Soon, it was the weekend . Though still on alert for sudden orders from their respective CEOs, Riley and Mich.e.l.le decided to meet up for a morning jog .

Mich.e.l.le was stretching by a bench at 30 to 6 in the morning . She was wearing a yellow tank top underneath a light blue parka, matched by blue tights which reach her calves . Her running shoes were simply black knitted shoes with rubber soles, held tight by gray laces . She fixed her hair up on a tight ponytail .

Riley smiled on the sight of her stretching her legs . He wore simple clothes--a plain white muscle s.h.i.+rt underneath a gray parka with matching gray sweatpants . His black running shoes had a tinge of green on the sides . On his hand was a red strap .

She looked around, seeming impatient . Though they agreed to meet at 6am, she arrived way too early so she felt like she was waiting for ages .

She took out her phone . Just as she was dialling his number, something soft and wet brushed over the back of her hand .

She actually screamed on seeing what it was .

_______________________

At the ZFC office in City B .

"What?! I don't believe this! How dare the headquarters reject me! I made this branch company how it is right now! After Verdan Zhou left, the deputy CEO was useless! It is all me! Why did the headquarters not want me?!" Ming Rus.h.i.+ was fuming . She tossed piles of doc.u.ments from her desk all around her office .

Her poor a.s.sistant kept on picking them up as she did not know what to think or to say . She has been with the general manager ever since she was hired by ZFC . Also, since Manager Ming had been determined, and was later on sure, that she will be transferred to the headquarters, the a.s.sistant had also told her family for her possible transfer and everyone was excited .

They never expected this rejection from the headquarters of ZFC .

"Mmanager Ming . . . they say that . . . " she was too afraid to finish her sentence .

Ming Rus.h.i.+ glared at her . Her straight brows were furrowed and her dark eyes widened . It was scary . "What?! Spit it out!"

The a.s.sistant gulped . "The report said that the rejection was the decision of . . . of the CEO at the headquarters . " She closed one eye to brace for impact .

Ming Rus.h.i.+ steadied herself . "So it was Dan . . . " She looked out the window . She furrowed her brows as she thought back when he asked her about the event about six years ago . 'Did he find anything? But if he did, why not directly fire me? Why does he keep me here in City B?' Her thoughts were wandering . As her brows furrowed even deeper, she had her answer . 'Midori Xiu . '

________________________

Manta just woke up . He knew why his aunt was not coming home so he never asked about it, to the surprise of his father . How could he betray his partner in crime who promised him a playmate soon?

Indeed, Masaichi, who was taken aback when his child calls his sister 'Mommy," has been wondering why the boy never questioned his sister's att.i.tude of not coming home from work . It was as if it was a natural thing for him . Masaichi was thinking if they had always been like that when he was still in a coma .

As the father was sipping his tea in the balcony of his room, he heard the door open without a knock . Then he heard movements as feet brushed onto his carpet . He smiled .

Manta was trying to surprise his father . He thought he sneaked up to him .

When Manta was about to jump to catch his father by the leg, strong arms pulled him up and held him tightly .

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Masaichi playfully tickled his son .

Soon giggles were coming from the balcony . Manta squealed . "Tousan, heehee . . . eeek . . . shtaahhp! Heeheehee . . . Tousan . . . heehee . . . my . . . my tummy . . . tummy hurts!" He continued to laugh .

Finally, his father's mercy dawned on him and they went back into the room .

Masaichi sat his son on his lap as he sat on the sofa . "Why are you not asking your 'Mommy' where she had been sleeping these past few days?" It was straight to the point and out of the blue .

Though Manta had some knowledge on this, he was still a kid after all . "Why would I ask?"

Masaichi furrowed his brows . "Don't you miss her?"

"Tousan, she is my aunt . . . not really my mom . "

Masaichi was taken aback by the sudden maturity in his expression . "But she had always been . . . "

Manta looked at his father . "Tousan, I miss Okaasan . . . "