Fan Fiction |
by manggang_hilaw
***
The next day.
Ximen, and Mei Zhou were already at the restaurant having lunch when Ah Si came.
“Ah Si…you’re late.” Ximen stopped eating briefly to note Ah Si’s presence.
“Sorry. The meeting ran late.” Ah Si apologized as he sat down next to Mei Zhou. “Where’s Lei?” he asked
“He called to say he’ll be late….oh here he is now.” Mei Zhou answered.
“Sorry guys, I was up all night talking to someone so I overslept.” Lei shrugged, as he took the last empty seat by the table.
Mei Zhou and Ximen rolled their eyes at this. Ah Si on the other hand just looked at him strangely.
“What?” Lei asked Ah Si.
Ah Si’s expression was inscrutable, even Mei Zhou noticed it.
“What’s with you Ah Si?”
“Are you with someone now Lei?” Ah Si suddenly asked.
Ximen and Mei Zhou looked surprised at the question. They looked at Lei for guidance.
“What makes you think I’m with someone?” Lei laughed.
“Are you serious about her?” Ah Si persisted.
Lei looked confused at this line of questioning. What did Ah Si mean by asking him those things? “Serious about whom?”
“Because if you’re not, Shan Cai will have your head.” Ah Si replied enigmatically.
“What has Shan Cai have to do….” Lei started to ask, then stopped as he realized what Ah Si was leading to. “How did you find out?”
“Find out what?” Ximen asked in confusion. Mei Zhou sported a similar look.
Ah Si ignored the two. “They saw each other yesterday.”
Lei sighed. Was this part of Xiao You’s plan? How come she didn’t tell him? “What exactly did she tell Shan Cai?” Lei had to ask.
“What?” Ximen and Mei Zhou asked in unison.
“I’m opening a restaurant.” Lei answered to divert Ximen and Mei Zhou’s attention.
“You are? That’s great!” Mei Zhou commented.
“Does that mean that you’ll be staying in Taiwan for good now?” Ximen asked.
“Yes Lei, will you be staying here for good now?” Ah Si inquired, giving Lei a look that implied there was more to that simple question.
“I’ll only be here for a month or so, then someone’s taking over.” Lei refused to answer Ah Si’s unspoken question.
“Does she know this?” Ah Si just couldn’t let it go.
“Who asked for your opinion anyway?” Lei bit out at Ah Si in exasperation, using his friend’s favorite expression against him.
Ximen and Mei Zhou’s identical looks of surprise was so comical, Lei had to laugh.
Ah Si didn’t seem to mind. “She’s a nice girl Lei and I’m glad she’s with you now. I know Shan Cai is. But …” he stopped, unsure of how to proceed.
“But?” Lei asked quietly.
“But if you hurt her…Shan Cai will feel it twice over.” Ah Si explained.
Lei understood. If he hurt Xiao You, it would be like a betrayal of the worst kind.
Shan Cai loved Xiao You as a best friend could, but he always knew he had a special place in Shan Cai’s heart. She would never get over the disappointment should he fall from the pedestal she had placed him on. Lei looked at Ah Si for the longest time and just like always, felt a little pinch somewhere in the vicinity of his heart.
The silence at the table should have grown uncomfortable, but somehow it hadn’t. And because it hadn’t, Lei smiled, feeling lighter than he had in years. For all Ah Si’s faults, Lei knew, Shan Cai had ended up with the right man for her, and so that part of Lei that hadn’t quite learned to let go yet, finally did after three long years.
Just as Lei was about to explain to Ah Si, someone’s mobile suddenly rang. The four friends looked at each other in surprise. The phone rang again and Lei realized it was his.
“Wei?” The three looked at him as he answered the phone. Lei looked to be listening intently at the person on the line. “Ok, I’ll meet you there now. Bye.” He hung up the phone and moved to stand up. “Sorry guys, have to go…” he apologized.
“Was it her?” Ah Si asked.
Lei nodded, already starting to walk away. “Let’s meet at VS again later ok?” he added as he took off.
The three men watched Lei walk away and when he disappeared from view, Mei Zhou finally asked. “Who were you talking about?” He was dying of curiousity.
“Xiao You.” Ah Si answered simply as he started to eat, oblivious to Ximen’s look of shock and Mei Zhou’s look of concern as he took in his friend’s reaction.
***
Ximen didn’t know how he got through the lunch without making a fool of himself. Everything became a blur after Ah Si said Xiao You’s name. How could that be? She’s in Canada! He had always wished that Xiao You find someone more worthy of her love but he never thought it would be Lei of all people! How did that come about? He had attempted to cover up his shock by feigning boredom with the whole issue, but he could feel Mei Zhou’s probing gaze at every turn. Ah Si was unaware and for once Ximen was glad of his friend’s obtuseness. He wasn’t up to dealing with heavy stuff right then so he made his excuses as quickly as he could, avoiding Mei Zhou’s attempt at talking to him.
He didn’t go back to his office, instead, he took a walk. He wasn’t aware of how long or how far he’d walked and was surprised to see he was back to that place where it all started. He took in the sight of the sidewalk where he saw her crying her eyes out for her no-good boyfriend. How he wished he had never stepped out of the car to talk to her then. He sighed. “I should be glad she ended up with Lei. Lei’s a good man. He had shown how good he was in the way he cared for Shan Cai.” Ximen thought. He suddenly recalled their conversation at the bar just before Xiao You found them to show him Xiao Geng’s billboard. He almost laughed at the irony of the whole thing. He and Mei Zhou always thought Lei spent all his time abroad to get over Shan Cai but he never dreamt Lei was spending all those times with Xiao You.
Ximen rubbed his chest as he felt that familiar tightening in the vicinity of his heart “It’s nothing." he thought. “It’s probably just my ulcer acting up. Just gas. Yes, that’s all it was. Just gas.”