The day begins with the sharp alarm beeping on his phone. De Yi awakes and sees the photo of Ping Ping and De Ai, on their debut night. The two girls wore Ping Ping originals - derived from the traditional Chinese chipao. Ping Ping looks bright, happy and her eyes were clear - focused on him.
In the kitchen, he makes himself a simple shake and gulp the entire glass in the vast void of his apartment. He drives the car to the office where his assistant has prepared for him a cup of tea and the stack of documents for the day.
The employees greet politely their aloof, distant and cold boss, who carries a bottomless sadness. They all know something must have happened nearly three years ago - when his boring persona became alive and then reverted sharply to this cocoon, empty soul...after that summer.
The meetings begin at 9 with the acquisition team reporting on a partnership/take over of a mid-sized American beverage company. He listens to the presentation about the market share and the lackluster performance of the last three quarters.
Next comes the monthly financial reviews of his tea plantations and expansion plans. The project leader sent him scouting photos and the cost to set up a new factory in the new locations.
He spends his lunch and the remainder of the afternoon reviewing final selection of the advertisements for the tea houses. He looks at the Kimono girls with the kamon that he and Ping Ping worked on together.
By seven o'clock, he's the only person left. And when the last conference call ends at 7:30 pm, he is utterly enveloped again by silence. The reminder on the phone beeps - "Dinner with De Ai and Ka Sha."
When he arrives, Chen Hua is seated across from De Ai and Ka Sha. He seats himself next to her, the only open and logical spot. After several starts and stops of the conversation, De Ai throws down her silverware.
"I can't take it anymore."
De Yi looks up, out of touch of what's going on. "What happened... Did you have a fight with Ka Sha?"
"No." Chen Hua turns to face him. "It's you."
"Me?"
"We've all noticed something is not right with you." De Ai cries.
"I'm fine." De Yi returns to cutting his steak. "Just busy and overworked."
"Then stop working so hard." De Ai pouts.
"Why are you working so hard?" Chen Hua sips her wine and studies De Yi. "It's not as if you don't have capable managers."
"Is this about Ping Ping?" Ka Sha interjects and realizes that he may have outed De Yi unknowingly.
"Ping Ping?" De Ai eyes mist with tears and her voice quivers. "What does this have to do with Ping Ping."
"I guess because I feel that I have failed. Not finding her." Ka Sha and De Yi look at each other, a moment of understanding passes between them. "And I don't deal with failures well."
"Oh Ge." De Ai touches his hand across the table. "You did not fail me. Don't blame yourself."
After Ka Sha and a tipsy De Ai depart, Chen Hua turns to De Yi. "Want to drink together? I am nursing a broken heart as well."
De Yi nods and actually smiles, almost apologetically. The irony of her statement is not lost on him.
Together, they walk down the busy street.
"Was she the one?" Chen Hua catches on. "Was she the reason you rejected me?
"I was going to propose on her birthday." De Yi nods reluctantly. "It was just a week away."
"I'm sorry." Chen Hua speaks, her heels clicking on the street. "I'm sorry for your loss."
De Yi keeps walking.
Why did you fall in love with her an not me? Chen Hua thinks to herself. But instead she asks, "Want to talk about it?"
De Yi keeps walking.
The two of them arrive at a lounge and orders a bottle of wine.
"What was so great about her?" After three refills, Chen Hua opens up another bottle of wine.
"Everything." De Yi answers. "And nothing. Ping Ping was...just Ping Ping."
The next day morning, De Yi awake to the smell of coffee and breakfast cooking in his apartment. He finds himself partially dressed on top of the bed covers with a blanket covering him.
When he opens the door to his living area, Chen Hua is in his bathrobe drinking coffee.
"Good morning." Chen Hua says without looking away from her phone, checking emails. "I made you tea."
"Why are you here?" De Yi asks, afraid of the answer.
"I guess you don't remember." Chen Hua looks up from the phone. A smirk later, she adds: "My dear."
De Yi's stares at her, not knowing where to go with this. But he has a look of disdain - more at himself than her.
"Woooah." Chen Hua waves her hand in front of herself. "Stop with the death stare. Nothing happened. I got you home and slept in the guest room."
"My clothes...?"
Chen Hua laughs, "I have nothing to do with that."
"Your clothes?"
"You hurled some steak and wine on the dress. I had to trash them." Chen Hua takes a cup of coffee and moves towards him. "I'm waiting for my assistant to bring me a new outfit."
"Thank you." De Yi says as he takes the tea from her.
"Ningbo White Tea." she says.
"How'd you know."
"Remember those all nighters for Professor Lee's class?" She shakes her head. "Guess I'm really just a friend."
YOU ARE READING
WAITING FOR THE BEGINNING
RomanceWhat does it mean to be married? Is it a legal status? A love status? Or a promise? Ping Ping has always wanted a peaceful and civil marriage, much like her parents. But instead, her heart and her fate don't seem to align - putting her between t...
