Unknown number

6:30am in Japan

"Wake up Rui Xing," Shang Ying said from across the toilet.

"5 more minutes," Rui Xing groaned.

"No, if you don't wake up now, we're going to be late," Shang Ying said as he walked out of the toilet.

"You somehow sound like my mother, oh no, please don't tell me you're my mother and we're back in Singapore," Rui Xing said with her eyes closed.

"Gosh, you're so dramatic. The first time I saw you, I thought you were so shy but now, I don't think so," Shang Ying said.

"Get up..."

"OK fine, I'm up, I'm up! Where are we heading to today?"

"We're going to take a bullet train to Osaka!" Shang Ying exclaimed.

"Is it because you're excited so you woke me up so early?!"

"No, because it takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes to get there, so chop chop kali pok [1]," Shang Ying said.

"OK!"

Rui Xing took out a change of clothes and went into the toilet. She came out wearing a long sleeved maroon shirt with thick dark blue pants, along with a basil colored jacket for winter wear. She then went to brush her teeth and wash her face before packing her things to put into her luggage.

After making sure she cleared all the stuff laying in their hotel room, they dragged their luggage and carried their bags down to meet Wen Xi and Li Nang. As they made their way to check out of their room, they saw Wen Xi and Li Nang already there. They walked up to them and Wen Xi told them that they were checking out of their room too. Rui Xing and Shang Ying nodded their heads. Rui Xing took out their room card and passed it to the lady at the counter. The lady took the card from Rui Xing and typed the information that the guests who were occupying rooms, 2002, 2003, have vacated. "Thank you for staying at Hotel Metropolitan Edmont. I hope to see you again," the lady at counter said courteously. "Sayonara," the 4 of them echoed to the polite lady. The lady smiled back at the 4 of them.

The 4 of them couldn't take a single cab together because all their luggage are unable to fit inside it. They unfortunately had to take separate taxis and pay extra. Li Nang and Rui Xing were in one taxi, Shang Ying and Wen Xi in another. They took the taxi to the bullet train station which they would then take to go to Osaka! On the way to the station, Shang Ying received a call from his parents while he was talking to Wen Xi. He whispered a 'sorry' to Wen Xi, picked up the call and his mood changed.

"Hi son, this is your mother. I have some things to talk to you about... But first, I would like to say that I hope you are enjoying your trip with your friends..."

"Mom, if you have anything to say to me, go straight to the point," he said bluntly.

"Alright then. Who is that woman in the article with you? You know Ning Ning is still your girlfriend to the world right?"

"She's my friend... Ning Ning is not my girlfriend, it's who you want to be my girlfriend. I have the right to choose who my girlfriend is. I'm sure Ning Ning deserves to choose who she wants as her boyfriend too," Shang Ying replied justly.

"You don't have a girlfriend currently do you? If you don't, I see no reason as to why she isn't good enough for you. Her parents work in an entertainment company of a higher ranking than our company. She is currently working there too, she'll eventually be the boss of that company," Shang Ying's mother said fiercely.

"Did you not listen to what I just said?"

"Yes I did. But don't I, as your mother, have the right to choose who can or cannot be your girlfriend? I obviously have the rights to do that as your parent," she said strictly. "And also, I didn't call you yesterday because I was waiting for you to own up to your own mistakes. But you didn't. I don't know what to say..."

"I made no mistakes. Ning Ning is not my girlfriend. Not now, not ever. End of conversation." After speaking, he hung up the phone angrily.

"Calm down, everything will be fine," Wen Xi said to Shang Ying.

No matter how hard Wen Xi tried to comfort him, it was futile. How did Rui Xing manage to comfort him the last time, Wen Xi thought to herself.

Meanwhile in the other taxi, Li Nang tried to start a conversation with Rui Xing to get to know her better. She doesn't talk much with Li Nang as she wasn't that close to him. The only thing they talked about were books. This conversation definitely wasn't going well for Li Nang. All he knew about her was she has 2 dogs and LOVES books.

Finally, after a 30 minute drive, they arrived at the station. They paid the taxi driver and got out of the taxi. The 4 of them walked towards the counter and bought 4 tickets, one-way trip to Osaka. It was currently 7.45am and their bullet train would arrive at 7.50am. They rushed to where their train will arrive at and by the time they reached, the train was already there. They boarded the train and sat down on an empty seat. They were seated facing each other, seated together, but the ironic thing was that they weren't talking to one another. Rui Xing was wearing her earpiece, listening to music. Li Nang was reading his book, taking glances at Rui Xing, who was seated across him, every now and then. Shang Ying was watching a Chinese drama on his computer and Wen Xi was using her phone, doing who knows what, probably stalking people. They all were doing their own stuff.

Halfway through the bullet train ride, Shang Ying received yet another phone call. To avoid disturbance, he put on his earpiece and went into the toilet to take his call. He didn't save this person's number, who could the person be?

[1] work faster/ hurry up