Two beautiful young ladies stepped inside the hall where the occasion was being held. One was petite, had brown skin, her braids was in a bun and she wore a black flair gown and red heels with matching silver jewelries. The other one was tall, had a pale complexion with short purple hair. She wore a long body fitted grey dress with a deep V-neckline and a long slit at the front which ended slightly above her knees. Her heel was black and she had a matching black purse to go with it. She wore gold jewelries but unlike the first lady who wore a simple and tiny earring, hers was dangling.

The sound of a classical music welcomed them as they stepped inside the hall.

They were amazed by how beautiful it looked. Since it was a ship, they didn't have high expectations but they keep getting surprised. Firstly, they were blown away by the interior when they first entered, their room took their breath away and now this hall looked magnificent.

The place was colorful, not just because of the lights, but also the dresses and tuxedos of the guests made the whole place colourful. A lot of people were busy conversing, waiters served wines, laughter filled the hall, et cetera. The place gave off a romantic ambience that made Joreen jealous of all the couples.

"They are quite much in here." Reen said as she looked inside the hall.

It would be a little bit difficult getting to know each member.

Kyle waved at them when he saw them. He had a big smile on his face as he approached the ladies.

"My lady." He took Reen's hand, bowed and kissed the back like a perfect gentleman. Then he did the same to Joreen who looked a bit uncomfortable with the gesture.

"You two look amazing. I've been keeping my eyes down for you." He looked at Reen.

"I guess you've been enjoying the party?" She asked him with a smile. He looked more dashing than she had ever seen him. He wore a tux and tied his hair in a ponytail.

"Sure! Guess who I saw here earlier?" He asked. From his tone, they could tell how excited he was.

"Who?" Reen asked curiously.

"Yan Shen. Does it ring a bell?"

"Yan Shen?" She suddenly gasped and asked, "The basketballer? That Yan Shen?"

"Yes! He is here! Can you believe it?" He asked in a tone filled with disbelief.

"Oh my God! He is like my idol." She squealed. "Where is he?" Reen began to look round.

"Not sure where he went to, but he should be around here somewhere." Kyle said.

"Let's look around for him." She was about following Kyle when she remembered Joreen who was just standing idly by the side as she watched them speak.

"Want to join us?" She asked Joreen.

Joreen didn't want to be left alone, but on the other hand, she had a plan she needed to set in motion.

"There won't be a need for that." Another voice answered.

Reen looked behind her and saw Li Hoy with a glass of wine in hand. She greeted him and gave Joreen an apologetic look before she left with Kyle.

"Not again!" Joreen murmured but she forced a smile at him.

"Nice to see you here. You look handsome." She said with a thumbs up.

He narrowed his eyes to look at her suspiciously so she quickly avoided his gaze and looked at the side.

When he didn't say a word to her, she looked at him again and locked eyes with him.

He just quietly looked at her face before his eyes moved from her head and down to her feet.

Joreen shifted uncomfortably. "Is... something wrong?" She asked.

He looked back at her face with that familiar gaze she couldn't read.

"I should have gotten you better outfits." He said.

"What?" Joreen looked at him with a deep frown. "Are you trying to say... my dress is ugly?" She asked and looked at her gown.

He ignored her. Instead he said, "You must be cold." He began to pull his jacket but she quickly shook her head. "I'm not. It's warm in here."

"I think it's too cold for you Luo Joreen." He insisted and draped his jacket around her shoulder.

Joreen wanted to take it off because the jacket was practically covering her gown. She hadn't chosen a really pretty and sexy dress just to hide it with a jacket! But on a second thought, she left it on her. It made a feel a different kind of warmth and his jacket smeeled a lot like him. She had always liked his scent.

"What are you doing?" He asked gently.

When she realised she held his jacket around her firmly and was unconsciously sniffing his jacket, she immediately let go of it like it just burnt her.

"WHAT...? Noth...ing!" She said, feeling flustered.

Thankfully, there was a distraction that made Joreen less embarrased.

"Hoy. Oh.. Joreen is also here. Thank God I saw you. Have you seen Heya anywhere?" Heya's mother asked.

Joreen shook her head. "Do you want me to look around for her?" She offered immediately. She needed to get away from Hoy as soon as possible.

"Oh. Not at all my dear. You should enjoy the party. If that girl is not here, she's probably in her room. I'll go check." She smiled at Joreen before leaving the hall, leaving a dejected Joreen who'd rather be anywhere else than standing in front of Li Hoy.

************

First Madam Li pushed open Heya's door and saw her standing by the window so she began to speak before she realized someone else was inside the room.

"Oh.. I'm sorry. Did I interrupt anything?" Heya's mother asked. She didn't bother to hide the fact that she was excited. This was just the first day and her daughter already had a man in her room. A handsome man at that!

"Oh.. no ma'am. I was.. just on my way out." He quickly said.

"Ma'am? I guess you aren't from around here?" She noted. "Pardon me.. I am Li Heya's mother. You are?"

"Li Heya?" He asked before looking at the pretty lady with a guitar. He deduced she was her mother and guessed the woman had misinterpreted his presence there.

"I am Yan Shen. My family do not really live in Country B. But we came for the holidays." He said, answering the question she had asked earlier.

Heya put two and two together and asked, "Are you Yan Suyin's brother?" She asked him. His last name was Yan and he mentioned he didn't live in the country.

"You know my sister?"

'Thought as much.'

"She stays in the room opposite mine. So bye." She waved at him, expecting him to leave.

"Do not be rude, Li Heya." Her mother said with a frown before she turned to look at the handsome young man. "Yan Shen right? Do you have a spous—"

"Mother!" Heya called with a sharp glare.

"I guess I'll just... leave."

"You should."

"You don't need to."

Heya and her mother said at the same time making Heya grit her teeth.

Yan Shen stood there looking between mother and daughter awkwardly. He knew he was supposed to leave, but the older woman was standing in his way.

"Why are you even here? You are dressed for the occasion so you should be there." Heya said, trying to hide her annoyance but it wasn't working.

She hadn't wanted to show how unhappy she was with her mother's presence and interference, but it seemed like her mother wasn't going to let the young man be.

"If you were there, I wouldn't be here trying to get you to come out." She hissed.

"Can you please leave us?" Heya asked Shen politely. It wasn't his fault that he was still there so she couldn't blame him or be rude.

"We will see you at the hall." Madam Li said with a smile before moving away from the door. He bowed curtly and quickly excused himself.

"I'm not going." Heya said immediately the door closed.

"What do you mean by you are not going?"

"I really hate the fact that you just walk into my room and try to control my life every single time! I shouldn't have come to this stupid trip anyway" She hissed irritably.

She noticed her mother looked hurt so she threw her face to the side to avoid her mother's gaze. She didn't want to look like the bad person now.

"I am your mother Li Heya."

"Doesn't give you the right to meddle in my affairs. I'm 29 for goodness sake!"

"I am not meddling or trying to control your life!" She said angrily.

"I am just being a mother. No good mother would see their child falling into depression and allow them be."

"I am not depress—"

"I am not stupid Li Heya. Don't think I do not know how broken you are. No matter how much you try to act like all is okay, I know it is not. And I will not allow you to continue hiding inside the shell you have created for yourself. You deserve to be happy and that is why I am trying so hard to pull you out of this. Can't you see?! Ask any mother you find if what I am doing is wrong and hear their answers." She finally stopped talking to catch her breath. "You'll be a mother some day. Are you going to let your daughter be if she's acting the same way you are right now?"

Heya just sighed and turned around to look outside the window. All she could see was the blue sea but it helped sooth her spirit.

"Please... come join us. Your father is also waiting for you." She touched her daughter's shoulder gently before leaving. She felt like someone had been outside the door because she heard hurried footsteps before she opened the door, but Madam Li paid no mind to it.