Mei glanced around and bolted upright, taking in the room around her. She wasn't even in her own room; she'd fallen asleep in the living room. Footsteps echoed down the hall, along with Kris' voice and a voice she didn't recognise. They passed the door to the living room and carried on to the kitchen, so she decided it was safe to run up to her own room. However, halfway there, Kris decided to come out of the kitchen and noticed her.

 

“Mei!” he called, walking to catch up with her. Mei pretended she didn't hear and carried on running, reaching the stairs and getting almost halfway until Kris caught up with her. He threw his arms around her waist and she stopped immediately, in shock, suddenly very aware of herself.

“Come with me. I need you to meet someone,” Kris instructed her, taking her wrist and trying to pull her down the stairs. Mei waited until he'd got to the bottom of the stairs and then pulled her wrist out of his hand and sprinted up the stairs, and slamming her door behind her.

 

Mei could hear Kris yelling from outside her door as she struggled to get dressed and sort her hair out.

“I'm just coming!” she cried as she ran across the room, trying to pull her shorts on as she went. Somehow, as soon as she reached the door and opened it, she tripped over a pair of shoes she'd left in the doorway and fell over, ending up lying beneath Kris as he towered over her.

“I never thought I'd be falling at your feet,” Mei laughed awkwardly as she got up and brushed herself off. Kris glared at her before turning and walking to the stairs, and beckoning for her to follow him.

 

“Yixing, this is Mei.”

Mei stopped in the doorway. Standing in front of her must have been some kind of... Angel.

“Hi,” she almost giggled, taking a piece of hair and twisting it between her fingers.

“Nice to finally meet you,” Yixing said, stepping forward. He took Mei's hand and shook it gently. “Kris told me a lot about you.”

“He did?” Mei glanced at Kris.

Kris shrugged. “I told him how dumb you are sometimes.”

Mei shot him a look that said “if this beautiful man was not here I'd hurt you”.

“Yixing is staying for a week,” Kris told Mei, walking to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water, “So you're going to need to make more food.”

Mei muttered a couple of incomprehensible curse words at Kris before nodding, then smiling sweetly at Yixing. “I'll do my best!”

 

“I made you both dinner,” Mei sang as she walked into the living room with two meals on trays for Yixing and Kris.

“Aren't you eating with us?” Yixing asked as she made to leave.

“Ah, I'm going out tonight,” Mei said, pausing by the door. “I hope the food is okay!”

“Who are you going out with?” Kris asked as Mei walked through the door. Knowing he wouldn't like the answer, Mei pretended she hadn't heard and carried on walking back to her room.

 

“Hey, Luhan,” Mei smiled as she walked up to Luhan, who was waiting for her on a bench in the park.

“Hi, Mei,” he stood up, and kissed her on the cheek. “It's good to see you again after last time.”
“I'm so sorry about that,” Mei apologised quickly, “I don't even know what got into him.”

“Don't worry about it,” Luhan waved away her apology. “We've got another chance!”

Mei nodded, unable to stop herself smiling, until Luhan turned his head and narrowed his eyes, listening closely.

 

“Can you hear that?” he asked, gesturing to a distant corner of the park where a band was playing. After Mei nodded, he held out his hand and bowed slightly. “My lady, may I have this dance?”

“Of course you may!” Mei laughed, taking his hand and allowing him to guide her. Luhan spun her around, lifted her off her feet and then, as the music reached a soaring crescendo, he placed his arms around her waist and dipped her. Mei's eyes were open wide as she stayed, still as a statue, unable to move until he lifted her back up and hugged her tightly. Even as he hugged her, she stayed still, her mind whirring. How would she feel if Tao was, albeit in China, dipping another girl and dancing with her?

 

Mei pushed Luhan away and picked her bag up off the bench.

“I'm... I'm really sorry, Luhan. You see, I... I just can't. I'm sorry.”

Luhan watched her as she moved closer to him to say goodbye.

“I'm not really sure what's happening in my life, but I promise you, if there's room for you then you'll be there, okay?” Mei went on tiptoe to kiss Luhan's cheek. “Bye, Luhan.”

 

“You're back early,” Kris remarked as Mei wandered into the living room less than an hour later. Mei didn't even reply, she just sat down on the seat next to Yixing, her eyes not focusing on anything.

“Yah, nanny,” Kris persisted. “What happened?”

Mei ignored him, and stood up to leave.

“Wait!” Yixing placed his hand on her arm. “Are you okay?”

Mei shook her head and started to walk away. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes and she didn't want either of them to see her cry.

“Mei!” Yixing called, and started to come after her. Mei quickly ran up the stairs and slammed her door shut behind her, ignoring Yixing when he knocked on the door calmly, then more violently, then stopped altogether.