Love vs. Rich #7

Ka Lu walks with Tiro to see Mr. Frank in the office. He opens the door and gesture her to go inside.

"You need to see me, Mr. Frank?"

"Ka Lu, I don’t need you to be a waitress anymore." Ka Lu couldn’t believe her ears. Am I’m going to be fired, she wonders to herself.

"Please Mr. Frank," she pleaded, "Don’t fire me. If you don’t want me to be on stage anymore then I won’t anymore." He started to laugh and she becomes confuse on what is going on.

"But that’s what I want you to do," Mr. Frank tells her, "I’m going to hire you as a singer instead." She was surprise and couldn’t think of anything to say but her smile faded when she heard a familiar "hic" sound. She looks towards the door to see Malory walking into the room and straight to Mr. Frank’s desk.

"You – hic – can’t hire her."

"I’m the manager here so I could do anything I want."

"But other – hic – singers are going to complain."

"Well I’m not complaining," Pa said as she’s coming through the door.

"But fatty, this concerns – hic – you too. Why are you – hic – protecting her?"

"Because she’s my friend toothpick."

"Oh, I never knew you have any – hic – friend. I thought you – hic – would’ve crushed them already."

"Well, at least no one saw you without your makeup on. My god, you look so hideous that I have nightmares about it every night. You’re way better looking like that in Halloween." Malory tightens her fist and steps up to her but Pa raises her fist in a stance, ready for anything.

"What? You want to fight me toothpick? Come on, I’m ready." Malory looks at her and storms out of the office. Ka Lu smiles, knowing that her job is secure.

The car drives up to the mansion and Yaki parks his car. He looks over at Tyno, his fixed gaze bothering him. Then he realized that he was looking at him the whole time he was driving home.

"What are you looking at?" he finally asked after the awkward silence.

"Do you know why I’m staring at you like that?"

"No," he answered before getting out of the car. His brother gets out of the car too and rests his arms on the roof of the car, staring at him still.

"That’s how you look like when you see Ka Lu on the stage for the first time."

"No I don’t."

"Yes you did. I call like ten times and you never answer. I snap my fingers in front of you saying, earth to Yaki, anyone in, and still you didn’t answer. It was when I pinch you back reality that you would remember where you are." Yaki turns his back to him, hiding his humiliated face.

"Tell me," Tyno said playfully as he walks around the car to him. He leans over and whispers inside his ears, "you like her, don’t you."

"Um – no," he said turning to face his brother, "I’ll never like a low class like her, never."

"Suit yourself. If you don’t like her then simply avoid that place."

"Don’t worry, I will."

"Good. I don’t want any trouble coming from you anyway." Tyno starts to go into the house but he stops midway up the steps, remembering something.

"Mom’s birthday is this week, right? Are you going to throw her a party?" Something jerks inside Yaki’s mind and a smile is drawn to his face.

"Yes, I’m going to."

"Great." Tyno went inside the mansion. Yaki followed, his head is hatching up a plan.

The next two nights the curtain opens inside the pub as Ka Lu prepares to sing her upbeat song. The people dances on the dance floor as Mr. Frank watches from the counter, knowing that he had made the right decision. He stray his look in one direction and at the corner of his eyes, he sees Yaki over at the back table, watching her sing. He got off the stool and walks happily to him.

"Yaki."

"Oh, hi Mr. Frank."

"Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I would have reserve a table for you."

"No, it’s okay," he said to Mr. Frank and continues to watch Ka Lu singing.

"She has a great voice," he said after a while.

"Yes she does. Her voice had brought me a lot of customer tonight, more than yesterday and the other night."

"Yes, I have notice," he said looking around the room.

"Well, if you need anything, just call those waiters to look for me okay."

"But that’s what I came here Mr. Frank. I need your help."

"What is it?"

"I need a singer for my mother’s birthday party tomorrow but it seems like I can’t get hold of many singers these days so I was wondering if I could borrow Ka Lu for the party."

"Sure, anything for you. Just head to my office and I’ll bring Ka Lu over."

"Okay, thanks." He stood up and head for the office backstage but after a while, he lost his way.

"Where is that office?" he wonders to himself but as he continues, his head suddenly hits something hard. He quickly nurses his head and looks up to see what it is his head hit. Then he sees Ka Lu standing before him, holding a tray with two hands.

"What are you doing with that tray?" he asked angrily, still nursing his head.

"What? It’s not my fault that you’re not looking where you’re going," she responds calmly. She then looks at the tray and whisper to herself, "I think it’s dented."

"What did you say?"

"Oh, nothing but anyway, what are you doing here?"

"I’m here for business."

"Well, good luck then." She walks past him with the tray in her hands.

"Wait," he said and she turns around to meet him once again.

"Can you lead me to the office?"

"Look, it’s just around the corner. You just –"

"I said lead me, not tell me."

"But it is really around the corner."

"May I remind you when you tell me where the men’s bathroom is?" She giggles a bit when she remembers but stops when he looks at her with determine eyes. She gives in and tells him to follow her.

Minutes later, Ka Lu opens the door to the office and Yaki enters it, seeing the room empty.

"There, my job is done. I think Mr. Frank will be right with you."

"Of course but can’t you stay here with me?"

"Why would I want to be with you?"

"I hate being left alone and you do have to stay anyway."

"Tough luck because I hate being left alone with a guy like you. Now if you excuse me, I have work to do and I hope I will never meet you again."

"You’ll be back," he yelled out as she left the room and smiles. She continues to walk down the hall with the tray in her hands.

"Be back? Yeah right," she said to herself but Mr. Frank spotted her and runs up to her.

"There you are Ka Lu; I was looking all over for you."

"Why is that?"

"I really want you to meet someone in the office." She feels like she’s been struck by lightening but she follows him to the office to meet Yaki again.

"I told you that you’ll be back," he said in his cheerful tone. She just folds her arms and looks at him with a fake grin.

"So," she said behind her grin, "what do you want?"

"He wants you to sing at his mother’s birthday tomorrow," Mr. Frank answers for him. Now she feels like she wants to shrink and her head is twisted from confusion.

"Is Mr. Frank right?" she asked Yaki. He just smiles and nodded his head slowly to show that he is serious.

"Mr. Frank," she said turning to look at him, "I don’t want to go."

"Nonsense, you’ll be fine."

"What if I mess up?"

"You’ll be fine. You’re a great singer, don’t worry about it. People will love you."

"Yeah," Yaki said with his usual smile, "and besides, I pay Mr. Frank already so I think you should come."

BEEP! BEEP! Mr. Frank takes out his pager and looks at it.

"I’m sorry; I need to call someone quick. You two stay here and talk it out."

"But Mr. Frank –," but he left before she could say anything, leaving her alone with Yaki. They both look at each other as if they’re having a staring contest. She folds her arms while he cocks an eyebrow at her.

"So, do you need the address?"

"Why would I want the address?" she asked in a calm voice with a hint of irritation.

"To know where the party is."

"But I already know where you live."

"The party is not going to be held in my house."

"Where is it going to be at then?"

"At the sweet voice corporation, know where that is?"

"Don’t know and never care."

"Then how are you going to be at the party then?"

"Tiro will take me. He knows the way."

"Ah, of course he will. He is your boyfriend."

"He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my friend."

"Isn’t he a boy?"

"Of course he is. Are you blind?"

"Then can’t he be a boy and a friend."

"Where are you going with this?" Yaki decided not to make it an argument about it and shifted the subject.

"Do you have any questions?"

"Yes. Why choose me when you could choose others?"

"What? I can’t choose you? What’s wrong with that?"

"I know there are other singers other than me. I do have ears and eyes after all."

"I can’t get hold of any other one –"

"But you can still hire them like Malory, she’ll gladly work for you."

"Malory is good but I choose you."

"You can’t just –" but she pause, remembering the police incident and puts on her fiery expression.

"I know what you’re up to now."

"What do you mean?" he said, pretending not to know.

"Don’t pretend," she said pointing a finger at him.

"I know you choose me because –"

"Got to go," and immediately he left the room like the wind. Ka Lu froze there with her finger still pointing at the chair, not believing that he just walk out of her.

"What are you pointing at?" She quickly turns around and sees Tiro on the doorway, giving her an awkward look.

"Nothing," she answered as she straightens herself up and leaves.

Over at Alex’s mansion, Felis is in her room, looking at a newspaper article.

Tap, Tap. A knock is heard from her door and she yells at the person to leave her alone. On the other side, the maid jumps at the sudden command and quickly retreated. Sarah stops her and looks at the door of Felis’ room, and then look at the tray of food the maid was carrying.

"She hasn’t eaten yet?" The maid nods her head slowly. Sarah politely takes the tray from her and tells her to go clean her room. She walks up to the door and knocks on it.

"Go away," Felis said from inside her room.

"It’s only me Fenix." She stood there as she hears Felis’ shuffle to the door and releasing the locks. The door opens to reveal Felis’ puffy eyes indicating that she was crying.

"Are you alright," Sarah asked her

"I’m all right."

"No you’re not all right. Look at your eyes, they’re so puffy."

"Nothing to worry about." Sarah stares away from her to look around the room. She instantly saw the newspaper and quickly set the tray on a table nearby. Felis runs to get the paper but Sarah snatches it before she could even close her hand on it.

"Sarah, please give it back to me," Felis pleaded as she tried to swipe the newspaper from Sarah, but she seems to know her every move and dodges her every swipe.

"Why is this newspaper so important," then she sees it. In front of the page was a picture of Fong and Mai on a street. He plays a flute while she holds a cup of coins. Felis sits on her bed, crying her tears out. Sarah looks at her with concern and sits beside her.

"How long did you know this?" She wipes her tears before she sadly answered, "Just yesterday." Sarah looks at her then looks at the newspaper. Felis notice her hands were about to tear it apart and quickly snatches the newspaper from her.

"When will you forget about them?!"

"Forget them? Forget them? They’re my family; I just simply can’t forget them. I abandon them just for this career I ever wish to be in. I left them alone with no onw to care for them. I thought that they’ve died in the accident years ago but it seem that they’ve survive."

"What accident?"

"You don’t remember? You’re the one that told me," then a fire flash from within Felis as she starts to figure things out. Sarah looks at her with horror in her eyes.

"You," Felis breathe out at last, pointing one finger at her, "you. I can’t be."

"What do you mean?" she lied, pretending not to know.

"You lied to me about the accident, did you?"

"No, I didn’t."

"Don’t lie to me now! I remember in those days I was desperate to go home. It was when you tell me about the fake accident that I refuse to live no longer but turn to Alex to live in this life."

"But isn’t this life better than the one you have before?"

"I’ll rather choke now than to live in this one. I remember how much Fong sacrifice just to be with me. He was rich and I was poor. We both love each other but his mother will never agree to let us marry. It was then when he decided to flee with me to the village and marry me there. He abandons his life of being rich just to stay with me. Now I betray my love to him by abandoning him and our two daughters. It’s like having my own heart pierce by my own knife."

"I understand now," Sarah said as she rests her hand on Felis’ shoulder but she simply brush it off.

"You think you can simply understand me! Just look at me! I’m a worthless wife and mother for leaving my family and remarrying my own manager. And look at you; you lied to your best friend about an accident that never happens! Why would you lie to me?!"

"You want to know why?"

"Of course I want to know! Just tell me the truth!"

"I lied," she answered irritated, "for Alex."

"Alex?"

In the next morning, Ka Lu stands clueless on the front steps of the sweet voice corporation, thinking about the party.

"No turning back now," she said to herself as Tiro runs to her after talking to a girl on the circulation desk.

"Come on the party is on the fifth floor."

"Alright," and they both went up the elevator.

Minutes later, the elevator stops on the fifth floor and they both got out and into the corridor. They both walk around and see an opened double door decorated with red ribbons. They look inside the room which is filled with many rich people. Tables were filled with food and drinks. The stage was decorated neatly with red velvet with a touch of rubies and diamonds. She stood there, awe by the beauty of the room.

"Like it." Ka Lu looks to the right to the direction of the familiar voice and for sure, it was Yaki’s.

"It’s okay I guess," she reply. Yaki tilt a bit to see Tiro behind her.

"Nice for you to come, Tiro." He just nods his head once in response to his greeting. Yaki looks at his watch.

"Oh my," he said cheerfully mixed with mischief, "look at the time. You’re almost up."

"What do you mean?" she asked surprised."

"I schedule you to sing on stage at nine thirty. I think you should hurry up and prepare and of course," he said pointing at her clothes, "I don’t think you want to wear that on stage." She looks at herself before she gives him a grumpy look who just stares at her as if he doesn’t care. She quickly takes Tiro’s hand and looks around the room.

"Where’s the dressing room?" she asked him when she couldn’t figure out which door it is. He looks around the room and points to a door. She then head straight for the dressing room as he lets out a mischievous laugh.

"Let’s see if you can get out on this one?"