NEW LIFE : A SECOND CHANCE

It was an off day today.

Everyone, from the director to the 'lowly' crew member, was lounging and enjoying the rare break. Well, it wasn't really true that the break was rare since they would get one day off a month, but it sure seemed like it.

The production this time round felt extra tiring. Extra stressful. Perhaps it was because the first place they went for filming had a homicide, which seemed to cast an overhang of dark shadows above.

Perhaps it was because a lot of them were having bad thoughts over the sort of charm a certain young new actor seemed to be having over them. It was as if he cast a spell or something.

Right now, that beacon of bad thou- I mean, luck, was just sitting there, laughing without a care with his assistant-cum-friend. They were waiting, apparently, for his close friends to come over. Since they weren't filming, the set was open and they weren't restricted to enter.

He was sitting on a deck chair, dressed simply in a white collared T-shirt and dark camo cargo shorts. His fringe was getting long and a stray lock or two kept getting over his eye, which he would often either flip it back or run his hands through it to sleek it back.

Either way, he was eye candy.

Just then, a loud, booming voice was heard wailing across the field and they saw a person running over, "KYYYLLLLEEEEEEEE!!!!"

Kyle cringed, but didn't move from his spot. Everyone could see his face scrunched up as a rather lively young boy pounced on him. The force of the hug pushed Kyle back onto the deck chair, and it toppled back.

The bottom legs started going up as the deck chair fell back when an olive-skinned young boy jumped and landed on it, bringing it back down. The deck chair steadied and righted itself as Kyle subjected himself to being squashed.

Well, half-squashed, until the olive-skinned boy pulled the guy up from the back of his collar.

"Enough, Xing Han," Ali said, "You're going to kill him if you keep that up."

Xing Han stared at Ali, wriggling himself out of his old and pointed a finger right inbetween Ali's eyebrows, "You're just jealous cuz I got here first!"

Ali snorted, "Did you honestly think that you can outrun me? I let you win."

"HAH. HAH. HAH," Xing Han shouted, emphasizing each 'hah' at Ali's face, "I've been exercising and can beat you in a race anyday now!"

Ali's mouth twitched as he looked at the enthusiastic Xing Han and decided not to argue. Xing Han had been like a half-dead fish since Kyle had been so busy with filming. Seeing him lively like this was a good thing.

Kyle touched Xing Han's forehead and frowned, "You don't have a fever."

Kyle grabbed Xing Han by the shoulders and stared at his face, "You look like Xing Han"

He stood up, bringing Xing Han to stand up as well as he turned Xing Han left and right, "But you certainly aren't as round as my Xing Han! Who are you!?"

Xing Han puffed out his chest and put his hands on his waist, saying, "Huh. You think you're the only one who's working out? I, Xing Han, your BFF forever and ever, am also working out. Soon, I, too, will be the only other Elite Five member that will have a rock-hard body like yours."

Ali grinned and patted Xing Han on the shoulders, "Third, Xing Han. I've always been fit but unlike Mr. Show-Off here, I keep mine under wraps."

"Fourth," pipped up Sam, "I keep mine under wraps even more."

Ali and Xing Han turned to face Sam in disbelief. They looked at him, then at each other and shouted, "BANZAI!!"

Sam's eyes shot wide open and he got up quickly upon the start of that shout and ran off. Ali and Xing Han ran after him, with Ali shouting at Sam to stop while Xing Han was just shouting "AAAAAHHHHHH" as he chased after Sam, arms flailing about.

Just then, Kay came and sat next to Kyle.

She had been leisurely walking behind the others, keeping quiet as she watched Xing Han launch himself on Kyle. Kyle smiled at seeing her and brought his hand around her waist, bringing her close. He kissed her forehead and both of them watched the three stooges running around.

Ali finally managed to catch Sam, by launching himself forward and grabbing Sam's legs. Sam tumbled, bringing his hands forward to catch the fall and he quickly turned, twisting Ali along with him.

Ali was surprised by this move and found himself with his back on the ground while still holding onto Sam's legs. However, his hold had loosened, so Sam used the back of his heel to poke Ali on the chest while grabbing a fistful of Ali's hair.

The pain from both ends made Ali let go instinctively, to which Sam used that window of opportunity to kick on Ali's chest and get up.

Only to be body slammed onto the ground by Xing Han.

"HOLD HIM TIGHTLY, Xing Han!" roared Ali, who rubbed his chest and got up. His eyes narrowed upon Sam as he got close.

Seeing the choke hold Xing Han had on Sam, Ali thought idly that Xing Han should have been a wrestler. As it was, Sam couldn't get out of the hold and Ali tapped him on the forehead.

"Since when did you learn how to fight like that?" he growled.

"Get off me, Xing Han," Sam hissed, not answering Ali, "Or I'll tell Kyle about the time you stole his favourite pen."

"I did NOT steal it!" Xing Han protested, "I'm just ... keeping it for safekeeping."

"For seven years?" Sam asked, raising his eyebrow.

Xing Han growled and let Sam go. How the heck did Sam find out about that, anyway? Xing Han hadn't meant to keep it but he somehow couldn't help himself. When he saw that pen, with Kyle's name, his hand had somehow reached out for it.

When Kyle went ballistic over how he lost his pen that had his name engraved on it, Xing Han couldn't own up. It was during the time he had first started to get to know Kyle and he had been deathly afraid that Kyle would not want to be his friend anymore.

So he kept quiet.

As time went by, Xing Han somehow couldn't find the courage to own up anymore. The pen was kept in a special display case, hidden in his closet at home. He wasn't afraid of Kyle rejecting him as a friend anymore, but somehow, he hadn't been able to confess.

It was so long ago any way and Kyle never brought it up again.

Xing Han quickly got up, much to Ali's dismay.

Sam sat up, brushing his clothes and was about to stand up when Ali suddenly grabbed the bottom of Sam's shirt. Sam grabbed Ali's wrist, intending to twist it around but Ali had quickly brought that hand up, palm facing his face. At the same time, his other hand went under Sam's wrist. He wrapped Sam's wrist with his thumb and forefinger, squeezing it and twisting it while moving his body in the same motion.

Kyle and Kay watched them 'play'.

"Sam's getting better, isn't he?" Kay observed, leaning on Kyle.

"Yes, he's still diligently practicing everyday, though he doesn't have anyone to spar with most of the time. It's good he can play with Ali right now," Kyle commented.

"Though you can see how shocked Ali is with this new thing of Sam. Look at Xing Han's face!" laughed Kay, putting her hand over her mouth as she did so.

Xing Han was just standing there, his mouth hanging open, as Ali and Sam continued this 'dance' of theirs. Each time one looked like they had the upper hand, the other turned the tide. He just kept on looking left, then right, then puffed out his cheeks as he pouted.

He turned to complain to Kyle when his face brightened up.

Why was he wasting time here?!

He quickly ran over, his face sporting a huge grin. Plopping himself on the other side of Kyle, he placed his arm across Kyle's shoulders.

So the three of them were sitting there: Xing Han, leaning on Kyle on one side with Kay, leaning on him on the other side as they watched the 'sketch' Ali and Sam were putting on.

Further away, another pair of eyes was watching the scene. He leaned on the wall, contemplating deeply as he observed the five kids. Two fighting playfully, showcasing amazing hand movements while three were close together, their heads practically glued together as they watched the two.

Keanu was surprised to see that Sam had some self-defence skills himself, recognising the moves a bit. The other had a slightly different style that he assumed was from Country SA. Keanu wasn't familiar with that style but he could tell that he was quite skilled in it.

Sam wasn't as smooth, but he was holding up quite well.

Keanu watched for a little while longer before he finally made his way to the three sitting down.

"Kyle," he said softly, standing behind him.

Kyle leaned to the side, twisting a bit to face Keanu and greeted him warmly, "Morning, Keanu. Have you had your breakfast yet?"

Keanu smiled, shaking his head, "No, not yet. Just walking about first before eating. Are these your friends?"

Xing Han stood up at attention, saluting Keanu, while saying, "Yes, Sir! I am Xing Han, Kyle's one and only BFF till death!!" Then he gave a huge grin and then shook Kyle's shoulder vigorously.

"Kyle! Kyle!! It's KEANU REEVES!!"