Found
Broken Puppet
It had been a week since their last encounter. That one English class with Tao was absolutely not enough for Kris. He feels discouraged after every one of those catch up classes, always wanting to talk to Tao but never having the courage. Kris is scared. He is actually scared of Tao. Well, not directly scared of him, more scared of the idea that Tao has forgotten him. Kris has become so sure of himself that if he talks to Tao, he'd end up more upset than before. But Tao is somewhat of Kris' fascination and addiction. All of his childhood memories were with this one boy, yet, here they are so far away.
Kris realizes that he better start focusing on those English classes or else he's going to get kicked out. Then where would he be without being able to even see Tao?
Lunchtime comes around and everyone is making a beeline to the caféteria. Everyone except for Kris who is finding it harder and harder to be enthusiastic about anything. He strolls down the hallway, and gracefully moves his shoulders to pass through the crowd. Nothing seems to block his path, almost as if there was a narrow path for him to walk down.
Kris make it to the caféteria in one piece. He has his famous -face on for no apparent reason at all. And though he's tough to be around when he's so moody like this, his friends continue being supportive and try to cheer him up the best they can. It hardly ever works but Kris notes the effort, and it consoles him after he feels more or less rejected because Tao forgot his gege.
The sight Kris walks in on when he arrives at his friend's table, stuns him into a mode of paralysis. He's a statue frozen to the ground, and when he finally comes to his senses and resumes hesitantly moving forward, he tries to remind himself that he's prepared for this.
All of Kris' closest friends had been edging towards talking to Tao. Though Tao gave them the same reaction he gave Kris, the boys worked on it and eventually Tao became a little more comfortable with talking to them.
Kris inwardly fumes in jealousy and envy. How he wishes he could talk to Tao without being cowardly. It hurt him so much when Tao didn't recognize him. Kris let out a quiet sigh, why couldn't he just try to become friends again?
"Oh, hey, it's Kris!" Chen spots him first and motions him over. "Have you met Tao?"
Kris trudged towards them at a snail's pace and out of habit, rubs his neck.
"Uh-"
"I think we have once." Tao interrupts him quietly. And although the rest of the group couldn't hear him over the loud noises in the caféteria, Kris could hear his voice as if it were glass.
Luhan is the first to sit down, he pats on the spot next to him and motions for Tao to sit beside him. Tao glances at the seat and hesitantly sits down.
Kris growls quietly as a scowl plasters his face. He sits down on the opposite bench and looks away. Though he's fuming because Tao and Luhan are sitting together, he's also rather forlorn. How's Kris meant to act now? As if he never knew Tao? Is he meant to be friendly and cheerful and forget everything about his childhood where Tao is planted right in the middle of it? Kris frowned and crossed his arms.
"So what classes are you taking?" Yixing pipes up and leans forward on the table to ask Tao.
"Probably the same as you guys." Tao answers. He doesn't mind this group of people. They all seem fairly nice to him and they don't pry too much into personal matters. This is the one day in a week where his lunchtime doesn't correspond to his usual friends' lunch timetable. Usually Tao would sit alone in peace and eat contently until the bell rang, but this time he was pulled by the arm and invited to sit down. It felt welcoming and warm. Tao felt like he could slowly open up. Then Tao realizes that it might be too dangerous, so he keeps them as friends for now and nothing closer than that.
"I don't have you in any of my classes." Xiumin pouts.
"Neither." The rest of them besides Kris say.
Tao looks at Kris expectantly. He always notices the fluent English speaker sitting behind him during catch-up English classes. How he envied the boy for his fluency with the language, and even considered asking for help. But, now, looking at Kris' deadly scowl, Tao thought otherwise.
"What about you, Kris?" Luhan suddenly asks. Tao turns to face him, deciding not to say anything and keeping a straight face.
Kris' name always stuck to Tao, because his childhood best friend had the same name. Or nickname, he supposes. Sometimes Tao thinks that it's too much of a coincidence, but when he looks at the Kris now and compares it to the boy Tao knew then, they don't correlate whatsoever. This Kris is cold, sharp and constantly scowling. He seemed so serious. It's such a contrast to Tao's memories of the boy he remembers. Tao misses Kris gege a lot, he often wishes he could go back in time just so that he could be with his best friend again. But they were seperated long ago and Tao knows the odds of finding him again are not in his favor. He doesn't even want to think about it.
Comparing the both of them, Tao chalks it down that it's a mere coincidence that they have the same name.
"I have English catch-up sessions with him." Tao is unsure who Kris directed the statement to, but he's weirdly glad that Kris had even acknowledged him in class.
Tao blushes and runs his hand up and down his arm and looks down.
"Lucky!" Xiumin pouts. Tao doesn't dare to look up, too shy about the current situation.
Though Tao feels rather elated that he's found new friends, he knows he has to keep a bit of a distance. He doesn't want to get hurt like last time. He doesn't want to become even worse than he is now.
All too soon, the bell rings, signifying that lunch has ended. Xiumin and Chen groan.
"Great, we have the math teacher next." Chen and Xiumin give each other a helpless expression before waving goodbye to the rest of the gang and walking off to their lockers.
Tao excuses himself and waves goodbye. He thanks them for inviting him onto the table but quickly takes his leave. This is the best way for him not to get too attached. He's already made a decision he regrets today, but he tries to convince himself that going to Luhan's house with the rest of them would be a little bit of fun. There will be no bonding or anything of the sorts, and Tao will not get attached to any of them.
At least, that's what Tao wants to believe.
When Kris spies Tao walking away, he quickly rushes up to talk to Luhan.
"Hey, what's with the sudden interest in the kid?" Kris nods his head in the direction Tao fled off to. He decides to play it cool, act as if he doesn't care much when deep inside he has a burning desire to understand what his friends are thinking.
"We see him around and he looks kinda lonely, so we tried talking to him. Eventually he started talking to us too. He's a nice kid, so we like to invite him onto our table when we can." Lay answers instead of Luhan. But Luhan nods in agreement anyway.
"Why? It seems like you don't like him very much." Luhan glances at Kris innocently, but behind that cute exterior, Luhan is very suspicious about the suddenly caring Kris.
"I-I don't dislike him. I was just wondering." Kris rubs his neck again and looks away with a frown.
"Good, coz we're all going to my house on Thursday and he's invited." Luhan gives Kris a huge smile and walks away. Lay waves a small bye to Kris and follows Luhan to their next class.
Kris stands there, absolutely shocked. His emotions are so mixed at this point. Spending more time with him? Is that a good or a bad thing? Kris closed his eyes and prays that something could go right. He knows he wants to see more of Tao and maybe get his memory jogging. But at the same time, to endure Tao not remembering Kris is bringing torture to a whole new level. He decides that he won't even go. That will solve everything.
11 years earlier...
"Found you!" Kris jolts Tao on the shoulders. Tao crouches behind the couch with his arms curled around his knees and his head tucked near his chest. Kris knows the boy too well, he already knows all his hiding places.
"Kris gege!" Tao whines. "It's not fair that you always find me!" Tao pouts again and Kris chuckles. They both walk out from behind the couch and opt to sit on it instead.
"But Tao, I will always find you!" Kris gives Tao a warm smile. Tao, not understanding Kris' implications, crosses his arms and frowns.
"You know, if you're lost in a forest or you don't know where to go if you're sailing, I'll come find you." Kris ruffles Tao's hair and Tao squeezes his eyes shut.
"Are you sure, gege? The ocean is a pretty big place." Tao says uneasily. However, Kris assures Tao with all his confidence that he will always find Tao.
"I promise you, I'll always find you no matter what!" Kris puts his pinkie out and Tao stares at it. A big grin envelopes his face and he returns the promise.
"Okay, gege."
How could you break that promise to me?
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