~*~
 

Three weeks had passed just like that.
 

My days were filled with countless practice and studying about this new world that I am in now. I filled my time with it because I wanted to distract myself from everything.

"So how did the training go with Jaehyun?" 

Jaemin beamed at me, then he sipped his cup of Americano, making a loud noise.

Renjun cringed at him, "can u stop doing that??"

It was nice to have finally see them both after weeks. I've missed them so much.

I missed Mai too.

I looked at the table below, my eyes were getting blurry and didn't want the boys to worry if I was crying.

"It was fine." I said to divert myself from my own thoughts. "He actually taught me new moves."

"Does he really have black fire?" Jaemin asked again. "I can't believe the guy that challenged you to a duel is now training you."

I nodded in silence.

"Li," Jaemin squeezed my hand below the table since he sat next to me. "If you wanna leave and have a rest you should."

I shook my head lightly and bit my lip.

I think Jaemin noticed that I couldn't hold myself from tearing up so he quickly pulled me into his arms. I burried my face in his chest.

I really wanted to tell them about how everyone actually wants me dead, if they ever found out who I really am.
 

~
 

It's also been three weeks since I saw Hendery. 

He disappeared when I accidentally fell asleep sitting next to his bed, the day when Jennie put a curse on him.

I've been trying to find out where he went, but I still have no lead.

I haven't seen the rest of the 127 either, except for Jaehyun every Saturday afternoon. To help me with my bending. 
 

"You aren't feeling the Sun."

Jaehyun said as he walked in circle around me.

I rolled my eyes in secret. I didn't how sitting in the air and trying to meditate at the same time under the burning sun above us would help my firebending any better.

"Eyes closed, Juli."

I stood up, my knees were super sore I felt like collapsing from an hour of sitting on the air. "I don't get how this is going to help my firebending."

All of a sudden, Jaehyun started to attack me.

He threw several punches and kicks at my face. I blocked all of them until he started to attack from the bottom. I lost my balance and was about to fall to the back. He grabbed my wrist, then pulled me abruptly to make me stand.

I stood too close to him. We were spraying each other with our breaths, but mine was more intense. I stared at him, afraid that he would scold me for doubting his way of teaching.

I didn't know why my heart was beating so fast. Well I knew, but I felt like half of it was because of being too close to him.

"Your breathing technique is still weak."

I pulled back my hand and took steps back away from him. Actually catching my breath this time.

"And you have no sense of balance."

I turned around to get my water, but the world suddenly tilted and I lost my balance. My vision was getting fuzzy too.

Jaehyun caught me just in time before my head hit the floor.

I was having a feeling of déjà vu. 

I opened my eyes and saw Jaehyun's panic face.

"You should've told me if you were going to collapse like that."

"So that you could catch me in a better position?"

"So that I didn't push you over your limit, you mushy." He corrected.

Jaehyun dropped me.

I guess I'm used to it now.

"Well maybe you should've elaborated more on how I should feel the Sun." I said as I tried to copy how he sounded like.

"Practice is over for today." He said.

"What??" I shifted into a sitting position. "You just told me to sit under the sun and meditate in a sitting position on mid air how was that even a practice?"

"You haven't realized it, have you? The key to firebending is also your breathing. If you have mastered to control your breathing everything else will be like walking in the park." He said as he wore his denim jacket.

"Fine. But just don't leave yet. I'll get back to meditating." I said as I got up with all of the energy I had left.

"I said practice is over." 

He walked to where I was standing quickly and grabbed my hand gently.

He turned it over and exposed my sore and purple knuckles.

"What are you doing this for?"

I pulled my hand back and looked away in embarrassment.

"Go, and let your body rest."

If I do that, my head will be filled with unbearable thoughts, and I wish I could tell him that.

"Fine, I'll just practice by myself." I simply said.

I heard him let out his breath, "listen, if you keep going on you'll end up with Lucas again."

"I can take care of myself."

"I know you can," he said, with a slight sarcasm he put in his tone. "But this isn't really what you call self care, this is harming yourself."

I just closed my eyes and got back to meditating.

I waited for his footsteps to exit the garden, but the air was filled with silence, and the sound of the wind howling. I took a peak and opened my right eye a bit. 

Jaehyun was laying flat on the grass. His hands under his head and eyes closed with a slight smile.

He looked like an Ang—

"What are you doing?"

"What do you mean what am I doing?" He said, still remained on his comfortable position.

"I thought you wanted to leave?"

"I can't force you to do anything, so I decided that I will just stay with you."

I felt my cheeks were getting hot, I really didn't know how to respond.

Why would he pull something like this? 

"But you're not going to help me train?" I asked.

"Nope."

"The why are you here?"

"I've been here since I got to the institute, and no one except you had ever found out about the garden. If you collapse and pass out no one will ever know."

"But you will, because you come here."

"What if it's too late?"

"So, you care."

It got his attention and he shifted to sit on the ground to look at me. "Excuse me?"

"So you care about me?" I smirked and sat on the ground.

"For 's sake," he shook his head to the sides. "You're one silly woman, you know that?"
 

~
 

The Dinning Hall was lit up by white candles and everyone was given their own hot chocolate.

Christmas is coming