Yang’s words echoed in Tien’s mind. About respect and truth and Khai.

And so, for the entire week, Tien had stayed away from her niece-turned-nephew.

But Tien couldn’t stay at Taesu indefinitely: she had duties back in Karashu. She needed to return. Before that, she needed to speak with her niece-turned-nephew.

With words and rumours of Healer Khai around with the other Healers, Tien knew where to find him. The lower districts.

It was near noon when Tien arrived, at a time very similar to when she came the previous week to find her niece associating with an unknown man.

When she arrived this time, she found Healer Khai in company of even more men: the same young earth mage, two other earth mages, a swordsman, and a fire mage who looked like he could have been Khai’s twin.

Long lost kin?

Yang’s words echoed in Tien’s mind again. About respect and truth and Khai.

“Good morning, Khai,” Tien said, forcing the name from her lips.

Khai-previously-Mai stood up. “Auntie, good morning,” he-she said, bowing formally. “Everyone, this is my adopted aunt, Healer Mage Tien, of Karashu.”

Tien inclined her head.

One by one, Khai introduced the other men: earth mages Han, Raah and Jin, swordsman Shima, and fire mage Quy. More friends than Mai had ever had, back in Karashu.

Tien had hoped that Khai would gain some nice female friends by attending Immin University. Instead, she had gained a harem of men.

“I met them at Baashi University,” Khai was saying.

Tien smiled thinly. “Did you met Song, son of Colonel Maru there as well?”

Khai had a faint, mysterious smile. “Yes. Yang said she talked to you.” Khai nudged Tien and the two of them walked a distance away from the men.

“How are you, auntie?” Mai’s voice was soft and feminine.

Tien sighed. “What did I do wrong, Mai? Do you hate me so much as to become a man?”

Mai stiffened, voice pitched low, “What you did wrong—was forcing me stay a girl, and forcing your outdated notions of what girls and boys should be. It’s not about you, auntie. I have known for a long time. I’ve been behind your back from Karashu.” Gold eyes met Tien’s. “Yang said otherwise but...will you disown me upon returning to Karashu?”

Tien flinched at the implication. “No. You will always be my apprentice, and I your master. That cannot be changed.”

Mai’s shoulder’s relaxed a fraction. “There are too few male healers. But you taught me, and for that, I am extremely thankful.”

Right. She calls herself Khai.

“Auntie. There is one thing I want to ask of you.”

Tien inclined her head. “Yes?”

“When you get back to Karashu...would you help certify changes in my papers?”

Tien tensed. Papers...to change her name. And her gender. “I...I must meditate on it.”

In an inhale, Khai’s fire roared. In the exhale, Khai’s fire simmered as embers.

Tien was starkly reminded of Khai’s fight with Quy just a week ago. Not the power—she had seen the some of the ways Khai drew fire in his healing. But the sharp precision in attack, the movements that spoke of long training.

Had Tien been so blinded that she missed Mai’s transformation? How could she have missed Mai’s transformation into a violent fighter?

Khai sighed. “Will you stay a little while longer for lunch?”

This was ground Tien could stand on. “No. I must depart for Karashu. It has been...good...to see you. Khai.”

Tien inhaled sharply when a sincere smile appeared on Khai’s face, and when the sense of Khai’s magic became like warm sunlight.

Khai lowered his head. “It has been good to see you too, Auntie.”

“I expect you to visit during your winter break,” Tien said.

Khai nodded. “I will, Auntie.”

“Good.” Tien cast an eye over the other men. “Stay safe. Study. And...have a good time with your new friends.”

And with that, Tien departed.

*

Han only relaxed once Khai’s aunt went away. He didn’t quite like the way she’d looked at Khai.

Though, to be fair, Han didn’t quite like the way most people looked at Khai.

Han had joked when he said that Khai tended to make friends with people he had defeated. Except that it was a little too true. And Quy was case-in-point; even Shima, in some sense.

And it explained why Khai was making friends with Song; but not Song’s friend, Ginzan, since it was Quy who had defeated him.

“Relax, Han,” Raah said, eyeing him. “No one’s going to jump out an attack you.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about,” Han muttered.

“But you’re the weakest of us,” Raah said.

Han scowled. “Maybe we should fight again just to see—”

“Everything alright?” Khai slipped into the seat next to Han, lips in a curious grin.

Han felt his cheeks heat up. “No!” He poked at the pile of metal and sand and glass that they had been messing around with. “Why are Jin’s glass things better than mine?”

Jin glared at him. “Perhaps I’m just better at this.”

“You simply need more training,” Quy said mildly. “Shall I find you an earth mage trainer?”

Han eyed Quy a little warily. “That’s kind of you to offer, but unnecessary.” He gave a pointed looked at Raah. “There are enough earth mages that point out all my tiny flaws. And if I wanted to get better at forming glass, I would ask Yang. She’s even better than you.”

Quy had a thoughtful look. “Yes. Mage Yang. I unfortunately have not being able to speak with her the last time we met.”

Understatement of the year, Han rolled his eyes.

“Well, shall we meet now?” came Yang’s voice. “Would you like to have lunch at Thon’s tea shop?”

Han jumped to his feet. “Yes, please.”

That was how they found themselves clustered around tables outside Thon’s tea shop. Mr. Kiri was there, telling his stories to a new victim Jin; Yang, with her son Minh next to her, spoke with Quy and Shima, and Han sat in-between Raah and Khai.

“Do you want to go to the rock gardens after this?” Han asked.

Raah snorted. “He’s a fire mage.”

“But he can manipulate lava! That’s liquid rock!” Han protested.

Khai hummed. “Perhaps you should learn how to manipulate lava as well,” he said thoughtfully. “A different technique, but we could figure it out...”

“Mother, there he is! I knew it! He’s not studying at all!” His sister’s voice, all too familiar.

Han’s stomach felt as heavy as rock. He turned to see his little sister, mother, and father approaching.

“And with the boyfriend again,” his sister teased.

“Han,” his mother said, eyes sharp.

“Is this where you spend your time, son?” his father said, looking around with a polite expression.

Khai’s fingers gripped Han’s, tight.

Han’s resolve fired up. He gave Khai a reassuring smile, and stood up. “Since you are all here, why don’t I introduce to you my companions, Mother, Father, Mian?”

“Are they all your boyfriends?” Mian asked curiously in that bright false innocence that Han knew well from his little sister.

“Quiet, daughter,” Ta hissed. She gave Mian a glare

Han suppressed a smile. “Everyone, this is my family; father Lang, mother Ta, and little sister Mian. And these are my friends—Mage Yang, Mr. Kiri, Mage Raah, Mage Jin, Healer Mage Khai, Swordsman Shima, and Mage Quy.”

Lang’s eyes immediately sharpened. “Quy, son of Lord Quyen, I presume.”

Quy stood up and nodded. “Indeed. Despite being a fire mage, even I have heard of the precious stones you trade in, Merchant Lang.”

Han shot him a look. Okay, how did he know that? And why did he learn that?

Quy smirked back at him.

...I’m glad he’s on our side now.

“I would like to speak with you, privately,” Ta said.

Han went up easily to her. “Yes, mother?”

Ta’s tone lowered. “What did I say about associating with riff-raff? Why have you bought those nobles down here? You could have entertained them elsewhere! With different company!”

“Mother, they are not rubbish. They’re my friends.” He leaned closer. “I do study. I understand what Father has given me, for me to go to Baashi University. I owe my life to you, Mother. But I do not owe all my time to you, as you do not spend your time with me, but rather with my sister. And I don’t mind, because I have others.”

Ta flinched. “How dare you—”

Han sighed. “I do, Mother. I’m an earth mage, and I’m your son. We are as stubborn as each other when it comes to what we feel is right.”

The two of them stared at each other.

“How curious that you look remarkably similar to Healer Khai,” Lang was saying to Quy.

Han broke the stare.

“Yes,” Quy said. “An interesting point for my first meeting with Healer Khai, which led to my meeting with Han and the others.”

Lang had a calculating look. “I see. Well, Quy, I am grateful for your continued support for my son, Han,” he said, bowing formally.

“You’re welcome, Merchant Lang.”

“Look at me when I’m speaking,” Ta said crisply.

Han turned his attention back. “Yes, mother?”

“I want you home after this.”

“I’m an adult, Mother.”

“And what of your duty? You are my first-born son!”

Han winced. “You should cancel any marriage plans with a girl.”

Ta’s nostrils flared. “You have been with a girl without my knowledge?! What is her background?”

Han narrowed his eyes. “No. I met...a fire mage who defeated me in battle.”

Ta’s eyes darted past Han. “Quy, son of Lord Quyen?”

Nervousness bubbled in Han’s stomach, but his words were clear. “No. The one who looks alike.”

“...The Healer.”

“Very respectable, is it not?”

“If he were a woman,” Ta hissed.

Khai was born a girl. But he’s not anymore. He never was...

“Little sister is right,” Han said. The nervousness was bubbling up Han’s chest. “I like a man. He is my age, yet already an accomplished healer. What more can he become in the future?”

Ta withdrew. “You let your preferences overcome your duty?”

“Let me carry out my duty as I see it, Mother.”

“That Yang has put thoughts in your head, hasn’t she?”

“She used to babysit me,” Han protested. “You hired her.”

“That was before she became a single mother!”

Han narrowed his eyes. “She is honourable. She has respect. And she deserves my respect. This is my choice, Mother. I don’t know how to convince you. I don’t know how to make you trust me. But at some point, you have to let me make my own way.”

“We will speak about this further...at home.”

“And if I move out?” Han countered.

“Where?”

“There are many people who would take me.”

“Yang?” Ta snorted.

Han kept a steady gaze.

With a frown, his mother tossed her head. “Husband, if we may depart?” Ta called out. “Or else we will miss our appointment for lunch.”

Lang’s heavy gaze landed upon Han. “Very well.” He came over, squeezing Han’s shoulder briefly. “Good.”

“They’re my friends,” Han said steadily. “No deals required.”

For a brief moment, Lang frowned, disapproval writ across his face.

But his friends were behind him. He didn’t need his father’s approval.

“I will see you at home later,” Lang finally said.

Han nodded. “Yes, Father.” He remained standing until his family was out of sight. Then he sighed, and smiled, and turned back to Khai and the others.

“You’re unsettled.” Khai’s gold gaze was piercing.

Han breathed deeply and just shrugged. “It’s normal.”

“What did you speak about?”

Han remembered...and promptly went red. “Oh, just things she’s talked with me multiple times before. Come on, we haven’t finished lunch yet.” For now, he ignored Khai’s concerned look. It wasn’t something they could broach in public.

*

Quy pulled Khai aside some time later. “How could I repay you, really?”

Khai blinked at him. Shook his head. “We’re friends now. There is no need to repay anything.”

But the sense of debt remained. Quy’s pressed his lips together. There had to be something—Ah. Shima found where Khai was staying… “Come back, then. Your bedroom in the house is still there. The house is too big for just myself and Shima.”

“You mean it?” A flicker of pleasant surprise.

Quy exhaled and nodded. “Yes.”

Khai’s eyes crinkled in a smile. “Then consider this repayment.” He held out a hand.

Quy gripped his hand back, and a wave of fire passed between them. Friendly, instead of threatening.

“But, I will defeat you one day,” Quy said.

Khai nodded seriously. “You will. And then I’ll defeat you again.”

Quy gave a surprised smile. “Indeed.”

Something else came up in his mind. “Let’s invite Han over for dinner one day.”

Khai’s eyes narrowed. “Why not the others?”

Quy smirked. “Invite them too, then. But Han will stay behind. There are no parents in our house.”

Khai’s cheeks reddened. “We’ll see,” he said stiffly in a poise that Quy saw right through. “I’ll ask Shima if he would be willing to cook.”

*