"Thanks." Liyue said as the two of them approached her house.

"I always have fun walking with you." Xuan said, a huge smile stretching across his face.

"No… I mean about earlier today." She said sheepishly.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I get really… insecure… when people can see me, the real me, my markings." Her head hung in shame as she spoke.

"The real you isn't your markings." He started. She looked up at him confused. "The real you goes deeper than that, below your skin." She smiled softly. "You're a beautiful person, don't let anyone tell you different." She looked up at him adoringly.

"Great, now I have to thank you again…" They laughed and she hugged him. "Thank you."Go ahead, kiss him a little voice in Liyue's head yelled. She ignored the thoughts and the urge, but couldn't help but stare into his eyes.

"Seeing you smile is thanks enough." Kiss her! His thought seemed to yell at him. They were just standing there holding each other, staring into the other's eyes.

"Liyue! Is that you outside?" Her mother yelled from in the house. They quickly let go of each other and, not letting the other see, blushed.

"Okay… Bye then…" Liyue said.

"Uh… Yeah… Right… Bye…" Xuan walked away and Liyue sighed. Why do I have to mess everything up?

"Mom?" Nui yelled, trying to figure out if her mother was home or not. She was just walking into her house near the center of the city.

"Yes?" Her mother yelled back. She came down the man staircase of their large house. "How was your lesson?" Nui remembered how she had made a fool out of herself, not even being able to do a cartwheel, and how Xuan had completely rejected her. Just as she was about to blow off an explanation by saying 'fine', she got a devious idea.

"I didn't do too well with the gymnastics, I think I could use some help." She had a look in her eyes that anyone would recognize as evil, but her mother ignored it.

"Then you should try to get your master's help." Her mother offered.

"I can't do that, it would be so uncool. Maybe… I could get help from another student."

"Do you know one that can help you?"

"I'm sure I can think of one."

"Oh… good Xuan, you're home." Xuan's mother said as she walked in the house carrying two bags of food from the market. Xuan sprang off of his seat and went to help his mother carry the bags to the kitchen. "I saw one of your friend's mom, and she said that her daughter need some help with catching up with the class. I told her you would be happy to help."

"Um… Sure. Who is it?"

"I think her name was Nui, and she said that she could meet you this Friday." His mom said, trying to remember the details. He immediately regretted agreeing to it and told his mother so.

"You know it's a good thing to help someone in need. Now, I already told her you would be there, so you'll be there."

All week, Nui rubbed into everyone's faces, though mostly Liyue's, that she had a date with Xuan. Xuan would always say that it wasn't a date and that his mother was forcing him to do it, but Nui would gat mad and tell him to not be modest.

"I guess that ruins your cute little plans." Nui said mockingly to Liyue and Xuan. They both ignored her, which only made her more angry.

"Good luck dealing with her." Liyue joked on Thursday as they walked home together.

"I'm gonna need it." They laughed, said their good-byes and split paths to go home.

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if anyone can come up with a name for this chapter that doesn't make the end completely obvious, please let me know!

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