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“Have you heard from Liu?” asked Zixuan without a greeting. “She didn’t contact me for a while...”
They met in a cafe near the entrance to the enclave. Zixuan talked with Yuyan pretty frequently since they graduated. He knew that something happened between her and Liu, but the three of them didn’t see each other since the Scholomance. He heard something terrible, and mysterious, happened to Liu in Beijing, but no one knew what, and no one wanted or could tell them what. Not even her. And there was also this almost war in Portugal… war they didn’t take part in, the war that El stopped.
“She wrote to me a couple of days ago,” said Yuyan. “And I talked with her cousin the other day. But it seems to be something off, Zixuan. I’m worried about her.”
“Me too. Something happened and she didn’t want to tell us what. Or can’t. I don’t know, Yuyan, but this action with Beijing… when her family changed enclaves… and when someone asks why, they don’t want to tell. It must have been terrible, for Liu. And the way she avoids home…”
“She was in alliance with El, it’s not strange for Liu to travel with her just now, but I agree with you. She would at least pay a visit if everything was okay. But I know she will be coming for New Year to her family. And then we can talk to her, know everything.”
“If she will want to tell us.”
“If she would want to tell us. And Zixuan… I know you have some feelings for her…”
Zixuan felt his cheeks burning red. He didn’t know what exactly he felt. Liu was attractive, and he liked her, but was these “feelings”? Maybe… he let Yuyan continue. She closed her eyes for a moment as if bracing herself for some confession.
“We kissed. Just before the graduation, when everyone was in this frenzy and we didn’t know if we were going to live…”
“Oh,” Zixuan didn’t manage to say anything more. Not that this was some big surprise for him… he expected this, but still… he thought he had a chance with Liu.
“It probably meant nothing, but I wanted you to know.”
“Thanks,” he uttered eventually. “It’s… it’s… yeah… good to know.”
“I was… well I wanted to feel something, before graduation. I don’t know if Liu wants to… pursue it anymore, so…”
“You don’t have to explain yourself, Yuyan, really.” He composed himself after a moment. He was jealous, that’s a fact, but… he didn’t blame either of them. Liu didn’t owe him anything.
Liu left the airplane with a heavy heart. She wasn’t in Shanghai enclave since she and her family get the places there. Well, she wasn’t in any enclave since... all of this had happened. And she wasn’t thrilled to be at one, that’s for sure. Knowing on which it stood...
Liu shook off these thoughts. Her parents waited for her. Both of them were cheerful on the outside, but she saw they felt a little bit uncomfortable around her after what had happened. Or maybe after what didn’t happen at last. It was... complicated, to say the least.
When they crossed the enclave gate, Liu felt nothing. Of course, she knew on which she was standing, of malia beneath her, but she couldn’t actually feel it. Not like El felt it. Not at all. She could live comfortably here if she didn’t know. But she knew, and she learned of this the hard way.
The afternoon was for family gatherings and the welcome feast. Her Nana doted on her, and everyone gave her the best bits, but she wasn’t hungry. Her thought still danced around the maw-mouths...
In the evening she was about to meet with Yuyan. It was to be a date, or so she thought until she learned that Zixuan would be there with them. And her feelings toward Zixuan were... well, they were complicated. In Scholomance they were about to date, sort of, but then Yuyan... woke in her entire new feelings.
Thankfully, they wanted to meet outside the enclave, which Liu welcomed with relief. She didn’t want to stay there any longer than it was necessary, and it seems more fitting, as she was about to tell them the truth about the maw-mouths.
They met in a cozy café near the entrance. Yuyan and Zixuan already waited for her. They sat in a secluded corner, so she almost missed them entirely. When Liu approached them, Yuyan embraced her but didn’t dare to kiss her in public. Or maybe she didn’t want to. Zixuan was more reserved at the beginning, but eventually, he also wrapped his hands around her.
“So good to see you, Liu,” he said, as they took their places. He was saying it cheerfully, but there was concern in his eyes and a worried line of mouth. “It was hard to hear anything about you… We were worried.”
Liu looked at them both, abashed. She could have called or texted them more, but she… didn’t feel ready. And some things needed to be told in person.
“Everything is okay, at least now…” well, it was true, at least to a point, given that she still didn’t feel herself, and probably never would… “But there are things I need to tell you, and it was literally impossible through the phone. Besides, I thought it would be better to do it in person.”
Yuyan and Zixuan were listening to her, focused. And when she finished, they were shocked.
Yuyan couldn’t believe what Liu was saying. But she knew she would never trick them, especially not in such an important matter. Although it was too terrible to be true.
She looked at Zixuan, who was equally shocked. And to think they were living on the maw-mouth. No, the maw-mouth, but the person, crashed and turned into a monster. Yuyan was so upset that she couldn’t say a word.
“I hope you believe me,” Liu said, as both of them fell silent.
“Liu, of course, we believe you.” Yuyan finally manage to say. She took Liu’s hand in comfort. “I just don’t know what to say. It’s so terrible.” She stroked Liu’s cheek.
“I think that’s quite obvious,” said Zixuan. “We cannot go back there and live as if nothing happened.”
The girls broke apart and look at Zixuan.
“I agree,” Yuyan said. “Maybe… we can go with you, and help somehow?”
Liu thought for a moment. And then she outstretched her hand to both of them.
“Okay, so let’s fight this war together,” she said. Yuyan and Zixuan took her hands.