"A private dining room with an ocean view? And I thought dinner at Top of the World was fancy enough..."
"Give me more credit, Michiru. You should know by now that I have expensive tastes." Haruka pulls out the chair for her companion, then takes her own seat. "Anyway, a little privacy will be more conducive to our 'conversation', don't you think?"
"Of course. Now where did I put that recorder?" Giggling as Haruka's eyes narrow, Michiru sets down her purse on the floor without reaching inside. "Haruka, you are far too easily riled. You need to relax. Maybe a full-body massage will help?" The aqua woman smiles coyly and takes a sip of her water.
"We'll have to schedule that soon," Haruka agrees, raising her eyebrows. She pours a glass of red for her guest, then one for herself.
Reaching for the wine, Michiru begins her questions. "Now yesterday you were explaining that your new line of hybrid motorcycles is faring well, particularly with the celebrity crowd. But what about the rest of your fleet? How have sales been this fiscal year, in light of the impending criminal and civil actions against your company?"
"Wow, Michiru, you're not gentle at all."
"I will be later, when we're truly alone," the smaller woman assures. "But for now, answer."
"Overall sales are at about 75% of where they were at this time last year. Purchases of our SUVs have been particularly low. It's impossible to say how much of the decrease is due to the general downswing in the market, and how much may be related to these current lawsuits. Despite the decrease in our sales figures, our stock has only declined a minimal amount, indicating that our investors remain confident in our company and in our company's recovery."
The aqua-haired girl nods, taking in the information. "And how about your own fortune? As owner and CEO, have you been personally impacted by the slow sales?"
Haruka bristles at the question. "Of course. Lower profits naturally translates into a lower paycheque. And none of the corporate officers are earning bonuses this year. We're putting as much of our financial resources back into the company as possible."
"What about the lawsuits themselves? These are serious allegations that your company, and you personally, knew about the faulty braking systems before the SUVs were released for sale. And yet, none of the cars were recalled, and a half dozen people have had their lives changed forever after being in your vehicles. What is your company's position on these actions?"
"I'm under strict orders from my lawyers not to divulge details about our official legal position. But I can tell you that we plan on disputing every allegation raised against us, and will fight them in court for as long as it takes to clear our company's name."
"So Tenoh Motors denies responsibility for these accidents?"
"Yes."
"And you're not willing to agree to a settlement with the victims?"
"I can't answer that right now."
"Tell me about decision to retire from the F1 circuit."
Giving Michiru a look of confusion at the sudden change in topics, Haruka sips at her wine and is slow to respond. "I guess I wanted to leave the world of racing when I was still a champion. I didn't want to be one of those professionals who slowly declines over the years until they're just a shell of what they used to be. I always dreamed of being number one, I achieved my dream, and that was satisfying enough."
"And do you feel that you've reached number one in the automobile industry?"
"If you had asked me that six months ago, I would have said yes in an instant. But now...Tenoh Motors has some ground to make up. These accidents were unfortunately, and they've impacted our image and our bottom line. I can't honestly say that we're the clear winner anymore, and that bothers me to no end."
"Where did you get your sense of purpose?" Michiru wonders this more for herself than for her future article, and Haruka can sense it as well.
"I don't feel that I have to describe it to you," the blonde begins. "Not because I'm dodging the question, or trying to be mysterious. But because I know that you already understand how it feels." Haruka takes Michiru's right hand into her own and gives a soft squeeze. "We're alike, I can tell. We both want to be perfect at everything we do. From our most private passions to our most public pursuits, we can't stand the thought of being anything less than the best. We will commit our minds, our bodies, our very souls to the causes that we believe in most. And when we get that way, there is nothing in this universe that can stop us."
Michiru's heart is pounding hard again, but for other reasons this time, and the best she can do is nod.
.