“Haitao!” Hualing said in exasperation. She put her hand over her mouth as she stared at the man with the bo staff that stood in the entrance. He turned towards her, cocking one eyebrow as he walked towards the table. Fátima stayed by his side, her arms crossed her against her chest while her bokken remained holstered on her hip.

"Hualing!" the man said smoothly. He stood over the table, cigarette cocked to the side of his lips as they formed a small grin. "Of all the places to meet up. Been a bit, hasn't it?"

The singer's face became flushed red as she turned her head away. She looked away in silence while the others stared at the two guests.

"Hey pal!" Quang shot up from his seat and kept his hands planted onto the surface of the table. "There's no smoking in here! This is a restaurant!"

"Pho 68, right?" Haitao replied. "I hope we got the directions right. It would be an embarrassment to drive all the way to this part of Isla Lucrecia only to how up the wrong soup place. All of these hungry men and women would be very disappointed."

Quang's muscles relaxed as he eased himself away from the table. "Men and women? What are you talking about?"

Fátima clapped her hands twice. There was a short silence before the front door opened again with a swarm of people dressed in crisp white clothing stepped inside. Dozens of men and women made their way inside and began taking seats at the vacant tables. "These fine people," Haitao said as he waved his around. "They've put in a hard day's work of training, haven't they Fátima?"

The kendoka nodded. "That's right. Never seen a class put in so much effort in my life."

"Maybe that's because that Belanger chump doesn't teach real marital arts," Vic said. "You were just a glorified babysitter over there."

Haitao took his bo stuff and swung it down. The metal pole cut through the air, making a sharp whisking sound before stopping inches in front of Vic's face. Quang, Selene and Hualing all looked on in shock as the man held the weapon hovering in front of Vic's eyes while Vic maintained an expression of boredom. "No need to be rude, all right?" Haitao said calmly. "We're paying customers. Just like the rest of you."

Vic raised one hand brushed away the end of the bo staff. "Yeah. You'll have to do something different if you're trying to intimidate me, pal. You're not the only person to have feigned an attack to try and keep me quiet."

"Then that must mean you have a lovely personality if I'm not the first," Haitao replied with a smile.

"That the dude you were dating before, Hualing?" Vic said, pointing at Haitao with his thumb. The singer remained silent while keeping her head away.

"Yes. We did date. Our relationship didn't end on the best note, but I'm not the kind to hold grudges," Haitao stated.

"Is that why you ruined her career?" Selene snapped.

Haitao shrugged his shoulders before collapsing his bo staff by pushing the two ends together. "I'm not really sure if that's any of your concern. The music business is a cutthroat world, after all. Some people just don't have what it takes to make it to the top. And stay there. I helped her get a start with that one song. Stuck with her until the contract expired. And that's that. Nothing more to it. Anything else is Hualing's doing."

"That's not how it happened at all!" Hualing shot back, her eyes red with tears. "You know it!"

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Ling... darling. Don't make a scene again. Especially in someone else's restaurant in front of all these people."

Hualing's lips trembled. She slowly got up from her seat until Selene put a hand on her shoulder and sat her down. Quang then walked around the table and stood face to face with Haitao. He stood a few inches taller, looking down at Quang with a confident stare. "What do you and gang want, huh?"

"I told you that we put an order in. The nice woman on the phone said that it would be ready by now."

"How did you find out about this place?" Quang took hold of one corner of Haitao's collar and eyed it close. "Someone with your kind of money doesn't usually come to this part of time for lunch."

"We were recommended this place. By a friendly construction working. Thought it would be a nice way to treat the soldiers of the White Swan after all the work they've been doing."

"W-White Swan?" Quang let go of Haitao's collar and took a few steps back, bearing a look of shock.

"That's right. White Swan. Why do you act so surprised to hear that name?" Haitao asked, still smiling.

"How could you Fátima?" Selene blurted out as she turned to face the kendoka. "You lead them in here!"

Fátima gave a glance to Selene before looking back at Haitao, ignoring her altogether.

"I know you hear me! Are you still mad about what happened the other night?"

The kendoka's eyes furrowed. "You act like that was a fair fight," she said quietly.

"But was it worth bringing the White Swan to where Quang and his family make their living?" Selene asked as she got up from her seat. "How could you?"

"Fátima had nothing to do with this decision," Haitao responded. "That construction worker recommended this place. I brought the idea up with... the higher-ups... and they were fine with it. And here we are now. Plain and simple."

"You think we're a bunch of fools?" Vic said. "We all know what happened between us and the White Swan that night. Well, all of us except Hualing. You and your goons just didn't pick this place out of all of Isla Lucrecia to have a meal. There's more to it."

Haitao shrugged his shoulders, his confident smile shifting between all four patrons as he slowly walked to the kitchen door. "If you think that there is more to our little gathering, then that is on you. Now if you'll excuse me, we have a massive order and I would like to know from the cook when it will be ready."

Vic got up from his seat, his hand ready to unzip the bag holding Shondell until Quang put his hand on his shoulder and slowly pushed him back down into his seat. Quang then looked at Vic from the corner of his eye, lifting his tank top just enough to reveal his weapon stashed away on his hip. With one finger, he made a hushing sound and followed Haitao to the door.

"Hey! That's for employees only!" Quang blurted out. He reached forward and put a hand on the man's shoulder. Haitao turned around, looking over his back with an expression of utter annoyance.

"I let you touch the collar because I didn't want to start a scene." Haitao's voice was calm yet carried a tone of viciousness. "But don't you dare start thinking you can just go around putting your hands on me whenever you want to."

"It's my restaurant! I can talk to whoever I want, however I want!"

Haitao turned his body around in a swift motion, and just as quickly as he had readjusted his posture, he extended one hand a pushed Quang back, making him stagger a few steps. Haitao then pressed a button on his bo staff, letting it eject again. "I suggest you watch your tongue," the man said, one finger pointing towards Quang's chest. "It is clear that you don't know who you're dealing with." Haitao then cocked his head, getting a clear view of Vic from behind Quang. He had ignored the cook's request and was standing upright while his nylon bag with his weapon was slung in front of his body. "Your mangy friend over there seems to know what's he talking about."

"You're damn right I know what I'm talking about!" Vic unzipped his bag, and in a flash, he withdrew Shondell in an elegant motion, filling the air long and graceful silver streaks before getting into his fighting stance with the end rods pointing in opposite directions. "There's only one way to deal with the White Swan!"

“Hold on a second, Vic!” Selene said quietly. She placed one hand on his shoulder, but his gaze remained locked with Haitao’s. “The Nghiems already had a brawl in their restaurant not too long ago. We don’t need another one!”

“I see that your friend is level-headed,” Haitao stated. “I suggest you listen to her. Advice like that can help you to live another day in a dangerous city like this.”

“We’re tired of being threatened!” Quang replied, his voice clear and serious. He walked towards the man with the bo staff, pointing his finger towards other man’s chest. “And we’re not going to take it anymore.”

“Threat? I never made such a claim!” Haitao smiled and then chuckled to himself. “Seems like you’re hearing things that you want to hear.”