The five of them sat together in the bamboo grove. The moon was high in the sky, it's light casting shadows across the faces of each of the friends. Khan Qing sat next to Ming Ran, looking somewhat dubious as the revelation settled in. Fa Lin looked towards Ming Ran.
"And you didn't think to tell us?" They each looked up to see Ming Ran. Gong June looked back down. Finally, Fa Lin stood up, "Unbelievable." she muttered walking off. Gong June looked from Ming Ran to the retreating figure of Fa Lin. Finally, she too, got up and stormed off. Ming Cheng looked lost.
"I had a feeling." he finally admitted. Wei Ning nodded in agreement. Wen Quinn stood up, his face red.
"You had a feeling? Really? You didn't think to tell us about this 'feeling'?" he screamed. Khan Qing watched Ming Cheng and Wei Ning. They were both quiet for a long time. Ming Ran sighed, he had a feeling the two of them had noticed something was up. Neither of them pressed nor cornered him about it. They allowed Ming Ran to make that decision himself. They looked hurt and also resigned to the truth coming out now.
"Why the hell didn't you say anything?" Wen Quinn asked again. Ming Ran stared up at the stars and closed his eyes. There was a weight that was currently pressing down on this grove. Why hadn't he disclosed this information? Ming Ran had to wonder if partly, he knew that this is what was holding them together in this life. That their group would fall apart without that common goal. However, Ming Ran also knew that this had to be. This group was not meant to last forever.
The silence continued on for a while longer, finally Wen Quinn could bear it no longer. He asked again, taking Wei Ning by the collar. Ming Ran stood to intervene, but Ming Cheng held him back.
"You fucking rat bastard. It was always like this in the past too. You always managed to keep Elle all to yourself. Every. Single. Time. Why? You knew we all wanted to see her again. Why would you keep this to yourself?!"
"Simple. Ming Ran isn't her." Wei Ning said, simply. Khan Qing stepped forward.
"It is her though. That is Elle." Tears filled her eyes, "You can't deny it! She even admitted it just now!"
"He isn't her."
"The hell she isn't!!" Wen Quinn exploded. Ming Cheng separated the two. He looked at both Wen Quinn and Khan Qing like they were children once again.
"Enough." he said, quietly.
"Oh, fuck off, Ming Cheng. You aren't the fucking 'big brother' of our little group anymore! If anything, we're the same damn age and I'm the crown prince. I am the leader of--"
"Oh, what? So, you're royalty now and so we should all just shut up and follow your lead?" Khan Qing sneered, "Get real. You just want an excuse to lord over all of us. At least when Ming Cheng plays the big brother part he is actually doing it cuz he gives a fuck." Wen Quinn stared at her.
"What did you say to me?" he whispered, uncertain he had heard right. In both lives, Wen Quinn had spoken to Khan Qing the same way. As Billy, he had constantly put her down and waved her off as white trash. Lulu, from humble origins, was forever lower than him. Lulu was a child starved for a stable group. She clung onto Billy and looked up to the young man who navigated a major that wasn't even his passion. He was the reason she found the resolve to continue on in her own major. As Wen Quinn, he used the anger and hatred he had towards Lulu to fuel his treatment of her. It was through manipulation and her guilt that he managed to control her. However, Elle was back. The whole reason why Khan Qing stayed faithful to him was because Elle's death had been deemed "her fault" and all the work she had done for him was paying back a debt she didn't owe. He looked at Khan Qing in a mixture of shock and loss. She stared him down.
"How pathetic you are, Billy Cormack." she spat. She looked towards Ming Cheng and, upon seeing that he wouldn't stop her, continued on, "You spent your entire last life holding onto a shadow of a girl that never even existed, you showered her with praise, worshipped her, and after all that work you put into keeping her by your side: she still chose to abandon you in the next life."
"How dare you!" Wen Quinn stepped forward to grab her, but was met with the blade of her short sword. They glared at each other silently for a few beats before they both took a step back. They looked away, the mere sight of each other enough to cause bile to rise in their throats.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Khan Qing asked again, quieter this time. Wei Ning sighed and repeated again,
"Because he is not Elle."
"That isn't a damn answer!" Wen Quinn snarled.
"Enough." Ming Cheng stepped forward, "You keep asking why? Why? Why? We didn't tell you because Elle is dead. She has been dead for a long time. You may not like it. I don't like it. However, Elle is dead. I accept that. I also accept that I have two little brothers now. One of them is a damn lunatic and a loudmouth, but is considerate and loving. The other is quite selfish, and for a little while I was upset that he didn't tell me earlier. However, I also learned that we all are. It's just a part of being human, we do things that make us happy, make us feel good. My youngest brother doesn't like fish. He doesn't like alcohol and hates honied dates but eats them anyways when his big brother gets them for him. He is quiet and loving, and clearly loved being out in the Plain Lands with his kidnappers more than at our Ming Manor." He paused and let his words sink in. Ming Ran looked at his hands. There was a lot about this situation that wasn't fair, however, he had already long since made this bed of his. Now, it was time to sleep in it. Ming Cheng patted his head. There was a sense of love, acceptance and loss in his eyes.
"But she--" Khan Qing started again, Wei Ning cut her off.
"But he isn't her. This is Ming Ran now. I've accepted it, Ming Cheng has accepted it. Now it is your turn. I can't force you to come to terms with Elle's death, but I can also say that you cannot force Ming Ran to be someone he is not." Wei Ning stood Ming Ran up, bringing him out of the bamboo grove. Ming Cheng stayed behind and witnessed how-- under the moonlight-- six friends parted ways for the first time in twenty one years.