11

“AUGH!”

Mike threw the spatula and slammed his hands on the counter frustrated. Never in his life had he been so mad at something, he was like a ticking bomb ready to go off at any minute. Aaron tossed the knife aside and stared at the strawberries he destroyed. “Ge.. if we keep this up, we are going to lose a week’s worth of groceries.” Mike stared at the recipe that he ripped out from a cookbook, thinking it would be simple if he followed the recipe but no matter how many angles he tried to view it, his mind and the recipe were at war with one another. “HOW CAN YOU NOT CUT THE VEGETABLE PROPERLY?”

“Ge... Did you get a concussion coming here? THIS IS A FRUIT!” He held up the destroyed strawberry. “ST-RAW-BER-RY!”

Mike was about to hold the knife towards him when his attention turned to the curious girl who slowly appeared. She slowly walked over and faintly smiled, wearing a dress with a navy sweater over it. Aaron eyes followed her and his lips curve into a smile, she was like an angel in front of him. Mike looked over and smirked, nudged him for awhile before Gui turned around to see Mike with his arms crossed. “That shirt... looks big on you... I grabbed whatever size I thought would fit.. I'm sorry if it doesn’t–“ Aaron pinched him, giving him death glares as he pulled his collar down to his level so that he can whisper something to his brother. “Don’t talk about size and weight whenever your with any girl you dimwit!”

“Why?” Aaron stared at him like he was retarded, wondering if he was just playing around or if he was bring serious. “A–Apron...” Gui spoke with the softest voice that got Mike to quickly took it off, handing it over to her as she placed it on.

Mike sat down next to Aaron as they watched her take over Mike’s job. It has been awhile since they saw her, let alone, be close enough to touch. Mike glanced over at the strawberries and laughed, causing Gui to jump as she turned around, surprising Aaron and Mike. “Oh sorry.. I didn’t mean to scare you...” He quickly said as Aaron hit his head playfully, Gui stared at the strawberries with a smile. She took the knife that Aaron was using and held a strawberry up, examining it before working magic on it.

Mike and Aaron gasped as they witnessed the work of an artisan, she transformed the wreaked strawberry into a flower. Mike gaped at the intricate design while Aaron’s eyes watched Gui’s hand, making sure she wasn’t going to accidently cut herself.

“You know.. Hebe Jie is right. Why did you come back?” She softly asked that caused Mike and Aaron to look at her, wondering why this topic was coming up again. “We wanted to see you again, was that so hard?” As Gui’s soft voice made the room silent, Mike and Aaron stared at her as they began to talk more about the topic. Unaware that Hebe was listening to the conversation, allowing Gui to ask them before she shows herself. After the argument, she doesn’t know if Mike was still angry with her. So she decided to listen to the conversation.

Between Gui and her, she has been the upbeat one. She had always been outspoken about her feelings but despite her straight-forward attitude, she knows when to speak and who to speak to. Hebe knows the right things to say and the secrets just don’t come out of her, ever. As for Gui, she has always been cheerful but that was the past. Now, she has a calm heart with a soft voice. Like her sister, they both have a talent for keeping secrets hidden, knowing one another, they made a promise and were determined to keep it a secret.

 “I’m not saying anyone is wrong but... I think it’s better if you guys forget about Hebe Jie and I... ”

“Why? Why do you and Hebe keep mentioning the word ‘forget’ in front of us? It’s not like we are going to broadcast to the entire world that we have you two.”

“We have been running and hiding for as long as I can remember, although I can’t tell you the entire story, can you guys promise me something?” Gui dropped the knife and glanced at Mike and Aaron. “I don’t want to see you guys getting dragged into this mess so promise me that you guys will forget about Hebe Jie and I when we have to hide again.”

There was a short pause. “When the time comes.. you’ll come to understand why we keep telling you to forget and move on.” Gui whispered as Hebe walked out, wearing a white poncho over a similar dress to Gui’s. She looked like an angel as she stepped into the light, with her red hair neatly braided. 

“I’ll help.” Hebe took the spatula and stared at the recipe. “On second thought...” She nudged Gui as they swap places, they laughed as Mike stared at them. “Unless you want me burn down something and have the firemen come, be my guest so... it’s best if Gui cook.” Hebe said as she took out the kiwi’s and started cutting designs out of them.

Gui nodded as she turned the stove on, getting down to business as she cooked, not once looking at the recipe that was there. “Gui!” Gui turned around and open for Hebe to slip an Kiwi into . Gui gleamed with happiness as she gave her a thumbs up. Aaron and Mike held the strawberry and Kiwi up, examining carefully before they place it into their mouth. They knew that it was fruit but if anyone didn’t know better, they would have thought a professional came in and everything.

 ................

Angela crushed the paper cup in her hands, throwing it into the garbage can as she stared at the document on her desk. “This doesn’t make any sense...” She cursed under her breath as she recalled Alan leaving the crime scene. She could feel her nerves rising at the thought of always being one step behind him. What was she forgetting? Did you miss something?

If only trees could talk, it would make investigations much more easier. The forest fire, house burning, did Alan discover it first, found something then choose to burn the evidence? Or was there another party there?

Flashback

“You see, it has something to do with the case 7 years ago. I need to information and you’re the right person for the task.” He attempted to look into a folder that says deadline, but she quickly stopped him. And...

“Chill! You need to chill, seriously. It’s not important how I got in but more importantly, I need your help, it’s urgent.”

“How urgent can it be? I didn’t know that the word ‘urgent’ existed in your vocabulary.”

Oh. My. God.

“You still keep files that’s like ancient history right? So it won’t be too much work if I just say I want Father’s case right? Since my dear sis, you’re the one still looking into it right?”

End of Flashback

“Oh my god.”

She cursed under her breath as she dug into her pile of documents, looking for the same one that she handed to Alan. When she found it, she skimmed through it, looking over it to see if there were some thing that she missed. To her disappointment, everything was like how she have left it. There was nothing new and nothing that was out of the ordinary.

What did he find that she didn’t? Was she looking at it to detailed?  

Then it suddenly occurred to her.

Flashback

“Forgive us, my brother is anti-social.”

“I’ve heard rumours. Mr. Yan.” Aaron eyes landed on hers which caused her heart to skip a beat. “Miss. Angela, I am fascinated that you decided to take interest in me but I can assure you that we will not go any further than this.” Aaron stated as he walked away, leaving Angela standing there, ready to take her heels off and throw it at him. Mike on the other hand, excused himself before apologizing for his brother’s behaviour as he followed Aaron out to the balcony.

End of Flashback

“Yan... Mr. Yan... the infamous Yan brothers... Mike and.. Aaron...!!”

She quickly grabbed another sheet and compared it with the one she gave to Alan. The Wu.. and the Yan... they knew one another? Her eyes landed on their education institution and found it to be identical to one another. They must know one another? Being from respective families, they can’t just walk past one another like nothing. Since they weren’t like average families, they were well-known. Who in their right mind would leave them alone if that was the case? Puzzle after puzzle, she could feel herself getting closer and closer to unravelling the mystery.

To prove her suspicions. She quickly called the Yan Corp, hoping to get through with either Mike or Aaron but it went though their voice mail. She shut the phone and stared at the profiles of the Yan’s and the Wu’s. How could she miss something as important as this? She smacked her hand on the document, leaning against her desk as she stared out the window, feasting her eyes on the city nights. She called the Yan’s and they both transferred to voicemail, why?

She then stared at the apple on her desk, taking it in as her hands held onto it, before tossing it in the air. The employees told her that the Yan didn’t come back since 2 days ago, for Aaron it was normal but for Mike? And their father was overseas for an important meeting, he couldn’t possibly be lying about that. But where was Mike? Let’s see, it has been just last night that she caught a glimpse of Alan leaving the site and no one has seen Mike since yesterday... could it be? It was a no brainer that Aaron would be close, closer to the case then she gave any thought to it.

Flashback

 “I heard you could fly across the world if any girl catches your attention.”

 “So your saying.. just for this one girl, I would fly across the world?”

“That’s correct.”

 “Miss. Angela, I am fascinated that you decided to take interest in me but I can assure you that we will not go any further than this.”

End of Flashback

Angela stared at the names Aaron Yan and Wu Ying Jie, still placing one and one together. If her assumptions were correct, then the rumours about Aaron being a playboy was all an facade. It was all a cover up so that no one would somehow connect them together.

The more her mind kept piecing together Aaron and Ying Jie, the more she found herself twist and turn in place. So she rubbed her chest, wondering what this feeling was. Was she getting an infection? Why does it hurt every time she thinks about this? NO, this is her job! She was suppose to be piece together puzzle pieces in order to bring out the truth behind every story.

 But why is it hurting her? 

Angela held onto the apple, hoping to feel more better about seeing Alan at the scene before her but she felt nothing. Other than the beating of her heart, so her hands touched her chest, wondering what this feeling was.