TAO

I walked down from the stairs after freshening up and the first person I saw was Jinhae, entering the house with a smile on her face. I guess she saw me first.

“Tao~!” she called and I could feel her gaiety exuding from her.

“You’re back!” I met her halfway and squeezed her lightly against me. She returned the gesture by squeezing me back and we both dissolved into laughter.

Xiu Min suddenly popped out of nowhere, frowning with his lower lips jutting out. “I want a hug, too!” he exclaimed.

I released Jinhae from my hold as she hopped towards the Frost Noble with a smile and gave him a hug as well. He then linked arms with her and began to walk away, but Jinhae paused and looked at me.

“Aren’t you coming along?” she said, beckoning me with her free hand. I linked arms with her as well and we all walked towards the banquet hall.

“Where have you been?” I asked her and Xiu Min nodded in agreement.

“To the hills with Lay,” Chen, who appeared out of nowhere, said before Jinhae could answer.

I rolled my eyes at him and looked at Jinhae. “So, what did you do there?” I asked her, shooting daggers at Chen’s direction.

She grinned. “We went on a picnic.”

“Picnic!” Xiu Min exclaimed, pausing as he leaned away from Jinhae. “You didn’t even invite us?”

Jinhae smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry about that, but it was a date. You couldn’t possible come, now can you?”

Xiu Min and I frowned while Chen just shook his head, probably ridiculing us in his thoughts.

She rubbed the back of Xiu Min’s hand and grinned. “I’m just sorry you weren’t able to taste the peach tarts that Lay’s mother made. It was really good.”

“PEACH TARTS!” the three of us chorused.

I grumbled. “Now I feel bad.”

Suddenly, Lay joined in, once again, coming out of nowhere. “Why should you feel bad? They’re not meant for you anyway.”

I frowned then. “What is wrong with you all, materializing out of nowhere? Are you by any chance Teleportation Nobles from Portia?” I told them, annoyed. 

Lay smirked. “It’s not my fault if you’re exceptionally unaware of your surroundings, Tao.”

Before I could argue, Jinhae spoke. “Teleportation Noble?” she asked. “There’s such a thing? I mean…they could actually pop out of nowhere whenever they please?” She looked at the three of us with wide eyes.

Chen frowned as we entered the banquet hall where Lu Han and Yi Fan were already seated on the table. Chen paused and looked at Jinhae for a moment and sighed. “Beyond the great river are the other half, six Element Nobles.”

Jinhae arched a brow at him. “I didn’t know that,” she said, eyeing us all. She took her arms back from me and Xiu Min, waiting for an answer. “There are six other nobles in Korinthia?”

We all nodded. “Yes.”

Lay was quick to interrupt the conversation and stood behind her, taking her by the shoulders and leading her to the table. “The lady is hungry. Let’s start dinner, shall we?” he said without pause.

Lu Han waved his hand and pulled out a chair for Jinhae from where he was seated while Yi Fan smiled briefly at her. She smiled back at Yi Fan and eyed Lu Han, glancing at us before she considered sitting down.

“It’s still creepy watching you move things without actually touching them, but thanks anyway, Lu Han,” she said then settled down.

He smiled, not quite meeting her gaze. I guess he was still acting oddly.

We all followed her example. I sat on her other side by the edge where Yi Fan was while Chen and Xiu Min sat on the empty chairs on either side of Lu Han who was directly in front of Jinhae. Soon, dinner was being served.

“What’s for dessert?” Xiu Min said to Poh the moment she went out of the pantry.

“Nothing for you,” Poh said sternly as she placed the bowl of soup in front of us.

Xiu Min eyed her as if the world he had known was falling apart in front of him and Poh cackled heartily. “I was jesting, Xiu Min. It’s peach tart,” she said and he loosened up.

Jinhae veered on her seat excitedly. “There’s more?” she asked eagerly.

This girl.

Poh bowed graciously at her. “Yes, Miss, courtesy of Lay’s mother.”

She giggled excitedly. “Oh goody!”

Lay rolled his eyes. “You haven’t had enough?”

She vigorously shook her head. “One just couldn’t get enough of those precious things. I think I’m going to love it in Hailesia when I visit. Unlimited tarts!”

He patted her head with a doting beam. “I’m sure you will.”

My eyes suddenly strayed from them to Lu Han who was staring down at his empty plate, making the spoon and the fork glide on its surface with his mind. Yi Fan cleared his throat and they immediately fell with a clatter. All eyes were on Lu Han as he tried to fix the cutlery.

“Lu Han, you shouldn’t play with the utensils,” Poh said.

He smiled awkwardly and nodded. “Sorry,” he mumbled, but continued staring at his plate. Poh left right after that.

Jinhae faced the table again and looked at everyone, starting from Yi Fan. “How was everyone’s day?” she asked, keeping the mood in the hall light.

The flight noble spoke first. “It’s the usual for me. I went to survey the river,” he said smoothly.

She nodded. “What did you find out this time?” she asked.

“It really is infinite,” he answered.

“No way around it, is there?”

He shook his head while she shifted her gaze to everyone else.

“Nothing special,” said Xiu Min.

“I read books,” Chen said then Jinhae looked at me.

I shook my head. “You know where I was.”

She chuckled then. “I’ll take that as a good day for everyone.” She eyed Lu Han. “Lu Han?”

He looked up at the mention of his name. “Yes?”

Xiu Min suddenly burst out in a fit of coughing and we all looked at him. Sidetracked, Jinhae turned her attention to him and just one look would tell that he was suppressing laughter. Lu Han rolled his eyes at him and began ladling out some soup manually.

“Are you alright?” Jinhae asked Xiu Min and he nodded, his face turning red. She smiled at him. “Eat slowly. Anyway…” She shifted her gaze back to Lu Han, apparently, she wasn’t letting their conversation go. “How are you feeling?” she asked and again, Lu Han dropped the ladle too abruptly on the soup, splashing some on the table cloth.

H slowly looked up. “I feel better.” He smiled and both people held each other’s gaze, not one letting up. They just continued staring at each other with smiles on their faces as if they were communicating with their minds.

Lay and Xiu Min exchanged glances, the former rather confused while the latter was just poking fun at Lu Han’s utterly aberrant ungainliness. Chen watched Lu Han and Jinhae and shook his head, quietly resuming his meal. They were like that for some time until Yi Fan cleared his throat and looked at me meaningfully. As if the spell that they’ve created was just broken, they both looked away. She still held the smile on her face even as she looked down, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. Lay’s expressions turned blank.

“That’s good,” she said then took the soup ladle. She stood up and began putting soup into a smaller bowl that she held next to the serving bowl when Xiu Min finally burst at the seams and began laughing out loud, startling her. She accidentally poured the searing liquid into her hand and dropped everything else.

“Ouch!” she hissed as she let go of the ladle.

I tried to stand up and take her hand, but Lu Han beat me to it, reaching from across the table and carefully wiping her hand with the napkin.

“Xiu Min!” Yi Fan growled, standing up from the table as well.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Xiu Min frantically said.

“Are you alright?” Lu Han asked her, his eyes and expressions filled with concern as he gently patted her scalded hand.

“It stings, but I’m fine,” she answered, giving Yi Fan an assuring look. “No need to apologize, Xiu Min.”

Xiu Min shrunk back on his seat and lowered his gaze. “I’m still terribly sorry,” he whispered, avoiding Yi Fan and Lay’s cold gazes.

While Lu Han was trying to remedy her hand, Lay suddenly pulled her hand away from Lu Han, startling us all. He seated her down, making her face him while he took her hand in his. “I’ll take care of it, don’t worry.” Before anyone could recover from the harshness, he raised her hand to his lips and lightly kissed her hand, his eyes drooping close slowly.

Lu Han looked down, closing his eyes as Lay healed her hand. It was taking longer than necessary and we just knew what was happening. Suddenly, everything on top of the table was levitating. The moment Lu Han looke