After that night of questioning each other, Li Te and the gloomy boy Amon's nights together in the bar slowly became more and more talkative. Jokes and long gazes at eachother started to seem almost normal, but Li Te always felt like there was more he wanted to say. He just never knew quite what it was.
As the nights turned into weeks it was almost instinct for Li Te to start his run to the bar as soon as he got off of work. He sat at a desk for hours, only getting up on occasion to double check his plans with his boss, Mr. Sato. Future Industries was new and everything had to be perfect before anything could be done. On this night Mr. Sato- being a very hospitable and rather generous boss- invited his employees to a house warming party. The house was newly constructed from the money he had gained inventing the Satomobile. He walked into Li Te's office handing him an invitation. It read:
Dearest Li Te,
You have been of great help to Future Industries, and have quickly proven yourself not only an individual of brilliant mind, but of great heart. And with this I am proud to welcome you into my home with open arms and heart. It would serve as a great honor if you could find the time to come to a banquet celebrating my new home in which a grand announcement shall be made. In return I only ask that if you have a friend to bring, please bring them.
With Care,
Hiroshi Sato
Li Te starred at the invitation, he read is at least six times over. He thought about the last sentence and he did not understand Mr. Sato's intentions of adding "if you have a friend to bring, please bring them" Nonetheless, Li Te had a person in mind and he intended to make Mr. Sato uncomfortable for pointing out how lonely Li Te feels at times in the big city.
After work Li Te took his time walking to the bar, he took every step as if the road beneath his feet was going to be lifted at anytime. He read Mr. Sato's invitation, repeating the words as he attempted to catch the message between the lines. Li Te, walked until nightfall, passing the bar, rushing past the shop and climbing up the back stairs slipping into his dusty apartment. Here, Li Te could relax. He set the invitation down and changed out of his work shirt and put on a fresh white tank top and grabbed his hat. He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, tilting his hat up slightly with it's typical pageboy style allowing his face to still be seen. At this moment it occurred to him that his mustache had been growing out for awhile and he needed a good shave. Li Te grabbed his razor and some soap and fixed up the edges, leaving him with a very clean, but short fu manchu. Li Te, looked at himself tucking in his tank top and lacing up his boots. Then he grabbed his coat, tucking the invitation into his pocket and he proceeded to walk to the bar where a gloomy Amon was waiting for him.
Li Te's heart beat against his chest, he felt nothing but the pounding and the pain and shock of what he was going to do. Despite the cold Li Te was sweating. His walk turned into a sprint and he thought about his gloomy friend, and what his brother would say. His brother had been the inspiration to go to school and pursue his dream of becoming an engineer. Li Te, stopped dead in his tracks as he bit his lip and looked down at his patched up boots and as his eyes started to water, he fell down in-front of the bar and wept in the snow as he had always been one to express his emotions. Li Te, stopped his crying, and fought back his feeling as he opened the bar doors and whispered to himself:
"It's just going to be two friends hanging out at a party, nothing more,"
Nothing more is all he ever told himself.
