Chapter 4 – Memorable Memories

Tao

The sun is shining, the sky is a bright blue; it’s the perfect day to be looking for work; only it’s not. Baek isn’t having much luck. We’ve been going around for a couple of hours already and no one has even taking an interest to my cute new friend here. You’d think they’d at least give him a second look, I mean, look at him, but no; not a single glance. Even though no one is paying attention to him though, he’s still smiling. I admire the kid. He’s just walked out of the eleventh shop with his head down low, but he’d never admit it. Instead he approached me with a smile and gestured to move on. Before we could move on a spotted a small vender in a nearby park, and hunger struck me.

   ‘Hey kid.’ I stopped him by grabbing onto his forearm.

   ‘I am your hyung you ungrateful brat.’ He spat, joking.

   ‘Yeah yeah, I’m still taller than you.’ He mumbled something lowly which just made me laugh. ‘You’re too cute to be my hyung.’ I ruffled his brown silk hair. He huffed and squint his eyes looking up at me. ‘Anyway, there’s a park across the street; do you want to take a break and get something to eat?’

   ‘Now that I think about it, I’m a little hungry’

   ‘Now you’re talking. Let’s go.’

We stalked across the street and instantly hit up a food vendor nearby. I paid for both of us since Baek was short on cash and I couldn’t resist the pout he gave me when he insisted on paying himself.

   ‘Thank you.’ He huffed quietly.

   ‘I didn’t hear you.’ I did but I want him to say it louder.

   ‘Thank you, ungrateful brat.’ He said louder, much louder.

   ‘No need to get mad.’ I held both my hands up in the air in surrender.

   ‘You’re treating me as if I was younger than you…and like a girl’ he said the last part quieter, but I heard it loud and clear.

   ‘Sorry…it’s not my fault you look like a girl…’ I figured I’d play with him a little. ‘I mean, you have a petite little frame, beautiful fingers and I’d bet you look smashing in eyeliner. You’d be the hottest girl around, hehehe.’ That earned me a punch to my toned chest. It didn’t hurt me as much as it hurt him though. ‘Okay fine, don’t get your in a twist.’ I just about dodge the second blow. He crossed his leg over his other, and he wonders why I call him feminine, and ignored me while he ate his hotdog. I decided against attacking him one more time with words, he already looks like an angry pup, I wouldn’t want to see him turn into a wolf: he’ll bite my head off.

The time went by as we ate; he ignored my pouts and whines and stared up into the endless sky. He sighed before finally looking at me with wonder. Before I could ask what he was thinking he shook his head, as if shaking the thought off altogether. A minute passed as I stared at him, his head turning as my gaze burned through the skin of his soft pink cheek.

   ‘Were'nt you supposed to be going to work or something?’ he asked me suddenly.

   ‘Not work, not now.’ I answered, still staring at him.

   ‘Oh.’ He looked back down at his hands, beautiful fingers lacing together.

Another minute went by.

   ‘Volunteering.’ I finally answered his silent question.

   ‘What?’

   ‘I’ll be going off to do some volunteer work soon.’ I sighed.

   ‘Oh,’ he sounded interested this time. ‘What do you do?’

   ‘I teach kids Wushu: I volunteer for the man who taught me. He practically raised, so I thought, I’d give back to him, little by little.’

   ‘That’s awesome.’ The excitement died a little as his next question came. ‘But, what happened to your parents?’

His question surprised me a little, and he could probably feel the tension that just left my body.

   ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to…I mean…you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to…’ he stuttered.

   ‘No its fine. Not much to tell really. “Umma” and “appa” work’ (I’m not from around here…) ‘they work a lot, so I chose to do extra-curricular.’ I shrugged.

   ‘But why Wushu? Why not chose to play an instrument or something?’

   ‘Now that’s a more interesting story.’ I grinned. ‘Well, I guess it all started out…’

I was a little kid, around the age of eight. I didn’t know much, I was ignorant I guess. I liked to play around, mum and dad would be working, and sometimes they take me into their office building with them; especially when my nanny couldn’t work. I got bored easily though so I walked off, out of the office into the lobby. It was completely empty; it was dark, no light but the reflection of the moon on the glass walls of the room. I wasn’t scared though, as I said, I was ignorant. I had no idea of the troubles of the world – I didn’t know anything of crime and deviance in the city, none of the fights that happen outside of pubs, no muggings, even…nothing: I didn’t know any of it. I was always shielded. My nanny led me to believe that we live in a place of peace where everyone is nice to each other; we play nice and help each other. I figured out at that point that I was being told lies.

   ‘What made you realise?’

   ‘I was getting to that part’ I raised my eyebrow at him. He silenced again.

 I stood up against the windows, drawing on the condensation that covered the glass like blankets. I’d managed to clear a patch so I could see out into the streets. There was a dim light on one side; on the other side of me the light was broken, but there was enough light to catch my attention.

I stopped for a second just to capture my bearings.

   ‘Go on’

   ‘Give me a moment. This was a traumatizing moment for me.’ I dramatically threw my arms over my chest, hugging myself loosely.  

There they were; two men fighting with this small frail man. The two that were teaming against him were much bigger than him, looming over him like his biggest nightmare. He looked completely innocent, the man on the ground. He was being kicked and punched all over…and all I could do was…just stand there and watch in happen in front of my eyes. It’s silly me thinking I’d be able to help really, I mean, I was eight. What can an eight year old do…? I was weak, and small myself but I couldn’t help but blame myself for not doing anything…something that could have helped even in the slightest. I could have got one of the workers from the building, my mum or dad…a janitor even but I just stood there and watched, with tears blurring my vision.

   ‘Oh Tao-ah, I’m sorry.’ Baekhyun said, placing his delicate soft hand on my shoulders; snapping me out of the memory that made me who I am today. ‘It’s not your fault you know.’

   ‘I know.’

   ‘I mean, you were eight. As you said, what can eight year olds do?’

   ‘A lot apparently: the place I teach is for young children and they can all do what I couldn’t. But that’s the reason why I love teaching there. It’s so refreshing to see these kids try to do something that other eight years olds cant.’ I smiled at the thought of these kids being our future. Baekhyun’s expression softened and his eye-smile returned.

   ‘It’s funny,’ he started. ‘Doesn’t it seem like time’s repeating itself for you? Like you’re getting a second chance to help someone in need?’

   ‘I never thought of that.’ It’s true. I got the chance to save someone in need. ‘You were the lucky kid I got to save,’ I got him in a headlock and started to mess up his hair.

   ‘I’m still your hyung brat!’ he pushed me as hard as he could whilst holding a cute pout.

   ‘Whatever. Why couldn’t I have saved someone else’ I joked.

   ‘What, you wanted to be a hero to someone…say a girl, a pretty brunette in need of help.’ He started cooing. I just sat there awkwardly whilst he poked fun at me. Seeing my serious face, he stilled looking confused. ‘What, I was just kidding…you don’t need to go all serious on me dude…it’s not like I offended you or anything right?’

Silence…

   ‘Oh God I did didn’t I?’ he panicked. ‘I’m sorry…’ pause ‘wait, what did I do?’

   ‘No, no…it’s fine. Of course I would save a girl; I would save a girl over a guy any day… I just wouldn’t be looking to be there prince charming.’

   ‘Why? It’s possible the best way to pick up chicks.’   

   ‘Yeah, I know…but that’s only if you want to pick up chicks.’ Please pick up what I’m hinting at.

   ‘Oh I see.’ He smirks at me. ‘You have a girlfriend’

   ‘Not exactly…’ In both senses that he is neither a girl nor do I even know what we are; if anything.

   ‘So what then?’

   ‘Well, we’re in a stage where he visits and flirts and on the off chance does something sweet but other than that he hasn’t stated our relationship yet.’

   ‘He?!’

   ‘Please don’t look so surprised. I didn’t think you’d be one to judge’

   ‘I’m not. I’m just a little…surprised. I mean, we slept in the same bed…’

   ‘I did try to go to the living room’ I argued.

   ‘You didn’t even try anything on me’

   ‘Sorry…what?’ My turn to be confused.

   ‘Am I not pretty enough for you?’

   ‘I did say you’d be the hottest girl around’ we started laughing and it eased the tension that suddenly surrounded us.

   ‘All jokes aside, I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to sound homophobic. I promise, I’m very open minded and people should be allowed to date whoever they want… you know, as long as they’re not with someone else already…’ he grinned sheepishly at this last bit.

   ‘Don’t tell me you have…you know?’

   ‘No don’t worry; I’m not that kind of person. Though, I do enjoy a little conflict in romance novels now and again.’

   ‘Oh, so you’re one of those guys.’ I raised my eyebrows at him. ‘Wait; how do I say this without being insensitive?’ I pondered as he looked at me with interest. ‘Are you a s or man?’

   ‘Way to sound super sensitive.’ He rolled his eyes at me, but I could tell he was stifling a chuckle. ‘I’m a man myself. I’ve never thought of being with another guy though. It’s weird to me.’

   ‘Don’t get offended when I say this, but you look like you’d be gay. You’re pretty and sassy…totally gay material.’ I earned a slap from him and he got off the bench we’d been sitting on for this long already. ‘I told you not to get offended!’ I followed him. We walked around the park for a little while in silence; Baekhyun was giving me the silent treatment, which I guess was deserved. Straight men usually don’t like being identified as gay.

   ‘Baek, I’m sor’ I started only to be interrupted by him jumping round to face me.

   ‘Do I really look…gay?’ he looked horrified at the thought.

   ‘Honestly?’ I asked, and he nodded. ‘Yes. You look like you’d be the sub to every dom.’ A frown graced his face.

   ‘I don’t even know what that means.’   

   ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s not your fault you were born looking fabulous.’ I let my arms fly out in a dramatic manner, because I’m a diva too.

   ‘That’s not helping.’ He grunted.   

   ‘I’m not trying to.’ Another punch.

We rounded the park and made it back to where we had started. Our lunch break had lasted long enough and I’m sure Baekhyun has had enough of my teasing.

   ‘Hey, I have to go soon. You’ll be fine without me right? It’ll only be for two hours; I’m teaching two classes, but straight after do you want to meet here?

   ‘Yeah, I’ll be fine. I used to come here often before, remember. If you’re worried about me getting lost, don’t. I’m sure I’m manly enough to find myself some directions.’

   ‘Good to see you’re not like those men that don’t like asking for directions. I thought that was all men. Huh must be because you’re already so feminine.’ I cracked one last joke at him and he scowled at me though. ‘Jokes aside though, we can go shopping or something. Actually, I can show you around. I’m sure your dad didn’t show you everything’

   ‘Yeah, that’ll be nice.’

Okay, so they're not like really long or anything but i think it's a good length.

:/ oh well <3