Hello Everybody!

I have been extremely busy with school and work, but I am back to have this story come to an end. Including this chapter, I have 1 or 2 more chapters left to write. Thank you for reading this story, and I hope you have enjoyed it this far. I don't own anything in this.

Lan's house

Chaud and Lan are both working on separate computers as Chaud looks up at Lan every couple of seconds to later look away when he makes eye contact.

"Chaud, if you want to ask me if I have heard from Maylu since her conversation with Dex, just asked. The answer is no, though"

"Maybe she doesn't want to tell you because you may take your anger at Dex."

"I may be furious at Dex, but I'm not that stupid. He's still bigger than me; he can easily beat me in a fight."

"But will let you win just for you to take all your anger out on him."

"He suggested that, though I'm not interested. I'm just trying to move forward with my life."

"Does that involve Maylu?"

"She's my best friend Chaud; besides, she probably focusing on the divorce right now, and that should be it. She's not ready to hop into another relationship after all of this"

"It's not just another relationship; it's you. Y'all already have an established relationship. Will it be that hard to move from friends to more than friends?"

"Physically no, emotionally yes. She probably thinks it'll be best to stay friends and I agree with her"

"Lan"

The ping from Lan's computer interrupts their conversation. Lan checks it and freezes for a bit before turning his laptop towards Chaud to look at the message.

"I thought you wanted to create your own path with SciLabs? An "executive position" wasn't your forte" Chaud laughs as Lan rolls his eyes.

"I'm not, but yet they want to give me a spot. I don't know if I want to trade in my coat for a suit; you, on the other hand, would in a second"

"That may be true, but this is you we're talking about."

"It would be a lot of traveling."

"Like you haven't done it before."

"Yeah, for pleasure, not for work as frequently as it requires. Does Yai know you about to be away for 3 months?"

"Not yet. She's been focused on Maylu that I didn't want to bother her with it."

"Or you're scared of that face she makes when she's mad. You saw it as an audience member but not as the target."

"I didn't agree to become your best friend, so you can try to be right all of the time."

"No, we became best friends because you knew deep down you liked me, and even when I annoyed you, you still let me be around you."

"Yeah, whatever. How long do you have to reply?"

"Two days. I'll probably have to move closer to the downtown area to lessen the commute time."

"If you choose to take the job, you can stay at my place until you have a place of your own"

"And here I thought you were ready to get rid of me."

"Trust me. You'll know when I am."

They both share a laugh as it got cut short by Chaud's phone. Lan laughs as he already knew who is calling.

"Hey Yai"

"You're still coming over for dinner, right?"

"Yes, I'm still coming. I was able to reschedule my previous obligations to see you."

"Oh, how sweet, Chaud," Lan teases as Chaud flicks him on the head.

"You're still with Lan?"

"I'm either at work, in my room, or with Lan."

"Why am I not an option?"

"Please answer wrong, please answer wrong," Lan chants

"You phrased the question to where else I would be if I wasn't with you. I was giving you the obvious answers," Chaud answers as Lan boos at him.

"You're lucky Maylu is on the other line, or I'll interrogate you some more. See you later."

Chauds hang up the phone as Lan tries not to laugh at him.

"What saved you this time?"

"Maylu actually"

"At least she's ready to talk to someone about all of this. She's going to need all the support she needs."

"You're not going to call her?"

"When she's ready to talk, she will. But in the meantime, tell me why you can't admit that Yai is your girlfriend in the public area?"

Chaud groans as he and Lan made their way to the couch, taking a break from work.

Maylu's house

Maylu and Yai are enjoying tea in Maylu's kitchen as she is explaining to Yai the whole conversation with Dex.

"Well, at least I didn't have to call my people to move his stuff. So he moved everything that fasts?"

"Majority of it. I had a feeling that you would come over instead of having me come over, so I gave him the option to either move all of his stuff or relocate everything so you wouldn't have to. Though it would've been fun to watch."

"I can send a small team to get the rest if you like?"

"We will see by tomorrow when he gets everything and leaves the key, and before you asked, yes, I made an appointment to change the locks."

"Good. Have you talked to Lan yet?"

"Not yet. I wouldn't know what to say to him if he asked if he's even curious about it."

"I'm pretty sure as your male best friend, he would like to hear from you to know that you're okay. So maybe you should visit him?"

"You think I should? You don't think it's weird?"

"There's nothing weird about seeing your best friend who is probably worried about you going through a divorce. Yes, it brought up old wounds for the both of you, but you don't think he's thinking about you?"

"Why I feel like this is going to lead into something else?"

"It's just me, Maylu. Do you still have feelings for Lan? And not as a close friend either. Like real feelings for him?"

Maylu rubs the back of her neck as she takes a deep breath before moving over to her couch. Yai follows as she sits next to Maylu.

"Deep down, even when I was with Dex, I had some hope of seeing Lan again. Though it felt wrong, my feelings for him haven't changed. I put them aside at the beginning when I was trying to get back onto talking terms, but now and then, I felt a tug in my chest."

"And when you two kissed?"

"It meant something to me, but I don't want him to feel like a rebound guy if I tell him how I feel."

"How do you feel about him? The small l word or the big L word?"

"The big L word. I want to be him, Yai, but I don't want him to think I have any doubts."

"Then go over there and talk to him! It's better to talk now than wait later, and he has to travel somewhere where he'll be gone for months, and you won't be able to talk to him because he'll be busy."

"That's very specific, Yai, like you know something."

"I don't this time. Just thinking of possible situations that could happen, unlike the ones we went through back when we were young."

"We're still young now, just not kids."

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

"We?"

"Don't interrupt me. Let's help get your thoughts into order!"

'Good luck with that,' Maylu thinks to herself as Yai drags her off somewhere.

Later that night, Lan is finishing up washing dishes when he hears a knock at the door. He goes up to the door and is surprised to see Maylu. He moves aside as she walks in and goes straight to the couch. He closes the door and follows her. He studies her face to look for any signs of crying or stress as he sighs in relief that he doesn't see either.

"How you're feeling?"

"I'm okay. The majority of his stuff is gone, and he'll be getting the rest of his stuff tomorrow. We both signed the divorce papers. It'll take some time to adjust to living by myself again, but I'll manage."

"At least Yai didn't have to call her people."

"She will tomorrow. She's giving Dex a certain time slot to get his things without actually telling him the time slot. I'll be off work tomorrow, so he'll have a way to come in since I asked him to give me back my key."

"But other than all of that, you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Lan. I was hesitating on seeing you today and wait until tomorrow, but I didn't want you to worry so much about me."

"I worry about you because I care about you, Maylu. That hasn't changed."

"I know that. I care about you too, Lan."

Lan wraps his arms around Maylu as he pulls her into a hug. Maylu returns the hug as she wraps her arms around his neck and rests her head on his shoulder. They stay like that for a while until Lan pulls away but keeps one arm wrapped around Maylu.

"If it's okay, can I stay here tonight?"

"You don't even have to ask; of course, you can."

Lan leads Maylu to his room for her to borrow some spare clothes to sleep in. Maylu rests her PET next to Lan's so Roll can chat with Megaman for a bit. While looking at his desk, she comes across a picture of the two of them from prom. She smiles as Lan stands next to her, looking at the picture.

"You kept this out?"

"Why wouldn't I? Prom was fun despite pulling Yai off that one girl who tried to dance with Chaud."

"I remember. What's that box?"

Lan looks over to see what she's pointing at and screams in his head. Chaud left the box out when he was in his room earlier. Lan hands Maylu the spare clothes as he slightly laughs.

"It's something I got a couple of years ago, and Chaud forgot to put it back when he was over earlier. So don't worry about it. You remember where the bathroom is, right?"

Maylu nods as she head to the bathroom. Lan sighs as he picks up the box to put back in his drawer as hears Megaman next to him.

"How long do you plan on keeping that in your desk?"

"I don't know, Hub. Chaud asked me the same thing, and will I ever give it to her, but it's too soon to think like that. Is it?"

"You two are childhood friends and "dated" briefly. Do you think it's too soon?"

"For me, no, but what about her? I don't even know if she even still likes me."

"Won't hurt to ask."

"Goodnight, Hub"

"You know I'm right. Goodnight Lan"

Lan smiles at his brother as he changes into his pajamas. Maylu comes back into his room as she really takes a look around. There are some changes to how back when they were kids, but it still has that feeling of his old room. They both lay in his bed as they doze into their own world. Maylu is the first to break the silence.

"I can move to the guest room if this makes you feel uncomfortable."

Lan rolls to face her before responding, "It doesn't. Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"No, I feel happy."

"Me too"

They stare into each other's eyes as Lan tries to keep his breathing steady. Maylu moves closer to Lan as she rests her head on his chest and wraps an arm around his waist.

"Thank you for everything, Lan. I wouldn't know what I'll do without you," Maylu mumbles as she falls to a deep slumber. Lan smiles as he wraps an arm around her and plays with her hair. He kisses her forehead before whispering,

"Me either, Maylu. Me either"

That's the end of this chapter. Until next time, R&R!