-Lay’s POV-

The rest were in the breakfast room except for Jinhae and Lu Han. The rest, especially Tao, had been speculating about why they were not present at breakfast. Everyone surmised that they’ve met each other. I didn’t have to guess. I knew they did and not a very good circumstance for either myself or Lu Han. I saw everything last night, probably half of it since I was about to retire to bed as well after that utterly awkward dinner with Tao’s mother and Nai-Nai. The moment I stepped onto the east wing of Shijian Castle, I heard voices coming from the intersecting corridor and when I went to see what was going on, I saw him standing in the middle of the room with her, embracing her despite of her protests. She eventually ran away from him and I stood by her door half of the time, listening to her quiet sobs.

Although it was very heart-wrenching to see her that way, I didn’t have a choice but to leave her be. It would be unfair for Lu Han if I would suddenly come to her rescue after what happened. It was anguish-inducing when I saw him kissing her, relieving when she pushed him away and saddening when I heard the slap on the face echo through the hallway, followed by her words to him. ‘You’re impossible!’ she resentfully spat at him before going away. I guess he came on too strong for her. After leaving, he can’t expect her to revert to how it used to be. She had been hurt and nothing matters to her but that at the moment after seeing him again.

We’ve all expected her to behave rather aloof for the day so it was a big surprise when the door burst open to admit her…and Lu Han. She walked into the room, adding sunshine when she smiled brightly at everyone. It was dazzlingly false yet it was perfect to the eyes of the others who knew nothing. Her aura says it all. I was unlucky to witness something like that in the morning, but knowing how she was opposed every other fact. Nothing mattered, just the fact that she was hurting and I was, too.

Tao stood up from his seat, taking half a step towards her. “Good morning.”

Her smile continued. “Good morning!” she greeted us all in a very lively manner. Her vigor was unmistakable at times like this, but instead of seeing that, I saw her dark countenance resurfacing. Her eyes strayed to me then. “Are you done with your breakfast?”

I nodded. “Did you have a good night’s sleep?” I asked, glancing at the person behind her. I looked at him, meaning to attract his attention. Once he was looking at me, I projected my thoughts to him. ‘I can’t believe I am giving up the woman I love for someone she doesn’t even want to look at.’

He tensed.

I sighed quietly, listening for Jinhae’s answer. “Yeah. I’m all jazzed up for my training.” She said something more, but I didn’t hear it.

‘Look, Lu Han. I want you to understand that I would never extend the same kind of courtesy to any other person, but since it’s you, I had to.’

His countenance shifted from that of ire to understanding. He nodded inconspicuously at me.

‘I wouldn’t settle for anything less when it comes to her so you’d better prove yourself worthy as my opponent.’

Suddenly, he spoke, looking at Jinhae. “What training?”

‘Stop trying to act like all is fine. We know.’

He ignored me and continued to look at her. Suddenly, she also returned his gaze when we’ve all thought that she was going to ignore him. I didn’t see how she looked like, but the way Tao and Chen tensed up when she looked at Lu Han said it all.

“Training to kick ,” she said, the edge on her voice very evident. She turned away from him and faced me with a flourish. “Ready?”

I smiled at her. “Eat your breakfast first. There are hot biscuits if you fancy them,” I offered.

She shook her head slowly, her smile dropping. “I don’t want to eat.” Her breath caught. “I’ve lost my appetite.” She turned away from me this time. “I’ll wait for you in the den.” She continued to walk out of the room, striking her squared shoulders against Lu Han’s to the point that he flinched and stood back. Sorrow coursed through him when her lips curled up contumeliously at his agony. “Oh sorry. I didn’t see you there.” She continued her progress out of the room and closed the door behind her.

The room was as still as pleasant night except that it was heavy with tension, but after a few moments, they all flocked to Lu Han, bombarding him with questions while I just there, once more filling my cup with tea as they all spoke at the same time.

“Have you spoken to her yet?” Kris asked.

Lu Han nodded. “I have and she made it quite evident that she didn’t want me around least of all talk to me.”

‘You’d better do something. I’m not going to win by default. Do you understand?’

He looked frustrated already.

“What do you plan to do then?” Chen asked. “You can’t go on through this treating each other like that, both of you.”

Xiu Min shrugged. “In case you’re unaware, it’s only our little mei-mei who is being antagonistic. Lu Han doesn’t have it in him to be mean to her.”

I didn’t know what he meant by that, but it was amusing. I smiled to myself and continued sipping my tea.

“We all don’t,” Tao corrected, glancing at me.

“What?” I asked him.

He rolled his eyes. “Stop pretending as if you aren’t hearing a thing,” he snapped.

I shook my head. “Believe it or not, I am doing no such thing. You’re all just…” I chuckled slightly. “…amusing.” I looked at Lu Han then. ‘What’s your plan?’

He shrugged. “I don’t know, but I promise I’d do anything to win her back.” He smirked at me.

‘Don’t be so sure of yourself. I’m going to make it extra difficult for you to get to her.’ I grinned at him. ‘Let’s just say it’s punishment for leaving her out in the cold.’

He stood up in indignation, looking at me while I did, taking my time, challenging him to make his move in front of everyone. I bowed slightly. “Excuse me. Jinhae is waiting for me.” I looked at him one last time before exiting the room. ‘I’m waiting, too, mind you.’

I proceeded to the den and found Jinhae on the floor, lying flat on her back while her feet were wedged between the floor and the narrow space under the divan. Once again, she was doing her routine. Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead and a light sheen of it had formed on her exposed back and lower torso. I watched as she lay back flat on the ground then curled up repeatedly. She was faster this time and I knew that she couldn’t feel herself tiring out since more of her anger pushed her to keep going. It was hard to tell what was going on in her mind at the moment, but her hostile breathing and edgy actions showed that she was angry. I just stood there, watching her when she suddenly glanced at me.

“You took longer than I was expecting,” she commented, half groaning as she rose up.

I walked towards her and sat down, looking out of the doors that led to the balcony, listening to her labored breathing.

“So you’re just going to watch me?” She let out a slight chuckle. “You look pale today.”

I looked at her then. “I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

She paused and raised a brow at me. “Me?”

“Yes.”

She continued once more. “Why? I’m perfectly fine.”

“You suddenly changed…again.”

“Is…is that bad?” She let out a whoosh of air and sat there steadily.

“You’re becoming hard-hearted,” I commented without emotion.

She suddenly stood up, eyeing me coldly. That was a first. “Look. If you’re talking about Lu Han then just stop. I’m fine. He’s back. Well and good. He can now do his duty, but it shouldn’t affect me so that’s precisely what I’m trying to do.” She turned away from me. She kept doing that a lot lately.

“And the fact that you are being unfriendly to him attests to that?”

She stopped walking and faced me again. “Are you trying to pick a fight with me, too?”

“Too? Who picked a fight with you before I did?”

“So you are.” She nodded. “Fine then, but I’m not going to.”

“I’m doing no such thing, Jinhae. What I’m trying to say is that –”

She nodded briskly. “No, no. I get it. You don’t have to tell me. More than ever, I should be trying to unite with all of you. That’s okay with me. You won’t see me trying to make his life miserable again.”

I shook my head. Jinhae was a very good person, kind and warm, but she was also very stubborn. “It’s not that.”

“Then what?!” she yelled.

I stood up when her voice began to rise. I took her by the shoulders and shook her slightly. “I was telling you to make you realize that you don’t have to become someone that you are not just because you are angry.”

She glared at me. “What are you talking about, Lay? I’m not trying to –”

“But you are!”

She let out a snagged breath and shrugged my arms off her. “I’m not!” she retorted. The furniture began rising slightly from the floor. “Get that notion straightened out. I’m doing no such thing and it not going to happen anytime soon.”

I looked around. “But I can see what you’re doing. We all see it.”

“See what?”

“You don’t have to change just because Lu Han came back…”

“It’s always going to be about him, isn’t it?!” she snapped, backing away. “I don’t care if he’s here or not. I’m fine and you’re all trying to make a big fuss out of it. How are we all supposed to move forward if you’re stuck?”

“That’s exactly what I am saying. It’s you, Jinhae, not us. Your hostility towards him just shows that you haven’t moved forward.”

At this rate, she would be crying, but she wasn’t. She’d grow