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You don’t know how you manage to travel back to the hospital. It was hard enough for you to even speak to Kris when he asked you what’s wrong. Apparently, Tao called him to come in and get you out. It’s amazing how he actually still cared. He could’ve done that himself, right? You didn’t understand why he had to lock up and throw you out. You hate him, but at the same time you don’t. You get that irritating feeling again; that ending your life seems to be the best-est way out of it. But with the amount of eyes watching your every move, even just walking out of the hospital room seems to look awfully tiring.

Because of your little injuries from the thrashing back in your house, the doctors vowed to not let you out until you’ve fully recovered. It is funny how they used the same words; only that this means leaving this wicked place while the other meant something around welcoming back. It actually amazed you how the doctor managed to walk out of your room unscathed. You swore you would’ve hit him after making you remember the bitter memory. But it’s too unclear for you now. Maybe you did try and hit him, but someone must have stopped you. You don’t even want to remember. Besides, it has been days. Non-eventful days of constancy, of black and white, of blurriness, of numbness and of pain.

The sickening routine is now over though. Your two weeks of stay is coming to an end as you walk out of the hospital together with your family. It’s not something you imagined to happen but it definitely doesn’t seem wrong at all. It just astounds you that they all saved this day out especially just for you. You’re happy for what they did but the face you’ve been hoping to see seems to only be a distant memory.

A limousine, your family car, stops infront of you and you’re still so lost deep in your own thoughts that you didn’t even realize you’re already being pushed inside the car. Kyuhyun and Jaebin sit on your sides while your mother and father are somewhere on the seats much further in front. You’re too bothered by his non-appearance that you can’t seem to appreciate the living miracle already happening in front of you. All your family gathered together. It’s a once in a blue moon kind of thing, you see.

While travelling towards the mansion, your mind is filled with the thoughts of him that you soon fall in a deep slumber. Your head rests itself on Kyuhyun’s shoulder and he happily secures an arm around you to keep you still. Jaebin just gazes at you with awe. She smiles for the fact that you are the strongest person she ever knew. And maybe finally one day from this day onward, you’ll have the happy ending you’ve always wanted to have when you were still little kids. She just hopes you still believe in those.

“She looks so peaceful.” Jaebin whispers.

“That’s why I like it when she’s asleep.” Kyuhyun chuckles and messes your hair.

Maybe it was the car moving, or the angles from their views, but they both saw how the ends of your lips raise a little after it.

Someone shakes your shoulders that you slowly flutter your eyes open, yawning as you do so. You seem a little unfamiliar with the place and even the texture of the floor you’re lying on. It is after a couple of blinks that you realize you’re laying not on a floor but a ground of soft, green grass. It’s weird though, you don’t see anyone around you at all. You were pretty sure someone just shook you awake a while ago though.

You start to sit up straight and find yourself in the same place for the thousandth time now. Right in front of you is the glinting maple tree that’s standing sturdily on the center of the ground with cherry blossoms all around you. It’s odd that you can’t seem to see the boy in the vicinity of the tree. He’s usually always just there. It can’t be that you were brought up here, right?

You slowly stand up from the ground and saunter towards the tree. You walk around it thinking that the boy is probably on the other side of the tree but found no one there either. Suddenly, you hear a thud from behind; like someone falling from somewhere above.

“Were you looking for me?” He asks. You immediately turn around to see him.

Your eyes widen. “You’re here.” You mumble, an awkward smile forming on your lips from both relief and shock.

“Aw squishy. It’s been so long.” He smiles.

Your brows only crease. “Huh?” Clearly, you didn’t understand what he meant.

“Maybe you should wake up now.” He says with his lips still forming a smile. You’re lost. Doesn’t he want you around anymore?

“What do you mean?” You ask before it leaves you.

He grins. “You’ll understand it eventually.” He ruffles your hair and you soon feel yourself being shaken awake once again.

You feel your body being straightened up and you open your eyes almost instantly. Kyuhyun almost lets go of you from your sudden jolt. You observe your surrounding and realize that you’ve reached the mansion. Apparently, he’s holding you up for you to wake up and probably walk on your own towards the house.

“You’re awake.” Jaebin smiles at you. She’s beside you too.

“I think my head hurts from that sudden realization.” You touch your forehead with your palm. You remind yourself not to quickly wake up. You remember how it did you last time. You almost even fell from your bed because of the blurriness of your surrounding.

“Hurry up Jae Min! I’m getting hungry already.” Kyuhyun starts to walk first as he deems you fine on your own. You didn’t even realize it’s time for lunch now.

You walk alongside Jaebin with a long way to go when everyone else seems to already have entered your house. Both of you were just silent but it was a comfortable feeling. You’re happy you’re doing better with her; your mind and body slowly getting accustomed to her.

 She opens the door for you to enter as she follows after. As you walk inside, confettis are popped out as people start to surprise you as they shout out a welcome back phrase in chorus and so suddenly fills in the whole living room. A banner of a welcome back home appears hanging from the second floor where people are also at. So this is some kind of a surprise party. You admit that you didn’t expect something like this to happen at all.

When you’ve reached the middle of the living room, one by one, people start to hug you until you find yourself unable to breathe by their proximity. It’s like everyone’s reaching after one another as you’re being enveloped in a one, big group hug. You don’t realize you have this much people worrying about you until now. You’re very much appreciative about it though.

Everyone’s laughter and happiness fills your ears that you wish it to be like this forever. Of course though, that won’t be possible. But you still like to think so. You’re sure that this day would be one of the most memorable you’ll ever have. It even amazes you that you suddenly like all the attention thrown at you. You inwardly laugh at your own little inside joke.

“Okay, okay guys. I think it’s time to break away now. I can’t breathe!” You shout the loudest you can and almost quickly as a second everyone’s finally having enough space from each other to breathe on their own.

“I’ve missed you so much Jae Min!” Hana suddenly wraps her arms around you and people around laughs with you. She always has a thing with late reactions and such.

“Really Hana? I see you almost everyday in my hospital room.” You comment.

“Well… I miss being with you outside the hospital room?” She answers with a tone if uncertainty. A round of laughter once again rumbles the whole mansion.

After Hana’s little scene, people start to tell you their own touch of i-miss-yous and worries, even EXO. Sehun almost cried on your shoulder but it wasn’t really bothersome. You actually find it adorable, but Suho and D.O were fast enough to take him away from you before he could start pouring tears on your shirt. Kai and Luhan went to talk to you for a while before they focused their attention back to Hana. Unfortunately for them, Hana’s still indifferent about their feelings for you. You could only shake your head for that. Chanyeol and Baekhyun managed to joke around with you saying you a bunch of congratulations for getting out of the hospital as if it wasn’t possible. Those three will never seem to be serious on things. Xiumin and Lay had their short round of sermon on you but you’re too happy to put them to heart right now. Chen hugged you the tightest though. After all, among all the members of EXO, he is the one who worries the most. You let him. He’s the one you’re closest to after all. His quietness helped with it a lot, if someone would ask.

What leaves you dumbstrucked is when Kris walks up towards you from the corner he’s been at all along. You see, all this time, you thought he already left for Canada. He’s grinning at you with his gummy smile and you know he meant to do this all the while.

“You tricky bastard.” You push him hard on his shoulders but he doesn’t budge. He still keeps on smiling though.

“You’re calling me that now?” He raises a brow.

“Yes. Or would you rather I call you Mr. Li?” You laugh at the end of your sentence. He hates being called like that, apparently. Three years in business and he still hasn’t gotten used to it.

He only rolls eyes. What a he can be. “Anyway, welcome back.” He says and embraces you but lets you go as quickly as he held you.

“I really appreciate your presence Kris.” You smile. It’s supposed to mean nothing else but Tao’s face suddenly passes your mind that you didn’t even realize you sighed. Kris notices that of course.

“Don’t be like that now Jae Min. Everyone here’s happy for you. Don’t spoil it.” He points it out like you don’t even know it already.

“Yeah.” Half-heartedly, you answer.

“Besides, I’m sure he’ll show himself up soon enough.” He tries to cheer you up and messes your hair.

“I know.” You managed a smile and all too suddenly people are crowding out towards the dining area. You suppose, it is really time to eat lunch. You remember how Kyuhyun must be really hungry now and for a short while, it made you happy again.

The amount of food prepared on the table seems enough to last for three days. Though knowing the people around you – the boys of EXO – all of these will be gone before the night comes. Being friends with them, you knew how it’s so not nice to bring food to share. Most of the time, you end up eating nothing at all. They’re like people who haven’t eaten for days whenever you bring food cooked by your house chef. They’re so desperate yet adorable every time. Remembering such old memories make you laugh once again.

There are so many plates of food on the long table that you can’t even seem to recognize some of it at all. You really took the time to search for your favorite food and you’re the most happy when you managed to find it among the sea of dishes.

You ate and talked and soon it was time for all of them to leave. It was already 5 o’clock when they decided to anyway. You’re on the front door talking to Kris now. Everyone else left but he especially stayed for a longer while so he could talk to you alone.

“Hey.” He starts.

“Hey.” You don’t know why it suddenly seems awkward talking with him now. It’s not even new that you’re alone talking with him at all. It’s a bit uncanny.

“Why are we suddenly awkward now?” He asks laughing as he says it. You laugh it off too shrugging your shoulders in the process. Slowly, the laughter dies down and the atmosphere turns serious once again.

“When are you leaving?” You ask.

“Tonight. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay any longer.” He gives you a lopsided smile.

“I understand. You’ve been around here long enough, I guess.” You can’t even look at his eyes anymore. You’re afraid you might cry. You don’t really want to do that right now.

“Do you know when you’ll be back then?” You’re quite hesitant to even ask this actually. You fear his answer.

He sighs. “I’ll tell you when I do.” He messes the top of your hair again. It’s quiet after that. And he’s the first to break the silence. “I’ll really miss you.” His tone of voice is too gloomy that a tear manages to escape from your eyes.

“I’ll miss you so much too.” You answer, your voice already a bit wavering this time around.

He ducks his head so that it levels with your own. “Hey, don’t cry.” He says as he wipes your tear away but you only cry even more. He wraps his arms around you and you cry in his arms. He soothes your back and you realize how it’s been so long since he did this. Tao’s the one who does this to you ever since Kris left. Even though, your body’s still accustomed to Kris’ comforting. It’s the kind with a pure friendship feeling. It’s really different with Tao.

“I promise I’ll get in touch with you from time to time.” He speaks.

“Don’t promise, just do it.” You mutter. Your crying dissipates now.

He laughs and pulls away from you after sensing you’re okay. “I’m really doing it this time.” He even raises his hands for emphasis.

“Well you better be.” You scoff. And he ruffles your hair again.

He smiles his last one for the night. “Goodbye Jae Min.”

“I’ll see you soon too, Kris.” With that reply, he laughs for the last time tonight and walks to leave. You watch as his back turns small every step and disappears together with the setting sun. Soon as he’s gone a flash of blinding light appears and disappears and then a thunder grumbles from the sky. You look up and find dark, grey clouds slowly surging on the vicinity. It looks like it’s going to rain.

Before you walk back inside the house, you made sure that your eyes are free from the evidence that you had cried. You especially don’t want the people left behind to ask questions about it. Quite shockingly, everyone’s gathered up on your living room when you enter the house. You feel weird seeing this the first time. Maybe they’ve been doing this for a couple of months now even. You wouldn’t know. You don’t want to know. But still, you wonder how it would probably feel like sitting on one of the couches there with your family. Maybe someday you’ll know, but your mind is pretty clear on telling you not tonight. You’re just going to be on the sidelines right now. You’d rather watch than become a part of it for now. You feel happy though; that finally, your parents are happy.

Almost tiptoeing along the corridors, you do your best to climb up the stairs without garnering much attention from the happy family situated in the couches. You twist open your old bedroom door since you’ll be staying in for the night. You search for the lightswitch on the wall beside the door and the room lights up when you turn it on. You smile. It’s still as good as new. It’s been quite a while since you last stepped foot in this room. This held so many memories, even the forgotten ones.

You jump over your bed which is still as soft and fluffy as it used to be. You gaze over the small paintings hanging on your wall and the tiny things that make up your room. Your eyes darts to the little silver music box placed on a desk beside your bed, wherein a girl is spinning around under the rain. You casually stand up from your bed and walk towards it. You open it and softly touch the delicate curves of the music box. You let it play the song it always plays as the secret door creaks open but you don’t come in. You really just want to hear the song one more time.

After you made sure the song would continue playing on its own, you walk over towards the set of Polaroids hanging on a side of your wall. You genttly stare on each one of it that you don’t even realize someone coming in your room already. You are too engrossed on looking at the old photos, especially on the innocently-faced little girl with such heavy things carried on her shoulders. It is easily expressed in her eyes. You always wonder why.

“That’s you.” Someone speaks behind you. You almost jolt up from the sudden booming of the voice.

Your eyes are still fixed on that photo. “What do you mean?” You ask. It’s practically all of you here.

“The little girl staring right back at the camera, that’s you when we were still kids.” Jaebin answers with a tone of familiarity.

“Are you sure? Mom said it was a friend’s daughter…” You trail off. They lied.

“She probably told you that so you won’t have to remember.” She sighs. “I think that’s the only picture left after they put everything away.” You want to tell her how you actually found it in the attic but you don’t really want to talk about it right now.

“That explains it. I always wondered why I can’t seem to take my gaze away from this picture. But I look a bit different from the picture.” You look away from the photo and focus on Jaebin.

“Of course you would. We were practically five year olds then. You were really pretty even as a kid.” She smiles at the picture. She starts to walk back and sit on the edge of your bed. “Anyway, I came here to give you this. I thought you might want to read it. Who knows, maybe it will give you clues on who the boy is.” She opens your palm and rests on it an old paper envelope, still closed and untouched.

“Thank you.” You bow your head a little and hold the letter tightly.

“There’s no need to thank me. I’m obliged to give it back to you, remember?” She chuckles a bit and then she stands up. “I should go now… read it well.” She smiles one last time and closes the door behind her leaving you holding your breath. You don’t even realize you’ve been doing that until you finally ripped open the letter. You place yourself in a comfortable position on your bed and start to read the letter you wrote sixteen years ago.

You’re so eager to read it until the end to maybe finally have some peace of mind on who might possibly be the boy on the maple tree. Unfortunately, it didn’t help much. You didn’t write for whom the letter would be given to because frankly the beginning of it was just a scribbled Hello. One thing that really helped you though was the little postscript at the end. It read:

PS. Remember what we promised yesterday? That we’ll come back here every time it rains during the summer when we grow old enough to visit this place alone? I hope you won’t forget that. Please don’t forget that. Goodbye, for now. See you when it rains! :D

By the time you finish reading the long letter you wrote for the boy, you are soaked in tears. The pieces of paper holds in so many memories you’ve already forgotten. It makes you mad yet happy that at least now, you know what happened. You chuckle at your little PS though. It’s almost a miracle that it rains during summer. Maybe that’s why you never really met from the years before. You’re too focused on reading the last parts again that another thunder makes you jolt up from your bed. Soft pitter-patters are heard from the balcony of your room. It’s actually raining now.

Then it gets to you.

It’s summer… and it’s raining.

Faster than a lightning bolt, you rummage your closet with the first sweater you could grab ahold of and you run outside your room with the letter tighty clasped on your hand. Running down the flight of stairs, you seem to have caught everyone’s attention. You cannot be stopped on your tracks right now. Not when tonight might be the only time you’d actually see him.

You shout a quick I’ll-be-back-soon at them that you doubt they even understand. You open your garage and put it your helmet as you stuffed the letter in the pocket of your sweater. You only use your motorcycle for emergencies, and you’re very much certain that this one calls for it.

It’s a good thing that it’s raining; there isn’t any traffic at all. The downside there is that you’re drenched wet of rain by the time you actually reach the place where the lone maple tree is surrounded by cherry blossoms. You park your motorcycle too recklessly beside the road because you’re too in a hurry to know who the boy is.

You run towards the maple tree and even trudge around it hoping to see a figure but only the hard, slapping rain welcomes you. You feel as if the entire world’s disappointment is thrown at you then and there. You even chuckle bitterly at the fact that you let your emotions take you without even thinking or preparing yourself that he might not be here at all. Maybe because you had a lot of positive things that happened to you today that you got all too excited for this. Maybe he won’t come around. Maybe he can never even visit this place. But there’s that little hope still lingering around your soul. What if he will? Then maybe you just have to wait a little while longer tonight.

The hours tick by and soon you find all of you already dripping wet that hiding below the foliage of the tree deems useless. You slowly stand up and run around the little haven like a kid you used to be. Screw it if you get sick after this. All you want is to just dance under the rain like the sculpture in your music box. So you do.

You’re laughing and singing under the hard rain as you dance around that for a while you needed to stop to somehow breathe again. You can’t even remember the last time you played under the rain like this. You don’t even know if you actually did so. When you stopped, you face the maple tree with both awe and annoyance. You’re stunned when you suddenly heard some continuous clapping from behind. Holy .

You still don’t turn around though. You think you’re not ready yet. “Uhh… were you standing there for a long time now?” You ask, your voice almost quivering from the cold. It only hits you now because you had stopped moving around. You only hear him tune out an answer intending to be a yes though.

You remain speechless after he answers. You don’t know what to say anymore.

“You know, I’ve been coming around here once in a while but it was always just me. It’s actually the third time it rained during summer ever since sixteen years ago. Well, at least when I got back though. Those two times, I wasn’t able to come here. I was in doubt if someone would actually be here.” He almost shouts from where he stands because the rain seems to be getting harder. Another silence fills the place. The only thing you hear is the rain’s dropping noise.

You suddenly feel him just a step behind you. “Turn around.” He huskily says by your ear. That voice… It gives you the shivers. You’re still unmoving that he does the honor to turn you around to face him instead. Your eyes are closed though. He chuckles at the sight. “Open your eyes.”

Slowly, one by one, you do.

“Did you miss me?” He asks.

You smile the widest. “Everything adds up to you! I can’t believe-”

“Did you or did you not miss me?” He interrupts your talking. He’s cupping your face now.

To answer his question though, you raise your hands and pull him down by the neck until your lips touch and meet. You can sense all the longing the both of you have been feeling that slowly disintegrates through this soft, fervent kiss. It’s like magic all over again; that all your thoughts and worries leave your mind and all you can think of is how hot kissing under the rain actually feels like. The feelings grow stronger that the once still kiss is now moving yet unwavering. You pull him down closer as he wraps his arms around your waist tighter. It’s as if you’re deprived from food for weeks that you devour it once you’re given the chance to. You didn’t want to stop at all, but you had a lot to talk about and you are running out of breath. You both had to unwillingly break away.

He touches your foreheads together. “I missed you so damned much.” You grin as he whispers.

“I missed you a lot too.” And another round of hard kissing takes place.

When once again you run out of oxygen, you opt to just embrace him and take his warmth supply because you’re starting to shiver from the cold wind that gushes especially at your back. You’re just happy that he’s here.  You don’t exactly know what you would’ve done if it really was a different person. Nonetheless, maybe that little thought was also why you were so excited to be here in the first place.

You search for the letter in your sweater which is now ziplocked inside a plastic you found in the trunk of your motorcycle earlier. You didn’t really want this to get wet and unreadable after all. You hold it out for Tao to see.

“What’s this?” He asks as he studies it in his hands, still inside the plastic.

“Let’s just say I was supposed to give it to you sixteen years ago.” You smile as you look up at him.

“Wow… you kept it all this time?” His eyes are wide with amazement.

“Well… it wasn’t exactly me, but it was kept for you. You’ve got to read it! I mean, not now but in our house maybe?” You’re getting too excited you talk too much again.

He grins. “Okay then.” He keeps your hair off your face and he wraps his arms around you as he buries his head in the crook of your neck. He’s whispering sweet nothings that you feel ticklish with his breath constantly hitting your neck. He continuous on doing just that.

“What are you saying?” You ask. You really can’t understand what he’s talking about. The sound of the rain isn’t helping at all.

He removes his head from its previous position and levels his eyes with yours as he holds your jawline and the side of your neck this time. “I said,” he begins. “You know I love you right?”

“Of course!” You reply.

“And…” He trails off.

“And…” You copy him. What a tease you can be.

Knowing your little plan he lifts your feet off the ground with his hands on your waist and starts to spin you around. You just laugh all the while he’s doing this as you tightly hold on his shoulders. He doesn’t even stop until you had to beat him to it by slapping his shoulders.

You chuckle as he threatens you by calling you with your full name. “Okay, okay.” Your laugh is just endless.

“I love you.”

Once again, you pull him in for a chaste kiss. You remain just standing under the rain after that. A comfortable kind of silence devouring the whole place. The rain also starts to die down by then. You wonder what your family is thinking right now. Practically, you’re gone for more than three hours already. And then you remember what you really should be telling Tao the first time you’ll see each other again after you’ve been released from the hospital.

You hold his hand and squeeze on it tight. “I don’t blame you.” You look at him deep in the eyes, your voice filled with seriousness.

“I know.” He smiles and gladly clasps his hands with yours. You start to walk towards his car parked beside your motorcycle hand-in-hand. You’re going back home, and this time, there’s not a heavy feeling in your chest anymore.

I found him. The long wait is finally over.

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Hi guys. ^^
And yes, after a year, this story is finally finished! You really have no idea how happy I am right now.
I mean, this was my very first fanfic of EXO. ><
So, I thank all of you subscribers and upvoters of the story for continuing on subscribing on this even when I take so long to update, orz
Really, without you guys, especially the ones who comment a lot, I wouldn’t have been able to finish this at all.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the ending, and the whole story of it. Lmao!
And a question for you, because I really think it was getting obvious on some chapters…
Were you expecting Tao to be the boy on the maple tree? ^^
Hahaha, that’s the end of it guys. Thank you! <3