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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2013 4:08:44 GMT
| He smoothed down the creased bills laid, a gloved hand pressing them down against the table. Counting his reapings in this greasy diner, he spread his fingers, a palm flat against the perfectly-aligned stack of bills before he tucked them away into his pocket.
A worn looking waitress had placed his plate by him with a glass of water clinking ice. Minzhe didn't drink. He picked up a fry, nibbled it while considering the newspaper in front of him. MURDER! DISAPPEARANCE! Shouted headlines, and he only skimmed the articles before his gaze drifted to the Sudoku. Greasy spots stained the squares, and he reached for another fry as he crunched numbers.
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Post by JUNJIE ZHANG on Oct 20, 2013 21:09:56 GMT
He was late, wasn't he? Now Junjie, really wasn't the type to ever really be late to anything, but he was meeting Minzhe of all people. Why would he have to be on time for that? Sure, he invited to the guy to talk business, and sure they were family, but... it was Minzhe. He arrived at the diner around fifteen minutes later than he should have, and he didn't bother to the older Zhang an excuse as he sat down on the booth across from him. "Hey, did you order for me or-" Probably not. "So, have you finished your puzzle or should I wait?" @minzhe |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2013 23:57:20 GMT
He had counted minutes and each one had felt agonizing. The numbers of the sudoku were simpler, a distraction, within his control. He could rearrange them until they fit, but he couldn't rearrange time any more than he could make Junjie come on time.
He glanced up with a start when the other man finally did arrive. Minzhe was older, but that didn't command any more respect than did his impressive height or intelligence. He was always subservient, he was always victim.
"N-no." He stuttered, his hand moving to shut the paper across the crease. Then he folded it again, in half. One, two, three, more times until it was a fat little box that sprang unfolded if he didn't hold it. He stared down at it a moment, jaw clenching before he swept it off the table.
Minzhe didn't say anything, didn't inquire about business, didn't admonish his cousin's lateness. He just watched the steam rise from his meal and waited, as was his part to do.
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Post by JUNJIE ZHANG on Oct 27, 2013 5:50:11 GMT
"That's better." Finally he had put down that bloody newspaper. Here Junjie thought he was going to rip it right out of his hands. "So, I hope you know this isn't a social gathering. I'm not here to braid hair and talk about boys." Perhaps with anyone else, it would sound like a joke but between the pair it was a pure insult. "This meeting is about business." He taped the table impatiently as he waited for Minzhe to finally meet his cold gaze. "You read the paper right? In case you couldn't find it, I know how serious you are about the puzzles in the Sunday, looks like we have some serious competition on our hands."@minzhe |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2013 2:55:06 GMT
Of course Junjie wouldn't have called him for a social gathering - Minzhe was the worst company anyone could want. He wasn't very good at making conversation, and at this point in his life, he didn't try. The sooner people were discouraged, the sooner he could be left alone, the way he preferred to be.
The sooner they got through this, the sooner Junjie would leave him alone. He stared at the other man's hands, drumming the table. He stared at the pile of fries on the cracked plate.
"Yes," he raised his eyes to meet Junjie's, his voice low and his tone even. He waited for him to go on. Junjie hadn't called him here just to chat about local news.
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Post by JUNJIE ZHANG on Nov 12, 2013 9:34:58 GMT
No reaction, Minzhe was weak. He didn't even bother to defend himself. Though Junjie couldn't exactly say his cousin knew his place in this world, he did run off just like Jun after all. He had no confidence. That was why Junjie was working with him, not just so he could walk all over the other. The younger Zhang had a twisted sense of loyalty to his elder cousin. Minzhe actually met his gaze, he was shocked, but none of this was portrayed on his face. "I said we have competition. I did a little intelligence gathering, which you should have done too, but I doubt you did. Sometimes you can be so useless." He took one of the man's fries. "It was a deal gone bad, and some kind of bigger organization." @minzhe |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2013 4:40:57 GMT
If not for Junjie insisting on this meeting, Minzhe would have been more than happy to avoid his cousin entirely. He would have been happy to work alone. But Minzhe wasn't very good at business – he was intelligent, in a single-minded sort of way, the bigger picture escaped him entirely.
"I don't want to get involved." He said simply. It wasn't an authoritative statement. It was a little obvious. He didn't care about what other people did as long as he could sit cozy in his apartment. As long as he could provide for himself and his sister.
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Post by JUNJIE ZHANG on Dec 6, 2013 19:19:27 GMT
Junjie rolled his eyes. His father would have never stood for this, but Junjie wasn't his father. Minzhe was lucky. "Minzhe, Minzhe, this is our business. It's in danger." He kept his voice down even though he was ready to yell. His brows furrowed together. "Do you get that? This happens to be dog eat dog, and if we don't bite back, we'll be swallowed. Do you get what I'm saying?"
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2013 23:33:55 GMT
He watched Junjie, but he didn't quite take in his expressions and reactions. He trained his eyes on his face because he was supposed to, as much as it made him uncomfortable.
Minzhe didn't feel quite so attached to what Junjie called 'their' business. He wasn't particularly passionate or interested and if it wasn't an obsession it was something he felt apathetic towards. If they were run out of business, he would find another line of work. But Junjie wouldn't be content with that. Minzhe's gaze lowered, watching his own fingers drum lightly, nervously, on the table top.
He nodded. Truthfully, he didn't understand, but no amount of explaining would make him understand the way that other people saw things. Empathy was utterly beyond him. "And what is your idea?" If Junjie had called him here, it had to be for more than just an explanation of the their situation. Minzhe needed more guidance that that.
JUNJIE ZHANG
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Post by JUNJIE ZHANG on Dec 30, 2013 5:16:57 GMT
He sighed. He mumbled something under his breath too. "My plan?" He switched to Chinese, the likelihood of actually being overheard was slimmer this way - at least he hoped. "I thought it seemed obvious. We strike when they least expect it, and we strike hard. It'll be an ambush type operation, you've been on one of those before right?" He looked out the window, and rested his chin on his hand. "The only problem is evidence. I don't trust anyone in Nova not to squeal either, so we're taking no prisoners."
Couldn't keep anyone in this little little rivalry alive. @minzhe |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 7:30:09 GMT
Minzhe kept tapping on the table, nervously, before he finally pulled his hands down into his lap. His fingers twisted and linked together under the table while he listened.
He had never been particularly physical. He wasn't as good at violence, perhaps not the planned kind. But he wasn't inexperienced. He would go along with Junjie's plan, because that was what he did.
He had switched into Chinese now, and his speech was notably smoother, less stuttered and uneasy. "You said you looked into it. How many?" He liked to know what he was getting into, at least. He liked to calculate as much as he could.
JUNJIE ZHANG
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