9 How to Flip the Middle Finger Without Actually Showing the Finger

"Is that what I think it is?" Elward asked, a look of horror on his face.

Bingwen looked over. "Oh come on, no need to be afraid, dear boy. It's not that bad."

Kairav, finally noticing the terrifying dish in front of him, replied, "Really man, what do you mean, 'not that bad'? That thing made me weep for days! And I am an Indian!"

The boys looked at each other and nodded suggestively. Kairav gingerly picked up the plate and passed it over to Kat, his head making slight gestures to Hunter's direction.

Kat, seeing the mischievous look on their faces, took the plate and turned to face Saki who immediately noticed what was going on.

"Alright." She took the dish from Kat's hands and placed it right in front of Hunter. "I think the tribe has spoken," she said to him with a smile. "Care to finish your application to the team?"

Without speaking, Hunter picked up his chopsticks, looked Saki in the eye, and took a big mouthful of the dish offered to him. His gaze never left Saki until he swallowed the food.

Hunter did not speak for a long time, trying to maintain his composure. Finally, he took his phone out, stood up, and went outside the room seemingly to answer a call. Yet everyone in the table knew that it was all just an act. That dish was potent enough that only a fire-breathing dragon could eat it. Or Saki. She's the only one in the team who could endure such spicy hot food.

The team knew that Hunter would have to stay longer to earn their utmost respect but right then and there, as he gallantly choked his tears back, he at least earned their admiration.

While Hunter was out, the rest of the team leaned closer to Saki.

"Boss, I heard he gave a huge amount as joining fee," Bingwen asked in a small voice. "Don't tell me you're going to ask the same from us?!"

"Maybe..." she laughed when Bingwen blanched from her words.

"You must know by now that money won't get you in..." Saki looked at all of them seriously.

"...only merit, would."

"By the way," Elward began as he glanced momentarily at Hunter who is still outside composing himself. "I can't believe you let him get away with just this much 'punishment'".

"Yeah, boss. Judging from how you almost chewed him out a while back on the warehouse, we figured he would at least get THE finger," Bingwen said as he slapped the laughing Kairav's raised palm.

Kat clinked her spoon at her glass as she slyly smiled at them and they leaned closer knowing that she has something juicy for them.

"I was riding with Mr. Wang that time so I was, you can say, at the front row seat -- figuratively and literally," Kat began with suppressed mirth.

"With how our overbearing friend acted with our boss here, I figured we are all in for a great show. You all know what happened in the warehouse so I won't bore you with that. I will start the next act by acknowledging how Mr. Wang has a great taste in cars..."

<FLASHBACK >

Kat admitted to herself that Hunter has a great taste in cars much like her best friend, Saki. She smiled at how remarkably familiar it felt to slide in those leather seats as she took the privilege initially offered to her friend.

"Please fasten your seatbelt, Miss Andrasko. I am glad you came with me in her stead but I don't understand why your friend would not ride with me." Hunter briefly glanced at her as Saki stopped near his window, immediately cutting off whatever words Hunter wanted to say at that moment.

Kat can't help but marvel at her friend's awe-inspiring image and she is sure that Hunter's view is even more spectacular than hers.

Saki sat astride her red and black Kawasaki Ninja H2r with one impossibly long leg stretched both for support and, Kat is sure, for them to admire. Her black leather riding outfit is trimmed with blazing red much like the monster she is riding, making it look like they are extensions of each other. The setting sun is behind her, outlining her lithe figure against the blue sky but Kat could have sworn that the glow surrounding Saki was very much her own.

Saki seductively lowered her upper torso towards the bike's body and assumed a riding stance; never taking her eyes off Hunter. They can't see her face because of the helmet but Kat is sure Saki is smiling. She knows that smile and for a moment, she felt pity on Hunter.

Hunter lowered his window to maybe ask what Saki wants but as he did, Saki revved hard, her squealing tires producing a storm of pungent smoke and took off like an arrow leaving Hunter with his jaw open.

It took him a second or two before he regained his wits, closed the window and shifted and sped after Saki in one smooth motion but Kat knows by his clenched jaw that this is Mr. Wang's first time to be in a race he is not sure to win.

The Huracan leaped with enough power to pin Kat on her seat and the rumble of the engine seems to mirror Hunter's mood as he looked intently at the hourglass figure astride the speeding monstrosity of a bike in front of them.

"That is why," Kat said conversationally.

"Huh?" Hunter looked at her suddenly that the car swerve for a split second but steadied immediately.

Kat softly laughed at Hunter's momentary distraction. "You asked me why she won't come with you although you so graciously invited all of us for dinner."

"I can see your friend is a bit difficult," he smiled but his eyes showed no mirth.

The Huracan is now gaining on the Ninja bit by bit, although the bike takes advantage of the curves which Hunter is curiously taking with enough care that belies his inner emotions.

"Not much more difficult than you, Mr. Wang," Kat enigmatically responded.

"Look at how dangerously she negotiates those curves. Are you sure she knows what she is doing?" He tried changing the subject.

"You know she would slow down if you stop giving chase..." Kat said with one eyebrow raised.

Hunter considered this for a second but after a moment's silence, he suddenly floored the accelerator.

"No. She is the kind that stops only when she is beaten."

Wordlessly, Kat put on the seatbelt that she didn't get to fasten a while back. She looked intently at the man beside her and saw he meant what he said. There were lots of things racing through her mind but she chose not to say them.

Hunter took advantage of the car's better stability on the curves and seeing that Kat is already strapped in, he took each curve with power slides that would put even the world's best drivers in awe. A long straight strip of road is ahead of them and he confidently put the V10 engine to task.

His speedometer reads 250 kph and rising. He knew that a series of short s-curves follow this long stretch and if he is to overtake Saki, it has to be now.

He got beside the bike and yelled, "Stop this madness, Saki! You have proven your point! Let's slow down before you get hurt!"

If she answered, Hunter did not hear it. Instead, he saw the bike surged forward again.

300 kilometers per hour.

"You are trying to save her...how gallant," Kat said in a mocking voice. Her laughter has a rich sound to it that grated on Hunter's ear. He didn't know why but he wanted to drown that laughter in the Huracan's roar.

It is almost completely dark and he sees headlights on the opposite side of the road. He has to time it well.

He sees a long-bed truck ahead of Saki and judging from the incoming light, if he can shoot past quickly, Saki will have no choice but to admit defeat.

He quickly downshifted and stepped on the gas. The Huracan lurched as if to take off the ground but as soon as it gets close enough to the bike, before Hunter can fully pin Saki behind the truck, the bike swerved in front of the car so suddenly that he slammed on his horn.

The headlight ahead is rapidly getting brighter as they raced beside the long truck.

With growing horror, Hunter gripped the steering wheel tighter and tighter as he realized that Saki is not going to make it.

To his surprise, the speeding bike ahead of him reared like a stallion as the headlight appeared to engulf it completely.

He swerved left to avoid the incoming car narrowly even as he saw the bike smoothly plunged to the right in the small gap between the rushing light and the truck.

The Huracan lost control and skidded sideways to the left side of the road.

The tail light of the bike did not even show any sign of slowing down as Hunter looked on with an indecipherable look on his face.

"Holy shit, did she just give you..."

"THE FINGER!!!" everyone hooted with laughter as Hunter came back to the table.

His crooked smile told everyone everything they needed to know.

The look he gave Saki is one of apology even as hers remained challenging.