FORGET ME NOT

Hua Ze Lei is back.

The news brought in by their manager Yuki resounded in Aisha's head as she hastily packed her gear into her black tote bag. Excitement at the thought of seeing Lei again coursed through her, as she zipped the bag close.

Checking herself at the mirror of the dressing room, she could not help but notice the flush in her cheeks. Oh, dear! She looked dreadful! She took in the sight of her hair tied up in a high ponytail and her light-blue hooded sweat suit. Oh well, she thought. Why should she care of how she'd look in front of Lei?

Bidding a quick goodbye to the other dancers, she practically ran down the halls from the studio, throwing a glance at the parking lot down below. There it is. Lei's convertible.

Aisha took the elevator down to the eighth floor, smiling at the people she met on the way. When she reached Lei's office, it was Sachiko who greeted her.

"Aisha!" the older lady greeted warmly.

"Hi, Sachiko!" she said. "Is Lei here?"

Sachiko shook her head. "He left the office an hour ago. I think he may be at Studio 7."

Aisha thought for a moment. "Studio 7? That's the unused recording studio on the top floor, right?" she asked.

Sachiko nodded. "He goes there often. He could be there."

After thanking Sachiko, Aisha rode up the elevator to the top floor, wondering what Hua Ze Lei could be doing inside an unutilized recording booth. She sighed, smiling to herself. Just one of the many mysteries surrounding the quiet Hua Ze Lei. Very puzzling, indeed.

She missed him thoroughly. He has gone to Spain to attend his best friend's wedding and has been gone for more than a week. She had been so used to him visiting their rehearsals and video shoots and occasionally going out for a late snack or dinner that when he was gone she found herself awaiting his return.

The top floor of the Hua Ze Building has long been left unoccupied, but obviously it has been kept in shape by some of the employees, Aisha noted as she stepped off the elevator.

The first thing she heard made her stop in her tracks. From somewhere she could hear a violin playing. Curiosity flooding her, she moved towards the sound until she found herself in front of a door marked S-7 . Slowly she turned the knob and pushed the door ajar, peeking in.

There he sat on a stool, a violin in hand, a sheaf of papers on a stand in front of him. Aisha found herself rooted to the spot as she drank in the sight of him. He looked so peaceful, in a melancholy sort of way.

She doesn't know much about violin music pieces, but what he was playing sounded absolutely divine and she found herself holding her breath as the notes went higher, then lower, then climbed higher again.

When the song ended, Aisha felt close to tears at the sheer beauty of it. Suddenly guilt assailed her as she felt like she was spying on him. Panicking all of a sudden, she stepped back, accidentally hitting the wall with her tote bag.

As though being chased by a thousand phantoms Aisha ran the length of the corridor to the elevator and stepped in, pressing a button. When the elevator door wouldn't close, she repeatedly pressed on the button again.

Hua Ze Lei heard the soft thump at the door and glimpsed a shadow flit outside the door which was now slightly ajar when he remember closing it shut a while ago.

Laying the violin down, he walked towards the door and opened it. He looked down the hall and saw no one, but spotted a hankie on the floor. Curious, he picked it up and inspected it, smiling slightly as he recognized the way it was folded. It was rolled up, like one would do to a rope, purposefully to be used in a ponytail.

A soft clicking sound from the elevator caught his attention. With a small smile he strode towards it, knowing fully well who is inside.

And so when she looked up she saw him standing there, her hankie in his hand, looking thoroughly amused.

She smiled in embarrassment. "There s something wrong with the elevator," she said. "It would not close."

"Not if you press on the 'close' button, and not the 'open' button," he said, laughter in his voice. Aisha looked at the button she had been pressing and noticed he was right. She had been pressing on the 'Open' button all along. Feeling utterly silly, she released the button and smiled weakly up at him.

Lei lifted the hankie. "Say, would you happen to know who owns this?"

Aisha leaned back on the palm of her hands, her legs extended in front of her as she sat on the floor, her stomach full. Lei sat in front of her, his legs drawn up to his chin. Empty Styrofoam containers of the Japanese food they ordered a while ago now lay between them.

"I had no idea how hungry I was," Aisha remarked.

"I had no idea I'd miss Japanese food," Lei said.

"And I didn't know you play the violin so well."

His face was serious as he said, "You know, I easily get irritated when I am disturbed while playing. I become rude."

Aisha eyed him warily, not exactly sure if she'd believe him. When he smiled again, she breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, she remembered his trip. "How was your trip? The wedding? Was it nice?"

It took him a moment to answer. "It was perfect. I couldn't think of a more fitting ceremony for Dao Ming Si and Shancai."

Something clicked in her memory at the mention of the names. "Dao Ming Si...Shancai..." She looked at him. "Those names sound familiar...I just couldn't place them."

Lei chuckled. "You're still young, and already you re becoming forgetful. Are you sure your dancing is not affecting your memory? Because if it is, I'd have to rethink your contract."

She laughed out loud. "I had no idea you could be funny. I thought you were," she takes on a blank look and mimics his flat tone of voice, "there's this diner down the block, you want to go check it out?" She smiled again. "You're not as boring as some say you are."

"Is that right?" Lei reached for his soda can and sprayed some of its contents on her, causing her to jump up and reach for her own in retaliation.

The top floor, usually quiet, was filled with the playful laughter of Hua Ze Lei and Aisha.

The next few weeks, Hua Ze Industries launched its full campaign of Artiste Records. Aisha suddenly found her days filled with grueling dance performances and interviews. Suddenly she found herself waking up in various hotel rooms and meeting a lot of people, half of which she barely even remember the names.

She and her group had been on a promotional tour all over Tokyo and the nearby cities, and sometimes she gets lonely, except for those calls Hua Ze Lei makes once every day. Being the considerate Artiste President that he was, he always checks up on the group and even takes the time out to talk to her and chat with her a bit, a fact that warms her heart despite her denials.

Aisha had grown accustomed to having him around that sometimes she questions her true feelings towards him. It s impossible to call it something like love. After all, he is her boss, and she just might be mistaking his closeness to her, thinking it is something else when it s nothing but the simple concern of a business man over his business; of a supervisor over his employees.

No matter, she thought. She knows better than to fall for someone who obviously looks at her more like a friend and a sister than in a romantic light. Funny, though, if that happens. The second time she falls in love, and it s with another Taiwanese.

A wistful smile appeared on her lips as she remembered Mei Zuo, wondering how he is.

Mei Zuo pushed the notebook away, shaking his head at Xiao Qiao. "This is ridiculous," he said, laughing.

Xiao Qiao, smiling, pushed the notebook across the table back to him. "What's wrong? It's just a slam book. Go on, answer it."

They were seated on the porch at Xiao Qiao's place, and the notebook they have been tugging between them is her old slam book from when she was in grade school. For fun, she insisted he answer the questions, something he finds absurd and downright silly.

"The questions in there are so childish!" he complained.

"That's what makes it fun!" Xiao Qiao argued, laughing already. "You're done with the first page, one more to go."

Mei Zuo looked at her then sighed. "OK," he said and retrieved the notebook, opening it once again. "What is Love?" he read. "Love is being with you," he said, writing it down while giving her a wink, loving it when she blushes.

The next question gave him pause. Who is your First Love?

Xiao Qiao's smile widened as she noticed his hesitation. "What?" she asked. "Don't tell me you're going to stop now. Come on, you barely even started with that page!"

Mei Zuo recalled her name. He began to write it down but stopped, glancing up at Xiao Qiao who is waiting in anticipation. With a flourish he quickly filled in the answers of the remaining questions, handing the slam book back to her.

Smiling curiously, Xiao Qiao opened the page and scanned the questions. Her eyes lifted to meet his. "No fair!" she said, amused. "Who is your First Love', you answered 'Secret' ?"

Mei Zuo shrugged. "That's a typical slam book answer, isn t it?"

Xiao Qiao could only smile, shaking her head as she went back to reading his answers. Meanwhile, Mei Zuo was deep in thought, remembering her.

Aisha.