Ming Tao.

Mira gasped. For a moment as she stared into his eyes, the entire world around them past by her like a blur. "Jia Hao, please give me a moment, I will be right back." Mira said.

Jia Hao let go. "Call my name whenever you need me and I will be there." He said. Mira smiled and looked up to face him. That was far fetched. What if she was at the ocean or someplace where he was not? He surely won’t hear her.

"I will." Mira grinned. Now she walked past him to follow the man who looked so devastated in a celebration. Mira swallowed. This was basically a facing her fears situation but she had to because deep down, she cared about him too.

The more Mira waded through the crowd, the further he walked. Like he did not want to be found or just not by her. She knew calling for him would not change anything, not when the sound of musical instruments filled the air as well as chatter. Not when kids played around and everyone was joyful.

Mira picked up her pace, trying not to lose sight of him. Ming Tao was headed towards a place far from the noise and she could not tell if this was his way of making her go to a secluded place so they could be alone or if he was about to leave without her finding him and honestly, both freaked her out.

She did not want him to leave but she did not want to be alone with him either. Especially not at night. Especially not during a naming ceremony. It was a painful déjà vu stuck in her head yet she kept following him.

"Ming Tao!" Mira called. They were far from the party now and the music was not as loud. Ming Tao turned back. He saw her. His eyes widened. But that was all it did. He turned back again and ran.

What the hell? Was he avoiding her? If he was, he would not be in his human form. . . right?

Now, she could barely see him through the brushing of leaves as his body swept past them but she heard that he walked through.

"Ming Tao, please wait, I can barely walk to meet you." Mira called. She was getting tired of moving. "Please. I just want to talk."

The forest calmed. The sound of something moving past leaves and feet hitting soil stopped.

"I’m here." Ming Tao said. He stopped running and gave her time to get to where he was.

Mira took a pause to breathe when she was close to him. She rested her hands on her knees before closing the distance between them. Her eyes traced all over Ming Tao. He looked hurt. Saddened. His eyes bore so much grief, like he was hurting and hurting alone.

"How are you?" Mira asked. She raised a hand to reach for his face but stopped mid way. "Can I touch you?" She asked.

Ming Tao looked at her. She asked for his permission. . . She never asked Jia Hao for permission, she just did, he thought. That thought ate him up and he swallowed. Ming Tao nodded.

Mira placed her hand on his face, he fingers ran down his features and cupped his jaw. The softness of her palm on his skin reminded him of all the moments she touched him. And all the moments she let him touch her. "I don’t know." He answered honestly.

"Were you leaving? The party is just getting to the good part." The end of Mira’s lips twitched. She wanted to smile but didn’t. For some reason, she couldn’t.

"I was. I am not needed here." Ming Tao blurted out, his voice breathy. He kept his head faced down to a side because he felt unworthy to look at her even though her hand was on his skin.

"If there is anyone who feels unwelcome anywhere in this world, it’s me." Mira said. "You’re always needed, Ming Tao. Anywhere you are."

Ming Tao scoffed. "It doesn’t seem like it. I hurt you. Jia Hao practically wants me away from him and his pride land and he is my family. The people I want to be close to do not want me to engage with them. And I know you are not comfortable with me around you."

Mira sighed. "Well, you’re right. It is hard to be comfortable around the man who lured me out using my child and made me get into a terrible accident."

Ming Tao turned to face her. "I am so sorry. I hate myself every day for that." His voice broke. Mira saw the liquid crowded in his eyes. He really was sorry.

"I know." She said. "I know you are sorry. I forgive you. It will just take some time for me to accept that reality and move on. But I do forgive you. Do not be hard on yourself, Ming Tao. It was not your fault." Mira took a step closer.

"But it was!" Ming Tao beamed. "It was entirely my fault. If I had not done what I did, none of these would have happened."

Mira kept quiet. She could tell he did not need a talker right now but a listener.

"And I cannot help but feel like shit. I did not even get to thank you for what you did for me with my coat. And the first time we met again, I burned with so much hatred I almost ended your life. Please don’t hate me. I am so sorry."

Mira waited in case he wanted yes to say something more but he did not so she spoke. "Oh, you poor baby." She spread her arms wide to accommodate him. Ming Tao held her brashly by stretching his hand to her back and pulled her to him for a hug. His hands enveloped her skin, holding her tightly like he wanted to feel that she was the one with him. He sunk his head into her shoulder and stayed there in her embrace.

This stunned Mira. At first, she stood still, then slowly, she brought her hands to reach for his back and returned the embrace. "It’s okay. I’m alive. My cubs are all alive. Don’t be hard on you, Ming Tao. I could never hate you." Mira whispered. The cheetah held her so tightly that she had to get on her tip toes. Mira patted his back. "I could never hate you." She said again. "Never." She repeated. She felt like he needed to hear those words from her to ease his burden. "So please, forgive yourself. Be at peace, okay?"

Ming Tao slowly parted away from her embraced and Mira finally stood on her feet again without tipping toe.

"Now I see why Jia Hao is obsessed with you." Ming Tao said. "It is hard not to be."

Mira didn’t know what to say to that so she just smiled instead. Ming Tao looked up to face her. "I want to do something to you." He worded and used a hand to brush past his eyes. "Stay still."