I'm changing in the locker room when I glance in the mirror and I think...

(I still can't believe it...)

(I can't believe everything of that happened is actually real.)

There are secret, black-market auctions being held in the basement of the hotel. And I was sold at one of them.

Soryu: "I don't have to babysit like you. You need to work off the $20 mil as I spent on you."

One of the sponsors of the auctions, Soryu Oh, bought me. While I was posing as Mei Ling a Hong Kong mafia princess... I became attracted to Soryu. He went to Hong Kong after her father suggested as he marry Mei Ling... expected my two friends Mulan and Lei Fang got angry, but they calm down.

(But he came for me.)

As I remember the warmth as he gave me instead of words telling me when he was back... I feel my face are relax.

Chisato: "Morning, Meimei."

Meimei: "Oh. Good morning, Chisato!"

Chisato: "What are you doing as just spacing out in front of the mirror like that?"

Sakiko: "So were you with him about yesterday too? You're lucky little thing!"

Sakikio's elbow me in the rib as she comes into the locker room when I playfully smack her arm.

Meimei: "Oh, what do you mean?"

Sakiko: "Oh come on and tell us!"

Chisato: "What does he do? How did you two meet?"

Those two ladies saw Soryu embrace me in the hotel lobby... and ever since then, they won't stop asking about him.

(Oh great... I can't exactly tell them "He bought me on the black market".)

Sakiko: "He looks kind of scary... but he gives off a really dignified vibe."

Chisato: "Yeah. Like he's not just an ordinary guy..."

Sakiko and Chisato are extremely curious about Soryu.

(What would they think if they knew about he was part of the Hong Kong mafia?)
__________________________________________________

Manager: "Morning, everyone."

Everyone: "Good morning."

The manager gives out schedules to all the different departments, and then...

Manager: "Meimei."

Meimei: "Yes, sir?"

Manager: "Starting today, you'll be in charge of cleaning the penthouse suites."

Meimei: "Wait what!?"

Erika: "Excuse me!? What's going on here?"

Rina & Kana: "...Going on here!?"

Everyone starts making a fuss over the manager's announcement.

Erika: "I can't accept this, sir!"

Erika: "Shouldn't a more experienced staff member be in charge of the penthouse?"

Erika: "Meimei is still new here and that might be too much for her."

Erika's words may be polite, but she glares at me because I'm not scared when I evil glare at her because she freeze.

Erika: "!?"

Manager: "This was a direct request from the guests staying in the penthouse."

Erika: "What?"

Erika: "You're telling me about the V.I.P. guests requested for Meimei themselves!?"

Manager: "Yes, that's right."

Erika: "...I don't believe it."

Rina & Kana: "Don't believe it!"

Sakiko: "Could that be..."

Chisato: "So that guy IS a V.I.P.!"

They look at me with a mixture of jealousy and admiration. But I shrugged when I spoke.

Meimei: "I don't know why you girls will stop being jealous, idiot. And you..."

I glares at Erika, Rina and Kana was flinched when I spoke.

Meimei: "Didn't I warn you to stop bossing me? Don't make me shoot your head, is that clear?"

They nodded their head because they're being feared of me.

Meimei: "Good."

Sakiko: "Wow..."

Chisato: "Meimei is different."

Meimei: "Those three an idiot because they glare at me. I made them fear because I have a gun."

Manager: "Mrs. Yae, you shouldn't do that. Once you calm down."

Meimei: "Alright, alright, fine."

Manager: "Good girl."

Manager: "So, is that alright with you, Meimei?"

Meimei: "Yes, it's alright. So of course."

Manager: "Then go ahead up to the penthouse to greet the guests."

Meimei: "Yes, sir."
____________________________________________________

I have conflicted feelings as I head towards the penthouse.

(This is just going to make Erika and the others bully me even more. So I made them fear of me because I have gun.)

(I'm happy to spend more time with Soryu...)

(But I feel like this is showing favoritism.)

(I'll have to do a really good job so everyone else accepts me!)

I stand in front of Soryu's door and there's a sign hanging on the doorknob.

"Sign: Maid Service Requested"
___________________________________

Meimei: "...Excuse me."

I walk inside, but I don't see him in the living room.

(Unfortunately, it looks like he's not home.)

(Since the sign was hanging on the door when I might as well make his bed.)
____________________________

I go into the bedroom to change the sheets when I spot something red on the mattress.

Meimei: "Oh my!?"

I see it's a beautiful cheongsam.

(But why's this here? Did Mei Ling leave it behind?)

(But there's not a single wrinkle in it. But it looks brand-new.)

The glossy fabric is beautifully embroidered.

Meimei: "It's so pretty..."

(I bet these are Soryu's favorite kind of dresses.)

Meimei: "But I wonder..."

I felt my heart are pounds as I hold the cheongsam against me in the mirror.

???: "Want to try it on?"

Meimei: "!?"

I whirl around, I surprised by the sudden voice.

Meimei: "Soryu!"

Meimei: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

Soryu: "Go ahead and wear it if you want."

Meimei: "N-No, I..."

Meimei: "Kyaah!"

Flustered, I try to put the dress back on the bed... but my high heel gets caught in the thick carpet and I fall onto the bed.

(Not only did he catch me doing that but now I tripped! But what am I doing!?)

Mortified, I buried my face in the bed...

Soryu: "Want me to put it on you?"

The bed creaks under Soryu's weight as he whispers thar into my ear. But I don't answer, and the next moment, he yanks me upwards.

Meimei: "!?"

His face comes closer and I can't look away from his piercing gaze.

Soryu: "...Close your eyes."

Meimei: "B-But..."

(Uh-oh... I'm in the middle of work!)

I hesitantly close my eyes in front of his lips that creep closer...

Soryu: "...What are you doing?"

???: "Oops, busted..."

Soryu: "Guess you caught us."

Baba and Ota opens the door and they come inside with wide grins on their faces.

Baba: "Why didn't you put it on, Meimei?"

Baba: "We put that cheongsam in there especially for you."

Meimei: "For... me?"

Baba: "And it's exactly your size, too!"

Meimei: "And how did you know about my size?"

Baba: "By just looking at you."

Ota: "I picked out the dress."

Ota: "That color looks good on you, right?"

Baba: "It's not too late. Go ahead and try it on."

Meimei: "No... I'm working right now."

Baba: "I bet you'd look really beautiful in that dress, Meimei."

Ota: "She looked good when she was pretending to be Mei Ling."

Baba: "I bet you'll blow Sor away wearing that!"

Baba: "He likes to pretend he's all cool, but I bet he's a closet pervert!"

Ota: "We're weak against those dresses too, Baba."

Meimei: "And why do you want me to put the dress on so badly?"

I raise my eyebrow when I says.

Soryu: "You guys..."

Ota: "Don't glare at us like that, Soryu!"

Baba: "We were just playing around! That's all!"

Soryu: "Are the other two in the lounge?"

(Seriously... what's going on? It seems like Soryu's picked up on something...)

(Soryu went out with the other two guys.)

Baba is the last to leave, but first he turns around and he beckons me over.

Baba: "C'mon, Meimei!"

Meimei: "Huh? But I'm working right now..."

Baba: "Just come on!"

He pushes me on the back and I have no choice, but to leave the room without even making the beds.
___________________________________________________

Eisuke: "What took you so long?"

Mr. Ichinomiya and Mr. Kishi are sitting on the sofa with a champagne glasses... and he look towards Soryu and me with a smile.

Mamorui: "She didn't put it on, huh?"

Mr. Kishi says as he drains the last bits of liquor his glass.

Soryu: "How much did you bet, Eisuke?"

Mr. Ichinomiya holds out one hand.

Soryu: "$500? That's it?"

Eisuke: "We were just playing around."

Ota: "See? When it involves Soryu, you should always go with Eisuke's bet."

Baba: "I really thought she'd put it on."

Baba: "You make things too hard, Soryu."

Baba and Ota take five hundred dollar bills out of their pockets and they put them on the table.

(What the hell!? These guys made a bet on whether or not I'd wear that cheongsam!)

Soryu: "This is so stupid."

Soryu whispers in an aggravated tone of voice.

Eisuke: "Can you blame us? You've finally got a woman... so we're gonna milk this for all it's worth!"

Ota: "I can't believe you did that down in the lobby!"

(Ugh... I'm so embarrassed. They were all watching...)

Baba: "So what kind of dates do you go on?"

Soryu: "..."

Ota: "Don't just stand there. Tell us!"

Soryu: "This is stupid."

Mamoru: "Can't you say something else? You're a party pooper, as usual."

Soryu: "Instead of drinking, shouldn't you be out solving a case somewhere, Mr. Detective?"

Soryu: "Japanese police sure have a lot of time on their hands."

Mamaoru: "Thanks to you, I've decided to write a detective novel... about a romance between a Hong Kong mobster and a Japanese woman."

Soryu puts hand inside his jacket and he starts to pull something out... but Mr. Ichinomiya stops him.

Eisuke: "Don't get all worked up. It's not like you."

Soryu: "..."

Baba: "Looks like you and Mamo are BFFs as usual, Sor."

Mamoru: "Huh? He's the one who always keeps talking to me."

Ota: "They love each other so much they can't help fighting about it."

Soryu: "..."

Mamorui: "..."

The two of them glance at each other and then immediately they look away.

Meimei: "Just get along already!?"

They startled when I sighed.

Meimei: "Look... Lei Fang and I was fighting about angry each other. So my friend Mulan who stop us and no fight each other."

I says and I sighs again.

Baba: "So, Meimei? How about it?"

Meimei: "What do you mean?"

Ota: "Tell us about your dates with Soryu!"

Meimei: "Well..."

Eisuke: "I've never seen Soryu on a date before."

Eisuke: "I bet it's hilarious. Tell us about it!"

Mamoru: "You guys really need to get some hobbies."

Baba: "Well, Meimei?"

Baba: "Share some of your happiness with us!"

Meimei: "Sorry... but we haven't yet."

Eisuke: "Huh?"

Meimei: "Like I said, Soryu and I haven't gone on a date yet."

Baba: "But even though you two shared that passionate embrace!?"

Ota: "That's so boring!"

Meimei: "Well, sorry."

Ota: "You guys at least talk on the phone though, right?"

Meimei: "No and not really... but we see eact other at the hotel every day."

Baba: "Then nothing's changed at all!"

Eisuke: "So there's been no progress at all."

Mamoru: "I can't believe it. And they call themselves a couple?"

Meimei: "..."

(Well I don't know... but I'm just happy because Soryu's back.)

(But I mean, would he even go out on a date with me?)

(He's grown up in the mafia worlds this whole time.)

(So I doubt he'd go on a normal date with me...)

Baba: "That's no good, Sor. You need to take her out on a date!"

Baba: "Alright, let's decide!"

Soryu: "Decide of what?"

Ota: "Oh, like you don't know!"

Eisuke: "Hurry up, Soryu."

Soryu: "Tch, you guys never to shut up."

Soryu: "...When's your next day off, Meimei?"

Meimei: "What?"

Soryu: "When's your next day off?"

(Does that mean he's going to take me on a date!?)

(But I never really gave it much thought, but I think it might be fun!)

Meimei: "Hmm... my next day off is... ahh!"

I quickly reach inside my pocket to take out of my notebook... but my hand slips because I drop it on the floor.

Soryu: "Calm down."

He crouches down to pick it up before I can. The look on his face when he hands it to me is much softer than when we first met.

(Is he looking forward to our date?)
______________________________________________

My next day off...

(Oh my gosh! It's my first date with Soryu! Kyaaa~!)

(I've never seen him wear anything besides a suit.)

(He seems different than when I see him in the hotel.)

Soryu: "Meimei."

Meimei: "Y-Yes?"

Soryu: "All we're doing is walking around... is that okay?"

(I knew it... I don't think he's ever been on a normal date.)

Meimei: "Yes. I'm just happy being with you."

Soryu: "Okay..."

(To be honest, I'd really like to hold his hand...)

(But I doubt he'd do that.)

*RRRIIIING*

Meimei: "Soryu, your phone's ringing."

Soryu: "It's fine. I'm sure it's Inui anyway."

Meimei: "Ryosuke? Then shouldn't you answer it?"

Soryu: "No, I'm sure he's just going to ask where I am."

Meimei: "Soryu... do you not want to tell him?"

Soryu looks away as if he doesn't want to answer.

Soryu: "A date is just for the two of us."

Meimei: "Huh?"

Soryu: "Inui kept insisting to come along for protection, so I just put him to sleep for a while."

Soryu: "I bet once he came to and I was gone, so he panicked and he started to calling me."

Meimei: "Oh, wow..."

(So basically, he wanted to be alone with me so badly on our date... that he had to shake off Ryosuke?)

(Wow... I'm way beyond happy today!)
__________________________________________________________

Meimei: "That's so cute!"

I stop in front of a shop window to where a puppy his wagging a tail with his tongue out.

Meimei: "Awww~"

Soryu: "A pet shop, huh?"

I twirling my finger in circles in front of the glass... and the puppy presses his nose towards it.

Meimei: "Hehe... when I move my finger because he follows it!"

Meimei: "Isn't he adorable, Soryu?"

Soryu: "...Want it?"

Meimei: "I wish I could have a pet, but we can't keep them in the dorms."

Employee: "Would you like to come inside? We've got lots of puppies."

Meimei: "Oh, but..."

(I bet Soryu's not interested in pets at all.)

Soryu: "You can do whatever you want."

Employee: "You can just look, too. Come on in and play with them."

Meimei: "Alright... but just for a little bit."
________________________________________________

Puppies: *Woof* *Woof*

(Whoa, there are so many of puppies! And they're all so cute!?)

We go inside and the puppies start barking, as if they're asking to be let out.

Employee: "Go ahead and pick one up."

Meimei: "Okay!"

I hold a little toy poodle in my arms.

Meimei: "It's fur is so soft and fluffy!"

Meimei: "Do you want to hold it, Soryu?"

Soryu: "No thanks."

Employee: "This one's popular, too."

The employee opens up a Chihuahua's cage and it totters right over to Soryu.

Soryu: "..."

Every time he moves his legs to avoid the Chihuahua, it follows him with his tail are wagging.

Soryu: "Why do you keep following me..."

Employee: "It looks like this one really likes you!"

Meimei: "Hehe... yeah, because it's keeps following you!"

Soryu: "...Geez."

(Soryu with a puppy... it's kind of surprising but it's totally cute!)

(But I bet I'll see all kinds of sides to him and I haven't seen before today.)

Soryu: "Let's go."

He says as he leaves the shop when I hurry after him.

~End of Epilogue 1~

TO BE CONTINUED...