*-*-*-*-*-*-

It had been almost two weeks after Ella had met up with Jiro. She felt bored most of the time and to avoid thinking of anyone she had gone out at night to drink alone and stare up at the stars. Finding the first star in the sky she made a quick wish to see Chun again. She didn’t want it to be coincidental, but wanted a reason to meet him.

She could remember clearly on their second date they had run out of words to say. They were still so shy towards each other thinking about it now she wanted to laugh. She’d told him about what her grandmother had told her. Find the first star you see and make a quick wish. If you wished hard enough your wish might just come true.

The only different thing was that Ella hadn’t gone out that night. She’d stayed home and watched TV feeling bored because there were only reruns. Ella turned off the TV and turned to lie down on the couch with her face down onto the cushion. Her phone rang quickly and she made no move to go answer it. When it didn’t stop Ella pushed herself up and headed toward the wireless.

“Hello?” Ella answered.

“Ella?! Ella!” the voice exclaimed loudly and happily.

Ella paused then frowned as she asked, “Who’s this?”

“Ella oh my god! This is your mom!” the voice on the other side said.

Ella’s face went dead blank and she wanted to throw the phone down. However, she didn’t do so because she knew better than that. She respected her family.

Ella gulped before asking, “What do you want?”

“Oh Ella…you don’t know…it’s been so hard over here…” the voice kept ranting on not getting to the point. “Your father…the rest of your family…oh we’re so poor! I feel so sad!”

“Mom…what do you want?” Ella asked with a stronger tone of voice.

Mrs. Chen cleared then started off seriously, “We need your money.”

Ella felt her heart sink and anger burn inside.

“Money again?” Ella asked. “Mom!”

“Ella please! We’re your family! We’ve done so much for you! Spare a thought for us!” Mrs. Chen told. “Don’t be selfish! How are you going to use all that money anyway?”

“Mom have you ever heard of the two words ‘saving money?’” Ella questioned.

“Ella why are you finding excuses again? You’re always so selfish! You rotten brat!” Mrs. Chen scolded.

Ella could feel a small sense of hurt tears arise in her eyes.

“The business has fallen, we’re in debt, your brother’s school year is going to start soon, we need new clothes, and we’ve lost our maids! Don’t you understand the type of situation we’re in?” Mrs. Chen asked.

Before Ella could say anything she heard talking in the background. Something about money and more money.

“Ok never mind Ella. Your father’s already got the money,” Mrs. Chen said.

“What?! How can you just go into my account! Mom!” Ella shouted. “Mom! Mom!”

The phone line had already gone dead. Ella hung up the phone and slumped to the ground. One of the worst things that had ever happened to her after her break up. Her parents had left her behind without saying anything and had left for America. Only a year later did they care to call her asking for money. Even before when she was in high school working part time they’d also taken money from her. Before high school she had found out when her parents had nearly divorced that she was the accident in the family. If her mother had never gotten pregnant with her she would have been a much happier woman.

Ella felt overwhelmed in seconds and was about to cry. She’d never talked to anyone, even Jiro, about her situation though she was sure he knew clearly everything about it from Chun. They never treated her right. The job she worked so hard for, the money she earned through never ending work had been all taken away. They hadn’t even bothered to ask her instead they had demanded it. She could never understand them. Money was the only thing in the whole world that ripped people apart. She had been so lonely for such a long time. Only her, the only soul had been left behind to fend for herself, and Chun didn’t even turn around to take a look at her.

*-*-*-*-*-*-

Selina hurried down the stairs dressed and ready to eat breakfast. Mrs. Wu was already at the table drinking her cup of coffee.

“There’s the beautiful lady,” Mrs. Wu said. “Are you sure you want to go to work today?”

Selina nodded as she took her chair, “I must have missed out a lot I should head back anyway.”

“So hardworking,” Mrs. Wu said with a grin. “Oh why don’t you quit?”

Selina turned to face Mrs. Wu after smoothing out her dress.

Mrs. Wu smiled assuring her it was nothing bad, “I mean since you’re Chun’s girlfriend wouldn’t it make more sense working at his place other than at his cousin’s place?”

Selina hadn’t wondered at all to why Mrs. Wu hadn’t called Chun’s cousin Jiro.

Selina thought for a bit, “But I like my job over there…wouldn’t it be too much of a hassle moving from one place to the other?”

“Don’t you worry about that. The president and I are very good friends he would help transfer you without any problem,” Mrs. Wu told. “Right Chun?”

Selina turned as Chun walked in trying to fix his tie.

“Huh?” Chun questioned as he took a seat next to Selina. “Mom I can’t fix my tie.”

“Oooh! I don’t know why, but my hands are so sore!” Mrs. Wu said holding her hand making faces of pain. “Selina why don’t you help him?”

Selina and Chun turned to look at each other hesitantly.

“Oh come on mom,” Chun said sensing that Selina felt quite weird.

“Uh…turn around,” Selina said.

Chun turned around surprised and Mrs. Wu watched amused. Selina shyly reached up and did Chun’s tie then adjust it so it went down straight.

“Thank you,” Chun said and turned to eat his breakfast. “So what were you saying mom?”

Selina quickly turned to face forward hoping her face wasn’t going red.

“I was just telling Selina to switch over to our company,” Mrs. Wu told.

Chun glanced at Selina quickly, “If she doesn’t want to you shouldn’t force her.”

Mrs. Wu scowled, “Who’s forcing her? I’m just helping you since my son is sadly useless.”

“Mom!” Chun complained.

Selina smiled as she watched them continue to bicker. She wondered if she were still with her mom would they also bicker like that.

*-*-*-*-*-*-

“My mom’s crazy don’t you think?” questioned Chun.

Selina laughed, “If I didn’t know you two I’d think you two were going out.”

“What?!” Chun exclaimed.

Selina continued laughing, “Well it’s true. You two bicker 24/7.”

“But…she’s so old!” Chun said.

“She doesn’t even look like her age…but you’re the opposite,” Selina said laughing as she pointed at him with her finger.

“What do you mean by that? What do you think you’re talking about?” Chun asked as he entered the large parking lot to the company.

Chun pushed Selina’s head with his finger and she blocked out with both her hands laughing.

“It’s nice hearing you laugh again,” Chun said. “Call me after you’re done ok?”

“Ok. Bye bye,” Selina said unbuckling her seatbelt.

But before she got out Chun said, “Also take my mom’s words about quitting into consideration ok?”

Selina looked at Chun blankly then nodded. After waving she rushed off into the building. She headed up the elevator she hadn’t seen for at least two weeks. Quickly she cleared her mind of Chun and his mother’s words. She didn’t want to quit…not yet. As the elevator opened for the second time Selina headed down the hallway greeting her fellow co-workers. She was in such a good mood she had forgotten all about Jiro. Selina sat down at her spot spinning in her computer chair. It felt good to be back. She had been feeling bored a week after just staying inside Chun’s house.

“You’re back!” a female voice said smiling.

Selina turned around and nodded, “I’m glad to be back too!”

“Aren’t you friends with the boss?” she questioned. “He seemed pretty bored without you around.”

Selina’s smile went to a small one as she mentioned Jiro.

“Well I’ll see you later,” the girl said and walked off.

Selina stared after her wondering what she’d meant by bored? The bored to death type or it was just no fun without her, but he still managed to enjoy himself? Selina pressed her lips together and turned her computer on. Surprising her was her changed background. Smile, smile, smile! Was written in big black letters with a cute face drawn underneath she guessed was supposed to represent her. She couldn’t help, but already laugh at it already guessing who’d done it. Figuring she would meet him later for lunch she started on her missed out work first.

Before going down for lunch she’d gone to his office, but found that he wasn’t in there. Disappointed she’d gone down to eat lunch by herself. She hadn’t wanted to be alone again.

*-*-*-*-*-*-

Jiro walked out of the conference room with a binder under his arm. He shook hands with other guests and watched them leave. Sighing he walked up the stairs. Lately he’d found himself choosing the stairs rather than the elevator he’d always been taking. Before heading back to his office he could hear talking from the employees.

“The boss must be happy to hear that Selina’s back,” a female voice bolstered.

Jiro turned toward their direction. Selina returned? Immediately he felt a smile climb onto his face as he hurried toward her desk, but found that she wasn’t there. He looked around a little more then stopped to check his watch. It was about lunch time then an idea clicked in his head. Instead of taking the stairs he hurried down the elevator and almost sliding across the hallway he ran into the cafeteria only to his disappointment didn’t find Selina.

Jiro sighed heavily and headed back up the elevator. As he walked down the hallway toward his office he found someone pacing back and forth outside the door. Nearing he recognized the figure right away.

“Selina!” he almost shouted.

Selina turned to look at him and smiled waving.

“You’re back!” Jiro said.

Selina smiled, “Where did you go?”

“I went to look for you in the cafeteria,” Jiro told.

“Did you take the stairs?” Selina questioned.

“I took the elevator,” Jiro told then it hit him that as he’d taken the elevator she’d taken the stairs.

Jiro checked his watch again.

“Lets meet up around 6. I have a meeting right now,” Jiro told.  

Before Selina could say anything Jiro had already ran down the hallway. Why had she felt so happy just seeing him again? She pushed the thought away and headed back to her desk. Maybe during the three hours he would be at his meeting she would just stare at her desktop.

*-*-*-*-*-*-

It was the first time in a long time Ella had not been able to bring herself to concentrate on her work for a long time. Her thoughts kept going back to the night before when her mother had called. A while ago when she’d gone to the bank to check her money she’d found out her parents had taken almost 1 million of her money out. 10 years of saving from five dollars to 25 bucks a week had been taken away. She felt so down and lost. She wanted to talk to Chun and cry in his arms as she’d done before, but felt so afraid that he would push her away.