Sometime after the argument and the Legends' bets following Luhan and Kai's fight about Mei…

Experiment 2: The Lu-Kai Battle

Objective: To find out who is more possessive about Mei

In lieu of the above objective, three hypotheses can be derived, which are stated as follow:

Hypotheses:

Null:

• Luhan and Kai are not possessive about Mei

Alternative:

• Luhan and Kai are possessive about Mei
• Luhan is more possessive about Mei than Kai

Variables:

Dependent Variables:

• Possessiveness:  A sense of ownership or entitlement towards an object, in this case the human Mei. Measured through the naturalistic observation of the evident reactions and reported feelings, derived through verbal communication to researchers of the sample.

Independent Variable:

• Mei – the human girl. Keeping with the ethics and human rights, the person shall not be used. Instead, authentic illusions of Mei shall be generated and exposure shall be restricted to when the sample interacts.

Sample: Luhan and Kai. Legends and Shadows with a deep connection and a deeper desire to mate with the human, Mei – both have different powers and temperaments but the possessiveness for their mate-to-be seems equally distributed. Ideal for present study, mean age= 21 human years, average height = 180.5 cm, average complexion = sun-kissed

Procedure:

The experimenter shall work with associates and the sample shall be approached multiple times over the period of one week and presented with a systematic, elaborate illusion of the IV interacting with one of the Sample members to observe the changes in DV. It is proposed that seeing the IV interact this way will give rise to more extreme, objectively observable changes in the DV, which shall be recorded by trained observers and research associates.

Baekyun: So, what do you think?

Chen: I don't want to say it but it actually sounds feasible.

Baekyun (gesturing with his hands): Of course it's feasible – I designed it!

Chanyeol (sounding doubtful): I don't know guys… this doesn't seem right… besides, those two are worse than D.O about his kitchen when it comes to Mei.

Baekhyun (dismissively): I've got that covered – Lay promised he'd heal us.

Chanyeol (groaning): But Luhan's scary when he's angry.

Chen (disregarding his reservations): Let's do this! 

Chen: But wait! (grabs the journal from Baekhyun and scribbles something) okay.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol peer at the page where he's added a special note.

As active feminists and supporters of human rights, we understand that no human, man or woman, is anyone's possession and the sense of possessiveness is only a subjective feeling. Should either of the sample display the sort of behavior which is ethically questionable or challenges this sacred belief, the experiment shall be terminated immediately.

Baekhyun (nodding): Ah, thank you. I forgot to add that.

Chanyeol (more comfortable now that the ethical issue has been addressed): Alright then, let's start!

The three beagles sneak out of Chanyeol's room where they'd been crouching on the floor while Baekhyun elaborated on his new experiment. They head towards the room where Kai and Luhan used to stay together but is now only inhabited by Kai.

Kai is busy dancing and the three stop to simply admire the fluid moves of the cub as he concentrates on bringing each move to perfection.

Chen: How're we playing this?

Baekhyun (snaps his fingers): Observe.

A sudden illusion appears in the mirror beside Kai, that of Mei and Luhan dancing together. The cub ignores the disturbance in his periphery at first but then, his eyes land on the figure and his movements still. A strange, wistful expression crosses his face.

Baekhyun, who has been observing the cub closely, snaps his fingers again to up the game and suddenly, the mock-Luhan's hand slips down mock-Mei's waist to bring her close, flush against him and Kai's eyes flash red, teeth baring into a growl before he angrily lunges forward.

A loud crack indicates the mirror is broken and Kai blinks in confusion, red fading from his eyes as he glances between his bleeding knuckles and the cracked glass before looking over his shoulder.

The door is open but there's no one there and he wonders if he has completely lost it.

Taking a deep breath, he wipes his hand clean, taking care to pick out the glass before heading out to find Lay.

Chanyeol (appearing the moment Kai's out of the door): Phew, that was close!

Baekhyun (buffing his nails): Puh-lease. I had everything under control; (to Chen) did you note everything down?

Chen (nodding and eyeing the mirror thoughtfully): You don't think we're going too far, do you?

Baekhyun (blinks and looks disturbed for a moment before shrugging): Nah, it's all in good fun.

………………………………

Luhan is humming to himself as he makes his way back to Xiumin's shop, looking at Mei's text he's just received. He's still dancing around her, not exactly very clear with where they stand and after Kai, he doesn't want to wait any longer. Still…

He is distracted by a sudden activity in his line of sight and he glances up. And the phone drops out of his nerveless fingers as his eyes expand, anger and hurt shooting through his heart.

Mei is standing close to Kai, whispering something in his ears and his Shadow has his eyes locked with Luhan's as he smirks, rubbing in the fact that Mei's hands are on his body, her smile flirtatious and her gaze adoring.

There's a brief moment in which he wonders how this is possible – Mei should be in her room at the hostel, how did she end up here? – but then, anger overpowers everything else and his eyes turn blindly red. Mei is HIS, Kai had better back off, how dare he even think Luhan would let this pass unaddressed?

Before his Shadow can more than blink, Luhan is on him, putting the force of his power behind his punch as he lands it on Kai's jaw, hopefully to make it shatter.

There's an ominous cracking sound and Luhan blinks in surprise at his hand, embedded in a tree trunk, neither Kai, nor Mei in sight.

The tree cracks ominously again and Luhan manages to jump out of the way as it collapses. He's still confused, wondering if he's lost it. It also makes him realize just how betrayed he's feeling because he honestly trusted Kai. That his own Shadow would go behind his back and keep an eye on his mate…

His teeth bare in a growl again and he snarls at nothing, snatching the phone he's dropped and stalking away.

He's going to confront Kai once and for all.

Baekhyun (peeking out from behind the bushes, shaken at Luhan's aggression): D-did you note that down?

Chanyeol (uncomfortably): Yah, you don't think he's going after Kai, do you?

Chen (peering after the retreating Legend): Hate to say it but yes, he is. (Glances at his friends): We should warn Kai.

Baekhyun (nodding and pulling out his phone): Yeah, don't want bloodshed. (Smirks) But damn, Luhan's so damn possessive – I'm gonna win this one.

Chen (rolling his eyes): I don't think so – Luhan's just more explosive with his anger than Kai – didn't you see that murderous glint in Kai's eyes when he saw the illusion? (Snorts) Kai still has more of a chance than you guys credit him for.

Chanyeol (raising his hands): Hey I'm team Mei – she gets to decide her mate.

Chen and Baekhyun eye him irritably because Chanyeol's gonna win this way, no matter what. Kai picks up the phone and Baekhyun speaks.

Bakhyun (sweetly): Kai, how're you doing?

Kai (immediately suspicious of his sweet tone): Nothing, why?

Baekhyun (clears his throat): A little bird told me that your Legend's very angry and is headed your way. Thought you'd appreciate the heads up.

Kai (not fooled): What did you do?

Baekhyun (kicking his feet): Um… might've showed him something.

Kai (catching on): Like you showed me in the mirror?

Baekhyun (cursing his smartness): Kind of… yeah.

Kai curses under his breath for a moment before snorting.

Kai (angry): Let him come, I'm not afraid.

Baekhyun: But…

Kai hangs up. The beagles stare at the phone for a while before looking at each other.

Chanyeol: We should wrap this up. They're both quite possessive.

Chen and Baekhyun nod and jot down the conclusion before running after Luhan so they can stop him from pummeling Kai.

Baekhyun (stopping with sudden inspiration): I've got it!

Chanyeol and Chen (suspiciously): What?

Baekhyun (triumphantly, running again): Just see. They'll forget about each other and we get the perfect opportunity to see who's more possessive.

They reach the HQs in time to see Luhan and Kai snarling at each other, obviously having exchanged harsh words and about to lunge at each other. Before they can jump, though, Baekhyun snaps his fingers.

An image of Mei with her arms around Baekhyun's waist appears in front of the Legends. Chanyeol and Chen let out noises of understanding, hurriedly hiding behind some bushes and taking out pens to note down observations while Baekhyun stays standing, camouflaging himself and concentrating on his illusions.

The illusory Baekhyun lifts up a camera, his arm wrapping around Mei's shoulder and he whispers – here, Baekhyun decides to speak because his illusions can't talk – say cheese, I'm gonna tag it MeiBu5ev3r – and that's how far he goes before both Luhan and Kai lunge at his illusion.

Both Legends' hands smack against each other as their hands slip through Mei's shoulders – presumably to push her away before they deal with the illusion-Baek – and they blink in surprise as the illusion vanishes.

Only to appear a few a feet away, this time Baekhyun kneeling down on the floor and presenting Mei with flowers as she blushes and shyly accepts them. Baekhyun adds another line just to rile up the two Shadows and sings 'You light up my world' and observes with fascination the anger displayed by both Legends.

Chen was right, Kai was just as possessive as Luhan, just better at controlling his temper. He doesn't think he's ever seen the cub this angered before and winces as a claw lands at his illusion's head.

The illusion vanishes again before reappearing, this time Mei leaning over to kiss Baekhyun.

That seems to be the last straw and Luhan lets out something similar to a feral cry, like an animal right before it attacks and Baekhyun actually shivers where he's standing, extremely glad the Legends can't see him. He still flinches when Luhan uses his telekinesis to throw him away and there is a mighty crash as the wall which serves as the boundary of their residence crumbles with the force of the hit, taking the body down.

Except that Baekhyun has extinguished his illusion at the last moment because really, how could telekinesis hit light, right?

So what – or rather, who – had Luhan thrown away?

Baekhyun gulps as two red eyes flash in the settling debris and a growl, one he sincerely dreads, reverberates through the garden.

Dammit, what was D.O doing here?

……………………………………