"I'm home–"

I stopped myself.

A sigh then echoed in the dark, empty living room. It's been years and I still can't shake off this habit. Really, Lu, really?

Throwing my dress shoes into a corner of the porch, I shuffled silently across the living room and after flinging my bag somewhere (who cares where), I threw myself onto the couch. The smell of leather invaded my nose and I mentally gagged, turning my head sideways to stare into the dark, empty space I call home.

Or my living room.

Whichever.

Another sigh filled the deafening silence and I rolled myself onto the floor, the back of my head landing first with shockingly loud thud and I hissed in pain, hands clutching at the part instantly. If only Yixing was here... He would make this pain go away in an instant.

The pain subsided after a while, and I let my hands rest on either side of my head. Staring up at the ceiling, or I think it is (it’s too ing dark to see anything), I let my mind wander. Yixing occupied my thoughts for a few moments, as I try to visualise what he might be doing then; probably at the hospital for his overnight shift or if he’s off-duty, having supper as Jen pours him a cup of hot tea to accompany those digestive biscuits he loves so much.

Damn, I wish I was there with him. I’d like some digestives and tea too.

Another sigh escaped my lips without me processing the action and I sat up, hand my hair and eyes clenched shut. As much as I enjoy my job, putting my eloquence of my mother tongue to good use, and as much as I love being in the city of my roots, I miss home.

My real home.

Deciding that reminiscing the past wasn’t doing me any good, I pushed myself off the cold lacquer floor, my feet dragging their owner towards my room and since I was dead tired (well, not really; it was self-provoked in all honesty), I telekinetically opened the door.

I was expecting the moon’s silver light to greet my eyes but instead, inky darkness did and I groaned out loud, “Of all days that I actually remember to draw the blinds, it had to be today when I’m just ing pissed off.”

I was halfway across the room when a large sudden movement caught my eyes that had, fortunately (or unfortunately), accustomed themselves to the darkness. Something or someone jumped out of the blinds, and I immediately powered up (HAHAHAHA WHAT THE ) myself. I could make out a figure thrashing in the air and it wasn’t until my ears finally registered the loud yells that echoed within my room did I squint my eyes and as if long lost memories flooded my head with the facial features I've seen for twenty-three years, I croaked out the name that never did leave my mind.

“Jen?”

The figure stopped thrashing, and I could feel myself using significantly much less strength to keep the person up in the air. And as a 'Yes...?' in the voice of the girl I’ve longed to see in reality travelled to my ears, my strength all but disappeared with my sanity.

She shrieked, and would have landed painfully onto the floor if I had not snapped out of my daze and stepped forward to catch her. Her arms wound themselves tightly around my neck, face buried in the crook of it and I felt her chest rising and falling rapidly.

“S-, I’m sorry Jen. I didn’t know that it was you.”

A muffled answer came from her and I foolishly uttered an ‘Eh?’ that caused her to burst out into laughter as she pulled herself away from me.

“Um, Lu, could you at least switch on the lights? I don’t have night vision y’know.”

“Oh,” I murmured, the heat of embarrassment rushing to my face as I telekinetically flicked the switch of the lights in my room. “Sorry.”

The lights came on, illuminating the room and its current occupants. Her eyes shut tightly due to the sudden increase in brightness and her face followed, scrunching up rather adorably as well. My hands couldn’t resist the strong urge to pinch her cheeks, and her orbs fluttered open before disappearing into crescents as she smiled.

“Why are you here?” The questions began to swim into my mind as reality gradually hit me, that Jen was here. In Beijing, China. In my apartment. In my arms. “How are you here?”

Her hand reached up to my hair, fingers peeling the gelled clumps apart before raking the whole hand through them altogether. “There’s this wonderful invention called the plane, and there’s this wonderful person called Suho-nim-the-cash-cow-slash-sugar-daddy.” She then paused, as if a thought wandered into her mind. “Oh, and there’s also Kyungsoo who somehow managed to persuade the boys to let me fly solo here.”

At the mention of Kyungsoo, I could only imagine the horrible wonderful things he did in order to let our princess travel on her own. I’m not complaining though; I’m very much grateful towards the boy and as they say, another man’s (or this case, boys men) pain is another’s happiness.

Thanks, Kyungsoo ah.

“Remind me to get you to thank Kyungsoo when you return.”

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