“You were out today?” Hendery asked, Xiaojun began to grill the meat.

“Yeah, oppa toured me around for a bit. Haerin jie’s been busy lately.” She reasoned as she poured some water on her cup.

“Where did he take you? Namsan Tower?”

“No, palaces, actually.” She said, Lucas glanced up and blinked at her.

“Yes, I haven’t been to many.” She said to him, he nodded back and went back to chewing on his lettuce wrap.

“So, what’s going on between the two of you?” Yang Yang suddenly asked, Xiaojun choked on his rice and balked at him.

“Yang Yang, you~”

“I was talking about Jaehyun sunbae and her, why do you guys have to make it so awkward?” He rolled his eyes at them, Diana bit her lip, amused.

Lucas shook his head and just picked up another slice of meat.

“What are you saying?” She asked him.

“I mean, you two are always together in campus, and now even on weekends. I’m jealous.” Yang Yang joked, Hendery winced and could only look away.

“Jaehyun oppa’s like family and, he’s kind of babysitting now.”

“You being his baby?” Yang Yang said teasingly, Xiaojun stared at him.

“He must want to die.” Xiaojun muttered, Lucas was listening, he noticed how Diana was eating well and he smiled to himself.

“Kris ge had to leave the country for work, he won’t be back in months, I think. So, they asked him if he could…well, keep me out of trouble.” Diana said, then her eyes narrowed at him.

“But, joke around one more time, I will~”

“Okay, time to the feed the beast.” Yang Yang said as he put more meat on her bowl. Diana shook her head and went back to eating.

“Thanks for coming today, Di.” Lucas spoke to her, she paused and looked at him.

“I knew I could get a free meal out of you guys.” She shot back, Lucas grinned before replying.

“You would never have to if you quit being picky. Or you actually tell Jaehyun sunbae what you want to eat.” He pointed out.

“Nah, that would be too much work for me. Now, drop it.”

Lucas chuckled and just placed some seasoned beef on her bowl. She noticed how he would occasionally stretch his left arm as he ate.

Something’s up. And you don’t want to talk about it.

Lucas watched as Diana got inside the black Range Rover, Yang Yang was the only one waving goodbye as the vehicle sped away from them.

“She noticed.” Hendery spoke, Lucas nodded.

“She wouldn’t have to if you guys didn’t suddenly decide to invite her.” He said as they crossed the street to Xiaojun’s waiting BMW.

“It’s Yang Yang’s fault.” Hendery said, the latter rolled his eyes.

“Well, someone had to do something. If you want to go back to how things were, we should always be around her.”

“Her and Jaehyun oppa.” Lucas pointed out, his tone dry. Hendery grinned and snorted.

“Aigoo, it’s still too early to show jealousy, Wong boy.” Xiaojun said teasingly. Lucas tossed his bag in the car’s trunk and got in.

“To be honest though, that guy is…good for her, I mean, the guy Kris would probably approve of. But, then again, I’m supposed to take Lucas’s side.” Xiaojun hummed as he started the car, Hendery got in the front seat and Yang Yang sat beside Lucas at the back.

“But at some point, she did choose you. She wanted you.”

“Is he making him feel better or worse?” Yang Yang muttered, Hendery glanced at his friend.

“No, I’m just pointing out that he’s got competition and this dude’s not just some random stranger who wants her attention and that’s it. Jung Jaehyun seems sincere about her.”

Lucas crossed his arms and turned to the windows.

“Diana’s different now.” Lucas spoke.

“We noticed.”

“But she doesn’t drive anymore.” He stated, the three turned quiet, Lucas exhaled before continuing.

“And you think I should continue pursuing her? She probably has trauma with cars. And that’s all because of me.”

“Lucas, she got over being mad at you and even watched your meet.”

“That’s different.”

“I don’t think so. Diana would never exert effort for just anyone.”

“I spent my day with them. Him. Again.” Diana muttered as she shook off her heels and headed straight for her bed.

It was still a little terrifying for her, hanging out with her friends, talking with Lucas again, it felt too surreal. She hated him for so long, but now seeing him again, interacting with him, everything felt so light. She may still want to deny it, but they do get along. Lucas gets her despite how nitpicky and indecisive she can get.

“What am I doing? Why am I walking towards him again?” She sighed to herself.

Admit it, Diana. That’s Lucas. You can’t just drop him and move on.

She kicked her legs in frustration, she sat up and pulled her hair away from her face.

She grabbed her phone and searched for Lina’s name, her face appeared on the screen after a few seconds.

“Lin~”

“Let me guess, Lucas?” Lina was grinning at her, Diana balked at her.

“Lina, you~”

“Di, I rarely see that expression on your face, you look worried and tensed. And Diana Wu doesn’t get worried and tensed.” She chuckled, Diana glared at her.

“You were thinking that you’d be fine treating him as a friend, you’d be fine by not letting him in and not acting like yourself around him. You wanted to keep him out and your failing.”

“It scares me how you seem to know everything.” Diana mumbled, Lina smiled and leaned forward.

“What are you doing, Di? Why are you locking him out?”

“Lina, with what happened years~”

“Di, trust me, I never forgot. But, this time it’s different. He’s back, now you two are in the same school, both of you are older and wiser. So, what are you afraid of?”

“I don’t want to get too attached again.” Diana said, Lina frowned and nodded.

“Di, I never got to tell you this because I was afraid I might…offend you in any way.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do you really think, no, did you really believe that Lucas left you on his own accord?”

Diana paused, her grip on her phone tightened.

“Because I never bought that. Lucas…Lucas was in love with you, everyone knew about that.”

“Lina~”

“We don’t know how things went for him after that, Di. So, please, reconsider and don’t lock him out. We both know he only means well when it comes to you.”

Diana looked away, her brows knitted together.

“I’m not telling you to get back with him, but at least let him in again. Be his friend, just like the old times.”

“You didn’t have to come.” Lucas said as Hendery was walking with him towards the elevator.

“Someone has to make sure you actually went to the sessions, Lucas.” He said as the doors buzzed open and they both got in.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

“Sure, fourth place.” Hendery said dryly, Lucas exhaled in annoyance.

“Look, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but we know how swimming is important to you and we all want you to get better and be back to the old you.”

“Hendery~”

“You don’t have to win, or beat everyone, but you’re in pain everytime you swim, Lucas. Your coach has been warning you about it.”

“I don’t plan to do it as a profession.” Lucas pointed out, Hendery grew amused.

“Of course, we both have companies to take over after school. But you love this sport, and I don’t want you to regret it when you could have done better.”

“D—Did she ask?” Lucas asked, Hendery buried his hands in his pockets.

“The other day? No, she didn’t. She only watched.”

Lucas sighed and nodded, the doors buzzed open again and the both stepped out.

“She doesn’t know.” Hendery stated.

“She doesn’t have to.”

“Lucas, that’s unfair.”

“It’s better that way. I don’t want her to be bothered by this.” Lucas told him, Hendery followed him to a set of hallways.

“She wasn’t the only one who came out with damages after the accident, Lucas.”

“Compared to her, I came out unscathed, this is nothing.”

“Nothing? Sure, tell that to your track record. You haven’t been able to get back to your old speed ever since~”

“Hendery, drop it.”

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