To tell you the truth, this scene doesn't show Nabiki in the best of
lights. (Of course, this may be your intent.)
Did Nabiki _have_ to sell him the photo? A Ranma pic I'd understand--
she doesn't like Ranma--or an Akane even, but Monet? (And she seemed so
proud of it, too...) I thought even Nabiki had a bit more integrity than
that. Just why does she sell it to Kuno, anyway? It can't be for the
money (you can't use Japanese yen in American stores, after all; didn't
Kuno think to change his money at the airport?). To save face, perhaps?
That would make more sense; she wouldn't want to be shown to refuse a
paying customer--she has a reputation to maintain--much less let Kuno
of all
people know that she was developing a soft spot for a woman, for God's
sake. ("<SAPPHITE, PREPARE TO DIE!>")
Actually, given Kunou's very historically-oriented nature, I'm not sure
he'd take it quite like that - as I understand it (though I haven't been
able to research the matter), for most of Japan's history, before it was
exposed more to Western ideas, same-sex relationships weren't really
frowned on, and were, in certain contexts at least, accepted or even taken
for granted. (I'll have to see if I can find references on this, though.)
Well, this is where interpretation of character comes in. What clues I
have indicate that Kuno's far more Westernized than he lets on,
especially given his family background. (His father's Hawaiimania hardly
needs mentioning; Tatchi himself addresses his father as "Daddy," in
English. Kodachi for her part goes to a Catholic school, and the Church's
negative view of homosexual acts is well known.) If Kuno has absorbed
Western attitudes towards such matters, as I suspect, he would indeed be
quite repulsed.
I think Kunou would likely find it somewhat distasteful, to an extent
("<What? For some reason she has chosen to romance the fairer sex rather
than the likes of my illustrious self? How odd.>"),
Heh. (Mind you I don't see him worrying too much about Nabiki's having
no interest in him. He has no interest in her, after all, dozens of
fanfics to the contrary. Which is just as well, because that's probably
why she's the only girl he doesn't act like a total twit around--and
consequently the closest thing to a friend he's got.)
but I think she's be
in much greater trouble due to the fact that Kunou would now see her as a
rival for Monet's affections, and in some ways no better than Ranma in his
eyes. ("<Foul blackmailer! What sordid hold to do you have over my
Moorish goddess that forces her into your arms rather than mine? Never
fear, Monet, my love, I shall rescue you from this plight! TENDOU NABIKI,
PREPARE TO DIE!>")
On the other hand, it might not occur to him that Nabiki could
possibly be a threat, for how could Monet have any affection for any save
himself? ;)
Mind you, after thinking about it a bit more I'm no longer so sure
that Kuno would realize at once just why Nabiki was so unwilling to give
up the photo, though I doubt he's so unobservant as to notice something
amiss. It's not something that would occur to one at once, even if he
were more intelligent than Kuno.
(#<Doth Nabiki Tendo take ill, that she would not sell to me that
photo of my Moorish love, though I offered half my illustrious estate?
But this cannot be, for she did not partake of her beautiful sister's
unhappily pernicious foodstuffs. What doth move her to refuse me the photo?
Hath she developed a love for the photographic art for art's sake?
Mayhap 'twould not be a bad thing, for to be sure a depiction of beauty
such as a photo of a beautiful woman, and especially of the lovely Monet,
is worth more than a hundred pieces of gold, and 'tis a sad thing truly
that Nabiki heretofore held a financial report above the finest poetry.
But what could move Shylock to go to the font of his own free will? For
something doth disturb Nabiki Tendo, for such conversions do not happen
for no reason. Very well, then, though it may be folly to try to unravel the
mysteries of a woman's heart, that singular and fickle thing, I, Tatewaki
Kuno, shall get to the bottom of this!>#)
(You know, Kunoisms are really fun to write, don't you agree?)
Of course, Nabiki might not want to take the chance of Kuno figuring
out what's up, even if he does lack the brainpower.
But I still think it would be better if Nabiki refused to sell the
photo, making some excuse to save face (for instance, noting that in
America it is the U.S. dollar that serves as currency, not the yen, and
if Kuno doesn't have any "real" American money that's his own problem).
That would work - but I think part of the point of this scene is that
Nabiki's finally feeling pangs of conscience about her money-grubbing, and
that it's making her feel so sordid. And she'd only be delaying the
inevitable until he could get to a money-changer's... at which point we'd
see some variant on this scene again.