'That's a pretty bad burn.." Yixing comments as he carefully bandages Baekhyun's hand with a clean wrap.

Baekhyun winces, trying to ignore the stinging pain in his palm. "It just hurts..a lot."

"Physically or mentally?" Yixing asks, already knowing what Baekhyun would say.

Baekhyun looked at him with wide eyes before biting his lower lip. "Both."

"Chanyeol has a habit of running away." Yixing says calmly and Baekhyun panics.​

"I-I didnn't say it was-"

"I know Chanyeol. There's no one else who could give you such a serious injury like this."

Baekhyun shut his lips together. Would Chanyeol get in trouble?

"Don't worry, I won't report it to Ms. Kim. You can relax a bit," Yixing chuckled. "I can feel your muscles tensing up."

"O-Oh..Thanks Yixing hyung."

Yixing nods. "However, it doesn't seem like the first time you've injured this hand..the burn has gotten through the top layer of skin that seemed to have healed from a previous wound."

"So what does that mean?" Baekhyun asked with a worried frown. \

"It'll just take a bit longer to heal. Don't worry though, give it maybe..2 weeks? I've already put some ointment on it to numb the pain. Just come back when it starts to hurt and I'll try to drain some of the wounds out."

Baekhyun sighed with relief. "Okay..thanks again."

-

Baekhyun didn't see Chanyeol until a few days later, the second scavenger hunt of the year.

"I call dibs on Kyungsoo!" Jongin exclaims, holding the seniors hand tightly. Jongdae rolled his eyes.

'Well, he's your boyfriend. Have him." To that, Jongin rested his head on Kyungsoo's shoulder, despite the height difference.

"Then, I'm going to team up with-"

"Chanyeol hyung!" Sehun called out as he walked over to the group of friends.

Luhan's eyes lit up and he smiled as the sophomore approached them.

"Oh, hey." Chanyeol says with his hands in his pockets. Sehun stops right in front of him.

"I was wondering if you wanted to team up with me?" Sehun asks and Luhan's smile completely drops. He stares at Sehun before frowning and looking up at Chanyeol beside him to see his response.

Chanyeol blinked, not expecting Sehun to have asked to be his partner again.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted Baekhyun talking to Kyungsoo and Jongdae. He couldn't help but stare at Baekhyun's right hand, bandaged in a white cloth.

"Uh.." Chanyeol wanted to be Baekhyun's partner but he didn't have the confidence to ask him.

"Chanyeol?" Sehun asked, leaning over and tapping his shoulder.

Luhan couldn't help it.

"I wonder if Baekhyun is okay...should I-"

"If you want to work with Baekhyun, just go talk to him." Luhan says out loud and Sehun and Chanyeol both look at him. He couldn't risk losing a chance to partner with Sehun. They had gotten a bit closer the last time they teamed up. When Sehun had sent him signals for help, he felt happier than ever to be able to assist the younger male.

Chanyeol frowned, knowing that Luhan had read his mind.

"I didn't say that." Chanyeol defends. He steals one more glance at Baekhyun before turning to Sehun.

"Sure let's team up."

Luhan feels his heart drop with Sehun smiles widely. Were his cheeks pink?

"See you later hyung!" Sehun dashed off to Tao and his other friends. They had 15 minutes before the game started. They were already giving out spell bands.

Once Sehun left, Luhan glared at Chanyeol. "Are you kidding me Chanyeol!?"

"What?" Chanyeol didn't seem very happy himself.

"You totally could have given Sehun to me!"

"Is he a thing now? He doesn't belong to you. He came to me first anyway." Chanyeol says with a huff. He felt an uncomfortable rock in his chest. He really wanted to talk to Baekhyun, to apologize and tell him how sorry he was.

Luhan shook his head. "And you say Baekhyun is "yours"? You can have Baekhyun but I can't have Sehun? You're unfair Chaneyol."

Chanyeol felt someone staring at the side of his head. He turned his head only to see Baekhyun staring at him with a sad gaze before he turned away and followed Kyungsoo to another area.

I messed up again..didn't I?

-

"This is Wu YiFan, but he goes by Kris. He is our new safeguard. Introduce yourself." The instructor explains to the crowd of students.

"Hello, you all can call me Kris. Flight novas. I graduated last year and I've come back to teach you all about the safety of our elements. Pleasure to see some new faces and also to be reunited with old ones." Kris gave a smile to Joonmyeon and Kyungsoo as they made eye contact in the crowd. "I will be supervising this game today. In case of any accidents or injuries, send signals and I'll get to you quickly. We'll immediately send you to the infirmary to be treated or so that you can get some rest. As you know, you can return at any point of the game. Good luck and stay safe."

Everyone claps at his introduction and quickly scatters at the entrance of the forest.

Joonmyeon tries to get himself as far away from Kris as possible but it didn't help when your ex boyfriend was just as tall as a certain fire nova tree.

"Joonmyeon, how have you been?" Kris asks with a smirk on his face. His smirk wasn't one of evil but simply one of curiosity. "You've really matured since the last time I saw you."

Joonmyeon felt shivers go down his arm. "K-Kris..hi."

"You're still as serious as ever." Kris stops in front of Joonmyeon. Baekhyun watched as the two exchanged greetings. He had always seen Joonmyeon as one of the older hyungs that stayed out of trouble and always knew what to do. Now, with Kris, he seemed almost smaller and insecure.

"Who are you partnering with?" Kris asked casually.

Joonmyeon frowned. "That's none of your business."

Kris shrugged. "I was just asking. Do you still have a crush on Yixing?"

Joonmyeon felt his ears go red. "No."

"Oh really?..that's not what he said the last time I saw him. You sent me to him, right?" Kris cocked his head to the side and Joonmyeon tried to avoid his gaze

"Whatever. I'm going to find a partner." Joonmyeon makes a move to walk away but Kris grabs his hand quickly.

"Can I be your partner?"

-

"I guess I'll work with you again, Baekhyun." Luhan says. Baekhyun nodded.

He could see that Luhan was trying to be enthusiastic but it was obvious he was upset.

"Where's Sehun?" Baekhyun asked, although he had a feeling what the answer was.

"He's partnering with Chanyeol."

Baekhyun nodded. "Oh."

"Yeah. Why don't the ones we love love us?" Luhan joked.

"I-I don't love Chanyeol that way.." Baekhyun shakes his head.

"Sure, if you say so."

The games began and just like the first time, Luhan and Baekhyun made their way into the forest. He didn't see Chanyeol anywhere in front of him. Jongin and Kyungsoo walked beside them. It seemed like Jongin was considering this to be more of a date than a scavenger hunt.

"What should we look for first?" Luhan asked, loking down at their list.

"Let's get the easy stuff first. I know where we can find some of these. Follow me."

-

"Why..did you want to work with me?" Chanyeol asked as they walked around the lake. He kept at eye out for diamond blue pebble. Sehun looked at the ground, checking the shore rocks for the shiny pebble.

"I don't know.." Sehun stared at the water. "As you said, we're compatible. I thought it'd be cool if we could work together. And win together."

Chanyeol sighed. "Yeah."

Sehun stuck his hand into the water and felt each rock. "I know we're not even the same year but I really want to be friends with you, Chanyeol."

Chanyeol knelt beside Sehun and felt the cool water with his fingers. "Oh.."

Sehun continued. "Like how you said, a fire needs oxygen to grow. I want to be the wind that gives you what you need. I want to help you. I want to be by your side."

Chanyeol looks at Sehun. "Se-"

"I found it!" Sehun exclaims, pulling out a shiny rock. He held it out in the palm of his hands to show Chanyeol.

"Nice!" Chanyeol smiles and puts it inside the basket. Chanyeol couldn't help but think of how much he's changed. Months ago, he would have flat out rejected anyone who asked to work with him. He was insdpendent. He disliked the company of others but here he was, working with someon younger than him.

"What's the next object on our list?" Sehun asks eagerly.

-

"Don't touch me." Joonmyeon groans as he pushes Kris' arm off his shoulder. The taller male had been using his height as an advantage whenever he got tired.

"You didn't to say that to me when we were dating." Kris says a bit cheekily.

"But I wasn't begging you to touch me, either." Joonmyeon argues, feeling a bit embrassed with their history.

"How are your classes?" Kris asks as they approach a large rock.

"Fine."

"What about NP? Has Ms. Kim taken you off prohibation yet?"

Joonmyeon sighs. "Stop talking as if we're good friends."

"We're not?" Kris asks with a tiny pout. Joonmyeon had to admit, Kris was as handsome, if not more, as when he had graduated last year. His blonde hair suited him more than his brown and if it was even possible for him, he had gotten slightly taller.

"No, we are not." Joonmyeon checks the list again.

"If I remember clearly, we didn't even have a bad break up. It was just..you got bored and left me." Kris reminds him.

Joonmyeon tries to not think back. "..Sorry."

Kris laughs. " Why are you apologizing?"

"Because I was immature and selfish. And I hurt you."

Joonmyeon bit his lower lip.

"It's okay. We all get hurt and hurt others. I don't really care too much anymore."

Joonmyeon looks up at Kris who gives him a reassuring smile.

"I know you still like Yixing. You wouldn't have left someone as handsome as I am if you weren't serious about him."

The senior blushed and looked away. "W-Who says I wasn't serious about him? We're just..not really talking at the moment. He..Yixing has someone he's interested in right now."

Kris raises and eyebrow. "He does? His blank face never shows it."

Joonmyeon frowns. "When he's with that person..he's always smiling and laughing."

Kris pats Joonmyeon's shoulder. "Have you told him how you feel?"

"Yeah. And I was rejected right away."

Kris puts his hand on his hip.

"Should I help you out?" He slyly suggests.

Joonmyeon looks up with a confused expression. "Help me? How?"

Kris shrugs. "Oh, you know. Make him jealous."

-

"Okay, just three more." Luhan says proudly as he checks off another item on their list.

"What's next?"

"Korean Root..oh, I know one place where we can get them but we have to really careful." Luhan explains, motioning for Beakhyun to follow him. The made it over several large rocks until they made it to a deeper part of the forest.

"Are you sure we can go this far?" Baekhyun asks. The random branches and leaves all over the floor made it difficult to walk. Some how, following Luhan's skillful techniques, Baekhyun made it.

"Yeah, the entire forest is open during scavenger hunts. Don't worry." Luhan reassured.

Baekhyun held the basket tightly. There were no other students around but he could hear their voices from a far.

Another ten minutes passed before they made it to a slight clearing.

"The roots are inside the ground but if you dig in the softer grounds, you can easily find them." Luhan explains, crouching down to feel the dirt.

Baekhyun couldn't help but feel amazed at the scenery. They stood near the cliff where you could see the land that stretched around the open ocean.

"I-Is that Seoul?" Baekhyun asked, feeling a bit homesick. It was the first time he had seen bits of the outside world since he had entered the school.

"Yep..I'm going back out next year. After I graduate." Luhan says picking at the ground.

"Back out?"

Luhan looks at Baekhyun. "Of this force field. That's when we'll be abe to have full control over our powers and we can live our lives as normal people. Our novas are not as strong though. Being in here enhances our abilities and clears our minds so that we can concentrate on our elements."

Baekhyun stares at the open land in front of him.

"What month is it?" Baekhyun asks.

Luhan laughs. "It should be January now..why?"

Baekhyun frowns. "I missed Christms! And Thanksgiving!"

Luhan smiled sadly. "We don't celebrate those here. Seasons don't really exist within the force feild. If we wanted to make the trees bare, we could. If we want it to be spring, we can. I haven't seen snow in like..4 years. I only remember it a bit from my childhood.."

Baekhyun frowned. "That's so sad..Christmas, winter..I'll miss that."

Luhan nodded. He understand Baekhyun's longing.

"So in Seoul..outside of our school, it's winter?"

Luhan nodded once more. "Yep."

Baekhyun sighed.

"I'll go dig over there." Baekhyun tells Luhan, walking over to the soggy area.

"Just stick your hand in a feel around for a bulb. When you pull it out, it should have a long bunch of roots."

Baekhyun kneels at the ground and rolled up his sleeves. The spell band dangled loosely on his wrist.

He continued to dig in the dirt, hoping that either he or Luhan could find something quickly. A cold wind blew Baekhyun's hair into his face.  If the area he had searched was empty, Baekhyun neatly patted the dirt back into the ground.

"Find anything?" Luhan calls. Baekhyun shakes his head.

"No."

Baekhyun brushed at the dirt, sweeping it over to the side. There was no way he could dig the whole field. He got up and walked to another area.

"There has to be one somewhere.." he mumbled to himself.

"Oh-!" Baekhyun dug a little more, removing the large rocks and wet soil out of the way.

"Luhan! I found one, I-" Baekhyun pulled at the tiny brown bulb from the ground, careful to not snap the roots. He stared at the plant in his hand before noticing how cold it was.

"Baekhyun! You got one!" Luhan exclaims as he jogs over. Baekhyun stared at the ground before him. His knees were dirty and wet and his clothes were convered in all sorts of minerals.

"What's wr-"

Just as Luhan was about to grab the root from Baekhyun's hand, he followed Baekhyun's gaze. His eyes widened.

"Is that..?" Luhan felt his arms shiver.

"Yeah." Baekhyun swallowed. "That's snow."

Hello! As promised, another update~

Leave a comment! Why do you think Chanyeol agreed to work with Sehun? What do you think of Kris's character? What does it mean, when Baekhyun and Luhan saw snow?? dun dun dunn! Any predictions? ;D

Featured Comment: ​lastbencher : Wat?? No next button??? Oh god its going so good..! Whats happening with Chanyeol though?? IS he in danger??? Why is Kris back??? 0_0

As always, thank you so much for reading my story! I truly appreciate how much you guys are enjoying this! I will be away for the next few days but if I can, I will try to update as soon as possible~ <3

Thank you to ikutokun, Yarden657, Shiningold, Jackiewook, designed419, WoodlandSparrow  for your lovely comments~ :)