[Year 19 of Exile]

[Sehun]

“Kai?”

I peered into the room, and found my roommate folding our clothes on his bed. His lips formed a thin line as he focused on folding a shirt; a shirt that was slightly stained red on the sleeves.

“Here, give it to me.”

I gently removed the shirt from him and folded it swiftly in four moves. I placed it in my already-folded pile of clothes.

“It’s mine, why did you take it.” His rough voice scratched the tense air as he made a move to snatch it back. “Give it.”

I grabbed his arm in mid-air and shook my head. “Kai, I don’t think you can wear that shirt without remembering what happened to her.”

The frown on his face dissolved and sadness washed over his eyes.

“I’m saving you from the pain. So just let me, alright?” I placed his hand gently back onto his lap, and resumed the folding.

“Even if I’m not wearing that shirt, what I saw will haunt me for eternity.”

I paused briefly, my hands clutching one of my favourite shirts. A WWF panda was printed on the white shirt; it was Jen’s present to me on my sixteenth birthday.

“Everything she does, every word she says, I’ll remember.” The atmosphere grew depressing, and we stopped folding the clothes altogether. “That’s how much I’m conscious of her, Sehun.”

My eyes flitted to him, his own downcast and he had began to wrung his hands. Chanyeol-hyung’s habits are infecting us, aish.

“Do you recall… That time when I teleported her away from the stage…?”

"Show us."

Silence.

"Show us. Now."

Silence.

I was standing, my fists were clenched and I could feel myself about to lose control.

One more move from that man and I will unleas–

"SHOW US NOW YOU WE–"

Oh, that was the last straw.

I felt my heartbeat accelerate and just when I was about to conjure up tornadoes, Jen disappeared from the stage.

And I found myself in her room, with Kai and the girl herself.

“Kai…” I stepped towards him, as he threw himself beside Jen who had crumpled to the floor in the middle of her room. “Kai, why did yo–”

“Shush, Sehun.” He spoke softly, but his tone was authoritative and as I was younger, I was compelled to obey.

I watched him wrap an arm around the shaking girl and his hand rubbed her arm comfortingly. “There there, we’re safe. We’re no longer in school.”

The scene went on for minutes and it was then when I realised that Jen hadn’t shed a tear. She was purely shaking from rage, fear, or both.

“T-Thanks Kai…” She whispered, her voice hoarse. Looking up, she removed Kai’s arm from her shoulder and she stood up. “Thanks Sehun.” She smiled weakly at me and at that moment she looked so vulnerable.

She was nothing like the Jen I’ve seen every day.

“I didn’t do anything… It was all Kai.” I rubbed the nape of my neck awkwardly, after realising that indeed, I hadn’t done anything for her.

“I know you, Sehun ah.” My eyes widened in surprise after I felt her hands grasp mine. “You would’ve conjured powerful tornadoes to blow that man away from me.”

A smile formed on my face and the happiness reached my eyes.

“You’re right, Jen. I would have.”

“Yeah, what about it?” I asked cautiously.