“Luhan,” Fei said, coming into Luhan’s room three days later. “Minseok is here. I know you said you didn’t want to see him, but he’s really insistent. Should I tell him you’re sick and asleep, or should I let him come up?”

                Luhan pondered this, because even though he had said he didn’t want to see Minseok, the only thing he wanted to do was to hug and kiss him and feel his perfect soft body and see his amazing smile and those cute cheeks.

                “I still don’t want to see him. Not for a while, anyway. Tell him I’m sick.”

                “Okay,” Fei sighed, knowing perfectly well that Luhan was back to a healthy state. “I’ll let him know.”

                “Fei?” Luhan said, catching her on her way out.

                “What?” she asked.

                “I still like him,” Luhan explained. “But I still need some time to get over how I was treated.”

                “That’s why I think you should talk to him,” she said, “but it’s your choice.” She left the room, leaving Luhan alone with his thoughts. He didn’t want to see Minseok not just because he was angry, but also because he was afraid.

                What if Minseok was there to tell Luhan that after much consideration, he’s decided that he’s not interested? Or that he values the opinions of his friends too much and can’t date Luhan because of it?

                Fei came back several minutes later, saying that Minseok had gone looking very dejected.

                “So did I, from the café,” Luhan said bitterly. Fei frowned.

                “You’re eighteen years old. It’s time to grow up,” she said. Luhan sighed.

                “I know,” he said, “but I’m in pain. I grew up for him. I did, you know that. But he reverted and so did I. It’s harder than you think, to want someone you can’t have.”

                “No, I think I’d understand,” Fei replied, sitting down next to Luhan on his bed. “I’ve been in love with Geng for three years and he still hasn’t noticed. And now, even though I’m twenty-one, he still sees me as the little seventeen-year old cooking prodigy he hired.”

                “I didn’t notice either,” Luhan admitted. “I’ll help you!”

                “This is something I want to do on my own, but thanks for your offer,” Fei smiled. “I’m going to go downstairs. You rest up, okay? We don’t want you getting sick again.”

                “Thanks,” Luhan replied, and she left the room. He walked behind her, making sure she was gone before locking his door and turning to the vase.

                He closed his eyes, visualizing the lavender rising up, but he didn’t feel that uplifting feeling at all. He cracked an eye open, but nothing had moved at all.

                “I just need to try something easier,” he told himself, willing himself to calm down. He looked towards his pillow, thinking it was the perfect thing to attempt to lift. Regularly shaped, a good size, the perfect weight. If he couldn’t lift that, he wouldn’t be able to lift anything.

                He closed his eyes once again, thinking that he’d be able to lift the pillow, but once again, nothing happened. He panicked. He tried over and over again, but nothing would move.

                “No, no,” he said, falling onto his bed again. “This can’t be happening. This cannot be happening.”

                Because even though he’d been unable to control his powers before, he’d at least always had them.

                He ran downstairs, into the shop, where Hangeng and Fei were both serving customers.

                “Oh, Luhan, you’re just in time, someone needs a—” Fei started.

                “They’re gone,” he told her.

                “What are gone?” she asked.

                “My powers,” he whispered, and she still looked confused. And then he remembered that he’d never told her about them. “Damn it. Never mind.”

                “Are you alright, Luhan?” she asked.

                “No, I’m not,” he choked, walking outside of the shop and sitting on the bench just outside. He sighed, putting his head in his hands. “This can’t be happening.”

                “Luhan!” he heard a girl’s voice say, and he looked up to see Jieun before his eyes.

                “Jieun!” he replied in surprise. She folded her arms and tapped her foot.

                “You said you’d visit me, but it’s been like a month and I haven’t seen you, so I decided to come visit you instead. You look awful.”

                “Thanks,” Luhan said sarcastically. “I feel awful.”

                “Come on,” she said, offering her hand. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

                He did. He wanted to tell someone everything, someone who’d understand but not know much else. He nodded, but he didn’t take her hand. He was afraid it would remind him of Minseok’s small, soft hands, and he didn’t want that.

                “Do you want some tea?” he asked, leading her into the shop.

                “Sure,” she replied. “Hi, Hangeng, hi, Fei!”

                “Oh, Jieun! We haven’t seen you in a while!” Hangeng said. “How do you know Luhan?”

                “It’s a long story,” she smiled. “He and I are going to catch up. Keep doing what you’re doing!” She gave the both of them a thumbs-up and Luhan wanted to laugh. He led her upstairs and started the kettle.

                “What kind of tea do you want?” he asked. She pondered for a moment.

                “Whatever you’re having,” she said.

                “I’ve been drinking black tea lately,” he told her.

                “Why don’t you have a change, then? Do you have white tea?” she asked, and Luhan pouted.

                “I thought I was choosing the tea,” he said, and she laughed.

                “I’m a forceful girl,” she replied. Luhan acquiesced.

                “Do you want milk or sugar?” he asked, and she grinned.

                “What are you going to take?” she asked, and Luhan sighed.

                “Just a little milk,” he replied, and her smile disappeared right away.

                “Luhan, are you alright?” she asked. He sighed and sat down at the table with her.

                “My boyfriend denied me in front of all his friends. He said that we weren’t anything, that I wasn’t important. And…my gift is gone,” he said hoarsely. Jieun’s eyes widened.

                “It’s gone?” she asked. “Can’t you just focus a little harder, or—”

                “It’s gone, completely,” he said. “I always hated it but now that it’s gone I feel so empty.”

                “But won’t you be able to get it back?” Jieun asked concernedly.

                “I really don’t know,” Luhan sighed. Jieun frowned, sipping her tea and thinking. “It’s all really complicated and scary, and worst of all, I’m just unhappy.”

                “Well, if you become happy again, will your gift come back?” she asked.

                “I don’t know,” Luhan replied. Jieun looked at him with pity.

                “Okay, I have an idea. Why don’t you come and stay at my place for a few days?” she asked. Luhan looked at her like she was crazy.

                “Jieun, I have a job, you know,” he said.

                “Whatever,” she shrugged, “I know Hangeng and Fei can do without you for a little while. They’ve done it before. You need to become happy and I think a change of scenery would probably do you some good. Come on, Luhan, it would be fun!”

                “Well,” Luhan said, “fine.” He did want a change of scenery and someone to talk to who wouldn’t misunderstand things. Jieun cheered.

                “I’ll help you pack!” she trilled, allowing Luhan to lead her to his room. He threw some clothes into a bag and they both went back downstairs.

                “Hangeng, Fei, I’m kidnapping your employee for a few days, I hope you don’t mind,” she said. Hangeng laughed.

                “We’ll expect a ransom note in a few days then,” Hangeng smiled. “Have fun, you two!” Jieun saluted them and they walked out the door.

                “So. Tell me about your…boyfriend?” she said. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.”

                “I didn’t when I met you,” Luhan replied. “And I guess I sort of don’t anymore.”

                “Don’t say that. How did you two meet?” she asked. Luhan kicked a loose stone on the street and it bounced far away. He sighed.

                “He came to the shop a lot and he bothered me.”

                “Is he who you were referring to when you said that people liked you whether or not you wanted them to?” she wondered, and Luhan nodded. “But you ended up liking him?”

                “It was like edging down a hill and then suddenly falling off a cliff. I fell that hard.”

                “Wow,” Jieun breathed. “And then what happened?”

                “We were in a café and his friends saw us. He suddenly wouldn’t look at me or touch me and he flat out denied that we were dating. I covered for him and he didn’t even look at me or apologize.”

                “What?” she cried. “That’s awful! Do you know why?”

                “No,” he said flatly. “I have absolutely no clue.” They were silent for a moment as they walked down the street towards Jieun’s neighborhood.

                “Maybe he had his reasons,” she postulated, and Luhan let out a disdainful noise.

                “Reasons for acting like I’m someone he didn’t want to touch with a ten foot pole? I’d understand if we were like…acquaintances or something. But I’ve kissed him hundreds of times, left him breathing so—oh, uh,” Luhan stopped, because Jieun’s eyes were wide and eager.

                “No, keep going! What did you two do? Did you go all the way yet?”

                “No! Of course not!” Luhan cried, blushing furiously.

                “How far have you gotten?” she asked unabashedly.

                “Jieun, you’re fifteen, I don’t think you should be asking questions like that,” Luhan said.

                “Did you touch his—” she began, but Luhan slapped his hand on , red as a tomato.

                “Okay fine! Fine! All we did was kiss and I maybe got to his neck once or twice, okay? Stop asking questions like that!” he cried. “It’s embarrassing.”

                “You’re so cute!” Jieun squealed, and Luhan pouted.

                “You’re sounding like Fei now,” he said. He let out a deep sigh. “But I probably won’t get to kiss him again.”

                “You could just forgive him and go back, you know,” Jieun suggested. Luhan shook his head.

                “I don’t know if I can forgive him for that. And if he did something like that, don’t you think it seems like he doesn’t like me?”

                “No,” she said, and Luhan looked at her.

                “Why not?” he asked.

                “Because,” she replied, “think about what could have happened if he’d said that you two were dating. His friends might have completely flipped out, maybe taken it out on you.”

                “We could have weathered that together, though!” Luhan protested.

                “But maybe he’s not brave enough to do that. It takes a lot of courage to stand up to your friends, you know. Some people just don’t have it in them. And maybe he was nervous because while you two have only been going out for…what, a few weeks? He’s probably been with them for years. If they deserted him, all he would have is you—which I’m sure is great—but that wouldn’t give him a whole lot of security.”

                “But…” Luhan trailed off, realizing that while it was possible that Jieun was right, there were so many other ways that situation could have gone.

                “I’m going to tell you something,” Jieun said matter-of-factly. “When I first met you, I think you thought you were the most walled-off person you knew. You thought nobody could get to your real feelings, because even you couldn’t. But I saw you—and I’m guessing so did this boy—as someone who’s transparent to everyone but yourself. You had feelings that we could all see plain as day, but you didn’t even know they existed. But your wall is gone now. I’m guessing you feel vulnerable. But that’s okay, you know? Because to be vulnerable is to be human.”

                Luhan wanted to come back with a witty quip, something to show her that her wisdom was actually a collection of nice sounding words. But he couldn’t.

                “How are you so smart?” he sighed resignedly. She smiled.

                “I’m just good at reading people,” she replied. “Another of my gifts.”

                “You’re hurting my feelings,” Luhan complained.

                “You’re lying,” Jieun chuckled, and Luhan gave her a tiny smile. “There! That! You smiled! Jieunnie to the rescue!” She did an imitation of a superhero, and Luhan had to laugh. She turned back to him and smiled. “You’ll be better in no time,” she told him.

                “I hope so,” Luhan replied.

                When they arrived at her house, Jieun introduced Luhan to her parents and showed him the guest room.

                “This is really nice of you,” Luhan told her after they’d been at the house for a few days, and she beamed.

                “You really have changed,” she said. “Last time I fixed your wagon, you hardly thanked me at all. And now you’re just a big softie!”

                “It’s because…” he trailed off.

                “Because of your boyfriend,” she completed his sentence. Luhan sat down, head in his hands.

                “Yeah,” he replied. “God, I miss him so much.”

                “Don’t mope!” Jieun cried. “Sit up. Think for a second. Have some self-confidence. He still loves you, he just doesn’t know how to tell his friends. So show him that you’re important enough! Show him that you love him whether or not his friends love how you two love each other.”

                “That’s a lot of love,” Luhan said, and Jieun nodded.

                “It is!” she exclaimed. “It’s a whole lot. Because you love each other that much. You love him, don’t you?”

                “I love him so much,” Luhan put his head down again, finally admitting what he’d had such a hard time saying.

                “Sit up,” Jieun said again. “You’re strong, okay? You can—”

                The trill of the ringing telephone interrupted her. She walked over, picked it up, and grinned.

                “Luhan, it’s for you!” she smiled. Luhan frowned.

                “Who is it?”

                “Someone named Kyungsoo,” she said, winking. Luhan laughed.

                “That’s not him, but I’ll take the call anyway,” he said, taking the phone from Jieun. “Hello?”

                “Luhan?” Kyungsoo said. “Hi, it’s Kyungsoo. I know you’re away and stuff but I really needed to let you know that Minseok still likes you and would you please go to him because he’s pining away and thinks that you don’t like him anymore. I keep telling him that you just needed time to cool off but he’s convinced you’re over him so please would you come back?”

                “I’ll come,” Luhan replied.

                “Please, would you ju—what?” Kyungsoo said.

                “I said I’ll come,” Luhan repeated. “I’ll come. Don’t tell him, though. I want to surprise him.”

                “Thank you, thank you!” Kyungsoo said. “I’ll take care of the other guys. You don’t have to worry about anything, okay?”

              “Thanks, Kyungsoo,” Luhan replied. He put the phone back down and turned to Jieun. “Looks like I’ll be going back,” he said. She beamed at him.

                “When you two get married, please make me the maid of honor,” she said, hugging him.

                “Two men can’t get marri—”

                “Yes they can! The prince is doing it so so can you. Anyway, good luck, Luhan. And come back to visit me for real this time!”

                He packed his things quickly and dashed out the door, having memorized the way to Minseok’s shop. He was going to see Minseok, grab him around the waist, pick him up and spin him around, kiss him until he couldn’t feel anything anymore, and tell him he loved him. He would tell him.

                Luhan turned the corner and saw the familiar Winter sign. He beamed as his heart rate increased. He threw open the door.

                The entire store had been ransacked, clocks lying everywhere.

                “Minseok!” Luhan screamed. “Minseok!” He ran into the back room of the shop, up the stairs to the apartment, back into the shop, but he was nowhere to be found.

                And suddenly, Luhan noticed the conspicuous colored scarf hanging on the edge of one of the counters.

                “No,” Luhan said. “Not Minseok, please, not Minseok.” 

A/N: OMONA.  I broke 30000 words today!

♥ Exie