Ryosuke: "I can't believe this!"

Ryosuke: "Miss Lee is actually Meimei... and Meimei is the real Miss Lee!"

After Ryosuke finds out because I was just pretending to be Mei Ling, he pressed his lips into a pout.

Meimei: "Sorry, Ryosuke."

Ryosuke: "It's fine. I'm sure it was Mr. Oh's idea."

Meimei: "But it was..."

Meimei: "So you can go ahead and call me Meimei, but everyone know 'mafia granddaughter of Fire Dragon'."

Ryosuke: "!!"

Ryosuke shocked when he spoke.

Ryosuke: "That's amazing!"

Meimei: "Kind of... I'm not mafia princess..."

Ryosuke: "No! But you're still a mafia princess to me, Miss. Yae!"

Ryosuke: "And I promise to serve you, forever!"

Meimei: "What the!? Serve me? But you can't serve me, Ryosuke. Just act a normal..."

Ryosuke: "Not to me! But you're like a princess to me!"

Ryosuke stubbornly won't relent and I'm not sure how to respond when I sighed.

Eisuke: "Hey, doggy. Enough about that."

Ota: "So what's going on with Soryu's marriage to Mei Ling?"

Ota asks, bringing up the topic everyone wants to know about.

Ryosuke: "That's on hold for now."

Ryosuke: "But if Mr. Oh marries the real Miss Lee... then the Ice Dragons and the Bell Crickets will basically merge."

Ryosuke: "And it'll become the most powerful organization in Hong Kong,"

Baba: "Which means..."

Eisuke: "That'll solidify Soryu's position in the organization."

Ryosuke: "Yes! He's basically guaranteed the position of being the next boss!"

Ota: "Not a bad deal, if you ask me."

Mamoru: "...The Bell Crickets have always been a moderate faction. Their ideals are close to Soryu's."

Ota: "I see... which means..."

Baba: "If he can gain control of the Bell Crickets, he'll be able to oust his current boss."

Eisuke: "Pretty lucky break for Soryu."

(But I heard Soryu isn't happy with the current boss of the Ice Dragons.)

(So he can get rid of him if he marries Mei Ling.)

(Then he might be able to create a mafia faction in his style.)

Ota: "Where's Soryu, anyway?"

Eisuke: "Didn't he come with you today?"

Ryosuke: "Yes, he said he had some business with Miss Lee, and they should be in the casino now."

Mamoru: "The casino?"

Ryosuke: "Miss Lee asked to go there."

(So they're alone...)

(But I wonder what if he wanted to talk to her about their engagement?)

I suddenly feel depressed and Baba stands up.

Baba: "I haven't played at the casino for a while."

Baba: "Come with me, Meimei."
______________________________________________________

Baba: "Next is 5."

Baba: declares, and he puts his chips down on the table. He rolls the dice and it comes up a 7.

Baba: "Aaah, I lost again! I suck at craps."

Baba: "Wanna try, Meimei?"

Meimei: "Ahahaha.... I'll pass. But I have terrible luck."

Baba: "Now, you can't decide of that you're going to lose before you even try."

Baba: "After all, I'm still chasing after women despite being rejected hundreds of times."

Meimei: "But that's pretty impressive."

Baba: "I know!"

Baba smiles at me teasingly.

(But I think he's guessed of that I'm thinking about Soryu and that's why he brought me here.)

Meimei: "Thank you."

Baba: "Hm? For what?"

Meimei: "No, never mind..."

Baba: "Alright. Then let's try one more time!"

I stand beside Baba as he bets again and scan the room for Soryu.

(Oh, there he is!)

But I see him with Mei Ling a short distance from us.

Meimei: "Sory-..."

Meimei: "!?"

(He has such a tender smile on his face... but he almost never do that...)

(But I get it... he with Mei Ling are from the same background.)

(Still... she can understand him in ways of that I can't.)

(But maybe it's best for them to get married so he can reach his goals, too...)

Meimei: "But still..."

Soryu: "Meimei? What are you doing in here?"

(Oh my god, he caught me as looking at him!? But what should I do!?)

Meimei: "Oh, I didn't know you two were here, too."

I say with a smile when Soryu frowns.

Soryu: "...Why are you here?"

Meimei: "Baba brought me in here from this casino..."

Soryu: "...Oh."

Mei Ling: "Did you come here to gamble, too?"

Mei Ling asks innocently as she walks away from the roulette wheel.

Meimei: "Why yes..."

(Ugh... but I know I have to smile, but I just can't...)

Baba: "Oh, Meimei."

Baba: "I'm almost out of chips."

Meimei: "Huh? Oh."

Baba: "Sorry... I have some up in my room. Can you go get them for me?"

Meimei: "Sure, I'll go get it."

Baba: "There's no rush."

Baba watches me walk away because I was hurry towards the exit.

*THUD*

Meimei: "Oh jeez! Sorry!"

???: "Not a problem... wait, Meimei?"

Sakiko: "Why are you here?"

Meimei: "Well..."

As the moment, I see Sakiko's face but I feel the corners of my eyes grow hot.

Sakiko: "Hey, are you alright? Are you crying?"

Meimei: "No... I think... I just have something in my eye..."

Soryu: "Meimei."

Meimei: "Soryu!"

Soryu: "What's wrong?"

I shaked my head when I spoke.

Meimei: "It's nothing, don't worry about it..."

Soryu: "...Can you come to the penthouse later? I have something to tell you."

Meimei: "Do I... do I have to go?"

Soryu: "...No."

Soryu: "I understand. Sorry I asked."

As for a moment, it looks like he wants to say something, but then he goes back to Mei Ling.

(As the night when I spent at his house because I felt so close to him...)

But now... as I watch his back when he walks away and he feels so far away.

Sakiko: "...Meimei, is he a penthouse guest?"

Meimei: "Yes..."

Sakiko: "Is he the guy as you love?"

Meimei: "I'm sorry, Sakiko... but I have to go."

I don't want to hear what she has to say when I immediately leave the room.
_________________________________________________________

A few days later...

Meimei: *Sigh*

I find myself sighing over and over again as I change the bed sheets.

(But I haven't seen Soryu ever since that night at the casino...)

(But he hasn't come back to the penthouse at all.)

(But what if he went back to Hong Kong?)

When I think I might never see him again, I feel a throbbing pain deep in my heart.

(But now that he's gone as I can go back to my normal life.)

(But... I can go back to the life and I thought I'd have to leave forever... that day I was sold at the action.)

*Flashback*

Soryu: "Don't you dare tell anyone what you saw today."
________________________________

Soryu: "If things go smoothly, I'll let you go alive."
______________________

Soryu: "Geez... here, put this on."
_________________________

Soryu: "Okay. I'll protect you, Meimei."

*End of flashback*

(I'm not happy at all.)

(Because if I go back to how my life was before, that means Soryu's not in it.)

???: "That frown ruins your pretty face, my lady."

Meimei: "Huh?"

As suddenly, I hear a voice near the door when I turn around to see Baba was here.

Baba: "Hey there."

Meimei: "Baba? What are you doing here?"

(He always turns up in the most unexpected places... this time a guest room!)

He chuckles when I stare at him with widen eyes.

Baba: "That's better."

Baba: "Before, you looked like a wilted sunflower."

Meimei: "But that's a really weird metaphor..."

I says when he leans slightly against the wall and he crosses his arms.

Baba: "Is Soryu the reason why you look so sad?"

Baba: "Now that the arranged marriage meetings are over and he doesn't page, you up to the penthouse..."

Baba: "Are you worried because you might never see him again?"

(Busted!?)

I sigh when I hesitantly nod under Baba's knowing gaze.

Baba: "It's good to be honest. I'll reward you by telling you something."

Baba: "Soryu ran into some trouble with the main faction of the Ice Dragons... and he had to go back to Hong Kong."

Meimei: "What? So he's not in Japan right?"

(Is that what he wanted to talk to me about that night at the casino?)

Baba: "He'll be home soon, apparently."

Baba: "But that's the reason why. So you shouldn't worry."

Meimei: "But... I don't know..."

(I totally thought I'd never see him again...)

Baba: "Feel better?"

Meimei: "Kind of... yes."

Satisfied with my answer, Baba's smile widens.

Baba: "Hey, Meimei."

Baba: "Like I said in the casino, but you shouldn't give up before you even try."

Meimei: "Excuse me?"

Baba: "You think Mei Ling's better for Soryu, even though you're in love with him, right?"

Meimei: "Wha!? I..."

Baba continues in a gentle tone of voice...

Baba: "I know that Mei Ling is more similar to Soryu than you are."

Baba: "How they were raised, the things they worry about..."

Meimei: "..."

Baba: "But just because someone's similar to us doesn't mean we're attacked to them."

Baba: "That's only one aspect of it."

Baba: "Doesn't being different from someone make you want to know more about them?"

Baba: "It might be difficult falling in love with someone who leads a different life..."

Baba: "But I don't think it's something you two can't overcome."

Meimei: "...Baba?"

He steps out of the shadows and he doesn't have his usual teasing smile on his face.

(But I wonder if he's ever fallen in love with someone like that?)

Baba: "Nah, I'm just joking."

Baba: "I wish I could've been the one to steal your heart."

Meimei: "Geez, Baba..."

Meimei: "I wish you could too, but..."

Baba: "Yeah, I know."

Baba: "I'm not just some pretty thief."

Baba; "I know when something's impossible to steal."

*BUZZZ*

Baba: "Oh, it's a text."

He says when he takes out his cell phone and he stares at the screen.

Baba: "Meimei."

Meimei: "What is it?"

Baba: "Speak of the devil. Soryu's back in Japan. But your two friends is in the penthouse."
_______________________________________________

Meimei: "B-Baba! I'm in the middle of a shift!"

Baba: "No more excuses!"

Meimei: "Ugh..."

Baba drags me up to the executive lounge, where all the others are gathered. But including...

Soryu: "..."

(Soryu...)

It's only been a few days, but it feels like I haven't seen him in ages...

Ota: "Hm? Where's the moving reunion?"

Ota: "You haven't seen Meimei for a while right, Soryu?"

Soryu: "..."

(He won't make eye contact with me at all...)

(But maybe... I'm over-thinking it...)

Eisuke: "Whatever. Anyway, let's continue the conversation."

Eisuke: "Are you really going to marry Mei Ling?"

Meimei: "!?"

Soryu: "I..."

Soryu doesn't even raise an eyebrow at Mr. Ichinomiya's question.

(But I guess he's going to go through with it...)

All eyes are on Soryu. He looks down for a moment and then he says without hesitation...

Soryu: "Yes, I'm going to marry Mei Ling."

Meimei: "...!?"

There's a cold light in his eyes now.

(Oh my god... no... it can't be...)

(The moment as I realized I loved him, but I'd already lost him...)

Meimei: "..."

Mulan notice me because she saw my eyes are tears run down my cheeks when she widen her eyes.

Mulan: "Meimei?"

All eyes are on me when I felt my heart are broken, I steps back away from them and I turn around to run away from the penthouse.

Lei Fang & Mulan: "Meimei!?"

But it's too late, Mulan glare at Soryu when she spoke.

Mulan: "I can't believe you hurt our precious best friend Meimei!"

Lei Fang: "Way a go... Mr. Oh, you married that girl Mei Ling! We are not to talk to Mei Ling!?"

Mulan: "But guess what! Meimei is getting married to Souseki!?"

Lei Fang and Mulan turn around when they run out of the penthouse.

Soryu: "..."

Ota: "Wait... she's married to Souseki?"

Mamoru: "The guy of China boy, yes..."

~End of Chapter 10~

TO BE CONTINUED...