The mission had been a success. Xiao, the vigilant yaksha, ensured that every potential threat had been neutralized, and the area was secure. His duty was fulfilled; you were safe, and that was his primary concern. Satisfied that all was well, he turned away from you, ready to leave. Yet, that is when he heard you ask if he is leaving now. It was a question you had asked countless times before, and each time, Xiao's response had been the same—a nod, and then vanish into the night without a trace.

Just as he was about to teleport away and let the black mist envelop him, Xiao turned to look at you. "Yes—" he started to answer, the customary response on the tip of his tongue. However, as his eyes locked onto your face, a sudden hesitation took hold of him. There was something there—a certain complexity in your expression, an emotion he couldn't quite decipher. Was it pleading? Disappointment? This must be what mortals referred to as conflicted emotions.

"No... not yet," he said, surprising both you and himself with the sudden change of mind. Xiao's gaze flickered away from yours, a rare uncertainty in his posture. Maybe it was the exhaustion from the battle, or perhaps it was the unspoken connection between you two that lingered in the air. Whatever the reason, Xiao found himself hesitating to leave this time and to leave you standing alone like always.