Lana shuts her laptop down and reaches for her glass of whiskey as she sighs. Another uneventful day. Another day without news of Lay. 

"Why so melancholic babe?"

Lana turns around is greeted by the sight of a strapping Lay standing in her bedroom yet again! She beams widely and rushes forward to embrace him eagerly.

"Lay! You're alive! Oh thank God you're alive! I was so worried!" Lana exhales as she continues hugging him tightly.

Yixing freezes momentarily, unsure how to react to Lana's sudden outpour of concern. Momentarily, just momentarily, he was transported to 13 years ago, when Lana first hugged him. Yixing thinks, is Lana's worried for me? No, wait. She's worried for Lay. She's worried because he's a superhero, ain't it? Suddenly Yixing finds himself jealous of this Superhero persona he has created. Then that familiar dull ache hits him. Lana will never show such concern for Yixing, but only for Lay. The Lay that hides behind a mask. 

But Yixing tries to stem his moping thoughts again. No, I'm here to see Lana, aren't I? Enjoy her company? Get the attention that Yixing can't ever command? Then I jolly well enjoy it. He quickly pushes aside his negative thoughts and fragile emotions and adopts the Lay bravado again.

"Well, well, what have we here? You've missed me, haven't you? So the trick to sollicit more affection from you is to get shot huh? You're quite the ice princess, Lana!"

"Oh Lay! I'm just so happy you're well. You can say whatever you want today! So where did you get shot? Have you fully recovered?" Lana asks concernly.

"Here. I was shot, right here." Lay gingerly takes Lana's hand and places her palm on his beating heart. The contact both excites him and yet pains him at the same time. He feels bittersweet.

Lana feels a jolt of electricity pass through her when she felt Lay's beating heart and locks gaze with him. Lay's looking at her so .... tenderly. His gaze is so different from before. Did something happen?

"So are you still hurt?" Lana asks tenderly.

"You wanna make it better? A kiss will help. You heard of the saying 'kiss the pain away?' You can kiss my wound better ... or you can just plant one here will do too!" Lay points at his mouth.

Lana pushes Lay away, "Now, I know for sure, you've fully recovered!"

***

Lay and Lana catches up over a glass of whiskey again. Lana finds herself studying Lay's unmasked profile yet again.

"Lay, can I..." 

"Yes, Lana?"

Lana has this sudden impulse to touch Lay's face, to feel his features. She wishes to feel him tangibly, maybe to reassure herself that he is real. That he is really alive and back. And not a figment of her imagination. But her rational side catches up with her and she realises how inappropriate it may sound if she requests to feel Lay's face. So she changes her question instead, "Can I ... can I keep in touch with you?"

Lay lowers his drink in surprise and Lana quickly explains, "Well, I realised after you got injured tha