[Year 19 of Exile]

"Jen, how was school today?"

I burst through the back door and gramma turned to me, spatula in hand and flour on her face. I sighed tenderly, and wiped the flour off her face with my hands. "It was alrigh–"

"It wasn't alright." The door opened on its own and Luhan strolled through. I rolled my eyes and shook my hands dry at the sink before escaping to my room.

Throwing my bag into a corner, I flung myself onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling. My eyes immediately searched for that photograph and I smiled when two faces greeted me. Mum, dad. I miss you two. Where are you and what are you doing right now? I sighed dejectedly as Luhan suddenly burst into the room, and he laid himself next to me. I shrieked and wanted to sit up when he wrapped his arms around me and bounded me to him.

"You know today wasn't alright." He gently chided as he my hair. His eyes gazed at me, our foreheads touching and our breaths mixing as we breathed in sync with each other. "You know you aren't okay with what happened today. Why must you lie to gramma?" His brows furrowed and he lightly bumped foreheads with me. "You know she cares deeply–"

"As do all of you." I interrupted, fingers reaching up to trace his face.

[Luhan]

I closed my eyes in pleasure as I revelled in Jen's touch; her fingers gently caressed my cheeks and she trailed them down my jawline. I opened my eyes and found her gazing at me. Surprise flickered in her eyes before they turned into crescents as she grinned and pinched my cheeks. "I'm fine. I really am. Ever so considerate, Luhan!"

Jen, I'm not being considerate. If only you knew; if only you realise how much I love you.

How long I have loved you.

"Jen!" I flung out my arms as a girl hurtled towards me with her arms outstretched.

"Luhan!" She threw herself into my arms and I heaved her up and whirled her around. She laughed and it was music to my ears.

A deep laughter resounded from behind me and my father placed a large hand on my head, prompting me to stop. I did and I gently placed Jen down onto the floor. She slipped her small hand into mine and pulled me to the swings. I dug my heels into the sand and shook my head. "Jen, you know how I feel about swings." She pouted and nodded. "Then you can just swing me with your power, Luhan!" A wide grin replaced the pout as she playfully swung my arms in a bid to persuade me.

How can I say no to this?

I nodded and she squealed before running to the swings and sitting on one. I walked back to the bench that my parents and Jen's grandparents were sitting at and started to swing Jen by controlling the swing telekinetically. At the age of ten, I was plenty capable and controlling objects without looking at them was an ability I had perfected. And at the age of ten, I was plenty capable of understanding what adults say when they reckon we boys, don't understand.

"She's really happy right now, isn't she grandpa?" My mother gently remarked, as she glanced over at Jen who was still swinging with the help of my power. Grandpa nodded as gramma interlaced her fingers with his and rested her head on his shoulders.

I tried to be as inconspicuous as I could in eavesdropping on their conversation as I continued to swing Jen, higher and higher on the swings but still ensuring that she's safe.

"The boys really love having her around them."

"And so does she. She's lightened up a lot ever since we have reunited." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw grandpa subconsciously a scar on his palm. My eye twitched as I knew it was formed during that raid on their house on that fateful night when Jen appeared in the attic with Kai's father. Jen's grandparents just recently reunited with us when the government realised that they were innocent, an