Text messages

He was told by Fei not tell them anything, with the implication that Fei would hurt them. And he did not know if Fei had people watching them, waiting for any sign that Akihito had warned them? This is my assumption, but if someone was threatening me that way, I would think that they were in complete control of the situation at the boat too. Or maybe, by not telling them what was going on, he thought he was protecting them from Feis people?

Hanne was right. Fei long had all the angles covered and it will be too risky of a chance to take in that situation. Even if aki had texted his friends about his treat, it wouldn't matter cause the result will end the same way. He used aki against asami pinpoint black.

Maybe--but when they were on a boat full of models, it would have been easier to get away. Maybe a coded message that only his friends should pick up on--something about meeting people through work and how he only took pictures of nice people, and then saying how much he hates sweets and stuffed animals.

I mean pinpoint blank. Hope I said right

I think you mean "point blank" as in within easy shooting range, but I understood. :) I make typos and let auto-correct fill in the wrong word all the time.

Akihito has kept his relationship with Asami a secret, and I doubt he told his friends about Fei, so why would he start setting up secret 'texts' about dangers they need to avoid? And I am sure Akihito did not expect to encounter Fei again nor would he expect that Fei would target his friends, so he would not need to set something like that up, that would be extremely paranoid, and Akihito is anything but that.

They know he is a photographer for a newspaper, and that sometimes his photos upset people. He doesn't need to set it up in advance--just say things that his friends should key into because some hings sound false (e.g. "I hate sweets and stuffed animal heads") and some reminder about how he upsets some people at work and they want to get even--even by playing dirty. My friends would pick up on that enough to know something was wrong, even if they might just think I needed to be rescued from a bad date. He could have tried.

And if they were being monitored? He could have put them in far worse danger...and Akihito is pretty new to his job as a photojournalist, so he would not expect that people would find out who his friends are and that they would be held over his head. Realistically. (I am sure most photojournalists do not have such precautions in place, just in case some heavy from mafia almost 3,000 km away would return and do this?) Plus, he is probably not thinking that clearly as he is scared as hell - as he told Asami.

That's why it would be in code. I would think warned is in less danger, specially when they are on the boat by the models. Again, you wouldn't set up the code in advance. You just use the same sort of clues you give your friends at a bar when you want them to get you away from a guy you don't want to openly upset or be mean to, or when you are introducing them to someone you can't insult but you know they want to avoid if possible. You just tweak it on the spot for whatever the situation warrants. For example, if it were my friends, I'd text something like '"A boat, right? Like after prof X's Art class and we watched Dexter and talked about all the fun things he did with people on boats." Now my friends would know prof x taught Criminology and Dexter was a serial killer who dumped bodies off of boats. Aki is different, so maybe he would reference a investigative journalism prof and a zombie movie where people were eaten on boats. The thing is you use your history with your friends to warn them without saying anything Fei would know about. It's something you can make up on the spot because you know your friends and they know you.

Also, what makes you think Akihito is new at being a photojournalist? If he is 23, he's been out of uni for at least 2 years, and he probably has been involved in journalism clubs since high school or middle school--since manga characters all act like adults at middle school.

He clearly state that his assignment with Asami is his first job, and it has only been a few months at that point since he problems with Fei - hence - new at the job.

I see where Asami identifies Aki as a "young and promising freelance photographer": http://www.mangago.me/read-manga/you_re_my_loveprize_in_viewfinder/mh/v01/c001/3/

Where does it say that's his first job? and if it's Aki's first job, how does Asami know he is "promising"?

Do you have that kind of system set up with your friends? I never have - I don't get my friends in trouble like that, nor would I insult others behind their backs with 'secret' text messages to my friends. And Akihitos friends were probably not in the same classes as him as he is a photojournalist. If you have been on on University campus, most separate degrees are taught in different buildings and have different subjects they teach. As I said, paranoia - and that would only come with Akihito having quite a reputation - which takes a few years to build. (22 is about the time most people graduate from University programs and most journalists need a four year program before getting a job in the field)

I misspoke-wrote - but look at page 12 of vol. 1 - the detective is talking about Akihito's lack of experience.

Set up? No. But my friends would cue in on in-jokes and implied messages that are different than the words. That's why I said he could use information only friends would know to warn them. He'd have to make it up on the spot and trust they are smart enough to catch on. You don't need to be paranoid.

Even on a big uni, many of my friends were in the same classes as I--but you are missing the point. The fact is you use *whatever* common history you have with them to say something they would know was wrong but Fei would not. It's not paranoid if they are actually in danger. Once again, he wouldn't have set it up in advance; he'd have to think on his feet.

My friends do more than that just to get out of awkward social situations or tell inside jokes.

Oh, compared to Asami, Aki is definitely a newbie. Aki is nowhere ready to take down someone like Asami. I agree with you on that.

No - you were correct - in chapter 2 he says that he met Asami on his very first scoop as an undercover journalist - page 6.

Ok, now my friends sound like mean girls, but they are really very nerdy. Think of it like this. I am an agnostic, but I have a very religious family. So if my Aunt is around, one of my friends will bless me and ask me to pray with her. I know this means she finds it amusing that I will not tell my aunt I am a heathen. I can't openly glare and tell her to die, so I smile and tell her I treasure her friendship and that I will find a way to repay her kindness. People who didn't know us might think we were in a cult or something. Or say we are at a bar, and there is a drunk guy getting kind of handsy. He seems like the kind who might get a little violent too, so I am trying to not insult him as I edge away. I'm not trying t be mean. I just want to avoid something nasty if I can. My friend may come over and ask how I am doing to see if I am into the guy. I would tell her how much the guy reminds me of her cousin Kevin. She would know her cousin is the kind who gets mad and calls women names when they turn him down, and may get forceful when drinking. She'd find a way to get me out of there. It's that kind of thing. We don't plan it. It just happens.

"Scoop" is a little different than assignment, but I'll grant you he is not extremely experienced.

Akihito is using a fairly old phone - so likely he does not use it that often to send text messages (remember this manga has been ongoing for some time - since 2007 - so technology has really changed in that time and people are much more used to social media now (in later chapters he has a smart phone)