Ying Jie’s POV

During our way up, people get off on different levels. When there are lesser people, I realise that Yao Yao and Apple are in the same lift as us. They keep glance at me and Aaron. Oh dear. I hope they don’t ask me any questions later.

We reach twenty-second level. Yao Yao and Apple walk out first. I actually wanted to just walk out, but Aaron’s my first friend here. I can’t leave without saying goodbye.

“Bye.” I turn to Aaron and wave.

“Bye.” He says and waves back. Others in the elevator just keep looking at us. I look at them awkwardly and walk out.

I walk towards my desk and sit down. I was lucky that Yao Yao and Apple didn’t ask me about me knowing Aaron. I switch on the computer and start working. After a few minutes, Ya Tou comes and sits on her seat. She turns to me and start questioning me.

“How’s your dinner with Mr Yan?” She asks, quite loudly. I look around nervously, hoping that no one is near us and heard her question. Luckily, there isn’t anyone near us.

“Lower down your volume.” I say softly. She looks at me apologetically and waits for me to continue.

“Fine.” I answer.

“So who is he to you?” She asks and gives me a cheeky smile. She can’t think that I’m with him or something, right? Oh right! I suddenly remember that she is his sister.

“He’s a friend. Aren’t you his sister? He should have told you.” I question her back. She looks at me with her surprised look.

“Did you tell the others?” She asks softly.

“No, I didn’t.”

“Phew! Okay, back to your question. He didn’t tell me. Apparently, when he reached home, I was outside. I didn’t get to ask him when I reached home, he’s already asleep!” She says using her usual volume. Then she continues her questioning.

“How do you know him?”

“Why not I tell you later, during lunch?”

***

Ya Tou’s POV

"Apartment? I didn't know he has an apartment at Skye High." I say.

Ying Jie and I are now having lunch at a the company's canteen, without the A-Yao sisters and ID couple, ID couple as in 'Interior Design' couple, since they are the only couple in or department. I wanted to know about Ying Jie and Ge, so we did not have our lunch with them.

During our lunch, she told me about how Ge and she met. It's funny when she told me that Ge thought she was committing suicide while she was feeling the breeze at a park. She also told me about how they became friends. Then she told me about the apartment she is currently staying. I don't remember that he has an apartment at Skye High. I only know he has a chalet house, 2 apartments at Taichung and Kaohsiung respectively. Since when did he have an apartment at Taipei? When he's already having a house with us here?

"Huh? But he said that it is his. Unless..."

"He bought it recently." I continue for her. It must be that he bought it recently, or else I would know it long ago. She looks at me, wide-eye. She's shock I guess. Don't tell me he bought an apartment just to let her stay? That's so not like the Aaron I know and live with for my entire life! I look at Ying Jie, and from her looks, I guess that she is thinking of the same thing as me.

"Don't tell me..."

"Maybe he bought it long ago, and he did not tell me." I say, not wanting her to feel insecure or nervous. After what I said, her expression still remains the same. I decided to change the topic of our conversation.

"Oh! I wanted to tell you..."

***

After lunch, we go back to our department. When we are about to reach my desk, A-Yao sisters calls me and tells me to follow them. I follow them to the pantry. When we reach the pantry, Yao Yao looks out of the pantry, like checking whether there's someone coming or following. Weird. What is she doing? After her 'check', she walks towards me.

"Do you know the relationship between Ying Jie and Mr Yan?" She asks. Oh, so they pulls me here because of the gossip. Before taking the elevator up to the department this morning, I heard some of the employees talking about Ge with a designer girl. I guessed the designer girl was Ying Jie right away. I do not know what they have done to made almost everyone talks about them. Walking together maybe?

I tell them. "Yes. They're friends."

"Friends? Are you sure?" Apple asks. Is she doubting me? I hate people doubting me. I frown.

"Yes."

"Sorry. I don't mean to doubt you." She says carefully. Maybe she saw me frown earlier.

"It's just that we were in the same elevator with them in the morning. And we saw Mr Yan holding onto her waist." What?! Ge holding onto her waist?! This is getting suspicious. But still, I think they are friends. I know Ge must have probably still thinking of Rainie Jie, since just now Ying Jie told me they met at Forest¹ Park, the place where Ge and Rainie Jie always spent most of their time together. He should be there thinking of her that day. Sigh.

“I’m very sure they are just friends. You can go ask her yourself if you want.” I say to them, leave them and walk back to the desk.

***

Ying Jie’s POV

Ya Tou come back with an irritated face. I wonder what Yao Yao and Apple do to make her so irritated. Then a thought came into my mind. Oh my god. They can’t be asking her about me, right? The both of them saw me with him earlier just now. I want to ask her, but seeing her so irritated, I decided not to.

After work, Ya Tou offers me a ride home. She says she wanted to see how the apartment looks like too. Since the apartment is under her brother’s name, I can’t say no. We also decided to order some pizza later.

We are heading towards her car when we saw Aaron too. He’s standing beside a car which I don’t recognise, and facing his back to us. He’s on his phone. Ya Tou walks towards him, and I follow. Aaron turns around and saw us. He put away his phone and seems like waiting for us to walk towards him.

“Hey. I was looking for you.” He says while looking at me.

“Me?”

“Yeah. I sent you a message but you didn’t reply. I called you too, but it went to your voicemail. I was wondering if you want to have dinner together.”

“No!” Ya Tou answers. Both of us look at her.

“Why?” He asks. I was wondering why too. They are siblings right? Since both of them are my friends, we can have our dinner together.

“We’re having pizza at her apartment. I don’t think you want it.” She says. She doesn’t think he wants it? So he doesn’t like pizzas?

“Who says I don’t want it. Ying Jie, can I go to your apartment and have dinner with both of you?” He says. Ya Tou look surprised by his statement. Oh right! Perhaps he didn’t eat before. I mentally slap myself for my slow reaction.

“Of course. You wouldn’t mind right?” I look at Ya Tou and ask. Even though they are siblings, I don’t want them to feel uncomfortable while having dinner.

“Sure. Why would I mind having dinner with my brother? Let’s go!”

***

Ya Tou’s POV

We're now eating pizzas. I keep looking at Ge, who is taking big bites. Whoa! He's like a big food monster. We ordered 2 medium pizzas, which are sliced into 6 slices, and a total of 12 slices, and he's eaten 5 slices! Now he's eating the sixth slice! It's the first time I've seen him like this. He doesn't eat this kind of food. The food he eats is all those food in high end restaurants, and of course, food cooked by some chef in our house. I remember there's one time I've asked him to eat food from a small restaurant. He rejected it and said that it might ruin his health. All that comes from listening too much to grandma. Grandma told him that only food from those high end restaurants are healthy and nice, and told him not to eat those small restaurants or stalls. I'm different. I have eaten this kind of food when I was a child, since I have lived in the US for quite a few years before with my aunt. This time, he's eating pizza from a shop that only offers pizza delivery. I'm shocked that he's eating it. I can't help but wonder why he's starting to eat this kind of food?

After eating, we, as in Ge and I, bid goodbye to Ying Jie and walks to the parking lot, where my car is. Earlier, Ge drove us with my car here, so now we need to head back to the company to get his car. He said that I do not know the way here, so insist on him driving. Since we are just beside my car earlier, we decided to just take my car. It's lucky that there isn't anyone saw us in the parking lot just now.

Throughout the day spent with Ge and Ying Jie, I can see that Ge is different around her. I mean, he's like changing back to his old self, like when he was a year ago. Then I realise something. When I first met Ying Jie, I thought she's Rainie Jie, but when I looked at her longer, she looks a bit different from her. Yes, she looks a lot like Rainie Jie. Don't tell me that Ge thought she is Rainie Jie and treated her as if she's her? So he's just treating Ying Jie as a replacement for Rainie Jie? I shook away my thoughts. I need to ask him before I make any conclusions.

***

Aaron’s POV

“Ge, can I come in?” Ya Tou asks, knocking on the door.

I had just come out from the bathroom. Still drying my hair, I walk to the door and open it for her to come in. She just walks in and sits comfortably on the couch.

“I know why you’re here.” I say. I know that she comes here just to ask me questions about Ying Jie. I’ve said that I’ll tell her yesterday, but when I reached home, she’s nowhere to be found. Yes, we are close, and we always heart to heart siblings talk, but still, I don’t like how she treats people who are chasing her.

“Good. Then I can just cut straight to it. I know how you 2 met. She told me. I just want to ask you, are you treating her as if she’s Rainie Jie?”

 “What? No! She’s Ying Jie! Why would I treat her as if she’s Rainie?” I ask, confused. What kind of question is she asking?

“You know why. She looks so much like her.” She says, staring intently at me. Oh right, she looks like her, but both of them are different. Their voices are different, their characters and personalities are also different. Why would I treat her as if she’s Rainie? I frown. “Yes she does. But no, I’m not treating Ying Jie as Rainie.”

“So the lunch yesterday was sent by you?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, I thought it was Mr Kang.” She says softly, and then continues, “You are changing back to your old self. The way you’re with her, is like when you are with Rainie.” Then she mumbles something that I can’t hear properly. She continues, “Right! Why did you eat pizzas that are from some kind of small delivery shop with us? I thought you don’t like to eat that kind of food?”

“I’ve tried it for the past few days. I think it is nice.”

“I wonder how grandma will react when she finds out.” She says. Wait, she’s not telling grandma right? I can’t tolerate her nagging! When she found out that Ya Tou has been eating those foods, she nags and nags and nags the whole day- No, not whole day. For months! There are times where Ya Tou can’t tolerate it anymore, and she didn’t even come to any of the family dinner. I know how she nags at Ya Tou, and I know how Ya Tou feels. Grandma can’t change Ya Tou’s mind, so she stops her lecture after like, 2 months?

“If you tell her, I’m going to drag you in too.” I say, threatening.

“What?! Okay okay I’m not telling her! Don’t remind me of her annoying lectures.” We laugh, thinking back on grandma’s nagging and lectures to her. Then someone knocks on the door and come in. It’s mom.

“What are you kids talking about? I can hear the laughter at the hallway.”

“Nothing Mom. I should go back to my room and turn in now. Goodnight Ge! Good night Mom!” Ya Tou says and leaves the room.

“Goodnight dear. Son, you should turn in too. Goodnight.” Mom says. I said goodnight to her before she closes the door.

I lie on the bed and think of the conversation I had between me and my sister. I can’t help but think, have I change back to my old self? Is it because of Ying Jie?