When he awoke, Lady Seitenshi's arms were wrapped around his stomach. Now he could see Downtown Dubai at night, looking out the window on his side of the room. He could see the flat screen tv on the wall just opposite the king size bed. He looked at the clock, which read just past 3 in the morning. Seitenshi was fast asleep against his back. Despite the large bed, there was barely any space between the two of them. He decided to let her sleep. She worked hard and today was an important day. They weren't used to sharing beds, but the number of times he worked for her as her bodyguard made him comfortable with Seitenshi. The same was true for her as well. Given her position in bed, sleeping against his back, she longed for this moment too. He turned over looking at her face mere inches away from his. He wanted to put his hand on her cheek, but decided against it as it could wake the hard working Japanese governor. Instead he laced his fingers in one of her hands. She squeezed his hand, which surprised him.
"You thought I was fast asleep," she said, kissing him on the cheek.
"Of course I thought I did, Kisara gets on my nerves. Did you hear that phone call last night?"
"No, I did not. What was it about?"
"I only told her I'm on a business trip with you. I did not tell her that we are in a relationship."
"Thank you for that. I wanted to get away from Japan for a while."
"I bet if people at Magata High knew the Tokyo governor was my girlfriend, everybody would freak out. Has anyone ever shared this bed with you?"
"I bet people would freak out, and no, no one has ever shared this bed with me. Yasuwaki tried, but I told him to find a hotel. One night I came up here and he was in bed and it scared me."
"I don't get a good feeling from that guy."
"That's why I banned him from going on trips with me."
"What are we doing up so early in the morning?"
"It's hot tonight."
"When is it ever not hot in Dubai?"
"This place rarely gets any rain."
Rentaro adjusted his position in bed to cuddle with Seitenshi.
"What can people at Magata High say when we're 8,000 kilometers away?"
"Nothing."
"Exactly."
"I could learn a thing or two from you."
When sunrise came, Seitenshi took a quick shower. Rentaro brushed his teeth, gelled his hair, and put on cologne. Seitenshi got out with a towel wrapped around her torso in the large bathroom mirror next to him. A rather large jacuzzi was right behind them. Sunlight began to creep in over the downtown skyline.
"Normally, you wouldn't let people be in here right?"
"Yes, but I trust you."
"The Almas Tower can't be that far from here."
"We can walk there from here. We can go to the Dubai mall after and get you some clothes and luggage."
Seitenshi faced away from him to put on a bra. Rentaro helped her hook the strap, before they went down and made some Omuraisu in the kitchen.
It wasn't that much of a walk to the Almas Tower. Once they entered the lobby, they boarded an elevator.
"I wonder what this guy will be like?" said Rentaro.
"I don't know, I have never met him before. Like I said, it's a different person every time."
Once they reached one of the top floors, it was down the corridor and into a corner office. A man wearing a traditional white kandura and a red and white checkered taqiyah on his head was sitting in an office chair behind the desk reading the Dubai Times, checking on his stocks.
"I'll handle this milady," said Rentaro. "As-salaam alaykom," he said in simple Arabic to show respect.
"Rentaro?" said Lady Seitenshi, a little surprised at his greeting.
"Wa alykom as-salaam," said Ahsan Hussain in response. He had tan skin. His gentle facial features complemented his tall stature. "How are you two doing? You came all the way here from Tokyo. I'm originally from the Saudi royal family. I've been expecting Lady Seitenshi for quite some time. You are?"
"Rentaro Satomi, her bodyguard." He said nothing about negotiation, because he didn't know what the man was going to do.
"Thank you for coming all the way out here from Tokyo. Speaking of Tokyo, you wanted to talk about energy consumption there. How can I help with that?"
"You have ties in Saudi Arabia?"
"Yes I do. Please have a seat you two," said Ahsan.
They sat on the couch across from the table.
"So I hear you're getting worried about natural gas consumption in Japan. What do you mainly use it for?"
To calm Seitenshi's nerves, Rentaro put his hand on her hand.
"She has told me in the past that there are not enough gas tankers plying the seas from the Middle East to meet demand, but gastrea make it all the more difficult. She has tried with Iran, but they do not want to get involved."
"Let me see if I can help."
"Citizens of Tokyo are struggling right now because they are worried about losing energy."
"Let me get this straight, you came all the way out here to Dubai to negotiate natural gas?"
"That is correct, the Middle East is a hotspot for natural resources. They say a third of the world's oil passes through Singapore."
"I've been there," said Ahsan. "Very wealthy. I have negotiated with the likes of Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell, and Exxon Mobil. I don't like how fussy they can be. Meeting with a head of state from another nation is a welcome change."
"Have you been to Nigeria?"
"Lady Seitenshi?" said Rentaro not expecting such an abrupt statement.
"I have met with all the OPEC nations in board meetings, even the United States President has talked to me face to face in Riyadh. I try not to think about the amount of money the royal family has because that isn't the point when it comes to business. Business is well… just that… business."
Rentaro and Seitenshi looked at each other.
"So what can I do for Japan? I hear the nation is split up into 5 different ruling factions, sort of like the United Arab Emirates although we have 7 different emirates with Dubai being the wealthiest."
"I come here often, Ahsan," said Lady Seitenshi. "Often enough that I own a property here. Up until now, no one has been of much help to me."
"I take it that previous negotiations have gone sour."
"That is quite correct."
"Tell you what, if you buy some stocks in the Emirate National Oil Company, then I will be more than willing to give you as much natural gas as you need."
Ashan and Lady Seitenshi shook hands.
"Give me a call, I'd be more than happy to help Japan recuperate."
"Have any other Japanese governors been successful in securing a deal with you? Like Sogen Saitake?"
"Sogen Saitake? That name rings a bell. Tell you what, let's go to an early lunch Lady Seitenshi and Rentaro. I'll have my driver pick you up."