Liumei nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t know how much Feng told you about why we invited you over, but it’s the Dragon Boat Festival, which is usually a pretty big deal. And we kinda wanted to share some of our culture with some folks here because everyone’s been so nice.” Liumei looked to Feng, who only stared at his lap, before she continued. “Anyways, seemed like a good enough reason to invite you to dinner.” Liumei glanced back and forth between the two teenagers again. “Feng, do you want to say anything before we eat?”

“Sure.” Feng looked to his lap nervously. After a brief pause he spoke up again. “I was thinking about the adventure we went on in the ’Verse yesterday and it reminded me of part of a poem Qu Yuan wrote that I studied in school. He’s a poet with a connection to this festival.” He cleared his throat. “Ascending where celestial heaven blazed, on native earth for the last time we gazed.” As he finished, his face flushed, and he looked back to his lap. Bugz could tell this gesture meant a lot to Feng. Before she could speak, Liumei thanked him, and they dug into their meals.

“Fish balls, pork dumplings, zongzi…,” Liumei said, pointing at the different dishes for Bugz’s benefit. “This is fried chicken.” Liumei winked.

Bugz smiled and nodded. “And I know what this is,” Bugz said, holding a piece of sweet and sour pork on a fork. “They have this at the mall.” Feng and Liumei chuckled and a nervous silence settled over the room. Somehow the presence of a witness to their relationship made Bugz and Feng anxious. Bugz felt as though Liumei knew everything she and Feng had said to each other.

“Feng said you’ve been teaching him a lot about Anishinaabe culture,” Liumei said between bites. “And you’ve done a lot of this in the Floraverse. That’s pretty cool.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, Bugz invited me to a sweat at her house tonight. Is it cool if I go?” Feng asked.

“Like a Sweat Lodge? Sure,” Liumei replied.

Bugz looked around the table. “Do you want to come?”

“Wow, maybe. If you’re just asking to be polite, it’s totally fine. I’ve got some paperwork to do.” Liumei smiled. It seemed to Bugz the smile was a bit forced. She figured Liumei felt a little sheepish about playing third wheel. Bugz looked to Feng for some guidance but he only scrunched up his forehead.

“That’s okay. I was just being polite.” Bugz didn’t know why she withdrew her offer or why she now felt rejected. She felt a cramp in her belly.

They kept the stilted conversation going long enough to see them through the meal before clearing the table and each retreating behind their phones. Bugz and Feng jumped into the Floraverse, occasionally exchanging glances and the odd comment, while Liumei scanned medical notes.