Xing Han was still sitting at the table in a daze, staring at the computer screen without truly registering anything in his mind as yet.

When Kay had sent the S.O.S. the other day, and wanted to meet up to talk, he hadn't been too worried. It hadn't been urgent, so it could not be serious.

Xing Han was just curious as to what it could be. 

Not serious?

Oh, he was so wrong.

Kyle had a girlfriend now?

It was strange that none of them even thought of the possibility that Kyle would find someone in Country M. He had never shown any interest in anyone, be it a girl or a guy, and yet, after a year abroad, he got himself a girl?

Like Kay, Xing Han felt slightly miffed.

Perhaps, to be more accurate, left out.

Who was this girl who had been able to capture his BFF's heart? 

More importantly, how could Kyle get a girlfriend without him?

No, not without him, but without him actually being by his side to knowing? 

Then again, Kyle was not around.

Xing Han couldn't stop Kyle from meeting people, right? They could come from all sorts of unexpected places. Or time.

Like ... Nitocris.

Xing Han's eyes dimmed a bit when he thought of Nitocris. 

Ever since Nitocris had confessed to him, and he telling Nitocris about his impending marriage in four years time, Nitocris had kept his distance.

He wasn't being mean, nor did he get angry at him. He just … seemed to shut down, and withdraw into himself.

Even though they were staying in the same house, Xing Han never saw him anymore after that. He always had his breakfast super early and left for work before Xing Han even got up, and he came back very late at night after Xing Han had gone to bed.

He tried staying up once, and he did manage to hear Nitocris walk through the door … but Xing Han could not come out of his room.

What was he to say?

His hand had been on the doorknob, his entire being had wanted to rush out at that moment just to see him … but he didn't. 

Xing Han found himself missing Nitocris and this hurt him far more than he thought it would. 

He didn't even know when he started having feelings for Nitocris. All he knew was, once Nitocris was 'gone', Xing Han felt it.

It was different when Kyle had left.

This.

This was more painful.

Xing Han sighed. 

Though his first reaction had been disbelief, coupled with a bit of being 'miffed', Xing Han hoped Kyle was happy.

At least one of them should be.

"How long has it been?" Xing Han asked.

""Less than week into the relationship but it's been over six months since he had been crushing on her," Kay said.

"And you're only telling us now?" Xing Han said in shock.

Kay shrugged, "I don't know … I guess, I just wanted to see how far it would go. He was being so wishy-washy about it and he kept downplaying it as just a passing phase, so I didn't think too much about it."

"But …"

"But?" prompted Ali, curious.

His heart was still quite raw from the break-up with Sophia, but he found thinking about Kyle finding his 'fated one' helped ease the pain a bit. Perhaps, he was getting some happiness and hope vicariously?

It did help that he had turned to pour his grievances in his 'talk' with God (when he prayed). When he sat down on the prayer mat, after performing the obligatory prayers, he would cup his hands together and pray, as he poured his heart out when he was 'talking' to God.*

When he had found out about Sophia having left the school, he had been devastated. However, now, he was beginning to be able to accept her leaving. He did not blame her, or God, or the situation.

He had met, he had loved, and even if he knew this was the outcome, he would do it all over again.

With greater restraint, of course.

He still missed her so much.

"But I'm still worried for him," Kay admitted, "And even a little bit unhappy about it. I mean, he's all the way there. Alone. She is going to be his entire world now."

Kay couldn't explain it.

It wasn't that she was afraid that Kyle would forget her, or abandon her, but … this was such a momentous part of his life and she wasn't a part of it.

Though this separation was also to get them to be more independent of each other, it didn't mean major events like this should happen!

"You're worried that he's falling too fast, too deep, and there is no one to help him?" Sam probed.

Kay sighed, leaning on the table as she looked at the three familiar, and concerned faces.

"I suppose that's part of it," Kay said, "But I'm also unsure about this choice of his."

Kay had sent the file on Sari already to them.

"You object?" Sam asked.

"No!" Kay denied, "I don't object … well, not in the sense that I refuse to accept her as Kyle's girlfriend … but more in the sense that it's hard to accept her … I mean … she's just so …"

"Normal? Girl-next-door type of person? Average student?" Sam said, "Like my Betty?"

Kay bit her bottom lip.

"It's not the same," Kay said, "You may be abnormal, but you have a normal background. Betty fits."

"But this? Our worlds are so different. Can she really fit in?" Kay asked worriedly.

"Why not?" Xing Han asked.

"Kyle would take care of her, and treat her well, right?" Xing Han said, confident of his BFF, "And I am sure you would help her with whatever she may not know. With both of you protecting her, why shouldn't she fit in?"

"I guess," Kay replied, "Will he be okay?"

"Only time will tell," Ali replied.