Hello! It's truly nice to talk to you again Syoaron. How come you haven't been answering my
messages that I sent you? I bet you were having way too much fun with Sakura-chan! You do have to
remember your relatives you know even though you are in Japan and not in Hong Kong. Your sisters
have been pestering me to ask you what you would like for Christmas. Also Fuutie-san said that
this year she would be coming to Japan to see you at school. Of course secretly so you won't
know. You are aware I shouldn't have told you that but I knew you would have known her to be
there if she were to spy on you, dear cousin. Oh, just for you to know, I have told Auntie that
we have decided not to go for the arranged marriage. She didn't seem the least bit surprised.
Anyway, I was wondering what is Mitsuki Sensei's favorite colour because we are having a contest
between the two the two of us to find out what it is. I hope you still don't hold anything about
Mitsuki Sensei because she was really kind and I hoped you apologized to her for misjudging her
before she went away, so as Tomoyo-chan says. Well? Have you told Sakura-chan yet that you love
her? You know she won't be single forever! Anyway, if you won't tell her soon, I'll go back to
Japan and tell her myself because I didn't work so hard into teaching that concept into your
sisters, besides Fuutie for no reason! So if you don't admit to her dear cousin very soon then I
will be force to return to Japan and corrupt your life there and cause a big commotion.
From your dearest cousin,
Meiling Li
(Ps: I better receive your reply before the 20th of June or else I'm going to seriously come over
there. Even Auntie agrees.)
(Ps2: I have a boyfriend now so you don't have to worry about me getting jealous of Sakura-chan
anymore. Plus when you marry her, I can teach her how to cook properly(unlike you), her favorite
dishes that I made for her during my brief stay in Japan where I met Nakuru-san, and
Hiragizawa-kun.)
Meiling Li
Dear Hiragizawa-kun,
Sakura is getting married to Li-kun and she had asked me to mail you some tickets for her
wedding, she sincerely wishes you to come if it is convenient. Li-kun also sends his regards,
though I suspect he had tried to keep you off the guest list. Li-kun' sisters have arrived from
Hong Kong today. They are really excited about this marriage. Even Meiling-san was pleased that
Li-kun chose Sakura-chan as his wife. Every one is excited here. Please note if Nakuru-san is
coming because Touya-kun wants to prepare himself for her arrival. I think Sakura's wedding will
be a great success. Hope to see you in a few weeks. Here are the tickets packaged below. Your
plane will begin its route at 9:30 and will arrive in Japan (at Japan time) at 17:45 so you may
want to keep Nakuru-san busy for a while.
Your friend,
Tomoyo Daidouji
Dear Sakura-chan,
This is from Eriol-kun. I thoroughly enjoyed your wedding, especially the part when your
husband accidentally flopped the ring into the chandelier. You know Sakura-chan, you looked like
you were going to kill him for a moment. Just a moment. Um...I want to invite you to my wedding,
not with Mitsuki-san but with Tomoyo-chan. After your wedding, she and I became very close and
well our wedding is on the 23ed of October and it will be held in England. I'm sorry if it
brings any inconvenience to you however I have included the plane tickets below. Tomoyo-chan
and I will meet you at the airport gate. I hope to see you there.
Yours truly,
Eriol Hiragizawa
Dear Tomoyo-chan,
I absolutely loved your wedding, though Syoaron-kun kept muttering under his breath how he
thought getting you two together was a bad idea. Honestly! He can be so cruel sometimes
Tomoyo-chan. Besides, I thought that you looked really beautiful in your wedding dress!
I've met all Syoaron-kun' sisters and they're all adorable, even serious Fuutie-san! They're
sort of reminding me of Nakuru-san, you know? Do you know Meiling-chan is going to get married
to a guy named Torrutu-san! We're having one wedding after an other. She is too excited now,
because he just asked her so that's why I'm asking you to come to her wedding for you. The
wedding will be at 16:00 Hong Kong time at Syoaron-kun' home. This will be really exciting! I
can't wait to see you there, I hope you can come!
Your friend and cousin,
Sakura Li
Dear Meiling,
I would love to go to your wedding, however the letter Sakura-chan mailed to me had no address
on it and no trace of a date for your wedding, so could you please mail me back as soon as
possible because we really need to know what day it is going to take place.
Yours truly,
Tomoyo Hiragizawa
Dear Tomoyo-chan,
I apologize for not giving you the correct information on my wedding. As you know I'm engaged
to a man named Torrutu Mahura. He is charming, honest, and caring but he doesn't know how to
defend himself at all! Not that it matters of course...but he is also somewhat dense...denser
than Sakura-chan! Well I want you to come to Hong Kong ASAP because I want to know what you think
of him before I marry him. I can't wait to see you! Though I think my "dear cousin" is stil
l having difficulties with the knowledge that you're somewhat related to him! I hope to see you
soon!
Meiling Li
As Meiling waited for Tomoyo-chan' answer she thought back to her past. From the first time she
had met Torrutu-san.
"How I wish upon a star that I could find my true love," Meiling cried as her script directed
for she was to be the star of the play at the auditorium. School was over for the summer and in
Hong Kong, one can only do so much anyway acting was fun!
"No, no, no! You should sneak into the garden quietly Albert! Meiling I'm sorry I'm delaying
the set AGAIN! You have all your lines down pact! Now I wish Albert would do the same " the
producers voice drawled on and on.
Meiling wished the play would come soon so she wouldn't have to say the same line about a
hundred times again the line that meant the only thing she was still searching for it started
on that day when she saw Sakura-chan give a hug to Syoaron. She had only then noticed how
Xiao-lang blushing every time Sakura was around. Before that moment she only knew that Syoaron
was bound to her by a promise the promise of the arranged marriage. But to Meiling, that had all
changed from that moment on. Now, she had to search for her own true love, for she finally had
figured out, in her 12 years of life, that Xiao-lang didn't carry the same feelings for her as
she did for him. That had been painful as painful as anything she had ever imagined. She had been
devastated but that had been nearly a year ago sure, Meiling felt the pain still. but it would
pass sooner or later.
Finally the night of the play did arrived. Xiao-lang had arrive back in Hong Kong from Japan
2 nights before and yet he hadn't even come to visit her, and now he was nowhere to be seen.
That night Meiling didn't remember him though for she was too excited about the performance..
even though she wasn't absolutely thrilled at the prospect of kissing Albert in front of a big
crowd, let alone act crazy about him in several scenes. She performed everything perfectly on
that night, but her life was forever changed what had happened after the show. Albert proposed
to her, in front of the whole clan! Meiling couldn't believe it!'
"Uh,Meiling-chan will you marry me when we get older?"
I had stood there staring at him in disbelief. What had I ever done to encourage him? My
parents and the rest of the clan were cheering him on, they wanted me to be married off to
someone else, now that Syoaron had found Sakura-chan. I took one look at the cheering faces and
turned into a fever of rage. My eyes burned red as they had ever been and I said my reply so
full of venom as I whispered my reply. "No."
The clan looked shocked at my reply and stood stammering at Albert as my parents were hastily
scolding me and trying to persuade me to change my mind. Albert looked stunned.
"What have I ever done to encourage you?" I whispered in a deadly voice that could have scared
away a hungry lion. The clan turned silent and Albert looked frightened at my sudden change of
moods.
"Well I you kissed me and I supposed since you could kiss me perhaps you wouldn't have minded
that I married you since you didn't seem to mind me kissing you .if that's okay and everything.."
"What if it isn't alright?"
"Well um...I haven't actually figure that out yet!"
"Meiling", my mother reached out and put her hand on my shoulder, "you can't keep on loving
Syoaron like this forever."
I suddenly swelled up in rage. "You don't know understand!" I shouted and ran to a large crowd
of people with tears in my eyes. I hurriedly disappeared into the crowd.
It was no use running. No one would come running after me anyway. No one really cared. Not my
aunt, my cousins, not even my parents! All the Li clan cared about was to make powerful
relations and to train spouses to become highly regarded people. I knew that they would try to
calm Albert down and find his parents and try to talk them into an arranged marriage. I went
and sat beside a Sakura tree. I was glad that they grew in China as well as Japan, these trees
sort of reminded me of Sakura-chan and how sweet and kind she was and is, and how I didn't hate
her even though she took Syoaron away. Because I knew I never really had him. It was dark out
and I was wishing it were the time when the night lantern festivals occurred. It started to rain
and I began thinking, why did things like this always happen to me? Just then a boy with brown
sandy hair ran by, his umbrella half turned inside out came running out of no where. It was a
curious sight to see. If I would have ever done that, my clan would pretend they didn't know me.
He noticed me and offered to walk me home even though he was already half soaked, and his
brown eyes matched the colour of the wet mud. It was sweet of him to ask me, after he was already
drenched himself. So I nodded and told him the directions to walk me home. When we reached my
home he gasped because he couldn't understand why I was out in the rain, by a Sakura tree when
my family was rich and I could easily go to a telephone booth and order a chauffeur to drive me
home. I told him that the situation was complicated, he dared me to tell him. He had bet it
wasn't as serious as I thought it was, it was obvious that he thought me as a spoiled brat and
that I didn't get my way, that's all. So I told him what had happened since I arrived in Japan,
how Albert proposed to me, the main priority of the (highly respected) Li clan, and how I knew
that they were going to wed me to him either way, whether I agreed with it or not. After I told
him, he asked if I had exaggerated even the slightest, my death glare silenced him. Then I
apologised for burdening him, and realised that we had been talking on the doorstep of my home
for the past hour or so. I took out my house key and bid him goodbye. As I entered I saw Albert
and his father walk out of the house in a haughty expression. And also seeing that my parents
looked especially pleased with themselves.
"You didn't engage me to him did you?"
"Why Meiling! It's for your own good and also the clans. But the clan is not the main reason
why we got you engaged!"
"I don't care what your reasons were when you guy s got me engaged but I'm telling you I'm not
going along with it!"
My father stopped looking so cocky and my mother looked sad.
"Meiling", my mother pleaded gently," This is for your own good. I can't see you grieving over
your cousin any longer."
"Mother, why can't you see that the reason why I refuse to be engaged to him is because he is
snobby, prejudice, and is unfailing rude to all the other cast members!"
"Meiling, maybe he doesn't like the cast members.."
"Mother, he only chooses to like certain people. And that's because of how they look or their
position."
"That's the way the clan judges a person though, sweetie."
"Sorry mother but that's not going to convince me to go along with this arranged marriage!"
"We'll make you!" Added my father harshly.
"Much good that will do! I do remember that case with my cousin you know? I don't really think
arranged marriages count much in my opinion anymore or any strength they have in that promise!"
"So Meiling, what are you going to do about it?" Asked my father with contempt.
"Nothing!" This answer surprised my parents just as much as it had me.
"So you're going to go along with it?" Asked my father eagerly.
"No" , was my flat reply.
"Then who are you going to marry?"
"When the time the arranged marriage will take place, I'll know."
"And if you don't?"
"Then I guess then I will go single!"
"No you won't! You will marry him! His rank will make a good addition to the clan!"
I snorted. I certainly cared about the clan's feelings on this at this moment.
"I'm serious Meiling!" My father warned.
"Let's just see when the time comes!'
"Fine!" My father concluded and the battle about the arranged marriage stopped for then. A few
years later she met him again; she was in all the same classes as him in the last year of High
School, though she barely noticed him. The Li clan did not plan to send her, a powerless girl,
to a post secondary school, no matter how well she did in school. He had accidentally knocked
me down because he was running down the stairs backward.
"Hey! Why you.."
"Sorry I suppose I shouldn't have been running backwards down the stairs again." Then he
recognized me.
"Meiling Li?"
"Yes"
"I don't suppose you remember me but-"
"Of course I remember you silly! And now get off of me!"
"Sorry! How have you been doing?"
"In what?"
"Do you still have that problem with that arranged marriage?"
"What do you think?"
"Well...I guess you do.."
"What's your name anyway! I don't remember you telling me that!"
"Um,Sorry. My name is Torrutu Mahura."
"It's Japanese." I pointed out.
"Well, yes! You're the first person that has actually recognized that fact! Are you Japanese?
No offense but you look more Chinese if you are"
"No I'm not Japanese but REMEMBER, I told you I had stayed in Japan for a year!'
"Sorry" He answered back.
" I the one who should apologize. How are you?"
"In what?" He imitated me. I gave him a wedgie.
"Be grateful that you didn't get a super wedgie, please."
"I didn't realize that you were that strong!" He gasped as he attempted to stick his underwear
back into his pants without flashing. "You know, you don't really look as strong as you are."
"Oh I know, that's the point. That's the type of training a Li member has. It doesn't make
them look at all strong but it certainly pays off!"
" Yeah, sure Meiling-chan!"
I stared at him. The last time anyone had ever said that to me was Syoaron. He said that to me
in private, usually.
"Meiling-chan, is something wrong?"
"No, just thinking!"
"So..."
"What?"
"Um,nothing."
"How did you recognize me anyway Torrutu-san?"
"Meiling-chan. Your face is hard to forget, as well as your character and predicament."
"I certainly hope you didn't tell anyone!"
"Nope! Though my father did wonder why I was getting home so late."
"Li, Meiling?"
I turned around. It was Wei. He would tell the rest of the clan that he saw me talking,
actually friendly, with a boy (besides Syoaron).
"Bye, Torrutu-san!"
"Bye, Meiling-chan!"
I had been right. Wei did tell my parents. They had not been too happy with the idea of not
going along with the arranged marriage. They both knew that I would rebel if I had found someone
that I truly liked besides my cousin. And they definitely knew that the person I would like
wouldn't be Albert. But they wanted the arranged marriage to go fine anyway so they phoned
Albert' parents up and together they all decided that we (Albert and I) should spend some time
together since the engagement would turn into arrangements for marriage in several months.
"Um,so Meiling,how are you doing? So have you finally accepted the fact that we are going to
get married?"
"I'm fine. And "no"."
messages that I sent you? I bet you were having way too much fun with Sakura-chan! You do have to
remember your relatives you know even though you are in Japan and not in Hong Kong. Your sisters
have been pestering me to ask you what you would like for Christmas. Also Fuutie-san said that
this year she would be coming to Japan to see you at school. Of course secretly so you won't
know. You are aware I shouldn't have told you that but I knew you would have known her to be
there if she were to spy on you, dear cousin. Oh, just for you to know, I have told Auntie that
we have decided not to go for the arranged marriage. She didn't seem the least bit surprised.
Anyway, I was wondering what is Mitsuki Sensei's favorite colour because we are having a contest
between the two the two of us to find out what it is. I hope you still don't hold anything about
Mitsuki Sensei because she was really kind and I hoped you apologized to her for misjudging her
before she went away, so as Tomoyo-chan says. Well? Have you told Sakura-chan yet that you love
her? You know she won't be single forever! Anyway, if you won't tell her soon, I'll go back to
Japan and tell her myself because I didn't work so hard into teaching that concept into your
sisters, besides Fuutie for no reason! So if you don't admit to her dear cousin very soon then I
will be force to return to Japan and corrupt your life there and cause a big commotion.
From your dearest cousin,
Meiling Li
(Ps: I better receive your reply before the 20th of June or else I'm going to seriously come over
there. Even Auntie agrees.)
(Ps2: I have a boyfriend now so you don't have to worry about me getting jealous of Sakura-chan
anymore. Plus when you marry her, I can teach her how to cook properly(unlike you), her favorite
dishes that I made for her during my brief stay in Japan where I met Nakuru-san, and
Hiragizawa-kun.)
Meiling Li
Dear Hiragizawa-kun,
Sakura is getting married to Li-kun and she had asked me to mail you some tickets for her
wedding, she sincerely wishes you to come if it is convenient. Li-kun also sends his regards,
though I suspect he had tried to keep you off the guest list. Li-kun' sisters have arrived from
Hong Kong today. They are really excited about this marriage. Even Meiling-san was pleased that
Li-kun chose Sakura-chan as his wife. Every one is excited here. Please note if Nakuru-san is
coming because Touya-kun wants to prepare himself for her arrival. I think Sakura's wedding will
be a great success. Hope to see you in a few weeks. Here are the tickets packaged below. Your
plane will begin its route at 9:30 and will arrive in Japan (at Japan time) at 17:45 so you may
want to keep Nakuru-san busy for a while.
Your friend,
Tomoyo Daidouji
Dear Sakura-chan,
This is from Eriol-kun. I thoroughly enjoyed your wedding, especially the part when your
husband accidentally flopped the ring into the chandelier. You know Sakura-chan, you looked like
you were going to kill him for a moment. Just a moment. Um...I want to invite you to my wedding,
not with Mitsuki-san but with Tomoyo-chan. After your wedding, she and I became very close and
well our wedding is on the 23ed of October and it will be held in England. I'm sorry if it
brings any inconvenience to you however I have included the plane tickets below. Tomoyo-chan
and I will meet you at the airport gate. I hope to see you there.
Yours truly,
Eriol Hiragizawa
Dear Tomoyo-chan,
I absolutely loved your wedding, though Syoaron-kun kept muttering under his breath how he
thought getting you two together was a bad idea. Honestly! He can be so cruel sometimes
Tomoyo-chan. Besides, I thought that you looked really beautiful in your wedding dress!
I've met all Syoaron-kun' sisters and they're all adorable, even serious Fuutie-san! They're
sort of reminding me of Nakuru-san, you know? Do you know Meiling-chan is going to get married
to a guy named Torrutu-san! We're having one wedding after an other. She is too excited now,
because he just asked her so that's why I'm asking you to come to her wedding for you. The
wedding will be at 16:00 Hong Kong time at Syoaron-kun' home. This will be really exciting! I
can't wait to see you there, I hope you can come!
Your friend and cousin,
Sakura Li
Dear Meiling,
I would love to go to your wedding, however the letter Sakura-chan mailed to me had no address
on it and no trace of a date for your wedding, so could you please mail me back as soon as
possible because we really need to know what day it is going to take place.
Yours truly,
Tomoyo Hiragizawa
Dear Tomoyo-chan,
I apologize for not giving you the correct information on my wedding. As you know I'm engaged
to a man named Torrutu Mahura. He is charming, honest, and caring but he doesn't know how to
defend himself at all! Not that it matters of course...but he is also somewhat dense...denser
than Sakura-chan! Well I want you to come to Hong Kong ASAP because I want to know what you think
of him before I marry him. I can't wait to see you! Though I think my "dear cousin" is stil
l having difficulties with the knowledge that you're somewhat related to him! I hope to see you
soon!
Meiling Li
As Meiling waited for Tomoyo-chan' answer she thought back to her past. From the first time she
had met Torrutu-san.
"How I wish upon a star that I could find my true love," Meiling cried as her script directed
for she was to be the star of the play at the auditorium. School was over for the summer and in
Hong Kong, one can only do so much anyway acting was fun!
"No, no, no! You should sneak into the garden quietly Albert! Meiling I'm sorry I'm delaying
the set AGAIN! You have all your lines down pact! Now I wish Albert would do the same " the
producers voice drawled on and on.
Meiling wished the play would come soon so she wouldn't have to say the same line about a
hundred times again the line that meant the only thing she was still searching for it started
on that day when she saw Sakura-chan give a hug to Syoaron. She had only then noticed how
Xiao-lang blushing every time Sakura was around. Before that moment she only knew that Syoaron
was bound to her by a promise the promise of the arranged marriage. But to Meiling, that had all
changed from that moment on. Now, she had to search for her own true love, for she finally had
figured out, in her 12 years of life, that Xiao-lang didn't carry the same feelings for her as
she did for him. That had been painful as painful as anything she had ever imagined. She had been
devastated but that had been nearly a year ago sure, Meiling felt the pain still. but it would
pass sooner or later.
Finally the night of the play did arrived. Xiao-lang had arrive back in Hong Kong from Japan
2 nights before and yet he hadn't even come to visit her, and now he was nowhere to be seen.
That night Meiling didn't remember him though for she was too excited about the performance..
even though she wasn't absolutely thrilled at the prospect of kissing Albert in front of a big
crowd, let alone act crazy about him in several scenes. She performed everything perfectly on
that night, but her life was forever changed what had happened after the show. Albert proposed
to her, in front of the whole clan! Meiling couldn't believe it!'
"Uh,Meiling-chan will you marry me when we get older?"
I had stood there staring at him in disbelief. What had I ever done to encourage him? My
parents and the rest of the clan were cheering him on, they wanted me to be married off to
someone else, now that Syoaron had found Sakura-chan. I took one look at the cheering faces and
turned into a fever of rage. My eyes burned red as they had ever been and I said my reply so
full of venom as I whispered my reply. "No."
The clan looked shocked at my reply and stood stammering at Albert as my parents were hastily
scolding me and trying to persuade me to change my mind. Albert looked stunned.
"What have I ever done to encourage you?" I whispered in a deadly voice that could have scared
away a hungry lion. The clan turned silent and Albert looked frightened at my sudden change of
moods.
"Well I you kissed me and I supposed since you could kiss me perhaps you wouldn't have minded
that I married you since you didn't seem to mind me kissing you .if that's okay and everything.."
"What if it isn't alright?"
"Well um...I haven't actually figure that out yet!"
"Meiling", my mother reached out and put her hand on my shoulder, "you can't keep on loving
Syoaron like this forever."
I suddenly swelled up in rage. "You don't know understand!" I shouted and ran to a large crowd
of people with tears in my eyes. I hurriedly disappeared into the crowd.
It was no use running. No one would come running after me anyway. No one really cared. Not my
aunt, my cousins, not even my parents! All the Li clan cared about was to make powerful
relations and to train spouses to become highly regarded people. I knew that they would try to
calm Albert down and find his parents and try to talk them into an arranged marriage. I went
and sat beside a Sakura tree. I was glad that they grew in China as well as Japan, these trees
sort of reminded me of Sakura-chan and how sweet and kind she was and is, and how I didn't hate
her even though she took Syoaron away. Because I knew I never really had him. It was dark out
and I was wishing it were the time when the night lantern festivals occurred. It started to rain
and I began thinking, why did things like this always happen to me? Just then a boy with brown
sandy hair ran by, his umbrella half turned inside out came running out of no where. It was a
curious sight to see. If I would have ever done that, my clan would pretend they didn't know me.
He noticed me and offered to walk me home even though he was already half soaked, and his
brown eyes matched the colour of the wet mud. It was sweet of him to ask me, after he was already
drenched himself. So I nodded and told him the directions to walk me home. When we reached my
home he gasped because he couldn't understand why I was out in the rain, by a Sakura tree when
my family was rich and I could easily go to a telephone booth and order a chauffeur to drive me
home. I told him that the situation was complicated, he dared me to tell him. He had bet it
wasn't as serious as I thought it was, it was obvious that he thought me as a spoiled brat and
that I didn't get my way, that's all. So I told him what had happened since I arrived in Japan,
how Albert proposed to me, the main priority of the (highly respected) Li clan, and how I knew
that they were going to wed me to him either way, whether I agreed with it or not. After I told
him, he asked if I had exaggerated even the slightest, my death glare silenced him. Then I
apologised for burdening him, and realised that we had been talking on the doorstep of my home
for the past hour or so. I took out my house key and bid him goodbye. As I entered I saw Albert
and his father walk out of the house in a haughty expression. And also seeing that my parents
looked especially pleased with themselves.
"You didn't engage me to him did you?"
"Why Meiling! It's for your own good and also the clans. But the clan is not the main reason
why we got you engaged!"
"I don't care what your reasons were when you guy s got me engaged but I'm telling you I'm not
going along with it!"
My father stopped looking so cocky and my mother looked sad.
"Meiling", my mother pleaded gently," This is for your own good. I can't see you grieving over
your cousin any longer."
"Mother, why can't you see that the reason why I refuse to be engaged to him is because he is
snobby, prejudice, and is unfailing rude to all the other cast members!"
"Meiling, maybe he doesn't like the cast members.."
"Mother, he only chooses to like certain people. And that's because of how they look or their
position."
"That's the way the clan judges a person though, sweetie."
"Sorry mother but that's not going to convince me to go along with this arranged marriage!"
"We'll make you!" Added my father harshly.
"Much good that will do! I do remember that case with my cousin you know? I don't really think
arranged marriages count much in my opinion anymore or any strength they have in that promise!"
"So Meiling, what are you going to do about it?" Asked my father with contempt.
"Nothing!" This answer surprised my parents just as much as it had me.
"So you're going to go along with it?" Asked my father eagerly.
"No" , was my flat reply.
"Then who are you going to marry?"
"When the time the arranged marriage will take place, I'll know."
"And if you don't?"
"Then I guess then I will go single!"
"No you won't! You will marry him! His rank will make a good addition to the clan!"
I snorted. I certainly cared about the clan's feelings on this at this moment.
"I'm serious Meiling!" My father warned.
"Let's just see when the time comes!'
"Fine!" My father concluded and the battle about the arranged marriage stopped for then. A few
years later she met him again; she was in all the same classes as him in the last year of High
School, though she barely noticed him. The Li clan did not plan to send her, a powerless girl,
to a post secondary school, no matter how well she did in school. He had accidentally knocked
me down because he was running down the stairs backward.
"Hey! Why you.."
"Sorry I suppose I shouldn't have been running backwards down the stairs again." Then he
recognized me.
"Meiling Li?"
"Yes"
"I don't suppose you remember me but-"
"Of course I remember you silly! And now get off of me!"
"Sorry! How have you been doing?"
"In what?"
"Do you still have that problem with that arranged marriage?"
"What do you think?"
"Well...I guess you do.."
"What's your name anyway! I don't remember you telling me that!"
"Um,Sorry. My name is Torrutu Mahura."
"It's Japanese." I pointed out.
"Well, yes! You're the first person that has actually recognized that fact! Are you Japanese?
No offense but you look more Chinese if you are"
"No I'm not Japanese but REMEMBER, I told you I had stayed in Japan for a year!'
"Sorry" He answered back.
" I the one who should apologize. How are you?"
"In what?" He imitated me. I gave him a wedgie.
"Be grateful that you didn't get a super wedgie, please."
"I didn't realize that you were that strong!" He gasped as he attempted to stick his underwear
back into his pants without flashing. "You know, you don't really look as strong as you are."
"Oh I know, that's the point. That's the type of training a Li member has. It doesn't make
them look at all strong but it certainly pays off!"
" Yeah, sure Meiling-chan!"
I stared at him. The last time anyone had ever said that to me was Syoaron. He said that to me
in private, usually.
"Meiling-chan, is something wrong?"
"No, just thinking!"
"So..."
"What?"
"Um,nothing."
"How did you recognize me anyway Torrutu-san?"
"Meiling-chan. Your face is hard to forget, as well as your character and predicament."
"I certainly hope you didn't tell anyone!"
"Nope! Though my father did wonder why I was getting home so late."
"Li, Meiling?"
I turned around. It was Wei. He would tell the rest of the clan that he saw me talking,
actually friendly, with a boy (besides Syoaron).
"Bye, Torrutu-san!"
"Bye, Meiling-chan!"
I had been right. Wei did tell my parents. They had not been too happy with the idea of not
going along with the arranged marriage. They both knew that I would rebel if I had found someone
that I truly liked besides my cousin. And they definitely knew that the person I would like
wouldn't be Albert. But they wanted the arranged marriage to go fine anyway so they phoned
Albert' parents up and together they all decided that we (Albert and I) should spend some time
together since the engagement would turn into arrangements for marriage in several months.
"Um,so Meiling,how are you doing? So have you finally accepted the fact that we are going to
get married?"
"I'm fine. And "no"."
