| Fan Fiction |
by DTLCT
They finish cleaning up within 15 minutes since there are more than enough of them to help out. However, the trip there takes a bit more challenge since there are so many of them. Jacky and Wallace separate them out into several groups and give them directions so they could go at their own pace.
Jacky, Sonia, Ming Dao, Qiao Qiao, Ehlo, Angela, Wallace, and Cyndi are actually the first two groups to arrive. They end up helping Uncle Ben and Aunt June tidying up while waiting for the others. They also have to join tables together for the obvious reason, but outside since they’ve somehow agreed on it along the way. After the guys move the tables together, the girls help bring the lights outside since the porch light doesn’t extend far enough for them to see clearly. Most importantly, they have to bring bug repellent items outside and place it at different points of the table to make sure they won’t be attack later. When they’re done, they sit down at the table to rest – scattering out from each other. Uncle Ben and Aunt June are actually inside putting away their stuffs from their van.
“Hmmm…it’s actually really romantic eating dinner outside like this,” Qiao Qiao remarked. “Especially with the moon light shining on us like this.”
Ehlo looks over at her from across the table. “I thought it’s the lights from these…” He points at the light in front of him. “…ones, you know, battery lights.”
Qiao Qiao gives him an evil look. “You’re ruining the mood.”
“Great, we’re arguing when we should be enjoying this view,” Angela mumbled, looking around. “This is actually a great place. So far out in the countryside but so nice.”
“Yea, so nice and peaceful,” Ehlo said, grinning. “Even if we died here, no one would know.”
“Huang…Yu…Rong…”
“What?”
“You’re ruining the mood!” The others – except for Sonia – yelled out at the same time.
Ehlo gives the others a quick scan over. “Whoa. You guys are united all right.”
“Good that you realize it,” Angela said.
Ehlo shrugs his shoulders. “Guess I have to give in this time.”
Ehlo turns around to look at the gate in front of the house, trying to see if the others are coming yet. He ends up leaning his back against the table and looking at the moon. Just as the others are going back to looking at the moon or towards the gate and waiting for the others, Angela couldn’t help smiling at her victory since Ehlo doesn’t turn around to argue with her anymore. Wallace catches her smiling, thinking she might be up to something again. He smiles, knowing that Huang’s in for good this time.
About ten more minutes later, the others manage to show up. Jacky and Wallace get up to open the gate for them while the others stay put since they don’t feel like shifting their eyes away from the moon. Yes, not even Ehlo.
“Nice of you guys to finally show up,” Ehlo blurted out upon seeing Chen Yi. “After we’ve done all the necessities.”
“Anytime, Huang,” Chen Yi said with a proud smile.
When the rest of the group is standing near the table as well, Uncle Ben and Aunt June come back outside to greet them.
“I guess we’re ready to eat,” Uncle Ben said.
“Uncle, please don’t do anything,” Jacky said. “We’ll take care of it for you.”
As if on cue, Wallace nods in agreement also.
“I asked you kids to come here after all,” Uncle Ben reminded them. “It wouldn’t make sense to make you all work, right?”
Qiao Qiao stands up from her spot – a distance from Angela – and walks towards Uncle Ben. “Come on, Uncle Ben. Don’t treat us like outsiders. How about treating it as giving us the opportunity to cook for you? You can be a judge of our culinary.” She turns to face the others. “In fact, some of you will be too while some of us cook. How about it?”
“I’ll take the challenge then,” Jacky said, looking around. “Who’s with me?”
Sonia raises her hand. Reluctantly, Ehlo raises his hand also – with the help of Wallace’s poke of course. Since Wallace has already poked Ehlo, it is only right for him to raise his hand as well.
“Me too,” Chen Yi volunteered. “But please promise us that Qiao will be one of the judges.”
Qiao Qiao turns on Chen Yi. “Hey!”
The others laugh as Chen Yi sends a challenging look back at Qiao Qiao.
“I’ll help too,” Johnny continued.
“Me too,” Bianca chimed in.
“I guess it’ll be fun,” Angela agreed.
“I think that’ll be enough,” Jacky said. “Sorry, sis. You’re out. We have to keep ourselves alive.”
Qiao Qiao has no choice but to sit back down. Ming Dao sits down next to her – this time around instead of across the table like before – and tries to calm her down.
Since it’s settled, they end up taking turns – with several at a time – to whip up their own dish for everyone to enjoy. And since Uncle Ben has a large supply of food in place – for obvious reasons, they could cook enough for all to eat. However, it isn’t really a problem with portions since they’ve already eat not long ago. They just want to gather around to enjoy the night with Uncle Ben before heading home. So while some of them are cooking or are getting ready to prepare their dish, the others help with setting the table and preparing drinks. When the “chefs” are done with their dish, the others help carry the foods out to the table.
Since everyone had already moved around – one time or another – they end up at different spots of the table when they finally sit down to eat. Wallace is at the end of the table on the other side with Cyndi, Ehlo, Angela, Jacky, Sonia, Sam, Bianca, and Johnny – in that order. On this side of the table, Ming Dao’s the one on the end across from Wallace with Qiao Qiao, Yan Yan, Tony, Uncle Ben, Aunt June, Achel, and Chen Yi – in that order.
For the first few minutes, they eat in silence.
“Umm…” Achel uttered.
“Are you all right? Qiao Qiao hollered towards the end of the table, leaping at the opportunity to discredit one of the chefs. “Need water?”
“Stop being bitter, Zeng Zhi Qiao,” Chen Yi yelled back from his end of the table.
Qiao Qiao sticks her tongue out at him before turning back to her food.
Jacky smiles. “How mature, sis.”
Qiao Qiao gives him a look before going back to eating again.
Although Qiao Qiao seems bitter about her disqualified status in participating in the culinary contest, but she ends up enjoying it for the rest of the meal as they eat and talk about casual topics again. It is until they are done eating that the judges take the opportunity to discuss the marks among themselves while the others clean up. The atmosphere heightens up even more since they’re eagerly waiting for the result. However, it isn’t all about the competition, but the excitement of the night spent together as an overall. When the “chefs” are done cleaning up, some of the “judges” are still debating and the rest are busy carrying on side conversations at various spots at and from the table. It is at that moment that Angela leans into Jacky to whisper something.
“Hey, sorry,” Angela said with the utmost sincerity possible.
Jacky, confused, gives her his full attention. “What’s wrong?”
“I didn’t want to say it earlier ‘cause I realize everyone was staring at me but since everyone’s so loud now, I want to say it.”
Jacky smiles. “What are you apologizing for then? I thought you said something about past misunderstandings, isn’t it enough? In fact, it wasn’t your fault at all. I was always acting strange in the past when you first knew me too.”
“No, it wasn’t just that.”
“You mean there were more things that I did and I never knew?” Jacky teased.
“I didn’t mean that. I…”
Jacky wipes off his teasing smile and puts on his serious expression so Angela could continue.
“I always thought that you were somehow involved with Wallace’s decision about breaking up with me, so…and I was constantly in conflict with myself. I tried to stop myself to think those thoughts at times and face it, but couldn’t. But when I came back here, it was that again when I see you again. I would jump back and forth between defending you and getting back at you at different times. Recently, I finally could accept it and move on so I want to apologize to you for being so unfair with you in the past.”
Jacky puts a hand on Angela’s shoulder. “Forget it. After all you and the others did for me, it wasn’t anything. I set myself up for destruction when I was the annoying cousin during our first meeting, right? I have to apologize too because I was still mad about Jo’s situation.”
Angela smiles. “I guess that’s the last of the demons from the past then?”
Jacky pats her shoulder again. “I guess so.”
Angela extends her right hand out to Jacky. “Friends?”
Jacky reaches his right hand out to shake hers. “ Friends.”
It is at this same time that Ehlo chooses to return to his spot at the table and also witnesses this memorial moment. Jacky and Angela release each other’s hand – not out of awkwardness – but just casually and normally.
Ehlo eyes them suspiciously. “What have you two been up to?”
Angela turns to Ehlo. “Stop being so nosy, Huang.”
“Great. A guy can’t ask a question around here anymore.”
“Not when that guy knows only of picking on girls,” Jacky said, sending Angela a secret smile after that.
Ehlo points at them both. “You two better not be scheming something up for us. What is it? A mid-autumn festival surprise?”
“What is it this time, you guys?” Wallace asked from behind them.
Ehlo turns to Wallace. “I’m trying to find out the same thing.”
“Is this another mission for Huang and Huo?”
“Sure, you’re in.” He turns to back to Angela and Jacky. “What do you say, guys? Confess now or we’re on your tail.”
Angela puts on her challenging look. “With Jacky on my side, I’m not afraid of you.”
Ehlo points at her. “You better not mean what I think you mean.”
Jacky slips his right hand around Angela’s shoulder. “What do you think we mean?”
“Yea,” Angela said, playing along.
Ehlo looks around the place. “Where in the world is Sonia?”
“Wow. And I thought Huang and Huo are an unbeatable team. How could you resort to this?”
Seeing how anxious Ehlo looks and how confused Wallace looks, Jacky lets out a laugh and lets go of Angela’s shoulder. He still has on his teasing smile though. “You guys are just too easy to trick.”
Ehlo points at Jacky. “Hey!”
Angela puts on her victory smile at that time. “If I had a camera right now, I would’ve captured the moment when Huang and Huo got defeated.”
“But you must admit one thing, Huang,” Wallace said to Ehlo.
Ehlo turns to Wallace. “What?”
“Our friend is finally back.”
Ehlo turns back to look at Jacky again. Seeing that Jacky’s confidence is more apparent on his face like once upon a time, Ehlo turns back to Wallace and nods.
“I’ll give in this time just for the sake of it then,” Ehlo said to the three of them in general, smiling.
Jacky and Wallace step forward and clap Ehlo’s shoulder for emphasis. Angela smiles at their unison once again. Yes, their celebration had been noticeable this afternoon at their BBQ already but for the three – no, four – of them, it is this moment.
*****
It is hitting 11:00 P.M. already but Ehlo still finds himself to be full of energy despite the long day they’d had. Even though they were just hanging out and holding celebrations, but it was still exhausting. Ehlo claimed earlier to hit the bed as soon as he got home. However, it’s almost midnight now, yet he feels his energy restoring miraculous since he returned. He guesses that it could be the excitement left over from earlier. Or maybe it’s just the shower he just took. While he’s drying his hair, he decides to go online real quick to see if Wei Ru’s around. He knows he could do it tomorrow since she could be asleep by now but he decides to check anyway. While he waits for MSN to sign in, he packs his briefcase and puts it by the door so he doesn’t have to do it in the morning. He turns his attention back on the screen in time to see a message box popping up. He straightens up to see a familiar screen-name – Mystical GirL – in front of him. He’s surprised and happy at the same time to find out it’s Wei Ru. He repositions the keyboard before typing in a reply message to her.
Breeze by the Sea: I thought you’re already asleep. What are you doing staying up so late? But I’m glad you’re up all the same since I want to tell you something.
Mystical GirL: I’m glad that you’re still up as well since I’ve been thinking of lots of things and made up my mind. I also want to tell you this ASAP.
Breeze by the Sea: Really? I’ve been doing some thinking as well. That’s also the reason why I wanted to tell you that something.
Mystical GirL: What is that ‘something’? You’re not making sense. Something has never changed. Care to elaborate or do you want me to go first?
Ehlo smiles at the screen upon reading her message. She’s impatient as always, he thought. He flexes his hands together and does a quick stretch before typing in a very long message – actually several since MSN doesn’t allow him to type THAT long of a message into it at one time – to Wei Ru, explaining the happenings of the past weeks. Then he waits for her response. She has been typing in mostly “uhuh” to reassure him that she’s still around. He sits back in his chair to wait since he could see the message “Mystical GirL is typing…” on the screen. When the message does go through, he has to laugh out loud – literally. He brings his hands back to the keyboard and resumes his typing.
Breeze by the Sea: Is that all you can say? “Wow”? I thought it would be long or something more than just a “Wow”.
Mystical GirL: What do you expect me to say? It seems like you’ve been hiding a lot of stuffs from me all those times that we’ve talked.
Breeze by the Sea: There’s no point in worrying you over things you couldn’t change anyway. So I chose to conceal it until the right moment.
Mystical GirL: Sure, whatever.
Breeze by the Sea: Don’t believe me?
Mystical GirL: You didn’t even tell me that one secret that you promised me before I left, remember? How could I trust you now?
Breeze by the Sea: Awww…come on. So I forgot it by accident. But since you’ve brought it up, I thought I tell you since I wasn’t so sure if it was the correct answer at the time anyway. What I wanted to tell you was actually that I finally sort out my thoughts of who I really like; and I won’t give up on her.
Mystical GirL: Really? That was what I wanted to tell you too but I just discovered it recently like I just typed a few minutes back.
Breeze by the Sea: Want to share stories then?
Mystical GirL: Since you still owe me an explanation, you go first.
After he sends another set of long messages towards Wei Ru, he sits back to wait for her to respond like earlier. When he expects for her message to be along the line of a “Wow” again, he sees a longer message. He smiles as he reads the answer.
Mystical GirL: I can’t believe you’ve been going through the same thing as I am. Guess what? Me too.
Breeze by the Sea: That’s great then. It’s good when we’re on the same wavelength. I guess I won’t have to go into too much details then.
Mystical GirL: Are you kidding me? Stop cheating and cutting corners! Is this how a confession is supposed to be? Say it now!
Ehlo laughs again at her aggressiveness as he types in his answer. He smiles when he sees another long response from her. This is moving in a smoother direction than he thought. He continues to chat with her until around 2:00 A.M. before they both say their temporary goodbyes and sign off.
*****
The following week rolls by with the group resuming their normal life without any other problems popping up to distract them – and not to mention more willing than during the last few weeks. However, it is not of any nature near boring at all since there are a lot of things they need to take care of, considering how Jacky and Angela have to finish up their work at the station before leaving. There is also the whole idea of waiting to see if Angela’s safe plan works or not because she had spoken up for Jo, hoping to get her words through. Among those matters, there are also the changes with Ehlo, Angela, and Wallace. After their so-called “insight moments”, they become much more relaxed – although it wouldn’t make a difference with Ehlo since he’s always so cheerful despite any situations.
Jacky – lucky as he is – manages to stumble upon a break because when he called Orchids up with his inquiry about a possible need of someone, she’s more than glad to take him in since Laura decided to quit but is still willing to stay until Orchids could find a replacement for her. The sudden lost in two DJs at the station isn’t taken lightly with Producer Lin but he could not do anything because of Jacky’s persistency. Luckily, Valerie comes to everyone’s rescue again by suggesting up new ideas for upcoming programs to keep listeners interested. Because Jacky and Angela quit, the ones who are in charged of the upcoming season’s program end up being Sam and Valerie.
While everything’s almost taken care of for Jacky, Angela is more than welcomed by her uncle to come back to his candy shop. It is a lot better for him since they seem to have the same frame of mind – unlike his current assistant. However, it doesn’t mean he’s firing her either but it just seems a bit easier on the poor girl with Angela backing her up from time to time.
On a more personal basis, Jacky seems to come home more often with Sonia since things are already resolved. Superstition asides, Jacky’s father is more than glad to see him and his mother getting along once again. Not to mention seeing Uncle Ben and Aunt June coming by more often as well – with Wallace. Jo seems to be on the silent for the time being as the Chus still keep in contact with her family – after all, they’re still relatives on some level.
In the mist of these changes, Huang and Huo are on the move again with finding a new project for themselves. It happens one day during the second week of their normal life when Ehlo drops by Orchids Agency to visit around lunch time – which is almost a miracle but maybe not as surprising since Jacky works there now.
As Ehlo comes into the shop, the others are actually at their desk – except for Simon and Cyndi who are out on their assignment at that moment. Jacky and Wallace are actually talking about something totally random instead of working on their cases. They only pay attention when they hear the chime jingling. As usual, Ehlo has a bright smile on his face.
“Guess what, Huo?” Ehlo asked. “New project!”
“What is it this time?” Wallace asked, twirling his pen in his left hand.
Ehlo doesn’t answer right away, but walks closer to them while reaching into his pocket to take out something. When he’s closer, they could see a small plastic bag of various colors.
Jacky wrinkles his face. “What is it?”
Ehlo still doesn’t reply but tosses it on the surface between Jacky and Wallace’s desks. Jacky turns back around to see what it is while Wallace picks it up to read the label. While the guys are observing the “mysterious item”, Ehlo has taken the time to sit down at a chair next to Jacky.
“This is so yesterday, Huang,” Wallace commented after realizing what it is.
Ehlo turns to Wallace. “You have a better idea than this?”
Wallace doesn’t reply but takes his turn to reach down towards a side drawer and brings out an almost identical bag as Ehlo’s. It just has different colors.
Jacky looks from Wallace to Ehlo. “What is it with you guys?” He looks at his own bracelet still on his left hand. “Did you plan this so I can actually laugh about it? ‘Cause you know this one was already pulled – several weeks back.”
“Come on now,” Ehlo said. “I’m not that lame to try a joke twice. What I mean is this is my new project, just wondering if Huo’s crazy enough to join in.”
Wallace laughs. “Well, Huang. Huo is already ahead of you.”
Wallace hands the plastic bag back to him.
Ehlo takes the bag back from Wallace again. “Like you’re any better. It looks like you haven’t opened yours at all. So it’s only safe to say that you just thought of it today.”
Wallace flashes on his challenging smile. “Really?” He quickly reaches into his pocket and pulls out something for the guys to see. When he uncovers his hand, the guys could see it’s bracelet in dark purple with shades of lavender mixed in. He waves his bracelet around. “Since you’ve found me out, I guess I might as well wear it now.”
While he does that, Ehlo’s still shifting his eyes in between the finished bracelet and the other pack – somewhat puzzled. “What are you up to, Huo?”
“While you guys have been researching for a fairground spot for the upcoming week, I’ve been carrying out my plan.”
Ehlo eyes him suspiciously. “What plan?”
“Confession right on the mid-autumn festival.” He smiles again “Clever? She’ll never see it coming.”
“That’s so yesterday, Huo. I bet tons of people’d done that before.”
“Because it has been done before so she would expect me to be more original than that.”
“Huo, you’re slipping. We’ll see if it works.”
Wallace eyes Ehlo’s un-opened bracelet pack. “What about you? Are you going to turn those yarns into a bracelet or are you just buying it for yourself?”
Ehlo points at Wallace. “Huo, are you challenging me?”
Jacky has been staying silent on purpose to observe the guys but now he couldn’t help it. He clears his throat. “Need a witness, guys?”
Ehlo and Wallace turns to Jacky at the same time. “Deal!” They turn back to glare at each other before continuing.
“How about making it Friday since we’ve already decided to go on that day last weekend?” Ehlo suggested.
Wallace smiles. “The better. Then it would contain both surprise and original since we wouldn’t be technically confessing exactly on the mid-autumn festival and she won’t see it coming.”
“Whoever loses will have to tell everyone who he confessed to right in front of everyone …and…” He pauses on purpose to flash on his mischievous smile again. “…that he got rejected.”
“Who backs out is a turtle and a slime frog rolled right into one.”
“That’s a good one, guys, I want to participate too,” A voice behind them said.
All three guys turn around at the same time to see Tony walking in. They were so into making the deal that they didn’t hear the chime.
Ehlo gets up from his seat and leans back on the desk before speaking up. “Sun Xie Zhi, you want to join the fun?”
“Sure, why not?” Tony said casually. He is actually where the guys are now – with his sunglasses lowered.
“That means there are three of us now, right?” Wallace asked.
Ehlo turns back to Wallace. “Huo, are you sure you can live it down with him joining in? His winning might be your lost.”
Wallace smiles. “And vice versa.”
Tony points his sunglasses at Wallace. “If you’re thinking that I’m confessing to Xin Ling xiao shi mei, then you got it all wrong big time.”
Wallace stands up, smiling. “Who is the lucky girl then?”
“Wipe that smile off and admit defeat since I got a great plan. And I wouldn’t mind telling you who it is either.”
“I think most of us got it straightened out already,” Jacky jumped in. “Only Wallace is the one still clueless. “
“Okay then. But how about betting on a meal?”
“If you want to go out and eat, just say so. You don’t have to use this bet as an excuse.”
Tony points his sunglasses at Jacky that time. “That’s where you’re wrong. I meant if anyone loses, they’ll have to suffer Qiao’s cooking for a month.”
The other three guys burst out laughing at the same time after realizing Tony’s serious. Even Ehlo couldn’t stand straight anymore. When they regain themselves again, Ehlo’s the first to speak up.
“I think that’s even more torturous than being called a turtle and a slime frog.” He signals at Tony. “Thumbs up, man. You definitely have style.”
Tony points with his sunglasses again. “So, are you guys in or out?”
“In. Definitely in.” He turns to Wallace. “Well, Huo? What about you? The bet too great for you?”
“Never,” Wallace said with much confidence. “I’m in. “
“What are you guys ‘in’ on then?” A voice behind them – yet again – asked.
They turn around to see Angela, Sam, and Sonia walking in. Surprisingly, the person who spoke up seconds before is Sam – and not the other too usually chatty ones.
“Great timing,” Tony said. “How about a bet?”
The other three are in front of them now and are looking at all four guys, trying to figure out what they’re up to. Sonia walks towards Jacky and gives him a questioning look.
Jacky flashes on his charming smile. “It wasn’t my fault this time.”
“Come on, Sonia,” Ehlo interfered. “You can’t blame my buddy. He’s just a witness this time.”
Sonia turns her attention away from Jacky and towards the other guys again, waiting for an explanation.
“The short version, Huang and Huo are betting on our confession, but Sun decided to join in on our bet,” Wallace summarized quickly.
Angela looks from one to the other again. “You guys are betting on your confession? How crazy can you guys get?”
“The bottom line is – don’t let the others know,” Ehlo said. “I mean besides from the ones who are here now.”
“That involves the rest of the girls, right?”
“Shouldn’t you state who you’re confessing to first?” Sam asked. “So that we don’t slip it out by accident.”
Ehlo turns to look at the others first before turning back to Sam. “Good point so you wouldn’t ruin our plans. I’ll go first. Xiao Ru.”
“Too obvious!” The others exclaimed at the same time.
Ehlo gives them a quick scan. “If you guys spread it out and she finds out about it before we meet her at the fair, I’m so going to take you guys out.” He points his fingers at the others threateningly. “No dirty tricks to sabotage each other or two full weeks of enduring Qiao’s cooking.” Then he turns to Tony and Wallace. “Okay, you guys can go now.”
“No, wait,” Sam said again.
Tony is about to speak but since Sam cuts him off, he waits for Sam to continue.
“What is the time frame for the bet?” Sam asked.
“One week,” Ehlo said. “It doesn’t mean you try to confess within a week though. But you get one week to come up with a plan and do it right on next Friday. When we meet up during the festival, you have to tell us if you succeeded or not. If you didn’t succeed, you have to tell everyone who you confessed to and that you got rejected.”
Tony waves his sunglasses again. “Not to mention you have to endure Qiao’s cooking for a month.”
Angela eyes Ehlo. “You guys are too much.”
“That’s too mean,” Sonia said. “Qiao’s cooking isn’t that bad.”
Jacky pries Sonia’s hand from his shoulders. “Honey…take it easy. It wasn’t my idea.”
Sonia has been pressing down on Jacky’s shoulders without realizing it while she talks. It is now that she finally eases her pressure off.
“Don’t look at me,” Ehlo said in an innocent tone – almost too innocent to make it believable. “It wasn’t my idea either.”
Tony raises his sunglasses higher. “Sorry, it was mine. Just to make it more interesting. “
“All right, enough talk. Let’s…”
“I want to join too,” Sam said, cutting Ehlo off once again.
The others – including the girls – turn to look at Sam.
Tony points at Sam. “All right, brave one. Good to have you in on this competition.”
Angela looks at Sam. “You’re going to join in on this crazy competition too?”
Sam shrugs his shoulders. “Sure, why not? The guys say that I don’t take it easy enough. I might as well use this opportunity to have some fun.”
“Sure, have fun eating Qiao’s food too,” Ehlo added.
“Who says I’m going to lose?” Sam retorted.
“We can’t all win, right?” Tony pointed out.
Angela turns to Tony. “That means you already have a plan?”
“Of course. And Yan’s going to be so surprised that…”
“Yan?” Sam asked, confused.
“Of course it’s Yan. Who did you think it was? And what about you?”
“Xiao Qiao, who else?” Ehlo jumped in before Sam could answer.
“Guilty,” Sam confirmed.
As if from Tony’s command, the others turn to look at Wallace since he hasn’t disclosed his yet.
“Uh…” Wallace hesitated.
“You mean it’s not Xin Ling xiao shi mei?” Tony asked.
“I never said it’s her, did I?”
“What?!” Sam exclaimed, as confused as ever.
“You guys are just too confusing,” Angela blurted out with frustration. “I’m going off to lunch.”
After she says that, she turns and walks to the door. Halfway there, she spots Cyndi walking in. She puts on her friendly smile again. “Hey, Cyn. Let’s go since the guys are a bit crazy at the moment.”
“What?” Cyndi asked, confused.
Angela tugs on Cyndi’s hand to go as Cyndi turns around to look at the group gathered around the desks.
“I guess they just don’t appreciate a little guy competition, huh?” Ehlo asked, still looking after the girls. He then extends his hand out. “So how about we seal this deal, guys?”
All three – Sam, Tony, and Wallace – reach their hand out to put it on Ehlo’s.
Jacky stands up at that time. “I guess we’re witnesses then?”
The others have already taken their hand back and are standing up straight again.
“You bet you are,” Ehlo said.
“How can you guys take it so easy?” Sonia sked. “It’s not like going grocery shopping or something. This is a confession.”
Tony smiles. “You got to live dangerously, right?”
Jacky tugs on Sonia’s hand. “Forget them. Let’s go answer to the call of our hunger.”
Tony looks around the room. “Orchids in?”
“She left with Vincent a bit ago already,” Wallace replied. “Jacky and I were just waiting for you guys before closing for lunch.”
As Jacky and Sonia are heading for the door, the others are doing the same. After all of them pass by the door, Wallace locks it up before joining them. Since Angela, Sam, and Sonia took the Taxi earlier, they only have to follow their ride for now. Sam ends up going with Ehlo and Wallace since Tony has to stop somewhere before he could join them for lunch. Ehlo got dropped off earlier by Johnny so that’s why he’s going with the other two guys as well. Tony is the first to leave while the others are hold behind because Sam calls after them again.
“What now?” Ehlo asked impatiently.
“Food doesn’t wait, you know,” Wallace seconded.
“Valerie said that she won’t be able to make it to the mid-autumn festival with us,” Sam informed them.
Sonia turns to Sam. “Why not?”
“She didn’t tell you?”
Sonia shakes her head.
“She told me when we finished our segment earlier. She said that she was thinking of going overseas to pursue her career further since one of the producers over there really like her style. She’s going over there to check things out first before she decides for sure.”
“Wow. I guess our station is really going under.”
“Ray will definitely love that,” Jacky commented with a hint of sarcasm. “He wants to dominate the charts, you know.”
Sonia slaps his shoulder.
Jacky smiles. “Stop hanging around Qiao too much.”
“She’s your sister after all. Hard to avoid.”
“So that’s the news?” Wallace asked. “Let’s go eat then.”
“I wonder where the other two girls went,” Ehlo mumbled.
“Probably Angela couldn’t stand your weirdness,” Jacky said.
“Whatever, Back-stabber.”
“I wonder if they invited Melody and Penny along,” Wallace pondered.
“Possibly,” Jacky said, looking at his watch. “Okay, now you guys are getting off subject. Let’s go eat.”
They finally leave for their car at last – like many times before – and meet at a restaurant for lunch.
© Sunday, March 1st, 2009
Posted: Saturday, March 14th, 2009