Author's Note: Hi again! Chapter 7 is okay not as good as the last chapter though. Sorry!
Disclaimer: I don't own Saint Tail anymore than she owns me. Wow that would be neither either way.
Chapter 7
" Damn where are all the good ones hiding?" A handsome blonde man asked quietly to himself while looking out his tinted limousine windows.
" Shall I drive around sir?" The driver suggested.
" Around Central Park a couple times." He replied.
" May I make a suggestion sir?" The driver asked politely.
" Shoot." The man said blankly.
" Might I suggest that we head for Broadway or Astor Street. Mothers are usually at the park. I might not sure if they are as…perky as what you are looking for." The driver said.
" Whatever." The man said still looking out the window. He was bored of this job but this job paid well, very well in fact. He was actually one of the most eligible bachelors in the city. Yet he still could not find the 'one.' Today, though, he was not searching for her. Instead, he roamed the streets for new fresh models for his modeling company. He liked to see the girl for his own eyes instead of sending one of many minimum wage workers he had in stock.
The man dully raised his camera to one of his deep blue eyes to see through its eye. Woman of all sizes and ages past by his lens. Not one seemed to belong in that small frame. The car moved slowly and eased its way down the streets. Traffic was not fast anyway.
" I wish things were still like they were in high school. The girls put so much into their appearance. Their hair, their make-up, their clothes…" He drifted off while naming the wanted qualities. " I want something simple but still shines through. You know what I mean?" He asked his driver while sitting up. He played with the switches on the armrest letting the radio turn off and on and the temperature raise and drop.
" I'll keep my eyes out for that sir." The driver said returning his eyes to the road. The man sighed and looked anxiously out the window.
" Stop the car!" He said quickly. The driver slammed on his brakes nervously. The man got out before the driver could get the door for him. His sights were set on a woman with long familiar orange hair that was lingering lonely down the sidewalk. She twirled her hair with her finger and traced the cracks of the ground with her foot. She jumped when she saw a man looking at her. She blushed and looked the other way.
" Hello." He said politely. The woman ignored him as she continued to slowly walk. " My name is Sawatari Manato. Surely you've heard of me before?" He asked cockily. The woman shook her head without looking at him. " Oh C'mon. I'm the head of the New York City modeling department." Sawatari said. Again the woman only shook her head. " Well you don't seem so enthused to see me."
" Should I be?" The woman said in a sad quiet voice.
" I was going to offer you a job, but I like all my models to be outgoing." He shrugged. After saying this, he expected her to jump at the offer of being a model. The woman only stopped and stared down at the sidewalk.
" Can I trust him?" She whispered to herself.
(You knew him. He went to your school and he liked you a lot.) Meimi replied.
" Do I give him my real name?" She questioned.
(No. He probably still has contact with Asuka Jr. They were best friends after all.)
(What's this lady's problem?) Sawatari thought giving the woman an awkward look. Meimi turned to him and smiled.
" I'm sorry. I was in a bit of a bad mood. My name is Asuka." She said holding out her hand. This was Sawatari's first look at the woman and he already knew him.
" Asuka you said?" He asked just to make sure. He took her hand doubtfully.
" Yep." She said in a chipper voice. " You said something about modeling?" Meimi asked trying to recall.
" Oh! Yes. I was wondering if you wanted to sign a contract with me…this is no place to talk about this. Why don't we go find a small café and talk over a bite to eat?" He suggested.
" Sounds good." She agreed. Meimi continued to walk down the street until she noticed that Sawatari was waiting for her by a sleek black limousine. " Do you…own that?" She gasped. The man only nodded.
" We can go in this if you want." He said smiling at her excitement.
" I've never been in a limo before." Meimi said in awe. She bent over and crawled into the long car. " Wow! This is amazing!" She said laughing.
" You get used it after a while." He said. The driver shut the door on the two and repositioned his self at the steering wheel. " Anyway, we have a new advertisement that's why I was going model hunting."
" What are selling?" She asked curiously.
" A perfume. Long ago there was this thief back in Seika City, that's where I grew up, and she helped this perfumery complete one of the best smelling perfumes there ever will be." He said stretching his arms to the ceiling.
" Then what happened?" Meimi continued to probe. She didn't even notice Sawatari's hand on her shoulder. He hugged her closer and continued his well-known story.
" Well I knew the daughter of the owner of the perfumery and she hooked me up. They already had a slogan and everything. 'A perfume so great even a thief would want it.' You know something like that." Sawatari said rubbing her shoulder. Meimi glanced down at his hand and decided to ignore it for the time being.
" That's so awesome! How do I fit into all of this then?" She wondered.
" Well, we needed a female that looked somewhat like this thief. This thief is well known for her orange ponytail and guess who has the long beautiful orange hair in this car?" He said and winked. Meimi smiled. Her smile faded when her inner self began to talk to her.
(He's talking about you, you know. Saint Tail. You helped that perfumery fourteen years ago. That's why you look so much like Saint Tail. Because you are the one in the same.) Meimi said solemnly. Sawatari, not noticing Meimi's trance, carefully slid his hand down to her waist and cupped it gently. The woman suddenly gasped causing Sawatari to speedily retreat.
" I-I'm sorry! I didn't know what came over me!" He stumbled to explain. His face was bright red flushed with embarrassment.
" No it wasn't you. I just realized something."
" O-oh." He said relieved. Sawatari mentally cursed at his quick assumptions. They arrived at the small café. Sawatari took Meimi's hand and curtly helped her out of the car.
" Isn't it kind of late?" She asked him.
" Nah. Where've you been babe? This is the city that never sleeps." Sawatari said holding the café door open for her. She nodded her thanks and stepped inside. He quickly followed her inside the warm café. The smell of coffee beans relaxed Meimi's tense muscles as she looked around the artsy café. Many college students were rushing to finish their papers at the last second.
" Anyway, here is the contract." He said pulling a bundle of papers out of his windbreaker.
" How long would I be working for you?" She questioned.
" Couple months, half a year tops." He answered. Meimi scanned the paper thoroughly and looked up at his deep blue eyes.
" How's the pay?" She asked hopefully.
" Very good." He said encouragingly. Meimi looked over the papers a few times and finally decided to go for it. She signed 'fake' name neatly on all the required lines.
(I've finally caught you on film Saint Tail.) Sawatari said a smile spreading across his lips.
Disclaimer: Sorry to bore all of you to death but I had to bring him in! Till next time!