The Cold Aftermath

"Ray, how was your trip? You seem a little distant and quiet ever since you came back" Er Ge asked over dinner

Ray continue sipping the drink at his hand, starring blankly at the table when Er Ge probe him.

"Er Ge, why did you tell Yi Ren my whereabouts, any reason for that?"

Er Ge stopped for a bit before he asked "Did he find you? he casually asked and was surprised that you left for a trip after the promotion tour. He was looking forward to meeting up at the post mortem meeting briefing but when you didn't show up. When he found out you had an adjoining trip, he called to say he had an out of country overdue gathering he had to attend and took time off."

I think he asked your secretary if he could meet you to discuss a few things as he'd be around Europe as well, did you guys meet up?" Er Ge ask again...Ray's eyes seems to give away that he was hiding something else

"Ray, Ta Ge doesn't feel comfortable with Yi Ren so you need to be careful, he feels when Yi Ren is around, you seems to be distracted." His brother spoke out honestly

Ray was puzzled by the comment but it resonate with him, he was distracted indeed

"But you guys put him on the task to watch over me initially and now Ta Ge wants Yi Ren to stay off?" Ray wanted to understand further why is the sudden change surfacing.

"It's just business obligations that he was tasked to be with you when you were away from home for that 2 years or so. Dad ask me to check if we could get someone to be seconded over and to sort of watch over you ....I thought I'd approach my mutual friends who would want to be seconded to work on a few things over there and Yi Ren took it up" Er Ge explained. He was somehow eager to volunteer

"How much was he paid?" Ray asked

"Dad helped him to secure a contract with our Korean counterpart and link his dad up with some investors that we had over in Japan" Er Ge said quietly

"I see...."Ray replied as each word starts to sink in" ...."and this trip....?that you told him where I was, what is he getting out of this?" ...."well, I thought I'd fly him over since he told your secretary on potentially meeting you for some business discussion...."

"So you paid him to fly over to see me on the company's books?! Sorry Er Ge it's not adding up in my brains currently.....i can understand the 2 years away, but this was my trip to begin with .....what's with that?"

"I ask him if he still looking to extend the contract?"

"What contract?" Ray asked

"Ray listen to me....i know Yi Ren and we are mutual friends for sometime now. He is a good friend but as usual he is a smart person, he plans for his future ahead on securing long term contracts to produce and market his dance and music production and that requires funding which he will need to pledge is loyalty too. He knows our company is one that he can rely on but because he is still amateur and upcoming, he needs to find the right backing that he can trust and we are helping him on that."

"So you are saying whatever he does it's because he needs us?" Ray clarified

"Well in layman term that is how it works, you would know by now" Er Ge tried explaining

"Mnnn"

"I know you might have grown close to him but as you know we don't mix business with personal matters, you should know that by now. There's still a line so business decisions are made clearly"

Ray look back out into the far skyline 'sure we don't mix business and personal life but that's where I think I have messed it up further, close? It's an understatement... we have gone beyond even close'

As he whispered in his heart as he looked down at the glass on wine in his hand.

"Okay Ge I'm going to head back first, I drove...see you at work tomorrow. He left and stopped by a favourite night club where he met Ruo Lan and his band which was playing a few months back. He hung out at the dance floor with them. "Come on!! Ray ! let's dance - girls this is brother Ray! Keep him happy please!"

Ruo Lan was drunk after a few hours of jamming and jumping on the dance floor. It seems his dad has a share in this night club and he was well taken care off by the staff.

"Ruo Lan it's okay I just dropped by to spend sometime ...." before he knew it the girls he deployed took Ray onto the floor for a dance.

They were all over him dancing seductively and the floor were just spinning and lots of clapping and whistling. He was already tipsy from earlier drinks.

Ray was feeling extremely uncomfortable as their hands was all over him and Ray decided to fend off and move off "ok ok everyone stop harassing Bro Ray" Ruo Lan asking the girls to move off and put his hands on Ray's shoulder. Ray move away form the crowd pushing them away in lightning speed.

"Hey relax...we are all here to have fun, no need to be so worked up" Ruo Lan offer back.

"Hey Ruo Lan I thought I'd drop by to talk about the work that we had, I'll come by again another day." Ray tried to wrap up and move off from them.

"Ahh no no I can talk now..." Ruo Lan became sober almost immediately, that caught Ray by surprise....

"Wow the sudden change in seriousness impresses me" Ray said

"Yeah dad's rule business first over partying" Ruo Lan let his glass down, straighten himself and had a switch in focus zooming in only at Ray.

He took Ray over to a corner seat so they can talk.

"Hey I wanted to check with you if you are keen on the street performance for charity, it's something my family needs to contribute back to the society. I suggested singing for charity to raise fund to pay for the orphanage and special children school and I was just looking around if you could play the piano or guitar." Ray started first

Before he could continue, a familiar figure came by and interrupted Ruo Lan.

"Hey! Yi Ren! Good to see you! So deal ya we will jam this weekend, you met Ray? I'm roping him in too!"

At that Ray froze while Yi Ren extended his hand out and said casually "Yes, worked with his team on a few things" Their eyes locked at that's instant. The emotions the two had were filtered through their actions but their eyes were filled with silent messages.

Ray had been avoiding every possible opportunity to have any close proximity with this person after coming back yet...the misses grew and when he thought he'd been successful at keeping their distance apart, the familiar gaze stares back at him.

The familiar parfumé scent from each other made time freeze as memories came creeping back. While Yi Ren was playing cool, he wanted so much to just speak to Ray and hold him.

Ray on the other hand felt lost on how to react for a split second. This person in front of him ...he made Ray loose control yet made him felt different. There was a split moment where Ray wanted to run off from here but he held it together calmly.

He hadn't been replying Yi Ren's messages promptly often, just short and formal ones and both knew their episode on that trip was a chapter that could not possibly progress back here. Ray shook the hands casually but the grip from Yi Ren was tight as though it did not want to let go. Ray pulled it off as soon as he shook them.

"So you are in it too?" Yi Ren asked Ray trailing his eyes. The place was slightly crowded and a passing waitress accidentally push onto Yi Ren's back making him lean closer in towards Ray. The familiar scent made him daze off yet it shook him into a state of shock for a moment. Yi Ren looked at Ray but he move a step back and steadied himself. Ray wanted to leave this place as he couldn't face having to be hear with such mix feelings brewing in him.

"I have not not thought about it yet just a casual discussion since Ruo Lan brought it up" He said calmly in return

Just at that a few girls came up and refill Ruo Lan's drink which he gladly took a few glasses in.

"Yi Ren so has your dad secured the contract with the Japanese firm already? I thought you were working on their siblings to grant you some favouritism? Did you use the method I thought you? Can't get through the elder brother ... was it Rain? Then work on the second if not just nail the younger one, weren't you going after ...

"Ruo Lan you are drunk!" Yi Ren cut him off. Sensing Ray's peculiar expression on this he looked up and saw the pale face on Ray.

'What are they talking about...?' Ray asked in his heart not wanting to digest anymore. He saw the way Yi Ren tried to cut Ruo Lan off and there was just an awkward reaction to this.

But at that instance...Ray stood up, he didn't want to guess what we're they talking about, he didn't want to know the conversation details, he had heard enough and decided to leave. There were just too many information being processes in his brain. What Er Ge said, what he is hearing now....what does all this even mean.