"You look peachy. Everything went perfect?"

Tao smiles and nods at Ena sitting next to him. "Well, it's not as perfect as expected but we made up, which is awesome. And you. I'll need a lot of help from you!"

Ena raises an eyebrow and Tao grins happily, "I'm shifting to Photography next semester. Isn't that awesome? Kris is letting me do it!"

The Japanese chuckles at the back of his hand, "You really have that boy wrapped around your finger."

Tao rolls his eyes and scoffs loudly at the other boy, "He just really loves me, okay?"

"Alright, alright. No need to be defensive."

"I'm not defensive." Tao rolls his eyes again and smiles playfully at Ena. The Japanese grins and focuses on the board when their professor walks in again.

-----

"Ena not with you?" Baekhyun asks that lunch time when they find Tao alone in the cafeteria. Tao shakes his head but stays silent.

"Are you still ignoring me?" Kyungsoo scoffs and Tao stays quiet.

"Wow. Really? After all the hard work he had to endure with Kris when they were cooking your... Oh. Right. You never got to taste that." Baekhyun teases Tao but the younger glares at him, "We're both okay now, thank you very much." He announces and Baekhyun laughs.

"That was really douche-y." Kyungsoo comments, ignoring Tao's existence in retort, he turns to Baekhyun beside him and continues, "Marinating that steak is a pain, and getting it medium rare is an even chaotic experience. Don't get me started on those mashed potatoes. Who burns boiling potatoes?! That's right, inexperienced Kris Wu."

Tao turns quiet but his breathing becomes heavy, Baekhyun observes his bestfriend and Kyungsoo keeps on talking as if Tao isn't just sitting across him, "And guess what happens? The one he cooked for completely forgot it's their anniversary. If Jongin forgot when we started dating, we're over."

Tao bites his lower lip, "I'm right here."

Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow and faces Tao, "I know. And I wanted you to hear."

"We're already okay. Why are you still trying to make me feel bad?"

"You have no idea how wasted Kris was the next day!" Kyungsoo half-yells and Baekhyun nods next to him. "Jongin called me and told him that your boyfriend showed up in his doorstep at 7 in the morning with cans after cans of beers."

"And bottles and bottles of vodka." Baekhyun adds. Kyungsoo is about to continue when Yixing and Jongdae arrives to join them, "I'm still hungover. God damn it Zitao, how could you forget your ing anniversary?" Jongdae starts as he sits next to Tao, Yixing settles on the young Chinese's other side, "I had to drop my homework because Chanyeol sounded so desperate on the other line." Yixing tells him.

"You were there too?" Tao asks nervously, Baekhyun nods. He scoots closer to Kyungsoo when his boyfriend arrives with Kai. "God damn, Zitao. Did you tell Kris never to drink because he seemed to have been saving himself from alcohol for years?"

"Unacceptable." Sehun adds when he and Luhan takes the remaining space of the table. Tao looks at all of his friends, he knows they no longer have similar schedules during Mondays for lunch and he knows something is going on.

"Whatever it is you're planning, I just want to tell all of you that Kris and I are okay. We're okay now."

"Are you really...?" Luhan asks and Tao nods, the oldest boy continues, "Kris... He was worried you're drifting away. He told us how you don't seem interested into talking to him, or in taking care of him any longer. He said he misses your food."

"So you were all there? He actually told everyone about my little mishap?!"

Sehun nods, "Yeah. Everyone's there. Even Joonmyun-hyung was skyping us."

"So... What now? You gonna gang up on me? After he practically went behind my back and told everyone?" Tao's lips tremble and before he can even stop it, he cries, "It's not like I just stopped caring for him. He's barely there!"

"You aren't also there when he's around." Kyungsoo calmly tells Tao and the others are quiet, "You're gone on the weekends that he tries to be home. You can't just blame everything entirely on Kris."

Tao quietly sobs, "Is it so bad that I want to know what I want? You encouraged me to take up Photography and I will."

Baekhyun sighs, "Yes, we did. I'm glad to know he's letting you, but Tao..."

"Look. Ena and I are nothing. We're just friends, and you all don't have to worry. Kris and I, we're not perfect and we're still not used to our set-up but we're gonna get there. Things will change." Tao glares at everyone, the silence breaks when Yixing speaks, "Tao, we're not even talking about Ena. But... half a year and you're still adjusting?"

"It's not easy."

"It's not, but... It's too long of an adjustment period, don't you think?" Luhan asks and everyone nods. "Tao, you obviously just gave up halfway." Jongdae tells the younger boy, "You just stopped trying, and Kris noticed it."

Tao shakes his head, "I did not!"

Kai shakes his head and reaches over to pat Tao's shoulder, "Tao, when was the last time the both of you had an actual dinner together?"

"How am I supposed to remember?"

Chanyeol tsks and speaks, "It shouldn't have been so hard to answer that question, Tao. Kris said you're always full when he's lucky enough to be home by dinner and yet you're still out. He waits for you so you'd eat together but you just watch him quietly when he ends up eating alone."

Tao sighs and wipes away his tears. Sehun clears his throat and adds, "We only heard Kris' side, just tell us yours. Tao, we're your friends and as bad or good as it sounds, all of us here are unfortunately invested in all of the relationships in this group."

"That's true. We just can't sit idly by if we already see something amiss." Baekhyun agrees, Tao sighs and looks at everyone. "I was out with Ena most of the time, I admit that. I'm having fun and he's helping me with the stuff that I need to learn about Photography but that's it."

"We're not gonna hinder you from being friends with him because we're not in the position to do that, but Tao, think of Kris. Think of why he's working too hard, you might be surprised." Baekhyun tells him with finality before standing and gathering his things for class.

Tao gets a whole lot of encouraging gestures before his friends start leaving one by one. He sighs and takes out his phone to call Kris.

'Hello?'

"Are you coming home early? I'm gonna cook dinner."

'You will? Sure. I'll be home by then.'

"See you."

'Yeah. I love you.'

"Love you." Tao tells him before hanging up. He ponders on and tries to remember if Kris really has been trying to come home earlier, but his memory fails him because most of what he remembers is of him coming home a little after 8 or 9 and Kris will be in the bedroom asleep already.

-----

Kris opens the apartment door to a familiar waft of homemade food. It makes him smile as he enters the place and removes his shoes.

"You're home." Tao greets him with a smile, and Kris returns the gesture, "Yeah. I'm luckily able to escape Jinki's clutches."

"Welcome home." Tao tiptoes and pecks Kris, "Go take a shower and dinner will be served soon."

"What's the occasion?" Kris asks and Tao shakes his head, "I'm being the perfect husband-to-be?"

"You're awesome." Kris leans down to kiss Tao and the younger wraps his arms around the blond's neck, "Shower now...?"

"Not when you're being this sweet." Kris pulls Tao closer but the younger pushes himself away, "Me. Dinner. You. Shower."

"Do I stink?"

"Yeah." Tao grins, "Of corporate slavery."

The blond laughs and releases Tao, "Yeah. That I actually do."

Dinner is served when he steps out of the shower and Tao waits for him by the dining table. He gives Tao a quick peck on the lips before sitting across the younger male. The both of them are eating quietly and Kris breaks the silence, "This is nice."

"The food?" Tao quirks an eyebrow and Kris nods, "And everything else."

Tao smiles and nods contently. They finish dinner and Kris decides to clean the dishes while Tao showers. The blond is already on the bed when Tao joins him an hour later.

"Hey." Tao whispers as he sets his head on Kris' chest, interrupting the blond as he reads a book.

"Hi." Kris smiles and puts the book on the bedside table. He runs his fingers through the younger male's hair, "You okay?"

"I'm great." Tao leans up and smiles at Kris, "Hey, my break is coming up in two weeks and then I'll have 3 weeks off before the start of the new semester, you think I can visit you in the office?"

"You'll do that?"

Tao nods, "If you can't be here, I'll be there."

Kris leans down to kiss Tao, "I'd love that a lot. But this time of the year, we're always having meetings, and papers are piled up on my desk."

Tao smiles, "That's okay. I'd love to watch how you work."

"Alright." Kris kisses Tao again then turns off his lamp, "I love you."

"Love you."

-----

The week that follows is a blur for the two of them, what with Tao holed up inside the bedroom studying for his finals and Kris coming home late again due to an emergency change of plans with the campaign. They've barely spoken to each other again, but it's a little better since arguments and confrontations didn't occur. Then again, the space and distance is silently tearing them apart.

The exam week is even more gruelling. The stress of work and studies are almost at its peak level, a single mistake will tip the balance of the zen they have.

"Tao, what's for dinner?" Kris asks after he arrived around 9 in the evening that Thursday night. The younger grimaces and drops his pen rather angrily on the desk, "If there's nothing there, then there's nothing."

"I was asking you nicely!" Kris yells and Tao stands from where he's seated, "And I don't feel like being nice today! Leave me alone!"

Kris rolls his eyes and walks away but not without retorting back at Tao, "Stop kidding yourself. You're leaving your current major, why are you even studying?"

" you!" Tao yells and slams the door with all his might. It doesn't take too long before Kris is back in the bedroom enraged, "Say that again, Huang Zitao."

"I said you. Screw you." Tao kicks Kris' calf, the blond yelps but decides not to hit him back, because no matter his rage, he can never hurt Tao physically, "I'm stepping out of the apartment, Zitao. When I go back, I don't want to talk to you."

"What? You're gonna drink again? Then tell everyone how I'm a and how I make your life miserable lately?" Tao buries his face on his palms, "I'm too stressed out, and you're not helping. You've been a student too, why are you like this?!"

"That's the point! I've been a student too but it didn't give me the excuse to on you just because my finals were coming up!"

"Please leave. Do whatever you want. It's always my fault anyway."

Kris doesn't say anything and walks out of the apartment. He leans against the door and thinks for a moment how they both ended up like this. He knows it's partly his fault and he should be the more mature one in the relationship. They're engaged and they've been living together for almost a year now, and they've promised each other forever but Kris wonders if they can even do this. He stares at his ring finger where the silver band faintly glows under the dim lights of the corridor, he sighs and leaves the building.

Tao cries, exams be damned. He hates how he's been on the edge lately, and he blames the exams and Kris. Two weeks ago they were planning on him visiting his fiance in the office. Tao hates that it's his last day in university tomorrow after the exams and they can breathe easy but no, they had to fight. They had to fight. Tao chuckles bitterly as he cries, he realizes how they haven't fought in the past few days and at least they come back to the routine.

"Here."

Tao jerks and looks up to see Kris holding a cup of coffee for him, "I'm sorry, baby. Let's try this again."

Tao takes the cup then sets it on the desk before standing up and hugging Kris. Tao cries more openly as he cling on to the older much tighter, "I'm so sorry, too."

"Stop crying, okay? I'm gonna get my coffee from the kitchen and some pastries I bought. I'll tutor you tonight, alright?"

"But you have an early day tomorrow..."

"It doesn't matter. Let them deal with a cranky 'me'."

"Okay..." Tao releases from Kris and the blond leaves the room. The younger wipes his face and sets down on the table and he thinks about their routine. He wonders if they're really ready to get married in 2-3 years. Tao thinks that even if he does love Kris so much, their relationship is turning into a little game.

Ready? Go!

And just like that, without further instructions, Tao went with Kris.

He looks up when Kris reenters the room, all tall and still as handsome as ever with addition to the faint lines of stress that has taken residency on his face. Tao remembers feeling like he's gonna die if Kris leaves him, and he really can't picture his life without him. Kris smiles briefly at him as the blond takes a seat next to him and starts shuffling the pages of the books splayed on the desk.

Game Over. Restart?

Tao wonders how many tries he gets to reach his happy ending.

"Are you okay?" Kris interrupts his thoughts, and Tao purses his lips, "Kris, how many times are we gonna start over?"

Kris sighs and squeezes his hand, "As long as you're willing to restart with me."

Tao nods and turns to his book. Kris followsuit.

-----

For the three weeks that Tao is free, he's only able to visit three times before the older male is whisked away to a political congress held somewhere in Daejeon. It'll last a week and Tao is left is Seoul alone and bored.

"I can't take this anymore!!!!" He yells to nobody. He can't ask Baekhyun since he and Chanyeol went overseas, Sehun and Luhan went back home while Kai and Kyungsoo went to Busan. Yixing went to China and Jongdae is doing a part-time job working as a lounge singer at night and he's mostly asleep in the day. Tao doesn't bother thinking about Minseok and Joonmyun who may just be as busy as Kris as they work, not to mention Joonmyun is in Australia, too.

Tao is about to tear his hair out when his phone rings, "Hello?"

'Yo, Tao! Just got back from Japan!'

"Ena?" He confirms, since it's a different number and Ena is supposed to be in Japan until Friday. It's only Wednesday.

'Yup! Yoo's being an and kicked me out of his place. So yeah, vacation's cut short.'

"What did you do?"

'It wasn't my fault his bedroom door's not locked. So I thought he was watching but lo and behold, big brother's pounding his girlfriend like there's no tomorrow!'

"That's just too much information!"

'Is it? Haha. Sorry! So! You free today? I'm bored!'

"Yeah! I'm free! ! Please take me away!"

'Desperate much? Where's the fiance?'

"Off to some political congress in Daejeon."

'Hahaha! Alright. See you in 20.'

-----

"What are you doing out at night?" Jongdae asks Tao the next night when he finds the young Chinese male outside a convenience store 7 blocks from the university, "Kris with you?" Jongdae asks again and cranes his neck to see if the blond Chinese is inside.

"Nope!" Tao laughs and Jongdae raises an eyebrow, "Are you drunk?"

"Maybe?!"

"Tao, what the hell?" Jongdae takes his phone out and calls his boss to tell him an emergency came up. Thank god he's only a reliever for someone tonight if their main singer doesn't show up. "Come on, I'll take you home."

"Let go of me!" Tao giggles and pushes Jongdae lightly. The door to the convenience store opens and Ena pops out, "Your coffee."

"Heeeeh." Tao grins and grabs the drink. Jongdae glares at Ena, "Did you make him drink?"

"He insisted! I only obliged and besides, I've been meaning to get some drink lately, so yeah."

"Kris will skin you alive if he knew!"

"Pfft. Jongdae-hyung. Kris this, Kris that. He never makes me do anything fun when he's not with me. And he's not with me..." Tao slurs as he laughs and drinks his coffee at the same time. Jongdae shakes his head, "I'll take you home."

"Don't bother, man. I got this." Ena tells Jongdae but the latter stops him, "No, I got this. Have you been to their place?"

"No."

"Then, yes. I got this. Only friends of the couple goes there, you aren't Kris' friend."

Ena, with his alcohol-induced nerves retorts back with a raised brow and mocking tone, "Man, this Kris Wu sure is one hell of a guy to have every one of his friends look out to his boyfriend when he can't. Is he screwing you, too?"

Tao laughs so hard and half of his coffee spills from its unlidded cup. Jongdae clenches his fists and glares at Ena, "Go home."

Ena laughs it off and waves goodbye to Tao before turning away to walk back to his apartment. Jongdae drags Tao and they're barely 20 feet away from the convenience store when Jongdae hears a faint sniffle from the other.

"Are you gonna tell Kris?"

"I'm still thinking about it."

"Please don't. He's going to be so mad at me..."

Jongdae sighs and pulls Tao closer to him. Despite the height difference, Jongdae wraps a protective arm around the younger's shoulders, "So why did you do it?"

"I'm bored and I feel so alone..." Tao sobs, "I'm scared, hyung. I'm really scared."

Jongdae stops walking and faces Tao, "What's scaring you?"

Tao's breathing goes shorter and he cries harder, "I'm scared that I'm with Kris because it's the only thing I know... I'm scared we're just together because there's no other reason why we shouldn't be..."

"Tao..."

"I love him. I really do, but I don't know why I'm feeling this way... The only time we talk is when we fight. Hyung... I... I'm not happy."

Jongdae sighs and hugs Tao, "Why don't you tell him?"

"We're engaged... And I... I want to save it..."

The older hugs Tao tight before leading him back to the the younger's apartment, "I'm sure you do. You have to talk to Kris when he gets home instead of getting drunk just because you're lonely. That's a wrong way of dealing with this problem..."

Tao nods silently and walks along with Jongdae. When they make it to the apartment, Tao's eyes widen when the lights are on and he turns to Jongdae for help. The older smiles at him and whispers, "I got this." The shorter male reaches for a handkerchief and wipes away Tao's tears and pats his cheeks, "Deep breath and let me do the talking."

Tao nods before he turns the doorknob to find Kris watching TV on the couch, the blond turns to them with furrowed brows, "Where were you?"

"Sorry, man! I insisted!" Jongdae started before Tao can say anything. Kris raises an eyebrow, "You?"

"Yeah! I mean, everyone's busy and I'm not. Hey, I took him home safe and sound!"

Kris turns to Tao, "I was trying to call you."

"You were?" Tao rummages his bag and finds it off, "My battery's drained, I'm so sorry."

Kris takes a sniff and glares at Jongdae, "You made him drink."

"So sorry about that. I work as a part-time lounge singer and I invited him to come. Free drinks are the only thing I could offer while I was singing."

"Fine, fine." Kris walks over to Tao, "Freshen up or you'll have a bad hangover."

"Okay." Tao mumbles and heads to the bathroom. "Thanks for bringing him home."

"No problem." Jongdae gives a thumbs up, he sighs and puts his hand down, "Hey, man. Make him happy, okay?"

"Did he tell you anything...?"

"Yeah."

That moment Tao walks out of the bathroom, he stares at Jongdae with wide-eyes, "Hyung..."

"He said you at giving s." Jongdae teases and Kris immediately pushes him out of their apartment and slams the door to his face.

"Do I?" Kris turns to Tao and the younger chuckles, "You don't."

"I know I don't. Let's go to bed."

They're settled on the bed when Tao asks Kris how he's home a day earlier. "I covered for Jinki yesterday. He had to leave the congress to check on Kibum. Looks like he had a minor incident."

"Ahhh. I see, welcome home."

"Yeah. By the way, I wish you'd tell me if you go out. I may not reply immediately, but at least I know."

"Okay."

"And tell me the truth, without Jongdae covering for you."

"Kris..."

"I accept whatever excuse you made up tonight but this is the only time, alright?"

"I'm so sorry."

"Forgiven." Kris kisses Tao's nose and holds him close before going to sleep.

-----

Tao wakes up the next morning with a hangover, as expected but Kris is there to take care of him and it's okay because today is different and Kris is the love of his life and he's just being paranoid over the status of their relationship.

"Hey, baby." Kris puts a gentle hand on his cheek, Tao blinks rapidly to bring back the focus in his vision.

"Hmn?"

"I won't be at the office on Monday. I have to take care of something quite important. Your enrollment's in the morning, right? I can go with you."

"You'll do that?"

"Yes. We can go out tomorrow, too. Buy you a new camera and all the things you'll need for Photography."

Tao smiles happily, "We can?"

"Of course."

Tao sits up from the bed and hugs Kris, "Thank you..."

"Now get some rest, you're hungover."

Tao nods and lies back to bed, "It's almost 11, so I'm just getting something delivered, will that be alright?"

"Yes, of course..."

"I'll call you when the food arrives." Kris kisses Tao's cheek before leaving the room with his suitcase and laptop. The younger watches the blond leave and there's a huge lump in his throat whenever he thinks about how he's scared of losing what he and Kris has, and he doesn't want to be selfish and tell Kris he's unhappy if he knows he can still save this. Not when Kris is being like this, not when he's just being paranoid.

"Oh, Tao." Kris returns to their room and stops short when he finds Tao silently crying on the bed, "Hey, what's wrong...?" The blond walks up to Tao and sits on the bed, "Are you hurt somewhere...?"

Tao shakes his head and opens his arms, Kris gathers him in his arms and hugs him tight, "What's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing. I just... I love you." Tao whispers and Kris kisses the top of his head, "Tao..."

"Hmn?"

Kris pulls him closer against his chest, "Tell me when you're hurt. Talk to me whenever you can."

"I'm okay."

He's not completely okay.

Tao kisses Kris' neck, "I guess I just missed you so much."

"I'm all yours until Monday, my love."

Tao smiles and pushes himself so he can stare at Kris, "Phone and laptop?"

"You're kidnapping them?"

"Yup."

"Will you give me at least an hour to tell everyone that I'm not dead and I'm just gonna spend the whole weekend with the love of my life and they can't ever disturb me?"

"That you can do." Tao giggles and kisses Kris, "Timer starts now."

"Then I'm sorry I have to release you." Kris smiles at Tao and puts him back to bed before rushing out of the bedroom. Tao sighs and stares at the ring on his finger, "Love of my life, huh...?"

As promised, Kris' phone and laptop is taken away by Tao, and they spend the rest of the day on the couch watching movies they missed when they played in the theaters. Tao is lying on Kris on the couch as they watch the 3rd movie for the day when he notices the silence of his boyfriend. He leans his head up to find Kris fast asleep.

He stares at Kris, he wonders why moments like these have passed them by. He wonders how long this bliss will last and if they make it through Monday without fighting this time.

"Hey, Kris...?" Tao calls out softly. There's no response from the blond so Tao continues on, "I'm sorry that I can't tell you directly that there are moments when I'm not happy with what's going on in our lives... The only thing that makes me hold on is because I love you..." Tao sighs and leans his head against Kris' chest, "But is love always enough?"


--------------

Author's Notes: Oh. I've released it. And I'm pretty sure you know or at least get an idea where their relationship is heading. I would probably end this fic in 2-3 chapters more then I'll finish every EXO related fics I haven't finished and maybe leave the fandom for good, or not. Depends on what happens in the future.

Anyway, I've been in a slump and this was written while I was in it. Sorry if this is all word vomit or a complete mess of a chapter but I'm a mess in real life too. Forgive me.

Bye! Until the next chapter (whenever that may be)!!!