The VIP lounge was lively.

It had been some time since all of them could just hang out like this, and so, they were not going to let it go to waste.

"Where IS Kyle?!" demanded Xing Han, pounding his fist on the table, "I mean, I know he's like, the youngest and handsomest CEO in one of the biggest multinational companies in the world but that does not mean he's got an excuse for being late!!"

"Can't you even insult him without praising him?" asked Ali, flabbergasted, "And handsomest isn't a word."

"Who cares? If the word fits, I will use it," Xing Han replied with a smile.

"Poor Nitocris," said Sam with a sigh.

"What? Why? I take care of my Cookie very well indeed," countered Xing Han, causing everyone to cringe.

"Can you please stop calling him that?" Kay said, placing the back of her hand on her forehead, "It just gives me the chills when you start calling the Lord of the Underworld, 'Cookie'."

"Pfffft," Xing Han scoffed at them, "It's only with you guys that I can."

"And in front of Zack, Yuri and whoever else is in charge of security for the day," pointed out Sam.

Xing Han gave out an embarrassed cough, "Okay, fine. I'll tone it down. It's just easy to forget."

Kyle walked in then, "Sorry I'm late! Sayuri got the hunger pangs suddenly as I was leaving."

Ali looked at Kyle in shock, "Sayuri? Since when ..."

He looked at everyone who didn't seem shocked and he sighed, "I'm the last one to know again, isn't it?"

Kyle looked at him sheepishly, "Er … sorry?"

Ali harumphed, glared at him and demanded, "Spill it."

"Nothing much, really," Kyle said as he sat down, "Sayuri was a friend with benefits, who somehow got pregnant despite being on the pill. So we're now co-habiting until she gives birth. I'm having twins, by the way."

"TWINS?!" Xing Han exclaimed while Ali sat there with his mouth wide open.

"Yeah, she's due in two months' time," Kyle said, "I believe Sofia is due next month?"

"Yeah," Ali said with a grin.

"And Betty is due in 9 months' time," pipped in Sam.

Everyone's heads whipped over to Sam.

"Damn, that was fast," Xing Han said.

"Duh, it's Sam," Kay pointed out.

"True. So we're going to have the next generation of the Elite Five," mused Xing Han.

"So when are you getting married then, Kyle?" Ali asked, "Are you waiting until the twins are a month old or something?"

Kyle's face changed a bit at that, "No. I'm not getting married."

Ali frowned, "Why not?"

"She doesn't want to marry me," Kyle said softly, his heart feeling a little bit pained at that.

"You love her, don't you," Ali said.

"Huh? What?" Kyle said, his mind a bit muddled at what Ali had said. He poked a finger into his ear and wriggled it.

"For a moment there, I thought you said I loved her," Kyle said as he looked at Ali.

Ali just looked at him back, then at the other Elite Five. Sam and Kay nodded while Xing Han shrugged.

"Oh come on, guys," Kyle protested, "I like her, I really do but I'm not in love with her. We're also having kids together, so naturally, I feel for her more than I would any other person."

"Yeah," Ali said, "Right."

Kyle just rolled his eyes and shifted his gaze to Xing Han, "What about you? When are you and Big Bro Nic finally going to tie the knot?"

"We decided to just have it small, with family. Since your twins are due in two months' time, then about a month after your twins are born," Xing Han said, "So that you guys can attend with the little cuties."

After that, they started talking about the other things that they had been doing in the past few years. The hours passed by in a flash and before they knew it, it was already midnight

"Sorry guys, but I gotta go," Kyle said, "It's not nice to leave Sayuri alone too long."

"Sure, sure," Xing Han said, waving him off, "Go off and perform your fatherly duties to the mother of your children."

Kyle laughed at that and left. Only with the Elite Five did Kyle really let go and appeared to be just like he was, when he was a teenager. He was more open and laughed more freely.

As they watched Kyle go, everyone looked at each other and sighed collectively once the door closed.

"He's really dense about this, isn't he?" Xing Han lamented, then jumped up on the table and shouted, "WE NEED TO SAVE HIM!!"

"But how?" Ali asked, "You saw how it is. He's so stubborn. Kay, how the heck is your brother like this?"

Kay rolled her eyes, "You're asking me? I may be his twin, but seriously, this part is beyond me."

"It's like he has this mental block, or that his wall is so high that he can't even see what's right there in front of his face," Sam said.

"I just hope he realises it before it's too late," Kay said with a sigh, "I have tried all sorts of things. Directly saying it to him, hints and what-not but he's just so …"

"In denial," Sam summarised.

They all sighed collectively again.

Outside, Kyle stood still as he leaned on the door that he just exited.

He had heard every single word that they had said.

For the first time, he actually listened.

Was he in love?

Did he fall in love with her?

Were his feelings for her romantic love, rather than the love one bore for a very close friend?

He truly didn't know.

How do you differentiate between the two?

He had lived two lives, yet, he didn't know?

How laughable was that?

Kyle walked off silently, his mind in a mess. This was something he had to think about real seriously.