Synergism

Chapter 7

It was nearly two in the morning when they stumbled out of the club. Loud drunken giggles radiated from the centre of the group where Mel was struggling to hold onto a drunken Hiroko, and Jung was trying to keep Rainee from going back into the club.

"I don't want to go yet," Rainee whined. "I was having fun."

"Fun!!!" Hiroko parroted spinning around with her arms in the air and nearly falling over in the process.

Mel let out a soft laugh. "I think you've had enough fun, Hiro. C'mon our Uber is here." Jason helped Hiroko get into the Uber while Mel said their goodbyes, promising to message when they got back home and that they would get together again soon.

With one drunken friend taken care of they turned to the other. Yibo and Zhan stood off to one side as the twins and Ava tried to convince a pouting Rainee that it was time to go home.

Finally, she stopped trying to fight them. She stomped a foot and said, "Fine, I can go, but I want Yibo to take me home."

Yibo's eyes snapped to Zhan right away, as did everyone else's. For most of the night there had been an uncomfortable distance between them, and Yibo really wanted to go somewhere private so they could talk. Throughout the night he saw the way Zhan glanced between him and Rainee. The look in Zhan's eyes and the way Zhan tried to keep his distance, had Yibo on edge all night.

Ava let out a nervous twitter and opened her mouth to say something when Jason stepped in.

"Nah, you don't want him taking you home," Jason said, giving Ava a conspiratorial wink and moving closer to Rainee. "Not when you can have a guy like me take you home."

Rainee took a moment to focus her gaze onto Jason. "You?" she said, eyeing him drunkenly. "Do you know how to show a girl a good time?"

Jason scoffed and then pointed a finger at Yibo. "Where do you think he learned everything? He's the apprentice." He directed his finger back towards himself. "I'm the master."

Even in Rainee's drunken state she seemed skeptical. She pouted and swung her limited focus onto Yibo. "Really?"

"Absolutely," Yibo said, his tone neutral. "Everything I know."

Jason held a hand out just hovering at her elbow as she swayed. "Did he also teach you to show a guy a good time too?" Rainee asked Yibo. She swung her head away from him, took two unbalanced steps towards Zhan, and directed her next question at him. "Is he showing you a good time?"

"A g-good time?" Zhan frowned and was nervously clutching at the hem of his jacket.

"Yeah.. you know with his big d- ..."

"Okay that's enough Rain," Yibo interrupted. His voice was steely and he took a step closer to Zhan.

Rainee huffed and then peered up at Zhan. "You are really pretty... I can see why he..." she reached out a hand to touch his face all the while swaying back and forth.

Zhan jerked back and his abrupt movement caused her to lose her balance. With flailing arms she lurched forward and Yibo could see Zhan's hand's automatically reach out to catch her. Yibo quickly interceded grabbing onto her and wrapping an arm around her waist to make sure there was no contact between her and Zhan. Yibo was taken aback when Rainee let out a small sob. She clung to him as he walked her over to where Ava and the twins were. Her small hand snuck up to stroke at his face, but she didn't fight him when he handed her over. With a nod they guided her away with soft soothing words. Yibo stared after them for a moment, wondering what that was all about.