They were bantering around making Shew get a light headache when another knock was heard on the door. The guys grew silent thinking it was Timo who followed them but it wasn't him.
"Shew where are you?"
The guest was a woman and she didn't wait for the owner of the house to open the door for her. The guys were all curious about this new guest but didn't let it show on their faces.
Lisa came in running frantically. She saw the news and immediately grabbed her keys to check up on her friend personally.
"I just heard the news, twenty-three dead! Are you fine?" Lisa ran straight to where Shew was standing with not a single look at the guys sitting in the room.
"Calm down Liz, look here I am fine." Shew rubbed her temples tiredly hoping to chase away the headache. She was feeling a little chill.
"Oh thank god! Thank god!" Lisa muttered carefully checking her friend's body for any wounds.
Mui who was silently watching the exchange opened his mouth, "What killings?"
Lisa's eyes grew wide when she took in who was sitting in the living room. It was the '5 Emperors.' She looked at Shew then at them for few seconds before fainting in Shew's arms.
Shew looked at the quartet accusingly. "Look what you guys did!" She spat at the troublesome men in her house.
It was after an hour or so that whole room was sitting quietly. Lisa had effectively woken up and had finally gained enough courage to be in the room with stars.
Mui took the opportunity to raise the question again, "You didn't tell me what the news was."
"I had gone to the trade centre today to get some work done where there was shooting and bloodshed." Shew took it upon herself to answer the question, "It's all over the news. Liz knew I was there so she panicked."
Lisa weakly nodded to along, "Yes that news did give me scare." She pointedly glared at Shew for a moment, "I am sure you are fine now."
"Yes, I am." Shew turned to the guys scowling, "So, why are you guys here?
"Wait a second how do you know them all?" She was interrupted by Lisa.
"Liz you remember me running into a shoot? It was Timo who had pulled me thinking I was an actress or something. I didn't know it was him until recently." Shew answered patiently.
Lisa was shocked and took long to reply, "So, you are telling me that more than handsome guy was Timo?"
Shew was mortified, "Will you keep the details to yourself? And yes, it was him."
Vic was quick to catch on, "More than handsome ha!?" A playful smirk was plastered to his face, "I thought girls used that adjective for Ray. Seems like there is a competition for him and that's our eldest brother!" He exclaimed dramatically.
"I feel hurt, am I not more than handsome Shew?" Ray feigned hurt playing along with Vic.
"You very well know my answer." Shew rolled her eyes and turned serious once again, "Well?"
Ray ran a hand through his hairs, "Ah! Yes we are here because we wanted to meet you."
"Meet me? But why?" Shew couldn't understand their purpose.
Ray shrugged nonchalantly, "We just wanted to know who that girl is who stole our brother's heart and transformed him from a heartbreaker into a heartsick fool."
Shew was speechless. She took a full minute to process Ray's words and a minute more to respond.
"What!!? Are you all out of your mind too? I was sure he was crazy but you guys are beyond help.
"Hey crazy reminds me, why did you beat big bro?" Vic managed to once again successfully stray off the topic.
Shew wasn't proud of her violent response that night, "He was being an utter idiot that's why." She answered slightly flushed.
"He told us that he saved you from a thief." Mui tried to pry deeper.
"Well, he was being reckless in the process." Shew managed to shake off the shame and shrug.
"So, you were worried about him?" Kai deduced.
Shew only nodded yes in response.
"It's clear from your face that you like him." Ray declared.
"What? No!!" Shew protested.
"Deny all you can but right now your eyes betray you and we know it cuz we see the same look in his eyes every day." Mui stated.
"Did he set you up to this? Go and talk to her kind of thing as friends?" Shew questioned defensively.
"No. He is being miserable from days, actually years. With you around, he does seem complete." Ray responded calmly as if he was discussing the weather and not selling out his brother's feelings.
Shew chuckled dryly, "Come on guys this is all just nonsense. You guys play with words and act accordingly."
"That is true but we are not playing with words here. We are being honest." Vic tried to put her doubts to rest.
Shew felt as if someone had put her in a bloody inferno. They were being honest with her, while she was being shady. She bowed down her head to blink away the tears trying to escape. She couldn't afford honesty.
"Guys it would be better if both of them get to decide about it rather than us pushing them." Lisa came to Shew's rescue.
"Hey its Timo texting me. He is at my home. Come let's go before he destroys something else at my house." Ray stood up anxiously.
"Fair enough Lisa. Shew are you ready to speak to him?" Kai asked her expectantly.
Shew took in a deep breath before nodding, "I need two day's time to think it through."
The guys left after agreeing with her request. After all, they couldn't push her.
They had to now set Timo straight and make him talk to her leaving his huge ego behind.
After their departure Shew broke down in Lisa's arms. She cried for almost all night while Lisa held her trying very hard to comfort her. It was never in her crazy dreams had Lisa presumed that Shew and Timo would like each other. They lived on different planets.
She knew what Shew did, she knew her reasons and as her friend, she supported her in all of it but getting together with any man would increase the risk for him and Shew was not ready to face another loss.