Mei Mei didn't turn fully at first when I called out to her. She paused mid-step, just enough to show she had heard me, but not enough to fully commit to the conversation.
That slight hesitation told me everything I needed to know—she was already weighing the value of whatever I had to offer against the time she would spend listening. It was subtle, efficient, and very much in line with the kind of person she was.
"Go on," said Mei Mei, her tone calm but carrying a quiet expectation beneath it.
I tapped the edge of her business card lightly against the table before placing it down. "It's not a one-time job," I said, leaning back slightly in my chair. "More like a long-term contract." That caught her attention immediately. She turned properly this time, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
"Long-term contracts tend to be expensive,"
"I'm aware."
"And risky."
"I'm aware of that too."
A brief silence followed as she studied me, measuring not just my words but the intent what it could be, then she stepped forward and took her seat again, signaling that I had successfully piqued her interest. "Explain," she said simply.
"I need a trainer," I said, leaning forward slightly.
She blinked once, out of confusion; that wasn't what she expected to hear. "For yourself?" she asked.
I shook my head. "No. For two others."
"Students?"
"You could call them that."
She leaned back, crossing her legs in a relaxed manner. "And why would the next head of the Zenin clan outsource something like that? Doesn't your clan have enough instructors already?"
"They do."
"Then?"
I met her eyes directly. "I don't trust them."
The moment the words left my mouth, understanding flickered across her face. A knowing smile formed as she pieced it together—she's a businesswoman; she knows how to read between the lines.
"And you trust me?" she asked.
I let out a small chuckle. "No."
Her smile widened slightly. "Haha, good answer."
"I just trust that you'll do your job as long as I pay you enough."
"Even better."
A quiet agreement settled between us. This wasn't about loyalty, and it wasn't even about belief or shared values; all of this was a transaction, clean and simple, just the way I like it, as that made it far more reliable than anything else.
I believe the motion of words can be broken, but a contract can't be. Of course there are exceptions but often times contract are fulfilled.
"Very well," she said after a moment. "I'm interested."
I stood up. "Then come with me."
---
The walk back to the forest clearing was quiet, but not the uncomfortable kind of quiet. Mei Mei moved with a kind of effortless awareness, her eyes occasionally scanning the surroundings as if it were second nature. She was preparing in case of a hitch.
When we reached the clearing, I spotted them immediately. Maki was mid-swing with her naginata, the weapon cutting cleanly through the air with a sharp sound. Her movements were still rough around the edges, but there was visible progress. Not far from her, Mai sat on a rock, casually aiming her gun at a tree.
A shot rang out. The bullet struck slightly off-center.
"Tch," she clicked her tongue then both of them noticed me.
"Naoya!"
"Where did you go?!"
Their voices overlapped, but their attention quickly shifted to the person beside me. They froze, eyes moving back and forth between me and Mei Mei.
"…Who's that?" Maki asked curiously.
"She looks suspicious," Mai added bluntly.
I sighed. "That's a rude way to greet someone, Mai."
Mei Mei chuckled softly. "I don't mind."
Her gaze swept over them slowly. In that single glance, she had already begun evaluating them. It was almost clinical. I am not joking; she is looking at them like how a doctor will look at a patient.
"Introduce us properly," Maki said, resting the naginata on her shoulder.
I nodded. "Alright. This is Mei Mei." Then I gestured toward them. "These two are Maki and Mai."
There was a brief pause.
"From today onwards… Mei Mei is going to be your trainer."
"... "
"... "
"WHAT?!"
Mai jumped to her feet, pointing directly at Mei Mei. "We already have you!"
"Yeah," Maki added, gripping her weapon tighter. "Why do we need someone else?"
I crossed my arms. "Because I'm not enough."
That answer caught them off guard.
"I can teach you basics," I continued. "Combat sense, some cursed energy control. But she's a professional."
Mei Mei smiled faintly. "I'll accept that compliment."
"You want to get stronger, right?" I asked, looking at Maki. She didn't respond immediately, but her grip tightened then I looked at Mai. "And you want a life where you don't have to struggle."
"…Yeah," she muttered.
"Then this is the fastest way."
Maki turned to Mei Mei. "…How strong are you?"
Mei Mei smiled. "Strong enough to charge a very high fee."
"That didn't answer the question."
"It answered the important part."
Mai looked at me. "…You're paying for this?"
"Obviously."
She frowned slightly. "…Don't waste your money."
I flicked her forehead. "I decide what's a waste."
Maki exhaled slowly, then nodded. "…Fine."
Mai looked at her in disbelief. "You're actually agreeing?!"
"If she's strong, we learn what there is for us to lose," Maki replied simply. "When we grow up, we will just give him back the mortgage with interest."
Mai hesitated for a moment before sighing. "… Fine."
Mei Mei clapped her hands once, her smile sharpening just a little.
"Wonderful," she said.
Then her tone shifted—just slightly, as she was impressed by Maki's line of thought.
"Let's begin immediately."
~~~
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