Across the Pond
BastardThe weeks leading up to the big talent show really tests Yi Fan’s abilities. This will either be a great success or an even greater disaster. But, if nothing else, it gives Yi Fan an idea of what Mei Lin went through every year in order to prepare for the Gala.
About two weeks before curtain up, the laser had been completed and passed all of its tests. The only remaining problem, which was that no one was sure how to use it, disappeared when a booklet and USB drive was anonymously dropped off at the hospital in which Mr. Wu was staying. The USB drive contained a coded program for the laser that helps it distinguish between cancerous cells and healthy ones. Once Mr. Wu was opened up, the scan function was and all that remained was for the doctors to remove the severed tissue. A week later is when he starts to fully recover, but that is also when he finds out that he has been one-upped by both his son and his nonexistent former secretary.
“I want to know where she is now,” Mr. Wu demands.
“Even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you,” Yi Fan says. “Something else that I don’t know that I would like to know: How long have you known that I wasn’t your son? Is that why you were such a ty father towards me? Because you weren’t even my father to begin with?”
“I’m a business man, not an idiot. How could your mother have gotten pregnant if I never even had the time to kiss her? It didn’t matter that much to me because you were a boy and would technically be the heir by marriage, so long as no one else knew. But thanks to that , I’m sure the whole company knows now and—”
“Don’t call her that,” Yi Fan says seriously. “And you don’t have to worry about me inheriting the company; I own it now. I have more shares than you do and the Board voted me in. Ironic that you even care for my inheritance when I didn’t even need to inherit it.”
“Don’t get cheeky with me, boy. You know as well as I do that the only reason why you’re sitting in that chair up there is because of that woman.” Yi Fan can’t argue with that. “You really should find out where she is. It’ll help to see who the competition is.”
“How are you liking the job?” Mei Lin asks with a bit of a smirk.
“God, don’t even get me started. Please tell you that you didn’t call me all the way out here just to talk about work.” Gale takes another sip of wine. “So what’s with the sudden invite and offer to buy me a drink?”
“Just wanted to see how things are going before…”
“You’re running away again, aren’t you?” Gale squints her eyes even though she’s looking straight ahead at the arrangement of fancy liquors on the shelf. “He has the resources to follow you to the corners of the Earth, you know that, right? Victor didn’t have those resources and he managed to catch up to you anyway. You can’t—”
“I’ll come back,” Mei Lin promises. “I just need some time to figure this out.”
“Figure what out?” Gale huffs. “You love each other, right? Isn’t that all that matters?”
“Just a bit confused, that’s all. It’s been my job to make sure that he’s happy and doing well, so I can’t tell if what I’m feeling is a result of my job or if I really do care. I think a break is best.”
“I think you two need to talk.”
“I’ll talk to him at your wedding.”
Gale chokes on her red wine, earning her a snicker from Mei Lin down the bar. “Wait, so you mean to tell me that it’ll be our fault if that pretty boy doesn’t get to talk to you again because we don’t marry?”
Mei Lin laughs, causing the rest of the bar to look at the two ladies speaking a foreign language. “How are you two doing?”
“Better, I guess. But I don’t think we’re anywhere near marrying just yet.”
“Give it time… give me time…”
“You saw her?” Lu Han asks in a strained whisper.
“She said she’ll come back when we get married,” Gale says casually. Lu Han chokes and starts to look anywhere but at Gale. “Relax, would you? She was joking.”
“Wait, 'come back?' She’s leaving?”
“Don’t tell the boss, she has to do that herself.”
“Speaking of the boss, you won’t believe what he has me doing,” Lu Han sighs.
“Are you in charge of coordinating the acts for our company?” Gale snickers. “That’s what you get for being the Head of the Resource Department.”
“At least this means that I don’t have to perform in it,” Lu Han smiles.
“Whoa, whoa, hold up. If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, my answer is no. I am NOT singing OR dancing OR—”
“Whoa, keep your voice down, Estella; no one is making you do anything you don’t want to do,” Yi Fan says. “Did you forget to tell your fiancée that they have to agree to perform?”
“Fiancée?!!?” It's Gale’s turn to choke.
“How’s the list coming anyways?” Yi Fan asks, ignoring Gale.
“Kinda wish that Liu was still here,” Lu Han sighs. “One piece from his violin and we would have this in the bag. But Chang says that he used to be in a dance crew in college so he’ll dance for us, and if I have to, I’ll sing with Yi Xing, but I’m hoping to find a few more acts. I think Su Ho will sing but he hasn’t gotten back to me, and someone in the PR Department can do a juggling act.”
I didn’t know you were in a dance crew in college, Mei. So that’s where you get it from. “Sounds good, keep me updated.” If Tao was here, he could give us a martial arts act. Yi Fan leaves with his memories.
The night of the charity event is studded with businesspeople dressed to the nines, treating this like a high-class opera. Yi Fan greets attendees, helping to hand out programs while Gale had drawn the short straw, being forced to be the Mater of Ceremonies for the night while Lu Han tries to coordinate backstage. Once the show gets underway, Yi Fan sits in the technical room and has both Gale and Lu Han on a radio.
“Someone is a bit anxious,” Gale comments. “Nervous now that your safety net is not here to bail you out?”
“Shut it, Estella.”
During intermission, many hors d'oeuvres and drinks circulate and Yi Fan goes to shake hands and pose for photos. The temp has her work cut out for her as she tries to remember everyone that she had memorized, but Yi Fan had beaten her to the punch, letting her enjoy the party and the show.
“Kim Jaejoong, I presume,” Yi Fan says in Korean while they shake hands. “What’s a Korean man doing in southern China?”
“The Kwons made their move not too long ago. China isn’t a bad investment considering its resources, but I’m thinking of expanding our American Branch a bit more instead. Give my regards to your father.” As Jaejoong walks away and meets up with a young lady clad in fitted dress pants, matching black shoes, fitted long sleeve button down and slimming black vest, all Yi Fan can see as they talk is that she has her hair up in a messy bun under a pinstriped fedora. “Lucky for you, I drew the long straw and our company goes last. I expect you to blow them away and ring in the New Year with something spectacular.”
Mei Lin simply smiles and makes her way backstage. Yi Fan still has a funny feeling from that conversation and tries to follow, but is stopped by other hands that needed to be shaken. No, it can’t be, Yi Fan thinks to himself, noticing the lack of a limp.
“We’re almost done,” Lu Han says into the radio. “This is the last company to perform. You should get to the seats because after this, while they crowd is voting, the CEOs of all the participating companies will be introduced, and Gale can’t introduce you while you’re nowhere to be seen.”
“Gotcha,” Yi Fan says, leaving the radio.
“Relax and have a glass a champagne,” Gale tells him.
“What the hell are you doing back here?” Lu Han asks.
Mei Lin takes Lu Han’s radio and tells Gale that there’s one more act and the techies the tech cues that she needs. “Nothing fancy: blacken the whole stage, one spotlight and turn on the backlights. Keep the spotlight on me, that’s all, thank you.”
According to all the programs that everyone got, that was the last act, but Gale announces one last minute addition. All the other companies had maxed out their allowed number of entries but J Holic had one slot left.
The stage turns black the moment that Gale starts to leave the stage and she silently curses Mei Lin for she almost tripped from the lack of light. Mei Lin does a simple (but complicated-looking) dance to an urban R&B song from Henry’s latest album. Slow smooth moves followed by a succession of quick, sharp, and precise moves in accordance to the music’s tempo have the crowd awestruck but no one is more mesmerized than Yi Fan. It was you… He doesn’t wish to get his hopes up because throughout the whole dance, Mei Lin’s hat covers her face and no one can see her clearly enough to confirm what they’re all thinking. No, it can’t be… your leg… Has my tolerance gotten so low that I’m buzzed after half a glass?
“Refresh my memory, but wasn’t she shot in the leg?” Lu Han blinks.
Mei Lin ends her dance with a smooth bow with one arm behind her back and the other tipping her hat. The lights go out and Gale and Mei Lin switch places again. “Smooth,” Gale smirks.
“Don’t trip,” Mei Lin smiles. She goes straight from backstage to an empty changing room to remove her eyeliner and red lipstick and changes into jeans, boots, and a heavy pea coat.
She makes her way to the parking lot and Gale is left to improvise when Yi Fan is nowhere to be seen as she introduces every CEO present. Yi Fan runs to the parking lot in his restricting three-piece suit and hears the sound of Mei Lin unlocking her car. “Mei!”
Mei Lin pretends to be someone else and continues walking at the same pace to her car but Yi Fan sprints to catch Mei Lin by the hand and spin her around. Yi Fan hadn’t seen Mei Lin in so long (and with no pictures to remind him) that he had almost forgotten what she looked like. Her bare face is startled and blinking. Both parties are tense and there is a mix of alcohol and Mei Lin’s perfume in the air.
Being breathless and off-balanced, Yi Fan loses his footing and falls into Mei Lin, who steps back, being pinned between her car and her former boss. However, that is not enough and they bump foreheads. Mei Lin’s nose wrinkles at the familiar scent that can cling so easily on Yi Fan’s breath. She gives him the benefit of the doubt and assumes that it’s only because he’s out of breath and trying to give enough oxygen to his demanding heart. Though it worries Mei Lin, The last time that you drank was when your mother died. I’m not dead. Or maybe he’s celebrating the successful night.
Neither of them is sure what to say but Yi Fan is not budging as he is still trying to get a hold of himself. “Mei…”
“I think you have me confused with someone else,” Mei Lin says softly. “And I think you’ve had too much to drink, sir.”
Yi Fan smirks and backs off an inch. “That was some strong champagne… only half a glass and I have you thinking that I slipped.”
“Please, I have to pack… I have a flight to catch tomorrow—”
“He’s alive,” Yi Fan says, his thoughts still like that of cake batter, unable to be distinguished from one another once mixed. “Your design—”
“I heard,” Mei Lin says. “But you’re giving me too much credit, I—”
Mei Lin is cut off by a kiss, warm in contrast to the crisp winter air, and far from the image she was trying to depict. Both are taken off-guard and Mei Lin uses this opportunity to gently push Yi Fan away and walk to the other side of her car.
“I expect to hear great things from you, even across the pond.” And with that, Mei Lin pulls out of the parking lot.
Yi Fan is still fuzzy, causing everything after the conversation on the radios to be a bit of a blur. The only thing keeping him from dismissing it as a dream is the kiss and Mei Lin’s ringing last words to him.
Needless to say that J Holic won the charity fundraiser event. It was such a success that GIBI made the executive decision to make it an annual event in place of their Gala, because as Gale put it: “It’s like a Gala with a show, not to mention makes us seem less selfish.”
“Instead of throwing a party for all our employees every year, we’re throwing a party for a good cause,” Lu Han says.
“That isn’t going to bode well with the rest of the employees,” Yi Fan says. “Not everyone in this building can attend the event—there isn’t a building big enough for that in all of Guangzhou—well, there is, but if all of the participating companies’ employees attend, then there isn’t.”
“Employees of the month for that year can attend to encourage hard work,” Lu Han says.
“We don’t have ‘employees of the month,’” Gale chuckles.
“It’s not a bad idea,” Su Ho agrees. “But how are you going to make it fair to the janitorial staff? One of the reasons why they’re so loyal is because of perks like that, that make them feel equal to the people in this room, because of the fact that any GIBI employee could attend.”
“Perks is plural,” Yi Fan says. “We’ll think of something. Besides, a company can be defined by how it treats each of its employees and GIBI prides itself on equality.”
However, GIBI wouldn’t be named GIBI for long. About twenty months later, there is a small article in the business section of the New York Times stating that GIBI has been renamed Wu Industries and will be going public. Mei Lin can’t help but smile at that. She pays for her coffee and makes a detour to the bank before returning from her lunch break. Later that night she gets an international call from her boss. “I’m surprised you haven’t filed your notice or sent me your letter of resignation yet,” Jaejoong says. “Your visa is going to expire soon you know.”
“I have to make other arrangements before moving to a-whole-nother country on the other side of the world, Jae,” Mei Lin smiles as she goes through her mail. “Do you want me to talk to him about a partnership?”
“I think I would rather buy some of those stocks next week. I think it’ll be worth the investment if you’re going to go back to him.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be engineering or his secretary,” Mei Lin admits as she flips through the junk mail.
“Either way, you won’t be able to keep yourself from designing,” Jaejoong chuckles. “I get to keep all the designs that you made for me, right?”
“Yes, yes, it’s in my contract that I signed,” Mei Lin says, stopping her fingers when it feels a textured cardstock.
“Did you really sign it and does it still really exist or are you going to vanish on me too?” Jaejoong jokes.
“Oh shush,” Mei Lin grabs her letter opener and opens what she presumes is an invitation. “You’re just jealous that I only have four months left in that contract. Don’t worry, I didn’t half- anything while working for you.”
“I don’t have to worry, you’re not that kind of person. I would just sic Junsu on you if you did.” They both laugh at the idea of Junsu trying to be mad at Mei Lin on Jaejoong’s behalf. “But seriously, Mei, you’re going to be missed.”
“I haven’t left yet,” Mei Lin says rolling her eyes. I was wrong, it’s a Save the Date card. It’s about damn time, you two. “Looks like I’ll be back in China for the last month of my contract.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, want to be my plus one?”
“Someone’s getting married?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You know, maybe we should tell him,” Lu Han says as they’re going through the response cards. “She has a plus one on here; maybe she moved on.”
“What should we tell him? The fact that she’s bringing a plus one or that little joke that she made two years ago?” Gale asks.
“Well, for one thing, he says that he’s not coming because that’s the day that his flight from Europe lands—it’s not too late for him to adjust his schedule—”
“Look, we are NOT interfering in those two’s business. We aren’t exactly the prime example when it comes to this stuff, and this wedding is about us, not them. So just forget it and worry about who is going to be at which table.
“You sure have a habit of bringing your boss to events,” Gale comments. “What kind of behavior is that for a Maid of Honor?”
“Maid of Honor?” Jaejoong asks. “That was the probably the closest thing to a civil wedding that I’ve ever seen and the shortest ceremony I’ve ever sat through too.”
“Everyone knows that the people only come for the reception and the food,” Gale says. “Besides, we like it short and sweet—well, I like it short and sweet.”
“Hello to you, too,” Mei Lin says back. “Relax, he won’t be my boss for much longer.”
“Oh my gosh, please tell me that you’re coming back. Please tell me that your wedding present to me is taking your old job back and not some fancy work of art.” Gale’s voice is practically begging with seriousness.
“Oh darn, see, I told you that she wouldn’t like something like that,” Jaejoong says jokingly.
“Maybe,” Mei Lin smiles. “It depends on what Wu Yi says.”
“As if he’ll do anything but accept you with open arms,” Lu Han snickers. “Nice to see you again, Lin. When you come back, you need to help me upgrade the systems. If you could go in and delete whole files without a trace like that, I’m scared to think what else is happening under our noses.”
“Oh goodness, today is about us, not our work. Come on, let’s dance.”
“So, because she sees me as one of her best friends,” Mei Lin says sarcastically, “She has asked me to give a small speech… on the spot.”
“I love you too, Mei,” Gale smiles. You should’ve expected it the moment you sent in your response.
Mei Lin takes a deep breath and thinks for a moment before opening . “Ever since high school, Gale has always told me that she would roast me like a pig at my wedding, and never did she ever think that I wouldn’t be the first to get married. You proved yourself wrong.”
The crowd chuckles, giving Mei Lin time to construct her speech.
“But unlike you, I’m not going to roast you, because you’re not a pig, even though you can eat like one sometimes, as I’m sure you all will see sometime tonight.”
A short laugh for the contradicting sentence.
“But in all seriousness, we are here today to celebrate these two and what they have discovered: love. It is something that is desired, strived for, fought over, cried about, sung about, and written about, and something that has persisted as a theme across all mediums of art and expression. And for someone like Gale, she can’t help but ask why everyone is so hung up on a four-letter word with such an abstract concept. And it’s a question that many of us, including myself, cannot answer, but my guess is that it has something to do the fact that it is not something that can be properly expressed. And yet, we have a prime example sitting before us right here.”
Applause.
“Now, I am in no way qualified to give advice to a couple that has at least one aspect of their life figured out, but if I were to leave you with anything, it would be what I have learned about love thus far:
“It doesn’t make sense, it’s not supposed to; it’s just the way it is.”
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