The earlier excitement of your date with Tao was now heavily weighed down by your encounter with Wyatt.

Your friend had some very valid points concerning Kendall. Would she really get that upset that you were basically seeing Tao now? It felt like the cliché devil and angel were sitting on your shoulders, tugging you back and forth, making you dizzy. The angel simply kept reminding you that Kendall was your best friend and she’d been there for you long before Tao ever came around.

On the other hand, the devil gave a very valid argument about how it was only one date between them and just this past weekend Kendall had mentioned she was talking to someone new. Besides, you were allowed to find someone to be with yourself, weren’t you? Was it a little selfish that you wanted it to be Tao? Yes. But wasn’t everyone allotted a little bit of selfness?

By the time your last class came to an end, you’d made up your mind. You were going on that date with Tao. You owed it to yourself to give it a chance. And you didn’t want to witness Tao’s disappointment if you turned him down after how excited he was this morning.

You really shouldn’t have been surprised to see Tao leaning up against the wall opposite of your classroom when you exited. This was a much better sight than Wyatt had been earlier in the day. However, while one was your friend and knew your schedule….

“Are you stalking me now?” you asked teasingly.

“It’s actually fairly easy to find out a student’s schedule here,” Tao smirked, throwing an arm around your shoulders as the two of you walked down the hall. “A school should really protect its students’ privacy better than that.”

You rolled your eyes. “So, you went to Jace in the front office again?” If that boy kept giving out your information, you were going to have to put the fear of god in him. Or at least, beg him to stop.

Tao shook his head. “Nah, I just asked around. Figured someone might know you. Turns out, I found a kid that was supposed to be your class, but he ran late so he skipped it all together and was hanging out in the lobby. Very convenient for me.”

“Oh, yes, very convenient,” you said dryly. No longer able to fully walk properly with the extra weight, you gently removed Tao’s arm from your shoulders. That earned a pout from the supposed bad boy, but he simply slipped his hands into his pockets, respecting your personal space. “So,” you turned to him with a wide smile, “where are we going?”

That mischievous gleam that you knew all too well to fear was back in his eye. “It’s a surprise.”

You groaned. You hated surprises.

“Don’t be like that,” Tao whined as he stepped in front of you to block your way. “I’ve been planning this out all weekend.”

Shaking your head, you commented, “You’re like an attention-starved puppy, you know that?”

Tao shifted uncomfortably before clearing his throat, turning on his heels and telling you to follow him as he hiked across the courtyard. Was he sensitive to dog comments because of his reputation? That would make sense, you guess. Wyatt even called him a dog on that night of Kendall’s date.

A sense of excitement surged up your heart as Tao opened the passenger side door to his convertible for you. Taking your bag off your shoulder, you slid onto the leather seat, a smile unable to be contained. Tao took your bag from you and put it in the trunk of his car before hopping behind the wheel, once again opting to ignore the door. He really needed to stop doing that or you might have a heart attack one day. Smooth moves like that didn’t usually get to you, but Tao, as always, was the exception.

You were given absolutely no hints of your destination, just letting the wind kiss your face as Tao drove through the city.

At one point, while you were staring out at the side, watching the building pass by, he reached over and grabbed your hand, wrapping his fingers around your own as they rested on your lap. A furious heat exploded on your cheeks. You chewed on the inside of your bottom lip to discretely hold back the face-splitting grin your lips were currently fighting to reveal. While your face remained facing away from Tao so you couldn’t see his expression (which was probably much calmer and more collected than your own), you glanced down at your intertwined hands out of the corner of your eye at an interval of maybe thirty seconds or so.

His skin was warm – inhumanely so. For a moment, you worried that your palm would start to sweat from the temperature, but you refused to let go. It felt too nice, this innocent proximity, this comfortable silence. It didn’t feel like a first date, even with the jitters in your stomach. The boy next to you felt too familiar for you to be overly nervous about how this would go. You didn’t really know Tao, not like how you’d like to, but this relaxed state you were always in with him around was nice and different.

All too soon, Tao pulled into a parking lot, letting go of your hand to safely park the car and turn off the engine. Taking at your destination, you gulped.

The restaurant Tao had brought you to wasn’t the average first-date type place. Twinkling lights hung on the aesthetically faded red brick walls even though the sun was still very much present in the sky. From what you could see of the patrons that were seated on the large patio area, this was a place where you dressed up and expected to pay a hefty price per dish. While you weren’t dressed in sweatpants, you were still in your school day clothes of jeans and a comfortable shirt.

You were so focused on staring at the building you hadn’t realized that Tao had gotten out of the car and was now holding your door open.

“What are we doing here?” you asked shyly as he helped you out of the car. Tao at least was dressed a little more high end with his tight black jeans and designer jacket that was probably meant to be casual.

“This place looks expensive. Maybe we should go to a café or something,” you suggested nervously. There was no way there’d even be a table open given the amount of cars currently in the lot. If luck was on your side, that’d be the case waiting for you inside.

“Just trust me,” was Tao’s reply. Your nerves were in high gear as he led you to the front entrance, his hand back in yours. A smart, fiendish part of you was relishing in this scenario, as much as you hated to admit it to yourself. Tao had taken Kendall to a bar. Albeit, definitely one of the nicer bars in town, but you were being treated to a fancy five-star dinner in the pricey art of town. Perhaps more proof that you really were different to him?

“Mr. Huang!” The hostess greeted as soon as you stepped through the door, ignoring the others waiting around the lobby for seats to become free. “We have your usual table ready for you, just as you requested.”

Usual table? Not that special, apparently.

Your smile dimmed a little as the hostess showed you through the restaurant until reaching a rounded booth in a secluded corner away from the others. Sliding in, you kept a little distance from Tao, your eyes scanning every part of the room that didn’t put him in your view. Too easily that doubt crept up on you, making you wonder all over again if he was truly serious when it came to you. He’d given you more than enough evidence and yet here you were, poking at the sore spot, making it worse.

As if he knew exactly what was on your mind, he scooted closer to you, taking your hand as he gave you a small, crooked smile. “I haven’t brought any other girls here before.”

You pursed your lips. How did he guess that right away? “The hostess seemed to know you fairly well.” It was a bit sad that you’d become that girl who needed reassurance and explanations, but it was hard given that Tao constantly looked like he just walked off a runway in New York.  

“I come here with my brothers,” he told you. “I like the food and the quiet atmosphere. When I was younger, I’d come with my parents.”

You frowned. “You’ve lived here your whole life?” Granted, this wasn’t a tiny city by any means, but you’d think you would have seen him at some point.

Tao shook his head. “No. My family moved around a lot. But we passed through the city several times a year. Never failed to have at least one meal here.”

“Are your parents rich or something?” You meant it as a joke given the status of this place, but Tao nodded seriously. Well that certainly explained the car and clothes.

Tao didn’t seem phased by your hanging jaw. “It’s not mansions and private jets, but my father was always a good businessman. Our family stays comfortable.”

Comfortable. Exactly what rich people say. Their level of “comfort” is pretty high up there. You pushed all negative thoughts aside, mostly because they were hard to maintain with Tao’s fingers intertwined with your own.

The waiter came by, placing the menus down in front of you along with fresh glasses of ice water. You untangled your hand from Tao’s in order to figure out how bad this check was going to be.

Browsing over the offerings, you could almost feel the sweat forming on your forehead. Rich or not, these prices were ridiculous. How could such a small steak cost that much money? When the waiter came back, you opted for one of the cheaper appetizers, lying to a frowning Tao that you weren’t that hungry. In fact, your appetite had greatly subsided after reading over the menu, so it was only a partial lie.

“So,” Tao smiled at you the waiter walked away, “tell me about your family.”

Caught a little off guard, you nearly choked on the sip of water you’d just taken in. When you finally had your coughing fit under control, you gave Tao a death glare. He’d been giggling at you the whole time rather than actually helping you or being concerned like a gentleman.

There wasn’t much to tell about your family. Both of your parents worked which allowed you to live in a nice home with nice things, but it was nothing overtly grand or impressive. Your parents always taught you to give back and lend a helping hand, which was how you ended up both in the math lab and the children’s home.

Tao finally explained to you how he came into volunteering at the children’s home. His “brothers” (he also explained that the ones he lived with weren’t related to him by blood, just simply close enough to use that label) weren’t the ones who made him go. He was getting a bit too close to the wrong crowd, so they encouraged him to try spending his time elsewhere. There was a signup sheet at his high school. He’d always liked kids so he gave it a try. After that first time, he went back every day before he went traveling.

“But you said that you didn’t grow up here?” you pointed out, very confused.

“I didn’t for the most part. But when I was in high school, I settled down with Junmyeon and the others… for a little more stability,” he clarified.

“And your parents were okay with that?” You couldn’t imagine your parents ever allowing you to just live with someone else who was only in college when you were in high school.

Tao nodded. “Things are a bit… different with my family. They knew I belonged here. Right now, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

You were sure that he just meant here in general, in the city, but the look in his eyes implied maybe he meant it a little deeper and that made your face heat up.

Dinner turned into a several-hours-long affair, the two of you mostly ignoring the food sitting on the table, only picking at it occasionally. There was hardly ever a quiet moment, conversation flowing easily inside that booth.

“Mr. Huang?”

The waiter shyly interrupted Tao’s story about one of his brother – Luhan – starting a fire in the kitchen while cooking and then blaming it on someone named Kris. “Yes?”

“We’re still about an hour out from closing, but I thought I should let you know how late it was getting. Would you like the check now?”

Tao nodded and the waiter handed over the black leather folder. Before he could walk away, however, Tao already had a credit card out and slipped into the slot ready to be run. The waiter was back in no time with the receipt and after leaving a generous tip, Tao led you out of the restaurant.

“Wow,” you sighed once you were in the car. “I didn’t realize we’d been here that long.” It was pitch black, only the waning moon gave light to the sky above. The twinkling lights on the side of the restaurant were fully visible now, giving the night a romantic glow.

“Do you want to go home?” Tao asked hesitantly.

Looking at him with a smile, you shook your head. “No, not really.”

“Good.” He threw the car into reverse and left the parking lot, taking you to who knows where.

Tao took your hand again as he drove, this time lacing his fingers through yours for a better grip. At one point, he lifted your hands together, shifting them so the outside of your hand faced him and placed his lips against your skin, kissing it softly. Your heart went into a frenzy. The only time you’d ever actually seen someone do that was in the movies or in a drama. Boys didn’t do things like that in real life.

He didn’t look at you as he lowered your hands, simply letting them rest back down on the middle console as he kept his eyes on the road. Occasionally he’d run his thumb across your knuckles, but you really wanted him to do the kiss thing again. If this was how you were acting now, you dreaded on how out of control your nervous system would be when he kissed you for real.

When? You nearly scoffed out loud. Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren’t you?

For the second time tonight, Tao took you by complete surprise. You figured whatever he had planned next involved something just as fancy and mature, but when he came to a deserted park and playground, you were confused all over again.

Tao just laughed at your furrowed brow, motioning with his head, “Come on.” He took off from the car, leaving you behind and bewildered.

You followed him with complete trust. What could be so scary about a park at night?

Meeting him on the playground, he was already in one of the swings, swaying blissfully. He patted his lap. “Sit down.”

That made you laugh. “Are you serious?” He nodded. You shrugged, going with it since you couldn’t resist anyway. When you were settled in, he wrapped his arms around your waist and began gently swinging back and forth, his feet not leaving the sand pit underneath.

“This is quite the date,” you whispered. You meant it in a good way. It was different and sweet, not like the awkward ones you’d been on the past. Granted, those were a long time ago and it was possible that it was Tao himself that was making all the difference. The two of you were spending actual time together, getting to know one another and listening.

“I wanted to make it special for you,” he admitted softly in your ear. You didn’t know how to respond besides grinning to yourself.

For several minutes, the two of you sat there in silence, just taking in the moonlight and each other’s presence. Out of nowhere, Tao lifted you up, replacing you in the swing where he was sitting only a second ago.

“What-”

“Stay here,” Tao ordered before running back to his car. When he came back, he had a pair of Bluetooth headphones in his hands that he put over your ears. “I made you something,” he somewhat explained as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “The quality isn’t the best. We used Chanyeol’s homemade studio.”

You frowned. Did he really-

The music started in your ears before you could asked out loud what he meant. It was a soft, piano based melody that came through the speakers; a ballad. The notes, as they pieced together, felt like an original soundtrack that – if you were a character in a movie – would play as you walked down the sidewalk, slowly, at a pace no normal person would go, but everything would be peaceful. A small smile would tug at your lips while you took in the scenery, maybe stopping at a park or a pier to watch the sun set on the horizon.

A small tear formed in the corner of your eye as the last measure faded out. When it finally fell, Tao reached out and wiped it away.

“Did you like it?” he asked eagerly. You nodded enthusiastically, unable to form the words to express how much you loved the instrumental song.

Your answer made him smile so brightly he looked like a little kid. Straightening up from his crouched position, he started to lean forward, his face inching closer to yours. In your own seat, you shifted closer to him as well, wanting to meet him halfway.

A bright light interrupted the moment, both of you squinting towards its source.

“Hey, kids, what are you doing here?” A cop asked as he approached, his flashlight on and raised to his eye level. Oops.

“Just hanging out,” you replied, standing up from your seat and removing the headphones. “Is something wrong?”

“The park closed at ten so I just making sure you guys are alright,” he said.

Oh, crap. You never thought about that. Was it really that late?

“I’m so sorry, officer,” Tao apologized quickly.

“Just head on home,” the officer suggested nicely.

You nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Grabbing your hand, Tao pulled you back to the car, chuckling. Back behind the wheel, he sighed. “I guess that was ruined, huh?”

He was probably talking about the second almost-kiss, but you disagreed overall. Even with that ending, this night was perfect. And there would always be another chance for a kiss.

“No,” you shook your head. “I had fun tonight. Thank you.”

“Well, I guess that means we can do this again tomorrow?”

“Uh,” you cringed. “I can’t tomorrow. I’m working at the shelter. But I’m free Friday?”

Tao turned to you, his face shining like it was midday. “Friday, then.”

If tonight was any indicator for how the end of the week would go, you couldn’t wait. If someone out there had mercy on you, this week would fly by at record speed.