The walk back to class was conducted in a silence so profound it felt like its own entity.
Yuhon and Mei moved like two satellites trapped in the same orbit, aware of each other's every breath but unable to make eye contact. The air still smelled faintly of scorched grass and sheer, unadulterated mortification.
Finally, as they reached the classroom door, Yuhon cleared his throat. "So. Your grandfather…"
"Is a meddlesome ghost who has no concept of boundaries," Mei finished, her voice tight. She still refused to look at him, her focus laser-targeted on the doorknob.
"And your grandmother's… uh… method of conflict resolution is…"
"Terrifyingly direct. Yes." She finally risked a glance at him, her cheeks pink.
"I am so sorry, Yuhon. That was… that was beyond unprofessional."
A grin tugged at Yuhon's lips. "Unprofessional? Mei, they fell out of a tree and then your grandma tried to vaporize your grandpa's foot. I think we're a little past professional."
To his surprise, a choked laugh escaped her. It was a small, helpless sound. "When you put it that way…"
"I'm just glad to know the 'hidden shadow bodyguard' theory was right," Yuhon said, shaking his head in wonder. "Even if the bodyguard is a… well, that."
"He's usually more subtle," Mei muttered, as if that was any kind of defense.
The door opened, revealing Leo's suspicious face. "There you are! We thought you'd been kidnapped. Again."
His eyes darted between them, noting the lessened tension. "Wait. Did you two just… make up? Without us? I feel cheated."
"Nothing happened," Mei said instantly, slipping back into her seat with a poise that was only slightly wobbly.
"Everything is normal," Yuhon echoed, his voice a little too cheerful.
Jin looked crestfallen. "Aww, and I had a whole speech prepared about how shared trauma can either forge unbreakable bonds or create irreparable rifts! It had charts and everything!"
"Maybe next time, Jin," Yuhon said, patting his friend's shoulder.
The rest of the school day passed in a relative blur.
The strange energy between Yuhon and Mei had shifted from awkward to something… charged. A secret now hummed between them, and every glanced look felt significant.
When the final bell rang, Yuhon half-expected another aerial interception.
Instead, he found Zerkon's hulking frame leaning against the farm truck parked just outside the school gates, waving enthusiastically.
"Son! Over here! Hop in, we've got a surprise!"
Yuhon blinked. "A surprise? Dad, after the day I've had, surprises are low on my list."
"Nonsense! This is a good one! A post-almost-getting-kidnapped, post-meeting-the-in-laws surprise!" Zerkon boomed, completely ignoring the strange looks from other students.
Yuhon slid into the passenger seat, sinking down as low as possible.
"They're not my in-laws," he groaned.
"Details, details!" Zerkon chuckled, starting the truck.
"So? How did it go? Did the little analyst try to dissect you? Did the Guild Master offer you a job? A marriage contract? Both?"
"Grandpa tried to give us dating advice from a tree and Grandma tried to blast him into the sun," Yuhon said flatly.
Zerkon was silent for a full three seconds before he burst into such loud, uproarious laughter that the truck swerved slightly.
"HAHAHA! Oh, I like them! I really like them! They have spirit! So, what did you do?"
"I think my soul left my body for a minute. Then we went to math class."
"A solid response. Very normal. Your mother will be pleased."
Yuhon just stared out the window. "Why is our life like this?"
"Son, when you're this strong and this good-looking, life is just naturally more interesting," Zerkon said, completely serious.
They pulled up to the farm, and Yuhon's nose was immediately greeted by a phenomenal smell. It was rich, savory, and complex, with hints of spice and herbs he couldn't place.
Aoqi was waiting at the door, a knowing smile on her face. "I take it the day was eventful."
"You could say that," Yuhon said, stepping inside.
The kitchen table, usually cluttered with seed catalogs and baking supplies, was set for three. In the center was a massive, steaming hot pot, the broth bubbling invitingly.
Plates of thinly sliced meat, fresh vegetables, and noodles were arranged around it.
"Whoa," Yuhon breathed. "What's the occasion?"
"The occasion is that our son had a very trying day and deserves a good meal," Aoqi said, stirring the broth.
"Also, we are celebrating."
"Celebrating what?" Yuhon asked, suspicious.
"The successful navigation of a high-stakes social interaction with a powerful external faction without resorting to wholesale property damage or identity exposure," she said smoothly.
"It's a rare skill. Now, sit. The beef will overcook."
They sat, and for a while, the only sounds were the bubbling of the pot and the contented sighs as they cooked and ate the delicious food.
After his third bowl, Yuhon leaned back, feeling more relaxed than he had all day. "Okay. This was a good surprise. Thank you."
"Told you!" Zerkon said around a mouthful of mushroom.
"So," Aoqi began, dipping a piece of cabbage into a spicy sauce.
"The Xins know. This is not an insignificant development. How do you feel about it?"
Yuhon considered it. "Weirdly… okay? I mean, the method of discovery was insane, but Mei said they'd keep the secret. She said her grandmother respects power."
Aoqi nodded. "She does. Sarah Xin is ambitious and proud, but she is not foolish. Exposing you gains her nothing. Recruiting you, however…"
"She did try to recruit the Fox," Yuhon admitted.
"And now she will try to recruit Yuhon," Aoqi said.
"She will see you as a long-term investment. A project. She will attempt to ingratiate herself, to offer resources, to weave you into her guild's web. It is what she does."
Zerkon pointed his chopsticks at Yuhon. "Just remember the rules, son. You don't have to join anything you don't want to. You're your own man. A very strong, very good-looking man who doesn't need a guild to be awesome."
"The point your father is clumsily trying to make,"
Aoqi interjected, "is that you now have a new dynamic to manage. You must decide what relationship, if any, you wish to have with the Crimson Phoenix guild. And with the Xin family personally."
Yuhon poked a piece of tofu in his broth. "Mei said they wouldn't tell."
"And I believe her," Aoqi said.
"But secrets have a weight. They change relationships. You and Miss Xin now share a significant one. It will pull you together, for better or worse."
"She's… different," Yuhon said quietly. "With her hair down."
Zerkon waggled his eyebrows. "Oho? Is that so?"
"It's an observation," Yuhon said quickly, his ears turning red.
"A tactical assessment of a new variable, I'm sure," Aoqi said, her eyes sparkling.
"Just be mindful, Yuhon. Your life is complex enough without adding romantic entanglements with the heir of a major guild."
"It's not like that!" he protested.
"Of course not," Aoqi said placidly. "Now, who wants the last meatball?"
---
Meanwhile, in the Xin dining room, a very different conversation was underway. The atmosphere was less hot pot, more high-stakes strategy meeting.
"...and then he said, 'It was thorough. And I appreciated it,'" Mei finished, stabbing a piece of broccoli with more force than necessary.
Lara and Byul were staring at her, their food forgotten.
"He said he appreciated your 'mission debriefing' confession?" Lara clarified, a smile playing on her lips.
"It was not a confession!" Mei insisted, her face flaming. "It was a statement of fact regarding the security of his secret identity!"
"It sounded like a confession," Mudan mumbled from the corner.
He was sitting on a small stool, a single ice pack held to the back of his head. "A very dry, emotionally stunted one."
"You are on thin ice, old man," Sarah said without looking at him, her focus on her granddaughter.
She took a sip of tea, her expression thoughtful. "The boy has manners. And a sense of humor, it seems. Good. This is workable."
"Workable for what, Grandmother?" Mei asked, wary.
"For integration, dear," Sarah said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"He is an unparalleled asset. Untrained, from what we can see, but with a raw power and skill set that is… breathtaking. His family is clearly the key. We must bring them into the fold."
"The 'fold'?" Byul spoke for the first time, his calm voice a contrast to the others. "Mother, they clearly wish to remain outside of any 'fold'. That barrier…"
"Is a challenge," Sarah said, her eyes gleaming.
"One I intend to meet. We will be persistent. We will be helpful. We will be… neighborly." She turned her gaze to Mei. "This is where you come in."
Mei froze, her fork halfway to her mouth. "Me?"
"You share a secret with him. You share classes. You are a peer. You will be our primary point of contact. Foster this connection."
Mei's analytical mind finally broke through her embarrassment. "You want me to befriend him as part of a guild recruitment strategy?"
"I want you to be yourself," Sarah said, though her smile was all strategy. "Just be yourself, and be his friend. The rest will follow naturally."
In the corner, Mudan snorted. " 'Naturally.' Right. And my head doesn't hurt."
Sarah ignored him. "This is an opportunity, Mei. For the guild. And perhaps," she added, her tone softening a fraction, "for you. He did, after all, appreciate your thoroughness."
"This is a disaster," she mumbled into her palms.
"Nonsense, dear," Sarah said, finally picking up her own chopsticks. "It's an opportunity. Now, eat your broccoli. You'll need your strength."