Luhan pulled her into his arms again, so that her head was resting against his chest and leaned back, resting on his elbows. She draped her hands over his arms, shifting so she was settled more securely against him, smiling up at him. He bent his head to drop a kiss on her forehead.

'Mei?' He spoke after a while, thoughtfully chewing the crisp she'd given him.

'Hmm?' she sounded like a content kitten. He ran a hand through her hair, petting her.

'About your powers…'

She turned her head to look up at him, 'Yeah?'

'There's something I need to tell you about it.'

He'd thought it through and even though he'd enjoyed playing around with her, he decided it was about time she knew the truth. He could explain about the entire deal with Evil later on but this would obviously pave way for it. Thing was, he wasn't sure she'd take too kindly to being fooled like that. And his justification – that she would've done the same had she been in his position – would take some time before it appealed to her.

Still, it was for her own good. So, he started talking and tried to ignore how she'd stiffened in his arms. This wasn't good. .

Kai had been right when he'd warned him – 'it'll come back to bite you in the one day… I'm just saying' – and going by Mei's reaction, or lack of it, today was that day.

'So… um, that's all.'

Mei didn't say anything for a while, silently processing what he'd said.

'So…' she finally spoke, voice carefully devoid of any inflictions, 'you're saying that all this time, you've been playing around with me.'

Well, it sounded bad when she said it like this. 'It was only for fun…' he began.

'I was terrified I'd hurt you if I lost control!' she snapped, pushing herself away and turning to glare at him. 'I was even thinking I'd have to push you away because if I got out of control, who knew what would happen?!'

'Mei…'

'Don't Mei me! How could you?' She huffed, looking close to tears. Luhan felt guilty – in his defense, he'd found her fear very cute.

'Cute? You think scaring me is cute?' she shrilled, throwing her empty cup at him. 'Jerk!'

'Mei…'

'Don't talk to me.' She sniffed, turning away and hunching over. 'I'm mad at you.'

'Baby, I'm sorry.'

She only sniffed in reply. He sighed, picking the cup and throwing it in the garbage can before coming back to sit behind her.

It could've been worse, he reasoned, feeling a little bit relieved. She'd probably be a little annoyed with him for a day or so – and he'd make sure to apologize thoroughly – but at least, she wasn't telling him she never wanted to see him again as she'd done the previous time they'd seriously fought.

Still, it was hard when she glared at him and didn't return his parting wave. He sent her a text. 'I am sincerely sorry but you really were very cute. And you can't say you wouldn't have done the same.'

He got a mature ':P' in reply and grinned. They were alright. He sent her a kissing emote and got ready to leave.

………………………

'Can you believe that?' She snapped angrily at Kai, smacking the cup on the table and glaring at her friend.

'Um…' Kai had no idea what he was supposed to do in this situation. Luhan had told her that he possessed the telekinesis and that he'd been fooling her all this time and she was justifiably angry but he wasn't sure stuffing on junk food was the answer.

'Shut up!' she snapped around the crisps she was crunching.

'It's not good for you…' he suggested, then yelped when she threw the entire packet of chips in his lap. 'I'm NOT fat!' She shrilled angrily.

'I didn't mean that!'

'First Sehun, now you!' She glared at him. 'Can't a girl eat in peace?'

'I only meant it's unhealthy and you aren't even chewing properly.' He raised his hands in a calming gesture. 'Seriously, that's all.'

She eyed him for a while before snatching the bag back again. 'I mean, how could he play with me like that?' She asked like their talk hadn't been interrupted at all. 'I really was scared I'd hurt someone.'

'Well, I'm sure he only meant it in good humor.' Kai spoke reasonably, 'Besides, you were having fun. He only wanted to make you happy.'

'You always take his side.' She complained.

Unfortunately, he did. He gave her a half-smile. 'He is my brother.'

She nodded, cupping her chin in her hands. 'So, you knew about it too?'

He nodded. 'We're family.'

'Does that mean you have powers too?' She eyed him hopefully, temper forgotten in excitement. 'And Sehun? Ooh!' She sat up straight suddenly, 'Does he control wind???'

Kai laughed at her enthusiasm. 'Yes and yes. How come you know about Sehun's?'

'Tiffany. She was sure he was messing with her hair.'

Kai shrugged. 'He's liked her for a while now, I guess that was his way of getting attention.'

'Brat.' Mei declared. Kai nodded in agreement. 'What about you?' She asked him. He eyed her for a while. 'Guess.'

She focused on him intensely as if somehow his power would appear on his forehead. 'Um… I have no idea. C'mon tell me.'

Kai shook his head. 'Nope. You know Luhan's, you guessed Sehun's. I thought I was your bestfriend.' He gave her a hurt look.

'Sehun's obvious. You're more complicated.'

'Thank you but buttering me up won't help. I'm not giving any hints.'

'Come on!!!' She whined. Shaking his head, he stood up. 'C'mon, we'll be late.'

'Yeah yeah… ooh, your brothers know as well, don't they?' She eyed him hopefully.

'Yes and I'll tell them not to tell you anything. You have to guess.'

'No fair!' she stamped her foot. He poked his tongue out at her. 'Fair.'

They bickered on their way to the cafeteria and stopped when they spied Tiffany and Sehun in the corner, sitting together. Mei grabbed his hand, bending to hide them from the view.

'What are you doing?' He asked, amused. 'Spying. Look at them… ooh, there's just so much tension between them.'

'True.' He nodded. They sneaked around Sehun and Tiffany and chose a table that afforded them a good view. 'Why is this important again?' Kai asked.

'Because that's my bestfriends and I want them to be happy.'

He pouted. 'You wanted me and Tiff to break up.'

'You guys weren't meant to be.' Kai sighed at that; it was true after all.

She was Sehun's mate, not his. Besides, he'd moved on from Tiffany remarkably quickly and this time, he didn't even have Lay trying to absorb his hurt. It had made him realize they'd made the right decision about breaking up. Putting himself back in the friend-zone with Mei – after realizing just how stuck on her he was – was way harder.

'When is he taking her out?' Mei asked him. Kai blinked. 'How would I know?'

'Tch, didn't he tell you?'

'I'm her ex, what do you think?' Kai arched a brow. Mei could be foolish at times. She winked, 'My bad, sorry.'

They hurriedly ducked out of sight when Sehun slid out of his seat, followed by a blushing Tiffany Mei's eyes glittered with excitement. 'They so kissed. OMG, aren't they cute???' She jumped excitedly in her chair.

'Yeah…' He half-smiled. 

……………………...

'It's terrible!' Raina and Tiffany exclaimed at the same time, then blinked at each other. 'What do you mean?' They asked in unison again. 'You tell! No you… stop, just stop!'

They stared at each other in silence. 'What's terrible?' Mei, who'd been silently sitting in the stool in front of the counter, leaned forward, placing her elbows on top.

'You tell,' Raina told Tiffany generously. Tiffany sighed. 'My heart won't stop racing!' She stared at Mei pathetically. 'He only came close, like this…' she bent to demonstrate, '… and it just won't stop racing. I feel like I’m hyperventilating. What's happening to me?' She asked, sounding desperate.

'You like him is all.' Mei nodded in agreement to her own statement. 

'No, I don’t!' Tiffany snapped, leaning her head on the counter. 'I can't!'

'Of course you can!' Mei snapped right back. 'Why shouldn't you?'

'But Mei…' Tiffany whined.

'It's true love.' Mei asserted, turning to Raina, 'What happened to you?'

'How do you know its true love?' Raina asked curiously. Maybe she could take the hints and see if it was true love with Lay or not.

'Well…' she glanced at Tiffany, 'can I tell her?' Tiffany didn't look up at her, staring dejectedly at the floor. 'Go ahead…'

'Well, she kissed Sehun by accident…' Mei related the entire event. 'So you see… it only happens when it's true love. Like me and Luhan.'

Raina thought about it for a second. 'Isn't there any other way? Like, if I don't kiss him…'

'Um…' Mei scrunched her nose. 'Time slows down when you look at him?' She asked.

Raina choked on the sip she'd taken. 'Say what?' She coughed, tearing up a little. Please, let her have heard it wrong.

'Time slows down, like almost to a stop and it's just you and him in that moment…' Mei sighed, tilting her head and sighing dreamiy. 'And…'

'Does…' Raina swallowed, 'does it all rush back and leave you disoriented?'

'Ohmygod, it happened to you, didn't it?' Mei sat up straight. Even Tiffany pulled herself out of her dejection to look at her with huge eyes. 'Did it?' She whispered.

Raina hung her head, nodding miserably. She ran a hand through her hair, feeling suddenly close to tears. She'd been so, so sure…

'Honey that's great!' Mei exclaimed, grabbing her hand. 'Oh, I knew you and Lay were it!'

Raina heaved a mighty sigh. 'It's not Lay.' She mumbled.

'Hmm, come again?' The roommates looked at her curiously. She felt a tear form in her eye, having to repeat that heart-breaking statement. 'I said it's not Lay.'

'What?'

'Who, then?'

Just then, the doorbell jingled and the door swung open, revealing the object of their discussion – and apparently, her true love – in his full, swaggering glory.

Beside her, Tiffany straightened in a hurry, a color passing over her face because Sehun was right beside him but for Raina…

It was just the two of them in that moment – again. Time slowed to a stop as everything around her seemed to still and his eyes met hers, crinkling into a smile, then time rushed back, the sounds suddenly coming at full-volume and the shop regained its hustle and bustle.

Raina slumped much like Tiffany had been doing a second ago.

'It's Tao.' She sobbed.

……………………………….

'Xiumin!' Lily sounded scandalized to her own ears but she could be excused because they were in the office, for heaven's sake.

'So?' He grinned at her, ignoring her protests and putting her on the desk.

'So? What if someone comes it?'

'I locked the door.' He reassured her. Not. 'That's not okay.'

'Of course it is.'

'Xiumin…' She protested again, weakly because… well, because this was Xiumin. She wasn't impervious to his advances.

'Just think of it like this…' He muttered against her ear, his breath sending delicious chills down her spine. 'It's our secret workplace affair that everyone keeps talking about.'

'You're impossible.' She muttered back, melting despite herself.

He didn’t say anything, just captured her lips to silence her. She couldn't help but respond, even if she knew it was so risky. Her eyes slid shut when he left to move down her neck. He shifted to settle more securely between her legs, hands scrunching her skirt up, his fingers tracing over her thighs.

'Xiu…'

'Shh.'

Who knows how far he would've taken things if someone hadn’t knocked on the door just then. She straightened in surprise, hitting her head on his chin.

'Yeah?' She squeaked, trying to push him away. He grinned, locking his knees and not budging. 'Um… there's a customer who wants to see the manager.' Tiffany called.

'Okay, I'll be there…' She struggled to free herself.

'Or I can tell them you're busy…' She blushed at Tiffany's teasing tone.

'No, that's alright, I'll be out in a moment.' Glaring at Xiumin, who was still grinning unrepentantly, she slid off the table. He planted a quick kiss on , 'We'll continue this later.'

Shaking her head, she hurried towards the door. Because if he kept at it, she'd forget her common sense and go along with his outrageous plans. Straightening her skirt hastily, she patted her hair in place and used a napkin to clean her smeared lipstick, before heading out.

Xiumin watched her leave before leaning his hip against the desk and straightening his own shirt – it was untucked because… ha, because she liked it, no matter how much she protested. And he'd already decided, long before they'd gotten to this point, that he'd take what he could get.

He couldn't claim her, no, but what he had with her was enough. He'd make it enough.  They didn't need some damn link to bring them closer, to communicate without words. He didn't need the claiming to know she was his, to show her who she belonged to.

The beast inside him growled, asserting its claim on her. She belonged to them both. Well, technically she did but long as the beast wasn't free…

It banged around inside him, like it was caged, demanding to be set free, growling and growling before whining. It wanted to be liberated, to be able to manifest itself like it was supposed to, to get close to its mate.

Problem was, Xiumin had caged it up inside himself too deep, like his emotions and now, he had no idea how to let it out. The emotions had broken free despite his efforts to keep them inside – he could only hope the same would happen for his beast as well.

……………………………

A/N

Aaand finally, Lu got the guts to 'fess up :) I wanted to make Mei madder but she doesn't agree with me :/ anyway, so... the last arc for this story has started and we have around twenty, twenty five chapters left... I honestly can't believe it took me this long to get to this point... I talk(write?) too much... ugh. Anyway, so a number of things I have been hinting at since the start of this story (and the previous) will get dealt with, hopefully. And... well, we'll also see what happens with Chen, yeah?

Also... I should've asked this sooner but I'll be asking it now. We've come a long way from where we started (which was a parody of twilight romance with a mess of other stuff thrown in... joking) but what I was really concerned about was the characerization. After writing so much, the characters in my mind have evolved a lot. So I wanted to know if you guys have seen the character development... and if there is something that does not concide or something that clashes with how the characters ought to behave? also, if you guys have any curiousities about a certain plot hole... or something else I hinted at but didn't get around to explaining, do ask, do tell. Its really hard to keep track of everything I've said with a monster like this, so please do let me know. I want this story to be as holistically woven together as possible, all threads woven together perfectly and leaving something hanging would detract from that. Thank you in advance, I would appreciate the feedback. 

And now, I'll be leaving you guys :) until next week