chapter four:

marker and helmet.

“Okay, let’s give another round of applause for our novelist, Lay!” Suho announced the closing from the stage.

“Thank you.” Lay bowed and left the stage.

Xiumin sighed and looked at his left side to see D.O groping something from his bag.

“Dammit!!! Where’s my pen?!” D.O cursed.

“What are you doing?” Xiumin asked back.

“He wants to ask for sign to that novelist.” Kai answered between his yawn.

“Ahh! It has been closed!” D.O pointed the fansigning place that had been closed by the security, “I lost my chance…”

“Excuse me.” Kris interrupted them, “You really want Lay’s sign, right?”

D.O nodded with teary eyes.

“Just wait until the fansigning’s done.” Kris smiled, “I’ll help you to meet him.”

“Eh?” Kai narrowed his eyes suspiciously, “Are you sure you can?”

“Just wait, okay?” Kris smiled meaningfully.

A few minutes later, the fansigning place was opened again. Lay walked out from the room, Suho was talking with him.

Lay stopped in front of the door and looked around, looking for someone, after he had been left by Suho.

“Oh, Lay!” Kris waved his hand high. Lay saw it and he approached Kris.

“I thought you left me.” Lay sighed.

“Of course, no.” Kris chuckled, “This guy right here,” Kris pointed D.O, “really wants to have your sign. But, he was late to get it. Can you sign it for him?”

“Of course.” Lay nodded, taking the book from D.O’s frozen hand, and signed it, “What’s your name?”

“D.O…eh, no, no! It’s Do Kyungsoo!” D.O answered stutteringly.

“Okay.” Lay smiled and wrote D.O’s full name under his sign, “It must be enough, right?”

“It’s more than enough…” D.O whispered, still mesmerized by the unexpected accident.

“Okay, Kris.” Lay turned his face to the photographer, “Let’s go.”

“Okay.” Kris smiled back, “See you, Xiumin.”

“Eh? Ah, yeah, see you…” Xiumin waved back, watching Kris and Lay disappear from his campus gate.

“Uwaaah!!! I’m lucky to have you as my best friend!” D.O hugged Xiumin, “How could you know Lay’s friend??? How???”

“Well…it’s just…he bought a cup of coffee from the coffee shop I’m working at…”

“Ahhh~” D.O eyed the sign in his book in love, “Finally I have his sign!”

While D.O was busy fanboying the signed book, Kai was pouting in jealous, eyeing the book in D.O’s embrace darkly, Xiumin was wondering, What is Kris and that novelist guy relationship?

“Ah, before we go to your place, let’s drop by somewhere.” Kris smiled.

“Where?” Lay asked.

“You’ll see.” Kris chuckled and pressed the bell on the right side to stop the bus.

Kris stepped out of the bus first and Lay followed him.

“Where are you going exactly?” Lay asked again.

“Let’s come in.” Kris said in front of an automotive shop and pushed Lay in.

“And why are we here?” Lay swept the shop with his eyes.

“To buy you a helmet.” Kris smiled and pushed Lay toward the helmet section, “Choose one. I’ll talk to the owner first.”

“Eh? But…”

“I’ll tell the reason later. Now, just pick one.” Kris said before leaving the dumbfounded Lay.

“Well…you’re the one who pay anyway.” Lay sighed before walking around to look for the helmet he wanted.

Kris approached the counter and smiled to the owner.

“I still remember you.” The owner said, “You’re the one who bought that black helmet with white tiny wings on its right side.”

“I’m glad you still remember me.” Kris nodded.

“Well, that helmet had been on my old list for a long time until you bought it.” The owner laughed, “So, you came back with a young man with you. Are you a couple or something?”

“Ah, no.” Kris shook his head, “I’m working for him.”

“You’re the one who’s working for him and you’re buying him the helmet?” The owner raised his eyebrows.

“Well,” Kris chuckled, “Let’s say it’s a payback.”

“Okay, I won’t ask anything anymore.” The owner chuckled.

“Here.” Lay put the helmet he had chosen carefully on the counter.

“White with black tiny wings on the left side.” The owner glanced at Kris who looked surprised by Lay’s choice, chuckling, “Now, now, young man, are you sure with what you said before?”

“Luhan! I’m back!” Xiumin threw his bag and took his uniform from the locker.

“Hey, Xiumin!” Luhan clapped his hands, “Wait here! I have something for you!”

Xiumin knitted his eyebrows when Luhan was handing him a folded tissue with that goofy wide grin.

“I don’t need a tissue…” Xiumin said blankly.

Luhan’s grin fell down and he scoffed, “I won’t give you a tissue without purpose. Just open it!”

Xiumin took the tissue and unfolded it. He carefully read the writing and smiled.

“Oh, yeah! I forgot about the marker!” Xiumin chuckled, slipping the tissue into his wallet, “Well, let’s wait for him to come again then.”

Luhan gaped and stopped Xiumin from changing his clothes, “Wait, don’t you get the message behind it?”

“What? He’s going to give back the marker, right? And what’s the matter with it?” Xiumin frowned and pushed Luhan out, “You have to be behind the counter until my shift! Now go! It’ll be over in three minutes!”

Luhan gaped at the closed door in front of his nose, “Oh my God…how can he be so clueless…?”

Tao was sleeping soundly until the ring of his phone woke him up. He groaned and picked his phone blindly from his table.

“Hello?” He answered with a hoarse voice.

“Tao! Wake up! We have a sudden schedule!”

“Gege…” Tao slumped down on his pillow, “I have to sleep! It’s been two days since the last time I closed by eyes peacefully!”

“Tao! This is your responsibility to be a famous celebrity! Now get up and pack! I’m going to pick you up in fifteen minutes!”

And then his manager hung up one-sidedly.

Tao clenched his fist and hit the table with it, not caring about the crack sound which came from it. Unconsciously, his tears escaped his eyes.

“I hate this…” Tao whispered, “If it was not for my mom, I wouldn’t do this.”

He got up from his bed and decided to take a cold shower. He could feel his body trembling because of the coldness. But, like he cared. Under the shower he let his tears flowing with the water. After changing into a plain white shirt, black leather jacket and pants, he looked at his reflection on the mirror in his bathroom, slowly tracing his outline.

“Who’s this guy?” Tao smiled sadly at his reflection and stepped out from the bathroom.

When he was stepping out from his apartment, he saw his manager had been arrived on front of the building.

“Why are your eyes so red?”

“I haven’t slept for today, Gege.” Tao answered, “What did you expect?”

“Well, I think you can sleep for a while on the way.” His manager sighed and let Tao step into the van.

“What do you need?”

Tao lifted his tired head up and saw his manager, “What do you mean?”

He was in the van after the sudden shooting he had to do earlier and was about to sleep when his manager came.

“Well,” His manager scratched his head guiltily, “I know you’re tired and sleepy. I think you need some caffeine. Do you want me to buy you coffee?”

Then, Tao remembered about Xiumin. His lips curled up a bit, “Yeah, a strong espresso will be good. But, I want to buy it in my chosen place.”

“Aren’t all espressos same in any shops?” His manager raised his eyebrows.

“Gege,” Tao sighed, “just do what I want. I’m too tired to argue with you now.”

“Whatever, Tao.” His manager sighed and took the front seat.

Tao told his driver where to go and slumped back to his seat with a wider smile.

I want to see you again, Xiumin.

“Welco-ah…” Luhan smiled to see the masked man in front of him, “Hey.”

“Hey.” Tao scratched his suddenly itchy head, “I…hmm…”

“Xiumin, right?” Luhan asked with mischievous smile, “I’ll call him. Now, sit down.”

“Thank you.” Tao smiled. He looked around and noticed that the shop had been so empty. He put of his mask and cap carelessly.

“Hi!”

Tao looked up and saw Xiumin’s bright bun-cheeked smile and smiled as well.

He really knows how to make people feel brighter, Tao thought.

“I want a cup of-”

“Strong espresso.” Xiumin cut him and took a paper cup.

“Ah…” Tao nodded, “Yeah.”

“You know what?” Xiumin sighed, pulling the handle so the espresso pouring down into the paper cup, “So many cups of espresso are not healthy.”

“Well, I need it to-”

“Stay awake?” Xiumin turned his body and put the espresso on the counter, “Your espresso.”

“Hmm…” Tao hummed in agreement, nodding his head.

Xiumin put off his apron and hung it carelessly behind the counter, “You have to find another way to keep you staying awake other than espresso. So much caffeine could kill you, you know?”

“Do you have another solution then?” Tao asked back.

“Hmm…” Xiumin frowned, “No…”

Tao chuckled and sipped his espresso slowly. It was a silence when Xiumin was thinking hard for another solution.

“I know.” Tao sighed after finishing his espresso in one slow shot, “Give me your number.”

“Huh?” Xiumin widened his eyes.

“Give me your number and I’ll give you mine. When you get the solution you can call me.”

“Well,” Xiumin smiled, “a fair trade. Give me your number so I can text you.”

“Here.” Tao wrote his number on a piece of paper and gave it to Xiumin, “I must leave now. Don’t forget to text me so I can save your number.”

“I will.” Xiumin waved, “See you, Tao.”

Tao nodded and stepped into his van.

“You took a long time.” His manager huffed, but Tao ignored him when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

From: Unknown number

Heyho. This is my number.

Tao chuckled and saved the number. He hit the reply button after that.

To: Bun Barista

I know. Don’t forget to find it, okay? I’ll be waiting.

From: Bun Barista

I will. Fighting for you upcoming concert!

To: Bun Barista

How did you know I have an upcoming concert? Ah, so you’re one of my fans, eh? LOL

From: Bun Barista

Huh! You wish! I saw it in TV because my friend, Luhan, is such a fanboy of you. Me? Your fan? No, thank you very much.

Tao a little bit disappointed when he saw Xiumin’s reply but suddenly his smile appeared after scrolling down his phone and saw the last line Xiumin had added.

Okay, I’m kidding. I’m kind of your fan too…

To: Bun Barista

Thank you, Xiumin. You made my day, I mean, my night. Fighting for your work too!

Tao sighed contently after he ha pocketed his phone.

I think I can sleep peacefully tonight.