Kris ran as fast as his long legs could carry him, still holding all six dozen roses in his arms. He was sure Tao went to the garden.

            Although he hoped it wasn’t possible, he couldn’t help but think that perhaps Tao was going to do something desperate, and he knew that that thought was on the minds of all the others in the dorm too.

            He couldn’t let anything happen to Tao. He absolutely couldn’t.

            He missed Tao’s smile, the way he tugged on Kris’s shirt, the way he’d fall asleep on Kris’s shoulder or hold his hands tightly. The tears Kris had caused were the worst thing to have happened. And Kris needed Tao to know how he felt.

            He turned a corner and stopped abruptly.

            Tao was standing on the side of the street, his head bowed, and someone was talking to him.

            Someone with long, black hair and an arrogant posture.

            Suddenly, Saemi slapped Tao across the face, and Kris dropped the roses and ran. She reached to hit Tao again, but Kris caught her arm.

            “What are you doing?” he cried. She looked shocked, but not regretful at all.

            “Teaching him a lesson,” she replied curtly. “He’s the one that caused you to only look at him, even when I’m around. I kissed you and you kissed me back yet he’s still the only one you care about. He’s the problem here. He’s brainwashed you!”

            Tao looked up at Kris, his lips taut but his eyes attentive.

            “You’re insane,” Kris replied. “What is wrong with you?”

            “Nothing is wrong with me! That’s why I don’t understand any of this! How can you like him when I’m here?”

            “Because he’s…” Kris looked at Tao, whose eyes were wide. “He’s…just Tao.”

            “What is that supposed to mean?” Saemi demanded, but Tao knew exactly what Kris was talking about. Tears started to seep from his eyes.

            “Oh, now he’s crying? What a manly man you’re in love with, Kris,” Saemi said sarcastically.

            “Saemi, I’m sorry, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not interested in you. Would you please just leave us alone?” Kris replied. “And don’t ever touch Tao again.”

            “ you!” she screamed, picking up one of the six bouquets Kris had dropped and hurling it at him. With that, she stalked off in a huff.

            Kris looked at Tao apologetically.

            “Are you okay?” he asked.

            “I’m fine,” Tao replied, looking down. It reminded Kris of the day they met.

            “Why didn’t you defend yourself? Use your wushu?”

            “Wushu isn’t for violence,” Tao replied curtly. “And I can’t hit a girl.” Kris sighed.

            “Let’s walk,” he suggested, picking up the bouquets and walking slowly. Tao followed him as they walked down the street. Their feet carried them into the garden that Tao had showed Kris once before.

            It just seemed like the right sort of place to go for a meaningful apology.

            They sat down on the bench swing, Tao at one end and Kris at the other. Kris had put down the bouquets next to the swing and took a breath.

            “Tao, I’m…I’m really sorry. I know that what I did was a big deal to you. I didn’t think it was at first but I realized really fast that I made a huge mistake. I know being drunk isn’t a good excuse, so I just won’t try to excuse myself. Because what I did was wrong. Tao, I just…I want to apologize. You don’t have to forgive me, but I just want to let you know that…well, like she said, you’re the only one I can look at.”

            Tao looked up at him, his eyes bleary with tears.

            “Oh, and I got you flowers. Sorry she kind of ruined them. But I remembered how you said you liked roses.” He turned to pick them up, but Tao took his hand.

            “Am I really the only one you care about?” he asked.

            “Yes,” Kris replied.

            “Even though I didn’t let you kiss me or touch me like you wanted?”

            “Of course!” Kris cried, grabbing Tao’s other hand. “Tao, I was being the worst person on the planet, trying to force you into moving faster than you wanted to. I’ll never, never make you do any of that again if you don’t want to; and it’ll never make me think any less of you.”

            “Really?” Tao asked. “I…I want to believe you.”

            “Please, please,” Kris pleaded. “I swear I’ll never do anything like this ever again.”

            “You got me flowers,” Tao said quietly. “Roses.”

            “Yeah,” Kris replied. “I knew you liked them.”

            “I do,” Tao nodded. “That’s a lot of them.”

            “Six dozen,” Kris explained. “I guess it’s a little overboard, but…”

            “No, I like them. Thank you.”

            “You’re welcome.”

            “Ah…Kris,” Tao said quietly. “I still don’t think I should forgive you…”

            “You don’t have to yet,” Kris replied. “I understand, and—”

            “But I’m going to anyway.”

            “What?” Kris asked, shocked. “Wait, what did you say?”

            “I’ll forgive you. But…don’t make this happen again, okay?” Tao warned. Kris nearly fell off of the bench swing.

            “Tao,” Kris said. “You’re…” Tao looked at Kris and gave him that tiny smile that Kris fell in love with in the beginning. “I love you.”

            Tao half-choked for a moment.

            “You—you what?” Tao coughed.

            “Ah, if it was too sud—”

            “No!” he cried, and then lowered his voice and his head. “Say it again?”

            “I love you,” Kris chuckled, taking Tao’s face in his hands and kissing him sweetly.

            Suddenly, Tao opened his lips slightly, but Kris could feel them quavering. Kris pulled back, taking Tao’s neck gingerly.

            “You don’t have to. I promise you that I’ll wait.” Tao grinned while tears streamed down his cheeks.

            “I love you too!” he cried, throwing his hands around Kris’s shoulders and kissing Kris again.

            “You found him!” Chen cried. “Guys, Kris found him!” Everyone rushed into the room.

            “Kris did?” Suho asked angrily. “Kris, get—oh.”

            Kris was holding onto Tao’s waist tightly, Tao looking up at Kris with the utmost adoration in his eyes. Kris loved that look.

            “Did you guys make up?” Chanyeol asked, holding Baekhyun’s waist similarly.

            “Of course they did, stupid,” Sehun said, coming into the room with a smile.

            “Oh, I’m so glad he found you,” Luhan cried, hugging Tao with relief. “Is everything good now?”

            “Everything is great now,” Tao replied with a big smile.

            “I’m so glad,” Kyungsoo said. “We all are.”

            “Shall we leave them alone now?” Lay chuckled, and all the boys agreed. They went back into their respective rooms or the kitchen, and Kris hugged Tao tightly.

            “So, what do you want to do?” he asked.

            “I want to watch TV,” Tao replied, looking up at Kris. Tao took his hand, leading him into the living room.

            They fell into their default position on the couch, Tao resting his head on Kris’s shoulder and Kris’s head on top of Tao’s.

            Tao didn’t say anything, and nor did Kris.

            But Kris could feel Tao’s warm fingers in his, and Tao’s warm breath on his neck. He smiled and closed his eyes.

            He’d never expected to fall for Tao, but then again, when was love ever simple?

A/N: So, this is the last chapter. Ahhhh I'm so sad! I feel like I'm leaving or something...please keep in touch with me somehow!! Whether it be subscribing or just writing on my wall, I want to keep connected with y'all.

This fic is important to me, because I used to be just like Tao was at the beginning. Going through this fic only helped me to further convince myself that love is important. In writing the advice that Lay would give Kris or Kris would give Kai/Tao, I learned things too. I'm really happy I was able to do that. 

I feel really weird knowing that this began as a supposedly simple oneshot. Did not turn out that way. I expected maybe 25 subs? But I ended up with almost 500. I'm just...ah, I'm beyond emotions. You guys were the best, best readers. I appreciate every single comment you gave me, and every single subscriber. All those silent readers too. This was just amazing. 

I'm planning a sequel right now, and definitely a few spinoffs including the promised Baekyeol one. I really love you guys so so much. Thank you forever and ever.

To begin my shameless self-promotion, here are the spinoff fics:

• The Expert Gets His Turn (Kaisoo)
• Two Weeks Without Sugar (Baekyeol)
• Good Sense (Lay)

And now everything else:

Completed

Oneshots

• Dropping Pencils (PG, 2min fluff)
• On the Same Train (PG, 2min fluff)
• Intoxicated (PG-13, Jongkey fluff)
• Impressive (PG, Joonew fluff)
• The Expert Gets His Turn (PG, Kaisoo fluff)
• Prepare Yourself (PG, Kaisoo fluff)
• We'd Like to Thank You for Flying With Us Today (PG, Kaisoo fluff)

Twoshots

• A Love and a Double-Edged Blade (PG-13, 2min tragedy)

Multichaps

• Things I Never Knew I Wanted (R, Jongkey and side!2min fluff)

Ongoing

Multichaps

• Persuasion (PG-13, 2min and side!Jongkey fluff): On hiatus.

Drabbles

• 366 (PG-13, 2min fluff): Updated daily.
• Joonew Drabbles (PG-13, Joonew): Updated sporadically.
• Kaisoo Drabbles (PG-13, Kaisoo): Updated sporadically.
• Drabbles (PG, mostly 2min): On hiatus. 

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♥ Exie