At some stage, the empty food containers were cleared away and replaced with more drinks, but the trio barely noticed. Elsa and Anna smiled and sighed in a corner with Stacey's bodyguards, pleased to see Stacey being more active and lively.
Evening fell and with it, a new crowd of friends. Stacey's former roommates brought dinner for everyone, along with some more musical instruments.
"Whoa, hey, Stacey. You're having a party and you didn't invite us," Vera said, carrying a lute on her back and bags of food in her hands.
"Lord Huo finally let us come and visit. Do you know how long we've been badgering him to let us come?" Zanity asked, sliding a small portable keyboard onto Stacey's lap while she passed the cord over to Elsa who had squeezed in to help them set up.
"I don't think we have enough food," Chastity puffed, about to lift the bag of food onto a table until she saw all the scribbled lyrics and music notation on them. "Hey," she bent over. "What's this? I remember you guys. Uh, King and Stale, right?"
Stacey burst out laughing while Flail grumbled, "How did Ken get to turn into a king but I turned into something stale? It's really unfair."
"It's Ken and Flail," Ken smiled politely. "I've seen you all on Stacey's video posts. Some of the advertisements you guys came up with on the spot were brilliant. Hilarious."
"We do our best," Zanity wrinkled her nose in a grin at him. "We saw you guys were the original group she hung out with. Vera's been dying to meet you and ask you her thousand and one questions. Hey, wasn't there meant to be one more of you?"
The room went still and quiet.
"He died, you zit," Chastity hissed into Zanity's ear through her teeth.
Zanity froze and raised an awkward fist to the sky.
"Respect," she solemnly intoned.
Everyone looked at her, stunned for another moment at her unexpected reaction. Ken was the first to react. He shook his head, laughed and raised his fist in the air, nudging Flail. Flail raised a fist after a pause. Stacey followed suit. The other girls exchanged glances and also raised their fists.
"Respect," they all echoed one another.
"So it's great to meet you guys," Vera said into the silence that followed. "We brought food as was commanded by the boss, but uh, we didn't bring your share."
"Elsa. Anna," Stacey turned to look at her two personal assistants in the corner. "Please?"
"Any preference?" Anna asked, pulling out her mobile phone to take notes.
"It smells like the girls brought Southern Hua culture food," Ken sniffed.
"It's a Yayi combo mix," Zanity raised a finger.
"Then," Ken looked at Flail who nodded, "we'll do the same. I'll have dumplings with braised beef brisket and egg noodles."
"Veggies," Stacey pointed.
"And those seasonal vegetables," Ken added with a grin.
"Flail?" Anna asked.
"Crispy noodle nest with preserved mustard stewed pork. The spicy and sour one, please," Flail rubbed his nose, stacking all the sheets of paper together, and placing them on Stacey's bed with the pens. "And can I have a sticky rice red date and custard pudding for dessert?"
"Anyone else?" Anna raised a finger.
"I'd like a five colour coconut and palm sugar drink with dragon eyes," Ken raised a hand. "The version with white seaweed and not ice, please."
"We've got ours already," Vera patted a plastic bag full of containers. "Thanks, Anna."
Anna and Elsa left. The door closed with a click
"But we could also have," Zanity said, using her hands to beat out a rhythm on the furniture and began rapping, listing all the different Miluoluo fruity yoghurt drink flavours.
Flail obligingly provided a complimentary beat by beatboxing. Stacey and Ken exchanged grins and provided background music - Stacey only playing chords with her left hand, while Vera and Chastity took turns helping with the rap. Zanity took over the beatboxing when Flail took a breath, gesturing for him to continue the rap and Flail started listing Stacey's favourite snacks. From there, it went to any food that rhymed or fit the beat until they began to run out of ideas.
With the ice broken, the girls asked what Flail and Ken had been doing with Stacey before they came in. They chattered and left Stacey out of much of the conversation since she still found it so difficult to speak. Even so, Stacey didn't mind. She beamed until her cheeks were sore and helped play the chords on the keyboard one handed when the boys decided to demonstrate what they'd done so far on the song.
Chastity took over the keyboard when Stacey offered it to her. Vera found a place to sit and tuned her lute. Zanity took over Ken's guitar while he played percussion using chopsticks on the table, food containers and other items present in the room.
They didn't notice when Stacey dozed off until Miao came over to lower the head of her bed and reposition her so that she wouldn't wake up with a sore neck.