“Yes I understand. Thank you for this offer. I’m very grateful. Thank you, yes I understand. Bye, thank you again” Tao hangs up the phone with a shaking hand and a quivering heart. He can’t believe the luck he has. What his always dreamt of doing has come true. But with all the burning passion he has and his happiness…Tao is purely conflicted

“What to do…should I really have taken it?” Tao whispers to himself, burying his face in his hands and breathing slowly. “This is the best. It’s best if I go” Tao chants this over and over again but it doesn’t sound any true as the first time he said it. “Oh God how do I tell him?”

Tao does the one thing he always does.

Ring Ring. Ring Ring-

“Hello?” Tao bites down on his quivering lip “Hi. Yeah it’s me. Um can we meet up now?”

Kris waits at the front of the University his staying at, adjusting his scarf and wrapping his arms around himself to keep warm. He looks left to right. Where is he?

“G-gege?” that voice

Kris spins around to come face to face with his best friend “Hey panda” Kris says smiling. “Hey” Tao responds, walking closer to stand beside his friend. “Um how about we get a coffee and talk? It’s freezing here” Tao asks, wanting to delay the news for a bit.

Kris nods instantly “Yeah let’s go”

“That’s amazing Tao!” Kris exclaims happily, clapping his hands in front of him. Kris is beaming from ear to ear…until he sees Tao’s silent stature. Tao sighs and stares down at his cup, not looking at Kris.

“Tao? What’s wrong?” Kris asks confused

“I’m leaving to teach there” Tao says

“Well yeah I know that. Is it like down town or a local place? Like a mile away or?”

“In Japan”

Kris’ jaw drops as he stares at his best friend in front of him. Tao’s grip on his mug tightens as he sighs deeply

“The place where I was offered to teach was Japan. One of the most prestigious schools of Kung Fu and I was offered to teach Wushu there. It’s amazing huh?” Tao says now looking up and offering a small smile towards the older one “And you took it right?” Kris asks slowly, keeping eye contact with Tao

“Yeah. I did. Should I have taken it?” Tao replies, almost afraid of what the answer is going to be say no. tell me to stay. Tell me not to go… Tao pleas inside

Kris gulps and steadies his composure before answering “Of course! This is what you’ve always wanted to do Tao!” Tao feels the slight pang in his heart but responds with a wide smile; Kris feels like a hole might as well open up under him and eat him up you’re doing the right thing Kris. It’s the right thing to do

“So, how long are you there for?” Kris takes a sip of his coffee

“It’s a permanent job so…I don’t know when I’ll be able to see you again Ge” Tao says softly, breaking eye contact from Kris again

Kris tries to be optimistic and happy for his little panda “Don’t say that Tao! Of course we’ll see each other again, no matter how far we are from each other we will” Kris responds all confidently, but on the inside, he knows Tao’s right

“I’m leaving in two months” Tao whispers

“Well we’ll do what we can in those two months and send you off properly hey?” Kris smiles again and reaches forward to pat Tao’s head softly “Don’t you worry about it panda. Go chase your dreams” Tao smiles despite the voice in his head if only you knew what my dream is gege

A week later Tao has told all his friends, his family and readies himself to go to Japan

Kris sighs in his room, lying down on his bed and staring up at the ceiling. He couldn’t see Tao today because he had to go and finalise some things from Uni and the part time job he took at the book store. He also exited from his apartment and is for the time being staying with their two friends Kim Minseok and Kim Jongdae

Kris remembers the first time Tao entered the Uni he was at. Tao was lost and afraid to ask for direction because his Korean wasn’t as good as it is now, having come from China. “Hey ge isn’t that the new kid here? The one people are talking about? Huang Zitao right?” Kris’ little brother Lay said from beside him

“He looks lost. Hey Lay I’ll meet you up after my lecture yeah?”

“Yeah sure. See you ge!”

As Lay walked away, Kris walked towards the lost boy who looks like a panda.

Because of Tao’s increasingly sharp senses, he could sense someone coming from behind him. In a panic he quickly whipped around and held his hands out as if he was defending himself. Kris had a surprise expression on his face and taking in the shakiness of the boy in front of him and the knowledge that people feel intimidated of him because of his ‘y face’ Kris understood the reason for the defensive stance

“Woah there it’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you I’m here to help” Kris says putting his hands up in a surrender motion and offering a smile to calm down the boy

Tao blinks innocently and Kris is instantly intrigued by the boy so cute

“O-oh sorry it’s just- wait you’re Chinese?!” Tao squeals excitedly and in surprise

Kris chuckles “I don’t look like it hey?”

Kris is tall, blonde with light brown eyes. He looks as if he is taking to a runway with his amazing fashion sense and looking simply good in white top and tight black jeans

Tao simply nods

“So need any help with directions?” Kris asks. Tao smiles and they begin to talk to one another

From then on, they were practically glued together. Kris introduced Tao to his little brother and friends and Tao was glad to find two more people who could speak Chinese and whom he can easily converse with until he could speak Korean fluently, Kris’ little brother Yixing who preferred to be called Lay and Lu Han

Tao came from Qingdao a month ago to study in Seoul Korea, his living alone in a small apartment and is planning to get a job soon.

Kris helps Tao through University and is one year older than Tao. Tao is glad to have someone whom he can always count on and they quickly became best friends

“Ge? Can I come in?” A soft voice calls from his door

“Yeah Lay. What’s up?” Kris slowly sits up to look at his little brother as he shuffles into Kris’ room, closing the door behind him

“I think you should tell him” Lay says as he sits down beside Kris on his bed

“No. I told you guys that”

“But ge-

“Don’t start Yixing” Lay shuts up at the use of his real name

“I had to cop it from Lu Han today and Minseok and Jongdae, I don’t need to hear it from you as well. I made up my mind already and I have to let him go Lay. What right do I have to keep him here?”

“You love him” Lay states easily

Kris groans.

Kris and Tao have known each other for four years and yes, Lay is right. Kris is deeply and dangerously in love with his best friend