Han Jian Yu grabbed her hand before she could walk away from him, ''Did I ask you to leave?"

''Did I ask for your permission?" Mia replied, without turning around to look at him.

''Why are you acting like this?" Han Jian Yu pursed his lips. From how calm Yu Mei and Jun Zixuan were, it was apparent that they were aware of this.

Earlier when everyone was shocked by Mia's transformation, he had also turned to look in that direction and he noticed his sister taking Mia's name. Her voice was barely above a whisper but he could read her lips.

And later when he followed after her inside the woods, maybe it is because of this. This is what compelled him to come after her.

In his mind, he had labelled it as a bizarre thought and put it aside, not overthinking about it. But this kept repeating in his head again and again. Whenever he looked into the pair of hazel eyes, that crimson birthmark on the baby fox's forehead, or be it the striking silver fur... It reminded him of the woman who was standing right in front of him at the moment.

In the end, it was him who was kept in dark about everything and it was him who was lied to then what right did she have to talk to him in that distant tone? When did he ever wrong her for her to act that way around him?

Mia turned around to look at him, ''I just want to leave, can't I? I need your permission for that?'' She clenched and unclenched her fist inside the long sleeves of the dress she was wearing.

Han Jian Yu let go of her hand as he quietly glanced at her.

Mia nodded at him before she turned around to leave, ''Ah..'' A gasp escaped her mouth when an arm wrapped around her waist and her back crashed against a muscular chest.

Han Jian Yu wrapped the other arm around her waist as he hugged her from the back, placing his chin on her shoulder, ''You already left me once because you wanted to. I didn't stop you back then,'' he closed his eyes as he spoke to her, ''It should be me throwing you out of my sight for being kept in dark all this time but I can't bear to.. I should be the one accusing you of lying to me since the very beginning but here I am, hugging you like this trying to keep you closer to me while you want to leave.''

''Ji-''

''Shhh.. Don't speak,'' Han Jian Yu pressed his chin a bit towards the nook of her neck while he nuzzled his nose in her hair, right behind her ear, ''You shocked me today, do you know that?''

''I do.''

''I never expected that I will discover something like this, so unbelievable and unreal..'' he paused for a moment before adding, ''Everyone fears the unknown, people will stay away from what they don't know about. Am I right?''

''You are,'' Mia replied.

historical

Han Jian Yu opened his eyes and glanced at her side profile as he slowly moved his face slightly before placing a soft kiss on her hair.

Mia stiffened.

''Then tell me, Mia, how is it possible that I want to hold it closer? The unknown.. I want to hug it tighter and I never want it to go out of my sight,'' he whispered, ''Will you tell me why I am hugging you right now when I have all valid reasons to push you away from me?''

She felt something stirring in the deepest corner of her heart. Her heart was racing at the moment and she could hear the sound of it ringing in her own ears, ''I don't know. You are a weird person and it's hard to decipher your thoughts without using my powers.''

''Oh? You can read minds too?" He placed his lips on her neck and she could not bring herself to hate the way her neck arched, craving more of his touch.

''I-I can..'' Her voice came out a bit breathy, ''But I never tried that on you, maybe a few times, like once or twice.''

''I don't mind you reading my mind right now. You will find yourself there,'' he said softly.

''But I don't want to read your mind,'' she said after some time, ''You can tell me what it is that you can't push me away, despite having all right reasons to do that.''

Han Jian Yu stepped back from her and Mia immediately felt the emptiness weighing upon her until her hand was grabbed and she was twirled before being pulled into his arms.

''I don't know what you are. It shocked me and I..''

Mia pressed her palm on his mouth, ''Don't say anything. I know it was all strange for you but I don't want to hear you talking about it,'' She lowered her head.

He pressed his index finger on her wrist before pushing her palm away from his mouth. He then shifted the finger below her chin before he tilted her face such that she was looking into his eyes, ''It shocked me. I have never come across an existence like yours and it very much shocked me. But it didn't shock me enough to shed you off my life. And it made me realize no matter how things are and no matter what happens, in the end, it will eventually lead me to you. You wanted to leave earlier but I forbid you from leaving me.''

Mia was stunned, ''You aren't really affected? You don't think of me as a monster? Or something very scary? Or you don't find me disgusting?'' She asked him.

''For what?" Han Jian Yu raised an eyebrow.

''You know what I mean,'' Mia punched his chest, annoyed at the guy for playing and talking in circles.

''I don't mind what you are, who you are or what place you are from.. I will say it this one time, I am keeping you here. I am keeping you to myself, will you let me?"