The wind chimes rang as the wind breezed its’ way in through a certain bakery down Seoul. Out behind a counter sat a bespectacled man, his gaze lost in the foggy window panes of the bakery. He was neither awake in reality nor in dreamland. In fact, he was just lost.

All his eyes could do were to follow the movements of another man down the street. Yes, he could see him clearly but that was all thanks to his spectacles. He definitely didn’t need them but putting them on gave him comfort. It allowed him to see clearly and Kris definitely wanted to see the other man in plain sight.

A frown escaped his lips unknowingly as he was left to ponder on his own.

What do I lack that Tao needs?

Ever since the opening of Roses&Tulips a week ago, Kris had been certain that Tao was his soulmate. Never in his 24 years had his heart burst with such unexplainable emotions that he himself can’t fathom. The first time he had set his eyes on the younger man, Kris managed an awkward hello with the help of his stuttering inner self.

He saw how Tao had raised his eyebrows either in contempt or confusion but the man was polite enough to give a quick nod in his direction.

The following days however went horridly as Tao would only give a quick glance towards his direction when he arrived and yet when Kris had left to managed his own bakery, Tao would seemingly be happier.

It infuriated the older man to even think that the new guy was in fact uncomfortable with him.

Him, The Kris that everyone got along with. Him, The Kris that had women swooning and the men in envy. Him, The Kris that was, if he’s allowed to say it from his own mouth, the bomb.

So why was Tao just… awkward?

The wind chimes sounded again but this time, it snapped the bespectacled man back into reality. With a sudden deep breath, the man made a rash decision as he crossed the road swiftly; his mind focusing on one thought and one thought only.

I have to ask him why he’s like that.

The door opened, startling a young man who rolled his eyes upon seeing his new company.

“Heya!” Kris swore he sounded stupid as he clumsily placed his elbows on the counter. “Looks like it’s gonna rain, huh?”

The latter stared straight into his eyes before looking away in disregard, leaving Kris speechless and in awkwardness.

“Good business today!” He eyed the shop. “It looks like your flowers are really well loved!”

Again, Tao said nothing as he continued reading the book that was in his hands. Upon coming closer, Kris realised that the man was reading a Sidney Sheldon novel, something Kris himself loved.

“Hey!” He started again. “You’re reading Sidney Sheldon! I love his works!”

“And I love my personal space.” Tao spoke after a long time. “Nice to know you love my space as well.”

“I’m sorry!” W-What- “I really didn’t mean to intrude!”

“Well you did.”

“I… I’m sorry.”

It was as if nothing happened as Tao continued reading the book, leaving Kris to be sure that Tao wasn’t awkward with him; he just didn’t like him very much. It was strange for him to be acting that way for as long as Kris could remember, the man hadn’t once made an effort to be an towards the other.

“I’m really sorry Tao.” Kris muttered his apology again. “I… I’ll take my leave now.”

“Wait.”

The man turned around, hoping that Tao would have realised that he was being a jerk to him but at last, hope turned out to be quite the annoyance.

“How do you know my name?”

“P-Pardon?”

“How do you know my name?” Tao enunciated his words slowly and deliberately, his tone mocking the other.

“That’s what the others call you.” Kris answered smoothly but truth was, he was just taken aback at how rude this man could be. “I thought…”

“Well you thought wrong. I don’t like being called Tao.”

“But the others…”

“The others are my friends. I don’t think I allowed you to call me by my nickname. Please, call me Zitao.”

This man isn’t a jerk, he’s an obnoxious abomination!

“I’m sorry then, Zitao.” Kris growled through his gritted teeth. “I should have known better. I’ll take my leave now.”

Yes, you should take your leave now while you still can, Tao thought sadly but Kris would never hear those solemn thoughts, unfortunately for him.

--

That night, Kris had lay in his own bed, left alone in his own cluttered mind. Hearing him sighing through the night had his roommate up and awake; displeased that the man was making so much noise when he needed to sleep.

“Kris.” Xiumin called out to his friend but not once did he turn to face him. “Kris!”

“W-What? Did you say something?” He turned flustered as he sat up straight immediately. “I’ll wash the toilet tomorrow?”

“Stupid. I didn’t even ask you to do anything!”

“Then what?” Kris grumbled.

“Why do you keep sighing all the time? It’s annoying.”

“I sighed?” This was definitely news. “Since when?”

“Let me see. Since you came to bed? What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing man.” He sighed again. “Nothing.”

“And I’m supposed to believe you.” Xiumin chuckled as he threw a pillow across. “Love problems?”

“Not exactly.” Kris deliberated if he should tell his friend before exclaiming excitedly. “You know that florist down the street? Tao?”

“What about him?”

“He’s… handsome.”

“Oh.” Xiumin raised his eyebrows seductively. “You have a crush on him.”

“I… I’m in love with him.”

“But you barely know him.”

“You know that feeling when you feel like you have an affinity with someone and you just can’t explain it?” Xiumin nodded his head as he let his friend speak. “I just feel that way towards him.”

“I see. And the problem is?”

“I think he hates me.”

Hearing those ridiculous words had the man clutch his stomach in laughter but upon noticing that the other wasn’t laughing, he stopped and contemplated seriously.

“He barely knows you. What makes you say such a thing?”

“He was rude to me today, you know.” Kris shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “And yet I can’t seem to stop thinking about him.”

“A masochist I see.”

The taller man rolled his eyes at the ual insinuation before lying down in his bed again. Sometimes he wondered if Xiumin ever took him seriously.

“Chill man.” Xiumin threw yet another pillow at his friend. “What are you thinking so hard for? Just ask the dude why he’s behaving like that to you. If you really want an answer, you got to be brave enough to ask a question.”

Xiumin had never been more right.

Kris knew that he needed to clarify his messed up thoughts with the new guy but then again, a part of him was in sheer reluctance to know that he’ll probably be treated with disregard once again.

He can’t accept that.

He can’t accept the harsh reality.

But he must.

--

The heavy rain poured endlessly but that didn’t stop a certain young man from travelling to the other side of the road. With him was a strawberry cake wrapped up in a box, his empty hand clutching tightly on the handle of his red umbrella.

The man made a dash into the shop before leaving his umbrella by the side.

This was it.

“Morning Zitao!” Kris greeted the younger man who ignored him completely. “I brought you a cake!”

“I didn’t order any cake.”

“O-Oh. No of course not! It’s a gift!”

“From you?” Tao uttered with such distaste in his voice. “Great to know.”

You can do it Kris. Don’t let him bring you down.

“Uh… It’s for yesterday! You know, for being rude and such. I thought that maybe this cake would help!”

Kris noticed how the man had scoffed before yawning in his direction.

“Just leave the cake there.” Tao pointed to a far corner. “I’ll take a look at it later.”

“O-Okay!” At least I’m going somewhere. “So… I wanted to ask-”

“Look. This doesn’t mean that I want to be friends with you.”

“I know!” Kris remarked a little too quickly. “I just wanted to ask you something! That is if you don’t mind?”

“What about it?”

“Well, I was wondering if I offended you in any way? I mean, no offence, but you don’t exactly make it easy for me to make friends with you.”

“And who said that I wanted to be friends with you?” Tao raised his voice a notch higher. “Didn’t I make it clear that I wanted nothing to do with you?!”

“I just wanted to be friendly.”

“Well I don’t.”

“What an .” Kris muttered under his breath but it was heard by the young man.

“What the hell did you say?”

Oops. Cats out of the bag.

“I said you’re an .” He repeated himself daringly. “You. Are. An. .”

“Then why the hell do you want to be friends with me for?!” This time, Tao had stormed over to the taller man; glaring right through his eyes.

“Because I think I like you.”

“You can’t like me!”

“Why? Why can’t I? Why can’t I be nice to you? Why can’t you be nice to me?”

“Because I don’t like you.” Tao spat his words with disgust. “Everything about you… I hate it with all my guts.”

“But I like you.” Kris insisted.

Tao knew that Kris was deliberately trying to be annoying. He knew that the man would want him to be ruffled up so bad that he would say sorry and then be friends with him.

It was a psychological warfare.

But Tao wouldn’t let that happen.

Not after all his effort.

Grudgingly, he walked over to the box that Kris had left earlier and opened it up, revealing a cake hand made by the man himself.

Strawberries. How romantic.

“You messed with the wrong person buddy.” A smirked escaped him. “Too bad for you.”

It took Kris a moment before he realised what was happening.

He wouldn’t, but yet he did.

The cake that he had baked with so much care and sincerity; threw up in the air like cotton floss before lunging down to the floor like raindrops and it happened so effortlessly.

“Oops?” Tao snickered at the lost young man. “Guess I should have been more careful.”

“What the hell is your problem?” It was Tao’s turn to be lost.

It always played in his mind that Kris would have backed off with perhaps a drop in esteem but never had it occurred to him that the older man would tower over him angrily.

“I’m trying so hard to be nice to you but you’re like… like a whiny teenager.”

“I didn’t ask for you to be nice.”

“Fine!” Kris shouted a little too loudly this time. “I won’t be nice! Have it your way!”

Before Tao could react, the older one was already on the floor with tissue in his hands; cleaning the mess that he had made just seconds before.

“Cleaning the mess is being nice.” Tao tried to put forth his mean persona again. “You should just leave.”

“I’m not cleaning for you.” Kris took his glasses off before giving a piercing stare to the florist. “I’m cleaning this as a reminder of what an ungrateful of a human being you are.”

Tao could only keep mum as he watched the other clean furiously. Could it be that perhaps he was a little too hard on the guy?

But it’s all in good cause.

“Goodbye, Zitao.” Kris left without looking back. “I sincerely hope you find someone who can tolerate you.”

He’s leaving… Kris is finally leaving.

The man gave a small smile, knowing that he had fulfilled his own selfish wish.

But why do I feel so empty?

He knew of the answer but the man in him pushed the thought away; forcing that thin line of desperation to leave forever. Too bad for him, his conscience got to him first; drowning him in his own misery that he had put himself in.

It’s because you too, have fall in love with him.

--

When Kris had come to work the next day, he noticed a red rose on his white counter; just lying there undisturbed.

He admitted that he was taken aback when he saw his new enemy standing sheepishly in a corner just looking at him.

“Hi.” Kris heard him speak and he had wanted to retort back if only the man didn’t continue. “I got you that rose.”

The fact that Tao had given him a rose itself seemed like a dream. As if disappointed in himself for rejoicing too quickly with the fact that Tao was being nice, the man gave a quiet sigh.

“Do you know?” Tao spoke again but Kris only kept silent. “A rose like that needs warmth and care of its’ owner. If left alone, a beautiful flower like that can wither.”

“I left a flower once to wither.” He continued awkwardly when Kris didn’t reply. “It eventually died.”

“I can see why.” The older one had tried to bring out his inner devil but to no avail.

“Wu Fan was the most beautiful flower I have ever set my eyes on.”

“You named your flowers?” Kris questioned too enthusiastically for his own liking.

“Wu Fan was not a flower.” Tao blushed a little. “He was my love.”

“Oh.”

“We fought a lot. He always wanted me to move to Korea but I refused. I loved where we lived. Life was more than sufficient.”

“It got worse and that one night, he never came back.” Kris noticed the sadness looming in the younger one’s eyes. “The call then came saying that he… moved on.”

“He died.” Kris spoke quietly on his own behalf but Tao nodded anyway.

“I was foolish.” Tao continued as he approached the taller one. “I never did realised that our fights had caused him to suffer emotionally. I was too selfish for my own good. I should have seen it coming.”

“H-How did he die?”

“Suicide.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” It finally dawned on Kris to why Tao was so cold. He just wanted to be left alone after all that had happened.

“Don’t be. I realise now that I have to cherish the beautiful memories that he left for me. I can’t stay in the ugly ones forever.”

“Wu Fan would have liked that.”

“Wu Fan would have liked you.”

“P-Pardon?”

The younger one said nothing as he brought out his wallet before showing Kris a small photograph of his love.

At first, Kris had been confused if he had saw it right but there it was; an exact replica of him staring straight into him.

“W-Wu F-Fan?” Kris questioned to which Tao nodded his head excitedly.

“He looks like you, doesn’t he? That was why I was a little… distant with you.”

“Little might have been an under estimation!” His words came out playful and Tao laughed, agreeing wholeheartedly.

“I didn’t know how to react when I first met you. I thought that Wu Fan, my Wu Fan had returned to me but I was so disappointed when I realised you weren’t him.”

“I see.”

“And it doesn’t help that you liked all the things he liked. Sidney Sheldon novels, strawberry cakes… I was baffled. He was my first love.”

“I’m sorry.” Kris whispered apologetically. “If I knew…”

“Don’t be. Really.” The latter gave a small laugh before eyeing mischievously. “So… about that strawberry cake.”

“What about it?”

“Can I… have it? I… want to be friends.”

“Just friends?” Kris teased and he saw how the man turned flustered before recomposing himself again.

“We should take one thing at a time.”

“If I let you have the cake, can I keep the flower?”

“S-Sure!”

Kris nodded his head knowingly before extending his right hand out, leaving Tao flustered and confused.

“Hi, my name is Kris. What’s yours?”

The latter grinned as he extended his hand to meet the others’ eagerly; knowing that this was Kris’s way of starting anew.

“I’m Zitao, but you can call me Tao.”

--

a/n thoughts and comments are welcome! ^^ Lots of Love! :D