4 My Name

"THANK YOU ALL FOR SHARING THIS WONDERFUL MOMENT WITH OUR GRAMMS."

As I hear Fei talk on stage, I felt like I happened to be the luckiest guy in Manhattan. What are the odds, right? I see him, I won't see him, and now I see him! In the flesh!

I cannot imagine this moment. As if this is really meant to be. It's destiny!

After the family gave their thanks and wishes to Mrs. Akira Xing, they're about to leave the stage, until the host stopped them.

"Wait a minute, Xing family. As a request of our dear celebrant, the family will be sharing to everyone in this function hall their thanks in a form of red envelopes and fortune cookies!"

The restaurant staff handed baskets full of packs containing those goodies. I wanted to get one for myself, but most of all, I want to receive it from Fei! However, people started moving towards the stage and everyone gets unruly for a while until the bodyguards controlled the situation.

Even Jermaine and Oakley were gone. I was left all alone at our table. I just watched the entire mob having fun taking and receiving the gifts. Until…

"Hey, Trick."

When I check who's on my back, I almost fainted.

"Fei?" At that moment, I felt my cheeks warmed or something.

"I went to Robbie's earlier in the hopes of finding you, but I failed to see you there."

I was confused, but there's a certain tingling feeling in my heart that says he wants to see me again. "Finding me?"

"Yeah, I mean, I got off from work around six and went straight there. Unfortunately, your reliever said that you work on the morning shift."

"I do," then I giggled. "Why do you wanna find me?"

"Uh… I wanna see if you can spell my name correctly on my next order," he sort of sealed his lips with a quirky smile.

"Really?" And I don't have any words for that smile. Whether it's full of sincerity or mischief, he still looks so handsome. "What do you have there?"

Of course, I can tell what he is holding. It's the basket that was handed over to him to share with the rest of the visitors invited to this celebration. I just wanna keep the conversation going.

"Oh, it's, uh… It's like our token of appreciation for coming here. Gramms is so happy to see lots of people, even though she doesn't know them."

That was a facepalm moment. "Actually, I'm a plus two."

"Sorry? What do you mean you're plus two?"

"I was dragged here by my co-barista, who has a classmate back then, who happens to have a best friend, which I think, is your cousin. The cute guy over there." I pointed to where Haru is standing. He is actually chatting with Jermaine and Oakley.

"Cute?" Fei repeated, with a disapproving tone.

"Yeah, he looks cute," I nonchalantly opined.

He put his basket down and crossed his arms. He looked at me with a stern face. "Cuter than me?"

"Uh, I mean…" What was he trying to make me say? Is he that competitive with his cousin? I mean, he looks really handsome, but his cousin is cute, too.

"Come on, say it. Who's handsomer?"

I got confused. "Handsomer? Is there such word?"

"That's the comparative word for handsome, actually," he explained.

I bowed my head. "I only took GED tests and attained just a little above the passing mark, so I'm sorry that I am not that educated."

"Oh, come on, that's not what I meant. Believe me, I don't intend to offend you. I was just sharing. And I don't care about your education. I just want to be friends with you, even if you misspell my name one more time," then he winked.

That was so heartfelt. Imagine how humble this guy is.

"Asshole. I'll get it right next time. I promise," I mean it. I really do.

"No worries." He then picked up the basket on the floor and showed it to me. "Pick one."

"Oh, thank you. Your family is really generous," I commended.

"Yeah, especially if you're very lucky," Fei mentioned. "Every hong bao has checks in different amounts. From five hundred dollars to five thousand dollars. The fortune cookie is actually just an embellishment, but hey, who knows, your fortune might change once you read and absorb what's in there."

"Five thousand dollars? Oh, my goodness. That's crazy! Are you sure your family is giving out that much in a crowd like this? There's like two hundred people here right now." I am super astonished by what Fei told me. These guys are filthy rich!

"Nah, Gramms believed in the power of giving back. She wasn't born rich. She strived for everything she has right now. So, she promised that once she becomes rich and powerful, she'll do anything to send the help back."

I am super impressed. This family is really blessed. "Incredible. So… Can I pick now?"

"Yeah, sure. Pick the one that appeals to you," he commanded.

Right now, there are several transparent gift bags in the basket. I can see the red envelopes and the fortune cookies through. They're all the same. So, I just picked one randomly.

"All right. Let's see…" Fei opened the bag for me and took out the red envelope. While he was opening the lid, I was trembling in excitement. I don't know why but I'm kind of expecting the five grand.

I wish I am the luckiest on this night!

He then pulled the tip of the check. "Wait for it…"

He slows down the pulling of that piece of paper, giving me so much build-up of nervousness. Come on, Fei! Show me what you got!

Then, suddenly…

"Oh, wow," he exclaimed.

When I looked at that tiny sheet, I felt like my soul separated from my body. Remember that scene from Doctor Strange? That's exactly what happened. Only for a tad second.

"T-Ten t-thousand d-dollars…" I was stammering. Who wouldn't?

I just received ten thousand dollars, signed, and ready to become dollar bills!

"Yay!" Both of us jumped for joy. "I couldn't believe Gramms would have that new surprise. It used to be five grand as the highest."

"Is it really mine?" Just to make sure.

"Of course, I'm yours," he whispered, but I heard it, yet he changed it right away. "I mean, it's yours. You chose it."

I'm yours.

Oh, gosh. Just a quick flashback. We met just today. Had a very awkward moment. Then he left. Then he searched for me, but he didn't see me. And now… We saw each other… And now, he's telling me 'I'm yours'?

Fast. Too fast. Way too fast.

But…

I kinda like it.

I never had this kind of whirlwind romance experience. I mean, now I understood Anna from Frozen that she was too frail to say yes to a stranger because she didn't have the experience. No judgment there, Anna.

"Oh… Okay. Arigato, Gramms," I shouted towards the stage.

"Yeah, xiexie, Gramms!" Fei yelled too, then laughed.

I returned the check in the red envelope and kept it in my pocket. Now, I took the fortune cookie out of the bag, as Fei called the bodyguards to distribute the basket of goodies.

"All right. What does your fortune say?" Fei asked, excitedly.

I squinted my eyes. "I don't actually believe in predictions or those horoscopes or superstitious beliefs, but… Let's see."

I tore the cookie apart and pulled that small piece of paper. I read it silently and suddenly, a certain energy embodied me.

When the stars converge, everything else will fall into its perfect place.

"Wow. That's deep. Can I just get like, 'You will be rich in five months.' Or 'You will find the love of your life in front of you.' Those things…" I uttered, then Fei was grinning mischievously in front of me.

"Huh? Why are you staring at me like that?"

He changed his expression, as if he was hiding something. "Nothing. So what does your fortune cookie say?"

"When the stars converge, everything else will fall into its perfect place. That's quite a mystery to me."

Fei just nodded and tapped me on the shoulder. "You'll find out soon."

"What? I mean—"

"Fei! Let's go!" A beautiful girl called her from the stage. I think it was his sister, Jia.

"Oh, I gotta go. So, I'll see you around, okay? Bye, Trick! Nice jacket, by the way," he winked.

No way! He's leaving. And we barely had any link at all. I didn't even know his number nor his Twitter account. How can I talk to him again?

Right before he left, I shouted. "Hey, Fei."

He turned around and faced me. "Yup, what's up?"

And of all the questions in this entire world that I have to throw at him for us to have a connection, why did my subconscious fail me and end up with the one that Ellis came up with?

"What's your dick size?"