“What ar- what are you doing here?” Jeongri stuttered, unable to get the words out.

   She stared at Luhan, feeling terror flood through her entire body. Her breathing grew staggered, and her heart began to race, flashbacks of fighting with him back on that day raced through her mind, the image of his anger putting fear in her heart. Luhan was standing so close. She could hear his shaky breathing and feel him staring at her. What was he doing? Why was he even here? There were so many questions running through her mind, but they wouldn’t form audible words, all she could do was stare wide-eyed with her hands over her chest in a weak attempt to protect herself.

   Luhan reached out, but she flinched and backed away, stumbling into the tree behind her. Her powers were still absent, she would be at his mercy.

   “I- We were here for- I just am-” Luhan mumbled, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “How are you here?”

   “Are you here to kill me?” Jeongri asked.

   She hadn’t meant for it to sound so blunt, it just came out like that.

   Luhan shook his head and stepped back, “What? No. I- I just saw you, I wanted to-,” he took a deep breath, looking as though he was trying to organise his thoughts, “Jeongri, I thought you were dead.”

   The fireworks continued to explode, illuminating their faces in brightly coloured lights that contrasted heavily with the tense atmosphere. The tension was so heavy that even the jubilation of the crowds all around them couldn’t cut through. Jeongri clasped her hands together, trying to stop them from shaking. She wanted to run, but he looked so confused. He didn’t look like he wanted to hurt her.

   “How did you- What happened?” Luhan asked. He reached out once more but stopped when she flinched again out of his reach.

   Jeongri looked away, letting her gaze fall to the grass below. felt so dry. Why was it so hard to say anything? her lips, she looked back up and saw Luhan still watching her intently with the same puzzled expression.

   “I was saved,” she began quietly. Her heart was pounding, but she gripped on her hands trying to calm down, “I’m sorry for everything I did on that day, I truly am,” she whispered with a frightful look, “Please don’t kill me. Luhan, I beg you. I don’t want any more trouble. Please…”

   Adrenaline was pumping through Jeongri’s veins, every fibre in her body was screaming at her to run. She watched as Luhan slowly raised his hand with an unsure expression, and she wanted to move back again, but her legs were frozen to the spot. Slowly, he brushed the side of her hair without uttering a word.  His expression was so conflicted. Her body wanted to run to Kyungsoo where she knew it would be safe, but her heart yearned for Luhan’s familiar touch. In the shadows of her mind, Jeongri was so glad to see Luhan again. She was so happy to know that he wasn’t hurt, but that happiness was overshadowed by the trembling fear in her heart.

   Finally, Luhan sighed with a bittersweet look in his eyes.

   “I never wanted to hurt you,” he said, shaking his head before pulling her into his embrace. Arms wrapped tightly around her small frame. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he did, “I just wanted to see my old friend. I’m so glad that you’re safe.”

   Another wave of fireworks shot up, filling the night sky with an explosion of colours and shapes, and the crowd roared loudly in response. Jeongri closed her eyes and leaned into Luhan. He felt so warm and familiar, tears began forming on the edges of her eyes. She tried to fight them back, squeezing her eyes tightly shut, but it was too late, the tears started to fall onto his jacket. He noticed straight away and pulled out his handkerchief, commenting how much she still turned red when she cried, as red as the cloak she was wearing. The fear in Jeongri’s heart faded away quickly and was replaced by a growing sense of joy. She couldn’t help but let the happiness shine. This was the reunion that she had been waiting for, this was how it was supposed to happen. Luhan continued to laugh at her, wiping away her tears as the people continued to celebrate around them.

   “Well kiss her, then!” shouted an unfamiliar voice.

   Both Luhan and Jeongri turned around, still held in each other’s arms. Behind them, a short elderly lady with permed white hair and chubby cheeks was beaming at them. Age had etched her face with a hundred lines, but her smile was filled with a youthful spirit.

   She gestured at the pair and grinned, “Well go on young man, you can’t be shy at this time!”

   Luhan spoke up first, shaking his head and laughing with embarrassment, “Oh no,” he said, laughing as he looked from her to Jeongri, “No, no, we’re just friends.”

   “Long lost friends…” she added quickly, biting her lip.

   “Really now?” cried out the elderly lady, coming up behind the pair and hugging them tightly, “You could have fooled me! Oh, what with the fireworks and the hugging, young love, it’s all so romantic!” She sighed and brought a finger to the corner of her eye, “Brings back memories of my own youth!”

   As the lady hobbled away, Jeongri couldn’t help but burst out laughing, something that Luhan returned.

   “That was so strange,” she chuckled, looking fondly over to the old lady, who was now talking to another couple.

   “That’s one way of putting it,” smiled Luhan.

   Jeongri looked up at Luhan and couldn’t stop herself from smiling. The situation was so surreal, it was like they had returned to the past. Warm fuzzy feelings of nostalgia filled her tummy as she looked into Luhan’s eyes. In the past, he was like a brother to her; the person she could turn to when she needed advice, the person she’d run to when she wanted to complain about Baekhyun and Chanyeol. Luhan was her rock, and now here he was, as though a day never passed.

   “I missed you,” Jeongri said quietly.

   “I missed you too, Jeongri,” Luhan replied, placing a