"That's--"

"No--"

"But that's impossible." It was Seokmin's voice that broke through the hushed doubt. 

I shrugged at him. It's not like I knew anything. "I mean that's how I met Jun." 

Eight heards whirled around to where the aforementioned fire bender sat. Startled by the sudden attention, Jun raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey. I didn't do anything."

"Is it true?" Mingyu asked with a surprising amount of intensity. "Did Mei really conjure you?" 

"Oh. Yeah." Jun furrowed his eyebrows. "I was brushing my teeth at the time. Is was a little awkward." 

"But that doesn't make any sense," Seungkwan muttered. "Summoning isn't like any other power. You can't just wield it."

This time it was my turn to be confused. "I mean, why not?"

"Because--," Seokmin cut himself off. He grabbed at his head as if it the answer was a particularly difficult, headache-inducing riddle. "Because it just kinda happens. Summons happen because the universe needs them to, not because one day you decided to use your power. And even then, you don't to choose who you summon. It's kinda just about being at the right place at the right time." 

"Wow, if only you could hear yourself right now," Jeonghan muttered under his breath and threw Seokmin a dirty look. 

The nurse glared back but didn't say anything further. 

"But then why didn't I Summon Lisa, Rose, Jennie, or Jisoo?" 

"Guess the universe didn't need them." Hoshi answered. I shook my head to clear it. My best friends were four of the most badass women on the planet. How did my Summons side step around them only find nine idiots to help me out instead? 

The universe… Slowly, ever so slowly, the wheels in my head started to turn again. Bits and pieces of the puzzle were starting to shift in their places and it felt like something blurry was coming into focus. 

I looked up and unwittingly locked eyes with Vernon. 

"That would… actually mak