“...I don’t sense any trace of demonic blood or dark magic in my body, Cecil and Hana aren’t capable of removing it,” Xue clenched and unclenched his fists, looking at K’xug. “You removed it, didn’t you?” 

K’xug nodded again with a look of disapproval in his eyes. 

I did, and are you stupid? 

Why would you do something like that? 

Xue recognised that look immediately, it was a look he received too often in the past from this man. He crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows. 

“I know that look, you are calling me stupid.”

K’xug shrugged.

“If I am stupid, you are also stupid yourself for getting locked up in here.”

It was K’xug’s turn to raise his eyebrows now. 

“If you are like the K’xug I know back in the heavenly realm,” Xue said, shrugging his shoulders. “You wouldn’t let yourself be so easily captured.”

K’xug couldn’t respond to that. 

“Even if you did get yourself captured, you would have freed yourself long ago.”

K’xug gave Xue a deadpan. 

Do you even know who had locked me up here? 

Seeing that expression on K’xug, Xue ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “You are angry, I get it. But are you really angry to the point where you don’t want to speak with me, even though it has been decades?” 

K’xug gave Xue the same “are you stupid” look again. 

Am I that petty in your eyes? 

Even if I am angry, that anger isn’t directed to you.

He raised his hand, waving it over his face and neck. In an instant, a magic circle of glowing black symbols hovered in front of his face and neck. 

Xue immediately recognised those patterns, he went back to his alert state. 

“Black magic, and of the highest tier,” Xue furrowed his eyebrows. “No wonder you couldn’t escape, Veau and Zeau had you locked up in here.”

K’xug nodded. 

“...you can’t speak either, can you?” 

K’xug shook his head. 

Xue closed his eyes, resting his hand on his forehead. “Shit, so...that’s what happened. That explains why you were gone for so long.” 

K’xug tapped Xue on the shoulder, getting his attention. He had an expectant look in his eyes, pointing to the magic seals on his face and neck. 

“What? Are you telling me to remove them?” 

K’xug nodded. 

Xue gritted his teeth, clenching his fists. “...I can’t, I lost...all my powers, including my light magic.” 

K’xug didn’t respond in any manner, speechless and he finally reached an understanding. 

It wasn’t just Hana who lost her powers, Xue did too. 

It wasn’t just Xue having his soul split up, the process took away all his powers as well.

Now, K’xug finally understood why no one came to rescue, even if they believed that he did not betray Xue. 

Both Hana and Xue were powerless. 

“I’ll get them back, I’ll get all my powers back eventually,” Xue growled out, a murderous look in his grey eyes. “And once I do, I’ll free you from those damn seals and get my revenge back on all those bastards, including Veau.” 

K’xug could sense the vicious aura around Xue, taken aback. 

He had never seen Xue like this before, and neither did he know that Xue was capable of being this furious. 

“Hold on...if you were in such a state, how did you manage to free yourself now?” Xue suddenly questioned, starting to sound doubtful. “You are heavily injured.” 

K’xug furrowed his eyebrows, taking a step forward. 

Xue narrowed his eyes at him, taking a step back. “...are you lying to me? This is another scheme from the heavenly realm and demon realm, isn’t it? To get rid of me once and for all. To make me suffer even more.” 

K’xug shook his head calmly. 

“Since you can’t speak, write it out to me,” Xue hissed, his voice trembling slightly. “Tell me how you escaped being this injured, how you freed yourself!” 

It was as if Xue was afraid that another of his close friends, just like Veau, had decided to betray him in the end. 

No, maybe...he had already planned this from the start.

Maybe...maybe he and Veau were in cahoots. 

K’xug could sense Xue growing more vigilant, more hostile. He was at a loss of what to do, he couldn’t speak and neither could he write. 

“You are lying, aren’t you?!” 

K’xug shook his head again, conflicted.

“Then why are you not telling me anything?” 

Xue has his guard up completely now. 

K’xug felt that at any moment, Xue may strike out at him and he grimaced just thinking about a punch landing on his face. 

He had just been through decades of torture he never wanted to experience again, and he didn’t want to feel physical pain anytime soon. 

K’xug raised his hands up in surrender, still shaking his head. Meanwhile, Xue’s breathing has picked up and his thoughts are getting influenced by his fear of his closest people betraying him.  

In the end, deep inside, he believed everyone was out to get him. 

In the end, deep inside...he expected everyone to leave him, as if it was his fate to remain alone.

The two of them were so absorbed in their intense conversation, they didn’t hear the two pairs of hurried footsteps heading their way from earlier on. 

“Is it so hard to tell--” 

“Xue!” 

Xue was suddenly tackled by a soft, warm object and he staggered back from the loss of balance. The argument between the two men was brought to a standstill, and K’xug lowered his arms. 

Well, Xue.

I was freed by the woman currently embracing you, as if you were her only lifeline. 

Xue blinked rapidly in surprise, catching a whiff of the familiar scent of herbs and flowers, glancing down. He stared at the raven-haired woman hugging him, her arms curling around him as she embraced tightly. 

Xue was stunned speechless, he couldn’t even move an inch. 

When Cecil spotted the ash blonde-haired man standing there, talking to K’xug, time slowed down for her and the emotions that she had held within the depths of her heart burst forth. She inhaled shakily, and the only thing she wanted to do was to hug Xue. 

“...”

“...Cecil.” 

The woman lifted her head up, her limpid, onyx eyes gazing right at him as tears clung to her long eyelashes. She never thought she'd be so happy to hear this man call her name, in such a gentle manner. 

Seeing such a vulnerable look in her watery eyes, and especially with their close distance, their chest practically sticking to one another, Xue felt a rare feeling rising up within him. 

One that he felt hundreds of years ago.

He was starting to feel flustered.

He had no idea what to do with his arms hanging awkwardly by his side, and neither did he know what to say. 

“Xue, you are okay,” Cecil smiled, her voice shaking. “You are okay, thank god!” 

She proceeded to snuggle right back into his chest, her smile growing wider as she let out a breathy laugh, relieved. 

Xue grew more flustered, blinking his eyes continuously as his arms began to twitch. 

“You...you were that worried...about me?” 

To the point of making you cry?

Cecil leaned back, a tear slipping out from her eyes and a hint of irritation in her eyes. “Why wouldn’t I be? You were coughing up so much blood, if it wasn’t for us finding and freeing K’xug, we wouldn’t know what would happen to you!” 

The last sentence resounded within Xue’s mind. 

“...the two of you freed K’xug?” 

“We did! Though, it was probably only possible since I am a mortal.” 

“...I see, so that's what happened.” 

Xue turned to look at K’xug, and K’xug raised his eyebrows, gesturing to Cecil. 

There’s your answer, Xue.

She freed me. 

Xue looked back at Cecil, and Cecil was still not letting him go. Instead, she moved her arms higher and wrapped them around his neck, hugging him again. 

Xue stumbled back a few more steps. 

“Please don’t do something so stupid for me again, Xue,” Cecil spoke beside his ear, her body trembling a little. “Things could have gone worse, much, much worse.” 

Cecil knew the truth now, if Xue had woken up with dark magic mixed within him, that would be the start of the spiral down to insanity.

Xue raised his eyebrows, lowering his voice. “Are you really telling me that? When you have done something equally stupid like that for me and Hana?” 

“...” 

Cecil continued hugging Xue, not wanting to look at him in the face since she knew she was guilty of doing that. 

“You didn’t just do it once, either.” 

The raven-haired woman pulled back this time. “I--” 

Xue waited for her retort, but she knew she couldn’t argue against it. 

Cecil huffed, and the look in her eyes softened. 

Seeing such a gentle gaze directed at him from Cecil, it made his heart skip a beat. Before he completely melted under those clear, gentle eyes, Cecil resumed her hugging session with Xue.

“What matters now is that you are fine,” she said softly. “You are alright, and that makes me happy.

“...” 

“Welcome back, Xue.” 

Just like that, the suspicion he had about K’xug, the dreadfulness and anger that he felt in his nightmare from earlier, the negative thoughts that occupied his mind.

It all dissipated. 

It no longer lingered in his mind. 

Just having Cecil in his arms, like right now, telling him that he is fine, and that he being well makes her happy, and that he is welcomed back...it brought him a sense of comfort. 

He felt serene.

Xue lifted his arms, hugging Cecil back. 

“Yeah,” Xue smiled softly, speaking lowly in his silvery voice. “...thank you, Cecil.” 

“What for?” 

“For everything, this entire time.” 

“I didn’t do much, did I?” 

If Xue could, he would have covered his face with his hand due to frustration of Cecil taking herself so lightly, once again. 

“...there you go again. Taking yourself too lightly.” 

"..."

“...I’ll...I’ll try to fix that.” 

Xue let out a short chuckle. 

At least, she said she would try, it is an improvement. 

“You know, I will never regret helping you or Hana.”

Xue's heart warmed upon hearing those words. 

“And I don’t deserve any of it.” Xue said those words so quietly and so quickly, even though Cecil's ear was practically beside his mouth, she couldn’t hear it. 

“What?” 

“Nothing, just...thank you.” 

Cecil smiled. 

K’xug looked at the scene of the couple embracing, the atmosphere around them warm and very pink. Moreover, he had never seen such an expression on Xue before, not even when he was with him or Hana. To say he was confused was an understatement.

No matter how I look at this, Xue clearly, towards her...

He sniffled awkwardly, hesitant to look at Hana. He expected to see her jealous, despite not once seeing her jealous in his entire time he had been with her. 

Just like he had asked Xue, he had once asked Hana if she liked Xue. 

It was mutual. 

Alas, once again, it was miscommunication. If only one had bothered to ask more, to communicate more, K’xug would have found out that Hana likes Xue genuinely, and in a complete platonic way.

K'xug finally looked down at Hana.

The reaction from the red-haired woman was completely not what he expected. 

She was watching the couple embracing one another, squealing happily to herself. She couldn’t contain her excitement and she raised her hand up, feeling an uncontrollable urge to smack something repeatedly. 

The “something” she ended up smacking repeatedly turned out to be K’xug’s arm.

“Cute, so cute! They are so cute! It’s too cute! So! Cute!” 

K’xug was baffled by her reaction, and she continued squealing away, unaware of her abusing K’xug’s arm. 

Doesn’t Hana like Xue? 

These two...they are completely reacting in ways I've never seen or expected.

Eventually, K’xug recovered from his shock and grasped her wrist. Hana gasped, glancing beside her and K’xug nudged his head towards his arm that now had a red spot on it. 

Stop abusing my arm.

It hurts.

Hana looked down at the red spot on his arm as he released her wrist, seeing her equally red hand and she smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, K’xug, I was...I was just too excited and happy!” 

K’xug gave Hana a deadpan. 

Even if you are so excited, why did you have to hit my arm repeatedly?

“Look!” Hana pointed to Xue and Cecil still hugging one another, both of them adorning a smile. “Aren’t they soooo cute?”

K’xug glanced at the couple, furrowing his eyebrows. 

Why would you find people hugging one another cute?

Hana pouted, and just like always, K’xug is reminded of a hamster with puffed-up cheeks. 

“Only...only girls would understand it, guys wouldn’t understand it!” Hana crossed her arms as she harrumphed.

K’xug was torn between being amused and puzzled. 

It isn’t a matter of gender, Hana.

“Then...it’s guys like you!” 

Like me?

“Have you read romance novels before?” 

Hah? What would I read something like that? 

“See, that’s why you don’t understand!” 

K’xug shook his head and he sighed. 

Whatever you say, Hana. 

An idea then struck Hana, and she clapped her hands together. “I’ll pick one romance novel for you to read then! Then maybe you’ll understand!” 

K’xug took a step back from Hana, shaking his head but his expression remained indifferent. 

I don’t want to understand it. 

Meanwhile, Cecil and Xue had long separated from their hug. They were now staring at K’xug and Hana interacting with one another. 

“Are they always like that?” Cecil questioned. "And I'm shocked Hana can understand K'xug completely."

“You could say that, and K'xug is easy to understand when you get to know him."

"Hana doesn't have her memories, unlike you. And she completely understands his words!" 

At this point, Xue wasn't shocked that Cecil knew everything about him and Hana. He only shrugged at Cecil in response. 

"Back in the past, even Hana could communicate with K'xug like that, sometimes, even better than me."

“She seems so carefree around him,” Cecil mused, tapping her fingers on her chin. “She isn't like that around you, or me.”

Xue looked at Cecil, an indiscernible look in his eyes.

Cecil panicked, waving her hands at Xue. “Ah, I don’t mean that as an insult! It’s just an observation!” 

“No, you are right,” Xue shook his head. “You are...completely right. Maybe it was because of my position in the past, she always unconsciously restrained herself around me.”

It is something I finally realised, after meeting you, Cecil. 

There was a soft look in Xue's eyes as he observed Cecil, who was staring back at the two.

“Well, I have to say, they do look rather...cute.”

His face twisted with confusion, wondering what was so cute about the sight of Hana tormenting K’xug about reading romance novels.

“Aww, just try reading it! Just once!” Hana exclaimed.

K’xug shook his head, taking a step back.

“How about reading...thirty pages of it? It’s like one tenth of the book!” 

Again, he shook his head.

“Twenty pages?” 

Once more, he shook his head.

“Ten pages!”

Another time. 

“Five pag--” 

A feeling of déjà vu instantly struck Hana and the moment the feeling came, the same piercing pain she felt before came back. She winced, clutching her head as she staggered back, her eyes squeezing close. 

A voice like hers, whispered fervently inside her mind, like a prayer. 

The three people rushed to her side, and Cecil placed her hands on Hana’s shoulders, her eyebrows furrowed in concern. 

“Hana? Hana?! What’s wrong?” 

“I...I can hear it again,” Hana opened her eyes, squinting them. “I am talking...to myself…telling myself to remember...” 

Hana collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness. 

Cecil was still holding onto her when it happened, falling down with Hana. However, before that happened, Xue pulled Cecil back while K’xug caught Hana. 

Cecil knew there was only one reason for Hana to faint without warning. 

It was a sign that she was recovering her memories.

However, there clearly wasn’t any show of violence from Xue, or anyone else. 

So...Xue becoming violent in front of Hana wasn’t the cause. 

The cause was something else, and no matter what, it is predetermined for Hana to regain her memories. 

Cecil joined Hana by her side as K’xug laid her down on the ground. She furrowed her eyebrows in concern, she knew it all too well, what would happen if Hana recovered all of her memories. 

As much as I do not want it to happen, it will happen.

...and it has to happen.

“Don’t worry, Hana will be fine,” Cecil reassured the two men who were fidgeting nervously. “She will be fine.” 

Hana...this time, will things go the same way? Or will it change? 

***

《 start 》

I don’t deserve your concern.

Neither do I deserve your tears...or such a hug. 

...or such a warm and gentle expression.

I don’t deserve anything from you. 

I don’t deserve...someone like you.

...but, thank you. 

Thank you for entering my life, Cecil Lan. 

《 stop 》