Lunch for Two (Mina, Zach, Mako, Khalid)

[Khalid ibn Maleec]

Khalid took a moment to glance at the chef when she came out of the kitchen with their salads. Today must be a day of people feeling familiar. He shrugged it off as being simply being in Minako's presence and whatever it was that made her feel so familiar.

"To your success." He nodded to Minako, and also clincked his glass against hers, sending another glare towards Zacharaie as he tasted the wine.

"I like art and beauty, Zacharie. And when I heard who was starring in the movie, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it. Unfortunately, my only gift to the arts is financial." He smiled slightly, "So I'm offering what I can. Besides, as I said, it seems like a rather sound investment." Sure that made him sound like a cold business man, but Khalid prefered that to admitting that he had a... crush?... on a starlet he did not even know.

[Aino Minako]

Minako picked up her fork and began to pick at her salad, taking as bite here and there as the other spoke. The food was delicious, as expected. Nothing Makoto ever made was anything but tasty. She especially liked the dressing and made a mental note to comment on it when Makoto returned.

Turning to Khalid, she smiled again. "Well, I can say that Zacharie and I, along with the rest of the cast I'm sure, appreciate your help. We think this movie will be a huge success, but all project require a little help. Do you plan to visit the set while we film?" For some reason, Minako hoped he said yes. She wanted him to be there. While his manor came across as cold, she could sense the warmth was just behind that icy facade.

[Zacharie Babineaux]

Zacharie nodded to what Minako said, listening with half an ear. Moriko-san looked a little bored and so Zacharie tried to strike up a conversation with him. Somehow the conversation went from the food they were eating to the outcome of that season's pro-baseball championship.

[LAME, I know, but my muse is NOT working and I feel bad for holding y'all up >.< ]

[Khalid ibn Maleec]

"I very much intend to be present during some of the shooting. I look forward to seeing both of you act." He nodded to her as he took a bite of the salad, quite enjoying it. "I'm quite looking forward to seeing just how well you'll do on your first movie. I'm glad to be able to see your debut before the rest of the world."

He glanced in Zach's direction. "I'm familiar with Zacharie's acting, and I know that he will complement you quite well." Though Khalid was determined to make sure that the complementing was fully limited to acting. For some reason, Khalid did not want anyone to be with the blonde beauty with whom he was currently conversing.

[Aino Minako]

Minako finished off her salad as Khalid spoke. She'd been starving, and she was never one to turn away good food. She often wondered how she ever kept her figure considering she didn't have the best eating habits. An active lifestyle was the only excuse she could come up with - sports, touring, and senshi-work had kept the blonde in good shape.

Setting down her fork, she smiled. "That was amazingly excellent. If the rest of the food is even a fraction as good as that salad... why, I'll probably stuff myself silly!" Minako half giggled at her words, the laugh serving more as an attempt to cover her nearly obvious nervousness at sitting with Khalid. "As for the movie, I'm glad you'll be there to ensure that the movie goes in the direction you expect. And I'm sure Zacharie and I will have plenty of..." she trailed off, "acting chemistry."

Minako had intended to give Zacherie a more flirtatious smile, indicative of how well they would light up the screen. But for some reason, in front of Khalid, she held back, and the grin that followed her words was lame and almost forced. She picked her napkin up off her lap and set it on the table before rising. "I think I need to use the ladies' room. If you'll excuse me." She picked up her purse, as though she might reapply her lipstick or brush her hair and headed off in the direction she thought the bathroom might be in. When she was out of site of the table, she swooped back around toward the kitchen, ensuring to block herself from the table's view.

Stopping a waitress, she asked for Kino-san, and sent the woman off to look for her friend. "Have her meet me in the bathroom, please." Minako requested, then continued to look for the restroom until she found it. Slipping inside, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her heart was pounding now, as though she were doing something secretive and wrong. She had to ask Makoto's advice or she didn't think she could make the entire meal. To pass the time, she pulled her brush out of her purse and began to run the bristles through her long blond hair.

[Kino Makoto]

Makoto had just placed the pan for her guests’ main course into the oven to finish roasting when she heard someone call her name. She turned to find one of her servers beckoning her over to the service window. “Kino-san, one of your guests has asked that you meet her in the restroom.” She nodded and turned to her sous chef “Can you keep an eye on that? I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

She entered the women’s restroom to find Minako in front of the mirror brushing her hair. There was a slightly worried look upon Minako’s face, which in turn worried Makoto. “Minako-chan, is everything alright?”

[Aino Minako]

Minako thrust her brush into her purse and turned to face Makoto. "Well, yes, I mean, everything is alright. It's just that." How did she tell Makoto what she needed to without sounding like an idiot? "Ok, hear me out. You know the white haired guy that joined Zach and I for lunch? I just get this strange feeling around him. Like he's familiar. But I know I don't know him. I would remember someone like that." Minako shook her head. "I mean, I have millions of fans, but this guy wouldn't be the type to follow my music at all. He's a money man, investing in the film, even though to me it doesn't seem like his type of deal." She was babbling and missing the point.

"I feel so uncomfortable sitting there with him, but I cannot fathom why. He's done nothing wrong, said nothing inappropriate, and aside from a few polite comments about my talent, I really don't think he knows much about me. So why do I get this strange sense...." Minako didn't want to run away from Khalid. In fact, when she'd asked him if he'd be on the set she had desperately wanted him to say yes. And knowing that she felt that way for no reason was creeping her out. "Do you know him?"

[Kino Makoto]

(Created spinoff thread here: crystalrestoration.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=shops&thread=201 so Zach and Khalid don't get left behind in this one.)

[Aino Minako]

[Returning from Bathroom Thread]

Minako eased through the chairs and tables on her way back to the Chef's Table. As she approached, she could see that all three men were still seated and in conversation. A plate of bread had been left by the waiter and Minako's wine glass had been refilled.

All the strange feelings she'd had before resurfaced instantly, but in true idol style, she buried them beneath the facade of easy confidence that oozed from any stage performer. "I hope I didn't miss much," she said, in Japanese, before picking up her glass and taking a small sip. "After all, I wouldn't want you all to make too many movie related plans without my approval!"

[Kino Makoto]

Makoto returned to the kitchen just as her Sous Chef was pulling the entree' from the oven. "Thanks, I'll take it from here." She plated the main dish with its sides and carried them to the table.

Smiling, she placed a plate before each guest and announced the course. "Your main course is a foie gras-stuffed poussin, with Savoy cabbage and roasted root vegetables. Please enjoy."

She bowed, then returned to the kitchen.

[Zacharie Babineaux]

The three men had spoke about menial things while the ladies were gone, the hot-topic of the hour being the upcoming movie production. Zacharie couldn't help but tease Kahlid just a little. Perhaps it was that extra sense he got, and perhaps it was just from watching the man's desperate attempts not to act as if he were overly interested in Minako--but Zach knew the Arabian had something for her. It was there, plain as day, for just about anyone to see so far as he was concerned.

So it was that when Minako returned, her co-star found himself casting her his most dazzling smile and joking, as he always did with her, "Dream of it we would not, honeycomb. Without you lost would we be."

[Khalid ibn Maleec]

Khalid had risen when Minako left and when she returned, he again stood until she was seated.

When Zacharie responded to Minako's question, his jaw tightened slightly. Whatever protectiveness the man felt for the younger man was currently warring with the unexplainable propriety he felt over Minkao. It did not miss Khalid's attention that, apparently, he felt completely differently about Zacharie when Minako was not around then he did with her there.

He offered a small smile of thanks, which forced him to relax some, to the chef who was serving them, well aware of the honor it was for the chef herself to serve guests.

"Of course not, Aino-san. I trust everything is well?"

[Aino Minako]

Minako picked up her fork, intent on diving into the meal when more questions were asked. She paused. Old Minako probably would have shoveled the food in anyway, but Idol Minako had spent an entire semester in charm school learning how not to be unimpressive with her eating habits and speaking habits and speaking while eating was one of the horrible habits she had fought hard to curb.

She met Zacharie's dazzling smile with her, then turned back to Khalid to answer his question. "Everything is fine," she replied, smiling for him as well. With a laugh, she made light of herself, "You know how we idols are. Check the hair, be sure the mascara hasn't smudged, repowder the nose. The usual."

Turning her focus back to the group as a whole, she continued on. "I was hoping we'd start filming just after the new year. I'm not going to be able to tour again until this movie is done, and I also have a new album I have to record as well. The sooner we get started, the better off I'll be with the other half of my career. Any news, Motoki-san, when the final preparations for filming will be completed?"