Alysha's POV:

She spend the next 2 days with Adi shopping and at night Vic and her would have dinner together or a late night snack when Vic was late to pick her up at Adi’s house because of shooting.  Alysha really enjoyed her stay at Taiwan and her time spent with Vic until on the third day, a day before she was supposed to go back to Tokyo where she received a call early in the morning.  A very disturbing call.

“May I speak to Ms Alysha?”, the caller asked her.

For some reason, her heart wasn’t in its normal rhythm anymore.  She sensed something is very much wrong at that particular time.  Nobody has ever called her that formal and strict before.

“Yes, this is she.  May I know who this is?”

“Please get ready in 10 minutes and come to this address that I would send to you through SMS,” said the caller and hung up. 

She was quite startled by the phone call.  The caller just instruct her to go somewhere without explaining anything to her.  No, it was more of a demand than just a simple instruction.  She hurriedly called Adi and told her about the call and the address she received regarding the place she was supposed to go to.

“Oh boy…something is very wrong.  That address is the address of the guys’ management.  That must have been Lao Ban himself.  He only calls if there is a major problem or disaster, and he doesn’t even know you.  Oooo…I have a very bad feeling about this.  Wait there, I’ll come over from the lab and send you of myself.  Have you contacted Vic?” asked Adi panicky.

“Not yet.  Should I?”

“Call him.  He must know something…or he needs to know about this. I’m all confused now.  What would be the problem now?  I’ll be right over.”

Hanging up the phone, Alysha frantically tried to call Vic.  Hearing Adi’s panic voice and words, she too became frantic.  For the third time she tried, she kept getting Vic’s voicemail.  She tried again and again…pacing back and forth while waiting for Adi but to no avail, it is still the voicemail.

‘How did Lao Ban knows my number?  How did he know about me?  Why do I keep getting his voicemail???? Vic, where are you?’

Questions after questions kept popping into her head.  She was busily asking herself those questions and trying to figure out the answers when she heard a honk.  Looking up, she saw Adi in her cute little blue car.  She hurriedly close the doors, locked them and running straight to her.

“I got in touched with Jerry and he seems to not know anything.  He too was confused why the Lao Ban knew about you.  Did you managed to get in touch with Vic?” asked Adi once Alysha sat beside her on the front passenger seat.  She just shook her head.

“How do you know it would be Vic’s boss?” asked Alysha.

“I’ve worked with them for a while as the boys’ personal assistant’s assistant.  So, I kind of know how the Lao Ban thinks and act.  Calling you, knowing your existence is not good news.  I fear something is up.  If Vic did not pick up his phone, there is only one possibility that I know of…he is already in front of Lao Ban.  I do not want to make you feel scared, but I just feel that you have to be prepared of anything now.  The Lao Ban would probably be asking the relationship between you two,” explained Adi, nervously.

She gulped.  She does not know what to expect now.  ‘What would happen if Lao Ban knows about their relationships?’ she asked herself, worried.  She never experienced anything like this before.  It felt like she was going to meet her future parents-in-law, seeking for their approval of their relationship.

After a very quite and tense driving, 15 minutes later they have parked their car and walked towards the front door of the management company when they stumbled upon Vanness coming from the other side of the parking lot.

“Adi, Alysha…morning.., eh..Alysha?  What are you doing here?  What was Vic thinking, wanting to meet you here?  If they saw you together, he’ll be in big problem,” said Vanness, shocked to see her there.

Alysha gave him a weak smile and glanced over at Adi.  “I think, they are already in the hot water, Vanness.  Lao Ban called Alysha and instructed her to come here and meet him!  You don’t know anything about this, do you?  The others seemed that way too,” answered Adi.

Vanness gawped.  Seeing him like that, Alysha’s heart started making summersaults.  She was getting more and more nervous.

Adi took her hand and squeezed them.  “It’s probably nothing.  Come on, don’t let him wait longer than he have too.  We don’t want to get into his bad side more than he already is.”

Vanness followed them from behind.  As they walked through the main door, a man approached them.

“Vanness, Adi…What are you doing here?  Is this Ms Alysha?  You know each other? Vanness?  Ken and Jerry too?” he shook his head before continuing, “The two of you better stay here.  I’ll bring Ms Alysha to meet him alone.  Ms Alysha, please follow me.  I am Mr Kim, the manager of F4 and the owner of this management company, Mr Lee is waiting for you in his room.”

~~~*~~~*~~~

Vic's POV:

Vic kept looking down at the carpet in his boss’s office.  He has no idea why he was called in that morning.  When he entered his room, he was just asked to sit at the sofa and wait for another guest to arrive.  The Lao Ban just continued on with his work and ignored him.  Vic was feeling really uneasy with the situation he is in right now.  Ever since he signed the contract with the company, this is actually the third time he was called to see the Lao Ban but this is the first time he was called alone.  Lao Ban was a very busy person and he only see his artists if there is a very important thing he need to tell them.  Vic just had no clue why he was called this time and normally Lao Ban will straight away tell them what it is all about when they entered his room.  Never was he told to wait and to shut off his cellular phone.

Hearing the door opened, Vic quickly looked up towards the door.  “They are here, sir,” said the secretary.

“Send them in,” replied Lao Ban.

Vic can’t believe his eyes when the F4’s manager, Mr Kim entered the room with Alysha followed from behind.

‘Oh boy, this is not good.  How did he found out?’ he asked himself, looking from Alysha to the Lao Ban.

The Lao Ban got up from his seat and walked towards his guests.  Vic just dumbfounded looked on. “You must be Alysha.  I am Mr Lee, the CEO of this company and I presumed you know him, one of my F4 boys, Zhou Yu Min?  Please sit down.  You too Mr Kim.  We have something to discuss.”

Alysha turned her head to her left and gave a ‘what is this all about?’ look towards Vic.  He just shook his head.  He himself has no idea but he have some pretty good hunch it would be about the two of them.  He stood up and gestured Alsyha to sit beside him.  He doesn’t feel the need to pretend like he doesn’t know her.  Lao Ban must’ve known about them for the both of them to be called forward to meet him.

Alysha took the sit beside Vic and gave him a little whisper, “What is going on?  What are you doing here?”  Vic just gave her a weak smile and lift up his shoulder, the universal ‘I don’t know’ gesture.

“Ok now.  Let us start.  ZhouYu Min, would you care tell me when did you approached Ms Alysha?” asked Lao Ban, straight after they have seated.

“She’s a friend I met during the Mars filming at Japan,” Vic answered, calmly as he possibly can even inside him, he was entirely nervous.

“A friend, only a friend?  You know very well that I do not like to be lied to, Mr Zhou,” stressed Lao Ban.

Hearing that sentence, Vic’s stomach made a triple summersault and his heart sank.  He gulped and turned his head to the left, looking at Alysha.  He could see that Alysha’s face panicked and a bit pale.

Lao Ban pulled something out of his file and showed it to them.  It was pictures of the two of them.  At the shopping complex, restaurant, basketball court and the beach.  It was all the pictures of places they went together in the past few days.

“From these pictures, it doesn’t look like you are just friends.  I had these sent to me by the reporters.  They are going to publish this tomorrow in their tabloids.  Now, I need you to be clear with this situation.  Mr Zhou, in the contract, you are not allowed to have a relationship for the first 3 years and especially not during your filming.  What do you have to say for yourself now? And as for you, Ms Alysha, do you know the consequences of you having relationships with an idol?”

Alysha was shocked to hear those stern words from Mr Lee.  She had no idea there is such a contract like that and she never thought about consequences of dating Vic.  She never knew there would be consequences.

“I know I had broken the dating rule but I did not plan it on purpose. I didn’t plan any of it.  I just fell in love.  Mr Lee, I am very sorry but I did not play around and I really work hard on the filming.  You can ask the director.  Even when Alysha is here for the week, I still did not go around and cancel the filming.  Couldn’t you look past this?” Vic explained and begged for forgiveness.  He liked working as an entertainer and doesn’t want to stop just yet.  He really hoped Lao Ban could forgive him and give him another chance.

Alysha just watched Vic and she understands how he felt.  She too doesn’t want Vic to carry the mistake by himself. “Sir, Vic has been very dedicated to his work.  Furthermore, I am only here for a week.  I will go back to Japan by tomorrow.  By the time the tabloid put the pictures up, I won’t be around Taiwan anymore.”

Lao Ban looked at the both of them. His serious face really gave them a fright.  They don’t know what his response going to be.

“Very well.  Once you’re back to Japan, I do not want you two to meet again.  The company will try to cover the news of Mr Zhou having an affair with you and to raise the Mars movie anticipation, Mr Zhou here will have a secret relationship with his co-star, Ms Da S.  I have discussed this with her company and they have agreed to this.  Mr Kim and Mr Zhou, you will deny any questions regarding the pictures.  Do you understand?”

Vic looked at Alysha and with regrettable look on his face, he looked back at Lao Ban and nod.

“You’re dismissed.  Make sure you are not spotted together anymore after you got out of this room.  I will not be considerate for the second time.”

The three of them got out of the room and while Mr Kim was a bit further in front, Vic whispered to Alysha, “I’m sorry this happened. I’ll call you later.  You have to go first.”

He watched Alysha walked away.  His heart sank deeper.  He understood what Lao Ban meant.  The relationship has to end.  He has to choose, love or work.  He loves them both.  He really liked the path he is now, as F4, as an actor.  But he loves Alysha as well.  He was himself with her.  ‘She doesn’t deserve a boyfriend that can’t be seen or known by other people.  That would not be right for her,’ he sighed.

~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~

Epilog:

“Adi, you came!!  I missed you!  We haven’t seen each other for more than 2 years now.  How are things at Taiwan?  You are sure not coming back to Malaysia to work?” Alysha excitedly exclaimed and hugged her second best friend.

“Come, let me introduce you to my first best friend and…”

“Alysha…” Adi cut her sentence short.  “That can wait, but first, congratulations!  Sorry I was late.  I can’t believe you got married.  Are you really sure of this?  I mean, I know it has been 2 years, but I can’t believe you’d marry someone your mother fixed up with.”

Alysha gave her friend a smile.  “I know.  I can’t believe it either but it is fate, I guess.  He made me feel the way I felt with him.  I didn’t have the guts to tell him directly about my wedding.  Have you told him?  He’d be ok.  He has her now.”

“You know it is just part of the arrangement.  I don’t think he felt the same as he is with you.  He still misses you.  I guessed your relationship with him is just not meant to be forever.  He sent this for you.”

Alysha took the gift from Adi and held it close to his heart.  “He really is the best, you know, even it was just a short period of time.  Well, it’s my wedding.  Let’s not be sad of the past. Tell him I said thank you.  Did you come alone?”

Adi smiled, “You know the others wanted to come too but they can’t.  They gave their congratulatory speech for you and their gift in this bag.  Better open them when you are alone.  I don’t think your husband would like to see them and their messages.  He might be the jealous type.”

Taking the bag from Adi, she said, “Well, I never told him that part of my life before.  I don’t think he’ll believe me. I don’t believe it myself if it weren’t because I still in contact with you.  Come, let me introduce you to my husband.”

Adi looked to her right for awhile before following suit Alysha. 

He looked straight to the girl he misses for the past 2 years.  They knew they made the right decision to break up, for both of their future.  Sometimes he wondered what would had happened if they had hold on.  Would it be this wedding to be theirs together?  He knew now that he just wasn’t meant for her.  It was short lived but he was grateful to be able to love a person like her. 

He sent her his final goodbye with a flower brooch with 4 petals in white.  His way to let her still remember him by and his way for giving her his consent for the future she has chosen, hoping she will always be happy even if he wasn’t in the picture.  With her moving away into the crowds, he said his last goodbye, and took leave.

THE END