IX

RECAP

Rainie picks up all her belongings and headed out the door, driving to her families’ estate.

“Welcome back Miss. Rainie.”

“I’m back, where’s my mother?”

“In the dining room with―” Rainie was about to walk off until the maids call her back― “they are going through Taiwan’s notable bachelors.” Rainie stop and turn around, frozen in place. “I know, It’s for me.”

END OF RECAP

Without further a due, she opened the doors to see her mother sitting at the table with her aunt and little sister, papers spread out across the table. Rainie walks over, picking one of the papers and dropping it in a matter of seconds.

“Hello Aunt.” No matter how furious Rainie was, she wouldn’t forget her manners.

Her Aunt look up from the papers and smiled happily, “Oh Rainie dear, we are so happy you came back. You are just in time to see your potential husband-to-be, we are all going through―” Rainie looked at them and smiles. “I told you guys already, I want to find my own husband my way.”

“Oh I know darling, these group of boys are your back-ups.”

“Back-ups?! MOM!”

“Sweetie, what do you think of him? If you ask me, I like him, what do you think?”

“MOM!”

“Oh c’mon, you aren’t getting any younger.  It doesn’t hurt having options.” Rainie looks over to Reen, looking for some back-up. “Sis, these are all the eligible bachelors in Taiwan. Some are overseas but because Mom and aunt have has their connection, they managed to get some that are working or studying overseas. You are sooo luckkky sis!”

Rainie shot a look over to Reen as she smiled; ignoring the furious gaze her older sister was giving her. “I like him, what do you think? When it’s my turn, can he be on my list?”

“Not for you, this is for your sister.”

“Aww mom, I am old enough!”

“Reen, wait a couple more years.”

“Fine, then I want him for Rainie.”

“Okay, add him to our ‘final’ pile.”

Rainie rolls her eyes and took out the envelope. She was expecting her mother to drop everything and take the envelope but she didn’t. She took one glance at it and went back to what she was doing.

“You know about it?”

“Yes I do. I know enough to understand.”

“Don’t worry about it; it’s just something we adults like to do.”

“I’m not worried mom, I thought you didn’t know.”

“Everything happening in the company goes through me. Of course I know about it.”

Curious, Reen took the sheets out of the envelope and her eye brow arched. “What’s this?”

“Its noth―” Her mother began but Rainie cut her off. “This document is the shareholders report. From what I can tell, the current shareholders have brought some shares from the company and I’m going to take a wild guess. They are going to use it against you mom, they will use it to reinstate Ying Jie.”

“MOM! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?” Reen screamed out loud. “It’s all taken care of so don’t ask me anything. Rainie, thanks for looking out for your mom here but please, keep your head in school. When you are older, you will understand everything I am doing and when its time, you will inherit this company. So I will not let anything go wrong until then.”

“Mom…”

“Enough, I am looking through these profiles for my future son-in-law. Aren’t you a bit curious to see which gentlemen we have selected for you?” Rainie picks her bag up and shakes her head. “No, I am not interested in going to any blind dates so count me out.” Rainie left the room and made her way upstairs.

She wanted to go into her room but she found herself standing in front of her step-sisters room instead. Curious as to why she stopped in front of her door, she tapped her heels and grunted. She was going to ignore her conscious but instead, she opened the doors and walks in. This room used to be one of the cheerful rooms in the house; she loved to be in here no more than the library. But now reminiscing what it was like when they were all lived together, she smiles at how foolish they were. Rainie smiles as she walked over to her shelves and glanced at what she left behind.

Her fingers grazed over the books but she stops when she saw an silver coated hand-held mirror.  “Will she come for you?” Rainie whispers quietly as she took a bag and stuffs all she could into the bag. There no use having these things left behind the room so instead of leaving it here, it can collect dust somewhere else.

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Reen paused as she picks up a picture.

“He goes to our school!” Mrs. Yang looks over and smiles. “Dean Fujioka… He’s awfully familiar. Have we met him before?”

“I don’t know…” Reen whispers as she watches her Mom put him down in the ‘final’ pile. Reen’s jaws dropped when she sees Dean Fujioka’s profile in the ‘final’ pile. “Mom, Rainie doesn’t like him.”

“She wouldn’t disagree with my decision.”

“Mom...”

“Shush child, your aunt and I are trying to limit the possible bachelor.”

Everyone stops and looks at the butler who came in with the phone. “Madam Wu, you have a phone call.”

“I’ll be back.” Mrs. Wu calls out as she walks over to take the call. Mrs. Yang laughs as she caught Reen removing the boy from the pile. “She reaallllyyy hates this guy so Auntie, please help me keep this a secret!” Mrs. Yang nods. “One less candidate is a good sign for the other bachelors.”

“THANK YOU AUNTIE!”

“Yes yes, this will be our secret.”

“Aunt, can I ask a favour?”

“Yes darling?”

“Can you set me up with HIM PRETTTTYYY PLEASEE?!?!?!!?!?” Mrs. Yang chuckles, shaking her head. “No can do, all these candidates are for your sister.”

“Aww man!”

Mrs. Yang continues to laugh gleefully while Mrs. Wu came back, “what did I miss? Are we done with the selection?”

“We are short a pair of eyes, we’ll get nowhere if you don’t add in your extra pair of hands to help us.”

“Yes yes, I will get on it!”

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GUI GUI / AARON’S SIDE

“No, I’m listening, go on.”

Gui smiles as she listen to Aaron. He has been filling her in on all the subjects they have covered in their classes and since she just transferred into their class, she has to catch up somehow right?

“Oh by the way, I’m Aaron.” This was the long-overdue introduction but she managed to smile. She wondered if they were going to skip the introductions since it’s not the first time they met, or was he trying to pick the right time to introduce himself. She shook his hands and looks at him. She wanted to say she already knew his name but she decided that it wasn’t important. “I am Emma Wu.” He wanted to ask her why she doesn’t go by her Chinese name but he didn’t want to step out of line so he simply nodded.

“It’s nice to meet you, I guess we can’t use the excuse of being strangers anymore.”

“No, I guess not Mr. Oilstains―oh, I mean Aaron.” He just laughs.

When the elevator doors opens, Gui smiles as she walks out to find Dean leaning against the wall.

“DEAN!” Gui walks over to him with a bright smile. “Finished your classes already? Don’t tell me you skipped?”

“No way, I wouldn’t think of it. Although I ran through a few red lights to get here, nothing big.”

Gui playfully punch him in the arm as she turn around to see Aaron unlocking his door.

“AARON! I didn’t know you were my neighbor!” Catching his attention, Dean looks over to see who Gui was talking to. “Hi, I’m Dean Fujioka! Gui’s friend.”

“Aaron Yan.” Aaron looks over to him. “The neighbor.”

“He’s the one who dropped me off last time, remember… before the party…”

“OHHH! IT WAS YOU! No wonder you looked familiar. Thank you for saving me the trouble, she lost her parents―” Gui elbowed him in the stomach, he choked― “Never mind. Anyways, thank you for noticing her suicide in time.”

“She refused to come with me so I had to force her to get it checked.” Aaron looks over to Gui. “Sorry… for the trouble…” Aaron  looks down at the wound. “You might want to change the bandage because a wet bandage doesn’t help the wound heal.” Dean’s eyes widen as he look over to Gui who smiled. She glared at Aaron who smiles, seriously, she doesn’t know if he is helping her out or setting a trap for her.

“I had a water fight with some classmates earlier.”

“Gui, you need to be careful.” Dean said as he looks over to Aaron. “Thank you.”

“Just be careful next time.”

With that, he went into his apartment. Gui quickly unlock her door and walked in, following behind her was Dean who quickly came in after her.

“Gui, your parent’s death anniversary is tomorrow.” She paused. “I know. I haven’t forgotten the date.”

“I’ll come with you.”

All Gui could do was nod. She was exhausted after a long day. For someone who generally has so much energy, where did that energy go?

Dean smiled as he ruffled her hair. “I’ll help you with the bandaging.”

“I have two perfectly working hands; you are acting like I don’t have any!”

“You never did so well on your own, so allow me to assist you.”

“I can do it myself Dean! Stop treating me like a little girl! I promise I won’t pull that stunt I did last time.” He narrowed his eyebrow. “Promise?”

“Of course, sometimes promises aren’t meant to be broken!”

“Gui… Keeping promises isn’t your strong suite.”

“How about giving me a chance to prove to you that I can keep promise?”

“If you break another promise, I will not play the nice guy anymore.” He picks his stuff up. “Fine, just this time though! I’ll see you tomorrow Gui Gui.”

“Yes sir!”

After Dean closed the door behind him, Gui opens her luggage to slowly unpack her things.

Reality has kicked in and it was time for her to look the other way. Even though it pains her to face reality, Dean was right. She can’t go on doing this anymore. She’s an adult now; she can’t allow herself to refuse her situation any longer.

As she reach deeper and deeper into her luggage, she discovers the letter her father wrote to her, with the gift he left behind. If this world that they were living in built itself with magic, can the words in this letter bring back my loved ones?

Gui shakes her foolish thinking away as she drops the letter and the bottle containing a clock’s hands in her bed-side drawer. ‘Like this, I won’t have to keep thinking about silly things.’ She deeply sighs as she walks over to the window and placed her hands against the cold glass window. She looks up at the sky and closed her eyes. Hoping that tomorrow at the strike of 12, she will forget the pain. “I want to erase it, all of it; I want to forget it all.”

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The Next Morning

AT SCHOOL

“Qiu Sheng Yi?”

“Here.”

“Calvin Chen?”

“Here!”

“Emma Wu? The teacher looks up from his sheet and repeated himself. “Emma Wu are you here?”

The class president raised her hand up, “she’s not here.”

The teacher shook his head as he skipped her name on the list.

Aaron glances over to the empty seat where Emma sat yesterday, where was she?

“Aaron Yan?”

Wu Chun and Calvin look over to him. Sheng Yi rolled his eyes as he raises his hand up. “He’s not here!”

“AARON YAN!”

Shocked, Aaron got up his seat to see his teacher staring at him.

“Aaron, do you need to get your ears checked? Why didn’t you answer me when I called your name?”

“Hey Teach, maybe he’s testing your authority.” Sheng Yi and his buddies smirked. Calvin laughs, leaning back in his seat. “At least Aaron’s not infatuated with himself.”

“What is that supposed to mean Chen?” William inquired.

“Infatuated and delusional. Poor guy, is there a cure of that?” Jiro cried out loud as Fabien stood up.

“SIT DOWN NOW!” The teacher hit his stick on the desk, silencing the students in a heartbeat. “SHUT THOSE LIPS OF YOURS! SAVE YOUR BICKERINGS WHEN YOU GUYS ARE ON THE FIELD. YOU GUYS ARE IN CLASS RIGHT NOW SO BE NICE AND CUT THE GOSSIP.”

“Can’t blame us teach, we are innocent man. They were the ones who started this whole thing.”

“Innocent? You consider yourselves innocent? Oh hell―”

“ENOUGH! TAKE YOUR BOOKS OUT AND TURN TO LAST NIGHTS HOMEWORK. I AM CHECKING!” Half of the students did what the teacher asked but only the boys remained still, looking at each other. “BOOKS OUT!” Sheng Yi’s and Arron’s grop of friends grunted as they took their books out to see the teacher walk back to the front.

“If you guys don’t stop arguing like a couple, you guys will never―”

“Teach! Describing us as couples is too farfetched. We are more like star-crossed lovers~” Jiro teased the other guys as Ah Wei’s glare at him. “Does this look like literature right now? This is science class.”

“This Coach of yours spoiled his players… when he hears about this; you guys will have to run around the field at the break of dawn.” The teacher murmured as he flips through his book, reciting the numbers and without further a due, class commences.

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MRS. WU SIDE

“WHAT?! ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU CANNOT EARSE HER OUT BECAUSE ON HIS WILL, THERE IS ONLY WU YING JIE WRITTEN AS THE SOLE HEIRESS TO HIS PROPERTY?! IT CAN’T TRUE... IT CAN’T BE... TRUE... This can’t be true…”

Mrs. Wu screamed out her frustrations out as the lawyer stood in front of her. “Before the late Mr. Wu passed away, he wrote his will and it heavily states that his daughter, Miss. Emma Wu Ying Jie is the sole heiress to his property.”

She tapped her finger continuously on the table, trying to ease her frustrations but it still ticked her off.

“Then tell me, can it be changed?”

“Yes, if Miss. Emma Wu Ying Jie desires to create her own will, she can do so.”

“But... In the case if she anything happens to her like... An unexpected death, what happens then?”

“The property will be ceased by the bank and all the inheritance will go to charity.”

“THEN HOW ABOUT ME?! I’M HIS WIFE! DON’T I HAVE AN SAY IN THIS?!”

The lawyer picked up his documents and made his way to the door. But before he left the room, he responded to her question briefly. “The best way to receive even a penny from the Wu residence would be to showcase your role to them. That is the best way to do this, from a lawyer’s point of view.”

When the lawyer left the room, the stepmother slammed her hands on the desk, annoyed. Everything she had done was for the benefit of her and her daughters, the death of Mr. Wu was tragic but it raised the question, did he ever think of leaving Reen and Rainie anything?

“I can’t give up... Not when I am this close to getting everything.”

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AT SCHOOL

Rainie drop the bag that contains Gui belongings on Dean’s desk before sitting in her seat, which coincidentally, was next to his. The only thing in between them was a pathway for the other students to walk through. Dean was talking to his buddies behind him and when he caught Rainie sitting down in her seat, Dean turns around; to see a bag on his desk. He was about to talk to her but just then, their teacher walked into the room, telling everyone to get back to their seats so that he can start their lecture.

Dean rips a piece of paper from his notebook and wrote something down. Then he picks up the closest object close to him, his eraser and threw it over to Rainie, she instantly glared at him. Dean held up the paper in front of his face and hides his amusement behind it. On it, it says: ‘I knew you couldn’t resist my irresistible charm.’ She picks up his eraser and threw it back at him, pretending like nothing happened.

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GUI GUI’S SIDE

“I’m sorry, I took longer to write this test that I expected.”

“It’s okay, I’m fine.”

“I’ll stop by after school to pay my respects.”

“You don’t have to Dean.”

“I want to Gui, I have grown into this irresistible handsome man and I bet you, they will be happy to see me!” Dean looks up at the sky with a worried expression. “Did you bring an umbrella?”

‘It looks like it’s going to rain…’

Gui held the bouquet of flowers close to her as she walk up the hill. She drops her phone into her bag and walked over to her parent’s tombstone. She bent down to dust the grass away and smiles.

“Your daughter is here to visit you… mom…” She places the flowers down. “…Dad…” She whispers quietly and the tears came down. “…I’m here…” She reaches over to touch her parent’s picture and the sky began to cry.