A/N: Hi, apparently this is a year where I get sick all the time. Unfortunately this time a gastritis and a viral infection knocked me out. You can see from the pictures how and where I spent the last days and why I couldn't write you any new updates yet. I'm feeling better, I'm back home and now I'm trying to write you updates again. I'm making sure to get enough rest though and can't promise that I'll update each of my three open books. I'm taking it slowly and bit by bit.

The only thing that interested Yibo that evening was the desire to see and talk to Zhan alone one more time before he left the following day and after Yibo had not had a chance to do so for over a week. After all, he still had so many questions and wanted to know if it was even worth it for him to wait for Zhan.

After the failure with the party, the director had cracked down after no one volunteered even after 2 days and admitted to mixing the alcohol in the punch. Since there were injured and it was clear that probably not all students had drunk the alcoholic punch unknowingly, the director saw only one way. He had to punish all students!

Three days after the party, all students had to gather again in the auditorium. There, the director announced his punishment. "I simply wanted to give you a nice evening together. But one or more people apparently thought that this was not enough and mixed alcohol into the punch. Some drank a lot of punch and got drunk. And a few of them had accidents. You do realize that this was a crime, right? Unfortunately, since we and the police are aware that we will not find the culprit(s), I came up with something else as punishment. And believe me, none of you will like it!" Began the director. He let a moment pass very dramatically in silence and then continued speaking.

"Here are the punishments. 2 students from EACH grade will have to leave our academy this Sunday, and this also applies to two students from Paradise Academy. We will make our choice based on your grade point average. The two worst from each grade will have to leave. In addition, the common rooms in the Community Center will be closed for an indefinite period of time, effective immediately! All students will be assigned to work groups starting today that will beautify our Keno Academy once again. This means you will be doing work when you would actually have free time. Then you will be really exhausted and will not have time to do anything stupid. And all students have to be in their rooms no later than 8 pm. These instructions are valid for the next 4 weeks. And now for my final punishment. The duos competition is cancelled. So there will be no competition next week." Said the director.

"You can't do that! We've all been training like crazy for this! It wasn't us with the alcohol!" Shouted a third year student. But the director ignored her and left the stage. Then the assistant director explained to them who was assigned to which work and which supervisor. And finally, he announced which students had to leave Keno and Paradise Academy. Yibo was relieved that it affected students with whom he had nothing to do so far. He did care. But he was glad that neither he nor one of his friends was affected.

For Yibo and Youn, from that day on, it meant that they had to help the house father because they were assigned to work for him. In addition to cleaning all the hallways, stairs and doors in the dormitory, they also had to repaint the rooms in the dormitory that had been vacated. They also had to clean up and clean out the large storage area in the basement. And of course, they were responsible for the mail service every day.

Although neither Yibo nor Youn were at fault for mixing the punch with alcohol, and they might be rightfully angry about the punishments, they remained calm, did their work, and took care not to attract negative attention. They admitted to themselves that they were afraid that they might be punished even more harshly if they did not do as they were told. And who knows what that punishment would be?

Of course it was hard for them. Especially for Yibo, since he had no chance to talk to Zhan in this way. He only saw him these days when they were in the cafeteria at the same time. And even then he couldn't talk to Zhan because Alessia was always with him. For some reason, Alessia had once again been more lucky than good. Because she was assigned to the common punishment work with Zhan, which Yibo of course found anything but great.

Although Yibo now knows that Zhan likes him and does not have a relationship with Alessia, he still does not know how it should and will continue between them. Is it worth it for Yibo to wait for Zhan? Should he wait? And what had Zhan meant about them not being able to be together "yet"? He had so many questions and hoped to find a way to ask Zhan those questions before he left.

Fortunately for him, the director had calmed down a bit and relaxed the punishments over the weekend, even rewarding those who did a good job and followed all the instructions. So did Yibo, and so did Zhan, as Yibo learned.

All Yibo had to do now was find a way to talk to Zhan alone and where Alessia couldn't get in their way. And then he remembered that he had once received an invitation to meet under the big old oak tree by the front door. He had sat there for a long time without even a student coming that way.

On Saturday morning, Yibo had started his mail service and Yibo offered the house father to take the mail to the Paradise Academy students to the community center and distribute it to the students. The house father agreed and Yibo was able to carry out stage 2 of his plan. To bring Zhan an invitation to a private meeting.

Unfortunately, Yibo could not wait for Zhan to open the envelope and read the invitation. Thus, he had no choice but to wait and hope. Fortunately, however, when they were in the cafeteria for lunch at the same time, Zhan had signaled him that he would be there.

Zhan walked very slowly with his tray past the table where Yibo was sitting, quite "accidentally" dropped his chopsticks from the tray next to Yibo, and as they both bent down to get them, Zhan whispered in his ear, "I'll be there. See you later." Yibo nodded and got all red in the face when he saw the looks on his friends' faces, who had known very well that Zhan's chopsticks had not fallen off the tray by accident.

Yibo had been so excited that he could hardly bear to be in his room afterwards. Youn was not there, as he and Wooseok had left campus to go on a date. He had to do something, he needed a distraction, so he volunteered to clean the hallways in the dorm. And then he also cleaned the small kitchens on each floor of the dorm. He probably would have continued cleaning if he house father hadn't held him back.

So he took a shower, got dressed, and went outside to the old oak tree where he waited for Zhan. But although Zhan had promised him, Zhan had not arrived on time at the appointed time. Only after almost an hour, when Yibo was about to leave, angry and disappointed, did Zhan show up. But to Yibo's surprise, he did not come from the community center, but from outside. "I'm sorry I'm late cutie. I met up with an old school friend and missed the bus. I had to wait 45 minutes for the next bus." Said Zhan out of breath.

"Oh I see. I was beginning to think you weren't going to come after all." Replied Yibo. He would have loved to grab Zhan and shake him. How dare he come late and make him wait so long. "Well, you could have texted me to let me know."

"I don't have your cell phone number Yibo."

"Then you could have asked Cheng about it."

"True. I'm sorry. Please don't be mad." Said Zhan. He put his arms around Yibo's waist and pulled him close. "I was really happy that you wanted to meet me tonight."

"But?"

"No buts. So not really."

"That sounds like a but to me, Zhan. Say it."

"I can't explain it to you yet. But soon. I promise."

"Why only soon? Why don't you explain it to me now? We're alone and no matter what you tell me, I'll keep it to myself."

"I have no doubt about that Yibo. But I still can't tell you."

"Is it because of Alessia? Is there maybe something more going on between you two?"

"No."

"Then what? You know, every time you say you can't explain it to me now, but soon, my curiosity gets the better of me."

"I'm sorry I can't tell you yet. But please believe me that I'm not in a relationship with Alessia."

"How am I supposed to believe that? Yes, you say you're not a couple. But she doesn't see it that way. And you've been together all the time. From the very beginning when you first came here, you were with her all the time. And she always has priority with you. For her, you didn't even come to the party. And..."

"Yibo I know what this looks like. But we're still not a couple."

"You said you liked me, right?"

"I do, actually. From the first moment I met you."

"And I like you too Zhan. Can you imagine how it hurts when I see you and Alessia together all the time? I saw her holding your hand when you went to your work assignment. She's always leaning on your shoulder. You often hug each other and always isolate yourselves from everyone else. Always the two of you sit together at a table of two, so you are alone."

"Yibo..."

"No Zhan. I want to finally have some answers. If you want me to wait for you, then I need to have some proof that it's worth it for me to wait. And I want to know what's going to happen next with you and me. Besides, it's really hard for me to pretend that nothing has happened."

"I'm just asking you to be patient. And soon I'll be able to explain everything to you. Then, hopefully, we can be together. But right now I can't tell you anything. I can only ask you to trust me and wait a little longer."

"But I..."

"Yibo. You really mean a lot to me. I know I'm asking a lot of you. But if you trust me and have a little more patience, you'll see it's worth it." Said Zhan. He stroked Yibo's right cheek with one hand and kissed him. "Please wait for me." Whispered Zhan in his ear afterwards.

True, Yibo had decided not to rest until he finally had all of Zhan's answers. But when Zhan kissed him, Yibo was no longer able to withstand him. And when two more kisses followed, Yibo didn't care about the open questions. He wanted only one thing at that moment. Zhan!

But their togetherness was disturbed when they heard a voice nearby. It was the voice of Alessia, who was obviously talking to someone on the phone. Yibo clearly heard her say, "I'm looking for Zhan, what do you think? ... No, I don't think he knows. ... We'll talk about it another time. Right now, I need to find Zhan first."

"Looks like she's even keeping secrets from you." Yibo said mockingly. But when he saw Zhan's look, he no longer felt like joking. For Zhan looked seriously and with a furrowed brow in the direction from which Alessia's voice could be heard. "What's the matter? Why are you looking so strange?" Yibo wanted to know from Zhan.

"Um, I can't explain it to you right now. I have to go. But before I go, please give me your cell phone number."

"Uh okay." Yibo gave him his cell phone number.

"Thanks. Now listen to me carefully my cutie. Stay away from Alessia while I'm gone. Don't talk to her and don't argue with her. It's best to ignore her. Believe me, it's better that way."

"Why? Oh I forgot. I'm sure you can't tell me that either!"

"Right, I can't tell you. But I can advise you to stay away from her. Trust me on this. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Is she dangerous?"

"I've already said too much. Baby, promise me you'll be good and not do anything stupid."

"Okay."

"Say it!"

"I promise!"

"Good. And baby?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"You, you love me?"

"Yes. You don't have to answer that today. I just wanted you to know."

"I love you too Zhan. And I promise I'll stay away from Alessia. I want to trust you."

"Good, now let me kiss you again before I go. I'm really going to miss you terribly when I'm back at Paradise Academy and so far away from you."

"I'll miss you too." Replied Yibo.

Zhan once again wrapped Yibo tightly in his arms and kissed him firmly. He once again made Yibo promise to stay away from Alessia and finally Zhan left to go to Alessia.

Yibo was left confused, wondering what exactly Zhan knows about Alessia and if she might really be Dangerous? And if she is, how does Zhan know? And yet why is he by her side all the time? What is Zhan's secret?