Trying
BastardMei Lin lifts her dead weight of a hand and knocks on the door of Henry’s manor. Had it not been for Zi Tao telling Mei Lin which condo that Yi Fan liked the most, it would’ve taken much longer for her to get here. Henry personally opens the door, knowing who it is, but is disappointed that she seems dressed for work. “Can I come in?” Mei Lin asks after Henry stares at her for a second too long.
“Uh, yeah,” Henry says, stepping back to let Mei Lin in. “Did you eat yet?”
“Not really,” Mei Lin sighs, having completely forgotten about food.
“What do you mean ‘not really’?” Henry asks as he leads them to the kitchen.
“I mean I haven’t really eaten anything since breakfast,” Mei Lin admits.
Henry suddenly looks mad. “It’s one thing for that boy to take your time, but now he’s affecting your health?” Mei Lin bites her lip as she reconsiders telling Henry about what had just happened at the office. Henry sighs and hands Mei Lin a mug of tea, “At least he won’t be a problem for you much longer.”
“What do you mean?” Mei Lin asks, taking the mug into her hands.
“Bai Fu called me this morning and said the board was having a meeting to discuss the termination of Yi Fan’s services,” Henry smirks. “Though, the only thing he’s been good for this company is stumbling across you and subsequently finding a better replacement.” Henry notices that Mei Lin bites her lip even harder, “You’re getting another promotion, Mei; smile.”
“He’s not getting fired,” Mei Lin says slowly and quietly while staring into her half-empty mug.
“What do you mean, of course he is,” Henry says, not understanding what Mei Lin is saying.
Mei Lin simply shakes her head, “I wouldn’t allow it.”
“What do you mean you ‘wouldn’t allow it’?” Henry asks, almost forgetting about the food. So he didn’t make you…? This was your idea?
“I said I would leave if they fired him,” Mei Lin says, realizing how stupid that sounds and how Henry might see it. “That includes everything that I’ve provided for this company—”
“Where would you have gone?” Henry asks. This is insane.
Mei Lin shrugs, “I had many other offers before I graduated; I’m sure they would be very interested in my designs.”
“Mei,” Henry says. “He’s not worth it.” He doesn’t deserve you.
“How so?” Mei Lin asks.
“He wouldn’t do the same for you.”
“You don’t know that,” Mei Lin frowns. How many times have you told me that Yi Fan isn’t as bad as he seems? Why are you suddenly like this?
“Yes, I do know that,” Henry says, exaggerating a bit. “He’s a selfish prat, Mei, and you could’ve gotten out of working under that—”
“The ‘selfish prat’ is the one who told me to be here tonight,” Mei Lin points out. Don’t talk about him like that; putting him down like that also puts me down.
Why are you defending him? “So where would you have been otherwise had your boss not tell you what to do with your personal life?” Henry says, serving the both of them. Don’t tell me he’s the only reason why you’re here.
“Home,” Mei Lin says. Though I would more likely be at the hotel to make sure he was alright.
Henry sighs in defeat and starts to eat. I really can’t win. “His father is going to go out of his way to—”
“I know,” Mei Lin says. “Just promise me you won’t do anything to try to fix this.”
Henry stares at Mei Lin because what she’s asking is absurd. “What?” You can’t honestly expect me to stand back and let you get—
“This is between the Wu’s and I decided to throw myself in there,” Mei Lin says. I did that a long time ago… “There’s no need for you to get dirty.”
“Mei—”
“Hin Wah,” Mei Lin says, looking dead into Henry’s eyes. “Promise me that you’ll stay out of this.”
Henry chews what’s left in his mouth and swallows hard. “Only if we never have to talk about Kevin again.” We always end up talking about him… “Not willingly at least. If he did something—”
“Hin Wah,” Mei Lin smiles. “Let’s not talk about it anymore; it’s been a long day.”
“You want to talk about that?” Henry asks. Just don’t linger on Kevin.
Mei Lin thinks about it but realizes that would require Mei Lin to reveal the happenings of the Wu family. “No.”
Henry smiles and they finish dinner with stolen kisses and glances. They spend the night watching a movie and end up falling asleep together on the couch. They both wake up shortly before dawn, realizing what they had just done. “Not exactly what I had in mind when you said you were going to make it up to me,” Henry says, sitting up and stretching.
Mei Lin stretches as well. Sleeping on the couch beside one another had left the both of them very stiff. “Are you disappointed?” Mei Lin teases.
“I don’t even remember the movie,” Henry says.
“We fell asleep,” Mei Lin points out. “I think that means it wasn’t interesting.”
“That, or we were very tired,” Henry says.
Mei Lin walks over to Henry and puts her arms around his neck. “Well, we’re well rested now,” she says, tilting her head while keeping her eyes on his.
He drops his stretched arms and rests them around Mei Lin’s waist. “I thought you were a people pleaser, Mei,” Henry says, leaning down so that their foreheads touched.
Mei Lin leans back against Henry’s arms, balancing on her heels while hanging from Henry’s neck to create some space between them so that she could see his expression clearly. “Are you telling me that you’re not pleased?” Mei Lin asks sarcastically.
“Well,” Henry says, tilting his head around as if he was pondering the thought, “I wouldn’t say ‘not pleased,’ more like: not satisfied.” He looks down at Mei Lin on the last word with a bit of a grin.
Mei Lin takes that as her cue to rock forward and stand on her toes so that there’s no longer any space between their playful words. Henry welcomes the contact, enclosing his arms even more so around Mei Lin’s body. Mei Lin tightens this embrace further by encircling her arms all the way around Henry’s neck. By the time Mei Lin’s back is back on the couch, the two are in need of air but this time, Mei Lin would not let Henry get the upper hand. She forces herself slightly upright, pushing her body up against Henry’s, until she can reach neck. Henry shudders at the unexpected contact, dropping almost all of his weight on Mei Lin. It’s a good thing that collared shirts cover the neck because Mei Lin is leaving marks.
I should let her be in control more often if that means—Henry’s train of thought is cut short when Mei Lin moves lower to his collarbone. He shivers again and practically melts, making it easy for Mei Lin to turn them over and rest on top of Henry.
Mei Lin starts to get bored with what little access she has so she goes back to Henry’s lips while her fingers get to work on his buttons. Henry rests his arms and hands on Mei Lin’s back to steady himself and her. Why do you always wear a tank top under your dress shirts? Regardless, she lets her hands roam the landscape of Henry’s well-toned physique. They travel slowly even though she knows every dip, curve and scape by heart. Her hand slips under the tank top, which causes Henry to stop breathing for a moment. Mei Lin’s fingers trace circles and other shapes to distract Henry from their deep kiss, giving her almost complete control.
It’s not long before Henry gets impatient and suddenly sits up, causing them both to be upright. He decides to return the favor by slipping his hand under Mei Lin’s tank top, teasing her with lingering touches. There’s a pause in Mei Lin’s actions because of this new onset of stimuli but that’s all that Henry needs to force Mei Lin back against the couch and to pin her down. He breaks their kiss for a moment to look into her swimming eyes. I always win. And Mei Lin smiles at the knowing look that she’s being given.
As the two breathe heavily through their noses in attempt to calm their hearts, Mei Lin moves her arms slowly underneath Henry and tugs at his dress shirt a bit before Henry shifts from his propped position, allowing it to be removed. He tosses the shirt to the side and they lock eyes again. Mei Lin pouts a bit and tugs a bit at the hem of Henry’s fitting tank top. Even though she can clearly see his figure, Mei Lin finds him more appealing otherwise. Henry smirks a bit and straddles Mei Lin as he pulls off his tank top and tosses it aside as well. He comes back down for a kiss as Mei Lin’s hands practically massage Henry’s newly exposed skin, causing him to smirk into their kiss.
Henry moves his hands to Mei Lin’s neck to bring them even closer together and Mei Lin arches her back as a result of the sudden rush of serotonin. Henry quickly takes this opportunity to pull at Mei Lin’s tank top. It reluctantly comes off after much squirming from Mei Lin’s end as she struggles to have control again. Henry slides his thumbs under Mei Lin’s bra causing her to squirm even more as if this was the first time. Henry chuckles to himself but brushes Mei Lin’s hair with his hands to relax and remind her that she’s in good hands. She’s about to be reminded just how good his hands are when Xue walks unknowingly into the living room and leaves even quicker at the moment she just interrupted.
The couple stops but when they turn to look what the cause of the “eep” was there was no one. “Was that my maid?” Henry asks, even though he doesn’t really care at the moment.
“Yup,” Mei Lin sighs, not caring either. Though when Henry turns his head back to Mei Lin, something’s different. Mei Lin sighs, knowing full well the mood was ruined. Henry sighs as well and gets up, thus allowing Mei Lin to sit up. “At least she didn’t see anything.”
Henry grabs their clothes from the floor and hands Mei Lin her tank top. “She has impeccable timing.”
“Don’t fire her,” Mei Lin says with a bit of a giggle as she pulls her tank top over her head.
“Why won’t you let me fire anybody?” Henry asks teasingly. “I know you got Kevin to not fire you but that doesn’t mean that I can’t fire people.”
“Don’t fire them for the wrong reasons,” Mei Lin says. “And I thought we weren’t going to talk about him.”
“I guess you’re right,” Henry says. “If I had fired Bai Fu, I might not have ever known about the board meeting and Kevin would’ve never—”
“You’re the one who told him about it?” Mei Lin asks. I thought you would’ve jumped at chance he was getting fired.
Henry shrugs, “I thought he had a right to know seeing how he is technically a board member.”
“It’s not like he ever attends those meetings anyways,” Mei Lin sighs. “What did you say to him?”
“I told him that something big was going down,” Henry says. Not like he would’ve cared. “After asking what has gotten into his dad.”
Mei Lin keeps shut and nods as she sits on Henry’s lap. “You should put your clothes back on,” she says, noting that both his shirt and tank top are still clutched in his hand.
“Why?” Henry asks, burying his face into the back of Mei Lin’s shoulder. “I thought you liked me better this way.”
“Well, yes,” Mei Lin admits, blushing a bit, “But I’m also hungry.”
Henry groans in protest even though he’s also hungry. He hugs Mei Lin tighter against his bare chest, encouraging her to lean back and rest on him for a moment longer. “Mei,” Henry says as he tries to sort the words out in his head.
“Hm?” Mei Lin hums, wondering why Henry’s taking so long to say something.
“Would you—” No, it’s too soon to ask her that. “Could you sing for me?”
That’s not your real question. Mei Lin tries to think of a song, not wanting to press whatever it is that’s really on Henry’s mind. “The best thing about to night is that we’re not fighting. Could it be that we have been this way before? I know you don’t think that I am trying. I know you’re wearing thin down to the core.” Henry frowns as Mei Lin takes deep breath for the chorus. “But hold your breath/Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you/ Over again; don’t make me change my mind/ Or I won’t live to see another day. I swear it’s true/ Because a boy like you is impossible to find/ You’re impossible to find.”
Henry smiles and kisses the back of Mei Lin’s neck, shift to indicate that he’s ready to get up now. Mei Lin holds Henry’s shirt as he pulls his tank top over his head and helps him slip it on. Henry’s arms stay by his side even though they are tempted to rest on Mei Lin’s waist where they fit perfectly. He simply watches Mei Lin’s caring expression as she carefully buttons each button from the bottom up. Her touch is gentle as she brushes the fabric in attempt to smooth out the wrinkles. Mei Lin looks up at Henry when she’s done and there’s a small smirk on his face.
“What?” Mei Lin asks, finding this soft expression to be somewhat cute.
Henry shakes his head a little bit with his eyes closed. “It’s nothing,” he smiles.
Mei Lin brushes it off and takes Henry’s wrist to lead him to the kitchen where Xue has a meal set up. She avoids eye contact and is trying desperately to hide a blush until Mei Lin smiles softly. They eat with little conversation and eye contact. Though this is not odd for the couple, the distant look in Henry’s eyes prompts Mei Lin to ask, “What’s on your mind?” when he takes her empty bowl.
“Nothing,” Henry says softly.
Mei Lin keeps her eyes on Henry silently until he sits back down with the same distant look. “Hin Wah,” Mei Lin says just as softly to remind Henry that he can tell her just about anything.
Henry bites his lip and chews on it for a bit, leaning hard on his folded arms that are on the table. “Mei Lin-ah,” Henry says, slowly. He pauses, letting Mei Lin to process the mood he’s trying to set. He hesitates again before finally saying even more softly and slowly, “Have you ever thought about getting married?”
Mei Lin’s expression goes unchanged which causes Henry to become even more nervous, regretting what he had just said. But she looks to the side and says, “Yes.”
Though Henry never specified whom, it relieves Henry that the concept is something she’s considered. It doesn’t have to be me just yet and she doesn’t even have to…It’s just nice to know that it’s occurred to her.
Henry smiles as she adds, “You should’ve known that.” She looks down at her hands as she thinks back to the fantasies she had during her senior year of high school; how Junsu and herself would get married someday could he have stayed. Henry’s smile fades when Mei Lin’s expression darkens as she recalls her relationship with Victor and how she thought that they would make it. You think you know a person…
“Mei…” Henry reaches out to touch her hands but it does nothing to bring Mei Lin back from the recesses of her mind. How can you be here and gone all at the same time? I have you but I don’t… “Mei Lin-ah.” He rubs his pads over her fingers. That coupled with the pain in his voice slowly pulls Mei Lin back to this world. He moves his hand further up and rests it on her wrist donning the watch that he gave her. I can wait. Mei Lin smiles and Henry mirrors her but they both know that it’s bittersweet. He had hurt you so badly…
I’m sorry… “I should get to the office.”
“It’s a Sunday,” Henry points out, not wanting her to leave.
“I have work to do,” Mei Lin says. Henry pouts but she stands up anyways and makes her way to his room where her things are. At this point, Mei Lin not only as a drawer in Henry’s room, but also a small part of his walk-in closet and even her own sink in his bathroom. “You know,” she says casually, “Maybe I should just move in. Half of my things are here anyways.”
Henry chuckles to himself, wondering if Mei Lin is truly teasing. “You’re more than welcome to.”
“Really?” Mei Lin asks. “Aren’t you sick of me by now?”
Henry walks over and takes her bag from her before giving her a shallow but endearing kiss. Does that answer your question? He slings her bag over his shoulder and walks Mei Lin to her car. Why do you have so much stuff in your car?
She hugs him and subsequently gets her bag back before making her way back to her apartment. She showers and dresses in casual clothing before leaving again. Mei Lin is not going into the office but she wasn’t lying when she said she had work to do. She drives to Yi Fan’s new condo and texts Zi Tao to make sure that Yi Fan is picked up from the hotel and brought to this address.
The condo is very much like Henry’s manor with the exception that it’s only one story. The white washed walls are creamy and soft in contrast to the edges. The movers should be here soon… Mei Lin thinks as she checks her watch, referring to the furniture that she had bought. By the time that Yi Fan arrives, the condo is completely furnished in cream, black and silver.
“Wow,” Yi Fan says unintentionally. This is just my style.
“I’m glad you like it,” Mei Lin says with a bit of a prideful smile.
Zi Tao pokes his head around. “This room is empty.”
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted that to be a guest room or if you wanted that to be your office,” Mei Lin says.
“I already have an office,” Yi Fan says, looking around and noting that Mei Lin had placed all of his possessions in all the right places. He checks the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen which houses everything cookware to appliances to silverware. As if I could cook. “How much did it cost?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Mei Lin says.
“Did you pay for all this furnishings?” Zi Tao asks, somewhat surprised by this. Even though it probably shouldn’t by now.
“Mei,” Yi Fan says, not accepting the answer he knows is coming.
“I didn’t know if you would like it so I didn’t want to spend your money on something you wouldn’t like,” Mei Lin explains. I appreciate being trusted with your accounts but it’s still your money.
“How much do I owe you?” Yi Fan asks, not wanting to be indebted to anyone. Though, I get the feeling I will be regardless.
“I told you not to worry about it,” Mei Lin says. It’s not like I don’t have the money.
“Who are you to tell me what to do?” Yi Fan says.
Mei Lin shrugs, “Think of it as an early birthday present or my housewarming gift.” You’re not getting this information out of me. “I’ll leave you to your new home—”
“Where are you going?” Yi Fan asks.
“The office,” Mei Lin says. “I have paperwork and the charity dinner is—”
“I’ll take care of that,” Yi Fan says quickly, so fast that even Zi Tao raises an eyebrow. “It’s my job anyways.” I might as well start somewhere.
Since when did you care about such boring and tedious things? “You still have to settle into—”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” Yi Fan says again, trying to sound annoyed. I thought you would jump at the fact that I’m willingly going to do this.
“Are you telling me that you’re actually going to plan and attend this event?” Mei Lin asks, blinking rapidly to ensure that the scene before her is not some type of trick. Zi Tao waits eagerly for his boss’ response. It’s only a simple nod but it’s enough to make Zi Tao smile and chuckle silently to himself. “I still have work of my own to—”
“I’ll come with you,” he says.
Mei Lin stops staring at her boss and looks at Zi Tao who is snickering to himself. Does he know something that I don’t? “Um, okay.” I guess. “I have to get changed so I’ll meet you there.”
Yi Fan nods again and Mei Lin leaves after looking back a few times at her boss, checking for any sign that Yi Fan might be sick or a double. When the door closes, Yi Fan lets out a sigh and his shoulder slump a bit as a result. “What was that?” Zi Tao asks, trying his best not to let his laughter slip into his words.
Yi Fan frowns because Zi Tao’s laughter is a sign that he didn’t seem genuine. My attempt at being a better person. Zi Tao stops laughing and Yi Fan realizes that he had mumbled that aloud.
Zi Tao starts to chuckle again but stops after a few seconds when Yi Fan’s expression doesn’t change. “Oh, you’re serious,” Zi Tao says, realizing what that means. “You know this is just her personality, right?” She doesn’t expect anything in return.
Yi Fan walks into his room and picks out a casual formal outfit before changing. “I know,” Yi Fan says. “But I expect a lot of her and I ask for even more. It just doesn’t seem right.”
Zi Tao smirks, “You wouldn’t have given half a rat’s about that sort of thing a year ago—not even a year ago.”
Yi Fan sighs, having to agree with that statement. “I don’t know,” he sighs, “Something about her…makes you want to be better, but it’s not annoying like how Lau does it.” He fixes his blazer and walks out with Zi Tao behind him. I don’t know what I’m doing but I’ll try.
“If you want to be a better person,” Zi Tao says, knowing full well that it isn’t his place to suggest this. “Then stop resorting to alcohol and every time something bad happens.” Yi Fan stops and turns around to look at him. Zi Tao is surprised to find no anger in his boss’ complexion, but rather, he seems to be waiting for an explanation as to why Zi Tao would say that in particular when he surely has other flaws. “I think that’s the whole reason why she went so out of her way to help your mother.”
“What makes you say that?” Yi Fan asks.
Zi Tao shrugs to lighten the weight this conversation actually has. “I told her what I’ve noticed with you, you know, your habits—”
“When was this?” Yi Fan asks.
Zi Tao bites his lip a bit, not wanting to reveal the little agreement that happened between Mei Lin and himself. “The day you showed her The Pink Blossom. She was walking and I picked her up—”
“What did you tell her?” Yi Fan isn’t upset or mad, he just wants to know.
“That you tend to be self destructive when you—”
“So you’re telling me that she’s been doing all of this—that she went out of her way, spent all that money, just so I would feel better, so I would not resort to—”
“Yeah,” Zi Tao says regretfully, as if he has just revealed a huge secret. “Maybe.”
“Why?!” Why would she do something like that? “I treated her like back then and—” Yi Fan has to remind himself to breathe. “Who does that?!”
“Apparently she does, Kris,” Zi Tao says quietly, hoping that it would encourage Yi Fan to calm down.
The use of that nickname only adds to the severity of his realization. Zi Tao isn’t speaking as his driver; he’s speaking as his friend. “You didn’t tell her anything else, did you?”
Zi Tao shakes his head. Though I’m not sure how much she’s noticed.
“As if I didn’t already feel like an after she risked her job to save my sorry excuse for a human being,” Yi Fan sighs, rubbing his eyes. Not to mention furnish this place down to the towel.
“Why don’t you just fire her?” Zi Tao asks, seeing how much stress this is causing. “Letting her be your secretary only gives her more reason to be the way that she is.”
Yi Fan frowns. It’s not like he’s never thought about it before but for a reason that he can’t put his finger on, he doesn’t want Mei Lin to stop being the way that she is. Part of him even likes it because it’s a pleasant (and unexpected) surprise (underneath all the guilt) to see what she’ll do for him (and others) next. It’s nice to be treated this way; Lau is a lucky man. Though, I don’t think he needs her in that way. Wait. Did I just say that I need her?
Zi Tao watches confusingly as his boss has various thoughts and emotions flash behind his eyes and his mouth twists to match. “We shouldn’t keep her waiting,” Zi Tao finally says. “She’s expecting you.”
Yi Fan nods and continues his way down the hall and down the stairs, not wanting to wait for the elevator. Mei Lin is cleaning his office when he gets there and greets him with a smile. “I was starting to think you weren’t going to show up,” she says teasingly.
Yi Fan grabs some of the books that Mei Lin had dusted and helps to place them back on the shelves. He ignores the raised eyebrow that he gets and continues to help put things back where they belong. Mei Lin leaves to take care of her own work but stops when she realizes that her boss is following her. She doesn’t say anything and waits to see what it is that her boss needs. The silence pushes Yi Fan to speak first, “Do you need, uh…help with anything?” Yi Fan asks, trying to find something in Mei Lin’s plain office to plant his gaze.
Both of Mei Lin’s eyebrows shoot up and she can’t help but ask, “Sir, are you feeling alright?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” he asks, trying to sound offended.
“You’re acting,” Mei Lin pauses to think of the right word, “Weird.” What do you want?
“How so?” Yi Fan challenges, even though he doesn’t want Mei Lin to condone that with a real answer.
Mei Lin simply smiles at Yi Fan’s childish response. “There’s really nothing you can help me with, sir, but thank you for the offer. You really should just go back to your new home and—”
“Do you want some coffee?” Yi Fan asks, looking for an excuse to stay. Mei Lin’s dark circles seemed to be the perfect reason.
“Uh, no thank you,” Mei Lin says. I don’t even like coffee. “Really, sir, you should go home and get some rest. You’re expected to come to work first thing in the morning—” after the stunt that I pulled.
Yi Fan gives Mei Lin a questioning look as to why she had cut herself off but he doesn’t move from where he’s standing in her office. “Your office is boring,” he comments after setting himself down on Mei Lin’s couch and having nothing to look at but her.
“I don’t get visitors very often,” Mei Lin says as she reads the reports.
“Then why do you have a couch?”
“In case I don’t have time to go home,” Mei Lin says casually.
Her eyes are on the screen so she can’t see Yi Fan’s frown. “How often is that?”
“Not too often,” Mei Lin lies, knowing where Yi Fan is going with this. That’s going to change starting tomorrow.
I bet I’m no help in that department. Yi Fan dryly chuckles to himself at his unintentional pun. “How’s Lau?” he asks, trying to make conversation.
Mei Lin looks away from her screen to glance at her boss for a moment to see if there’s any sign that Yi Fan is trying to get dirt on Henry. When there’s nothing but innocent intent, she says, “He’s good.”
Yi Fan is seen nodding in Mei Lin’s peripheral vision. “Are you two…”
“We’re fine,” Mei Lin says, not wanting to talk about this. “What about you, sir? It’s not my business but are you seeing anyone?”
“Not at the moment.”
This surprises Mei Lin, “Not even a single flower?”
Yi Fan flinches due to what Zi Tao had told him earlier that evening, “No.”
Mei Lin stops what she’s doing completely and stares at her boss. “You don’t have to lie to me about this.”
I won’t be doing anything like that anymore. “And you don’t have to lie about working overtime,” Yi Fan retorts. Just tell me that you don’t have the time.
Mei Lin sighs and looks back at her monitor screen. “You would fire me if I told you the truth.”
“I would never fire you for telling me the truth,” Yi Fan says seriously.
Mei Lin makes eye contact once more to ensure that his composure matches the implication in his voice. She looks back at her screen and then says, “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
Yi Fan feels disappointed at the fact that Mei Lin doesn’t have enough faith in him to believe such words but he knows that he deserves this. “Mei Lin-ah.” Mei Lin looks over very slowly and cautiously at that particular usage of her name. “People aren’t always what they appear to be.” The flash of pain behind Mei Lin eyes confuses Yi Fan for a moment but he adds, “Just…work with me.” He looks away, unable to handle the blank yet hurt look in Mei Lin’s eyes.
“That’s what I plan to do,” Mei Lin says honestly. The room is so quiet that Yi Fan can still hear every whispered syllable. Why is he still here though?
“Mei.” There had been a long silence between them save the shuffling of files and papers and the occasional taps from Mei Lin’s fingertips on the keyboard. The air is still thick but Yi Fan had to say this.
“Hm?” Mei Lin hums.
Yi Fan looks out the view and decides against what he had wanted to say. “What song are you humming?”
Yi Fan smirks at the pink tint that’s showing. “Sorry,” Mei Lin says. “It’s a habit…”
Yi Fan chuckles at how she chose to react. “That doesn’t answer my question.” You have a nice voice.
“It’s a song that Hin Wah wrote for me,” Mei Lin says with a smile. Well, more like because of me. “I really like it and it get stuck in my head sometimes.” Mei Lin stops herself before she starts to gush and ramble on about something that really isn’t any of Yi Fan’s business.
Surprisingly, Yi Fan asks, “Piano or violin?”
“Piano,” Mei Lin says. “Though he wrote the music for both instruments.”
“Are there lyrics?” Yi Fan asks.
“Uh, yeah…” Mei Lin had hoped that Yi Fan’s little interrogation session is over because she didn’t want to sing for him.
After Mei Lin didn’t continue, Yi Fan asks, “How does it go?”
Mei Lin bites her lip and blinks repeatedly. “I can’t sing.”
You’re lying. “Liar.” Just be honest with me.
“I’d rather not sing…” She says this hesitantly, as if such words would get her into trouble.
But Yi Fan simply says, “Okay.” Maybe next time. “But you hum?”
“Out of habit,” Mei Lin says, still embarrassed by it.
“I’ve never heard you hum before.” And it’s been over a year.
I’m surprise you would even remember. “I’ve never had a reason to.” Around you.
“What else don’t I know about you?” I have to start somewhere.
“Hard to say,” Mei Lin shrugs as she wraps up her work. She pretends to keep working seeing how Yi Fan, for some reason, wants to talk. “What do you know?”
“You know what I know about you,” Yi Fan says. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“I like dancing,” Mei Lin says casually.
“Is that why you were at that club the other night?” Yi Fan asks, trying not to let the shock slip into his voice.
“Sort of,” Mei Lin says, keeping the mood light. “We were on a double date—” Yi Fan waits for her to finish. “I just wanted to dance again.”
“Again?”
“It’s been a while…”
Yi Fan is saddened once again, feeling as if he was the cause of this. “If you ever want a day off—”
“Sir.” That’s just ridiculous. “I thought I was needed here.” What the hell changed?
“Well, yes, but—”
“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Since when did you give a damn at all? This isn’t like you…something’s wrong. “Sir, what’s bothering you?” That doesn’t sound right, so she added, “Something’s on your mind and it’s not that it’s not welcomed, it’s just…concerning.”
Yi Fan sighs and looks out the view again, not wanting to meet Mei Lin’s eyes. “Do you remember what you said to me when you first started working here?”
“Yes, but I said a lot of things.” What are you referring to?
“You said you weren’t here to prove anything,” Yi Fan nearly quotes. “You said that you were here to do your job.”
Mei Lin lets this run through her mental Yi Fan translator. “Are you telling me that you’re going to do your job?” As happy as Mei Lin is to hear this, this is rather unusual.
“Yes,” Yi Fan says reluctantly. “So why don’t you do what you constantly tell me to do and just accept it?”
“Only if you drop trying to pay me back for furnishing your home,” Mei Lin says, knowing for a fact that Yi Fan would always feel as if he owes her something had she not said this. Mei Lin waits until Yi Fan nods before letting her happiness show. But then it occurred to her, so she looks away and says seriously, “Your mother would be proud.”
Yi Fan follows her eyes and swallows the lump he can feel forming. “…Yeah.”
“I’m…” Mei Lin’s voice can barely be heard but Yi Fan strains to hear it above the air vents. “I’m proud of you, sir.”
Translations/Author's Notes:
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The lyrics that Mei Lin sings is Fall For You by Secondhand Serenade (though she changed "girl" to "boy").
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Mei Lin-ah = the -ah added to the end of a name makes it very casual, informal and implies a certain level of comfort between the speaker and the one being spoken of. Both Henry and Yi Fan uses Mei Lin's complete given name to imply the severity/gravity/seriousness of what's about to be said or asked, but the -ah attempts to lighten the mood in spite of the topic. It's their way of getting her attention while not concerning her too much regarding whatever it is.
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