Chapter 2- Meeting F4

Shan Cai shifted uncomfortably in her seat and looked out of the window, hoping to distract herself. For about the hundredth time in days, she asked herself yet again why she chose to do this mission. The view out of the window was monotonous, the same sights you see everyday when you look out to the street. Except today was raining, not that it really mattered.

It wasn't a light shower, nor was it a storm, it was just raining heavily. The drops of water fell from the gloomy sky and onto the black cover of the car. Dao Ming Si's car.

"Shan Cai, are you ok?" asked Dao Ming Si, taking his eyes off the road and turning around to face her, looking slightly worried.

"I'm fine," she replied. She lied. She was anything but fine. She forced herself to a small smile, trying to reassure Dao Ming Si. Even she didn't quite know what she was feeling, afraid, tense, nervous, excited, reluctant, eager, all these self-contradicting emotions at the same time. She didn't know what to make of them. She shook her head furiously, trying to clear her mind of all the feelings inside of her. She recalled her mentor's wise words. Emotions, he had said to her, only cloud the senses, they block it. In times of these, you must remember to focus. Focus on the mission. It is important. Without it, you may perish, with it, you may survive. It is a matter of controlling your mind.

Dao Ming Si seemed satisfied as he once more turned back to the road. It had been several days since Shan Cai first began work in the Dao Ming Corporation. She has gotten to know Dao Ming Si better after these short days, though she is no closer to accomplishing her task. It was only the beginning of the beginning. Qing He had been right about one thing though, Shan Cai felt sure that Dao Ming Si liked her. No matter how she looked at it, the evidence only supported the conclusion.

He had suggested for her to meet some friends of his. She had agreed. Shan Cai almost slapped herself for being so stupid. What if they don't accept her and tell Dao Ming Si to stop seeing her? How would she complete her mission then? Or worse, what if his friends see through her? What if they find out what she is really up to? What if....? Hundreds of questions filled her head, making her dizzy.

"We're here," said Dao Ming Si happily, interrupting Shan Cai's train of thoughts.

Shan Cai's eyes widened in shock. "Already?" she asked, her voice slightly shaky. Didn't they just leave a minute ago? She groaned. Why did time have to travel so fast when you're dreading something?

"Yeah," Dao Ming Si responded, "This is VS, the pub I was talking about."

Shan Cai nodded weakly, hoping against hope that Dao Ming Si didn't notice her discomfort. If she knew Dao Ming Si better, she would've saved herself from the worry because she would've known that Dao Ming Si is oblivious to subtle body language. But she didn't, so she was sick with worry.

Dao Ming Si parked the car with ease and they got out. If Shan Cai was in a right condition, she would've wondered how he managed to find a parking spot in such a short time. They walked into VS, the automatic doors opening as they approached.

Shan Cai had a quick glimpse of the pub. It was, just as she suspected, magnificent. After all, this was a place where only the very rich could afford to go to. Dao Ming Si walked up to a table where three men sat. Shan Cai followed him shyly, suddenly aware that she was hardly dressed appropriately for the situation. Well, she couldn't go back and change her clothes even if she did have something suitable, so she might as well stick with it.

After taking a deep breath, she approached the table. Three heads turned to face her at once, looking at her inquisitively, as if she was the strangest thing in the world. Shan Cai had no idea what she was supposed to do. Should she introduce herself or wait to be introduced? What was the correct etiquette for the rich? She felt extremely uncomfortable under their intense gazes.

Finally, after the awkward pause, Dao Ming Si got some sense into him and introduced Shan Cai. The rest of F4 seemed to have awakened from their trance and greeted Shan Cai heartily. Shan Cai smiled as she exchanged salutations with each of them and then sat down next to Dao Ming Si.

"Ah Si," said the man sitting furthest away from Shan Cai, "Go buy us our drinks."

"Why?" whined Dao Ming Si, "Why can't Lei get it? I did it the time before last."

"So?" retorted the man, "You invited us here in the first place. It's only fair if you get the drinks."

Dao Ming Si groaned but he stood up, though reluctantly and went away to buy the drinks, but not before shooting a glare at the man.

Now that Dao Ming Si had left, Shan Cai knew that it was her turn to observe F4. She gazed at each one of them and before long, had a quite accurate impression of each of them, though she didn't know that.

The first man had introduced himself as Xi Men. She could tell from the way he talked to her that he was a playboy. He was tall, but perhaps slightly shorter than Dao Ming Si. He wore glasses, but occasionally took them off and toyed with them, giving her the impression that they were only an accessory. He was the man who had ordered Dao Ming Si to get the drinks.

The next person was called Mei Zuo, she recalled. He too, Shan Cai could tell, was a playboy. He was the most cheerful out of the lot and seemed to be very outgoing, joking and laughing most of the time. His hair was slightly longer than the rest of F4 and fell with elegance quite similar to her own hair. He seemed nice enough; Shan Cai sincerely hoped that they will be friends.

The last person was a mystery to Shan Cai. His name was Hua Ze Lei. He hadn't talked at all since Shan Cai arrived, making her wonder if he's always quiet, or if it's just because of her. She almost thought that he did not see her if not for a small curt nod he gave her when she greeted him. She had observed him for quite a while now and only found herself to be more and more curious. He didn't join in the conversation, and when asked for his opinion on something, he would simply do a thumb-up and thumb- down sign.

"So Shan Cai," said Mei Zuo, looking at her, "What's your job?"

"A secretary at the Dao Ming Corporation," was Shan Cai's polite reply.

"Oh," said Mei Zuo, slightly shocked. He shot Xi Men a look that Shan Cai couldn't recognise.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"No, nothing. It's just that we thought well... it's just when Ah Si said that he was a introducing us to a friend of his and we thought that..."

"You thought I came from a rich family, didn't you?" finished Shan Cai off for him.

Mei Zuo looked uncomfortable. "Well yes," he replied hesitantly.

Shan Cai shook her head. "I'm not," she said.

Xi Men decided it was better to change the topic, so he asked Shan Cai, "How did meet Ah Si?"

"I ran into him," she responded and then added, "literally." And then she launched into the story about how she was applying for a job at the Dao Ming Corporation and then finding out that the man she knocked over was actually Dao Ming Si. Shan Cai couldn't help but noticing that Hua Ze Lei was eyeing her with a frown. Her stomach dropped. He didn't know did he? Did he see through her story? Did he figure everything out? Was she found out already, after... what? Five days?

Presently Dao Ming Si came back with the drinks, in a better mood. He handed them each a beverage and sat back down again, eager to join the conversation. Shan Cai sipped her drink and watched Hua Ze Lei carefully. If he was going to reveal her true motives, he showed no sign of doing so. Shan Cai gave a little sigh, relieved. She must've been paranoid. He could've been frowning at anything. He could've had a headache, or because he had some problem with his company... and the list goes on. It wasn't necessarily directed at her. Even if it was, it still didn't mean that he suspected her. After debating with herself silently for a few moments, Shan Cai decided that she was being paranoid again and that Hua Ze Lei had no idea what was going one. But nether the less, she decided to keep an eye on him just in case.

Relieved that she wasn't found out, Shan Cai became more relaxed and started to enjoy the conversation with F4.

The time flew and soon it was night. F4 and Shan Cai had been in VS for over three hours, talking and laughing as if they've known each other all their life, not just a few hours. Shan Cai was having so much fun with them that she had forgotten that this was actually a mission, but as if she really was making friends. Finally, after realising how late it was, they left VS and went home.

Shan Cai waved goodbye to Dao Ming Si and thanked him for a great day, and earned a bright smile from him. Shan Cai waited until his car disappeared into the shadows and walked into her apartment. She dug into her handbag and took out a rusty old key. She fumbled with it and then pushed it into the keyhole of her door. After hearing a small 'click' noise, she turned the handle and went in. Her apartment suddenly felt unusually lonely.

She dumped her handbag on the dining table and plopped herself onto her old beanbag. She grinned. It had been a great day. And she had made some new friends. Who knew the afternoon had turned out so fun when she had positively been dreading it? She stared at her ceiling, suddenly remembering her mission. Her face darkened. How was she going to face F4 when they find out who she really is, and what she's really after? Will they understand? Will they forgive her?

Shan Cai grimaced, sitting up. Fat chance, she thought to herself. By the end of all this, they'll all hate her, even though it's not her fault. She bit her lip. She knew that real life was different to movies, and that there was no way that this is going to work out. It never did for her. Unless...

She got up from her bean bag and walked over to her small balcony and stared at the stars. It was her favourite spot in the whole apartment, even though it was so small. She knew it now. This was going to end one day, and that would be the day she dreaded. She didn't want to think about it now. That was the future. She wasn't going to worry about the future. Now, she was going to concentrate on the present, the things she's got, instead of losing them. She'll treasure everything she has, because she knows that she'll lose them some day.

A/N: Another chapter! Hope you're enjoying this, or if you're not, then tell me how I could improve in a review.

Please review. I LUV hearing from my readers.

I thank you for your support so far, please keep reading. I know this chapter is kind of boring, but it is neccessary. I'll update soon.

Amyranth.