Fan Fiction |
by ianne
F4 Pub opening night. At one side, Xi Men playing billiards, and Mei Zhuo shooting darts. At the bar, Lei checks out wine. Dao Ming Si is moving around, making sure everything’s ok. Shan Cai, Xiao You and Xiao Qiao sit together in a private booth. Qing He tries to get autographs from the celebrities present. House is packed. A famous band is performing.
Xiao You excuses herself to go the bathroom. Mei Zhuo sees her pass by. he goes near Xi Men at the pool table. He persuades Xi Men to talk to Xiao You. Xi Men continues to play billiards and pretends not to hear Mei Zhuo. Xiao You comes out of the restroom. Mei Zhuo calls her and she approaches them. Mei Zhuo tries to get them into a conversation.
PRIVATE BOOTH
Three drunk guys try to get Shan Cai and Xiao Qiao to dance with them. The two politely reject them but the drunkards persist. Dao Ming Si notices the scene and walks up to them.
DAO MING SI
(to the drunks)
What can I do for you?
DRUNK #1
Nothing! None of your damn business!
DRUNK #2
We’re just asking these ladies to come dance with us, you go away!
DAO MING SI
(controls his patience)
Excuse me sirs, but I believe the ladies declined. Maybe you’re the ones that should go.
POOL TABLE AREA
MEI ZHUO
Xiao You, how are you?
XIAO YOU
I’m good.
MEI ZHUO
You’re prettier than I remember last seeing you, right Xi Men?
Mei Zhuo elbows Xi Men, trying to get him to talk.
XI MEN
I heard you are buying your old house, how’s it?
XIAO YOU
Um, I have settled it with the bank. I only have to get a regular job so I can help my folks with the payments.
MEI ZHUO
You are looking for a job?
XIAO YOU
Yeah, I had a number of interviews the past week and got call backs, but none definite yet.
MEI ZHUO
Xi Men, aren’t you looking for a new executive assistant? Why not offer Xiao You the job?
PRIVATE BOOTH
DRUNK #3
(to Dao Ming Si)
Who do you think you are, some high and mighty master?!
One of the drunks grabs Shan Cai by the arm and she screams. Dao Ming Si punches him on the face. The drunk lands on the next table and breaks it. Xi Men and Mei Zhuo hears the commotion. Mei Zhuo sees the other drunk grab Xiao Qiao by the arm. He quickly rushes over to kick his ass. Xi Men gets over there too and handles the third drunk.
Lei turns around from the bar and sees the fight going on, resulting to broken tables, chairs, glasses and overhead lamps. He takes out his wallet, calls the captain (the head waiter) and hands him cash. Lei tells him to get what’s broken fixed. He calls the bouncers and get them to throw the three drunks out.
After the bar fight, everything goes back to normal. The band plays another set, while party people dance and shout as if nothing happened.
Dao Ming Si approaches Shan Cai and Mei Zhuo approaches Xiao Qiao. They check if their ladies ok. They all take their seats and have drinks.
SHAN CAI
A fight on F4’s opening night, would that be bad for business?
MEI ZHUO
Fights are common in pubs, we should have expected it.
XI MEN
Yeah, we know better than anyone else. We get into one of those every now and then.
LEI
But now the tables are turned. I now know how bar owners feel when we just compensate them for the damages.
DAO MING SI
I know what you mean, if we aren’t F4, they had banned us from their pubs!
They laugh.
QING HE
But now they don’t have to worry, you have now your own pub to go to! Now they got competition instead!
DAO MING SI
I’m not worried. But they should be, I’m a man of “size.”
SHAN CAI
It’s sense, not size!
INT. XI MEN’S OFFICE - DAY
Xi Men stares out at the glass wall, and recalls Mei Zhuo’s words.
MEI ZHUO (V.O.)
After she came back the last time because of you, aren’t you curious at all why she is back again?
INT. PASTRY SHOP
Xiao You just finished her shift at the pastry shop. Xi Men comes in.
XI MEN
Are you free for coffee?
Xiao You feels uneasy but agrees to come with him.
INT. COFFEE HOUSE
Xi Men calls the waiter and orders black coffee.
XIAO YOU
You still like black coffee.
Xi Men smiles. The waiter askes for Xiao You’s order.
XIAO YOU
Espresso.
Xi Men smiles again knowingly at the thought that it is the same coffee he ordered for her back then.
XI MEN
You know about coffee already.
XIAO YOU
Not really. In Toronto, there’s a Starbucks on my way to the university. I usually stop by there for my morning coffee. But I have to admit, I did develop a coffee addiction.
They half-laugh. Coffee arrive. They take a sip from their cups. An awkward silence follows. Wanting to break the ice, they both speak at the same time and feel more awkward.
XI MEN
You first.
XIAO YOU
Actually, I’m wondering why you came to the pastry shop. It can’t be just to talk about coffee.
XI MEN
I, um, I have a favor to ask from you.
XIAO YOU
Ask away.
XI MEN
I hope you’d come and work in my company.
XIAO YOU
That’s not asking a favor; you’re giving me a job.
XI MEN
What do you think?
XIAO YOU
Umm, I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m capable of doing the job.
XI MEN
You could, you’re a smart girl.
XIAO YOU
(smiles curtly)
What will that job be?
XI MEN
My assistant’s wife is giving birth, so he’s taking a paternal leave. For the meantime, you’d replace him.
Afterwards, you’d be transferred to the marketing department. So, how about it?
Xiao You thinks it over and debates in her head if it is a good idea.
XIAO YOU
Why me? I’m sure there are other qualified applicants who have experience. I’m just a fresh graduate.
XI MEN
You got me. Actually, I have been trying to come up with a way to thank you for what you did for me the last time you came back here. The idea came to me when Mei Zhuo mentioned it in the pub.
XIAO YOU
Oh, that’s why. But it was no big deal really. It was just something I wanted to do. Even I thought I may have done something that wasn’t any of my business.
XI MEN
Since then I had been thinking of how many buildings you went through to find that one. There couldn’t have been just a few of them.
(beat)
When you went back to Canada, many times I picked up the phone and tried to call you but --
XIAO YOU
It’s alright. I wouldn’t know what to say anyway.
XI MEN
So this time, I really want to take this chance to show my gratitude. Will you accept the job? Just try it and see.
XIAO YOU
(beat)
Yes.
XI MEN
(smiles widely)
Thanks.
XIAO YOU
I should be the one thanking you. Thanks for offering me the job.
XI MEN
Don’t mention it. Come, I’d drive you home.
INT. MOVING CAR – NIGHT
Xiao You glimpse sat Xi Men, who is focused on the road.
XIAO YOU (V.O.)
I know accepting this job is not the best idea, to be this close to this man who can’t be emotionally available for me. But I traveled thousands of miles already, and I’m just a few inches away from him.
Xiao You focuses her gaze on the road ahead.
INT. XI MEN CORP. - LOBBY
Xiao You starts working for Xi Men. He introduces her to his uncle, the general manager.
XI MEN’S UNCLE
You have such a pretty lady as your assistant, you sure you can concentrate in your work?
XI MEN
(chuckles)
Don’t worry uncle. Miss Xiao You and I are good friends, right Xiao You?
Xiao You smiles and nods.
INT. XI MEN’S OFFICE
Xiao You knocks on Xi Men’s office door and brings him coffee.
XI MEN
Thanks, Xiao You. You shouldn’t have.
XIAO YOU
It’s ok, it’s my job.
XI MEN
Did I get any calls while I’m out?
XIAO YOU
Just a couple. President Xi Men called and said he had to stay in Singapore for a day longer. He asked for you to cover for him at the meeting with the managers tomorrow.
XI MEN
You spoke with my dad?
XIAO YOU
Yeah. And a Miss Qian stopped by around noon looking for you.
XI MEN
Miss Qian? Did I have an appointment with her?
XIAO YOU
No. she wasn’t able to give me her full name. The phone rang. After I took the call, she disappeared.
XI MEN
What was the call?
XIAO YOU
It’s Mr. Go’s admin. She wants to confirm your RSVP for their company’s anniversary gala.
XI MEN
When is it?
XIAO YOU
This coming Thursday night at eight.
XI MEN
Ok, tell them we’re coming.
XIAO YOU
(points to herself and Xi Men)
We?
XI MEN
Of course.
XIAO YOU
Alright.
Xiao You smiles affirmly and Xi Men returns it with a wide smile. Xiao You heads for the door as fast as she could because she can’t contain the butterflies in her stomach.
INT. HOTEL BALLROOM
Xi Men and Xiao You arrive at the party. Xiao You is wearing a simple white babydoll dress, and has her hair down instead of the usual bun she dons during office hours. Although dressed simply, she looks pretty darn cute. Xi Men can't barely hide his admiration and can’t stop stealing glances at her. MR. GO approaches them and Xi Men introduces Xiao you to him.
MR. GO
You must be Xi Men’s girlfriend.
Xiao You shyly shakes her head.
MR. GO
Well, not yet. I won’t believe Xi Men here will just pass on such a beautiful girl.
XI MEN
(lightly chuckles)
We’re just regular friends, Mr. Go. Where’s the wife?
MR. GO
Oh, she’s with Mrs. Qian. Those two are good friends. They haven’t seen each to her for sometime when Mrs. Qian moved to Bangkok. But she’s here now with her daughter. Come, I’d introduce you.
Xi Men greets MRS. GO and she introduces him to MRS. QIAN, who Xi Men recognizes as Xiao Gen’s mother.
MRS. QIAN
Xi Men, you have grown up!
MR. GO
You know each other?
MRS. QIAN
He and my daughter were childhood playmates.
Mrs. Qian calls XIAO GEN, who is standing at the buffet table picking out sweets. She comes up to them and smiles politely. Xiao You is shocked speechless, but Xi Men regains composure almost immediately.
XIAO GEN
Hi Xi Men, long time no see.
XI MEN
Long time no see.
They don’t know what to say afterwards. Mr. Go takes Xi Men away to introduce him to his business associates who wants to meet Xi Men.
LADIES’ ROOM
Xiao You, trying to get over her shock, disappears into the ladies room. She washes her hands over the sink.
XIAO YOU (V.O.)
So that’s Xiao Gen, Xi Men’s first and only love.
Xiao Gen’s reflection appears on the mirror and Xiao You notices her. Xiao Gen washes her hand at the next sink.
XIAO GEN
Hi. Xiao You, right? I’m Xiao Gen. I came by your office the other day.
XIAO YOU
I remember. Hi.
XIAO GEN
Xi Men must be surprised to see me. We grew up together, but we haven’t seen each other for a few years already.
Xiao You smiles politely.
XIAO GEN
If you don’t mind me asking, you’re Xi Men’s girlfriend, right?
XIAO YOU
No. I’m just his assistant.
XIAO GEN
You can’t just be. I saw the way he looked at you when you both were talking to Mr. Go. Besides, managers don’t just take out their assistants outside business hours, even if it’s work-related.
XIAO YOU
We’re friends. One of his best friends is the boyfriend of my best friend. But we don’t go beyond that.
XIAO GEN
I’m sorry, I must be imposing. It’s really none of my business.
XIAO YOU
It’s ok.
XIAO GEN
But it’s really good to see him again.
For the rest of the evening, Xi Men talks to business associates and clients. He doesn’t talk again to Xiao Gen. He only comes up to Xiao You when they’re going home.
INT. CAR
During the ride, Xi Men and Xiao You don’t speak a word to each other. Xi Men pulls up in front of her house.
XIAO YOU
Thanks for bringing me home.
XI MEN
I’d walk you up.
EXT. XIAO YOU’S HOUSE – FRONT DOOR – NIGHT
They reach Xiao You’s front door. They stand in front of each other but can’t meet each other’s eyes.
XI MEN
Thanks for coming with me. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to attend to you the whole night.
XIAO YOU
It’s ok, you were conducting business.
Awkward silence.
XI MEN
I’d be going then.
XIAO YOU
You take care.
Xi Men starts to walk back to his car, then he turned around.
XI MEN
Please don’t tell Xiao Gen we saw the sign.
XIAO YOU
I won’t...but you should.
Xi Men nods once. He steps in his car and drives off. When she can no longer see his car, she finally goes inside her house.