Kris cupped his hands around his eyes to get a good look through the glass door of the cafe.

 

All he saw was Jeah standing behind the counter with her arms crossed and lips pursed.

 

"Yah Kris Wu," she pouted. "Could you get any creepier?"

 

"I was checking to make sure the coast was clear." His eyes flicked to his table in the corner, double-checking.

 

The whole place was empty.

 

Jeah didn't understand but she didn't question it over. "The usual?"

 

"Actually," Kris leaned against the counter. "I was wondering if you maybe wanted to go out?"

 

Jeah blinked several times. "When?"

 

Kris looked around the shop. "What time do you get off?"

 

Jeah checked her wrist for the time.

 

Although she wasn't wearing a watch.

 

"Right now." She beamed, ripping off her apron and tossing it over her shoulder.

 

Kris shook his head and chuckled.

 

"Let's go!" She said, grabbing his hand as she scurried past him and dragging him out the door.

 

They almost crashed into Kori and Yixing on the way out.

 

"I'm knocking off early!" Jeah said a little more excitedly than intended.

 

Kris matched Yixing's black glare with his own. The latter shook his head once.

 

"Alright, you two kids have fun." The corners of Kori's eyes crinkled when she smiled.

 

The two girls were unaware of just how thick the tension in the air around them had gotten when Jeah tygged Kris's hand onward.

 

At the end of the block, she stopped and looked around.

 

"Where are we going?"

 

"Well I need caffeine." Kris said coolly, turning the corner and pushed open the door of the Starbucks.

 

"Say no to corporate coffee!" Jeah pouted. Kris shook his head. "I can't believe you took me out for coffee when I work in a coffee shop."

 

"How do you have so much energy?" Kris inquired.

 

She looked at him blankly for a moment. "I repeat: I work in a coffee shop."

 

"Whatever." He waved her off. "Want anything?"

 

"None of this crap." She scoffed. Kris shrugged and ordered his coffee as well as a bottle of coke which he pushed into her hands.

 

"Thanks." She mumbled.

 

"I know you like it." He said, not paying attention. "I always smell it on you."

 

Jeah blinked. 'Strange.' She thought as she twisted the cap off of the bottle.

 

"Where do you want to go?" Kris asked, watching her intently as he sipped his beverage.

 

"You're the one who asked me out." Jeah rolled her eyes. "Shouldn't you be telling me?"

 

"Have you eaten yet?" He completely ignored her attitude.

 

"No and I'm starving." She sobbed with a hand pressed to her stomach.

 

Kris grabbed her hand and lead her to the door, wordlessly. Once outside, he pursed his lips as he decided where they'd go.

 

Jeah thought she'd help. "I like-"

 

"Italian food." He said evenly, looking around.

 

"Yeah." She blinked. "How did you-"

 

"Lucky guess." Kris scratched his nose and pulled her along with him as he crossed the street and turned the corner.

 

They arrived at a small Italian restaurant.

 

"Everything is good here, I promise." He brought Jeah to a table and pulled her chair out for her to sit down.

 

"You're very polite." Was all she could say.

 

"Did you think I wouldn't be?" Kris scoffed and picked up a menu. Jeah shrugged and picked up hers, inspecting it.

 

"I think I'll have fettuccine alfredo." She said firmly to the menu as if if were the one placing her order.

 

"Didn't you have that for dinner last night?" Kris hardly looked up at her.

 

Jeah looked alarmed. "How did you know that?"

 

"I can smell it." He said off-handedly, as if everyone could smell one's dinner from the night before. Jeah breathed into her hand to check her breath. She'd definitely brushed her teeth and it didn't smell like fettuccine.

 

"I'm having penne vodka." Kris said to the waiter that had miraculously appeared.

 

"Same." Jeah sighed and handed her menu to the waiter who dashed away.

 

'Kris is an interesting creature.' She thought as he gracefully unfolded his napkin and placed it on his lap in one fluid movement. His eyes flashed up at her with a smirk and she dropped her gaze to the table until their food arrived.

 

"What's wrong?" Kris asked, laying his fork down. "I've seen you eat tons at the shop."

 

Jeah pushed the pasta around her plate and shrugged. "Why did you ask me out?"

 

"I can't ask an intriguing person to dinner?" He folded his hand in front of him and raised an eyebrow.

 

"Nevermind." Jeah shook her head and ate. Kris returned to his plate, periodically checking on her to make sure she was still eating.

 

"Do you want to go walk around?" He asked as she finished her meal. She nodded and dabbed her lips with her napkin before standing. Kris paid the waitress, ignoring her flirting, and led Jeah out of the restaurant.

 

It was getting dark but Kris saw clouds starting to form overhead. He frowned.

 

"Actually I should probably get you home." He grabbed her hand and started down the street.

 

"Let me guess," Jeah said, her head lolling to one side. "You can sniff out the way to my house."

 

"Why yes, yes I can." Kris grinned so brightly that, if Jeah had the mentality of any normal girl, her knees would have turned to jelly and she probably would have hit the ground.

 

But for some reason she just followed him wordlessly as he picked his way through the busy streets full of people that were also trying to escape the weather.

 

Arriving at the apartment complex, he hesitated.

 

"Has your nose failed you?" Jeah chuckled.

 

"No." Kris grumbled.

 

"Thank you for dinner although I wasn't very exciting." She pouted.

 

"On the contrary," Kris chuckled. "I find you very exciting."

 

"I feel like you're not telling me something." Jeah crossed her arms as droplets of rain started falling gently from the sky.

 

Kris squinted up at the clouds. "I'll tell you tomorrow."

 

"Promise?"

 

He looked down at her large eyes suddenly.

 

"I promise." He kissed the top of her head. "Now go inside before you catch a cold."

 

She laughed and nodded, bidding him goodbye. He turned and sprinted away as the rain started to pour.

 

Byul stomped around her bedroom.

 

"I didn't want this." Her stepmother said from the doorway.

 

"That makes two of us." The girl snarled, throwing items in a duffel bag: socks, jeans, camisoles, a platinum locket.

 

"I'm going to be at the other house. Don't feel rushed." The door closed over and a pair of heels clacked down the hallway.

 

"I'm rushing myself." Byul said under her breath. She zipped the bag and dropped it on the floor. Crossing the room to her window, she drew the curtains and collapsed numbly onto her bed.

 

Tao stood at the edge of the woods, looking up at Byul's bedroom window. Rain poured down his back, mixing with his sweat. He watched as her light winked out. He heaved a sigh and took off into the forest, disappearing in a flash of silver lightning.