Growing up in a new era of film industry, surrounded by countless options of genres, having spent half of his life watching a bunch of chick flicks and rom com had built Huang Zitao into a hopeful, desperate 23 years old.

All the Titanic, When Harry met Sally, 10 things I hate about You, Sleepless in Seattle, Letters to Juliet; Tao had grown up to believe that there is going to be one person, who would love him unconditionally, who was so manly and at the same time irresistibly cute, the one he could bicker with and his love story would be something so unexpected and uncommon that its documentation would win a Pulitzer. And although it was not from the same timeframe, he had also watched a bunch of movies from the 40’s and 60’s, giving him a reason to have secret ambition of becoming the new age Scarlett O’Hara with the fashion manner of Holly Golightly: timeless. He wanted an actual real deal love story, the one that would make his heart thump restlessly, the one that would make him long for his partner by the window whilst looking at the full moon, that would not make him sleep, that would feel like reaching for the star and crossing the endless ocean at the same time.

As if he wasn’t ed up enough, came Taylor Swift and all her love songs, which was always based on her own experience. And then there’s Bruno Mars and Corrine May and Hello Goodbye, and Jason Mraz, and all of those groups from Korea that kept on singing things about love and how it made their heart sparkle and all those other terms he had never heard before. Tao was even more eager. He wanted one, just one to happen to him.

Huang Zitao had always been hopeful, waiting for an epic love story to come his way. To his dismay, not even one had arrived.

He wanted perfection, but his friends blame himself for being too picky and specific. He knew it looked that way from the outside, but to him, he just wanted particular.

“What are you doing, Huang Zitao? He was like, what, the 8^th guy you have rejected in the past year?” his best friend, Baekhyun, asked.

“Yep,” Tao answered, fixing his hair.

“Why would you do that? I though you wanted to have this love story whatsoever you have been talking about!” Baekhyun exclaimed.

“Yep,”

“Give me ore than one syllable, ,”

“And I have told you repeatedly Baekhyun hyung, I want my love story to be epic,”

“Something like that is not given, idiot, you have to work for it,”

“I am!” he said nonchalantly as he flicked his hair and giggled as Baekhyun tackled him in a hug.

Then like a lightning breaking in the middle of the day, came Kris Wu.

Kris was everything, and nothing, like Tao had ever imagined. He was a true gentleman, a value that was never specified in Tao’s list of criteria when it comes to the life partner of his dream, but he was not complaining. He was kind and very warm hearted, and would willingly go all out when it comes to professing his love for Tao even though it was more often that the man was so awkward in expressing it himself. Kris was physically a match for Tao, with his taller built and frame that was slightly bigger than he was. He easily mingled with Tao’s friends, and even became best buddies easily with Baekhyun’s boyfriend. He provided what Tao had been dreaming about, the restless thumping hearts and longing, that can’t-eat can’t-sleep reach-for-the-stars, over-the-fence, World Series kind of thing. Kris Wu was perfect for what Huang Zitao had ever dreamed about.

In a blink of an eye, there were two of them, going on double dates with Baekhyun and Chanyeol, or spending time with just the two of them, laughing and lounging in the park, eating shaved ice, attending concerts, or just reading newspaper. Tao loved it when Kris kissed him good night, and when he greeted him in the morning with a smile, pulling their blanket over their heads and let him cuddled under the cover until the sun rose high. Tao loved the awkward and clearly trying hard way Kris would tell him how much he loved him. It was not the love songs or romantic poem he had always dreamed about, but it was way better than he expected. The way Kris always picked him up from his sub teaching work at design school with food or sometimes flowers ready with his bike, the way he would order in pizza and rented some sappy romantic comedy movies and let the younger threw his legs over his own and massaged them until he fell asleep, how he always remembered that Tao preferred cherry tomatoes over actual tomatoes or cherries; everything was screaming Mc.Dreamy. Tao was sure he had never loved anyone as much and by his confessions, neither did Kris. Huang Zitao and Kris Wu were inseparable, ever since the day they met.

So it was logical, for Tao, it seemed, to say yes when Kris wanted to make it official, to announce to the world about their love story. Tao’s dream had come true, and even evolved into a bigger one. He was more than excited and eager to begin their new adventure as a married couple; which he expect to be the kind of happily ever after fairy tale he saw in movies and read in books. He believed that with Kris, they could have it. Together.

They got married later in the same year. Huang Zitao was 23, and Kris Wu was 26.

~

“Yifan, you didn’t pick up Sehun today. You were supposed to pick him up and take him to the daycare,” Tao said on the phone with a sigh, his voice dragged from the exhaustion of having to repeat the same sentence over and over again.

“I am so sorry Tao, I was on a meeting,” Kris answered; his voice was a little too close to the speaker and Tao knew that the elder’s phone was placed between his ear and shoulder, hands flipping stacks of papers, never stopped working, as always.

“You were always on a meeting. I have told you I had an important appointment with a client today, that’s why you have to pick Sehun up, but there I was, having a discussion with my client when I got a phone call from the kindergarten informing me that Sehun was still waiting to be picked up. I had to leave immediately and God knows if he still wanted to use my service for his property,” Tao rose his voice, very upset and unsatisfied. This is the second time he left the same client in the middle of their meeting, and he knew that he wouldn’t respond his effort to reschedule for the third time nicely.

“I am sorry Tao, what do you want me to say? I was caught in the meeting,” Kris’ voice also sounded tired; they have had this conversation for countless times the transcript of their phone calls could be published as a crappy documentation movie script.

Tao sighed, giving up, or more like trying to avoid any more arguments, “Well please pick him up from the daycare on your way back? I have a doctor appointment later,”

“What doctor appointment?” Kris asked, the multiple voices that were growing in the background let Tao know that Kris was moving about in his office floor; still not pausing his work for even five minutes to talk to Tao.

“Yifan, I have told you about this. I have to check my asthma. Last week I was—“

“Yes, yes, okay, I would pick Sehun up,” Kris cut Tao midsentence following the sound of telephone ring on his side.

“Promise me, Yifan,”

“Yes, Tao, okay?”

“Okay, thank you. Please call me if you need—“

BEEP.

Kris just ended the call from the other line. Tao sighed. How did his marriage turned into this?

Maybe they got married too early. Maybe they rushed it. Maybe they were too young. Maybe they were too naïve, maybe they were not ready. But they were sure that they love each other so much, so why wait? Tao was sure that Kris was the answer to his dreams and wishes; and he was also sure the same case goes for Kris. He was sure he loved Kris just as much, right now and back then when they just met, and obviously even more after the ups and downs they had to go through together.

They were okay. Things were okay after the wedding. They were so happy, and like how they proceed with wedding and all, they decided that they wanted to start a family right away. That was when they resolved to get a surrogate mother and then Sehun comes along.

Sehun was a blessing. The three of them was so happy.

But Tao and Kris never realized nor prepared for how handful a baby could be. Suddenly there were extra needs they need to fulfill. Milk, bottles, pacifiers, wet wipes, diapers, baby clothes, lotions, powders, shampoo and soaps. How would they know that babies couldn’t use Tao’s favorite shampoo?

So the bills stacked, and after they had used all their savings for the wedding, the small apartment, and the surrogate mother, they found themselves in the desperate need for money.

Kris had no choice but to take extra shifts and allowed Tao to work, against his earlier judgment and intention to be the sole breadwinner in the family to provide the comfortable life he wanted Tao and Sehun to have. Knowing this, Tao choose to work a freelance interior design job so he could work from home to accommodate Sehun’s needs. So it worked just fine in the beginning.

Now, who knows that four years later both of them were so successful in their respective jobs and got offered for better positions? Kris now worked at high managerial level while Tao’s clients grew more and more he even got an offered for a funding to establish his own firm. They managed at first; they tricked their schedules so they can spend equal time for work, Sehun, and each other. But when you worked for higher positions, the more demanding your job became. So it started to fall apart. Kris kept on coming home late, Tao had stacks of papers on his working desk near the kitchen, Sehun cried more often, and house chores became a burden that they often forgotten. Kris came home not finding warm home cooked meals to eat, Tao couldn’t find unwrinkled shirt to meet a client, and Sehun was still not potty trained. It was hard to communicate to each other when they barely meet. Kris came home when Tao and Sehun had fallen asleep, and went to office when Tao had already woken up from Sehun’s cries, cooing at the toddler to calm down away in the nursery. They barely talked, met, let alone touched each other.

What once was a romantic drama came true in the form of happy marriage was now just sharing the bed and short phone calls where they hear each other but stopped listening. Huang Zitao could literally see his life long dream falling apart.

This time Kris had forgotten to pick Sehun up from the kindergarten for the third time this month. Tao, once again, had to take off from his appointment to pick his son up.

Sehun had always been a blessing for him, and he would put the now toddler on top of everything. Job and clients come and go, but not his son.

Unfortunately this was only Tao’s realization, not Kris’ too.

Tao sighed for the nth time that day. Sehun was now safe at the daycare, and Tao went back to his firm before going to the hospital for his appointment. His asthma had been acting up for a while now, and he hadn’t got time to get new inhalers. He had planned on going to the pharmacy the previous week, but Kris had forgotten to pick Sehun up, so he was not able to go by himself. He asked Kris to get it for him, but of course, Kris forgot.

Tao took a deep breath as his breathing got shortened. He could feel his airways tightened and he started to cough.

‘Breathe, Tao, breathe,’ Tao thought as he tried to inhale and exhale properly. He needed to go back early from his appointment with client last week due to breathing difficulties, thus he made a doctor appointment this evening. He told Kris about that, but he was sure that his husband forgot, yet again. Kris’ job had taken away all his attention and Tao and Sehun was left with nothing but broken promises.

~

"Hello, is this Mr. Huang?"

"Yes, this is he. Ms. Kim? Is Sehun okay?" Tao said to the phone, surprised.

"Ah yes. I'm sorry to bother you, I know you have informed me that you have hospital appointment today, but Mr. Wu hasn't come to pick Sehun up. Is there someone available to pick him up that I can contact?" Ms. Kim asked, her voice soft and soothing; a result of having to deal with babies and toddlers her whole life.

Tao sighed internally. So Kris had forgotten to pick their son again. Or maybe he's in another meeting. It not much of a surprise anymore for him, only God knew how many times this happened. Tao just couldn't rely on Kris anymore. He regretted that he didn't accept that faster.

"Oh that's okay, I will come and pick him up now. I am so sorry for keeping you in the daycare, Ms. Kim..." Tao answered, rising up from his sitting position, gathering his keys and all.

"Oh please don’t worry, Mr. Huang. Spending time with Sehun had always been a delight for me. Take your time, I will be waiting with Sehun now," Ms. Kim responded before ending the call.

Tao arrived at the daycare in no time. When he saw Sehun, the boy's eyes were already drowsy, heavy from being sleepy. Ms. Kim was sitting next to him, reading a story about airplanes. Sehun's eyes lighten up when Tao apporached.

"Daddy!" Sehun shot up from his seat and ran to Tao's arms, who then lifted him up.

"Hey little guy! I'm sorry to make you wait..." said Tao with a grin before he started to cough violently.

"Mr. Huang, are you alright?" Ms. Kim asked as she approached closer, looking a little scared, holding Sehun’s back, a little worried he would bumped out of his father’s arms.

Tao continued to cough, Sehun shaking in his arms in sync with Tao's cough.

"Daddy? Zi Baba?" Sehun called, his head nodding with his father’s movement.

Tao made a sharp inhale and finally stopped coughing, his eyes watery from the constricted feeling in his chest.

"Are you okay sir? Do you want me to call you a cab?" Ms. Kim asked again, looking very concerned.

"No, it’s okay, thank you, I can drive,"

"Are you sure, sir?"

"Yes. Thank you very much for taking care of my brave Sehun today," Tao smiled as he glanced to his son, a little forcefully as the pain in his chest hasn’t subside.

"Oh, I'm the one to thank you, sir. Sehun was a nice companion," she smiled as she rubbed Sehun's back, "Okay Sehun, be careful on your way home. I will see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes, Ms. Kim... See you," Sehun answered and then yawned.

"Lets get home now and let that power ranger sleep!" Tao said as he shot Ms. Kim another thankful smile before turning on his heels back towards the entrance and into his car.

~

"Yifan! You didn't pick Sehun up at the daycare! Why would you do that?!" Tao snapped as soon as he saw Kris entered the front door. He looked very tired and drained, much like everyone in the house except Sehun.

"Tao? Why are you still awake?” Kris’ eyes were curious for one minute but grew as he realized the point of Tao’s sentence, “Where’s Sehun now?" he asked, taking off his shoes knowing that Tao mush have picked him up or he would be out there looking for Sehun frantically.

"He's asleep in his room, of course, because someone was responsible and obviously love this family enough to actually stop working for a minute and pick him up," Tao snarled, his voice venomous.

Kris ran his hand through his hair, sighing tiredly, "Okay, so what’s the problem now then?"

"The problem??" Tao felt rage burning inside him, standing up from the couch he had been sitting on for the past three hours waiting for Kris to come home, "The problem is, Yifan, you forgot to pick him up, yet again! What, you didn’t think there are actually bad people in this world? What do you think will happen to Sehun if you left him alone in the street like that, huh? What if he got kidnapped? What if a car ran into him? What if—”

“Come on, don’t exaggerate, Tao,” Kris cut him again, a habit he developed after their countless arguments to stop Tao from talking so he had a chance to retaliate back, “We both knew his teacher wouldn’t leave him alone in the street,” Kris responded, loosening his tie, not showing interest.

“We couldn’t have Ms. Kim work extra hours everyday! She has a life other than her work!”

“And we don’t?”

“We do! But it all had changed, right? Everything had changed since we got married, since Sehun came,” Tao massaged his head with his fingers, not liking how the argument was spreading wider, “Kris, you know I don't have appointments everyday. I could pick him up when I don't have appointment but please do it when I couldn't. This is teamwork, Kris. Why can't you see that?" Tao said again, his voice lowered with his growing desperation. Can’t Kris see that they needed to do something to save this family? He’s tired of their arguments, their fights, the constant and ever growing disappointments, them not talking, not touching, not feeling comfortable around each other and everything else their marriage had became.

"Teamwork? I work everyday, Tao, and what do I get when I got home? I can't even eat! There's no food in this house! Now where's teamwork in that??" Kris spat back, throwing his bag on the table. He too, had grown tired of all these, if the expression and his tone didn’t give that out.

"That's because I have to take care of Sehun, Kris! Especially with you not exactly good in taking part of doing so. We can't abandon our son!"

"What are you saying, are you saying I don't take care of my son??!" Kris growled. Tao had ticked the last patience Kris had in him, his anger bubbling in his chest as he approached and stood in front of Tao.

"Our son, Kris, Sehun is our son! And yes, you haven't taken care of him properly! I have to do it, I took care of things! I don't even have time for myself, not even to—"

"Time for yourself?!" Kris yelled, "Time for yourself?! You want time for yourself?!! Tao, I spent day and night working to feed this family, and you want time for yourself?? How could you be so selfish??!" Kris’ hands were fisted on his sides and Tao was cautious that the taller would hit him at some point; never in their arguments Kris actually yelled at him and he didn’t know what the elder was capable of doing when he was pissed off like this. But Tao didn’t want to show any fear. He wanted Kris to understand his point.

"I'm not, Kris! I just want some time to go to my hospital appointment, to have lunch, to buy some inhalers, not to ignore you guys—" Tao's breathing started to get uneven yet Kris didn’t seem to notice.

"Well you should've thought about that before we have a son!!" Kris shouted one last time and his heel to go to the bedroom, but he stopped midway and gasped as he found Sehun standing, peeking from the doorway; eyes big and his plushie clutched in one hand.

"Sehun!" Kris exclaimed, surprised and stunned.

“Baba... Don’t fight...” Sehun whispered; corners of his lips turned downwards and quivered, eyes b with tears. He looked really scared of what he had witnessed for no one knows how long.

Realizing who had appeared, Tao rushed to Sehun’s side, his breathing still uneven, “No, my boy, we are not fighting. Baba were just talking, I’m sorry it was so loud,”

Kris finally got a grip and approached them both, but Sehun took one step backwards.

“No,” said the boy, clearly struggling to stay awake and talk without crying but failed and started to sob instead, “You fight. Yi Baba hit Zi Baba... I no like Yi Baba anymore. Baba lieth. Baba thupid,”

Tao turned his head towards Kris’ and watched how his expression fell, as if he was disappointed of himself. Tao sighed, because he knew it was the wake up call both of them needed, and Kris had realized it as well. He caught Kris glancing at him apologetically, but instead of saying anything, Tao turned back to their son and whispered in soft tone, “No, dear. Yi Baba was just tired. He has been working a lot. We should keep supporting Baba, don’t you think? And he didn’t hit Zi Baba… Yi Baba was always nice, remember?”

The little boy shook his head, “But Yi Baba no pick me up anymore. Yi Ba-ba no me anymoreee” Sehun cried out the last syllable, sobbing and looking very upset.

Tao picked the boy up in his arms with the strength left in him and started to swing the boy back and forth in effort to comfort him. His eyes were finally glued to Kris’, arms tight and protective around Sehun who was crying into his shoulder.

“No, honey. Yi Baba loves you. He always does...” Tao’s voice cracked, tears started to build on his own eyes. Kris loved Sehun, right? The pile of arguments they had been having didn’t change anything, right? He still loved Tao too, right?

Between Tao’s own thoughts finally a tear fell and Kris’ expression faltered; his heart shattered at the gaze that the younger gave him; doubt and hesitation appeared all across the dark orbs he adored so much, and it was very much different than the loving and adoring gaze he used to look at him with.

What had he done?

When did his family started to be broken like this?

There he was, working two shifts everyday, and sometimes took extra hours on weekends to support his precious little family. He hated to see Tao work, and hated that Sehun didn’t even have enough diaper. So he worked hard. Oh he worked his off to fulfill what his family needed.

The hard work paid off. They moved into a bigger house. He was able to purchase a family car, so Tao didn’t have to carry all the baby supplies around on his shoulder. Their bills were paid on time, and there were always warm home cooked food for all of them, including Sehun. Everything was enough for them, and they were happy. But then Kris realized, he needed to prepare Sehun’s future. School tuitions, college tuitions, heck, he even thought about all proms and birthday parties Sehun would attend one day and those things cost a fortune. So despite having fulfilled all their current needs, Kris didn’t stop taking double shifts and extra hours. That was when his boss decided to reward him with a couple of raise, and now he worked in the management. The hours were not as crazy, but the task is bigger and more complicated. Kris was still adjusting until now. It was not easy, he needed to sacrifice his family time for that, but he believed he was doing what is best for his family.

How wrong could he be?

Kris took a deep breath and step forward, taking Sehun from Tao’s arms. Sehun didn’t struggle but the little boy didn’t move when he was moved into a pair of different arms, the one that had not picked him up or hugged him for a while. Their little angel did not look happy; he seemed very tired and worn out, especially because it was already past midnight. Gently, Kris caressed the back of Sehun’s head, eyes still connecting to Tao’s in the softest gaze he could produce with such messy emotions he had in his chest right now.

“I’m sorry, baby. Baba is sorry…” he whispered in sincere soft voice.

Tao let out a relieved sigh as he leaned his back on the wall behind him for support. He was right, Kris finally understood. His chest was so heavy and felt like burning, but he wasn’t going to upset Sehun any more than this. So he leaned silently and watched as Kris continued to comfort Sehun.

“I’m sorry I didn’t to pick you up, Sehun... Baba was so busy and he forgot a lot of things... Baba had been making the wrong priority, eh?”

“Eehh… Pra…yo...” Sehun finally looked up and tried to mimic the word Kris just uttered.

“Priority, my dear boy” Kris smiled fondly, pinching Sehun’s nose. The boy would usually giggle at the gesture, but he was awake past his bedtime; Sehun only wrinkled his nose and his eyes were droopy, he wanted nothing than to snuggle under his soft blanket.

“Don’t make him say difficult words, Yifan...” Tao said softly, small smile on his lips, gripping the wall as he tried to keep himself standing.

“Hehe...” Kris chuckled softly, “Sehun, would you forgive Baba?” Kris asked the boy in his arms, rocking him a little.

“Yeth, Yi Ba... I love Baba... Don’t fight anymore…” Sehun replied in a mumble, his small hands wrapped around Kris’ neck, his head rested on his father’s shoulder.

For a moment Tao forgot about his asthma and smiled wide at the beautiful view in front of him. It has been while since he had seen it and he had just realized how it meant so much to him to see Kris and Sehun together, playing or just hugging.

“Okay, now, lets tuck you back into bed, what do you think, my brave boy?” Tao said, using his elbow to push himself from the wall and leaned to kiss Sehun’s forehead.

The little boy didn’t answer. He was already fallen asleep in his father’s arms.

“It had been a long time,” Kris smiled as he fixed his hold of Sehun with one hand and took Tao’s hand in the other, pulling his husband to Sehun’s nursery. Albeit knowing that watching his parents argue has nothing positive for Sehun’s development, Kris was a little grateful that Sehun did, as it was the one that made Kris realized he had to stop being so ignorant towards Tao and their son. This would not be the way he preferred, but it was like a slap across his face; quick and efficient.

“Yes,” Tao responded with a whisper as he entered Sehun’s room and pulled the worn out light blue wool blanket so Kris can put their son on the bed. They tucked Sehun into bed together, something they always did before all the work and fights happened.

“I missed this,” Kris said again, smiling fondly towards Sehun’s sleeping figure, then to Tao. Tao smiled back, knowing there were too many words wasted in the past and actions worth more than words. They stayed for a while in the nursery, watching their son sleep soundly, still clutching his plushie in one hand.

“You know, he didn’t let me wash his plushie...” Tao said, smiling a little tiredly.

“Where did he got that?” Kris asked. He was sure he did not get that for Sehun.

“Ah, he got it from Luhan. Chanyeol and Baekhyun hyung made this little parcels for kids who came to Luhan’s birthday party a month ago, and that plushie was in Sehun’s,” Tao answered, ticking a stray of hair behind Sehun’s ear.

“Luhan?” Kris was a little dejected that he didn’t even remember about the parcel from the birthday party he also attended. He really needed to be a better father for Sehun.

“You missed a lot, Yifan” Tao said, glancing at Sehun before standing up from the side of the boy’s bed, heading towards the door.

Kris stood and followed him. He closed the door behind him and walked towards the living room to approach Tao, who was taking Kris’ forgotten briefcase from the floor. His arms s and wrapped around the younger’s waist easily, like they did on their third date. Kris breathed in the younger’s scent, thinking about how he had missed him for a while now, how he missed his son, their interactions as a family, as a couple, that daily dose of sweetness and romance the younger had always made sure to have and provided.

“Yes, I realized that now. I’m so—“ Kris sentence was stopped in the middle as Tao’s body suddenly fell limp onto his.

“Tao!” Kris exclaimed, catching Tao’s body. Tao’s breaths was short and ragged, he made squeaking sound when he inhaled. His hands were clutching on the front of his shirt, and he started to cough violently for the second time that night.

“Yi… Fan… Ox—gen...” Tao gasped between words, trying to say what he needed.

Kris was too confused to even respond, he shakily lifted Tao in his arms and put the younger safely on the couch. He then ran to the cabinet and searched for Tao’s emergency oxygen can. He opened it and put the mask over Tao’s nose and mouth, taking a moment to make sure that he was able to breathe. The younger was still breathing hard and coughing in between, albeit a little better. Kris ran again and searched for Tao’s inhalers in the same cabinet. He knocked over Sehun’s fever syrup but he had no time to picked it up. He continued to look but to no avail. Groaning in frustration, he searched through other places, mumbling to himself, “Inhalers, where the are you?!”.

He was in the middle of searching through Sehun’s supplies when he remembered that Tao said he needed new inhalers.

He was out of them.

Kris immediately ran towards Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s house across the street, frantically pressing the bell and knocking the hell of the door.

The door finally opened, revealing confused Chanyeol and Baekhyun, both in their pajamas.

“Kris!” Chanyeol said in sleepy voice, his eyebrows furrowed deeply.

“What brought you here in this hour?” Baekhyun asked in worried tone.

“I— I need you to watch Sehun tonight. It’s Tao, his asthma. He couldn’t breathe; I needed to take him to the hospital. Please,” Kris explained in one breath.

“Yes, yes! Of course we will!” said Baekhyun, who ran to Kris’ house, followed by Kris himself and Chanyeol.

When the three of them made it back to the house, Tao was no longer able to keep his eyes open. Kris lifted him and carried Tao to the car, mumbled a few things to Baekhyun and Chanyeol before stepping on the pedal towards the hospital. Tao heard the roaring sound of the car before drifting into darkness.

~

Tao opened his eyes slowly and blinked a few times, taking in the rather foreign view of the room that was greeting him. Squinting his eyes, he could almost see the mask that was covering his nose and mouth. So they made it to the hospital. He took a deep breath. It was not as painful as before, but it was still heavy.

Feeling movement in his hand, Kris moved closer to Tao, adjusting his sitting so he was in the same eye level with his husband.

“Hey…” Kris said softly, his read eyes suggested that he was crying for a while before Tao woke up and that he hadn’t slept since they got there.

“Yifan…” Tao whispered through his mask, feeling sorry, “Were you crying?”

Kris didn’t answer, but smiled softly, “How are you feeling?”

“Hmm… Better… You’re here…” Tao smiled a little, wanting to erase the worried knot on Kris’ eyebrows.

“Are you sure? Was it still hard to breathe? Do you want me to call the doctor for you?” Kris asked as he rose from his seat, trying to reach the nurse call button.

Tao shook his head slowly, “I don’t want the doctor... Just you... Stay,” he said in a small voice, finally regaining his voice back, holding Kris’s hand tighter in his.

Kris sighed as he sat back, holding Tao’s hand in both of his.

“Tao... I’m sorry... I didn’t even know where to begin with but I am so sorry... There’s nothing that I could say that could be perfect enough to express my regrets… I—“ the elder’s voice caught in his throat, his eyes went teary and so were Tao’s. No matter how bad their arguments were and how he really wanted Kris to understand, watching Kris in such miserable state broke his heart.

Kris blinked a couple times and let a tear fell, turning his head to try and hide it from Tao but the younger just reached and turned his face back towards him, holding his cheek to encourage him, telling him that it’s okay, that he understood the elder already. But Kris had so many things he had to make up for, so many things he had to say.

“I am so sorry for failing to be a good husband. I was too busy earning for our family that I forgot that I needed to be a good husband and a good father. I failed to take a good care of the people that I love... I hurt you. I failed you, Tao...” he let another tear fell, “How selfish was I to be so preoccupied with all these work and didn’t realize that you were there juggling all the other things I didn’t do while trying hard to even breathe and I— what kind of a husband was I? What kind of a person was I?” Kris choked, sobbing and Tao was crying too.

“I was so close to losing you, I knew even if this didn’t happen. I was treating you like crap; I didn’t deserve you staying with me, yet I am still so selfish to keep you around while hurting you. And after all that I didn’t even care to let you go and see a doctor and now you’re here because of me. Who did that?” he cried hard, crying into Tao’s hand, “I am all ed up, but I want everything back, I want to be happy again with you, with Sehun… I am so sorry… I would try harder… but forgive me, Zitao…”

Nose clogged up and eyes blurry, Tao pulled Kris’ head towards him, trying to pull him into a hug. Kris stood there awkwardly, feet latched on the floor while his upper body lied on top of Tao’s, sobbing into the younger’s shoulder as he ran his hand up and down the small piece of Kris’ back he could reach.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Kris sobbed, sounding so broken and full of regrets, “I did this to you, I am so sorry…”

“It’s okay, Yifan… It’s okay…” Tao whispered, trying to calm the elder although he was crying too.

“No, nothing was okay. I was literally trying to kill you and almost succeeded. It was not okay!”

“Yifan I am here,” Tao whispered again, sounding so tired from his respiratory problems, “I am alive, because of you, I am here,”

Kris didn’t respond, but hugged the younger, trying to make sure he stayed, to keep him in the world.

“You know, last night, when you apologized to Sehun, I was sure again, that I made the right choices, that you are, we are, no matter what happened, in this together... That I still loved you so much and that you did too, that no matter what happened, if I have you, I would be fine… And you would too, because I am here, for you, with you…” Tao whispered, running his fingers through Kris’ hair, his eyes still watery although the tears had stopped.

“Taozi…”

“To be fair I didn’t think I have been a good partner for you either with the way I get mad at you over small things and how I only tried to work out Sehun’s needs and my job and not exactly sparing time for you…”

“No, that’s not it!“ Kris stood straight again, completely objecting Tao’s last sentence, “You have to take care of the house and everything else too, and I did have been not so good in doing my part of it, so that was bound to happen, it’s not like it’s your fault,”  

“Still it was not how it’s supposed to be,” Tao flashed a smile, “What I wanted to say is, we were both not being very supportive to each other in that manner and I think we should fix it,”

“Yes,” Kris agreed, looking very relieved and tired, “Tao… I love you,”

Tao smiled wider under his mask, “I love you too. To the moon and back,”

“To Saturn, circling Jupiter three times and back,” Kris mumbled, making Tao giggled as he scooted over.

“Come here and hug me,” the younger said, and Kris climbed up into his bed effectively, pulling his blanket over them as they snuggled together underneath. Kris’ arm around Tao’s figure, the younger’s head on his chest, listening to the heartbeat that loved him. The mask over Tao’s mouth and nose was still helping him breathe, but he already forgot about the pain that he had gone through, that still left in his chest and throat. They were back being the romantic novel character Tao had always dreamed about, Kris whispering stuff in his ear that goes around how much he loved the younger and Tao humming responses, giggling and loving how Kris’ heartbeat changed slightly to a little faster paced when he did so. So those love songs they were all true, and no matter what happens, if it was with the right person, it’ll always work out, and these feelings would never change.

“I love you,” Tao whispered, looking up to Kris fondly.

“I love you too,” Kris replied, kissing the top of Tao’s head as they drift away in a much-needed sleep.

Later in the evening, Chanyeol and Baekhyun appeared, Sehun and Luhan holding their hands. By that time the blanket that was covering Kris and Tao was already on the floor somehow, and when Baekhyun bent down to pick it up, the youngest amongst them all immediately climbed the bed with the help of Luhan who was pushing his up, and snuggled between his dads, waking them up in the process.

Tao slowly opened his eyes; Kris did so as he took a deep breath, trying to register what had just crawled onto his stomach.

“Hey, my boy,” Tao whispered, smiling through his mask, feeling a little sorry that Sehun had to see him like that.

“Sorry, I know you wouldn’t want him in the hospital but he had been asking for you non stop since my idiot husband slipped that Kris had to bring you to the hospital,” Baekhyun explained, glaring at Chanyeol who was grinning sheepishly.

“It’s okay,” Kris chuckled, “Thank you, guys,”

Sehun nestled between them two, looking up to his parents with big eyes, “Zi baba, are you okay?”

“Yes, my dear boy,” Tao answered with a smile, hugging Sehun.

“And Yi baba is okay?”

“Yes, Sehunah,” Kris answered, ruffling Sehun’s hair.

“Good, baba... I love you,” Sehun planted a kiss on Tao’s cheek, and one on Kris’ chest as it’s hard for him to reach for his cheek in his position, making Tao chuckled and hugged him tighter.

Kris looked down at his chest, on the view of two most precious people in his life and draped his protective arm around them, feeling happy as he ever could be.

Tao glanced at the elder, and as their eyes met, he knew he had it all. They’re family once again, an even more perfect love story.

________

Hello, huangjangeun here! guys. GUYS. thank you for subscribing and being patient while I rewrite this story. It was still empty for the past week yet I kept on getting notifications for new subsribers. GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I would start on the sequel, rain, soon. Please anticipate it as well~

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