S#arp's “My Lips Warm Like Coffee” | SS501 “Love Like This”

Super Junior “Endless Moment”

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Tao’s POV~

My fists and feet continued to hit the tree’s body, my energy only rising instead of draining from all of this activity. The only sounds heard were my feet and hands coming into contact with the thick stump and the rapid water moving in the lake.

I don’t even know how long I’ve been out here but I’d say a good half an hour at least. My knuckles were already becoming sore along with my heel and the sole of my foot, but none of it seemed to matter. The pain meant nothing to me, heck it was doing little to distract my mind from my raging thoughts.

My school pants and undershirt were already sticking to me from all the excessive sweating and my fringe continued to stick to my forehead no matter how many times I brushed it aside.

After a final blow I decided that this was doing me no good and I backed down, sitting onto a nearby rock. I leaned over to the lake’s edge and scooped up a handful of cold water, splashing it onto my burning face.

The night sky was out and there wasn’t a single cloud in sight, allowing me to point out every constellation I knew of. My hands were begging for me to take off the bandages and I did just that, slowly unwinding the white material off my hands to allow them to breathe.

Even after all of that, my mind was still running high with emotions.

Sorrow was there, egging me on as it continued to tease me. I can never afford her such things. He was born into such a great uprising while I’m stuck here where I can barely afford myself a new pair of shoes every so often.

She’ll understand that, you guys are in the same boat…er house…literally.

Anger was there, because he came. I knew I shouldn’t let one person influence me so much but how can I when everything was going so well, and he came in stealing Eunjae away without doing anything.

He got her a diamond necklace and fireworks, what’d you get her?

It was as if it was burning a hole down into my bag. I reached for my back pack and carefully took out the paper, completely free of any wrinkles or tears.

It’s nothing compared to what he got her. In comparison to my gift, he could’ve probably bought her an entire art museum filled with portraits of her made by the finest artists. And what do I have?

A pathetic sketch of her that isn’t even worth putting up on a fridge.

My hands placed themselves on either side of the thin paper, knowing that it’ll take little strength and force to rip it and throw it into the wind.

I was already pinching the corners, readying for the tear when a pair of hands wrapped themselves around me from behind catching me completely off guard.

“I’m sorry.”

Eunjae’s POV~

“I’m sorry.” Was my pathetic apology and the only words I managed to force out as I was out of breath from running all the way to the lake. It took me a few minutes to try and convince Kai to leave since it was already so late and it was a school night. It took an even longer time hearing Umma give me the riot act on how I shouldn’t have skipped school and to never do it again. The kids refused to leave me alone until they all came into the living room with their presents, but I couldn’t do that myself. I convinced them all to wait for Tao and I ran here as soon as my feet could carry me.

I found him sitting on the rock by himself, his back turned to me when I couldn’t help but feel guilt eating me whole.

“I’m really sorry Tao.” I managed to say again. He gently patted my arms still wrapped around him and turned around so he’d face me.

“What for?” He asked putting up a forced smile that I immediately recognized.

“For Kai and everything. I would’ve come sooner but Umma gave me the riot act and then the kids wanted to give me their presents…” I trailed off realizing I sound like I’m only babbling on and on and not giving Tao a chance to say anything.

“It’s your birthday, you’re free to do whatever you want.” Tao said, turning his back to me so he could reach for his back pack. But something caught my eye as his hand slowly hid behind his back and I heard a crinkling sound. What’s he hiding from me? Now that I remember, Tao was holding up a piece of paper before I ran up to him.

“What’s that?” I ask after I managed to swiftly steal the paper from his grasp.

Tao blushed and quickly tried to lunge at me. But I already knew all of his tricks, remembering each and every one of them, and I managed to dodge his attacks before he finally gave up.

“W-wait it’s not-” He tried to protest but I was frozen in place. The paper was slightly bent at the edges and there was a slight tear beginning at the top, but you could still clearly make out the sketch.

“Tao, did you draw this yourself?” I said barely above a whisper, my voice stuck somewhere in the middle of my throat being clogged up my emotions.

He awkwardly scratched his nape before bowing his head down in defeat and nodded.

My eyes were slowly watering at the edges, completely touched by his talent. My hands covered my mouth as I firmly held onto the paper, not wanting the wind or anything to carry it away.

“It’s beautiful. Who’d you draw?” I ask, completely entranced by his view of beauty. He blushed an even darker shade of red that was quite visible in the moonlight.

“Isn’t it obvious?” He asked me. I stared at the portrait longer, trying to figure out if I’ve ever seen such a face before. But I came up empty handed, positive that I’ve never encountered such a face.

I shook my head no and he chuckled, finally saying,

“It’s you.” I was completely and utterly baffled. He’s pulling my leg isn’t he? I can’t be this beauty he drew in his picture. But there was the slight resemblance; the eyes, the glasses, the lips, and the nose. It looked like me but at the same time it didn’t.

Is this how Tao sees me?

I blushed at the thought and suddenly remembered my gift for him.

“I almost forgot; I have something for you too.”

Tao’s POV~

She reached into her book bag and I’d be lying if I wasn’t jumping in my spot on the inside. She finally found the present and pulled it out, handing it towards me.

What was it?

I didn’t even know how to react to it. But the first thing that came out of my mouth was laughter. I was bending over as I hugged my stomach, the cramps already hitting me from laughing so hard.

“Y-Yah what’s so funny?!” Eunjae asked as she hugged the toy panda to her chest, only causing me to laugh harder. She really does have the mindset of a child. I wiped away the formed tears from all this laughing at the corner of my eyes and finally managed to compose myself.

“Why’d you get me a panda toy?” I managed to force out, a laughter threatening to erupt after every word. She looked at the panda and back at me and said seriously,

“It reminded me of you.” This only caused me to burst out into yet another set of laughter, forcing me on my knees to let the ground support my quivering body. I’ve been in so many gang and street fights and I’ve never lost one to a point where I’ve hit the ground, but Eunjae brought me down with a simple plush animal. How is this even possible?

I finally managed to compose myself a second time and stood up, trying to push down any more laughter.

Eunjae had her cheeks puffed out as she was pouting out her bottom lip at me, clearly not happy with my reaction.

“I love it, it’s perfect.” I said, accepting her gift much to her happiness. So here we are, exchanging our gifts at the lake like we do every year with each other. Yet it hit me, where’s he?

I stiffened and dared to ask her,

“What about Kai’s gift?” My voice lowered itself a few octaves, clearly emanating anger. But this is where Eunjae’s oblivion comes in handy as she didn’t pick it up and shrugged saying,

“It was too much for me. It’s the thought that truly counts in my book.” Something about that made my inner conscience summer-sault and raise a fist into the air, declaring victory over Kai.

“Besides, I want this to be just like how we do it every year.” She said, giving me her bright eye smile. My heart skipped a beat and I wasn’t even aware of my next actions.

Eunjae’s POV~

Tao leaned in and kissed the top of my forehead, his lips only brushing against my fringe before bringing me into a warm embrace.

I was pretty sure my heart was racing a million beats per second after that but I didn’t care. Something about that made me … happy. I hugged Tao back and felt such a feeling of safety and comfort that the previous emotions almost left me.

“Happy Birthday Eunjae.” Tao said as I felt his chin resting on the top of my head.

“Happy Birthday Tao.” I answered back, reminding myself to make sure I frame his picture as soon as we get back home.