Yuen Enterprises [Bar, Casino, & Hostess Club]

[Shin~The ladle monster!]

Vintrict

((Shayla was a goth back in high school. Met up with a emo guy, got preggers, then he tried to run away. But she managed to summon a demon to find and devour him in exchange for her first son.))

[ Lol, that's not quite right. XD

Shayla's life was really shitty though, she was a young mother, and had a very rough start of things. Not a goth though, and no demons. >.<

Maybe sometime Shayla or Cale will spill the beans about Shayla's past. And it will be all the feels. ]

[Vintrict]

"Your secrets are your own. As long as they do not jeopardize the business, I can care less."

His answer was direct, picking up his new glass of alcohol and drinking from it. He had mixed feelings, but he wasn't going to voice them. His unreadable expression was good enough to hopefully keep her calm. He put an arm around her back, walking with her away back into the crowd.

"Let us just relax and not worry about that for now."

Then someone stepped in front of them. He was in that blue hawaiian shirt with the straw hat on the top of his head. His head was lowered enough so that only his grinning teeth were visible. Suen Ding. He said a few words to Ko.

"Hello, Ko. Have you decided to learn the art of killing yet?"

Ko just stared before answering: "No."

"Ohohoho! Well, the option is always available." He rose his head up, old, but strong green eyes looking toward Cale. "And who is this fine young lady?"

[Vintrict]

Shin~The ladle monster!

Vintrict

((Shayla was a goth back in high school. Met up with a emo guy, got preggers, then he tried to run away. But she managed to summon a demon to find and devour him in exchange for her first son.))

[ Lol, that's not quite right. XD

Shayla's life was really shitty though, she was a young mother, and had a very rough start of things. Not a goth though, and no demons. >.<

Maybe sometime Shayla or Cale will spill the beans about Shayla's past. And it will be all the feels. ]

((So many feeeels. Then Cale would lose more of Ko through sympathy to Shayla.))

[Shin~The ladle monster!]

Vintrict

((So many feeeels. Then Cale would lose more of Ko through sympathy to Shayla.))

[ I know she'd lose even more of him if that happened. Which is why I really do have the feeling that Ko and Shayla will probably wind up together in the long run, instead of Ko and Cale.

Shayla's backstory has a few points that go so well with some of the current plot stuff going on, especially with HYPE of all things, which was completely unplanned on my part. But of so convenient.]

[Shin~The ladle monster!]

For now. So that meant maybe they would pursue the topic later - which Cale was surprisingly okay with. Now that the door had been opened an inch, she felt that she might as well tell him all of it, and what she could do. That way it would all be in the open and she would feel better, at least. But it made sense to leave such things for another time. It might be a tense conversation, and they didn't need that tonight. She was already a little afraid she had ruined her chances with him, but she felt better when he put his arm around her. He must not have been too opposed to the idea. She hoped.

Relaxing, she began to walk with him, only to be stopped soon after by the man in the straw hat. She remembered what Ko had told her about the eccentric-looking old man. If that was true, then he was a very dangerous man, and therefore one who was quite intriguing to Cale. She grasped for his name, and remembered it just as he was addressing her; this was Suen Ding, leader of the Dai Lee. Her amber eyes met his green ones and she have him a smile.

"I'm Cale Harshal. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She wondered what made Ko stare at the old man like that, and why he had been greeted with such an odd question.

[Vintrict]

His arms were held behind his back, but the exposed part of it from the shirt showed lean muscles with the texture of old age. He moved his right hand from behind there and moved it toward Cale for her to grip in a hand shake if she wanted to. His fingers were a test of time. All the training that he had put his hand through was present on it in a rough skin texture. And if she chose to grab it, a great squeeze would come from it that could cause her entire body to freeze up. He was grinning still, too.

Technique.

This was his way of testing a person's competence. Even a woman could give an impression by her gripping method alone. Time to test her.

[Shin~The ladle monster!]

Of course Cale placed her hand in his own to return the gesture. She had a man's handshake, to be sure, unlike Shayla who had a professional yet delicate one. Cale's hands were large and well calloused from work and working out, and her grip was a confident and sure one. That being said, Cale was never one to play the time-honored game of intimidating or testing a man by proving how strong her grip was.

She was surprised by the sheer strength of his grip, especially from an old man, and a human at that (at least, apparently human). Frankly, it made her respect and admiration for the elderly martial artist skyrocket even as she found her body seizing up just from whatever strength and technique he was applying through their handshake. It made her own grip tighten instinctively.

It was a good representation of technique being superior to strength - despite Cale's great physical strength, she was sure this little old man in the funny shirt could thoroughly beat her down. Probably in a matter of mere minutes.

When she saw that he was still grinning, she laughed. Based on the little she had seen of Suen Ding, she liked him.

[Vintrict]

It was the opposite. The more strength she put into her grip, the more likely her balance would begin wavering. It was an aspect of Tai Chi, and at his age, it was probably one of the best styles for him to use as his body was aging each day. When he let go, she would feel a great weight leave her body, control returning to it as he placed it back to his side. Ko had witnessed what happened, frowning slightly after seeing it.

"I hear you are having a little trouble in Chinatown. Metas can be awfully cocky. If you chose to stick around and learn from me a little more, you would let me tell you how to fight against those sort of people with ancient Chinese techniques."

"No thanks," Ko replied. "Guns would likely be enough. I'm too busy these days to be trying to do any training. Especially of your kind."

The old man cackled. "You're such a stiff. You keep that up, and you'll die young. Guns can't solve all your problems. You can run out of bullets, but you can't run out of fists. I hope you two have a pleasant evening. Ohoho!"

He turned around, heading back into the crowd.

"I'm sorry for that," he said to her. "It's just the way he is."

[Shin~The ladle monster!]

Cale was still chuckling when she regained her balance. Tai Chi was never something Cale would be able to understand, but the way that he was so easily able to counter her own strength filled her with admiration. She appreciated how straightforward he was, too, and she bid him a fond enough farewell.

"Sorry for what? He seemed delightful."

Cale's definition of delightful was vastly different from that of most women, clearly. She shook her head slowly with good humor, inside still chuckling over the way the old man had called Ko out for being such a stiff.

"He's right though, you know. I bet a couple old guys like him could take down an entire pack of werewolves hand-to-hand - reckless brawlers, the lot of them."

She chuckled, and she did not exclude herself from that category, either.

"Anyway, you seemed more bothered by his attitude than me. He's been after you to train with him before?"

She sounded a little envious, not that she would necessarily be suited to the kind of rigorous training that would assuredly be required.

[Vintrict]

"For a short time, I was under his training when I first joined Renshu. It was only after his confirmation that I managed to get further up the ranks. He deemed me worthy, if you would call it that. Even still, I advise you to keep away from him. He is a cruel man. He is more cruel to women. Don't let his smile fool you."

To Ko, that smile was burned into his memory. He repressed it and moved on.

"Anyone else you want to meet?"

[Shin~The ladle monster!]

That gave Cale pause for thought. She trusted Ko's judgement of the old man more than her own, as she didn't know him. It was enough to cast doubt on her opinion of the man, although she had liked his outward demeanor from the start.

A bit more subdued by the sudden serious tone the conversation had taken. She was quiet for a few moments as she walked at his side, and when he asked if there was anyone else she wanted to meet she dared a smile.

"I had plenty of time to meet people before. I was hoping to spend more time with you."

The way she said it was with a warmth that she hadn't allowed herself to show when she was more sober, and scared of pursuing a relationship with him for her various silly reasons. She wouldn't mind if he brought up the desire to leave the boat again even, she imagined that the socializing was taking its toll on him.

[Vintrict]

It was a rather direct way of her saying that to him. He didn't expect it from her so soon, but this meant he finally had her where he wanted. Whether it was the alcohol talking or not, he would settle for this progress.

"Unfortunately, if we remain here, that would be hard to do with people interrupting us. How about you come back to my place. We can talk there."

[Shin~The ladle monster!]

Sure it was partially due to the alcohol she had consumed, but she also felt as if she might not get another chance like this. He'd been distant and snappish with her the last little while (which wasnt to say she didn't deserve it), and she was worried that if she didn't show some indication of her interest while he was receptive to it, she'd lose the opportunity. She realized that, although she'd finally admitted to herself that she wanted Ko Yuen, she hadn't really done anything to make that interest known to him.

So when he proposed that they go back to his place to talk, she smiled.

]"I think you're right. You're far too popular too stay here without getting interrupted."

She chuckled a little as she said it.

[Vintrict]

Ko took back out his phone, walking with her toward the exit. As she did, two ladies that Cale met over came over, Sheili and Luli, the plump and overly-fashionable one respectively. Seeing this, Ko slowly parted himself away from Cale, turning around as if to not get involved in whatever conversation that was about to spring up. He figured they were just following up after their earlier interactions.

"Cale, was it," asked Sheili. She handed over her business card to her. "Call us whenever you feel like talking to us about future business."

Luli handed hers over, too, though it was a bit more fancy with flowers and golden-lettering on it.

Luli: "With a woman with your fashion sense, I am sure you will be of help later on."

[Shin~The ladle monster!]

Vintrict

Ko took back out his phone, walking with her toward the exit. As she did, two ladies that Cale met over came over, Sheili and Luli, the plump and overly-fashionable one respectively. Seeing this, Ko slowly parted himself away from Cale, turning around as if to not get involved in whatever conversation that was about to spring up. He figured they were just following up after their earlier interactions.

"Cale, was it," asked Sheili. She handed over her business card to her. "Call us whenever you feel like talking to us about future business."

Luli handed hers over, too, though it was a bit more fancy with flowers and golden-lettering on it.

Luli: "With a woman with your fashion sense, I am sure you will be of help later on."

A smile crossed Cale's lips as she saw Ko turn away - was he being respectful of her private conversation? Or was he simply abandoning her to the two very feminine women because he didn't want to get caught up in such talk? It could have been either way.

She turned that smile to Sheili and Luli, accepting their business cards and holding them in her palm for lack of any pockets.

"Of course I will, although I don't know how much insight I could offer the business."

Really, she wondered what they would think if they knew of her real sense of fashion. The suits she wore were a huge improvement over her regular wardrobe of ripped jeans, tank tops and the like.

But she supposed she could always ask Shayla's advice concerning their business ventures and pass such opinions on. In any case, she gave the others a gracious smile.

"I'll be sure to hang on to these. We were just on our way out, but its been lovely meeting you ladies."