"A Great Way to Care 2" Review by Lynne

If you ask me whether "A Great Way to Care 2" is better than it's prequel or not, the answer would be no. But if you ask me whether it's a good series or not, I would say that it was an enjoyable watch. So depending on the question, this review will come out differently. For this review, I'm just going to be talking about "A Great Way to Care 2" without making any comparisons to it's prequel. (I will then later write one comparing the two.)

General Storyline: With a mixture of psychiatry and police work, "A Great Way to Care 2"'s story line weaves in between the two forces as they work together and solve the cases. From the forensic psychiatry branch: Alex Fong, Yoyo Mung, Edwin Siu, Power Chan, Oscar Leung, Eric Li, Henry Lee and Christine Kuo. The police force consists of Ben Wong and Tavia Yeung. Aside from these two main teams, other supporting characters also includes Ram Chiang, Aimee Chan and Leanne Li.

Waste of a Good Cast? I initially wanted to list all the character names of the artistes but as you guys can see, there were just too many names. Unfortunately out of that chunk, only a few were focused on. There were just too many necessary characters, or should I say, the characters were too small for the assigned artistes. With other series lacking artistes, they just had to throw a bunch into "A Great Way to Care 2". Trying to make it 'star-studded'?  Meh.  I found it frustrating.

You know what? It would've been alright if the series focused on the cases alone. But no, that didn't happen.  Instead, there were a bunch of unnecessary side-stories thrown into the script to distribute the screen time to all the characters. That's why the typical cases that are usually 1-3 episodes long stretched to 6-7 episodes. While I was okay with it in the first 1-2 cases (because they had to introduce the characters), it got on my nerves afterwards as I struggled to focus on the continuously "disrupted" cases.

Overall comments, a lot of the cast members could have been put to better use.

picture credit http://starphoto.joinbbs.net/

Characters and Acting:

Alex Fong
I was not a big fan of Alex Fong, but I've begun to like him since "A Great Way to Care". Resuming his role as Ko Lap Yan, his character did not differ much beside the huge screen-time cut! It is such a pity because I actually like Ko Lap Yan alot, and was looking forward to watching him every time he appeared onscreen.

Best scene? It'd have to be the one where he was reading Monkey's (Kate Tsui) letters. Didn't think Alex would be good in an emotional scene like this, but he proved me wrong.

Though Alex often comes off monotone, there is something about the guy that makes him interesting to watch. I cannot clearly describe it, but it's definitely not something a lot of actors can do nowadays. So despite the fact that he had little screen-time in each episode, I can still feel that he's leading the series.

Edwin Siu
His character had the potential to shine but that did not happen. If I were to define Leung Kai Wing by a geometric shape, he'd be a circle. Absolutely pointless. Wanna know his story line?

"I have a crush on this girl and is trying to woo her (lasted for half of the series). Finally got together with her! But wait, my childhood friend. I want to be there and protect her too. So in the end, who should I choose? I love both Q.Q Becomes a two-timer. Busted. Realization. Too late."

While I may have exaggerated this a bit, it's still pretty close to what actually happened.  Honestly they should have just crossed Scarlett (Christine Kuo) out of the whole picture (bias here because I actually really enjoyed the scenes he had with Aimee Chan).  Personally disappointed by how much they focused on his love life instead of his profession when he's one of the main characters.

Acting wise, Edwin is a capable actor and was funny at times in the series.  Unfortunately his story line was just nonsense.

Yoyo Mung
Don't let her position on the poster fool you. As a matter of fact, she and Edwin should switch places on that thing! Yoyo Mung barely had any screen-time and when she did, her sub story was boring and random. Maybe the scriptwriters/producers realized that they did not give her any screen-time even after the first 8 episodes or something, and so had to squeeze in that story about Franco And speaking of Franco, we never got to see his face or anything but at least we got to see his shadow right? Had an entire episode dedicated to that guy! Overall, she serves little purpose to the series and is only there because TVB wanted to push more stars in.

Putting my rants aside, Yoyo's "Cheuk Wai Kui" was pleasant to watch. I really liked her personality: stubborn and straight forward. Her relationship with her subordinates is quite cute and I love how they call her "Big Brother". And when she got "together" with Alex Fong, they called Alex dai sao (sister-in-law). Though this character is nothing new for Yoyo, I still enjoyed seeing her again (which is why I am unhappy that she did not have much screen-time).

Tavia Yeung
If there's a character worth watching for, it would be Lam Chung Yan. She first appeared as the daring and spunky prostitute who then turns out to be an undercover cop. TVB always like to surprise us don't they? Anyways, after she finished her case, Chung Yan returned to being a cop and begins to work under Chung Kwok Ban (Ben Wong). Growing up as an orphan, Chung Yan endured many hardships and there were a number of times when she almost lost her life too. But even then, she continued to live on an optimistic life. Unfortunately there is a limit to all of us and she eventually reached the level that she herself could no longer handle...

To be honest, I think a majority of the series was dedicated to Tavia Yeung. Thus she ended up being one of the very few with a decent character development. Thoroughly enjoyed Tavia's performance and notably in episode 23.

As for her pairing with Ben Wong, there was nothing special going on. Instead, I think that it would've been better if Alex paired up with Tavia since I liked the two of them together. But then, Alex would be dating another police woman like he did in the prequel. What are the possibilities of TVB copying something from the prequel into the sequel? BTW, this is within that rare percentage that they did not.

picture credit http://starphoto.joinbbs.net/

The 'Others':  While I would love to talk more about the other characters, there is little to talk about due to their minimal screen-time. So I'm just going to sum it up that the rest of the cast were great with the exception of Christine Kuo.  I'm relatively easy going when I talk about newcomers (or at least I think I am), but Christine has driven me to the point where I want to bang my head against the wall.  More so than the bad acting, it's the fact that her acting is going absolutely nowhere.  Back in "Ghetto Justice 2", I understand that her character in there may have been too complicated for her to portray.  But even in here, she's still not giving me much to look out for.  Acting in 8 or so series already, I expect her to be a bit better than now.

**To make it clear I am not criticizing her accent because I do not know Canto :P  Just the acting (ie. facial expressions, body language etc).

The Cases:  I would talk about each individual case if I wasn't so confused which case is which.

While there are a few main cases that are featured in the series, there were also a lot of sub-cases within those big cases that confused me.  So I'll only talk about a few:

Otto Chan and Aimee Chan:  Wrote this in a separate post before-hand.

The Pedophile Case:  This case focused on Chung Yan (Tavia)'s childhood friends, who she considers as brothers.  They grew up together in an orphanage: Chiu, Wai, Man and Yan.  Unfortunately Man disappeared when they were young.  Chiu and Yan then ended up working for the government (police officer and the other a lawyer).  On the other hand, Wai is crippled and often went into debts.  On with the case; a few murders took place.  Father, the one who took care of them (Yan, Chiu, Wai and Man) then confessed that he was the one who killed them.  Why?  Father works as a volunteer for a kids recreation center and cares a lot for the kids.  Later, he discovered that some of the kids were being sexually abused by a volunteer, foster father etc and thus couldn't stand it and killed all those pedophiles.  Eventually, we find out that he's taking up the blame for someone else (though the true murderer is also killed for the same reason).

While the identity of the murderer did not surprise me, I liked how the case slowly unwrapped itself.  Though the subject (issue) is something that's also used in other series, the length and the pace this one went at made it even more disturbing.  Honestly, I just really wanted the case to end because as it goes on more victims would be discovered and I just couldn't handle it.  More so, as it progressed I began to think of such situations happening in reality (which I know are not rare cases) and I just felt worse from there...

There are things in life you just wish you did not know because you won't have to worry or get hurt by it.  But then if you don't know about it, you can't do anything to help solve the problem.  On the other hand, there are so many things that is not within our power to resolve even when we do have knowledge of the issue.  I find it quite ironic how Ah Chiu is the murderer even though he's a lawyer.  Though he may work in the legal field, Ah Chiu couldn't see how law can punish those pedophiles and therefore took the matter into his own hands.  Thus this case in turn displays the imperfections of our justice system (nothing is perfect).  I personally pity Ah Chiu despite his wrongdoings and was saddened by his death in the end.

***Pedophilia is actually a psychiatric disorder.  

Serial Killer Case:  A number of people are killed and the police is investigating who the murderer is.  This is the last case of the series and it was quite interesting to watch.  Though I must say that its ending felt kind of disrupt.  (Not going to talk about it anymore since I don't want to give away spoilers.)

The Unnecessary Bits:
1)  Just cross out that whole love triangle between Edwin, Christine and Aimee.  More so, just cross out Christine because I liked Edwin's and Aimee's characters together.
2)  Yoyo getting a sperm donation from Alex.  While it increased their interaction with each other, it just felt ridiculous.  Although I know that they wanted to get the two 'together', this development was too hard to absorb.
3)  You know what, there's probably more but those two up above were the most frustrating to watch.

The Ending:
Here we have two professional psychiatrists helping a murderer escape.  Sounds a bit sketchy?  I can understand why they would want to help her, but yet at the same time, their whole set up is kind of ridiculous.  More so, even if she did manage to escape from the police, how in the world is she going to board the plane?  I'm sure the police would have restricted her (passport profile) from crossing the borders (or something like that).  Overall, it just seems too irrational.  I guess TVB wanted to be creative and add a "twist" to the ending.  Unfortunately, it didn't turn out so well.

Overall Thoughts:
"A Great Way to Care 2"'s story line did not run as smoothly since it kind of jumped from one character to the next, but the series overall is not bad to watch.  It's actually one of the more enjoyable series released this year and if you have time, I would recommend it.  But if you're one of those who loved the original "A Great Way to Care", just watch this without comparing it too much to the prequel, since it focuses less on psychiatry and more on the police force.

Starhub TVB Awards 2012 - Fa Dan Fashion

On Saturday, August 18, a group of TVB artists attended the Starhub TVB Awards in Singapore.  Many of the awards given and the winners were a joke, with even more "pork" handed out than at the TVB Anniversary Awards.  Instead of wallowing about the results of the trivial awards (but if you must - a list of winners has been included at the bottom), let's take a look at the fashion choices by our lovely fa dan's.

Best dressed definitely goes to Selena, who looked gorgeous in a fitted strapless light aqua dress that trailed on the ground to create a mermaid silhouette.  I love the light aqua color, which gives off a refreshing feeling.  The color, design, fit, and of course, the person wearing the dress was beautiful.  To give it a sleek and subtle yet feminine look, Selena pulled up her hair into a loose updo with her bangs to the side, and accessorized with a silver necklace.

Best dressed male goes to Ruco, and cutest couple is Selena and Ruco.  They looked compatible and very sweet together.  Their ensembles complimented each other with the different calming shades of blue.  Ruco dressed in a dark blue/navy suit with black shirt and bow tie.  Not the typical suit you see worn, but he pulls it off looking handsome as always.  However, I wish he opted to stop wearing those glasses all the time.  Ruco went home with the "Best Newcomer" award...and I seriously wonder if he found the win funny, or just plain sad.

The night's Best Actress Myolie Wu wore a deep purple dress made up of a unique fabric (that I can't name).  The neckline and design of the dress, along with her newly cut short hair, makes her look very sharp and fashionable!

Tavia Yeung's fashion choices for award shows in recent years hasn't been anything I've had anything particularly good to say about, but she looked quite lovely that night.  She looked beautiful in her long flowing butterfly printed dress.  The design of the waist of the dress created dimension and created a small waist shape.  Her hair was appropriately pulled into a pony tail.  Tavia's dress makes her look fresh and sweet, and I liked how it wasn't overly formal.

It seemed blues and purples were very popular with the ladies for this event this year!  Linda always looks ready to be crowned Homecoming or Prom Queen with her gowns.  Basically, she looks beautiful but like a princess from a fairy tale.  Nevertheless, I like the color and detailing of the dress, which compliment the sweet and innocent girl very well.  The one shoulder is a nice change from the other dresses.  Ironically, a one shoulder dress is also what I wore to my Homecoming last year...

Fala Chen has a simplistic fashion taste, which is seen in her choices for events such as these.  Unfortunately, simplicity did not work for her here this time as she was just too plain, and the main piece was a disaster.  The strapless white dress had potential, but instead is ill fitting and looks like she wrapped a bed sheet around her.  Predictably, she paired the dress with classic black heels, red lipstick, and simply wore her hair down.  Not Fala's brightest fashion moment, as the whole ensemble did not show her curvaceous figure or beauty.

However, it wasn't Fala that was the evening's worst dressed lady.  In general, I love Kate's everyday fashion sense and think she is a beautiful girl.  Her evening dress choices though are usually a hit or miss, and this was definitely the worst ensemble of the night.  Kate looks gorgeous in curls, but I don't know why she loves donning the slicked back hair so much, which only ages her and makes her look less attractive.  The dress does not compliment her at all, and the worst part has got to be the black yarn (?) that drapes off the back of her shoulders.  Kate looked gorgeous last year at the same event with her slightly curled hair and long sleeved v-neck printed dress.  She looked elegant and attractive without aging herself.  I hope to see her wear a gown that does her justice at the Anniversary Awards.

As always, there were hits and misses for the ladies at the event.  Hope to see even more great fashion at the Anniversary Awards!

The list of winners of the night:

My Favorite TVB Male TV Character:
1. Moses Chan as Sung Yee Long in "When Heaven Burns"
2. Kenneth Ma as Cheung Yat Kin in "The Hippocratic Crush"
3. Kevin Cheng as Law Lik Ah in "Ghetto Justice"
4. Bosco Wong as So Sing Pak in "Lives of Omission"
5. Sunny Chan as Emperor Do Kwong in "Curse of the Royal Harem"
6. Wayne Lai as Po Gwok Tung in "Forensic Heroes III"

My Favorite TVB Female Character:
1. Linda Chung as Kwan Ka Lok in "L'Escargot"
2. Kate Tsui as Yiu Ho Ho in "Lives of Omission"
3. Tavia Yeung as Fan Tse Yiu in "The Hippocractic Crush"
4. Myolie Wu as Wong Sze Fu in "Ghetto Justice"
5. Charmaine Sheh as Yip Tse Yan in "When Heaven Burns"
5. Fala Chen as Chung Mo Yim in "Queens of Diamonds and Hearts"

Star of Perfect Poise Award: Kate Tsui
Most Glamorous Female Artist Award: Tavia Yeung
My Favorite TVB Variety: All Star Glam Exam
My Favorite TVB Mega Variety Special: TVB Gala 2011
Best TVB Male Newcomer: Ruco Chan
Best TVB Female Newcomer: Aimee Chan
Most Improved TVB Female Artist: Selena Li
Most Improved TVB Male Artist: Raymond Wong
Most Energetic Award: Kenny Wong
My Favorite TVB Themesong: The Hippocractic Crush--連續劇 By: Joey Yung
My Favorite Onscreen Couple: Moses Chan and Linda Chung [Yes Sir, Sorry Sir]
Best Smile Award: Linda Chung
Singapore Media's favorite TVB Drama: Ghetto Justice
My Favorite TVB Actress: Myolie Wu
My Favorite TVB Actor: Kevin Cheng
Professional Spirit Award: Wu Fung
My Favorite TVB Drama: When Heaven Burns 

Fan Video Spotlight: Ruco Chan & Tavia Yeung

While watching TVB related videos on YouTube, I came across these two fan videos of Ruco Chan and Tavia Yeung, which were both made by the same person, TracyYang89.  I have to say, I'm utterly impressed!  There is plot and the video editing skills are near seamless and flawless.  The scenes are chosen perfectly and fit together so well despite being taken from different series.  They are both completely different and offer something unique.  One is a lighthearted and cute love story while the other is a tragic one.



"Love Story Between Ah Bin and Tsui Siu Lai"
A cute and short video that will definitely make you smile, the first fan video is a sweet love story between Tsui Siu Lai (from "Mysteries of Love) and Ah Bin (from "Burning Flame 3").  As much as I hated these two series, the scenes of the two characters fit together very well to make this sweet love story.  Although Siu Lai was an idiot and Ah Bin was a jerk, the video makes Siu Lai simply seem like a sweet girl and Ah Bin a charming guy.  The dialogue between the two is just too darn adorable.  My favorite part?  When Siu Lai declines to kiss him and Ah Bin reacts with disappointment.  His reaction is too cute.  The ending where they say "I love you too" to each other made the Ruco and Tavia shipper in me made me smile like a crazy person.  The background music was very lighthearted and fitting too.  How the user came up with the idea of creating a love story between these two originally annoying characters is beyond me, but it worked, and it worked spectacularly.



"Tears in His Eyes"
If the first video impressed me, this one blew me away.  While the first was a short and cute love story, this is an extended tragic love story between Ruco and Tavia.  Unlike the first one, the creator took scenes of the two from numerous series.  The color tone fits the sad tone of the video.  The song choice was also superb.  This has the most plot I've ever seen in a fan video, and it is executed very well.  It is emotional, tragic, yet beautiful.    While I loved the first one, I loved this even more because there is so much more complexity, emotion, and angst.  I never thought a fan video would evoke so much emotion in me and make me almost tear up!

TracyYung89 did an amazing job with these two fan videos and managed to once again revive my love for Ruco and Tavia as an onscreen couple.  Bias for the two aside, the videos themselves had such wonderful editing you could barely tell they were actually put together.  Even more respect for creating fan videos with plot.  Kudos to you!

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Chapter 6

It was Friday night again, a time for working people everywhere to relax.

Simon was tending to his bar when Ethan walked in.  "Ethan, good to see you!  What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I wanted a drink, and who better to patronize than my old friend?" Ethan replied.  "One beer please."

"Coming right up", Simon said, and decided to spark up another conversation.  "So how are you and Ella?" he questioned.

"Pretty good.  We're going to the beach to watch the sunrise tomorrow", Ethan told him.  "Hopefully she doesn't fall asleep or get bored", he added a bit nervously.

Simon laughed at the remark and handed him a beer.  "That sounds like something she would enjoy.  She needs the relaxation", he said.

Ethan nodded.  "I think the peace and serenity should be great", he noted.  "Also, if things go along like I hope, we might spend the whole day together."

"Sounds interesting", Simon replied.  "What are you going to do and where are you going?"

"I don't know yet", Ethan shrugged.  "I want to plan it as we go, see what she'd like to do."

"Aw, if I was a girl I'd be so swooned by your thoughtfulness", Simon joked, poking fun at his friend.

"Har har", Ethan replied, sarcastically.

"So what's going on in the great Simon Ng's love life?" he moved on.

"Like a desert experiencing an extreme drought", Simon replied.

Ethan wrinkled his eyebrows.  "Really?  A young good looking guy with a lot of money who's surprisingly not a jerk isn't getting any love?  What's wrong with this picture?" he made fun of Simon.  "Maybe your magnetic attraction force that seems to surround every rich young guy is broken", he added with a laugh.

"Very funny", Simon sarcastically replied.

"Here's a weird story though", he started.  "I am currently the fake boyfriend of someone", he straightforwardly said.

Ethan choked on his beer.  "I'm sorry, what?  What made you agree to do that?" he asked, curiously.

Simon shrugged.  "I'm doing it as a favor to her", he replied.

"You must like her if you're willing to do that", Ethan smiled.  "So who's the special girl?" he probed.

"Kristy, the assistant manager at my dad's agency.  And I find her interesting, I don't exactly like her", he defended.

"Come on, Simon.  We're adults now.  If you like someone, just say it.  We're not kids anymore", Ethan teased.

"I'm not even supposed to tell you about this", Simon replied, but then his face softened.

"She's different though.  Ambitious, tough, intelligent, and a feisty and fiery spirit unlike any other girl I've met", he talked about her fondly.  "Very stubborn though", he added with a chuckle.

Ethan started pointing at Simon.  "I've never heard you talk about a girl like this, you are definitely in love with her", he said.

Simon laughed.  "I guess I am", he replied.

"Be careful though, she sounds like a potential heartbreaker", Ethan warned, jokingly.

"We'll see about that", Simon said.

Quinn and Vince entered the bar in commotion.

"Why did you drag me here?" Vince complained.

"So you can have a little fun!  You've been so boring lately!" Quinn complained back in a huff.

Simon and Ethan looked up and caught sight of the two.  "Quinn, hey!" Simon called.

"Hey, Simon!" she yelled.  She nudged Vince.  "That's the handsome son of the owner of the agency I was telling you about", she told him and skipped over to him.

Vince followed Quinn over to the two guys and took a good look at Simon.  "Hmph, what's so special about him?  I'm just as handsome as him", he thought to himself.

Simon pointed to Vince.  "Your boyfriend?" he asked Quinn in a friendly tone.

Quinn looked appalled.  "He wishes!  This is Vince, my good friend and flat mate", she introduced.

"Nice to meet you", Simon and Ethan said to Vince and shook his hand, who appeared annoyed at the "He wishes" comment.

"So what are you two talking about?" Quinn asked, enthusiastically.

"Our love lives.  Or in my case, lack of it", Simon joked.

"Interesting", she replied, intrigued.  "I still find it hard to believe you wouldn't have a girlfriend", she pondered.

"That's the same thing I said to him", Ethan agreed.

"How hard is it to believe?  You've made several of my girlfriends run away", Vince teased her.

"Whoa, Quinn, what did you do?" Simon asked in deep interest.

"Nothing!  Girls just don't like the presence of another girl at their boyfriend's place", she replied, defensively.

"I can see how that would cause some problems", Ethan laughed.

A guy from the other side of the bar came over beside Quinn.  "Hi there, what's your name?" he asked, flirtatiously.  Clearly, it didn't take him long to take a liking to her cute and fun personality.

Simon and Ethan watched without much reaction, but Vince's nose flared.  What was this chump doing talking to Quinn?  Looking for a quick hook up?

"Quinn, what's your name?" she replied with a smile.

"Johnny.  May I buy you a drink?" he shot Quinn a smile.

"Sure!" she said with her usual enthusiasm.

Another guy came over, ready to sweep Quinn off her feet as well.  "I'm Daniel, I couldn't help but noticing your cute face from over there", he said with a smile.

Vince's eyes widened.  Another guy?! he yelled to himself.

He reached over and put an arm on a grinning Quinn's shoulder.  "Hey, Daniel, can't you see she's with me?" he told the guy.

Not wanting to pick a fight, the guys simply left.

"Huh, cheap and undetermined", Vince said about them, satisfied.

Quinn threw his arm off her shoulder and yelled "What did you do that for?"

"They were obviously trying to hook up with you!" Vince replied.

"So?  I wasn't going to follow any of them to a hotel room!" she said, angrily.  "They offered me a free drink!"

"If it really means that much to you, I'll pay for your drink", Vince offered.

"That's not the point!" Quinn screamed.  "But you can definitely pay for my drink", she added.

"Ok then, everything's fine", Vince said.

"No, everything's not fine!  Why did you ruin my fun?" Quinn whined.

"Nothing good was going to come out of that!  Who knew what those guys were really like?" Vince claimed.

Quinn groaned.  "Who are you to say that?  I know you've picked up girls at bars before.  I've seen you do that once, and it was not much different from what they did!" she said.

"Yeah, but you know me and what I'm like", he answered.

"I wasn't trying to find a boyfriend here, Vince.  I only wanted to mingle a bit", Quinn rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to go to the restroom", she said, and left in a huff.

Vince bit his lip.  Ok, maybe that was too much, he thought.  But who knows what they could've done to Quinn?

Simon and Ethan had been observing the two's bickering in amusement the whole time.

"So what's up with you and Quinn?" Simon asked, curiously.

"We told you.  We're friends and flatmates", Vince repeated.

"That didn't just look like an argument between two friends", Ethan said.

Simon nodded.  "Somebody seemed jealous", he noted.

"Rich boy, what are you talking about?" Vince grumbled.

"It's pretty obvious.  Why else would you have such a big reaction?" Ethan questioned.

"She's my friend!  I have to look out for her", Vince said.

"Even if you're just looking out for a friend, you don't have to look like your eyes are going to pop out of your head at the sight of her with another guy do you?" Simon joked.  Simon and Ethan both burst into laughter.

Vince faked laughter.  "Har, har, har, are you two done laughing at me yet?" he asked, annoyed.

"Ok, sorry, Vince.  We aren't trying to make fun of you", Simon apologized after he managed to stop his laughter.

"Yeah, sure you didn't", Vince rolled his eyes.  "I'm going to go to the restroom", he said and left the two guys.

He turned the corner to where the restrooms are and saw Quinn standing there talking to...another guy?!  Seriously?

He hit his head against the wall.  Come on, Vince, why do you care? he thought to himself, extremely annoyed.

===================

Author's Note: A very dialogue driven chapter with several character interactions.  I am slowly developing the relationship between Simon, Ethan, Vince, and Quinn.  These four will quickly become close friends in the near future, while the three girls will under go more bumps.

It was pretty fun writing lines for Simon and Ethan, as the two are supposed to be good buddies who make fun of each other a lot. :)

Aw, poor Vince!  He seems to be in denial that he loves Quinn, doesn't he? :P I love writing their scenes, hehe.

Preview of what's coming up: Ethan and Ella go on their first real "date".

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Chapter 5

"Excuse me, I have a package for a Ms. Ella Yeung", a delivery man said to Quinn, who was dozed off at her desk.

Quinn jumped up quickly.  "What?" she looked up in confusion to see a bouquet of roses infront of her.  "Oh, sorry.  Ella!" she called.

Ella stepped out of her office.  "What are you yelling about Quinn?" she asked and caught sight of the roses.

"Someone sent you roses", Quinn said with a mischievous smile.  Ella signed off on the delivery and opened the card that was hidden in the roses.  The card simply read "From, Ethan".

Quinn peeked over Ella's shoulder to look at the card.  "Is it from the guy who was waiting for you outside the bar the other night?" she asked, curiously.

"Yes", Ella bluntly replied, not sure what else to say.

"Get back to work", she told her, and took the roses into her office.  She stared at them as she thought hard.  She and Ethan had only met twice, but he had managed to leave a heavy impression on her.  He was the only one who had ever challenged her in such a way, and she wasn't sure what to think about that.  She agreed that there were some things that she should change in her life, but didn't want to listen to someone so easily.  Was he worth listening to?  Only time would tell.

**********

Kristy sat impatiently at her desk.  For some reason, she felt...unfulfilled.

Her eyes landed on the plaque sitting on the front of her desk.  It read "Kristy Wong - Assistant Manager".  All of the sudden, the words seemed to stare at her in the face.  She had been working as an assistant manager for about a month, but was already growing impatient and yearning to get higher up.  Ella was alright, but she wouldn't be satisfied until she found herself at the top, over Ella.

That wasn't the only thing bothering her though.  Her mom had visited her last night.  She wasn't nearly as angry as she had been on the phone the other day.  Even so, their encounter last night managed to be even more unpleasant than their phone call.

Knock, knock!  Kristy ran over to look through the peephole at who was at the door.  Who could possibly be looking for her?

She saw her mom (Mary Hon) standing outside and froze.  If there was someone who managed to even come close to slightly frightening Kristy, it was her mom.  She wasn't intimidating, mean, or scary in anyway.  However, Kristy had gotten her bluntness from her mother.  Only, she was an entire different kind of bluntness.

"Sweetie, it's so nice to see you!" she said after Kristy hesitatingly opened the door for her.

"Mom, what are you doing here?  It's Friday night, how did you know I was home?" Kristy asked, trying to feign politeness.

"Who are you trying to kid, Kristy?  You're always home", she answered, making fun of her.

"That's not true, I went to the bar with a couple colleagues a while ago", Kristy attempted to defend herself.

"Oh, a bar isn't the best place to meet men, sweetie", her mom said.  She paused and added "Then again, I'm happy you're going out at all."

"I didn't go there to meet men, mom.  I just went to blow off some steam", Kristy replied.

"I didn't realize you knew how to do that", her mom laughed.  "Anyway, I was just in the neighborhood meeting up with some friends and decided to stop by.

"That's very nice of you, mom", Kristy said, biting her lip to keep herself from saying something rude.

Kristy's mom proceeded to sit down and pulled a couple of pictures from her purse.  "Many of my 
friends showed me pictures of their sons.  Some are quite handsome and seem to have good character", her mom informed her.

Her daughter replied with a groan.  "How many times do I have to tell you I don't want to be set up?" Kristy complained.

"You and I both know you're not going to find a boyfriend any other way", her mom stated.  Before Kristy could get too offended, she quickly added "It's not because you're not pretty!  You just never put yourself out there."


Kristy squirmed in discomfort.  Getting a boyfriend wasn't in at all in her interest, but she'd take any opportunity to prove her mom wrong.

"I will find a guy, mom.  You'll see", Kristy said.  Her mom didn't look too convinced.

Kristy walked into the pantry to pour herself a cup of coffee.

What was she going to do?  Even if she could find a boyfriend, she didn't want to deal with having one.  Too much baggage, like she needed anything to keep her down.  She stood there pondering while slowly sipping her coffee.

"Hello, pretty girl", Simon greeted her as he came in.  Kristy cringed at his greeting and suddenly thought of a brilliant idea.

She nudged him and straightforwardly asked "Do you want to be my boyfriend?"

Simon dropped the cup he had been holding, feeling shocked, then smiled.  "My charm finally got to you, huh?  You really don't beat around the bush do you?" he asked.

"Don't be so flattered", Kristy scoffed.  "I'm asking you to be my fake boyfriend to prove to my mom I can find my own", she cleared up.

"So you're using me?" Simon feigned offense.

He thought about it for a moment.  "Okay, I'll do it.  Then again, technically that means you can't find a boyfriend on your own.  A real one anyway", he joked.

"Whatever", Kristy rolled her eyes.

"Fake or real relationship, you will fall for me eventually", Simon stated.

"Yeah, keep thinking that", she replied, sarcastically.

"I have a few conditions", she proposed.  "You can not say a word of this to anyone, you may refer to me as your girlfriend, and you most certainly can not touch me when my mom's not around."

"Why don't you just tie strings on me and control me like I'm your puppet?" he joked.

"If everything goes my way, I will be able to do that", Kristy added in a sneaky tone.

Simon looked slightly taken aback.  "So...when are we meeting your mom, sweetie?" he asked.

"Don't call me that", Kristy grumbled.

"You said I can't call you my girlfriend", Simon defended.  "Well, now you can't call me any other pet name that makes me want to vomit either", she added, and started to walk away.

"I'll tell you when we'll meet her", she called out.  She said that as if their "relationship" was just another business deal.

Simon admired her as she walked away.  Something about her blunt, feisty, and headstrong personality was (to him anyway) very attractive.

"I'll get through to her eventually", he thought to himself.  "She's one tough cookie though."

==========

Author's Note: There was so much more I wanted to include in this chapter, but decided to leave it for the next one to keep the length consistent.  It seems a lot more easier and organized to focus on specific characters each chapter as opposed to trying to squeeze in a scene with each person.

We got to see what Kristy's mom is like, and it's rather clear where she got her bluntness from, heh.

I used (attempted to anyway) a couple instances of foreshadowing, especially with Kristy.  I'm not too good at it though, so it isn't too clear but I have some of you will be able to catch it.

More of Ella and Ethan soon, I know I haven't focused on them much.  I'll do my best to not make it as boring and underdeveloped as it has been.

Preview of what's coming up: Focus on all the guys and Quinn, as well as Quinn and Vince.  :D  Really looking forward to writing this chapter.  Stay tuned!

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Chapter 4

It was near the end of the day as well as the end of another work week.  Simon clapped his hands.  "Everybody, I'm happy to announce that I am treating everyone to happy hour at my bar today!" he said.

Everyone cheered in happiness.  "What's everyone so happy about?" Kristy asked as she walked by.

"I'm treating everyone to happy hour", Simon told her.  "That's very generous of you, but you can count me out", Kristy replied.

"Blowing me off again?   Come on, I'm asking you to go out with all your colleagues, not go on a date with me!" Simon joked.  Kristy walked away.

Simon went up to the roof to get some fresh air and saw Kristy standing there as well talking on the phone with someone.  He quietly walk towards her but she didn't seem to notice he was there.

"Mom, I told you not to call me when I'm at work!" she scolded.

"Or else when am I ever going to hear from you?  You don't bother to call me when you're off work or visit me even though I live only 20 minutes from you!" her mom complained.

"I have my own life and I am very busy!" Kristy yelled back.

"I know you're very busy with work.  That's all you care about!  You don't care about your family and don't have any friends or a boyfriend.  Does anything else matter to you?" Her mom was yelling loud enough Simon could hear her.

"I'm a grown woman.  I don't need my mother to dictate how to live my life.  I have to go back to work, goodbye", Kristy said bitterly and hung up.  She turned around to see Simon.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked, suddenly looking ashamed.

"Long enough to know you don't have the best relationship with your mother", he replied.

“Don’t take this personally, but I’m curious.  Besides work, what do you do in your free time?” Simon asked.

“Um, yoga.  Sometimes I read”, she answered.

“That’s good, but do you ever go out and socialize?” 

Kristy came to the sad realization she didn’t.  

“I don’t have time”, she claimed.

“You do, you just have to make time”, he said.

“But I don’t have friends”, she said quietly. 

“You have me and many other colleagues.  Come with us to the bar tonight.  You don’t even have to drink or eat, just come to chat with people and make friends”, Simon proposed.

Kristy stood there and thought about it for a moment.  “Alright”, she finally agreed.

Simon broke out in a smile.  “Great!” he exclaimed and left the roof top.

“I better not regret this”, Kristy thought to herself.

*********

Simon’s Bar had a great atmosphere and could’ve been mistaken as a quaint restaurant with its unique lighting, softly playing music, and colorful and eye catching decor.  

Simon led all the Starry Marketing Agency employees to their usual area.

Kristy tapped Simon’s shoulder.  “Hey, the place looks great, but couldn’t you have come up with a better name than Simon’s Bar?” she asked.

“I’m not good with names”, Simon laughed.

“He’s really not”, Ella chimed in.

“There’s a surprise”, Kristy laughed back.

“She’s smiling!  She’s laughing!  We’ve reached a breakthrough!” Simon playfully announced.

Kristy punched him playfully, but had to admit she was already in a better mood.

“I’ll be right back with your drinks and appetizers”, Simon told everyone.

Kristy sat down next to Ella, who she thought she had the most chances of sparking friendship with.  Quinn plopped down next to her.

She wasn’t sure what to think of Quinn.  She had such a low position at the agency and Kristy had caught her dosing off once.  At the same time, she wished she could live as carelessly and freely as Quinn seemed to live.

As for Ella, she was a question mark.  At work, she seemed professional and intelligent, but she didn’t know more about her than that.  

“Simon seems sweet.  Very good looking too”, Quinn said all giggly, breaking the silence.

“He’s not that bad”, Kristy admitted.

Ella looked at her with a surprised look.  “Not bad, I thought you hated his guts!” she laughed.

Kristy attempted to be more fun and silly.  She shrugged with a sneaky smile.  “I’m not a simple person.  I could say I like you but really hate you and say I hate you but like you”, she stated.

“Sounds like we’re back on the elementary school playground!” Quinn said.  “Hm...I wonder what you think of me then”, she questioned.

“I think that you seem to enjoy sleeping on the job a lot”, Kristy joked.

Quinn feigned a look of worry.  “Oh I forgot, I’m talking to the two managers!” she said.

“You still remember that, huh?  Remember we still have the power to fire you!” Ella joked.

“Ok, ok!” Quinn put her hands up in surrender.  “I don’t think believe you two are as scary as people make you out to be though”, she added.

“Really?  I thought people were convinced I’m the devil in disguise”, Kristy said.

“Devil?  No.  Slightly intimidating?  Maybe”, Quinn stated.  

“You’re quite straightforward aren’t you?  You’re lucky I actually like that about you!” Kristy said to Quinn with a smile.

Ella turned to Kristy.  “It’s true, even I felt slightly intimidated when you came in your first day”, she shared.

“Really?” Kristy answered with genuine surprise.  She didn’t realize she actually scared people.

“Yes, but still impressive at the same time.  It wouldn’t hurt to crack a smile every now and then”, Ella suggested.

“That might scare people even more”, Quinn replied.

“Huh, you really are fearless aren’t you?” Kristy pointed at Quinn, who responded with a smile and shrug.

Kristy was surprisingly enjoying herself.  She couldn’t remember the last time she joked around with a bunch of girlfriends like this.

She nudged Ella.  “So do you have a boyfriend?” she asked curiously.

“No”, Ella answered, looking slightly shy.

“What?” Quinn looked shocked.  “A pretty and smart woman like you doesn’t have a boyfriend?”

“There must at least be someone trying to court you”, Kristy added.

Simon came back with everyone’s drinks and appetizers.  “Wow, you three seem to be hitting it off.  What are you chatting so happily about?” he asked as he slipped into the seat besides Kristy.

“We’re probing into Ella’s love life.  How does she not have a boyfriend?” Quinn asked Simon.

“Oh, I think that will change soon”, Simon answered mischievously.  

“What are you talking about?” Ella asked, looking confused.

Simon shrugged.  “I don’t know what I’m talking about, you ladies enjoy yourselves” he said and left.

“Don’t listen to him, I have no idea what he’s talking about”, Ella said to Kristy and Quinn.

The three continued to chat happily and get to know each other.  After a while, it started to get late, so everybody started to leave the bar. 

Ella, Kristy, and Quinn exited together, continuing their silly conversation, with Simon joining in as well.  They walked outside to see Ethan waiting by his car.  

“Who’s that handsome guy?” Kristy asked.  “He looks like he’s waiting for someone.”

Ella couldn’t be more surprised to see Ethan.  They hadn’t met again since the function last week and she didn’t think she’d ever see him again.  What was he doing here?  

Ethan caught sight of Ella and waved to her as he started to walk towards her.  “He’s here for you!  And you said no one was trying to court you!” Quinn said. 

Ella pulled Simon over.  “What is he doing here?” she asked him.  “He told me he wanted to see you again!  He had only nice words to say about you, so I told him you’d be here tonight”, Simon answered.  “You’re welcome”, he said with a smile.

“So that’s why he looked so darn sneaky”, Ella thought to herself.

Simon turned to Kristy and Quinn.  “How about we leave Ella to her Prince Charming?” he suggested to them.  The two started to walk off with him.

“Hi, Simon told you you’d be here tonight”, Ethan said to Ella with the same charismatic smile he gave her the first time they met.

“Hi”, Ella said back, nervously.  She didn’t know if she should be happy or nerve wracked.  “What are you doing here?” she tried to ask politely.  After all, she did want to know.

“I was wondering if you wanted to grab a cup of coffee together”, he asked.

“Um...” Ella started.

“I came all the way here to ask you that.  It’s just a cup of coffee, I won’t take more than an hour of your time”, he said.

“Alright then”, Ella replied.  Sounded fair enough.  What could it hurt?

**********

Ethan took her to a nice little cafe nearby.  

“Tell me more about yourself”, he said to Ella as the waitress came with their coffee.  

“What’s there to know?” she asked.

“I don’t know.  Anything you’re comfortable telling me”, he answered.  “I don’t know why, but I find something intriguing about you.  After we met the other night, I couldn’t help but think about you and what you were like”, he added.

Ella felt nervous yet excited at the same time.  “Honestly, I did too.  I also thought about what you said”, she replied.

“Which part?”

“The part where you said life would be more easy and enjoyable if you learned to be flexible and relaxed”, she answered.

“I see.  You said you have a problem with being too organized and structured, right?” he asked.

Ella laughed.  “Yeah, kind of”, she said. 

“We’ll just have to help you change that then”, Ethan said with a smile.

“That’s probably easier said than done”, Ella said.

“I like a challenge”, he replied.

Ella smiled and laughed.  Something about him made her heart flutter.  

The two continued to chat until the cafe had to close.  They talked about work, family, and life in general.  Ella was surprised at how comfortable she felt talking to Ethan.

Ethan escorted her out the door.  “We should do this again sometime”, he said to her.

“Definitely”, Ella replied sweetly.  

“Shall I give you a ride home?” he asked.  

“That’d be great” Ella said happily.  After a night of spending time with her co-workers and Ethan, this was the most happy and satisfied she felt in a long time.

**********

Back at the bar, Quinn had quickly caught a taxi and went home.  

“You want a ride home?” Simon offered to Kristy.

Kristy was feeling a bit hyper even though all she drank was some iced tea.  This was the most enjoyable night she had in forever.  Due to her good mood, she said yes to Simon without any remarks or refusal.

“You look extremely happy.  I’m not sure what to think of this”, Simon said to Kristy as he drove her home, pretending to sound scared of this side of her.

“Very funny”, she replied in her usual sarcastic tone, then softened up again.  “Thanks for convincing me to come tonight.  I had a good time”, she sincerely thanked him.

Simon smiled.  “You’re welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself”, he replied.  “Do you think you’re going to be joining us again anytime soon?” he asked her.

“Sooner than you’d think”, she smiled back.

They approached an apartment complex and Kristy asked him to stop.  “This is where I live”, she said and got out of the car.  “Thanks for the ride!”

After getting out of the car, Kristy turned back and talked to Simon through the open window.  

“Don’t get the wrong idea.  I may not hate you anymore, but I still certainly do not like you”, Kristy said playfully to him. 

“We’ll see about that”, he answered back.

Kristy smirked.   “Goodnight Simon”, she said and walked away.

“Goodnight!” he called out to her and started to drive home.  

“She’s really not your ordinary girl”, he said to himself, smiling.

===========================

Author's Note: A longer than usual chapter this time since I'll be busy again after I go back to school.  This chapter focused on mostly Kristy, but also Ella.  

Isn't it nice to see the three girls starting to become friends?  For some reason, I love writing for Simon and find writing dialogue for him the easiest.

Hope you enjoyed this long chapter!

*1/12/12 Update: Chapter 5 is coming soon as I've figured out how to continue.  So far, my fiction has been rich in dialogue and character interactions.  The rest of the fiction will still have those, but will be more plot driven as well.  Things are about to get more intense and not as lighthearted.  Hope everyone will like it!

Originally posted on TVB Interaction.

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Chapter 3

"How about this jacket?" Quinn held up a black jacket for Vince to see, who was lying on her bed.  It was her first day of work as the O.A., and Vince had encouraged her to dress to make a good impression.

As a result, Quinn had been digging through her closet all morning trying to find something appropriate for the office while Vince gave her input.  Most of her pieces were bright colored and fun.  Having never worked in an office before, she came to the realization she didn't have any proper work attire.

Clothes were sprawled all over her bed.  "I never noticed how much your clothes resemble that of a hippie's before", Vince laughed.  "Do you even have a button down shirt?  That'll go with the the jacket and the skirt", he advised.

"Oh, I think I do somewhere", Quinn answered, continuing to look through the mess of her closet.

"Be right back, I need to use the bathroom", Vince said.

"Found it!" Quinn yelled.  The shirt was very wrinkled and clearly hadn't been worn in forever.  She'll just ask Vince to iron it for her.

Before Quinn could change out of her pajamas, she heard a knock at the door and went to open it.

A young female in a floral dress stood at the door step looking confused.  "Who are you?" she asked.

"Who are you?" Quinn asked back.

"What are you doing here?" the female interrogated in an increasingly angry tone.

"I live here?" Quinn replied, in a tone that yelled "Duh!".

The female looked at Quinn, who was only dressed in a tank top and pajama pants and started to freak out.  "Where's Vince?!" she demanded.

At the moment, Vince finally walked out of the bathroom.  "Who's at the door?" he asked as he approached the living room.  "Angie?"

"Vince, who is this?" Angie asked angrily, pointing at Quinn.  Quinn put her finger down,  "I'm his friend, who are you?"

"I'm his girlfriend!  Vince, what is a girl doing living in your apartment?" Angie yelled.  Vince looked at the two in desperation, clearly freaking out and unsure of what to do.  "Um...Angie, I'd like you to meet someone.  This is my good friend Quinn", he introduced with uncertainty.

Angie didn't look too happy.  She held up her handbag and started hitting him.  "Jerk!" she yelled in a huff, and left.

Vince collapsed onto the couch with his face in his hands.

Quinn looked at him and bit her lip. This wasn't the first time a girl had stormed out of Vince's life after seeing he had a female roommate.

She sat down next to him and playfully punched him. "There will be other girls. Besides, you're Vince the ladies' man!" she exclaimed, in an effort to cheer him up.

Vince smiled halfheartedly back. "I didn't like her that much anyway," he replied. "Go get dressed for work, you don't want to be late."

***********

Quinn strolled into the office. Ella happened to be in the open office area talking to one of her subordinates.

"Ms. Yeung!" Quinn called. Ella looked up from her work. "Quinn, you're here just on time. Come with me to my office", she said.

"Did you get here alright?" Ella asked after they settled down in their office. "Yes, thanks for asking", Quinn replied. She appreciated her boss' politeness but felt rather uncomfortable with the formalities.

"I'd like you to copy these papers for me and enter these accounts into the computer", Ella said and handed her two folders of papers. "Before you get to work though, let me show you around and introduce you to everybody", she said.

Quinn nodded. "That'll be great", she said and followed Ella out.

"Simon!" Ella called. "Come here, I want to introduce you to someone", she said.

Simon approached them and put his hand out to Quinn for a handshake. "Hello, you are?" he asked.

Quinn shook his hand. "Quinn Tong, the new office assistant. And you?"

Kristy showed up next to them. "He's the big man's son who doesn't have anything better to do than bum around here", she told Quinn.

"I help out too, I just bum around on the side", Simon corrected. "I'm Simon. This pretty little devil here is Kristy, the assistant manager", he said.

"Hello Simon and Kristy", Quinn said with a smile.

"Ella, I'll show Quinn around for you", Simon offered. "Good, get you off my back for a while", Kristy smirked. "He's your problem now", she whispered to Quinn.

"I can hear you, you know", Simon replied. Ella laughed at the two's bantering. "That'll be great, thanks Simon. Any problem with that, Quinn?" she asked.

"A tour given by a charming guy like him? Why would I have a problem with that?" Quinn laughed.

"See, everyone agrees I'm charming except you", Simon said to Kristy, who only replied with a roll of her eyes.

Simon showed Quinn around and then back to her office space. "This will be your office space, but you'll probably spend a lot of time in the copy room. If you have any questions or need help, I'm usually hanging around here in the early afternoon", he said.

"Just curious, what exactly do you do around here?" she asked.

"I'm usually here from 12 to 2. I run a bar and don't have to go to work until 6. I spend an hour or two a day here just helping out", he explained.

"I'd love to go to your bar sometime. You have so much time though, why would you spend it here?" she said.

"Like you said, I have so much time. I have people to run the bar so I don't even have to go to work if I don't want to. I like the people here and my dad appreciates me helping out with the agency whenever I can, so why not? It's play and work at the same time", Simon replied.

Quinn nodded. "I see. You're quite a filial son then. I should get to work now, thanks for showing me around!" she said.

"No problem", he replied.

**********

It was a couple hours into the work day, and Quinn felt herself nodding off at the computer.

There was an hour of work left and she had finished all her tasks. They were tedious, but relatively easy to do once she learned her way around the computer program and copy machine.

There was no boss breathing down her back either, which was a huge bonus. She still felt restless though, and started squirming in her seat.

"I'm bored", she mumbled to herself. She pinched herself to stay awake.

She peeked over at her colleague's desks to see what they were up to. To her amusement, Lily was painting her nails and Eric was playing online poker.

Quinn logged onto MSN Messenger and IMed her friends until it was time to leave work.

Heh, maybe working in an office wouldn't be so bad after all. Certainly better than working as a waitress or busboy.

**********

"I'm home!" Quinn called.

"You're still employed aren't you?" Vince asked nervously.

"Yes I am", Quinn said in an "in your face" tone.

"Oh good", he answered, relieved. "Wait...you are employed at the same job right? Not a different one?" he asked.

"Yes, silly!" she said.

The two sat down to have dinner and chat after a long day like they always do. Only today, the atmosphere was a little awkward. Quinn and Vince kept staring down at their plate.

"I'm sorry about what happened this morning", Quinn apologized.

"Don't worry about it, it wasn't your fault", Vince replied quietly.

"Maybe I should move out. I think I'm the reason why so many of your relationships don't work out", Quinn said in a low voice.

Vince put down his fork and looked up for the first time during their whole meal. "Don't be crazy! I told you, it's not your fault", he argued.

"But..." Quinn started.

"No, end of discussion", Vince said. "Besides, you pay me rent. I'm not going to just kick out my tenant", he added as he mustered up a smile.

"Ok then", Quinn said.

Vince sighed. The truth was, Quinn definitely was the reason why so many of his relationships didn't work out. What girlfriend would be comfortable with their boyfriend living with another girl? At the same time, Vince couldn't imagine what it'd be like to not live with Quinn anymore. He wouldn't be able to tell her to leave. What was he going to do?

===========================

Author's Note: This chapter was very focused on Quinn, as well as Quinn and Vince. Of course, there was also some more bantering between Simon and Kristy! The next chapter or two will begin focusing on Ella and Kristy. Friendships between the characters will start developing as well. Hope this chapter didn't bore you too much!

Originally posted on TVB Interaction.

"Finding Life's Sweetness" Chapter 2

"One mocha frappuccino with extra whipped cream please", Quinn told the cashier at Maggie's Cafe. She quickly paid, got her drink, and went to plop down on one of the comfy sofas. She was exhausted and craved something sweet to give her an energy and mood boost.

She had been running around all morning trying to find a job. It turned out that these days, bosses were more interested in laying off people than hiring people.

What was she going to do? Where else could she look? Quinn knew Vince would only continue to harass her if she didn't go home with a new job. She swore, sometimes, Vince acted more like her father than her best friend. He always lectured her on how she had to change her carefree lifestyle and get some stability in her life.

Quinn had never had much stability. In fact, her friendship with Vince was probably the only consistent thing in her life. She preferred making things up as she went along. If she wasn't happy, she'd fix the problem, which often resulted in her quitting or getting fired from numerous jobs she hated.

The bell on the door of the cafe rang and Ella walked in, interrupting Quinn from her thoughts. She observed Ella in her work attire as she brought her daily espresso. Hm...what would it be like to wear formal clothing and go to work at the office everyday? Sounded a bit boring and suffocating, but in Quinn's unemployed state, a little appealing.

"How are you doing today, Ms. Yeung?" the cashier asked. "Good, and you?" Ella politely answered.

"Fine, how has work been?"

"Like it's always been. We're a little short on people though, we could use some more help around the office", Ella replied.

Quinn's ears perked up. "Wow, what luck!" she thought and quickly ran over to Ella, slightly frightening her. "Hi! I'm Quinn Tong. Sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear. You're looking for help around the office? That's perfect, I'm looking for a job!" she excitedly said.

Ella looked at her with surprise. "Um...yes we do. I can only give you a job as an office assistant though. You'll be doing tasks like copying papers, organizing information, answering phone calls, and running errands from time to time. Are you capable of doing such tasks?", she asked Quinn.

"Yes, I'll take it!" she eagerly replied. It sounded far from the most interesting job in the world, but at least she'd have one.

"Ok, but I'm warning you, it doesn't pay much."

"I'll take it anyway!"

Ella was quite surprised at Quinn's eagerness. She looked relatively young and had probably just been fired. She seemed desperate, and Ella really did need some extra hands at the agency.

Ella took a business card out of her purse. "Here's my card, report to work tomorrow at 9AM", she said and hurried off.

Quinn looked down at the card, which read "Starry Marketing Agency". She pumped her fist into the air. "Yeah!" she exclaimed. Vince will be proud, and finally stop lecturing her.

**********

Simon peered over Kristy's shoulder while she worked on her computer. "So, do you have a boyfriend?"

Kristy didn't bother to even look at him. "No, why are you so nosy?", she bluntly replied.

"Just wondering. I thought an attractive young woman like you would have a boyfriend for sure", Simon said.

Kristy scoffed. "Men are a waste of time".

Simon laughed. "Perhaps they're just scared of you", he teased.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be besides bothering me at work?" Kristy asked impatiently.

"I told you, I run a bar. I don't have to go to work until 6pm. I don't even have to go to work if I don't want to."

"You don't have a girlfriend? I would think a rich guy like you would have a line of girls following him around."

"Haven't found the right girl. I know I may seem so charming and flirty, but I'm not much of a playboy. I'm more old fashioned than you'd think. Don't care to entertain the girls that you claim follow me around. Is this game of 20 questions over yet, Ms. Wong?" Simon answered playfully.

"Pfff. That still doesn't justify why you're always here", Kristy said.

"Truthfully? I'm a boring person. Other than tending to my bar, I don't do much with my life. Besides, the people here are..." he looked at Kristy thoughtfully. "Interesting", he finished.

She gave him a weird look. "Nonsense", she said, and went back to work.

Someone knocked on the door. "Come in", Kristy said, and Ella walked in with a file in her hand.

"Kristy, read over this file", she said. Kristy took it from Ella's hand.

"Ella, don't leave yet! I have something to ask you", Simon called before she could walk out.

"Yes?" Ella turned around.

"My good friend Ethan Chan is hosting a function tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me and meet him. He's a business man, maybe you two could work together", Simon proposed.

He turned to Kristy. "You can come too if you want. I'd be more than happy to go with two such pretty and capable women", he said to her sweetly. Kristy almost shivered at the thought. "No thank you", she replied.

Simon didn't look too surprised. "Ella?". Ella thought about it for a second. "Sure, why not?" she replied. A little mingling wouldn't hurt, especially since she didn't have anything better to do.

"It's a date then! I'll pick you up at 6", Simon said. "Ok", Ella smiled.

Kristy rolled her eyes. "Can I work in peace now?" she said in an impatient tone.

Ella and Simon quietly tiptoed out.

**********

Ella examined herself in the mirror in her deep blue strapless dress and black cardigan.  It had been forever since she had gone to a social event.  This outfit seemed fitting for a function, neither too casual or formal.

Right on time as always, Simon rang the door bell.
   

At first glance, he looks like yet another playboy.  If there was something Ella had learned from being friends with him for five years, it was that that couldn't be any farther from the truth.  The two had always been on friendly terms, and he was the one person at the agency she was close to, yet he doesn't even officially work there!  Nevertheless, they were never anything more.  Simon was an easygoing guy who Ella enjoyed being around and talking to, but nothing else.

Ella opened the door to see Simon looking handsome in a suit.  "Ready to go?" Simon asked with his usual warm smile.  She smiled back and said "Yes".

The function was lively with many chattering people and great music and food.  Ella took a second to absorb the atmosphere.

"There's Ethan!" Simon said, excitedly and went off to greet him. Ella followed behind.

Simon tapped Ethan's shoulder. "Buddy, I haven't seen you in so long!" he exclaimed. "Yes, it has been too long!" Ethan replied.

Simon turned to Ella. "Ethan, I'd like you to introduce to someone. This is Ella, a friend of mine and the manager at my dad's marketing agency. Ella, this is Ethan. He's a good buddy of mine from college!" he said.

Ethan gave Ella a charismatic and friendly smile and shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet you", he said to her.

"Pleasure to meet you too", Ella answered as she shook his hand.

Ethan looked to be in his early to mid 30s and was very handsome. He wore spectacles that made him look mature and even more attractive.

The two spent a couple seconds longer staring at each other than two new acquaintances usually would. Ella felt herself growing a bit shy. Her polite smile became a shy one. Ethan smiled back.

Simon seemed to automatically sense the sparks and quickly made an excuse to step away.

"Hey, is that Tim from college?" he said as he pointed to no one in particular. Simon gave Ethan a pat on the shoulder. "Take your time chatting you two!" he hastily said before leaving them alone.

Ethan laughed at Simon. "He hasn't changed at all", he said to Ella, and they began engaging in small talk.

"So you are the manager at Starry Marketing Agency, huh?  Extremely impressive that such a pretty young woman like you is so capable and smart!  I love an intelligent woman", Ethan complimented Ella.

Ella felt herself turning red.  "Thank you, you're not so bad yourself.  You organized a very nice function", she replied.

In a matter of minutes, Ella and Ethan grew more comfortable with each other and their small talk became more engaging discussion.

"One should always be professional", Ethan stated.  "At the same time, they shouldn't become too obsessed with organization and structure."

"Yes, but I can't help being a neat freak and trying to live a structured life", Ella laughed.

"That's fine.  Striving for perfection is tiring though.  Learning to be more relaxed and flexible will make live easier and more enjoyable", Ethan replied.

He looked down at his watch.  "I'm sorry, but it's almost time for me to go up and speak.  It was very nice talking to you, Ella", he said, sincerely.  He handed her his business card.  "Feel free to give me a call, whether it's for business or just to talk", he said.  He gave her one last warm smile before walking to the stage.

Ella stared at the business card in her hands.

"So, how'd it go?" Simon popped up next to Ella with a wide grin, scaring her.

That night, Ella tossed and turned in bed, thinking about her encounter with Ethan.  Her mind switched between thinking of Ethan himself, and what he said.  His words echoed in her head.  "Learning to be more relaxed and flexible will make life easier and more enjoyable", she repeated to herself.

That's what Ella needed to do.  Be more relaxed and flexible.

===================================

Author's Note: Things are picking up!  The last main character, Ethan, has been introduced.  What do you guys think of him?  Do you agree with what he said?

I feel like everyone will only continue to like Simon even more.  He is certainly very likable and I love writing his bantering scenes with Kristy.  Simon and Ella also have a sweet friendship.  Although they're not a couple, hopefully this will be a nice treat for TaRo fans.  :)

Ella is beginning to go through development and taking notice of her weaknesses.  Kristy may seem like a robotic character now with her bluntness and seriousness towards work, but she will open up soon too.

Vince didn't appear this chapter, but he will be back next chapter.  More hilarity will ensue between him and Quinn.  Speaking of Quinn, her first day of work will be next chapter as well!

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and will continue to read!

Originally posted on TVB Interaction.