asked with tears in her eyes.

"Not at all. It means that you have the grounds for a countersuit against your parents, and it also means that you have a claim against both the model agency, and production company. They signed, and sent thru documents that weren't legal." Mr. Hakasha answered.

"So, what do we do?" Minako asked.

"Well I want to file suit against your parents for the money they embezzled from you, the illegal percentage they claimed, and for falsifying these documents. I also want to bring this to the attention of both the model agency and production company. Technically you could sue them."

"I….wouldn't suing the companies risk my current contracts?"

"Actually no, as they are completely separate."

"Oh. Well I don't want to sue them, but I do want to make them aware that this happened. As far as my parents, go ahead with all of it." Minako said angrily.

"Will do." Mr. Hakasha said.

"Thank you. Oh. Mamoru said he'll be on a plane today, and traveling most of it. He said to email him today's bill, and he'll transfer payment tomorrow." Minako told the lawyer as she stood up.

"Oh. Um. Actually a gentleman by the name of Kunzite requested the bill be sent to him for payment." Mr. Hakasha stated.

Minako froze, and saw red. She really hoped she didn't hear what she think she did. She glanced at Ami, who's eyes were wide open in shock.

"What did you say?" Minako asked thru clenched teeth.

"A gentleman by the name of Kunzite called last week, and requested that any bills you incur from this, be sent to him for payment. He said he felt responsible for making sure you're taken care of. Is that a problem?" Mr. Hakasha asked hesitantly.

"No. It's fine." Minako said

She stormed out, Ami close behind her. She stomped for blocks. She couldn't believe he would do this. How did he even find out? He had no right. It's not his job to do anything for her. She didn't want his help. She didn't need his help.

"Minako!" Ami called her. "Minako. Calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down? He over stepped! He had no right! How did he even know? Who told him?" Minako snapped.

"I don't know. He probably did it because he cares, and wanted to help." Ami said gently.

"He had no right." Minako said angrily.

"Maybe he didn't, but he probably did it because he cares."

"I DON'T WANT TO HIM TO CARE!"

"Mina, you know it doesn't work that way. Just because you don't want him to, doesn't mean he will just stop."

"You know what Ami. I appreciate your help today, but I really just want to be alone right now. Ok?"

"Uh. Ok."

Minako took off to her apartment to get away from every one. She spent hours raging through her apartment. She just couldn't believe that asshole would over step like this, and who the hell told him. Once the sun went down, she transformed, and ran across the city roof tops, trying to work off her temper.

Around 11:00 she found herself on the observation deck of the Tokyo Tower. She thought about sending a group text to all of the girls, and Mamoru to ask who told, but decided against it. There was only one person she was angry with, and she didn't want to take that anger out on her friends. She decided to go right to the source. She reached inside herself. It took a few minutes, but she found the bond between them, and yanked HARD, calling the fool to her. She felt him arrive, just minutes later. She guessed he stepped thru a portal to get here so quickly.

"Minako." Kunzite said softly.

"How could you? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?" Minako shouted with her back to him.

"Do what? What did I do?" Kunzite asked gently.

"GET INTO MY PERSONAL BUSINESS LIKE THIS! YOU HAD NO RIGHT!" Minako yelled, still with her back to him.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"MY LAWYER DAMN IT! YOU CALLED MY LAWYER AND ARE PAYING MY BILL! YOU HAD NO RIGHT!"

"Minako. I did it to help…."

"I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP! I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP! HOW DID YOU EVEN KNOW?"

"I heard…."

"STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS KUNZITE! I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR HELP!"

"Mina….."

"YOU'LL JUST BETRAY ME AGAIN! YOU'LL JUST…"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Kunzite yelled.

He grabbed her shoulders, and spun her around. She glared up at him, ignoring the jolts running thru her, and her racing heart.

"WHY DID YOU DO IT? YOU HAD NO RIGHT! WHO TOLD YOU?" Minako yelled.

"Let me talk damn it!" Kunzite snapped, but didn't let her shoulders go.

She glared at him.

"No one told me. I heard you on the phone with Usagi, here, the night after we saw each other. I followed you here. I heard EVERYTHING! I text Mamoru for the lawyer's number. I called the lawyer, and made sure the bills were sent to me to be paid." Kunzite explained, he tightened his hands on her shoulders for a second before loosening again.

"Why?" Minako asked angrily.

"Because it's my job to make sure you have what you need, and are taken care of."

"NO IT IS NOT! NOTHING ABOUT ME IS YOUR JOB, RESPONSIBILITY, OR BUSINESS!"

"YOU ARE MY WIFE! THAT MAKES EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU MY JOB, RESPONSIBILTY, AND BUSINESS!"

"I AM NOT YOUR WIFE! OUR MARRIAGE ENDED THE DAY YOU MURDERED ME!"

"NOT TO ME MINAKO! OUR MARRIAGE NEVER ENDED! TO ME YOU ARE STILL MY WIFE!"

"NO I AM NOT! I'M NOT EVEN THE SAME PERSON! I DIED KUNZITE! I DIED BECAUSE YOU KILLED ME! Even if you hadn't, I would file for divorce. I wouldn't want to remain married to you."

"I would never sign the papers." Kunzite moved his hands to her checks and pulled her toward him, and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Let go of me Kunzite." Minako growled.

"No. I can't. Look, I know you have a lot going on right now, and I respect that, but I'm not going to any where. When you're ready, I'm here. I would prefer to be by your side as you deal with it, so you're not alone, but you won't let me. I'll wait then."

"I…" Minako stuttered.

Minako stood there, starring up at him. As much as she hated to admit it, she felt like she needed him. She didn't want to though. She didn't think she could go thru this alone though. How could she ever trust him. How could she take that chance?

She knew he had never actually betrayed her. Not of his own accord. She knew that he wouldn't have if he had been in control of his own actions. She was just scared. She had been betrayed and taken advantage of by the two people she was supposed to trust most in her life. How could she be sure she could trust him not to do that same?

She pulled her face out of his hands, and moved to the edge of the observation deck. She sat down, and starred out over the city. She knew he was watching her. She could feel his eyes on her. She knew one thing though. Rei was right, she was punishing him for what her parents were doing. She decided she wanted to hear, from him, exactly what happened.

"Tell me everything." Minako said softly as she leaned over, and rested her arms on her thighs.