Kris is pissing Yi Xing off.

 

This isn't the first time that he catches Kris looking at him with this indescribable look. Yi Xing can't even describe it. First, Kris looks stupid with slightly dropped jaw and in-a-trance like eyes. Second, his brow furrows in contemplation as his eyes seem to be in a land far, far away. And then when he realises that Yi Xing has caught him, the older guy would scrunch up his nose and turn away in disgust. No words would be exchanged in regards to what happened.

 

Yi Xing wants to ask why, but shame and humiliation has held him back. Does he even want to know? He is scared that what Kris'd tell him is going to hurt him.

 

Is it his dancing?

 

His singing?

 

The exhaustion has been getting on top of him, but he always puts his all during practice. And usually, if one of them has done something wrong, Kris would take them to talk privately regarding the matter. But Kris hasn't done anything like that to Yi Xing.

 

So, what is it?

 

It isn't until Lu Han also notices that Yi Xing can't take it anymore. He feels embarrased that Lu Han caught Kris making that expression when looking at him.

 

"What's with Kris?" Lu Han has asked. "Are you two having a fight or something?"

 

That's it.

 

When Lu Han, Jong Dae, and Xiu Min leave the M's dorm to K's to visit the EXO-K members and Tao is talking on the phone with his mother on the balcony, Yi Xing makes his way to Kris' room. He enters to find Kris dripping wet with only a piece of black towel covering his lower half. It doesn't bother Yi Xing since they're both guys, so he overlooks that and marches up to the leader with his mind made up.

 

Meanwhile, Kris looks shocked to find an angry-looking Yi Xing in his room. He looks somewhat panic as Yi Xing comes closer. He glowers and pushes Yi Xing aside when the younger guy has reached his side, "What the hell is your problem?" He walks away as he says, "I just got out of the shower."

 

Yi Xing frowns a this behaviour, beyond pissed already. Kris isn't seeing the more important matter here. "What the hell is your problem?" he retorts back, fists clenching to maintain his patience. He stomps his way closer to the elder and whirls him around, "Kris, look at me!"

 

Kris yanks his hand away and growls, "What is wrong with you?! Get out! I need to get dressed!"

 

"Did I do something wrong? I'm fed up already. If I've done something wrong, you should have told me! You're acting really weird!"

 

"Nothing! You've done nothing! I was just... tired okay!"

 

Not buying it, Yi Xing stands his ground and crosses his arms. Looking at Kris sternly, "You know, Lu Han also noticed that you've been looking at me in this weird way. It's like..." Yi Xing scrunches up his nose, "You're disgusted by me! You won't even look at me now! What is wrong, Kris? I know there's something! You can just tell me, you know, I won't mind."

 

There comes no respond from Kris; it's like he has lost his ability to form any words. In fact, the guy looks so stressed out to Yi Xing and the younger finds it abnormal. It's rare to see this side of Kris. The leader likes to keep his problem inside and bottles up his feelings. Worries grow as the silence continues. The tension around the room escalates, the only sound they hear is the car on the road and Tao speaking in Chinese outside.

 

At some point, Kris finally raises, overtowering Yi Xing. The latter would have felt intimidated if Kris hasn't looked away again.

 

"Don't worry about it! I'm sorry I've been acting weird! I won't do it again!"

 

Before he could turn away, Yi Xing steps over him and blocks him from going away. "I'm not leaving until you tell me what was wrong. Why can't you just tell me, Kris? You don't have to bottle in everything, you know. I know that you don't like to talk about your feelings, but you can always ask me to hang out with you or do something that would get your mind out of it."

 

"Can I kiss you?"

 

"Besides- What?!" Yi Xing wonders whether it's the wind or he actually has heard Kris asking about kissing because the older man is glaring at him coldly right now.

 

"I said, can I kiss you?"

 

Yi Xing is rendered speechless when the question is repeated and now, he has heard it correctly.

 

Kris is frowning with that thoughtful look again. "I don't know why, but recently I've had this feeling of wanting to kiss you."

 

When Yi Xing finally finds his voice again, he croaks, "Are you- You're not... Why?"

 

Kris shrugs indifferently. "I don't know. It was so sudden. There are times when you do something and the feeling would come."

 

"What do I usually do that triggers it?"

 

"It's not so much about what you do. I think. Your dimples. When it appears, the urge comes."

 

Yi Xing wonders whether Kris is trolling him. For all he knows, Kris is definitely not into guys. He is as straight as a ruler. And Yi Xing, himself, is too. He had a girlfriend back in China during trainee days, but let's not talk about that.

 

And Yi Xing has nothing against homouality. Which is probably why he doesn't feel disgust or anything as such at this moment.

 

"Are you joking? You're just trying to distract me, aren't you?"

 

All of a sudden, he realises that Kris is moving closer to him. His heartbeat accelerates against his ribcage, his whole body stiffening. He is unsure of Kris' motive, nor what he should do. But he doesn't need to. Because the next thing he knows, he feels softness on his lips. It's so gentle that his mind just goes blank and he doesn't remember who he is or where he is or what he is doing. He can also somewhat feel Kris' hand carressing his cheek, where his dimple is.

 

He doesn't know how long they stand there with their lips attached. The next thing he knows is the gasp that comes from the door. It breaks them apart in a fraction of a second and they see a horrified Tao standing by the door.

 

An awkward silence ensues as the three exchange glances.

 

"I did not see anything!" Tao screams and runs off, banging the door close.

 

A suffocating silence follows afterwards. Kris and Yi Xing lock gazes and Yi Xing does not miss the red colour that forms on the leader's cheeks. It's either the kiss or seeing an embarrassed Kris, Yi Xing feels warmth creeping up to his own cheeks.

 

"Put your towel on!" Yi Xing points to Kris' lower region that is reacting, most likely, to the earlier kiss and walks off exiting the room.

 

Yi Xing isn't sure of how to face Kris, and Tao, after this.