"Blind Sided"

-Jasmine-Fields-1979–

I Disclaim: I do not own the copyrights or trademarks of the respective authors, artists, and television programming of any Manga or Anime. Please note, with respect, that the images I use are clipped from open source images discovered on the Internet, with exception to photos pertaining to my own image and any business branding about my employers past and present.

Chapter 5

Kai had been an acquaintance of Mei for several years. It was a secret that he hid his feelings about her to himself and the rest of the academy elites. Mei would have been a great undercover agent at the military academy, but the academy had a way of taking great candidates and beating the best work out of the best people and forcing a type of status quo – since nobody was generally elevated above the post of simple soldiering very frequently.

Oh, Kai had known, when he spoke with their leaders, that Mei had been paving the way for him and his brothers-in-arms for a prolonged un-bribable future for the country. They had persevered and personally handled Mei's training. No man would ever take that from her. He and his brothers were professionals through and through. Despite his personal feelings for Mei, when he approached her at the bakery, the first time, his resolve waned as he pieced together that Mei was not interested in his advice, nor did she recognize him.

And that stung.

He spent the next several weeks trying to be normal about his approach at the university, realizing maybe too many people had injured her during the academy days and perhaps it was her memory that was faulty. He didn't know, so he investigated.

She was polite but frequently distracted by the many people that came and went from their daily routines – in and out of the bakery – down the street. Nobody realized how remarkable Mei was. She was ordinary to them. Except he was wrong about that. There was some popular guy at the university that walked with Mei upon occasion. Huh. How had he missed that? And how was he going to watch over Mei's progress without being known to everyone?

Could he slip out of the crowds fast enough away from the bakery and make it over to Megumi's publication company to alter their careers? He knew Mei well enough to know she did not want the spotlight, but she would consider viable options to make arrangements for others' success. If it were a sound business arrangement and contract made available to benefit all parties involved, she was in, he knew already. And she really did have her own talents. She heard things and was able to frame them appropriately for the person or people involved.

Acting was not Mei's forte, but she had been deliberately and actively inquiring about stunt doubling for her fellow academy friends and told him about it one day at university. Yamato – was that her boyfriend's name? He was not around. He was unaware of this very peculiar conversation.

"You have to promise not to tell him, in case something unforeseen happens, Kai," she had pleaded once to him. Her eyes leveled with his, snapping with irritation. "And don't be so hasty when it comes to action around us. I'm trying to win him over."

Huh. That also was surprising. What was she attempting to do, exactly? He wondered, as they walked in silence down the street.

"I know what you're thinking," she spoke again several moments later, "It's a waste of my time. But truth is, you're closer to Megumi than I am. I don't like this, but I need eyes on this good girl act of hers. I don't think I'll be mimicking any of it, but I will take responsibility for the business contract between her and Yamato on set."

Mei sure knew how to wield her words when it came to men, it seemed. The dagger was in her mouth just then.

He strained to hear the next words.

"I don't know who to trust right now. And I need someone who can negotiate with Yamato over the future. Your contact is with him at the manager's editorial room. You can talk with him there about anything, if you have a head on your shoulders for business. His grades are good and he's socially adept. I don't think he'll lead any of you wrong when it comes to business."

Sighing, Kai had agreed to make the arrangements there with the managers on the condition that she was present for a portion of the negotiations and that she verbalized her wishes then. She promised, bitterness in her voice, that she would be there for the signing of these contracts.

They arrived at her apartment.

Her key fit in the door. As she went to open it, she paused and looked up. "You don't need to follow me home every day. I am a big girl and it will only cause me hell if Yamato sees us walking together on university grounds. Follow if you must. But be discreet. And remember, I like this one." The dagger in her mouth twisted his gut.

Mulling her oddly worded warning around, he headed away from the apartment, trying to guess when Mei had become so bitter. He remembered her being sugar sweet only a few years ago. He guessed that she was not an actress – never really had been, but her professionalism seemed more paranoid courtesy than anything he was accustomed to negotiating already.

Perhaps, he'd find out. Maybe he could get her to open up her thoughts to him. Looking up once more toward the apartment, he glanced at her as she had already closed the door and was looking down at the street right at him through the window blinds. He wondered what caused the sharpness in her voice. Then walked away.

Afterall, Kai was the professional who'd gotten Mei involved in these contracts at dizzying speeds not so long ago. And entertaining wasn't any fun, but it brought in business to the studio and cycled through the country's culture and sub-culture, as he understood the way of business. Time to establish himself in her world. The dagger twisted deeper – and Mei had not even been around to realize the affect of her words on him.

She deserved a break.

If this Yamato person and Megumi's studio were keys to her happiness, he would find it for her. He would. This he vowed, for himself and his brothers.

*~~~oOo~~~*