Love's Labors Lost (Ch.4)
by Ring-chan

A bus heading for the Town of Pheong…
Angry volleys of rain drops hissed as they pelted against the window, splattering over the glass and obscuring the view to the stormy night outside. Ryu sat staring out, eyes locked on what was supposedly the outside, yet his mind processed none of which was in his field of vision.
A sudden crack of thunder startled some of the other passengers on the bus, who then curled up again and slipped back to sleep. Yet this state of the weather did nothing to awake Ryu from his sleepless trance.
Gazing out the window, all he could hear was the repetition of his phone conversation with Chun Li but a few hours ago.
Conversation? What conversation? The extent of her response was "Goodbye Ryu."
Ryu sighed miserably.
How could he have been so foolish to think she would accept him back into her open arms? The last time he saw her, she was crying... crying because he, Ryu Hoshi, broke her heart. Did he really expect her to allow him into her life again?
He sighed again while turning on the reading light above him and pulling out a tattered old book from his bag. But before he could begin reading, he noticed that the brightness from the reading light had quite effectively contrasted with the darkness outside and thus cast his reflection onto the window glass which now served aptly as a mirror.
He stared at his reflection.
What did he see?
Did he see an honorable warrior who had just won justice in retribution for his master's death?
No... He saw a coward. A coward who had hurt the one woman he loved… the only woman he could ever love...
Ryu turned his head away from the window, sickened at the sight of his reflection... sickened at himself. He sighed yet again, then tucked away his book, turned out the reading light and tried to lull his mind off to a sleep that he knew wouldn't come.
~~~~~~
Next morning, Chun Li's Interpole office...
Chun Li desperately blinked her blurred eyes again, no longer trusting her vision as she squinted at the computer screen.
Dang it. Dang it all!
She paused, turning away from the work desk to rub her throbbing temples. The headache, the fatigue, the state of total exhaustion... all because of the terribly sleep-lacking night she had just the day before.
But after an entire night of deliberation, she had made her decision. She will go meet Ryu at the airport, which means...
Her chest seemed to have tightened at the thought. She swallowed against the tremulous sensation that was slowing building in the pit of her stomach.
...which means she will have to call Jeff to cancel their date...
Barely needing to turn her head at all, Chun Li caught sight of the phone on her desk. For a moment all she could do was stare at it. Then, she wiped off the cold clamminess on her palms and picked up the phone.
She proceeded to dial Jeff's work number, making special care to dial it quickly so she would not give herself the opportunity to change her mind.
Within two ring's the phone was answered.
"Good morning, Chang and Associates offices. How may I help you?"
"Hi..." Chun Li started off and then cleared her throat before addressing the secretary again. "This is Chun Li Xiang, can you connect me with Mr. Jeff Chang?"
"Oh," the secretary giggled. "Of course Miss Xiang, I'll put you right through to him."
"Uhh... thank you."
Pause.
"Hello? Jeff Chang speaking."
"Hi Jeff, this is..."
"Chun Li, hey gorgeous, what's up?" Jeff gave a bright, cheery reply.
Chun Li could almost see his smile beaming down on her as she answered, "I'm on my break right now, but I had to call you about the plans for the opera..."
"Are you as excited as I am?"
"Well, I was... but I just realized that..."
Chun Li's voice failed her. She tried to finish her sentence but nothing came out of her open mouth.
"No," she thought frantically to herself, "don't do this to yourself now Chun Li. TELL HIM!"
But just what was she supposed to say? That she's in love with another man? That nothing could ever happen between them because she holds no romantic sentiments between them?
Is that what she wants to do? Break his heart like Ryu broke hers? To return his love with indifference?
No, she could never live with herself if she did that.
"I just realized that... I need a new dress for Wednesday night," she quickly fabricated as she recovered her voice. "I'm going shopping tonight, would you mind coming with me?"
"Sure, that'd be great! Around 6, will that be alright?"
"Yeah... that... that'd be fine."
"Love you. See ya then, Gorgeous."
Chun Li hung up the phone with half the mind to kick herself.
Did she just do the right thing? Or has she just dug herself deeper into this mess?