He was cleaning the dorm's main room when a knock sounded from the door.
Finishing wiping the last of the crumbs from the coffee table, he laid the rag on the table and approached the door. Looking through the peephole, always the cautious one, like his hyungs had taught him. He didn't recognize the man standing on the other side, and when Kris came up beside him to investigate was when he opened the door.
The man stood there, looking bored, and he reached inside a bag on his hip, filled with mail. "Are you Huang Zi Tao?" Tao nodded, curious now. Was it a fan letter? No, those went through an entire bunch of people. He rarely got to see one. The man did indeed hand him a letter, a thicker one, and nodded briskly. "Have a nice day sir."
Tao closed the door on him, turning with Kris, raising an eyebrow at his curious look, "I don't know what this is."
Lay slowly walked into the room, tilting his head to the side. "Whatever it is, be careful with it. You never know anymore." Kris nodded and looked to take it protectively from the manke and he sharply shook his head. He was big boy, he didn't need someone to open his mail. And if it was something dangerous, he didn't want Kris in the line of fire...
He slowly opened the letter, and two pieces of paper fell out, an important looking sheet and a stapled together collection of notebook papers.
"Looks harmless." Lay peered at the letters as Tao picked them up, and he unfolded the stationary paper first, reading the words in his head...
The papers dropped from his hands a few seconds later, and he fell to his knees on the floor, a choked sound ripping its way out his mouth. He covered his face in his hands, pitching forward until Kris' swift action brought him to his chest. His shoulders shaking violently, he sobbed, his hands leaving his face to grab at his beating too fast heart. Lay, fear swimming in his eyes, shakingly picked up the paper, keeping eye contact with the terrified Kris until he went to read it.
To Huang Zi Tao,
I regret to inform you that -Looking at the name Lay struggled to remember just who this was, and then it clicked- passed away late Thursday evening. It is requested that you receive this letter, the enclosed handwritten note and the wrapped, smaller package.
If you wish to attend the funeral please come to the Everly Funeral home in ....
Lay couldn't read anymore, a single tear tracking its way down his face, and he leaned down to wrap his arms around the shattered maknae.
He wished he knew what to do...
Dear Tao,
It's been a while since I've written to you like this, hasn't it? Amazing what starts after a few words. I'm sorry, I know when this will reach you. I'm sorry. I did try and hang on, I feel so guilty for letting you down.
But it hurts. It hurts so much now.
The pain never goes away. Not the pain in my head, nor the pain in my heart when I think of leaving you and my mom behind. You have grown into a person I care so much about. More than I ever thought.
Please continue to be the person you are. The lovely, sweet, kind-hearted boy you are. Never let fame, or anyone else change you. You are perfect the way you are.
Do you believe in reincarnation, Tao? I do. I hope that maybe someday I can see you again. Maybe someday even be together with you. I have to say you are the only person I have ever loved like this in my life. And it was spent on the right person. You kept my spirits up and made my last few months on this Earth happy ones. Please live a full and happy life. Don't live in the small things.
And when you love...Love like I loved you.
Your Chingu.
Tao couldn't breathe. His breath was hiccuping and stopping somewhere he couldn't find it. He had cried more than he ever had his entire life, cried like he was missing a part of himself.
Because he was. No one could comfort him, no one could release the pent up pain, fear, anger he was feeling deep in his chest. He had taken three days to even open the second letter, and he lapsed into sobbing for an hour afterwards. At the moment he was holding Kris' hand like a life line, another hand,
Lay's he thought, held his knee in comfort. Xiu Min was squatting in front of him, looking up for any signs he needed him, and Luhan was on the other side. Chen was sitting on the same coffee table he had been wiping the crumbs off so long ago.
He slowly reached into the small tissued bag, the only thing left in this horrible package-
No...he couldn't say that.
His hand hit something hard and he slowly pulled it out, his vision blurring again with tears.
How did you know him so well after only a few months...?
A few weeks later Huang Zi Tao was seen wearing a new earring at the Exo 'We are One' solo concert. It hung from the top of his ear on a silver chain, and attached again at mid ear. It looped twice and ended in a black cross. Many people talked about it, where did he get it, who gave it to him.
Tao never said.
And...
...He was never seen without it again.
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