And it was as if I had been kicked in the chest. I could feel Arun and Victor stiffen in shock behind me. They were as surprised as I was. Lingyi and Iris had been together for two years. We all knew it. But neither had ever been overt with displays of affection, not physically or in words. They had always been very private in their relationship. So much so that I’d often forget they were an item—other than the fact that wherever Lingyi was, Iris was almost always near, like a lethal shadow.

Iris gave a soft groan, and her eyes fluttered open. I’d never seen her so exposed, so unguarded; she appeared younger than her seventeen years. Her face was soft, not composed, masked as it usually was behind a smirk or wink. “Lingyi, I’m so sorry,” she said. “I think I caught it first—”

“I could never regret our kisses.” Lingyi’s mouth twisted into a weak grin. “You didn’t know.” She rose onto her elbow and stroked Iris’s face again, gazing down at her with tenderness.

Iris returned Lingyi’s look. We all had our defenses, our hard surfaces, but Iris had built a wall higher than anyone I knew. Now I saw the love that filled her eyes, something that she had always tamped down when she was around us. To appear tougher, untouched, and unaffected? I didn’t know.

But I understood her hesitation, the instinct for self-sufficiency for the sake of survival. Loving someone was risky. Loving someone left all your weaknesses exposed.

The other two guys finally stirred behind me. We exchanged glances, our surprised expressions mirroring each other’s. Victor went to kneel by Lingyi’s bedside and spoke her name in a choked whisper.

“If you say something inane, man,” Arun interjected, “I’ll punch you in the mouth.”

I laughed, surprising myself. My arms felt limp from relief that the worst of it seemed over, and I was emotionally wrung out. I’d risked my own life before—kidnapping Daiyu, breaking into Jin Corp—and had faced illness and death. But seeing it happen to my friends, that was different.

Victor ignored Arun. “I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you, Lingyi,” he said. “We can’t lose you. You’re the heart of our mission—the core of our group.”

“No one’s losing me. I’ll be here to boss you forever,” Lingyi murmured, then turned to him and smiled. A hesitant smile, almost shy if I didn’t know Lingyi better.

Vic cleared his throat, but he smiled back, just a fraction. “I’m holding you to that.” Still masked, Victor “kissed” his gloved hand, then pressed it against Lingyi’s cheek.