“Go ahead and get your lunch while I head out to help Mr. Seo with some stuff with the van,” Tao instructed the boys before leaving them alone but before he disappeared from the cafeteria’s entrance way, he stopped in his tracks and spun around to face them again, “and no, I repeat, no fighting in here,” he said sternly before disappearing.

Kris took a seat down beside his boyfriend and picks up the spoon from the plate and begun to eat. Lay on the other hand, stared at his boyfriend’s side profile instead of eating. Kris noticed the staring and turned his head slightly to the side, “You’re not eating?” he asked, eyeing Lay’s untouched food. Lay sighed loudly and gave his tray of foods a quick glance before staring back into his lover’s eyes, “Tell me Kris,” he began, eyebrows knitted slightly together.

“What?” Kris asked, stuffing the spoonful of rice into his mouth and pulling it out.

“Our new manager,” Lay said, “is he really your childhood friend?”

Kris scooped up some meat and brought it up to his lips, “Yeah he’s my childhood friend, why?” he asked, sticking the spoon into his mouth. Lay gave out another heavy sigh and placed the side of his head onto his right hand and spun his body around so that it was facing Kris, “Is he just your childhood friend? Nothing more?”

The older one stopped chewing and placed the spoon down on the tray, grabbed the cup of water and drank down the remaining chewed up food in his mouth, “Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

Lay fidgeted in his seat and lifted his head from his hand, “Well…I…”

Kris looked pass Lay’s head and sees from the outside that Tao was helping their manager stick some luggage into the back of the van. He sees Tao chuckling with Mr. Seo before slamming the trunk door close. Lay glanced up at his boyfriend as he hears no answer from the older one. He sees Kris staring past his head and spun around to see who Kris was observing and he frowns, “Why are you looking at him when I’m talking to you?” Lay asked, spinning around to face Kris again. Kris blinked a few times before glancing back at his lover, “Sorry what?”

Lay gave out an annoyed groan and spun to face his food, “Kris…are you falling for your childhood friend?” the younger one asked, clenching his fists on the table. Kris snapped his head at his boyfriend, “What? Why would you ask such a thing?” he asked, “Tao is nothing more than just a friend to me,” he assured his lover. Lay side glanced his boyfriend before looking back down at his food, “Are you sure?” he asked softly.

Kris reached out and grabs his lover’s hands, “Yes I’m sure Lay,” he answered and brought the younger one’s hands up to his lips then kisses it, “So…don’t doubt my love to you okay?”

Lay blushed at Kris’s words and lets out a sigh of relief, “Okay,” he gave him a nod then pulls his hands out from Kris’s hands and finally began eating his food. Kris stared at his boyfriend eating for awhile before standing up, “I’m going to go use the restroom,” he told the younger one before heading off.

---

“Thanks Mr. Huang,” Mr. Seo said.

“You’re welcome,” Tao replied, “oh and Mr. Seo.”

“Yes?”

“Please just call me by my first name, calling me Mr. Huang makes me feel old,” he said with a chuckle. Mr. Seo chuckled as well and nods, “Alright Tao,” he patted his shoulder, “the van is ready, go back inside to check if the kids are done eating yet.”

“Yes Mr. Seo,” Tao then his heels and made his way back inside the building. He entered the building and made his way over to the cafeteria where the boys were still enjoying their meals. He entered the cafeteria and scans among the heads of people for a certain group and once he lied his eyes upon them, he then made his way over to the group. Once he reached a good distance, he noticed that Kris was missing and wasn’t anywhere in the cafeteria, “Where did he go?” Tao asked himself quietly. He made the rest over to the group, “Are you guys almost done?” he asked.

Chanyeol glanced up at Tao and smiled hugely, “Tao ah!” he shot up from his seat and ran over to the shorter one, “I’m done, but the rest aren’t and Kris hyung went to the restroom,” the happy Chanyeol explained. Tao gave him a nod for telling him where Kris went, “Thank you Chanyeol shi,” he replied. Chanyeol pouted, “Don’t call me Chanyeol shi, just call be hyung or Chanyeol hyung,” the older one stated.

Tao rubbed the back of his head and chuckled nervously, “I don’t think I’ll be able to do that Chanyeol…shi.”

Chanyeol gave the younger a shrug of his shoulders, “Well I’m allowing you to so…it’s fine with me.”

“But I don’t think that it’ll be fine with the company…and Mr. Seo,” Tao reasoned. Chanyeol sighed in defeat and simply rolled his eyes, “Fine, you can call me Chanyeol shi when manager hyung is around, but once he isn’t,” Chanyeol grabbed Tao’s right hand and brought it up, “you must call me hyung or Chanyeol, got that?”

Tao scratched the back of his head and side glanced nervously, “You’re not going to let me get away with it…aren’t you?”

Chanyeol shook his head with a huge smile on his face. Tao sighed in defeat and slowly nodded his head, “Fine,” the younger one gave in. Chanyeol chuckled and slung and arm around the younger one’s shoulders, “Call me hyung,” he stated, pointing a finger at himself.

“H…hyung,” Tao stuttered.

---

Kris splashed cold water on his face and stared at his reflection in the mirror, “Falling for Taoer…,” he repeated Lay’s words. He bit his bottom lips as the memory of him kissing Tao at his place flashed through his mind, “,” he cursed silently, “why did I do that when I already had Lay? Stupid Kris.” He lets out a heavy sigh and spun away from the mirror. He rested his back on the sink counter and continued to stare off in the empty restroom, “I can’t ever let Lay know that I did that…or else he’ll…”

“Kris you in here?” Tao opened the restroom’s door and walked in. Kris looked up from where he was staring at and quickly pushed himself away from the sink, “T…Tao,” he stuttered.

“Are you ready to go?” Tao asked.

“G…go?”

“Yeah…to MBC…for the interview,” he reminded the older one.

“O…oh right,” Kris shook his head side to side and chuckled, “um…yeah I’m ready,” he said, turning his back to Tao.

“Okay well hurry since the others are waiting for you,” Tao said before turning on his heels and marched back to the door. Kris watched as Tao got closer to the door and right before the younger one was about to exit, Kris spun around and called out for his name, “Tao!”

“Yeah?” Tao asked, turning his head slightly to the side to see Kris.

“Um…,” Kris slowly took two steps hesitantly before deciding to continue onwards, “can…can I speak with you for a moment?” he asked.

“Sure,” Tao answered and spun around fully to face the taller one. He watched as Kris rubbed his left arm with his right hand and he would lean on one foot then switched to the other side, “You’re nervous,” Tao chimed.

“Nervous?” Kris asked.

“Yeah, once you shift weight from one foot to another, it means that you’re nervous,” the younger one pointed out, pointing a finger at Kris’s feet. Kris stared at his feet before snapping his head back up at Tao, “I…I guess I am.”

“What did you want to say to me?” Tao asked, ignoring what was said a little while ago.

“Um…Tao…about…the thing that happened at my house…” Kris began slowly and hesitantly.

“You mean the kiss?” Tao asked and Kris lunged forward and placed a hand against Tao’s lips, his pointer finger against his lips as he shushed the younger one. Tao frowned at Kris’s action and pushed the older one away from him, “What the heck Kris?” he growled.

“So..sorry,” Kris apologized and gulped, “yeah…about the kiss.”

Tao sighed annoyingly and crossed his arms across his chest, “You want me to forget about it right?” he asked. This caught Kris’s attention and he snapped his attention back to Tao, “No…no that’s not what I was trying to say…”

“Then what were you trying to say about the kiss that happened at your place?”

“That…um…”

“Hey guys,” Chanyeol opened the door to the bathroom and stuck his head inside, “manager hyung is calling,” he said, pointing a thumb behind him.

“Right, we’ll be there,” Tao replied to Chanyeol. Chanyeol entered the restroom and walked up to stand beside Tao, “What were you guys talking about?” he asked, slinging an arm around Tao’s shoulders. Kris saw the action and he flinched, “Nothing much,” Tao answered Chanyeol, turning to face the taller one, “did Mr. Seo send you or did you purposely come in here because…”

Chanyeol grinned at Tao and shook his head, “No actually manager hyung really did send me in here.” The both of them stare into each other’s eyes, ignoring Kris’s presence.

“Uh huh,” Tao turned back to Kris, “well hurry okay?” and with that he leaves the restroom with only Chanyeol and Kris in it. Chanyeol gave Kris a smile too before following Tao, “Chanyeol,” Kris called.

“What’s up?” Chanyeol asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Kris opened his mouth to say something but the only word that came out was “You,” and nothing else. Chanyeol raised an eyebrow and waited for Kris to continue what he was going to say but the older one never did, “I?”

Kris shut his mouth and shook his head, “Nothing,” he said. Chanyeol gave Kris a weird look before heading out of the restroom. Kris took in a few breathes before exiting the restroom as well.

“Took you long enough Kris,” Mr. Seo scolded him once he approached the group. Kris apologized to their manager with a bow, “Sorry hyung.” Mr. Seo patted his shoulder then spun around to glance at the group of kids before him, “Alright, now is everyone here?” he asked, while counting heads, “perfect everyone is here, now come on, no more wasting time,” with that, Mr. Seo leads the pack to the door.

“Tao ah,” Chanyeol called loudly which caught Kris’s attention. Kris watched as Chanyeol ran up to Tao and slung his arm around Tao’s shoulders then initiated a conversation with his childhood friend. Kris bit his lips as the two walked away with Mr. Seo and the other group members, “Kris,” someone’s soft touch snapped him out of his world, “come on.” Kris glanced to his right side to see his lover standing next to him, holding his arm, “R…right,” he answered and walked together with his lover to the car outside.

“Okay, so Tao, in your van you’ll have Kai, Luhan, Xiumin, and Sehun, while I have Kris, Lay, Chanyeol, Chen, and Kyungsoo,” Mr. Seo explained.

“Okay,” Tao said with a nod then made his way over to the van at the front.

“Wait! Hyung!” Chanyeol shouted and jumped out of the van, “can I trade place with Kai or with one of other guys?” he asked.

“No,” Mr. Seo answered, closing the folder in front of him. Chanyeol pouted, “Come on hyung~,” he whined. Tao watched as the taller one made a kicked puppy face just to get his way. He laughed and made his way back over to the two, “Mr. Seo, I can have one of the other guys go with you if Chanyeol wants to take the other van,” Tao said.

“You sure?” Mr. Seo asked, “I don’t want him to scare you.”

Tao chuckled and shook his head, “Don’t worry he isn’t,” Tao assured Mr. Seo. Mr. Seo sighed then nodded his head at Chanyeol, “But you better behave,” he said, poking at Chanyeol’s chest. Chanyeol grinned happily and nodded then skipped over to cling onto Tao’s arm, “I’m with you Tao ah,” he said happily. Mr. Seo made his way over to the other van and pulled Kai out of the car, “Kai you’re coming with me,” he said.

“But I don’t want to,” the younger one said.

“No choice buddy,” Mr. Seo pushed Kai into the car, “now you two, hurry and get going,” he shooed the both of them away from his van. With Chanyeol still clinging onto Tao’s arm, the both of them retreated back to the other van.

Kris, who was watching what was happening, stuck his head out from the doorway, “Hyung,” he called.

“Yes Kris?” Mr. Seo asked, grabbing the handle to the sliding door, “Can I…”