MAFIA BOY and MASK MAN: Live to Love

CHAPTER #7

On set, they were filming in the street and fans of Mask Man were allowed to watch. A few of them handed his assistant manager bouquets of flowers. She noticed some roses in them and took the flowers to a tent. There she began taking the roses out, to cut off their heads into a garbage bag.

Lu He found her doing that and asked, "I thought you liked flowers."

"I do, but you have an allergy to roses. So I'm picking them out and disposing of the heads, so you don't have a reaction."

He moved closer to her, one eyebrow raised and observed, "you remember it so clearly, which means you must have a crush on me."

Ru Shi turned away from him, putting a hand over her rapidly beating heart. His closeness and words flustered her. Had she not wished previously to have all his attention on her and now that he was doing it, she wasn't sure how to react. Reminding herself that he was the boss and she was just an assistant, got her heart to slow back to its normal beat. When he left the tent, Ru Shi said out loud, "he's an incurable flirt, those words meant nothing to him."

Ru Shi completed her task and then went to find Lu He.  He was memorizing lines. Waving her over, Lu He said, "sit and run lines with me."

"Where should I start reading?"

"Page three is where I'll go first." Lu He leaned closer to her, putting a hand on her thigh and then whispered in her ear.

She was flustered and forgot to read her lines and do the actions that the female lead would do. He scolded her and they tried it again.  Watching her reaction, Lu He leaned forward, seeing her eyes go wide.  When his hand rested on her leg, she held her breath.  This time however, after he whispered his line, she pushed him back, with a hand on his chest.

"Stop messing with me, I know you don't find me attractive," Ru Shi read the line.

"Maybe I do, let's see with a kiss." He captured her chin and pulled her face closer.

"Oh please. Mask Man is notorious as a flirt."

Lu He sat back and sighed, "that's not the right line, you skipped a paragraph."

Her mouth formed a surprised O and then Ru Shi apologized. "I'm not good at this, you should get someone else or the female lead to run lines with."

He patted her on the head, "you're doing fine. We'll take it from after I hold your chin."

Unlike the actress that would later be responding with the cameras rolling, Ru Shi couldn't hide the effect Lu He had on her. The blush started from the bottom of her neck and blossomed on the cheeks.  He found himself liking how easily he could put her off balance.  Every chance he got, Lu He tried to touch Ru Shi or make eye contact.

"So this next part, you are injured?" She asked pointing at the script.

"Yes, I'll be holding my arm.  We're filming in the underground parking garage. The girl in the red dress sends guys after me, because she's double crossing the character.  We'll do the lines starting where I make a phone call." Lu He stood up and pretended to place a call on his cell. "People have attracted. Don't worry, the bureau is already ambushed."

Ru Shi held up her hand. "But I thought your character is a cop, why would he say that?"

"He is an under cover cop and that line about the bureau is the phrase that alerts the other cops."

"Oh, so that's why it says to look into the van."

"Can we continue?"

"Yeah, sorry."

They completed reading the lines for that scene and continued on to the last one.  Lu He explained, "in this scene I'll be wearing camouflage clothing while sitting in a chair with my back to her.  It's where she finds out that Mask Man is also an undercover cop."

Ru Shi let him tie up her hands with a scarf.  Then said the line. "You win.  Should I call you the new boss?"

Lu He stood in front of her, reaching behind to untie the scarf.  "Then should I call you Officer Lu or Mrs. Wang?"

She sucked in a breath and repeated the line, "call me Sir."

Not yet finished untying her hands, Mask Man uses his one arm and lifts her hands above her head, then pins her against the wall behind them.  He looked into her eyes, "you playing with me?" His hand dropped off hers, releasing her from his hold.

Ru Shi put her bound wrists over his head, pulling him closer using his neck.  Again her face goes red, by how intimate the scene is. "Go home and call me My Lady."

Although the scene ended there, Lu He used an arm to hold Ru Shi in place.  His other hand took off his mask and he moved his head, as if to kiss her, noting the wide eyes and slightly open mouth.  But they were not alone in the tent, so he put his mouth by her ear and whispered, "see that wasn't so hard... we'll turn you into a pro, soon enough." Letting go of her, Lu He re-fastened the mask.

She tried to leave, but Ru Shi forgot her bound hands were around his neck.  Completely flustered, she let out a surprised squeak.  He moved her arms over his head and then finished untying the scarf.

"Lu He, the set is ready for you!"

That call, broke the moment and Ru Shi turned and left suddenly, making Lu He smile.  Her reactions to him, he would reward eventually.

** ~ ~ ~ ~ ~**~ ~ ~ ~ ~ **

Later that evening, while Ru Shi was going over the expense report, Lu He ordered roses to be delivered to Seven Cranes Entertainment. He received a text notifying the delivery person was at the security check point. "I've got to step out a minute, stay here, I'll be right back."

"Okay."

Pocketing his cell phone, Lu He went to security and accepted the delivery. To his dismay, the bouquet was not wrapped in cellophane like he had requested. He hurried towards the building, hoping to get there before the roses stopped him.  But the attack happened quickly and he grabbed his chest, as sharp pain pierced his lungs.  He gasped and began to collapse on the sidewalk.  

Ru Shi had come out to find him and saw everything.  She took the flowers from him immediately, "you're crazy to touch roses, it could kill you!  Wait right here, let me take them somewhere."  Ru Shi ran inside the building and put the roses on a table by the reception desk, then returned to his side.

Lu He pulled her into his arms, in a hug. "It's because you like them and I like you."

"Are you for real?" Did she dare to believe his words?

"Yes. Don't you like me too?"

"But you're my boss...."

"If it doesn't matter to me, then it shouldn't matter to you."

"I do... I like you... a lot.  But...."

"Don't question how you feel, just go with it."

Glancing around, to make sure no one could see them, Ru Shi gently removed his mask and planted a quick kiss on his lips.  She'd take a chance that he wasn't just playing with her. "I'll bring the roses into the office and put them by my desk.  Try to relax until I return, then I'll take you home."

"Your home or mine?"

She sighed, "you're such a flirt.  Your home, it's closer remember."  As Ru Shi put his mask back on, Lu He captured her wrist, pulling her down to eye level.

"Do you want to be my girlfriend?"

"Maybe." She grinned.