David Vs Dean

Tuesday morning, Mia arrived at the main meeting room of T&W Associates. This was the day that they would gather to negotiate the price of the Fujin Street building.

The building was privately owned by a family, who kept several rental properties on the street. David was hopeful that they were seasoned and reasonably informed property owners who will not waste their time. David had been in contact with the real estate agent and he was confident that he will be able to negotiate a fair deal. He wanted Mia to be present when he achieved it for her.

Mia arrived a little earlier than required and was ushered into a large meeting room by David's executive assistant. She caught a glimpse of Dean nearby the room so she called out, "Dean, in here." As he did not respond, Mia stepped out and waved. "I'm in here."

Dean glanced in both directions of the corridor as if looking for someone. Recognising this look, Mia pressed her lips together, "Oh...David and I are having the settlement negotiations for my building here in the meeting room. Not sure if you wanted to join us?" Flustered, he stammered a reply, "Ah-ah, o-kay." He then zoomed past Mia and sat down in the meeting room. She sat down cautiously across the table from Dean, intrigued by his strange behaviour.

Suddenly, Mia noticed the tumbler Dean was holding was identical to the one she had in her office. It was a distinct Simplesmente design. "Oh, that is one of our tumblers!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, it is," Dean gave a faint smile as he placed both hands protectively around the tumbler. "I went to take a look at your Xinyi store the other day and picked it up while I was there."

"Oh, you didn't have to do that! I would have given one to you if you had told me you liked it."

"It's ok!" Dean chuckled, "I wanted to see how your staff interacted in the space. It was good to see them in action."

Leaning forward Mia inquired, "Oh. I see. What did you think of the space?"

Dean focused on his coffee for a moment then took a sip before replying, "I liked it. It's open, inviting yet calm all at the same time." He stopped but decided that he wanted to say more, so he glanced up at Mia. "In my opinion, that's the type of atmosphere that you want to create for a lifestyle store. Something like a library where you can comfortably browse."

"That's exactly what I had in mind!" Mia exclaimed as she entwined her fingers. She inhaled and stared at Dean keenly. She was happy with his impression and that he understood her concept. However, her smile swiftly disappeared and she inquired, "But did my staff serve you quickly?"

"Actually, they were in arm's reach all the time and would smile at me as I passed them by. But they didn't bother me until I was ready to make a selection."

"Oh, that's good. That's the way I wanted them to be." Mia put a hand to her chest, relieved. She continued in her silky voice, "Well, let me know if there is anything else that you'd like, ok?"

Dean nodded and chuckled with Mia, "I will. I will." She flashed him her eye-smile that made him blush, of all people. He quickly lowered his eyes to his half-empty tumbler. An awkward silence pursued.

Brushing aside Dean's aloofness as distraction, Mia tried to change the topic. "How was your dinner at Logi?"

Dean looked up, amused. "Honestly, I don't remember most of it because you and Beverley were there." Mia put both her hands up to cover her laugh, "Believe me, we were just as surprised to see you!"

"What's all the laughter about?" David asked as he entered the room, turning his head towards Mia and then towards Dean.

"Hi, David." Mia cocked her head to one side and beamed. Dean observed her doing this with interest. David returned the smile. Then he turned to Dean and raised his eyebrows to him in silence. Dean frowned and shook his head at him to say nothing. Tumbler to lips, Dean said, "Mia caught me on a date in the same restaurant."

David smirked at both of them, "What a coincidence. But then Taipei is small."

"Beverley was there too," Mia added, trying to provoke a reaction from David.

Dean cleared his throat, "Let's get started, shall we," and glanced at David to begin.

"Saved by Dean?" Mia thought.

David, flicked on his tablet, "Ok, so the owner's asking pricing is 100 million NT. It's not unreasonable but as I recommended we should try to get it lower at 90 million NT..."

Mia cut him short, "No, I want to start at 80 million NT, with any terms they want." David did a double-take at her, "Mia, that's impossible."

"David, try," Mia ordered.

Dean glanced at David, hiding his smirk behind his cup, remembering his own conversations with Mia. "Now, you're on receiving end of the Queen," he thought to himself. Ignoring Dean's smug expression, David sighed and said, "As you wish."

David proceeded to call the real estate agent and conveyed Mia's offer to them. Then they waited for the call-back.

"Ok, Mia. What is your best offer, so that we're all on the same page?"

"80." She grinned and batted her eyes at David.

"Ok. This is going to take a while..." David muttered but he was cut short, this time by the call-back.

David hung up, shocked. "They accepted the offer."

Dean nearly choked on his coffee.

They both looked intently at Mia, who had her arms resting on the table casually with the sweetest triumphant smile on her face, "Good!"

"How-how did you know that they would accept 80?" David stuttered while Dean took out a handkerchief to wipe his stubble.

Mia shook her shoulders and said in her soft voice, "I didn't know for sure. But I found out from a real estate agent friend of mine that there was no real interest in the property because to build it up, as you had rightly identified in your report, would cost another 20 Million. And that's before the cost of furnishings."

Mia placed both her knuckles under her chin thoughtfully and continued, "Also, my friend told me that they were looking at acquiring some buildings around an existing investment to develop a high-rise, so I thought they may be in need of funds."

Mia blinked her almond dark eyes at both of them before proceeding, "I also conveyed to the real estate agent that your report said that I shouldn't buy it. He asked me to reconsider and I said that I would think about it..."

Mia watched them like prey and a smile started to emerge on her face. It was not apologetic. David and Dean looked at each other. They knew for certain that their report made no such recommendation. David put a hand to his mouth, trying to conceal his open jaw, while Dean felt an urge to clap as he sat back in his chair.

Ignoring their expressions in her bliss, Mia clapped her hands together happily and giggled. Then, standing up and reaching out her hands to shake theirs, she cried, "Thank you so much! I am so happy I could burst!"

"Congratulations, Mia. Gongxi Gongxi[1]!" David said as he held Mia's hands first for what seemed like the longest time to Dean. Her eyes were fixed on David's face.

Dean coughed to interrupt, "Congratulations, Mia." He also reached out his hands to her. She shook his hands but quickly let go of them as she placed a hand on David's wrist to get his attention, "What's next, David?"

Her hand left the touch as she answered herself, "Oh! We should have a party!" She shook her fists in the air with excitement and squealed.

"Sure, Mia!" David cackled at her reaction like a proud father.

"Why is he so happy?" Dean thought, controlling his expression to hide a scowl from developing.

Suddenly, David's face turned serious, "Well I'll take over now Mia, and organise all the paperwork for you with their lawyers. How does that sound?"

"What do you mean how does that sound?" Dean stared at David with a clenched jaw.

Dean thought Mia's eyes glistened as she looked at David. She replied to him in Mandarin, "Thank you, please take care of me[2]." Dean understood what she said but suddenly felt furious that she was speaking another language in front of him.

Glaring, Dean's attention moved back and forth between Mia and David. He thought he saw her flutter her eyelashes at David, "Xie xie[3], David." Then they proceeded to grin at each other, happy in their own little world, without him.

He interjected, trying to hide the whine in his voice, "Well, Mia, we should also go over the architectural plans sometime soon..."

"Oh, definitely. Yes." Mia turned to Dean but her attention quickly moved back to David as he stood up, "Well, Mia. That's really it from us. We shouldn't keep you any longer."

Mia reached out to embrace his hands again as she stood to leave, "Thank you, David. I will let you know when I plan to have the party, ok!"

Taking her hands in return, David laughed, "Yes, yes. Fantastic!"

"I'm really happy for you, Mia," he beamed.

"Thank you, David..." Their eyes locked and Mia's face spread into the widest smile. David extended his arm and Mia took it as he led her towards the reception area, leaving Dean behind.

When David returned, he was still smiling to himself. It dropped when he saw the deep frown on Dean's face. "What's with you?" he said to Dean.

Standing in the corridor with his arms across his puffed-up chest, Dean demanded, "What was that all about?"

"What?"

"You and Mia."

"What? I am not understanding." David shrugged and retreated to his office. Dean was not going to ruin the fact that he got Mia's building for her. Well sort of.

Dean followed him, "You've never acted like that with Mia before. Mia this, Mia that. Why are you now so endearing to her?"

Throwing up his hands in frustration, David protested, "Endearing? I'm just reacting to how she was reacting. She was happy. I was happy that she was happy. Everyone is happy!" He rolled his eyes at Dean for effect. Well except for Dean.

"Fine, big man! I'm glad you're happy! Happy that you made her happy!" Dean huffed before storming off. In the hallway, his staff quickly moved against the walls to let him pass.

David shook his head at him as he stomped off. He was still shaking his head as he speed-dialled a number on his phone. "Dean wasn’t even meant to be in the meeting. Why the sudden change of heart and why the sudden anger?" He thought to himself.

"Hey, David. What's up?" A friendly female voice came on the line.

"Hey, Beverley. I have good news!" David beamed.

"Oh?"

"We got the building for Mia!"

"Oh! That's fantastic! Congratulations! Did it happen today? Is she still there?"

"Ah, she just left. But she's really happy and said she will have a party to celebrate. Will you be there?"

"Oh! That depends on when it will be. Knowing her, she will probably have it at her offices..."

David interrupted Beverley in his excitement, "Why don't we meet up tonight and I will tell you all about it. It was quite something, I must say!"

"Ah. I can't tonight. I...I have a date..."

"Oh..."

Beverley hesitated, "But if you are free next Thursday..."

David's voice returned, "Let me check...let me... let me move some things around..."

"It's ok if you're not free. We can try another time?"

"No. No. I will make it happen. I haven't seen you for a while and it would be good to catch up."

"Ha-ha. David, we talk almost every day. Is that not enough?" Beverley joked.

David replied sternly, "Texting and calling are different from seeing each other face to face, Beverley..."

Beverley blushed and sighed, "David, I'm joking. Let's lock-in Thursday lunch, ok?"

"I thought we were talking about having dinner together?"

"Is that what you want? Ok...I am free for dinner too...if that's what you want."

David frowned but muttered, "I would like that very much..." Then his voice lightened up as he remembered, "I know just the place to take you, Beverley!"

Beverley laughed, a little embarrassed by his enthusiasm, "Sure, David. Thursday dinner. Sounds good."

"Great. I'm really looking forward to seeing you after so long."

"Yes. And thank you so much for helping Mia. I really appreciate it."

"Anything for you, my dear Beverley."

Beverley ignored David's comment as she remembered her conversation with Mia at Logi, "You know Mia is a great girl...What do you think of her?"

David replied almost immediately, "She is a lovely girl. Intelligent, business-savvy, and a joy to work with..." Then he abruptly realised what Beverley was alluding to, "Wait...Beverley, you're not asking whether I'm interested in Mia, are you?"

"Well, are you?"

David couldn't believe his ears, "No, absolutely not! How can you think that?!"

Beverley explained, "Well, as you said, she is lovely, intelligent, and a joy..."

David interrupted, "Joy to work with. Lovely client. Nothing more. Stop trying to pair me off with the next girl you see me with!"

Beverley was beside herself, "What? Aren't you being a little sensitive? I am just looking out for your best interest."

David replied firmly, "I don't need you to look out for my interest, Beverley. I am a grown man. But you seem to forget that a lot."

Beverley had had enough and demanded angrily, "Are we done here?" She was ready to hang-up if David's tone of voice did not improve. Luckily, David recognised that she was not pleased. "Beverley..." he began softly, "Please. You know what I want...You know who I want..."

Beverley was silent.

"Beverley?"

"...I will see you Thursday, ok..."

"I will see you Thursday...Let me know if I can see you sooner."

"Ok..." Beverley continued, "I'm hanging up now..."

Dejected, David murmured, "Ok, bye..."

Click. Beverley hung up.

Heartbroken, David replayed the conversation with Beverley in his head. Burying his face in his hands, he let out a groan. The conversation had not turned out the way he wanted it to. He had taken on Mia's case to impress Beverley only. How has it turned out so wrong that now she was angry at him? He sighed, "Ah well. At least we did agree to go on a date." He thought that he must take this next opportunity to impress her and for her to think more of him as a potential partner. He's tried everything, from gifting her expensive jewellery to a diamond-encrusted watch. However, each time, she would frown and asked him not to spend so much money on her. He was puzzled by this as he often watched her happily show off to him the less expensive jewellery and handbags that were gifted by the men she was dating. And there were many of them... He rubbed his temples. He felt he was not getting any closer in understanding what Beverley wanted in a man.

Then David had a revelation, "I should ask Mia!" With eyes suddenly alert, he pulled his chair closer to his computer and started typing.

"Hi Mia,

Congratulations on your building purchase. By the end of the day, I will organise for the paperwork to be co-signed by yourself and the building owners. Leave that all with me.

Please do let me know when you will be having your congratulatory party this week or early next week. T&W Associates would gladly assist in its organisation.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

David Tsai."

Send.

David leaned back in his chair and smiled. There is hope yet...

Footnotes

[1] Gongxi means congratulations in Mandarin.

[2] There is a Mandarin phrase that roughly translates to "please take care of me" or "please teach me". Japanese and Korean language also has a similar phrase. It doesn't translate well in English lol.

[3] Xie Xie means thank you in Mandarin.