Kris guesses that maybe, just maybe, he had dug a grave for himself. If he hadn't gave in to Amber and Henry's unrelenting persuasion (aka nagging), he wouldn't have begrudgingly handed in the form for the school cultural exchange. How great. A Chinese student going to China for a cultural exchange. Totally understanding.

Y'know, sometimes Kris thinks it's funny as to how three Chinese losers (one of them whom hardly spoke (or even understood) Mandarin) could survive in this multi-racial country -- actually just surviving high school. Okay, so he definitely wasn't the smartest asian or the school's jock, but personally being on the receiving end of constant praises for his looks really boosts his ego. Despite all, he just couldn't find the interest in girls (or boys -- don't get your hopes up). Max says there's a high chance he was gay, not that I mind or what dude, just hopin' I ain't your type, bro.

To ing hell with all the 'gay-kiss' theory that happens on the tv every time. Having to ask Henry to test out the probability of him being gay was hard enough.

Not to say kiss.

Dudes having their lips literally touching like they high and all in soap operas.

Kissing Henry had been excruciatingly agonizing.

And thus, the theory of Kris being aual had been born.




"That was ing disgusting!"

"Same goes for me, you little !" Henry spat, grabbing onto the glass of water on the table.

"Never speak of this again, and all is well."

"Never again!"




It had taken Kris five years to convince his parents he wasn't gay, and that the video of two men having in his phone had been a prank by his classmate (which he wasn't lying -- Chester had obviously thought it would be fun... and why he had the video was a mystery). Bringing a girl back to his house (and the prettiest one in school, at that) for a study session was apparently the easiest way to get his parents off his back.

"Oh honey, I hope you know that we don't mind you being gay. We took notice that your "little friend" (cue the damn 'bunny fingers') isn't coming over anymore, but if this girl is what makes you happy in the end, just know that we love you the same."

"Mom, I'm not gay."

"Oh, sweetie. It's really okay."

Damn parents.

He isn't gay, damn it!

...

...

But if he isn't, what's causing all these weird gushing feelings in his head when Zi Tao was near?

Nope. Nope. He isn't gay.

...

Yeah, right.





Next morning had been worse -- Kris had woken up to a kick from Lu Han (was this how he was supposed to wake up for the next... Eleven days?), and a warning from him. 'Do not forget to bring multiple doses of 'Keep your distance from Tao' to school today!

Damn it Lu Han, I don't need another obstacle to keep me from knowing why the boy looks so familiar.

Anyways, it's not as though Lu Han could stop him if Kris was really bent on speaking to the other boy; being tall had its perks, alright?

Back to the topic -- even if he was able to speak with him, what were they supposed to talk about? Kris felt remorseful about the eventful moment they shared yesterday, and yes, he knew he was in the wrong. That still doesn't beat the fact that Zi Tao had actually said that he was attracted to Kris -- and that, still doesn't beat that Kris was rather nervous when the statement was reiterated by him.

Oh, who was he kidding.

Kris is a dumb .

A stupid gay cradle robber.

A stupid, gay, cradle robber who can't even get some alone time with his target. All cradle robbers in the world are going to cry for his pathetic attempts. Why was Lu Han so protective of him, anyway? I mean, the fact that Zi Tao is only fifteen was a given, but when he was fifteen, who the was there to protect him from the s in school? So maybe being in Canada and being in China was a different thing in total, indepe-

"Are you coming to school or not, exchange student?" Lu Han shouted from the door, impatiently tapping his foot against the gates.

"Yeah!"

Short .





It didn't get any better during social classes as well. They had to interact with the other grades of the school, and Kris doesn't know if he was being lucky, or going through crap luck. He had gotten paired up with this boy named Can Lie, and the -eating grin he had on seemed as though it had been sewed onto his face. Amber, on the other hand, had managed to get lucky and managed to get Zi Tao. Communication between them seemed like hell of a chore, so charade it was.

"So, Kris, how is it li-"

"Do you mind if I were to swap partners? I don't mean to be rude, but I think my friend is having some trouble communicating with her partner, and you're the best with English in class, aren't you?" Kris smiles.

"Oh." His face flashed a moment of disappointment, but only regained his creepy grin a second later. "Sure! You're such a nice friend, Kris!"

"Yeah," Kris murmurs, standing up to approach the teacher.





"I'm sorry." he mutters, eyes quickly casting down as they meet the other pair, staring back at him intensely.

"Did you change partners just to apologize? You could have done that over lunch. It is after this class..." Zi Tao murmured, head tilting to the side.

Kris exhales out the breath he didn't know he had been holding, looking at the piece of paper the other boy had scribbled on.

"Your friend... Lu Han... He doesn't like it when I talk to you. Look, I know it was really rude of me yesterday, but could we just have a talk during lunch? Not in the cafeteria -- Lu Han will butcher me if he saw us -- me. I understand that it's weird, especially when this is the fourth time that we've met, but I can't help but get this funny feeling that we've known each other longer than that." Kris sighs, "Am I... Am I really the only one who's getting all these weird vibes? Do you not like... get them?"

Looking up definitely was the worst choice he could've chosen.

"I-I... Do."

Zi Tao was biting down on his lower lip, eyes blinking softly as he stared at Kris's clasped hands.

"So... later during lunch?"

"If you are fine with skipping then I am also okay with it." Zi Tao shrugs.





Getting to the back of the library was easier than Kris had thought. Lu Han that bastard must've brought him by the longer way in an attempt to get back at him. Kris really doesn't understand why Lu Han dislikes him that much. He has gone over this question mentally over a hundred times, but being honest in this situation, Lu Han has no say here.

Kris tries to brush off the few stares sent along his way as he trailed behind Zi Tao. Apparently, if you're Chinese and in a normal high school in Asia, you're not allowed to dye your hair... Or something along the lines.

The younger boy just... There's just something with him. The way his hair moves with the breeze, and how he seemed so carefree... It tugs on his heartstrings -- the way where Kris wants to move over and give him a backhug and tell him it's all going to end up alright because he's leaving in eleven ing days

And he understands.

The reason why Lu Han doesn't like it when Kris tries to get closer to Zi Tao is because he's leaving in eleven days. And the worst part? There's nothing that's able to stop him from leaving because this isn't a drama, and it's impossible for him to stay in China for life because he's only seventeen.

"We are here, Kris." Zi Tao says, bringing Kris back to reality.

What was it that Kris had been wanting to say the entire time again? This was what he had been talking about all along -- he could've whined and make Lu Han give up on trying to stop him from speaking to Zi Tao, but once a chance comes for them to talk, Kris's mouth turns dry, and his voice loses itself in a fight with the butterflies in his stomach.

"Kris?"

"O-Oh yeah." he manages to squeak out.

"So," Kris breathes out, "About yesterday --"

"I do not know why I said that, but please do not take it as though I go around saying that with ease... It is just... I am speaking of nothing but the truth, Kris. As you have mentioned, it is only the fourth time which we have met, but there is something about you which makes me feel giddy and so very consumed by my own confusion. You look... so... familiar." Zi Tao whispers at the end, facial expression contorting to a conflicted one.

Ah, it.

"I tried something with my friend a long time ago, and nothing happened. I... hope you don't mind if I tried it again."

"What is it?"

Kris leans in slowly, only focusing on the younger boy's lips. A slight tingle flowed through between the both of them as their lips gently met with the other.

Zi Tao lets out a soft gasp, because it is his very first kiss, and they fit so perfectly like two puzzle pieces. He does not understand why his eyelids flutter themselves shut, but he knows he shouldn't question.

And something clicks within Kris that makes him smile. Kissing this pair of lips had been a total different experience than kissing Henry's repulsive lips -- it had seemed as though their lips were fitted, the curves of Zi Tao's was the home for his own pair.

As they pull away, a scene from Kris's dream flashed across his mind.

"Zi Yu now belongs to Your Majesty," she muttered under her breath, "Zi Yu will do anything for the Emperor."

He had tilted her chin up, but only she had still been avoiding eye contact with him.

"Zi Yu..." Kris whimpers breathlessly against Zi Tao's lips, seemingly desperate for contact.

"What?"

W-What? What did he just say?



--

I've finally gotten this up. You guys don't know how confused I was while writing this chapter. ...It was a whole lot of mess because there was so many different ideas for the same scenes and narrowing them down to this was just... Maybe this or just that I've felt extremely disappointed with General's Order. It's even worse than The Boy Who Leapt Through Time. 

To be honest, I know that the usage of the word '' earlier in the story annoys some of you, but being a lesbian myself (yes I am one. If this makes you squirm-ish, please leave now. I do not welcome you to read anything I write.), I'm fine with hearing it being said as a joking motion.

Anyway, I hope this is good. I might not be updating for the next few days or maybe weeks. Depending on my schedule. Hope this was fine. Comments are very much appreciated. Sorry for the long a/n.

P.S SHINE_ALIVE made a really nice drawing (let's just take it as a fanart lol) for Jia Heng and Zi Yu. I really like it so much because it is how I pictured them to be.