Yun stifled a yawn. “Why are we here again?”

 Chun Li poked him. “To wish Meiying off as she goes on her date, silly…”

 “For what?” Yun responded. “I wish the whole date goes really bad.”

 “What a mean thing to say…” Chun Li frowned. “Meiying? You ready?”

 They had all assembled at Meiying’s place an hour before the time Chen would be picking her up.

 “I need some help with my hair…” Meiying called out from the bathroom hallway.

 Chun Li headed to assist her.

 “This is so stupid…” Yun whined. “We should be doing something else…This is boring…”

 Chun Li entered the room. “Presenting…” she held up her hands with a flourish, “Miss Meiying…”

 Yun and Yang straightened in their seats as their friend entered. She was dressed in a pale blue ankle-length spaghetti strap dress. Her long hair was pulled up in a topknot, and thanks to Chun Li, her almond shaped eyes were enhanced by a blue gray eye shadow and black mascara. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and her lips were colored with dull red lipstick.

“Well?” she smiled expectantly. “What do you think?”

 Yun and Yang glanced at each other, then at her.

 “Guys?” Chun Li inquired.

 Yun shook his head. “You look like you’re throwing yourself at him.”

 “Won’t you get cold?” Yang asked.

 Meiying stared at Chun Li in awe at their protective natures. Chun Li shrugged.

 “I’ll get a sweater, don’t worry,” Meiying said after the brief silence.

“Good,” Yun stated.

 Yang glanced at his watch. “He’ll be here, soon, right?”

 As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Meiying gasped.

 “Oh no! This place is a mess!” she exclaimed.

 Yun, Yang, and Chun Li quickly began tidying up the apartment, organizing magazines, and putting away books. Then they hid in the hallway as Meiying answered the door.

 “Hi, Chen.”

 “You look beautiful.”

 She smiled. “Thanks. You look good.” She admired his slacks and polo shirt. “Come on in. I’ll go get my sweater…”

 Meiying went over to the closet while her date hovered near the door. She gave a meaningful glance at her friends, who were in her line of vision. Chun Li gave her the thumbs-up sign, Yang gave an encouraging smile, and Yun stuck his tongue out at her. She placed the garment over her shoulders and turned to exit.

 “Ready to go?” she asked.

 “Ready when you are,” Chen responded.

Meiying locked the door behind her.

 “I can’t believe you boys talked me into this…” Chun Li murmured.

 Yun buried his face in his menu, while Yang discreetly peered behind a large plant to view the two people on their date. The three of them were at the restaurant where Chen and Meiying were dining. The couple had spent two hours at the theater.

 “It didn’t take much to twist your arm,” Yun pointed out.

 Chun Li narrowed her eyes. “I’m all for love and romance…So I don’t mind seeing her happy on her date.”

 “You like romance cause you don’t have any in your own life,” Yun teased.

 “Hey!” she exclaimed. “Don’t forget who’s paying for this meal…”

 “This is wrong…” Yang said softly. “We shouldn’t be spying on her…”

 Chun Li arched a brow. “I didn’t hear you complain about the idea in the beginning…”

 He flushed slightly. “Well…we should trust her judgment…” He peered through the leaves of the plant before turning back to Yun and Chun Li, who looked at him with slight amusement. “Is something wrong?” he asked hesitantly.

 Yun grinned. “For someone who says spying is wrong…you seem to be the most interested in what’s going on at that table…”

 Yang glared at him. “I’m just hoping they don’t notice us here…”

 Their booth was just short of Meiying’s peripheral vision, so they had to scrunch together so they wouldn’t attract attention. A waiter came up to take their order.

 When he left, Chun Li propped her elbows on the table. “So…anything new happen?”

 Yun stirred his straw. “Grandfather received a letter from Ryu today.”

 Chun Li looked up. “Oh?”

 Yang nodded. “He said that he’ll be arriving in China in a few weeks for a visit.”

 She sighed. “I see.”

 The two glanced at each other, seeing the disappointment in her eyes. Apparently, she had not received a letter.

 “He also said that he wanted to see you,” Yang added. “I guess he doesn’t know where you live.”

 Chun Li smiled slightly. “I wrote a letter to him three months ago, telling him about the new place…but I guess he hasn’t gotten home yet…”

 Yun nodded. “Yeah. He says he’s been traveling for three and a half months. Personally…training and traveling the world all the time sounds boring to me…”

 “That’s the way he is,” Chun Li murmured. “I can’t change that.”

 “Would you want to?” Yang asked.

 “I don’t know…” she responded.

 This was the first time she ever talked to the two about her feelings for the Japanese martial artist.

“That isn’t much of a life…” Yun said slowly. “Traveling around and stuff…What if you want kids? Traveling isn’t good for them…”

 “Which is why I never said anything to him…” Chun Li responded. Her eyes took on a sad look. “With all of his dedication to perfecting his fighting skills…he doesn’t have time for me…”

 “Did…Did you ever wonder if he felt the same?” Yang asked.

 Chun Li sighed. “Yes…I did. For a long time, I wasn’t sure if he felt anything for me…but…there are some moments…when I can tell he does feel something…even if he isn’t aware of it. I can tell…during certain moments…by the way he looks at me…the way he speaks to me…”

 Yang smiled ruefully. “It must be difficult…feeling like that…knowing all that…and not doing anything…”

 Chun Li shrugged, smiling slightly. “I don’t regret any of it. He was my first love, after all. That type of thing isn’t very easy to forget…I thought I was over him…but…Well…who knows…maybe one day I’ll find someone new and have a family…But until then, I have the school, and you two to look after.”

 Yun scowled. “We’re old enough to take care of ourselves.”

 Chun Li grinned. “I just hope that when I have kids, you boys stop getting into trouble. Otherwise, your mischief might rub off on them.”

 A waiter arrived promptly to give them their food. Yun eagerly dug in, Yang and Chun Li took their time.

 “What are you going to do about this treasure hunt?” Chun Li asked.

 Yun shrugged, speaking through a mouthful of rice and chicken. “Wait. What else can we do…?”

 “Are you guys okay with her dating?” Chun Li asked. “I remember…there was a time when you two…” She smiled gently. “Well…let’s just say that I notice things…”

 Yun and Yang glanced at each other before turning back to the older woman.

“How…How did you know?” Yun asked.

 “I picked up the signs. It wasn’t hard to.”

 Yang blew out a breath. “I don’t mind her dating…I’m just…worried, that’s all…”

 Chun Li nodded. “I understand.”

 “I just hope she doesn’t spend all her time with him. That’s gonna suck…” Yun commented.

 “Don’t look now, but he just kissed her,” Chun Li murmured.

 “What?!” Yun and Yang whirled around in their seats.

 Yun’s momentum caused him to fall backwards. A hoarse cry filled the air. Yang attempted to snatch his arm to prevent him from falling, but it was useless. Yun ended up on his back on the floor. Chun Li and Yang quickly snatched him upright, fearing that Meiying would see them.

 Chun Li placed a hand over her heart, which was beating erratically. “Did…she see anything?”

 Yang stared at their friend through the plant leaves. “No…she seems too focused on her date…”

 Chun Li grinned. “You guys are so jealous…I was just kidding about the kiss.”

 She fell silent as the two brothers cast her murderous looks.

 “This restaurant can be lively at times,” Chen commented.

“Yeah…that sound over there…hope nobody’s got food poisoning,” she joked.

 He smiled. “I don’t think so…” He paused before using his chopsticks. “How about after this we go for a walk in the park and get to know each other?”

 How romantic, she thought, smiling. “Sure.”

 Hours later, Chen walked Meiying to her home.

“I had a good time,” he said honestly. “Would you like to go out again?”

 She nodded. “Sure…”

 He kissed her cheek and left. Meiying watched him leave before unlocking her door and stepping inside. From the shadows below, Yang stepped out as she closed the door, locking it. Within a few minutes, he headed back to his home.

Yun sat in the living room, a small lamp casting a dim light in the room. His arms were crossed, and he had his left ankle propped on his right knee. “She back yet?”

 Yang nodded. “Yeah. He just dropped her off. I get the feeling we’ll be seeing him a lot these next couple of weeks…”