COLD WELCOME

Shancai cornered Dao Ming Si in the living room after they left the dining room. Glancing back at Hua Ze Lei who was giving instructions to their househelp, she spoke to her husband in a low voice.

"What's the matter with you?" she demanded. "You've been acting strangely all evening. In fact, you have been quite rude! Especially to Aisha"

"Why do I have to pretend I like her?" he said acidly and she was taken aback by his words.

"Why are you being like this?" She turned around to see if anyone's listening but Hua Ze Lei was still speaking to the butler with Aisha.

She turned back to her husband, who is now pouring a drink. "What's wrong with Aisha? She seems nice. And very friendly, too."

"Yeah," he said, sipping his wine. "Very friendly."

Shancai sighed. "Dao Ming Si, you better begin making sense right this minute or I am marching out of this house without you."

Dao Ming Si turned to look at her in contemplation. Suddenly, through the door, Hua Ze Lei and Aisha came in.

Quietly Dao Ming Si pulled Shancai by the arm and led her to sit on the sofa. "Later," he whispered and watched quietly as the other couple sat down on the opposite sofa.

His gaze is unnerving, Aisha thought, willing herself to bravely meet Dao Ming Si's eyes. She instantly regretted doing so as she felt like cowering at the steely coldness in the depths of the F4 leader's eyes.

In spite her resolve to stand up to him, she found herself looking away. When Hua Ze Lei glanced at her, she had no idea how she managed to give him a bright smile.

It was Shancai who broke the tense silence. "Aisha, Xiao Qiao told us you will be working together on a song. How is that going?"

The sudden hardening of Dao Ming Si's gaze at the mention of Xiao Qiao's name felt like a hundred rocks being piled on top of her, but she made it a point not to look at him.

"We have not recorded it yet," she replied, trying to keep her voice as normal as she humanly could. "Maybe when I get back to Tokyo in a few weeks."

"Working alongside Xiao Qiao. How's that?" Dao Ming Si's tone was slightly challenging.

She willed herself to look at him. "Good. She is nice."

Dao Ming Si shrugged. "Xiao Qiao's a fine lady, and very talented, too. It's no wonder why Mei Zuo is marrying her."

Hua Ze Lei laughed, seeing Aisha's subdued look. "A Si, why do you have to play the scary big brother? You're making Aisha nervous." He laid an arm around Aisha, squeezing her shoulder, but it did little to alleviate the tension in her.

Slowly Aisha excused herself. "I need to go to the restroom," she said softly and literally fled the room. Feeling a bit wretched, Shancai threw Dao Ming Si a reproachful look and went after Aisha. Dao Ming Si merely looked after them and reached for his drink.

"Why are you being such a pig?" Hua Ze Lei suddenly asked, taking Dao Ming Si by surprise. "Ever since you arrived, you were a bit callous, especially to Aisha. What's your problem?"

Dao Ming Si took his time before replying. "What do you know about her?" he asked.

"What?" Disbelief marked Lei's face.

Shaking his head, Dao Ming Si said, "Sorry. I'm just concerned about you. I don't want to see you hurt, that's all."

"You think Aisha will hurt me?"

Dao Ming Si could not quite answer that direct question. He just said, "I'm just concerned, alright?"

"If I need your concern, I'll ask for it."

Silence reigned between the two friends, and Dao Ming Si leaned back on the sofa. After a while, he said, "I'm sorry. I was rude. I'll do better."

Hua Ze Lei stared at Dao Ming Si then nodded.

Aisha took a few repeated breaths and leaned against the door of the rest room, trying to gather her bearings.

This is turning into a nightmare. A bad dream. Too bad she couldn't just pinch herself and make it end.

Besides if she does wake up, she doubts reality would be any kinder. Not to her. Ever.

After about three minutes of breathing in and out but not feeling any better, she opened the door and stepped out of the rest room, only to find Shancai was standing right outside the door.

"Oh! Sorry if I kept you waiting," she said. "It's all yours now." She moved aside to let Shancai in.

But Shancai did not move. She looked closely at Aisha. "Are you alright?"

Aisha smiled, bobbing her head in affirmation. "Yes. I was just tired from the flight, that's all."

Shancai nodded, then said, "I'm sorry Dao Ming Si is being such a jerk to you. I don't know what has gotten into him. He's quite unpredictable, you see. But don't take it personally. He's a nice man, once you get to know him."

"It's fine, really." Aisha sought to appease the other woman. "I think it's but natural for him to be quite suspicious about me."

Shancai smiled in relief. "Oh yeah, especially since this is the first time we met you." Inwardly Aisha felt guilty since this is not the first time for Dao Ming Si to meet her. She looked up in surprise as Shancai tugged at her arm.

"Come on, let's go back to the living room."

"But...aren't you going to use the rest room?" she asked.

Shancai shook her head, smiling. "Not really," and led Aisha back to Dao Ming SI and Hua Ze Lei.

Aisha likes Shancai...too bad Dao Ming Si seems to be a tougher act.

"She's nice."

Hua Ze Lei looked up and met Shancai's smiling eyes. He nodded. "Yes, she is."

The two of them were seated at the sofa as Dao Ming Si made a phone call at the terrace to a business acquaintance. Meanwhile, Aisha volunteered to return the glasses to the kitchen instead of calling the butler.

"I'm glad you finally found someone," Shnacai said, and it was in all sincerity.

"About time, huh?" Hua Ze Lei said jokingly, but she knew there was a grain of truth to it.

"Yes," she agreed. "And about time you introduced her to us. You have been selfishly keeping her to yourself in the past, Lei."

"And for good reason," he said teasingly. "I was afraid if Xi Men and Mei Zuo sees her they'd try to flirt with her."

Shancai laughed. "Xi Men, possibly. But Mei Zuo? He's much too preoccupied with Xiao Qiao as it is. I highly doubt he'd even turn his head to glance at Aisha."

She suddenly sobered. "A Si was a jerk tonight, wasn't he? I apologize."

Hua Ze Lei glanced at her. "Why apologize for him? He made quite a good job at doing it himself." He smiled. "Only you have been successful in doing that, Shancai. You were the only one who was able to make him apologize or say sorry."

Flushing under Lei's praise, Shancai tried to keep it light. "You're just imagining things"

Hua Ze Lei just gave another smile, then briefly said, "Maybe."

Shancai sighed, relaxed. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow evening. The F4 reunion, Mei Zuo's engagement, Aisha's introduction...I can't wait."

"OK. Tomorrow, then...Bye."

Dao Ming Si hung up and turned around, stopping in his tracks when he saw Aisha standing by the doorway of the terrace, looking at him serenely.

"Aisha," he breathed, surprised that she should be here before him when he had been nothing but rude to her whole evening. "I'm just getting Shancai. We'll be heading home now."

"May I speak with you...please?" The last word was added when he hesitated awhile. When he saw the look of resignation on her face, he relented.

"Alright," he said, leaning against the stone rails and crossing his arms in front of him. "What is it?"

Aisha was unmoving. Dao Ming Si could have sworn her lips had not moved even as she spoke.

"You recognize me..."

"Are you asking?" He was being a complete ass to her, and suddenly he felt guilty. But he would not soften just yet.

"You don't think much of me, do you?" She was obviously sad about this fact, and he could see it in her eyes.

"Should I?" He lifted his chin at her. "You're good, Aisha."

Her hear stopped. "What do you mean by that?"

"Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence that you should be with Lei now? I mean, after Mei Zuo..." He let his voice trail.

Shock rippled through her as she somehow found the strength to remain on her toes. "Are you implying...that I did this on purpose?"

He lifted a brow at her. "Didn't you?"

Aisha stared at him for what seemed like a long time but was in fact a few seconds only. Then resolutely she turned around to go in.

"Where are you going?" he asked. "Scared all of a sudden?"

Slowly she turned to look at him and he stopped short at the stormy look in her eyes.

"I have no reason to be scared, Master Dao Ming Si. I am going to Lei, and I will tell him everything."

His jaw dropped open and in three quick strides he was in front of her, blocking her way. "Are you crazy?" he demanded heatedly.

As she looked up at him defiantly Dao Ming Si found hiimself backing off, as though pushed by an unseen force away from her when it was only his surprise at her determination that did it.

When she spoke, she was calm but with an undercurrent of well-hidden fear. "I will tell Lei, and I hope that will change your opinion of me...although I don't really care much about what a judgmental person like you would think."

Dao Ming Si was not able to say or do anything when she moved past him towards the living room. Getting confused now as to Aisha's character, he slowly turned to follow her progress towards Hua Ze Lei.

Aisha wanted to scream; she wanted to scream and leave this place, leave everyone...but she does not want to leave Hua Ze Lei either.

She has to let him know...RIGHT NOW...while she still has strength left to do it.

As she reached the living room, she was startled to hear Dao Ming Si speak closely behind her.

"Shancai, it's getting late. Let's get going."

Aisha stopped in her tracks and let Dao Ming Si pecede her into the room. Silently she watched as the married couple bade good night, nodding and smiling when she was acknowledged.

Shancai even gave her a kiss on the cheek, something Aisha reluctantly accepted.

When they left, Aisha turned around and faced Lei.

When they were a good ten minutes from Hua Ze Lei's mansion, Dao Ming Si stopped the car on the side of the road and turned to Shancai.

"Look, I'm sorry I've been impossible tonight."

Shancai nodded. "Yes, you were that, but don't think a simple sorry can cut it. What's going on, A Si?"

Dao Ming Si paused, as though finding it hard to explain. "I don't know how to say this but...I told you earlier that Aisha is familiar."

Shancai remembered his earlier remark when thy just arrived at the Mansion. "Yes, you said that. Why would she be familiar to you?"

"That's because I've seen her before. We weren't formally introduced, but I know her."

Finally sensing there is more to this, Shancai leaned forward in her seat. "You know her how?"

Dao Ming Si's face was grave as he spoke. "You remember what I told you a long time ago? About a Japanese girl mei Zuo met?" She nodded. "Mimura Aisha, Hua Ze Lei's Ash is that girl. Mei Zuo's Aisha."