“Hey.”
I looked up as Tao sat down next to me. “Where’s Chaser?”
“Him and his friend are being very closely guarded by the Half Twelve,” he answered. His raven eyes met mine. “I was worried about you.”
“Why? I’m fine,” I said smoothly.
He nudged my shoulder. “It bothered you, didn’t it? What Chaser said. Forget him. His opinion means nothing.” I didn’t reply.
Chris sat down on my other side. I leaned on his shoulder. He stroked my hair. “I’m sorry.”
“What for?” I asked.
“Everything,” he replied. “I haven’t been able to take care of you like I should. You guys, either,” he added, looking at Tao. Apparently, that was some sort of cue. Tao stood up and went away. I stared after him, confused.
Chris gently took my hand in his. “Lina,” he murmured. I turned around to look at him. His eyes were very serious. “I told you I loved you and I meant it. However, it seems I’m not doing a very good job of protecting you. I’m sorry.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
He held up his hand, stopping me. “Suho was right,” he said softly. “I can’t protect you as well as I should. If…” he turned away from me so that I couldn’t see his face.
“Chris?” I asked, laying my hand on his shoulder.
He whispered, “If you want to be with someone else—someone who can protect you better, like Suho or Dai or even Tao—I won’t stop you. I will let you go in order to protect you.”
His words shocked me. I opened and closed my mouth, not knowing what to say. He turned around, confused by my silence. My expression must have given him an idea.
His eyes grew sad. “I’ll go.” He stood and turned away.
I grabbed on to his arm. “Wait!” Even though he stopped, he still didn’t turn around. I stood up. “What are you saying, Chris?”
He finally half-faced me, turning only his head. “I’m saying that I will let you go if you want to go. Please find someone who can love you and protect you better than I can.”
My heart broke. I pulled him all the way around and wrapped my arms around him. “No one can do those things better than you can,” I whispered. “You’re stuck with me, boy, whether you like it or not.”
He let out a breath of relief and slowly returned my embrace. “I was kind of hoping you would say that,” he murmured into my hair. He stepped back. “Are you sure that you want…to stay with me?”
“I’m sure,” I said, nodding. “I never imagined otherwise. You’re my possessive, handsome, angel boyfriend.” I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed him. He looped his arms around my waist.
I heard someone clear his throat. We broke away from each other and turned. Tao was looking away from us, a bit embarassed. “Um.”
“What is it, Tao?” Chris sounded like he was trying to be serious.
“Neither of the Chasers have said anything,” Tao said quietly. “But the wind element…”
“Sehun,” I answered.
He nodded. “He managed to knock down one of their hoods.”
“And?” I was expecting him to say that Chaser looked like one of us or one of the Half Twelve.
“The second Chaser is a girl.”
My eyes widened. “A girl?”
He nodded. Chris and I followed him back to one of the ruins. He held the door open for me, and I stepped inside. The Half Twelve, as well as the others in my six, looked up as we came in.
