They all met at the bus stop again so they could go home together, and as excited as he was, Kris noticed some interesting developments. Luhan’s lips were bright red, so he could only imagine what had gone on there. Baekhyun and Chanyeol were practically bouncing off the walls because of the sugar from the giant candy store. Lay and Xiumin had evidently met up with Chen and Suho, because they were all excited about the new game they’d just purchase. And even more curiously, Kai’s arm was draped over Kyungsoo’s shoulders and Kyungsoo looked up at Kai every now and then with a happy expression on his face.

            When they got home, it was evident that Kai and Kyungsoo were an item. Probably because Kai announced triumphantly to the entire dorm that “Kyungsoo was his,” Kyungsoo blushing madly with a giant smile plastered on his face.

            “I’m so glad you helped me realize how much I liked him,” Kai grinned to Kris. “Thanks a lot.”

            “No problem,” Kris replied with a smile. He was happy for Kai, and only felt slightly jealous that he was further along with Kyungsoo than Kris was with Tao.

            “Actually, I have another favor to ask,” Kai continued. “Do you think you could go shopping with Lay tonight? Kyungsoo asked if I wanted to go check the health room with him, and…well, you know.”

            “Yup,” Kris said. “No problem. I get that you want to spend as much time with him as possible.”

            “I really do,” Kai smiled. “Thanks.” With that, he set off to go find Kyungsoo.

            By the time Kris had finished talking to Kai, Suho had roped Tao into helping him clean, and he told Kris and Lay to go get food fast because he was starving.

            “But—” Kris began to protest having to leave Tao so soon, but Suho cut him off.

            “No. We need food now, I’m starving,” he said sternly.

            “I’ll hurry cleaning so I can finish by the time you get back,” Tao said bashfully.

            Kris would have kissed him right then and there if he could have. Tao was so cute. And Kris swore with every word that came out of Tao’s perfect mouth, he was falling more and more in love. He smiled at Tao as he felt his heart swell with adoration.

            “Okay,” was all he could manage to get out before Suho shooed him off to find Lay and get them food.

            Lay was waiting for him by the door, and suddenly he wanted to shop as fast as he could so he could get back to Tao.

            “You look happy,” Lay remarked with a grin. “Something good happen today?”

            “I owe you one,” Kris said as they left the apartment. “It ended up being just me and Tao!”

            “And?”

            “And he said he’d give me a chance!” Kris all but gushed. “God though, I’m so nervous. What if he’s just being nice and doesn’t actually like me? What if I ruin the chance?”

            Lay laughed, and Kris was extremely confused. Ruining his chances with Tao did not seem like something even remotely funny to him, but he allowed Lay to explain.

            “I don’t think you have to worry about him not actually liking you.”

            “Why not?” Kris asked, though Lay’s words already began to reassure him.

            “Think about it. Let’s say you’re a straight guy. You have absolutely zero interest in men. A guy asks you out. Would you accept? Even give him a chance? No, of course not, because you’re a straight guy who has absolutely no interest in men. So obviously Tao must have at least some sort of interest in you or he wouldn’t have even given you a chance.”

            “How do you know so much?” Kris breathed, and Lay shrugged.

            “Seems obvious to me. Also I do have experience in the straight-guy area, considering I am one and all.”

            “Okay, true,” Kris agreed. “I thought I was, until he came along.”

            “Kris, your eyes are glazing over as you stare off into the distance longingly. Save the gooeyness for Tao, please,” Lay said dryly, and Kris laughed.

            “Sorry,” he apologized.

            “Also, did you have anything to do with Kyungsoo and Kai?” Lay asked as they neared the convenience store.

            “Maybe a little,” Kris said. “I just sort of helped Kai realize how he was feeling.”

            “Seems kinda fast,” Lay pointed out, but Kris shook his head.

            “Kai’s liked Kyungsoo since the first day.”

            “But Kai like…announced to everyone how he and Kyungsoo are a thing. Does anyone even know about you and Tao yet? Besides me?”

            “I don’t think anyone knows yet. We’re not like…a thing yet though. He’s just giving me a chance.”

            “Whatever, you’ll be a thing soon enough,” Lay said, opening the door to the convenience store. To Kris’s delight, Saemi was nowhere to be found.

            “I hope so,” Kris said. “Anyway, let’s hurry. I want to get back quickly.”

            “Okay,” Lay chuckled, knowing exactly why he wanted to shop at such a fast pace.

            They got back to the dorm in record time.

            “We’re back!” Kris announced loudly.

            “Good,” Baekhyun said, scampering into the room with Chanyeol on his heels. He grabbed the groceries out of Kris’s hands and Chanyeol took the ones Lay was carrying. “We need to start cooking now.” They disappeared into the kitchen, laughing to themselves.

            “Man, they’re weird,” Xiumin, who was sitting on the couch with Sehun, remarked.

            “Sometimes I’m just really confused by them,” Sehun shrugged. “Hey, Lay, wanna play that game we just got?”

            “Sure!” Lay grinned. “I’m going to grab Suho and Chen and see if they want to play too. Kris,” he said more quietly, “you can find your boyfriend and do whatever,” Lay said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

            “Oh be quiet. He’s not my boyfriend—yet—and I’m not doing anything…you know…I want to treat him well.”

            “That’s cute,” Lay scoffed laughingly. “Anyway, I said do whatever. I didn’t say anything inappropriate.”

            “Your eyebrows implied it,” Kris deadpanned as he and Lay opened the door to their room, where Tao, Chen, and Suho were cleaning.

            “We’re almost done,” Suho said, “then you can have your room back.”

            Kris wasn’t interested in getting his room back. It was something else that he wanted.

            Someone else. Someone whose delicate fingers were holding a feather duster. Someone whose eyes were smiling up at him. Someone who by just giving him that beautiful stare increased his heart rate tenfold.

            “Hi,” Kris said stupidly, but he couldn’t help it, even when Lay let out a little laugh.

            “Hi,” Tao replied quietly as Lay loudly told Chen and Suho that he wanted to play the new video game. They both gladly accepted, leaving Tao and Kris alone in Kris’s room.

            “Hi,” Kris said again, suddenly completely unable to speak. He just grinned at Tao, who gave him a small smile in return.

            “Is that all you can say?” Tao asked, letting out a musical little laugh. Kris’s heart pounded.

            “I guess,” Kris smiled.

            “Well, I’m done cleaning now,” Tao said, and Kris just kept smiling. “I don’t have anything left to do.”

            “Oh…do you want to take a walk outside while dinner is cooking?” Kris suggested. Tao smiled shyly and nodded.

            Everything he did made Kris want to kiss him.

            He beckoned to Tao wordlessly, indicating that Tao should follow. As much as he wanted to hold Tao’s hand, he didn’t dare go too fast just in case he risked ruining the chance he was given.

            They managed to leave without anyone else noticing, and by the time they’d gotten down to the street, the outside air had cooled significantly.

            “Ah, it’s nice,” Tao said. Kris nodded in agreement. “Oh, and thank you for buying the cologne for me. It’s so expensive.”

            “I don’t mind,” Kris replied. “You like it, right?”

            “Yeah,” Tao said with a slight smile. “Do you want to see something I found?”

            “Of course!” Kris replied, and Tao suddenly looked at him with a childlike sternness.

            “But you can’t tell anyone about it. It’s a secret.” Kris smiled adoringly at him.

            “Okay, I won’t tell anyone, I promise.” Tao gave him that perfect, tiny smile and led him down a small alley.

            “Where are we going?” Kris asked, curious about the alley’s increasing darkness and narrowness.

            “You’ll see,” Tao said lightly.

            And suddenly they stepped into a bright garden. It was secluded and green, adorned with roses of all sorts of colors. In the middle was a white bench swing, with words painted in light green on the top: “Welcome to those who pass through.”

            “Wow,” Kris breathed, “it’s really beautiful here.”

            “I found it one day when I got lost on my way home from tutoring. Xiumin had gone ahead without me and I took a wrong turn and ended up here.”

            “Lucky find,” Kris remarked. “Should we sit?” he asked, motioning to the bench. Tao nodded, going to sit on one side of the bench. Kris sat on the other side.

            “I love roses,” Tao mused. “They give me good memories.”

            “What kind of good memories?” Kris asked.

            “You get roses from people who love you,” Tao said simply. Kris didn’t have to ask to know that Tao cherished the moments when he felt he was loved. It was evident in his eyes.

            Suddenly Kris’s phone rang.

            “Hello?”

            “Dinner’s almost ready; where are you?” Kyungsoo asked. “Is Tao with you?”

            “Tao’s with me. We’ll be back soon. Don’t eat without us.”

            “Hurry up, we’re all hungry,” Kyungsoo said, promptly hanging up. Kris laughed.

            “I guess we’d better go,” he said, standing up. Tao followed him. “Can we…I mean, do you want to do something tomorrow? Since it’s Saturday?”

            “I’d…yeah, I’d like that,” Tao said shyly, looking down at his feet with a slight smile.

            “Great,” Kris grinned. “Come on, let’s go. The guys are getting restless.”

            Kris couldn’t remember when he’d been so happy, and it made him even more excited to know that this was just the beginning. 

A/N: This chapter seriously took forever to write. But I like it anyway. Fluff. 

Also I probably won't reply to comments today since I have like 40-ish of them and I still have a chapter of another story to write before my parents turn off my internet in an hour. I apologize. They will be replied to eventually though~

♥ Exie