“Don’t mind me, my tears are pearls.” Keyin sniffs as she does her best to shake away the dark spots that keep invading her vision to finish the MAMA dance.

As Keyin catches her breath and watches a sweaty Vicky pull a half-asleep Zihan out of the studio. Xinwen begins to dance again but is stopped, and is gently ushering her towards the door.

“Jiejie please get some sleep.”

“What about you?”

“Xinwen jiejie, I’ll be fine.”

Keyin shoot her a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. Xinwen huffs at Keyin’s stubbornness but gives her a tight hug before leaving. She doesn’t see Keyin’s ears flushing a bright red, and her heart rate pick up.

/

“Keyin you okay?”

“I’ll be fine, you go first you need your sleep, I think I’ll give the ground a hug for a bit longer.”

Keyin says as she flops down on the studio floor, as she tries to convince Keran to leave. Keran lightly chuckles and gathers her things, before running off to shower.

Finally, alone Keyin inhails and slowly rolls up her pant leg, grimacing when it reveals a large bruise on her knee.

/

“Keyin, wake up. The lights were off and it’s past your practice time. Are you waiting for someone?”  

“I’m fine Princess jiejie. Let me get up and you can have the studio to yourself… and Yuxin.”

Keyin grumbles as she sits up, while Xueer blushes at her crushes name. Xueer glancing at Keyin sprawled on the floor, gasps seeing the sudden purple and black bruise painting Keyin skin.

“Keyin! Why didn’t you get help!”

Keyin whines at the sudden volume coming from the hair flip queen, and tries miserably to hide her leg.

“I’m the leader and everyone is counting on me, I-”

“You can’t take care of everyone else if you can’t take care of yourself first.”

Xueer clicks her tongue and shakes her head in disapproval. Seeing Xueer in her jiejie mood  doteing over her, Keyin let’s her stubborn walls to crumble. Xueer easily carries her to the medical dorm down the hall.

Silently greateful for a jiejie like Xueer, Keyin can’t help but think ‘what if it was Xinwen.’

The sudden thought caused a heat wave to travel up the back of her neck and up to her ears.

‘But how could some one like her, love some one like me?’

/

Xinwen does a double-take, Keyin looks so small in the pile of blankets.

“Keyin, you in there? Xueer told me about your knee.”

With some groaning and shifting from the blankets, a very tired Keyin emerges. Xinwen takes a moment before settling against the headboard, scanning Keyin for any physical discomfort.

“Why are you here anyway, I told you to go get rest.”

Xinwen rolls her eyes and lightly swats at Keyin, as she pretends to be annoyed. But the tiny smile that creeps across her face says otherwise.

“I can’t rest well knowing you’re not taking care of yourself either.”

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

Xinwen’s voice is laced with concern, and Keyin want’s nothing more then to crowl into a dark hole.

“I-”

‘I can’t watch you be eliminated, and goodbye to you again.’

Keyin’s breath hitches as the reality hits her, her heart pounding agressively, as she struggles to keep breathe.

Keyin hyperventilating is gut-wrenching, pulling her into a side hug, Xinwen whispers words of encouragement.

“It’s gonna be okay.”

 Keyin manages to huff out a quiet

“Stay?”

‘I love you, I can’t lose you again.’

Xinwen looks down at that only to see an exhausted Keyin, clinging to her shirt like a lifeline.

“I promise, I’ll stay.”

Keyin nuzzles into Xinwen’s light brown locks and falls asleep.

Xinwen can’t help but feel her heart race, as she leans down places a kiss on Keyin’s forehead before falling asleep.

‘I wish I could tell you, I love you.’

/

“It was worth it!” Keran grins as she gathers everyone into a tight hug.

It’s done. Keyin can’t help but feel overwelming in of relief.

Zihan leans over to Keyin and whispers through tears “Thank you for looking after us.”

Keyin sends her a watery smile and squeezes Zihan a bit tighter.

Xinwen beemed with pride, knowing how much time and energy Keyin put in. Her dedication to the battle and the team just made Xinwen heart swell with love.

/

On the way back to the waiting room, Keyin felt her cool rapper composure melt away. The adrenaline high started to fade, as her limping became more apparent

“You did it!”

Keyin turns around to see Xinwen sprinting towards her, arms open as she tackles Keyin in an enthusiastic hug. Stumbling on her good leg Keyin barely catches Xinwen with the help of the wall.

“We did it!”

Keyin corrected, giggling as she tries to balance Xinwen in her arms. Basking in the warmth of the hug, Keyin slowly pulls away to see Xinwen’s dimples on full display.

Ignoring the lump in , and pounding in her chest, Keyin locks eyes with Xinwen before tilting her head up closing the gap between them.

Xinwen lets out a small sound of surprise when Keyin’s leans in to close the gap. Before recovering and gently cradling Keyin’s face in her hands. Keyin in return tangles her hand in Xinwen’s hair, while her other wraps around Xinwen’s waist protectively.

Despite being a vocialist Xinwen’s lungs started to burn in need of air. Begrudgingly she pulled away panting as she leaned against Keyin’s forehead.

“I-”

Xinwen pauses when Keyin tightens her hold, bracing herself to hear the worst.

“I’ve wanted to do that for years.”

Keyin lets out a sigh of relief.

“Well why didn’t you Xinwen?”

Xinwen scuffes weaky, “I was scared.” A new hue of red colors her cheeks from the small confession.

Keyin corked an eyebrow at her “You were scared?” A new wave of tenderness tugged at Keyin’s heart strings, she can’t help but look at Xinwen with full love an adoration.

“Shut up and kiss me again.”

Xinwen bashfully replies before leaning in again.

“I promise, not even eliminations could make me leave you.”

Keyin answers smugly, pulling Xinwen towards her again.

“I love you”

Keyin gently whispers before cupping Xinwen’s face again and leaning in, smiling into the kiss Xinwen whispers “I love you too.”