Kris was just 21 the first time he met Tao.

He was sitting under a willow tree in a park nearby his college, trying to get an inspiration to stop procrastinating his paper. It was due next week and he had been postponing again and again, finding reasons just not to do it, until now when the deadline is right in front of him. Just like any college students, this was the time he regretted not doing it earlier.

He let out a frustrated groan. Why would he look for an inspiration on a day like this? It was cloudy and dark; thunders rumbling and it had begun to feel really stuffy and humid, signing it would rain hard soon.

But he was already here and it would be a waste to go home empty handed. Figuring that he’d still have some time before the rain poured, Kris took his notepad and started to tap his pen on it.

‘What should I write about..’ he thought as his eyes scanned the park.

There were only a few people with him that day, a couple with their two kids playing on the swing, and three young boys playing basketball on a small court behind him. The park was not crowded, and was not completely empty either. It was actually a rather perfect ambience to get inspired, if only the sun was out and bright.

He looked down to his empty paper and wrote a title before he scribbled it and groaned in frustration for the second time in the past five minutes.

‘Who am I kidding, I’m not gonna be able to finish this on time,’ he scratched the back of his head and sighed.

That exact moment, he looked up to have his eyes fell upon someone who, judging from his uniform, appeared to be a high school boy, stopping in the middle of the grass field looking down on his iPod with a frown.

"Hey! You're not supposed to step on the grass!" Kris called out, but the boy didn't even turned his head.

"Helloo~?" called Kris again, waving his hands trying to get the stranger's attention.

The boy didn't budge.

Annoyed, Kris stood up and started to walk towards him. Like any idealistic college students, he’s going to reprimand this kid for being very ignorant towards his surrounding. Everyone knew that no one should step on new grass and the sign planted on the ground in front of the boy clearly said that. And just like any college student who thinks that high schoolers are idiots, Kris mentally noted that high schoolers are indeed idiots.

'How loud is his music that he didn't even hear me?' he thought as he scowled, ‘this kind of ignorant kids is the future of the world. Not amused,” he huffed in dissatisfaction.

Only when he's five meters away, something round, orange, and fast caught his eye, and it was flying directly towards the ignorant stranger.

He heard one of the previous boys yelled, "watch out!" but knowing that this stranger wouldn't notice and that he only had a couple seconds before the ball actually hit the boy and left him with concussion, he dived; smashing his body to the boy's side and pulling him down to the grass, dodging them both from the flying basketball.

Something flew away from between them in the process but Kris was to busy trying to put his hand behind the boy’s head to cushion him as they hit the ground with a loud thud.

“Ugh,” he groaned at the sensation spreading on his left palm upon contact with the ground with the weight on it then tried to pull himself back up. He was met with a surprised and clearly disoriented gaze of the boy, looking up to him as if he had lost his mind. He would have been mesmerized with those eyes and stare back a little longer if a tight knot didn’t appear right a second later above those eyes. It took a minute for Kris to register what had actually happen and realize the compromising position they were currently in with their chests pressed together.

"What the hell?!" he heard the boy yelled under him as he wiggled and tried to push Kris away, sending him to his . Trying to save whatever dignity he had left, Kris jumped right back on his feet.

"I just saved your , you're welcome" he said, putting his face back on while massaging his left hand.

"What?" said the boy; still sound upset as he saw the basketball rolling to his side after hitting the tree beside them and instantly got a grip of what had just happened.

Kris watched the boy finally understanding what Kris just did, folding his arms in front of his chest waiting for a thank you.

"Well you should've just told me,” the other said stubbornly, obviously not wanting to give Kris any gratitude or apology.

Kris raised an eyebrow at the response, hands still folded. 

"What! Dude, did you know I've been yelling at you? You shouldn't walk around with earphones plugged in so loud you didn't notice your surroundings," Kris quickly picked up the innocent basket ball and threw it back towards the kids with a hint of anger in his gesture as this high school kid kept on testing his patience.

"Don’t dude me. I'm 18 and I almost graduate," the boy pouted, looking left and right for something.

Kris scoffed, finally seeing how pointless it is to argue with the kid in front of him, "Yeah fine, keep on thinking you’re right, whatever, don’t bother thanking me," he turned to walk away as a raindrop fell on his shoulder.

"Hey! You! Where's my iPod?!" he heard the boy yelled behind him but Kris kept on walking. He just wanted to stop wasting his time and energy with the boy and get back to his place, try to work there instead. He picked up his backpack he left under the tree and was throwing it on his back when the boy caught up with him and got a hold of his arm.

"Yah! Give me back my iPod!" he demanded, still frowning and looking all mad.

"Look," Kris said with equally annoyed tone, lost ideas on how his face hasn’t scare the kid away yet, "I don’t know where your iPod is, I don’t have it, and I don’t give hell about it. It’s raining now and I should get back home. Sort your own problem,"

"No, you have to help me find my iPod," the boy insisted, pulling Kris’ arm towards the grass field where they were before.

Kris stared the stubborn boy in disbelief. The rain is pouring harder and both their hair were already glued to their foreheads and he wanted him to go out there in the middle of the rain and puddle and squat and look for his stupid iPod between the grass? Genius. What did he have to do with the iPod anyway? He took a deep breath in annoyance and the other tugged his arm harder. He obviously wouldn't let Kris go without helping him look for this disastrous iPod. He might just help and get it over with so he could go home and start his paper.

He sighed dramatically and noticed the face the other was making, "Don’t push it,” he warned, “Where was this iPod before you lost it?"

"Well I was holding it before you slammed yourself on me!" the boy jutted his sheer pink lip and stomped his foot on the wet ground. The gesture actually reminded Kris of his younger cousin, who was five.

“Really?” Kris challenged, “What are you, five?”

The boy looked offended, pouting his lips even more, which made him look rather cute, if Kris wasn’t so upset.

'Wait. What?' Kris thought as he unconsciously scowled again.

The boy in front of him saw his face and let go of his hand, cautiously watching his expression as if he would bite him in any second. Kris cleared his throat immediately.

"Uhm. Fine. Lets look on the grass field," Kris said, leading them back to the grass field. Both their clothes are soaked by then, but Kris couldn't care less. He wanted to do this fast so he could back to his dry home. 

He noticed the boy squatted next to him and started to search for the iPod and Kris did the same, putting his hands all over the grass, patting the grass and try to feel if the music player was there since now the rain made it harder to see between the stream of water. The ground beneath him had started to turn into gushy puddle and he was that close to leaving the boy and his crap alone. Not long after though, his hand touched something hard between grasses. Kris instinctively grabbed and lifted it

"Er..” he turned it back and forth, ”I think I found it,” Kris said as he turned, swinging the soaked square object in front of the boy.

"My iPod!!" the boy shrieked and snatched the said iPod from Kris’ grip, examining it intently.

"Well, you're welcome, again." Kris said, looking at the boy and huffed, “So you got it back. Go home, your mother might be looking for—,”

But before Kris was able to finish his sentence, the boy already ran towards the exit of the park without a word.

“YAH!” Kris shouted, but the boy ignored him, making a left at the exit.

"Ungrateful," Kris grunted as the annoyance he had been feeling rose again. He sighed in disbelief and anger, but decided to use his energy to just run back to his place.

Kris returned to the park the next day, hoping to get inspiration that he didn't get the previous day. He sat down under the same tree and pulled out the same empty notepad from his backpack. He better have inspiration today, as he already wasted a whole day yesterday. His mother scolded him for getting rained on as soon as he stepped into the house and made him sleep early because she didn’t want him to have flu. It sounded really ridiculous especially because he was already 21 and knew his limits, but Kris would do anything his mother told him to, even it includes sleeping as early as 7pm. It didn’t happen everyday anyway.

Kris has decided on a topic, but he needed to choose a title that really intrigued people (especially his professor) to read his paper. He began concentrating and started to scribble a few titles. His pen movement stopped though, when he realized a pair of white shoes arrived in front of his own. Kris looked up to see the owner, ready to shoo anyone who dared disturbing him again.

He stopped though, because he was looking at the same boy he met yesterday.

“You,” Kris mumbled, all emotion from the day before returned.

"You broke my iPod,” said the boy in front of him, holding the said iPod in front of Kris' forehead. The black square is dry now, but the screen cracked. The boy shook it, and water dripped from its sides.

Kris shifted his eyes back to the boy, who's still pouting, “Let me make this clear for you once and for all, okay. I did not break your iPod. You, on the other hand, were—“

Kris stopped talking because the boy shook his iPod again, now with tears in his eyes. How a high school boy who seemed to be very rude and rebellious could cry in front of a stranger is just beyond him.

Nevertheless, it was not as if Kris was entirely heartless. The boy looked really sad, as if his pet just died and Kris really didn’t have a heart to continue scolding him.

"I have been saving for this for a while and just bought it yesterday.." the boy managed to say, his voice shaking as a tear fell on his cheek.

Kris tilted his head. "And what do you want me to do about it?" he asked rhetorically. Even though he had stopped scolding him, doesn’t mean he had stopped being pissed.

The boy didn't answer, but started to sob instead. He stomped his foot on the ground, looking more and more upset by the second. Kris watched in awe as he felt his words left him. This boy is seriously crying and he’s not really experienced in the crying department. If he was baby-sitting and his cousin happened to cry, he just picked him up and gave him back to his mother. The mighty Kris never deals with tears and snots, let alone whines and ugly high pitched screaming.

But the boy in front of him didn’t look like he was intending to stop crying anytime soon and only God knows where to find his mother. Even if he knew, Kris wouldn’t be able to pick him up and hand him to his mother either. He would surely be sued for child abuse.

"Hey," he tried and nudged the boy on his arm, but the boy didn't exactly react the way Kris wanted him to. He made this loud sound and cried some more.

Great. This is just what Kris needed on top of his deadline.

He really has no idea what to do, but watching the boy crying started to make Kris felt guilty. He was sure he was doing the right thing by holding his ground and insisting that he was doing the boy a favor, but now he's not anymore. Kris was really clueless and this boy was not helping either. He watched as the other continued to sob and stomp, his whole body trembling because of his crying.

Kris sighed in defeat, putting his notepad back in his backpack. He would not be able to finish his paper today, again, because of this boy. Again.

"Yah," Kris reached the boy's arm and tugged on it, "sit,"

To his surprise, the boy did what Kris told him, "I didn't eat treats for the whole month for the i-iPod and now its b-broken!" he stuttered.

Kris looked left and right, hoping no one is minding them at the moment. He was so sure anyone who saw them right now would think that Kris is abusing this child.

"Yah, stop crying,” Kris said rather impatiently, “If anybody saw us I'd look like a child molester, and believe me, if even one person think of me that way because of you, I am going to make you regret it your whole life,”

The boy, again, obliged. He really stopped and tried to even his breathing, sweeping his tears with his sleeve and sniffled. He stared at Kris with his now red and swollen from the crying. His lips were still pouting and he’s now slightly hiccupping.

Kris sighed in relief, "Now that’s better,” the thought of him getting sued finally disappeared, “What's your name?" he asked.

“I’m not supposed to tell my name to strangers,” the boy mumbled, still trying to even out his breath.

“Really? I’m a stranger now? I bet your mother also taught you not to come to a stranger and talk to him, or cry in front of him, or made a fool of yourself in front of him but you did all that anyway, right? So what’s the deal with giving out your name, really?” Kris spat.

The boy looked offended, but also seemed to be considering Kris’ words as well.

"Tao," he said finally, then sniffled again.

“And that’s all you’re giving me?” Kris raised his eyebrows.

Tao nodded.

The elder sighed again, "Well, what do you want me to do, Tao?" Kris asked, now with softer voice because he really didn’t want the boy to cry again. Despite him being (and Kris will deny it if anyone ask) rather cute, a crying Tao is plain annoying and just made him confused. Kris understood that it must not been easy for Tao to lose his brand new iPod, let alone to come back here to try and talk (or more like weep) to Kris. At the same time, again, Kris wanted whatever this is to end soon because he has this urgency to start his paper.

Kris watched Tao sniffled for the last time, ungraciously wiping his remaining tears with the back of his hand.

"Yah! I know you’re upset, but there’s no reason to be so barbaric on yourself like that," not actually thinking, Kris found himself raising his hand and used his thumb to wipe the tear that Tao missed.

Tao sniffled again, his lips forming another pout. His face reminded Kris of a baby panda, and just looked so cute (again, Kris will not admit that he thinks this stupid whiny high schooler is cute. He couldn’t stress it enough.) and he really wanted to try to squeeze his cheek. Maybe he really did lost his mind at one point when he was staring at Tao crying, because then with the same thumb and with the help of his index finger, Kris pinched the panda’s cheek a little.

The boy glared at him as a response.

Uh-oh. Did he really just do that?

Realizing what he had done and surprised at his own actions (also, internally cursing himself), Kris retreated his hands feeling dumb.

“Ehem,” he straightened his sitting, “Now what do you have to say?” Kris asked, pretending to be cool to save the rest of the pride he had left. If there’s even anything left. Who in this world would randomly wipe a stranger’s tear then pinch his cheek? Kris really didn’t know what is happening to him. Maybe spending time with this stupid high school kid had made him stupid as well.

Tao's face turned red but remained silent. 

How this boy now decided to ignore him really annoyed the last piece of patience he had. Regaining his composition and usual face, Kris raised his voice again, "Really? Now you don’t want to talk?"

He watched Tao’s eyes widened before finally retorting, "Are you bipolar? You were just so nice and now you’re all mean again! If you really have to know, I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. So what's your name? Introduce yourself! I told you my name already, it’s only fair," Tao said between his pout, his eyebrows connected.

Right. Cute my . He’s just plain annoying.

Kris scoffed mentally.  If this were someone else, someone his age, Kris would not even consider continuing sit and talk. But he knew if he did that to this kid, he would throw fit and there’s also a big chance for him to cry again.

Which was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

Nevertheless, this is the first time ever, that a stranger actually came to him and demanded to talk. In his experience, they usually just walked away upon seeing his face. This kid was something else.

A cute yet annoying something else (if anyone ask, Kris would say that Tao was a stupid high school kid and that’s that).

He was surprised of his own thought though, he never really consider a stranger cute, especially a stranger who just cried and now currently rubbing his snot in front of him.

He had to admit, the way his brain and reflex responded to this kid was rather interesting.

"I'm Kris," Kris finally answered, giving out his hand.

Tao reached for it, shaking it a few times, “Kris, Tao. Tao, Kris,”

Kris chuckled in response, "Hello, Tao,” he smiled involuntarily.  

"Hello, Kris," the younger replied, as he released Kris’ hand.

"Okay, so now what do you want?" Kris asked.

"New iPod," Tao answered instantly.

"Then go get a new one yourself," Kris spat.

"I can't. I have no money," Tao spat back.

Then it hit Kris. Could it be that Kris had broken the only valuable he owned? Nah, it can’t be. 

"Well, I won’t. Not now, not ever. And I have a paper due and I couldn't work on it yesterday and today because of you, so go away," Kris reached for his notepad again.

"I won’t. You have to get me a new one! I will wait here until you finish your paper, and we can get iPod after you finished," Tao said stubbornly.

"Do I look like I would buy you an iPod even when I finish a hundred papers? No. So go away, you’re wasting my precious time,"

“No,” Tao insisted, “You sure look like a college student, but you don’t have a college student level of responsibility. Didn’t they teach you that at school? Or you didn’t go at all, cause that explains your manner,”

“What did you just say to me?” Kris gaped in disbelief. Did this kid just picked up a fight with him?

“You broke my iPod. It is your responsibility to get me a new one. Have you understand that already or do I have to get a blackboard and chalk and explain it to you with schemes and all?”

“Look kid, I know you think you’re the smartest person in the world. But here’s the catch, I am not as stupid as you think—“

“Well your face gave out your level of intelligence and believe me it wasn’t good,” Tao cut him and made a face.

Kris took a deep breath, “You know what, do whatever you want,”

“Then I will wait here,” Tao crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Whatever, just don’t disturb me,” Kris growled, eyeing Tao.

Tao just shrugged, looking the swing set that has a little girl on it as if it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen in his life.

Kris took a deep breath again and tried to focus on his paper. A minute later he started to write a couple of sentences, and more ideas flowing from his head. Soon, a page turned to ten, and still, the boy waited patiently beside him, not even making a sound. When Kris flipped 12^th page, he noticed Tao had left his side. He looked up in wondering where he could be. Kris found him standing not very far from him, turned his head towards him.

"Don’t be so happy. I'm only going for the swing. I'll be back,” he said, and then hopped to the swing without waiting for Kris’ response.

‘Is that what he's been doing, waiting for the girl to go home so he can play on the swing? Is he really five?' Kris thought, making his signature face again. He observed Tao for a while as he swung back and forth. The boy looked so happy as the wind blows his face.

"Wooooo!!" he heard Tao screamed in excitement.

Kris smirked upon seeing the view in front of him. Well maybe he really is five.

Kris shifted his attention back to his notepad and continued writing while Tao was still playing on the swing. Just as the sky got darker and it’s impossible for Kris to write anymore, he stood up and packed his belongings. It was a good progress he made today, he would be able to finish his paper tonight. He walked over to the swing, staring at Tao, who now seemed to be less excited than before, swinging higher than the first time he stepped off the ground.

“Yah, I’m done,” Kris said to the boy, “I am going home,”

“I have a name in case you have forgotten,” Tao answered, staring back at Kris.

“Tsk. Tao, I’m done. I’m heading home now,” Kris repeated.

“Alright, I’ll be heading home too, then,” Tao replied, still swinging.

“Don’t you think you’re gonna have to get off that thing first?”

“Yeah, I will when I figure out how,”

“What? You don’t know how to get off from a swing?? HAHAHA!” Kris laughed wholeheartedly, pointing at Tao.

Tao looked at him in disbelief, “Okay, so I can’t get off a swing. Big deal,”

“Hell yeah it is. Hahahaha!” Kris wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

Tao raised one eyebrow and looked the other way. He was pissed that he couldn’t get off the swing and now this Kris is laughing at him, not helping at all. When the sound of laugh finally fainted, he looked back at Kris, who was still grinning, struggling not to laugh again.

“You know, you look so tough with that face you have but you came crying to me and now you can’t get off the swing,” he scoffed before stopping as he saw Tao’s glare, ”Okay, I’ll help you. Haha!” Kris laughed again before walking closer towards the swing.

Tao looked upset, and Kris realized he was actually scared from the way he gripped the chains tighter his knuckles turned white.

“You have to stop moving your legs like that, it’s only going to make you swing higher,” Kris said, now a little worried.

“How? They moved automatically as I swing!” Tao exclaimed.

“Yah! Just keep them from moving!” said Kris, starting to get pissed again.

“Like this?” Tao asked as he lowered his leg and held it in one position. His voice swayed in sync with his swing.

“Yeah. Now when you feel like it’s slow enough, just jump off,” Kris instructed.

“JUMP OFF?! ARE YOU CRAZY I COULD FALL FLAT ON THE PAVEMENT!” Tao yelled.

“YAH! Do you want to get off or not?” Kris walked to the front of Tao’s swing direction so he can face the boy. This boy has been nothing but pain in his .

“YES! MY FACE IS COLD WITH ALL THIS WIND!”

“Stop yelling!”

“I’M NOT YELLING!”

Kris folded his arm in front of his chest and sighed. This boy was quite a handful.

Tsk.

He watched and waited until Tao’s swing slowed down, “You’re low enough now. Just jump,” he really just has to jump a little and he will land back on the ground.

But he never thought that Tao would jump the second he finished his sentence.

And successfully landed on him.

THUD!

“Argh!” Kris groaned as he fell flat on his back, Tao on top of him.

“Ow.. Sorry, I thought you wanted me to jump,” said a voice hovering above him.

Kris looked up and realized that Tao’s face is really close, there were only inches between them.

For the nth time that day, his body reacted in a way Kris couldn’t understand. His heart felt like he was just doing an hour worth of cardio exercise, it accelerated inside his ribcage, and some second later, when he felt Tao’s warm breath on his face, he was sure he was having a cardiac arrest.

Had this boy’s eyes always been this mesmerizing?

“Kris?” the boy asked, looking concerned. Maybe he thought he had broke Kris’ spine or something.

No. Whatever this is, he is determined to deny it until the day he died.

“Tao..” he begun.

“Yes?” the younger looked anxious, tilting his head a little to the left, waiting for Kris’ next sentence.

“Get. Off. Me” Kris breathed.

“Ah. Sorry.” Tao shifted his weight to the side and stood up, then reached down to help Kris up. The latter grabbed Tao’s hand and pulled himself up back on his feet.

Groaning, Kris dusted his jeans, tapping it from all sides. When he stood straight back, the boy was fidgeting.

“What?” Kris asked.

“Um.. Thank you. For helping me,” Tao said, tugging on his uniform.

Oh so this kid is capable of expressing gratitude.

Kris chuckled, “Yeah, yeah. Thanks for companying me too. The paper’s done, just have to type it now,”

“Oh good, then. So are we going to the store now?” the kid’s face perked up, looking at Kris with a really bright hopeful expression that sent shiver down Kris’ spine.

What in the world is happening with him?

“What store?” Kris asked him back, not exactly focusing on the subject of whatever Tao was saying.

Tao’s eyebrows furrowed.

“You said you’re going to get me iPod after you finish your paper,” he said with a pout.

Jesus Christ kid, stop doing that.

Kris had to cut their eye contact. He was not sure how he would react if he had to witness the boy’s expression any longer.

“Did not,” Kris mumbled as he reached for his backpack and Tao’s as well, handing it to him and threw his own on his shoulder.

“But you did,” Tao mumbled back, doing the same with his backpack.

“That is what we, college students call assumptions. Tell me in exact words, when I promised what you claimed,” Kris put his face back on.

“Are you saying that I had just wasted my evening companying you work on your paper but you’re still not going to get me new iPod?” Tao asked in annoyance.

“Well technically, I work on my paper alone, I’d still work on it with or without you, and you were playing on the swing while I did, so… Yeah, you did nothing,” Kris mocked.

Tao expression changed and he looked disappointed, if not dejected, “,” he muttered then his heel.

The younger’s expression made Kris’ heart stopped for a second.

“Hey! Wait!” he called.

Oh no. See? He couldn’t even trust his own reflex with this boy. Damn it.

Tao stopped in his track and turned, “What?”

Kris groaned in frustration. Okay, just this time, he’d let his heart decide what to do.

“Don’t make that face and left,” he said as he approached Tao.

“And why would you care?” Tao challenged.

“I— Yah! Just don’t make that face okay,” Kris sighed, “Maybe I did break your iPod, but it’s not like you’re completely innocent either okay. Let us both just recognize that,”

Tao jutted his lip, “But I am not exactly stupid either, I just didn’t realize that new grass notice but you jumped on me and kept on treating me as if I’m an idiot and my iPod broke and I— Ugh why am I telling you this?”

Kris laughed, “Okay, lets make a deal. Lets just both get a new one? We save some money, half and half, then we’ll go together and get you a new iPod,”

God, what is he saying now?

The younger made a face, “Are you being serious or are you just lying again, and why would I trust you now?”

“Yah! If you really pay attention, I never lied to you!” Kris exclaimed.

“Not yet,” Tao mumbled.

“Do you want it or not?” Kris pressed.

Tao looked like he was considering Kris’ offer, then answered, “Fine. But you better not trick me again,”

“Yeah yeah, whatever. Give me your number,” Kris pulled his phone out.

“What for?” Tao looked at him suspiciously.

“How did you think I’m supposed to contact you when I have saved up enough money and so did you?” Kris asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tao frowned for a moment before reaching for his cellphone too and switch it with Kris’, immediately punching his number in, “Put your number in as well,” he gestured to his phone in Kris’ hand.

Kris did so, then tossed the phone back to its owner. Tao also returned Kris’ phone after he finished putting his contact details.

“There you go,” Tao said, “Tell me when you have it,”

“Just try and save enough money, kid,” Kris grinned and started to walk to the opposite direction, “Go home, your mom would be looking for you!” he waved.

“Humph. Bipolar,” Tao remarked as he turned and head home as well.

So this is the new first chapter that I promised! More coming right up!