Li Mei woke up early and felt the lack of sleep hit her; she dragged herself out of bed and got into the shower. The water was warm and soothing, she jumped as the water turned ice cold, and she finished quickly and got out shivering. She grabbed her skirt and blouse; she pulled her hair into a pony tail and grabbed her books. She walked out of her room and her mother called, “You should eat breakfast!”

Li Mei called, “I’ll grab something on the way to school.”

Suddenly Xiumin and Luhan ran past her and pulled her onto the ground before a rock crashed through the living room window. Xiumin was in his uniform but Luhan was still in his pj’s. Kris came in right after them and looked out the window, “They’re running away.”

Li Mei asked scared, “What’s going on?”
Kris had his uniform on but was carrying his jacket, “The gang, was targeting you here at home, but now that they saw me doesn’t look like they’ll be doing that again. They’re targeting you whenever you’re alone.”

Xiumin helped Li Mei up, “Luhan woke up suddenly and dragged me to the mirror, he has a good sense of when danger is near people close to him.”

Li Mei looked at him slowly picking himself off the floor, “Close ones?”

“Yeah; you know family, friends, and you. You’re a part of EXO M, you’re like our family now.”

Li Mei smiled and asked Luhan, “Thank you. Are you okay?”

Luhan looked at her sleepily but didn’t smile, “Yeah.”

Luhan waved his hand saying he was fine and said, “I’m going back to the house.”

Kris asked, “You should get ready for school.”

Luhan didn’t respond and walked back into Li Mei’s room. Li Mei asked Xiumin, “Is he okay?”

Xiumin didn’t smile but nodded, “Yeah, he’s fine.”

Kris cleared his throat, “He’s not a morning person.”

Li Mei shrugged, “I was just heading to school…do you think it’s safe?”

Kris picked up the rock, “Xiumin and I will walk with you.”

Li Mei nodded and headed out the door with them.

Lay woke up and saw Luhan in the kitchen, “Hey, where is Xiumin and Kris?”

Luhan explained, “The gang came to Li Mei’s house, and so I brought them along to go check it out. Their walking Li Mei to school.”

Lay asked, “Why didn’t you get us all up?”

“Chen was in the shower, Tao is too slow when getting up, unless Xiumin’s here, and you’re almost impossible to get up. Xiumin was right next door and Kris was up, so…”

Lay noticed Luhan’s agitated tone, “Lu-ge, you okay?”

Luhan put his glass down with a slight thud, “Fine.”

Lay let him walk out and shut his door with a small thud, Lay sighed. Tao walked in, “Was that Luhan? Why is he so loud in the morning?”

Lay rubbed his arm and looked for some breakfast, “You know why, it’s that time. Besides Li Mei was attacked this morning. Let’s get to school and ask Kris for the details.”
Tao nodded curious, Chen came out dressed, “Where is everyone?”
Lay briefly explained when Luhan came out dressed in uniform; Chen looked at him, “Lu-ge, your mark.”

Luhan was wearing a summer uniform and looked at his wrist. He glared at Chen and Tao Lay said gently, “Please Lu-ge, just change.”

Luhan frowned and turned around to change, this time he slammed his door. Chen asked, “Why is he so mad?”

“It’s that time of the year Chen!”

Chen looked to Tao for an explanation and Lay said quietly, “Li Mei was attacked this morning, how do you think that makes him feel right now?”

Chen put his glass down and nodded slowly, “I completely forgot, coming here, and settling things with Li Mei…it slipped my mind.”

Tao peeled an orange, “Lay? I hate to put this on top of everything, but what about exams?”

Chen took a bite of cereal and sighed, “Oh yeah, if we want to stay in school we’ll have to take those exams. If we don’t we’ll be kicked out.”

Tao said confused, “But tomorrow’s Guang!”

Lay nodded, “I don’t know, we’ll have to see what Kris says.”

Chen was going to protest, “But,”

Lay looked down, “I know we all want to go home, but…Li Mei is the priority right now.”

Luhan came out and Tao stood up, “Lu-ge! Aren’t you going to eat?”

Luhan saw Tao was holding the orange out to him, “No thanks Tao. I’m heading to school.”

Luhan walked out and everyone was silent for a minute, Chen said without his usual sarcastic smile, “We should hurry up and go to school too.”

They all silently agreed and finished breakfast. Luhan walked into the classroom sweating, he saw Li Mei safely studying alone at her desk and Kris and Xiumin sitting at their desks. Xiumin turned around as Luhan walked up, “Luhan!”

Luhan handed him a pastry, “I picked this up for you on the way.”

Xiumin took it gratefully, “Thank you! I’m starving.”

Kris looked at Luhan, “You okay?”

Luhan didn’t answer and just handed him a pastry as well with a cup of coffee, he had gotten Xiumin juice. Kris thanked him, “Thanks Lu-ge, did you eat already?”

Luhan sat down with his hands in his pockets, “I’m not hungry.”

Kris noticed Luhan’s emotionless face and left it at that, he turned around and ate his breakfast. A few minutes later the rest showed up and sat down; then class started. Luhan sat staring out the window the whole time and Li Mei was taking notes like her life depended on it. Kris turned his head to a boy sitting behind Li Mei, he had wadded up pieces of paper on his desk that he had torn up into small paper balls. He threw one into Li Mei’s hair and she turned around, “Hey, stop that!”

The boy smirked and continued to throw them at her. Luhan glared at the boy and he picked up his pencil prepared to throw it. Luhan glanced at Kris and then the boy was pushed out of his chair. Ms. Lui looked at the boy, “What are you doing?”

The boy stood up stunned, “Someone pushed me out of my chair ma’am.”

Ms. Lui put a hand on her hip, “Stop making things up and sit back down! You’re disrupting class!”

The boy sat back down and didn’t bother Li Mei for the rest of class. During break Kris eyed the boy talking to his friends, a group of mean looking fellows. Lay brought the topic of exams up and Kris nodded, “I already talked to her, she thinks that tomorrow everyone but I am going back home to visit family.”

Luhan said, “I’m not going back.”

Kris looked at him, “Are you sure you don’t,”

Luhan loosened his tie a little, “I’m not going.”

Luhan sat back down at his desk and Kris sighed, “Well, you all will go and Luhan and I will stay here.”

Lay nodded, “We’ll take our exams when we get back.”

Chen asked, “What about Li Mei? Will she be alright with us gone?”

Kris looked at her reading and sighed, “I hope so. Luhan and I will take good care of her.”

Tao said strongly, “If you need us, call us, we’ll come back!”

Kris nodded and they all returned to their seats for class. Xiumin glanced back at Luhan and whispered, “You okay?”

Luhan finally tore his gaze from the window and nodded then looked back out the window. Xiumin sighed and stared at his desk worried, he finally looked up when Kris threw a paper ball at him. Xiumin looked at him and saw he was signaling that the temperature was dropping; Xiumin looked around and saw that Ms. Lui was checking the air conditioner because it had gotten so cold suddenly. Luhan put a hand on Xiumin shoulder and gave a small smile, “Xiumin I’m okay.”

Xiumin nodded and the temperature went back to normal. The bell rang for lunch and Tao pulled a chair up to Xiumin’s desk, “Xiumin what was that earlier? Turned summer into winter practically.”

Xiumin scratched his head, “Sorry, I guess I wasn’t paying attention.”

Lay asked concerned, “That only happens when you’re upset, everything okay?”

Li Mei walked up and that got everyone’s attention, “Xiumin?”

Xiumin looked at her, “Yes?”
Li Mei looked around then whispered, “That was you earlier right?”

Xiumin chuckled nervously, “Yeah, sorry about that.”

Li Mei giggled, “It’s fine. Where’s Luhan? I wanted to study for the test with him.”

Xiumin stood up, “I don’t think today’s a good day…I’ll go find him.”

Xiumin ran out of the room and Li Mei asked, “What is he talking about the test is tomorrow!”

Kris stood up and let Li Mei have his seat, she tucked some hair behind her ear and Kris leaned against the desks, “About tomorrow. Luhan and I will be here but the rest of them are going back home.”

Li Mei looked at everyone, “What? Why!?”
Lay smiled, “We’ll be back by Wednesday, we promise.”

Chen chuckled, “Like we have a choice.”

He received glares from everyone and Tao added, “Don’t listen to him Li Mei. Tomorrow is a holiday called Guang in EXO. It’s the last solar eclipse of the year.”

Li Mei looked at her, “Oh, what is it for?”

Kris picked up where Tao had left off, “This represents the beginning of EXO so everyone goes back home to visit family and what not.”

“Why aren’t you and Luhan going back?”

Kris cleared his throat, “We have to stay here and make sure you’re okay.”

Everyone looked down and Li Mei noticed, “What?”

Kris shook his head, “It’s nothing. I’ll study with you.”

Li Mei looked at him and nodded, she handed him a book and they turned around to study in private. Chen looked to Lay, “Looks like they’re getting along better.”

Lay nodded in agreement, “I agree, I just hope Luhan’s okay.”

Xiumin ran out of the doors and looked around he found Luhan sitting alone against the wall in the corner. Xiumin approached him, “Luhan want to grab lunch?”

Luhan looked up and saw Xiumin crouching next to him worried, “Oh, no thanks Xiumin.”

Xiumin knew Luhan well enough to know that he wouldn’t show a “weak” side in front of him, “You don’t have to hide it from me.”

Luhan looked down, “Xiumin…not now…”

Xiumin puffed out his cheeks, “Why don’t you come home for Guang. You can join my family for dinner; I know they’d love to see you.”

Luhan gripped the grass in his fist and said politely, “No thanks Gege.”

“Luhan…”

Luhan stood up and stuck his hands in his pockets, “I’m going for a walk.”

“Wait what about class?”

Luhan kicked the grass, “I’ll check out sick.”

Luhan walked off and Xiumin knew better than to go after him. Xiumin walked back toward the door when Li Mei poked her head out, “Where’s Luhan going? What’s wrong?”

Xiumin perked up and smiled, “It’s nothing.”

Li Mei stepped out and said blocking the door, “Xiumin, what aren’t you telling me? Does this have to do with Guang or something?”

Xiumin ran his fingers through his hair and gave up, “Listen all I’m going to say is that, Luhan isn’t going back for his own reasons. It’s not my place to say why though; right now he just wants to be alone.”

Li Mei looked in the direction that Luhan had walked off in, “I hope he’s alright.”

Xiumin smiled and gave a thumbs up, “He’s fine. He’s strong you know? Besides, he wants to stay and keep an eye on you. Especially with the gang out.”

Li Mei nodded and opened the door, “Are you going back for Guang?”

“Yes, I’m going to see my family.”

“Oh that’s nice.”

Li Mei and Xiumin chatted all the way back to class and it started up again. Xiumin quickly filled the rest of EXO M in on Luhan’s disappearance; Li Mei couldn’t help but wonder what was going on with Luhan. The last thing she wanted was to be left out; she would ask Kris again after class.

School ended and Kris walked Li Mei home, “Call me or Luhan if you don’t feel safe.”

Li Mei nodded and asked, “Kris?”

“Yes?”

“Why aren’t you and Luhan going back home for Guang?”

“Because we have to watch over you.”

“I know there’s something more than that. Please tell me.”

Kris saw she was curious and worried, “I don’t know,”

Li Mei stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, “How can I trust you all if you always keep secrets from me.”

Li Mei turned around and saw Luhan who said suddenly, “Kris, I’ll walk her home.”

Li Mei blinked and saw he looked a little pale and tired, Kris nodded, “Okay, I’ll be home.”

Kris turned and left, Li Mei swallowed and Luhan started, “I know you want to know.”

Li Mei nodded, “You left school early are you okay?”

Luhan started walking and Li Mei walked with him toward her home. Luhan stopped in front of her home, “Tomorrow is the anniversary.”

“What anniversary?”

Luhan loosened his tie and ran his fingers through his hair not able to make eye contact with Li Mei. After a moment of silence Luhan finally looked up, Li Mei waited patiently yet anxious for what he meant.