[Year 19 of Exile]

[Zitao]

“Lay her on the dining table, quickly!”

Kris-hyung and Suho-hyung rushed to Kai as he struggled under her weight. The veins on his arms were bulging and perspiration were aplenty on his face and neck. His eyes tried to keep themselves open despite beads of perspiration trickling in, making it difficult for him to see. Kris-hyung replaced Kai’s arms and steadily carried her to the kitchen.

“What happened?” Yixing-hyung growled as he washed his hands at the kitchen sink, prepping himself for whatever medical procedure he might have to carry out. “Kai, what the happened to her!”

I looked over to him, as he gratefully accepted a cup of water from Minseok-hyung. He was shaking all over, not from cold, but from shock. He raised his head, and his eyes were darting all over the place; he couldn’t fixate them on anyone.

“I–” He began to speak, but stopped short when his eyes saw her blood dripping off the edge of the table. With eyes widened, his hands lost strength and the cup broke into pieces when it made contact with the wooden floor. Minseok-hyung immediately got on his knees and hurriedly picked up the broken pieces but then Kai heaved.

“.” Minseok-hyung cursed as vomit splattered all over the floor and over the pieces. He dumped the pieces back onto the floor and got up. Holding his hands up, he trudged over to the sink and washed them while muttering under his breath.

“Get him out of here. He’s in no condition to watch her.” Kris-hyung’s cold voice sliced the serious atmosphere and Sehun nodded. Propping his friend up, the youngest walked out of the kitchen. I wanted to run over to help him but Baekhyun-hyung stopped me with a knowing look in his eyes.

“Don’t. Let Sehun take care of him.”

I settled back into my chair and a frown made its way onto my face. I watched Yixing-hyung darkly as he carefully inspected Jen for wounds. The intensity of his eagle eyes caught me off-guard as he glanced over briefly. His hands ran over her, prodding and poking in places that we wouldn’t have had the courage to touch. Yixing-hyung is amazing.

“Hyungs! Hyungs, help!”

I stumbled through Jen’s kitchen door, clutching a bleeding left arm. Behind me, Sehun followed with bloodied hands.

Luhan-hyung was poring over a thick book as Jen was beside him, trying to read the page he was at. Both of them looked up at my call and their eyes widened. Jen screamed.

“Z-Zitao!” She quivered at her seat as her eyes took in my state. “What happened!” Then, she saw Sehun’s bloodied hands and before she could scream again her hands automatically muffled on their own.

“Zitao, what happened?” Luhan-hyung kneeled down in front of me, calmly and gently taking my arms in his hands. “And why are Sehun’s hands bloody? Are those your blood?”

I nodded as I watched his eyes search through the red mess on my arm for the gash. My eyes darted over to Sehun as he wrung his hands and his eyes were downcast.

“Jen, call Yixing over.” He said over his shoulder and the girl disappeared into the living room.

“Y-Yixing-hyung?” I panicked. “Are you sure, h-hyung?”

He held my arm and his fingers pressed into the wound. I screamed at the excruciating pain and glared at him, hurt. “You don’t trust Yixing, Zitao?” His words were cold and he pressed my wound once more. “You don’t trust him, your hyung?” He kept his fingers tight on my gash and I kept screaming. Unable to thrash for fear for implications, I stood rooted to the spot as tears spilled over and obscured my vision. Behind Luhan-hyung, Sehun stood immobilized, fear etched on his face.

“You still don’t trust him?” His words sliced through me, as if ice cold water was poured over my head. “After all he has done for you? Your first fall, he was the one who cleaned your wound for you. Your most recent spat with Jen’s bullies, who healed your bruised face?”

Those events flashed through my mind and I instantly regretted my initial words. “I-I just thought that Yixing-hyung wouldn’t be able to heal something as bad as this.” I confessed, as he loosened his grip on my arm. “I-I placed my safety over his skills for that moment. I panicked!”

Concern washed over Luhan-hyung's eyes and a small smile formed on his face.

"I'm here!"

Yixing-hyung rushed in from the living room with Jen trailing after him.

His eyes scanned the scene and he instructed Luhan-hyung to wash Sehun's hands clean. The eldest nodded and he escorted the youngest to the washroom down the hall. Jen took one last glance at us, and she followed after.

Yixing-hyung squatted down in front of me and he took my bleeding arm. His brows furrowed as he wiped the wound clean, and I winced at the pain. I gazed at him, regret washing over me.

"I'm sorry, hyung." I whispered as my arm glowed blue, a sign that he was using his power to heal my gash. "I'm sorry."

He glanced up momentarily with a puzzled look. "What are you sorry for, silly. I'm glad to be of service to everyone." He chuckled, and removed his hands to reveal smooth skin; the gash a thing of the past. "There, all done."

He grinned at me and I never felt more guilty for ever doubting him.

It's been eight years since that time, huh.

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