STARS SHINE
The place is swinging. The dance floor is packed with people, young and old, having fun. There is not a vacant table in sight; even all the stools were taken. At the bar, the bartenders seem to have trouble keeping up with orders as they rolled in by the droves. The bar waiters dressed in casual jeans and sleeveless white shirts were moving about with precise speed and agility, weaving their way through the throng of party-goers.
On a small elevated stage an American disc jockey grooved his way, moving his hips this way and that, obviously enjoying himself.
From the small door leading to a back office, Dao Ming Si leaned against the jamb, arms across his chest, watching the flurry of activity with a satisfied smile.
He turned his head when he felt Shancai sidle up beside him and he put an arm around her shoulders.
"I can't believe I am seeing this," she said, looking at the crowd, trying to make her voice be heard above the sound of the latest Nelly hit.
"I'm surprised myself," he remarked, his appreciative eye roving over the place he put up. Meteors.
"Whoa! Do we get to shake the hands of the owners of this place?"
Both turned to look at Mei Zuo, who was sauntering towards them, Xi Men not far behind.
Dao Ming Si welcomed his friends with hugs. "I thought you wouldn't come!"
"I would come no matter what. It's Mei Zuo whose schedule is now tighter because of his engagement."
Mei Zuo elbowed Xi Men. "I wouldn't miss this for the world." He looked around. "Wow! This place rocks! Looks like F4 is officially saying goodbye to V6."
"That goes for the others," Xi Men said, observing the other people inside Meteors. "I see more than a few familiar faces in here."
Shancai spoke. "I have to hand it over to you, Xi Men. At first I doubted this suggestion of yours could work, but I am proven wrong. Thanks for helping out Dao Ming Si."
"Anytime, Shancai. Besides, let's just say I have a vested interest in this place."
Dao Ming Si lifted a brow at Xi Men. "Vested interest?" he echoed.
Xi Men gave him an innocent look. "Why, free booze, of course! Don't tell me you're going to keep a tab on me whenever I come here!"
"So that's how it's going to be, huh?" Dao Ming Si merely shook his head in amazement and laughter.
Dao Ming Si opened the door to his office wider. "We can't find a place out there so why don't we just have our drink in my office?"
Mei Zuo whistled as they trooped into the cozy yet spacious office. "Now this is some office!" He swept his hands up and made a low bow. "Ever the Master, A Si. You really have good taste."
As Shancai poured drinks for the four of them, Dao Ming Si's mobile phone rang. It's Hua Ze Lei.
"Lei! Why aren't you here yet?" Dao Ming Si demanded over the phone.
"Sorry, but there were last minute stuff to take care of. I couldn't just leave. Do I need to wish you luck in your opening?"
Dao Ming Si laughed. "Nice thought, but I don't think I really would be needing that any longer. You should see this, Lei. It's really amazing!"
"I always knew you would be successful, A Si."
"Thanks. By the way, when are you coming in? Mei Zuo's party is three days from now. You wouldn't dare miss that, would you?"
He heard Hua Ze Lei laugh slightly at the other end. "Of course not. It's just that Aisha has a few other engagements before she could fully leave."
"Fine. Just make sure to let us know when you get in, OK?" After getting Hua Ze Lei's word, Dao Ming Si hung up and sat down beside Shancai.
"What did Hua Ze Lei say?" she asked. "When will he come?"
"In time for the party," he replied. "He said there are a few last minute stuff that Aisha has to take care of."
"Aisha...Oh, you mean Ash?" Xi Men asked. At A Si's nod, he shook his head with a smile. "I am really getting more and more curious about this lady who managed to make Hua Ze Lei stand at attention."
Mei Zuo cleared his throat, looking thoughtful. "Mimura Aisha is her full name, right?"
"Yeah," Shancai replied. "I hear she's quite a sensation in Japan. At the agency I heard the name Aisha or Ash spoken more than once."
At this shift in subject, Xi Men asked, "Agency? So you are really pushing through with this? You are buying the travel agency?"
Almost shyly, Shancai shook her head. "No. Dao Ming Si is buying it; I'll just be running it."
"Hey!" Dao Ming Si gave her a dirty look. "What are you saying? You speak as though we're not married!"
"A Si is right, Shancai," Mei Zuo said. "Now that you and A Si are married, everything he owns is also yours. No need to be shy about that."
Shancai only smiled, still not fully grasping the fact that she is now rich.
At the back of the small auditorium, unseen by everyone, Hua Ze Lei was content to sit back and listen to the press batter Aisha with questions. Beside him Sachiko sat with a piece of paper in her hand, scribbling.
He is so proud of her. From where he was sitting, he could see Aisha winning over the press people with her charm and wit, answering their questions with ease and lightness. He knew she is nervous, but it didn't show.
When the questions were over and the technical team prepared the stage for her to perform two numbers, Sachiko leaned over and whispered, "Look at them. They are practically eating out of her hands!"
Hua Ze Lei smiled, nodding, his eyes fully trained on Aisha as she stood there onstage, dressed in a white sleeveless denim dress and white knee-length boots, her hair tied up in a ponytail.
"They love her," Sachiko declared and silently Hua Ze Lei agreed with her. Everybody loves her. Everybody...
The rest of the showcase went by smoothly and, in typical Aisha mood, she remained behind with the technical team long after the last journalist left the auditorium. Against the insistence of the others, she helped them fix up.
Nodding as Sachiko left for her office, Hua Ze Lei strode towards the stage just as Aisha began playing her upbeat song.
She turned around to find him standing down there. With mischief glinting in her eyes, she pulled him up to the stage.
"Come on! Come up here!"
"What?" Lei asked, but letting her pull him up all the same.
"How did I do with the presscon?" she asked him with a smile. "Did I pass?"
"With flying colors," he admitted.
"OK, since I passed, don't I deserve a prize?"
She was thinking of something, and Lei knew it, but he was willing to play into her hands. "What do you want? Dinner?"
Aisha shook her head. "No. I have something in mind, and it won't cost you a cent."
"Yeah?" He looked at her suspiciously. "What is it?"
Playfully she stepped away from him and, in front of the three other technical men inside the auditorium began to sway her hips along to the upbeat music. "A little dance. A fast one."
He stepped back, shaking his head, trying to keep himself from laughing. "You're kidding!"
In an instant she was beside him, holding his hands. "Come on, I deserve this!"
Her grin was infectious and he found himself grinning back. "I don't know how to dance!"
"It's easy, just sway your hips that way...then this way...come on!" She pulled at his arm when he was about to move away again. "Nobody's watching!"
But it was a lie. The other three technical men were also having trouble keeping their faces straight at the picture the President made. And Lei caught a few of these glances.
Shaking his head in defeat, he let her teach him a few moves, feeling absolutely silly, knowing he looked completely goofy but not really willing to put her off.
Darn, Hua Ze Lei, he told himself silently. If Mei Zuo sees you now, he'd be ashamed to even call you his friend forever!
William stepped out into the Tokyo sun, letting the sounds of the city welcome him. He sighed. It's been a long time since he had been in this city, and he had always wanted to come back for a vacation.
Now he's glad to be back, but this is anything but a vacation.
He slipped the photograph from his pocket. Kozuke Aisha's profile is the only visible part of her in the photo as she looked up at Mei Zuo. This photograph won't be much of a help in trying to locate her.
But he'll have to try. Returning the photograph in his pocket, he moved forward and crossed the street, hailing a cab.
Across the road, Hua Ze Lei stepped off his car, followed by Aisha. With their backpacks and Aisha's single suitcase in Lei's hand, the two boarded the plane to Taipei.
A few hours later Aisha and Hua Ze Lei stepped into Taipei and she almost felt like fainting as she imagined the ground shifting beneath her feet.
She never thought she'd come back here. Taipei had been where some of the best things happened in her life. She just felt weird coming back here right now.
The last time she was here, she was just plain Kozuke Aisha, with no home, with nothing but a small suitcase in her arm and the slim hope of finding her grandmother in her heart.
Now she has come back. Mimura Aisha. Ash. One of Japan's rising stars. Hua Ze Lei's girlfriend.
A year ago, inside the dank rooms she had occupied with her group mates, making do with whatever meager meal they were able to come up with from the small dancing gigs they get on the outstreets of Tokyo, she would not have thought she could be here, like this. Wonders will never cease.
Hua Ze Lei leaned down and spoke on her ear. "Are you hungry?" he asked. "We could drop by for some meal before going to the mansion."
She smiled up at him gratefully. "That'll be great, thanks."
He smiled. "I know a place. It's called SOMBRERO, and it is owned by Shancai's mom." He grabbed her suitcase. "Let's go."
SOMBRERO was wonderful, and so were Shancai's mother and her partner, that funny man Shage. Aisha kept smiling as Shancai's mother endlessly teased Hua Ze Lei and her.
It was Shage who took pity upon the couple. "That's enough," he said. "Why don't you let the poor kids have a decent meal first, huh? They're obviously exhausted from the trip." He smiled at Aisha. "Excuse my partner here. Her mouth can be quite nonstop."
"It's all right," Aisha said.
Shancai's mother looked out at the window. "Is that a new car, Lei? I don't think I have seen that before."
Lei nodded. "That's the one I bought from Uncle. By the way, extend my thanks to him?"
The meal went on peacefully and afterwards, Hua Ze Lei and Aisha left SOMBRERO.
Just as they slid inside Lei's car, Mei Zuo's Mercedez drew up on the far end of the parking lot.
The first thing that struck Mei Zuo was the hair, then the profile of the lady. Just as he turned his engine off and tried to look closer, the lady disappeared from view as she got into the red convertible.
In a rush he stepped out of his Mercedez and peered through the convertible but it was futile as the glass was tinted.
Maybe he was hallucinating. He shook his head to clear it, scolding himself for thinking these things when his engagement is two days away.
When he strode into the restaurant, Shage instantly spotted him and waved at him.
"How are you, Shage?" he warmly greeted the older man.
"Fine, fine. Hey, did you catch Hua Ze Lei? He was just here!"
"What...Lei?" He turned to look outside but saw no trace of his friend.
Shage nodded. "Yes. He came in to eat. He just arrived from Tokyo." He leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially. "He's got someone with him."
A sparkle appeared in Mei Zuo's eyes, knowing what Shage meant. "Someone?"
"Yes," Shage said, nodding. "The famous Ash we all keep hearing about."
"Aha!" Mei Zuo leaned back. "Finally! So, what did you think of her? Is she pretty?"
"Pretty!" Shage scoffed, shaking his head. "Not just pretty. She's really striking, very cute, and has a very open and bright smile. Plus, she seemed really friendly."
Mei Zuo looked closer at the older man. "So in conclusion, you like her."
"I adore her! And even if you ask your Auntie, she loves her as well! Aisha was quite a surprise, more of a shock. After all, she's not what I'd expect for Hua Ze Lei, but who knows what the heart tells, right?" Shage nodded in satisfaction. "I'm happy for Hua Ze Lei. I really am."
"Bring out a little tequila, then!" Mei Zuo snapped his fingers. "Let's toast to Hua Ze Lei and his Ash, and let's hope this is the start of a really good thing!"
While Mei Zuo and Shage shared a toast, inside the red convertible cruising through the highway, Hua Ze Lei took his eyes off the road for a few seconds and glanced at Aisha beside him just as she covered a yawn.
"Are you tired?" he asked softly.
Aisha looked at him and nodded. "I'm exhausted. I haven't had a lot of sleep after last night's presscon, and I had to get up early today to pack."
He reached over and stroked the top of her head. "When we get to the mansion, I suggest you go to sleep. We both need some rest."
"Aren't you going to get together with your friends later?"
Hua Ze Lei shook his head. "That can wait. Besides, we'd be in Taipei for a few weeks yet, and at Mei Zuo's party, we'll all get together. No need to rush."
Aisha stared at him then smiled gratefully. She looked back out the window, watching the Taipei streets pass by in a blur.
She's so glad to be back...
Suddenly, something Hua Ze Lei mentioned a few seconds ago registered. Her head jerking in his direction, she said haltingly, "The name of your friend...the one you mentioned a while ago...what was it again?"
Hua Ze Lei looked at Aisha in confusion. "Who? Mei Zuo? Haven't I told you his name yet?" He smiled. "Sorry. It must have slipped my mind. His name is Mei Zuo. Xiao Qiao's fiance."
"Mei Zuo..." The name was spoken in a whisper that made Hua Ze Lei stare at her closely.
"Why do you ask?"
With a forced smile, Aisha shook her head. "Nothing. He just reminded me of someone who has the same name." Silently she returned her gaze outside the window, careful not to let Lei see her sudden discomfort.
Mei he be the same Mei Zuo she knows? Come to think of it...
She closed her eyes. Things are beginning to nag at her. Dao Ming Si and Shancai. Those names sounded vaguely familiar to her. Then the word F4...she kept hearing of that word, and how Hua Ze Lei is part of it. Once before Mei Zuo asked her if she knew F4.
Could this be sheer coincidence?
Hua Ze Lei's concerned voice broke through her reverie. "Are you feeling ill?"
She smiled weakly up at him. "Jet lag," she mumbled and settled back into silence.
How should she feel...? If it were true...?
If this ain't bitchin'!
William shook his head, blinked once, twice.
He stared up at the huge billboard, reading the words:
No. 1 song in Tokyo. SIMPLE PRAYERS. By Ash.
He stared at the photograph in his palm. Then he looked at the billboard, at the image of a beautiful lady beside it.
MIMURA AISHA. ASH.
KOZUKE…MIMURA.
Could it…?