Ningshun leaned against the wall in the corridor, scrolling through his phone, his jaw tight. When Meilin appeared, his sharp features softened, and his eyes widened, holding her like a shadow in the evening light. A flicker passed through his gaze, like the quiet swell of a wave beneath the surface. "Morning, Meilin."

"Morning." Her smile, as delicate as a petal, hid a deep longing in her eyes, like a flower yearning for sunlight after a long, shadowed night. "What were you doing?"

"Just... online shopping." His gaze brushed over her, almost hesitant. He glanced at her once, then again, before dipping his eyes away to clear his throat, stretching the pause between them.

For a moment, neither moved. "I..." They both started at once, their voices colliding. They shared a silent stare, the world around them fading, like a river swollen with unspoken emotions, ready to overflow.

He cocked his head, searching her eyes as if decoding a hidden message. "You going somewhere?"

"I'm here to be with you," her voice a murmur, as if those words cost her more than she would ever admit.

Ningshun raised an eyebrow, taking a step forward. "You're here to... be with me?" His gaze searched hers as the words came out slowly, trying to grasp their meaning and the strange shift in her tone.

Her gaze lingered on him, softening as they met his, like curtains parting to reveal the depths of her emotions. The usual playful sparkle had dimmed, replaced by an intense, almost aching depth. Her breath caught as she spoke, her voice trembling with unspoken openness. "Yes, I... I wanted to be near you... I just... want to be with you..."

His eyes traced the delicate vulnerability in her expression, how her eyes fluttered when she gazed at him. His breath hitched as he suspected what might be behind that look. "Meilin, do you... have feelings for me?"

Her eyes widened, heart racing as sweat formed on her forehead. Her smile wavered, lips parting, but no words came, even after what felt like an eternity. Her throat tightened as her mind screamed, 'Why can't I just say it?' The pain of the silence stretched, and his concerned gaze only made it harder. 'Why is he looking at me like that? Doesn't he like me?'

'Why is she silent?'

The confrontation hit her like a slap in the face. 'Oh no, what if I made a mistake? What if he was just being friendly? I... I messed up! I can't believe I let myself think this again... This can't be happening...' Her heart ached as she forced a smile and blurted out, "No..."

Confusion and a leaden weight swirled in Ningshun's chest like a tornado, settling over him like a heavy shroud.

"I mean, I was just... planning a little surprise for you... and the team! I'll fill you all in later. Okay?" She swallowed the lump in her throat. 'Really, Meilin? You idiot! Was all this effort with the dress, makeup, and hair just for nothing?'

He blinked, like a shadow passing over a warm hearth. His smile faltered before he forced it back, though the glow it usually carried had dimmed. "Sure, no worries," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. The lines of his face tightened as the silence that followed his words stretched on, each second feeling like a dead weight pressing against his chest.

'Did I... upset him? But if he's upset, doesn't that mean that he... likes me? I need to know... please.' Her eyes told a million stories, each a tale of worry, like scenes playing out in an open theater. "Ningshun, I..."

Forming a devilish grin, he leaned in closer, his presence overwhelming her senses. His musky scent filled the air around her as he tilted his head, his eyes compelling her to glance up as if an invisible force slid its fingers under her chin to lift it. But in reality, he did not even lay one finger on her. His hunting eyes were more than enough to hold hers captive, daring her to break away as her breath quickened from the intensity of their positions.

"So, now that I know you don't have feelings for me..." he paused, his breath hot against her skin as his lips neared, hovering close to her neck.

Her eyes widened, her face flushing a deep red. "Y-You! What are you doing?" Her heart raced as she glanced away, struggling to cover up her reaction. 'He's not hurt in the slightest! I... I have to get out of here before I... NO!' She cleared her throat, fighting to steady herself. "I'll see you in the headquarters, alright?"

'It worked...' Ningshun thought, forcing his grin to stay in place. 'She doesn't need to worry... about me anymore...' That look she gave him unsettled him in a way he could not ignore. The thought of her pitying him—of seeing him as someone who needed comforting—bothered him more than he cared to admit.

Meilin turned away in an instant, marching down the corridor. Her heart, heavy like stones, weighed her down. 'Normally, I'd play along, but after today, I can't. I've really messed up this time. I wish I had never... made such a fool of myself.' She disappeared down the hallway, leaving him staring after her.

He released a breath, unaware he had been holding it. His chest tightened as he took a step back, struggling to hold himself together.

Swallowing hard, he parted his lips, but the words caught in his throat, as if speaking them aloud would make them more real. "So, that's how it is..." he whispered, his trembling hands betraying the calm facade he clung to.

After a moment of contemplation, he gave a sharp exhale, his breathing growing shallow and erratic.

Unable to stand any longer, his back hit the wall with a dull thud, his body sagging against it. His face remained expressionless for a moment until his eyes closed, and a deep sigh escaped him as he stood there.

Minutes felt like hours. When Ningshun opened his eyes, he forced himself to straighten up, his expression now a stoic mask. Without another glance back, he turned and strode away, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

~*~

Stepping outside, Ningshun mounted his motorcycle and took off toward headquarters. Now alone in the office, he settled at his desk, staring at the screen that illuminated his minty irises, the light shimmering in his eyes. He glimpsed something pink in the corner of his eye—an ad featuring a round perfume bottle with a spiked lid.

His gaze drifted to the tiles underfoot. 'Perfume...' Heat rose up his neck, pooling in his cheeks as his pulse quickened.

​​​​​The memory of this morning slammed into his mind—his lips almost brushing Meilin's neck.

His heart pounded, and he coughed, pressing his palms to his heated face. 'I can't believe I actually pulled that move. WHAT WAS I THINKING? I wonder... how she felt after that... NO! God, what am I even thinking...'

He tightened his grip on the metal frame of the desk.

Recalling her scent brought him back to when she pulled him close, their eyes meeting like a dream unfolding, breaths coming shallow, and whispers igniting shivers through him. The heat between them thickening, the space narrowing—him, the wall, and her pressed in between—simmering with tension. Her closeness becoming unbearable: the soft scent of her skin and the warmth radiating from her. An ache rose deep within him for the touch that hovered just out of reach.

For a moment, he forgot to be mindful of his expression, a corner of his lips curling as his cheeks flushed red—only for it to vanish as awareness punched his thoughts. 'What the hell is wrong with me?'

With a deep breath, he shot up and rushed to the windows, opening them all and welcoming the cool breeze as it caressed his flushed skin.

Behind him, the lower part of the desk was wrecked. The metal frame bore a deep, crescent-shaped indentation, twisted from the force of his grip. The surface buckled, and the paint cracked and chipped where his fingers had dug in moments earlier.

"Hey Ningshun."

Standing by the large windows, he turned around as Meilin stepped into the office, the breeze brushing against her shivering skin and making her glossy lips tremble. She still sported the dolled-up look from this morning, but now she wore a form-fitting gray coat that accentuated her figure in all the right ways.

Ningshun's brow twitched, and he cleared his throat before glancing away. "Hey."

'Just 'hey'? After this morning? He was ready to do all that, but now he can't even look me in the eyes.' Scoffing, Meilin's chest tightened despite herself. "Can you close the windows? I want to take it off."

He swiftly turned his head. "What?"

She blinked. "It's cold... I can't take off my coat like this."

His facial muscles tightened as he glimpsed her furrowing brows, flustered. "No, I need air."

"Is it really that hot in here to open the windows? I'm freezing!" She crossed her arms.

"I..." He maintained his steady gaze. "Yes, I'm in here."

"How typical of you." She rolled her eyes.

"If you want to warm up, you can..." He glanced around, then darted his gaze back to hers. With a sharp exhale, his tone lowered as he sauntered toward the door, head held high. "You can clean your desk. It's a mess."

Meilin glanced at her tidy desk, then back at him, an eyebrow raised. "You trolling me? My desk is perfectly fine!" She frowned as he closed the door behind him with a sharp thud, as if she did not exist. Her mouth opened in a scoff, her pride taking a hit like a bulldozer.

Ningshun stood outside the office, leaning against the door with his eyes closed as a heavy exhale escaped him. "But I'm not..." he breathed, his voice low and barely above a whisper. Clenching his fists, his heart raced as he took a deep breath. After a moment of silence, he turned the handle and stepped inside, just as Meilin closed the last window.

Meilin glanced over her shoulder. "I guess you aren't that hot."

Ningshun straightened, a cocky grin spreading across his face. "Oh, I assure you, I'm definitely hotter than the sun."

As she opened her mouth to reply, Han showed up, cutting off their conversation as the rest of the team joined.

Hours went by, and when the time came to end today's practice session, Ningshun's phone vibrated in his pocket.

He pulled it out and read the text message: "It is ready, Sir."

A deep breath caught in his throat as Ningshun fought to steady his nerves and excused himself.

~*~

Outside the headquarters, as Ningshun made his way to his motorcycle, a strange presence prickled at his senses, like unseen eyes lurking in the shadows. He clenched his jaw, forcing a casual shrug. 'I'm probably just tripping.'

A subtle ripple of energy emanated from the bustling crowd, precisely, one man who stood out among the rest in his black worn-out robes covering his head. His eyes, weathered by the passage of time, caught a glimpse of their interaction, jolting his pupils into a tremor.

"This feeling..." The old man's eyes, shadowed and hollow, landed on Ningshun. "His power... it's from realms beyond here. Yet he is not of my kind. What is he?" his voice quavered like the rustling of old parchment. Bowing his head, a ray of twisted hope shone through his gaze. "It matters not; he may be my escape... Yes, yes, at last. This is a sign. I can go back to my world..."

He lingered in the periphery, his gaze filled with unsettling intensity, following Ningshun's every move as dark energies whispered in his ears.

"I know, little ones," the old man murmured in an eerie voice as his ghastly creatures circled around him.

A sly grin crept across his face as he snapped his fingers.

In the distance, Ningshun froze for a moment, a sudden chill creeping down his spine like icy fingers as an unseen force tugged at him. His fist clenched, teeth gritted as he turned, movements sharp and tense.

A blinding white ray shot from his palm, making its way to his victim, only to fizzle out as it approached Ningshun, as if repelled by an unseen force.

"No reaction? How odd." The man ground his teeth. "He's not ploying something? An ambush?"

He scanned the area, eyes narrowing, but nothing unusual emerged.

"Better to stay low for now. It wouldn't be fun if it were easy. We'll meet again... when the time is right." The man scowled in the shadows, hidden in the bustling crowd, his mind racing as he plotted his next move for the next time he would see Ningshun.

Starting his motorcycle's engine, Ningshun left for home to meet the woman his father had chosen for him—a marriage he never wanted but felt trapped by.