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 10
Kai's job, as cameraman, was to follow Mei around and pinpoint her as an interesting woman. He knew her more somber moods and recognized the reasons behind the general darker emotions connected to tragic memories swirling in that mind. She was more confident in photoshoots around him and his darker haired brother than any other person in the filming and editing departments. He considered having his brother behind the cameras when it was time to explain their part in Mei's life. Afterall, they had trained and instructed her during her time at the military academy. They were her friends – and had made it clearly known to Megumi and Yamato's modeling agency upfront. They were action. Their job was Mei. Nobody else.
After the fierce negotiations and contracts were signed, Kai tried to meet up with Mei at the bakery, since she would eventually come to need a friend to chat with. He was commissioned with taking care of her opportunities to find out about all these resources that were demanded by Yamato and his father's company in order to properly frame both women should Yamato's father come into agreement that Megumi could handle a broader fan base and Mei prove her talent for writing and entertaining as a whole. It was in Mei's contract that they specified "every resource available both on campus and off-campus".
He could be that space between to fill life with Mei. And help her be known and understood from their perspective. Then, Mei could have a decent emotionally fulfilling life with him, should she give Kai a second glance: a chance to care for her. Yamato had not known how serious Kai was about inserting himself in her life but they both acknowledged that having people who understood how she thought would carry them far to frame her correctly.
So, the voice recording sessions began. Aiko was in charge of getting close to Mei, nearly forcing her to accept the electronic recorder so that everyone would know how to respond in context to everything going on around them. Today was Tuesday, which meant that Mei and Yamato would be in class together – which meant there was opportunity to see how she handled her personal relationships too. Strife... love... everything.
"Hey Cupcake," she said, "That's you, Yamato, that I'm talking to." Mei glanced up, not wanting to continue with the script and Asami mouthed something to encourage her further while Aiko shrugged.
"I'm so sorry about this. There's been a slight change in how things are being done. You'll have to walk with Megumi today to go home and the cameraman will follow you for part of the way. I'm sorry. Really."
Mei sighed then Aiko put the recorder away after clicking it off.
"When is he going to get that voice message?"
"Today, after your class with him," Asami spoke up.
Mei cursed out loud, shocking everyone around her.
"What's wrong?" Aiko asked.
"It's nothing. Yet. Okay. Maybe there is something," she paused flustered, "So, I just now remembered from my training that not everything gets filmed at once and not everything is in order when the scenes unfold. I want this, but I want truth too."
"Anything you're concerned about the most?" Aiko challenged.
"Not yet. No. Too early to make a judgment call even with a witness."
Asami pretended not to notice Mei's discomfort, but admired her brave face as they thought up a few things to help each other frame Yamato's true disposition too.
"We could get one of the guys to help with that?"
"Yes, but which contract would benefit more? Remember, we're all supposed to be watching the money and whatever way it flows right now."
"Who cares about this? But Mei said that it would affect all our futures if this gets done correctly."
"How do we keep up with all these images and branding and how does management know what to do in this industry?"
The buzz of conversation whirred around them and an excited flurry of ideas were presented to Aiko.
"How are we going to manage all this, if this is what everyone wants?" Mei asked suddenly.
A camera flashed in that moment.
The group grew quiet and lost in their thoughts momentarily. Kai wouldn't close the distance just yet, because script said he must introduce himself to Yamato first... maybe a few times for the person behind the camera. Wondering who wrote that in, Kai felt confident enough that he didn't think he needed more than once or twice to make an introduction to Yamato without Mei around to supervise the exchange.
The goal of the brothers was to make introductions boldly and quickly so they could get back to filming the real Mei and be able to manage the logistics of stunt doubling according to Mei's influence and creative thoughts and processes. They did not want to jeopardize Mei's future in case Yamato couldn't deliver everything he had negotiated; they did not want Mei's hard work to be for naught. She didn't want to reveal all things on camera because then Yamato's workload might prove overly daunting tasks. The brothers also needed Yamato to think through Mei's challenges. Prove he was worth all their efforts – including hers.
Nobody answered Mei's question, each person now forgetting the cameramen present as plans and scheduling unfolded in the classroom. Each person would continue doing their university studies and assignments, turning them in on time. The professors would lighten their homework load but moderate the filmed exchanges, to make sure that the electronic devices used were meant for a variety of practical uses. A quick approval process was needed to make certain that the devices would be used appropriately without damaging the university's private contribution to the projects involved.
Learning was intended to be a safe environment according to the students. Education, according to the university, also meant navigating difficult situations and being able to assess and analyze relationships and meaning of how business was currently being done for the future of the country. The professors would sit in on several meetings because, after all, the cameras might be on them for things needed too. They would be the suppliers to what the students needed and explain to their peers – tenured or not – what the spirit of capitalism could inhabit and how business done affects how future money gets earned and allocated within the function of capitalistic ideas.
Kai supported the clever pacing of the professors – some were earning their doctorate's degrees as a result of observation and getting input from the students; some professors had degrees enough and were in the conversation for building momentum for additional earned income. Most professors felt it was important to do more than lecture the students and have the students figure out what was important to them with these tasks that had been proposed to the university.
Their main thought was that Mei could only control so much with her friends behind the scenes, as it were. But it might be worth the risk to everyone in all classes to see if Mei might rise through the ranks to take on Bollywood elitism and create a different social order of events and even professionalism. They did not know what that looked like to her, but they were willing to indulge all of Yamato's business practices, Megumi's spotlight, and Mei's intelligence to occupy a type of global illumination with these cameramen angling and vying for 'the story'.
After class adjourned, Mei had decided to walk across campus and made a phone call to Yamato, Kai observed.
"The cameras are here, with me, right now," she spoke briefly then listened. "Okay, I'll see you soon."
Hanging up, she glanced back at the cameraman. Kai walked away, crossing the courtyard to the bridge, then into the lens of the camera.
"When this madness ends for all of us, I want peace and quiet with Yamato."
The cameraman asked a question heard by the students surrounding behind the camera.
"No, I want my paycheck too. Pretty sure a big fat paycheck is the order of the day, but I won't discuss particulars with you. I want Yamato to know what I want first. Now, no more questions for the moment."
The cameraman whispered to a couple of people next to him and those girls followed quickly after Kai.
A man in the crowd spoke up, "What does script look like to you, right now, Mei?"
Huffing, she looked back into the camera. "It looks like everyone following Megumi and Yamato and not me, but since I have people who regularly stalk me, that is something nobody actually sees and that is something that I'm more accustomed to than I would like to confess. Script is strict to me, so as for saying something, when I say something to Yamato, I'm trying to prove my own abilities to myself and for the people that do follow me regularly. I'm also attempting to get him to understand why I hang out with him, whenever I do and why I'm preoccupied in my head a lot."
"Is that official?" someone asked.
"That is real," the cameraman stated.
"What would you do if Megumi and Yamato were a couple here?"
"Fight her for myself, for Yamato and my future and for my friends' efforts."
"Also real," the cameraman said, "But we'll see just how good you three actually are."
"I suppose that is truth." Mei said, somewhat sourly. She then walked off in the opposite direction that Kai left them at – towards the university's music department.
*~~~oOo~~~*