The Rise of the White Lotus

"Was she always like this?" Lexi inquired in disbelief as she looked at Rika's wasted figure lying on the bed.

"uhh… sometimes?" Rika's assistant named Julie Cao awkwardly responded. However, her reply convinced no one, even she found it unbelievable. 

[One hour ago]

Earlier, after Rika cried her heart out, she announced, "Alright! Since I can't go back on my promise -- I will sing a song!"

"Miss Rika, you can continue crying… we don't mind really!"

"Hehe, yes, yes! Rest assured, it's fine."

"Hahaha! Sing your sorrow away!" Arnold Shen who was already drunk heartily cheered that made almost everyone secretly glared at him.

"No! I will keep my words! I'll sing, I'll sing! I can't let director Shen down! Please play unbreak my heart!" Ignoring the obvious pleas of her colleagues, Rika downed another glass of alcohol before she abruptly stood and took the mic. And just like what Arnold Shen said, she sang her sorrow away.

As Lexi watched these lively crew, a subtle smile formed on the corner of her lips. If only she got to meet them before, and had a chance to work with them months ago… maybe, just maybe, she could rethink her actions.

'Well, what's done is done. At least, I got to meet them in this lifetime.' Lexi thought inwardly before drinking her own glassful of liquor.

"Right right~?! It's never too late to find real friends and love~!" Churu smiled from ear to ear upon hearing Lexi's loud thoughts.

However, Lexi never thought that after Rika drowned herself with alcohol, she was the one who would help Julie Cao to carry her back to her hotel room because they could not rely on the other staff as they were drunk as well.

[End of short flashback]

"Really…" Lexi shook her head seeing the unconvinced expression Julie Cao was making. After looking at Rika's snoring figure for the last time, Lexi heavily sighed before turning her head back to the little assistant on the side.

"Don't forget to buy her some medicine and tea to cure her hangover tomorrow." She reminded which Julie Cao understood with a nod.

"Alright, I'm going back to my room." Lexi excused herself and Julie Cao courtly bowed her head with a loud thanks for her help.

---

When Lexi returned to her room, she immediately headed straight to the bathroom for a shower. After all, she was the type of person who could not fall asleep without feeling refreshed. Moreover, she drank a little amount of alcohol hence, her body temperature was slightly hot.

When she was done, Lexi changed into a pair of comfortable white pajamas. Turning to Churu who already had her reserved facial mask on her face, Lexi called out.

"Sis, what do you think? Don't you think we're twins?" She spun as Lexi showed Churu her pair of white pajamas matched with a white headband.

Churu turned her head toward Lexi. She examined the proud lady while patting her cute cheeks before she nodded, "Just a little more and you'll be as pretty as I am~"

"Don't worry, you'll still be the prettiest sister." Lexi agreed while tilting her head sideways and leaped her ways to the bed.

Just before Lexi could lay on the mattress, she heard her phone produced a notification sound. Since her small handbag was placed on the bedside table, Lexi searched for her phone before she collapsed her body on the bed with it on her hand.

Checking who it was, she immediately saw Ethan Lu's contact name: M.I.A and his short message.

[Still up?]

Lexi glanced at the time and it was one hour before midnight. As Lexi contemplated whether to respond or not, she received another message from him.

[If you do, can I call you?]

"Hmm?"

"Mr. Main task should be a little more shameless." Churu flew and reposed beside Lexi's head as she read the message. She added, "Say, did you develop any feelings towards him - even just a little bit?"

"Sissy," Lexi shot Churu a knowing look as if her last remark was a no-brainer question.

Just then, she received another text from him that made her return her gaze on the phone.

[I am restraining myself from going to you…]

"Tsk," Lexi clicked her tongue not because she was annoyed at Ethan Lu's night sweet message but about something else. Instead of replying, Lexi tapped the phone sign button then languidly placed it in front of her ear.

"Move it here so I hear~" Churu demanded as she was too lazy to fly on the other side of the pillow. For some reason, Lexi granted her request and switched it on her right ear.

It only took one ring or rather, the first ring didn't even end yet when it was picked up. The moment the line connected, Lexi was the first to speak.

"If you want to call, just call. Why would you even ask?" 

"Feisty… I liked it." Ethan Lu chuckled hearing her pleasant greetings. 

"You sure do," Lexi smirked. Probably because she had a little drink, she went along with his humor.

"Oh? I like the spirit -- please flirt with me." As expected, her words ignited Ethan's shamelessness and he demanded. Unlike his modest message, one could not really judge a person by his simple text.

"Tss, really… why did you want to call?" She changed the subject knowing that he'd turn more flirtatious.

"Uh… I missed you. Do I have any reason?"  In a matter of fact tone, Ethan's voice clearly longed for her even though it was only 23 hours since he last saw her.

Indeed, just a day felt like a month to him; especially now that he embraced his feelings for her. Hence, he would really drive his way to where she was if she didn't hear her voice.

"..." His answer rendered her speechless. She already expected this kind of words from him, yet, Lexi could not help but be caught off guard every time.

For a while, Ethan Lu didn't utter a word -- same with Lexi as she didn't know how to respond or rather… should she really need to respond or pretend she didn't hear him?

"Lexi…" At last, Ethan Lu broke his silence. However, his tone of voice had a touch of sorrow.

"Hmm?"

"Love…" He added with the same tone.

Lexi's brows knitted upon hearing how he addressed her. Regardless, she didn't make a big deal out of it as she was dealing with Ethan Lu -- what should she expect?

"Hmm?"

"Sorry…"

"For?"

"For being late… for not meeting you sooner, for not showering you with love much earlier." Ethan Lu slowly muttered his reason why he was apologizing. By the sound of it, he was deeply depressed which moved her for some reason.

"Love, I'm sorry… I promise I won't let you carry your burden alone anymore." 

Lexi pursed her lips after hearing his last statement. Surely, this guy was an expert in his field. No wonder girls were head over heels to him as not only he got the looks and money but his tease vocabulary was vast.

"Have you been drinking?" Diverting the subject, Lexi blurted out without contemplating.

"Uh… I had a drink -- just a little." He expected her to change the topic thus, Ethan Lu honestly came clean.

"So, your message is a bluff?" When these words escaped from her mouth, Lexi smacked her lips. How could she ask that?

"Haha, no it's not. I am actually on my way but I thought I should make a call first and if you didn't reply, I have a valid justification. Sadly, you called so I pulled over." As expected from Ethan Lu, he didn't have a second hesitation letting her know the truth. 

After all, this is what he wanted; open communication with her, a transparent relationship. Therefore, he was practicing it while he was still in the early stage of wooing her.

"Gosh, Ethan Lu… are you crazy? It's almost midnight. Go home and sleep!"

"Will you accompany me? If you stay on the line even if you don't speak, I will go… to my place instead of my home." Ethan chuckled as he liked the sudden nagging. He added,

"This is a threat by the way. Though in the end, I am the person who gets hurt because I won't be able to see you plus, staying on the line means you don't want to as well. Aiya, I feel like crying~!"

"What a drama king. Sure, cry. Lemme hear it." Lexi's corner lips curled upward as she heartlessly teased him. 

With that said, the night was spent with their phone both connected on the line until Lexi fell asleep.