Tao rubbing his nose and putting back his big reading glasses, yeah he wears it sometimes to get the more serious look or just hiding his dark circles under his eyes he was born with and continue to type in his notebook while occasionally taking a peek from the book besides it. His phone vibrates and he took it from his bag front pocket and see the blinking screen showing text notification from his girlfriend’s nickname, and read it right away.

From: Ambi

[I wanna talk to you, are you in class, Taozi?]

Tao got up from his seat and walking to the corner side of the library so that he can call his girlfriend and not disturbing others and tapping on Amber’s name from the phonebook to call her.

“What’s wrong? I’m in the library, sorry for whispering, don’t want people to start throwing briquette-thick-like books to my face”

Amber’s laugh can be heard in the other side of the line “what are you doing there? Nerdy taozi is kinda cute though”

“Stop it, is that why you call me? Trying to tease me? I’m doing my homework here; I don’t want to study alone at the apartment”

“yeah right, you are just afraid that ghost might disturb you if you are alone in the apartment..”

“Stop it! I’ll wait for Sehun after he finishes his shift” Tao whines and realized that his voice rising for a little bit and shushing to himself

“haha, just kidding baby Taozi-ah! What I've been meaning to tell you is that I just got news for my internship and I should start to work on it immediately for my thesis, so I think I can’t visit you for couple of months, Taozi.. are you OK with that?”

“No problem, maybe I can visit you instead?”

“Of course, but where are you going to stay? It’s not like I give you a permission to go back in the middle of the night for a round-trip”

“Gosh, stop worrying about me! I’m a grown up man, Ambi.. okay?”

“haha, noo I don’t want you to turn into a grown-up boring man, I want my cute little Taozi.. anywho, I got to go now, I’m glad you are not mad or upset about this whole thing, I’ll contact you later, Taozi. Go back to your homework now, bye”

“Okay, bye”

Hanging up the telephone and immediately texting something on his mind that he can’t do it directly on the line

To: Ambi

[Have a good day, miss you *kiss]

Within a second his phone vibrates again and he immediately read the text message

From: Ambi

[Miss you too, Taozi *kiss]

Tao smiling widely and walking back to his seat but in the middle of his way, he heard a voice, he recognize the voice and stop his step while looking at the librarian desk, there standing someone who he really does not want to meet, well at least for now, Kris, talking to the librarian. Damn, what should I do? I’m still embarrassed from the last time we met. Tao suddenly take a huge steps to his seat, shut down his laptop in hurry and putting his books back to his bag, taking a peek at Kris’ figure and startled when he see Kris starting to walk towards him still looking and flipping the books pages that he hold in his hand, Tao start running away towards the opposite direction, tiptoeing his steps to the corner bookshelf to hide himself and facing his face to the pile of books that lining up perfectly neat.

Then a soft pokes landing on his shoulder making Tao gasp catching his own breath and turning his head to the left forty-five degrees and see that charming smiles once again. “Hi, Taozi!” Kris greets Tao again with his stupid charming smile showing his perfect teeth. Tao frowned in his mind.

“h..hi, Ge” Tao’s heart flutter faster like he is seeing a ghost right now but Kris continue to smile even chuckle when he see Tao’s face in front of him clearly “Wow, you look so hot in that glasses!”

Tao is too naïve to realized that it is a compliment for him “I try to look like I belong here, not that I care for being hot at all” He said and continue before Kris could say more “I..I’m going to see my lecturer now to ask some question regarding my subject tomorrow, b..bye, Ge” Tao said in hurry and ready to take a step before Kris grabs his wrist and hold it not too tight, not too loose either.

“ah, really? Too bad, I want to remind and ask you to fulfill your promise to me. What kind of question do you want to ask your lecturer, maybe I can help?”

Tao’s eyes widened with sudden question yet he does not even know what is Kris talking about “Pro..Promise? what are you talking about, Ge?”

“You don’t remember at all? Omo, that makes you cuter, Taozi! Now let’s go, I’ll treat you not-so-late-lunch” Kris smirk and grab Tao’s wrist one more time and dragging him without any further explanation while Tao can only keep his silences. They walk together side by side at the edge of the basketball corridor; people are looking right at them, whispering to each other. Tao took a glance and saw the girls are giggling looking at Kris, yeah he is so handsome today even with his casual outfit, white simple shirt and black tight jeans perfectly matched with his black and white mid-cut sneaker. Standing next to Kris makes Tao’s confidences shrunk to level-zero.

“Where are we going, Ge?” Tao stop walking and waiting for the older to turn his back patiently

“There’s a good Italian Resto just a couple blocks from here, I bet you never been there before, right? Come on!” Kris continue to walk and grabbing Tao’s wrist one more time, he surely like to grab people’s wrist and constraining them to do what he want to do, Tao whispering to himself.

They arrived at the Italian Resto with flowers pot hanging in both side of the door, there are lots of outdoor tables and it is crowded inside so Kris ask Tao if he is comfortable to sit outdoor and Tao simply nodded answering the question. They both seated near the flower fence in the left corner of the resto and seeing the menu already been put on the table and order the food.

“So, Taozi.. what kind of question do you want to ask your lecturer? I’m here to help” Kris sit in front of Tao and looking at him who are now begin to look even more flustered that make Kris chuckle.

“I am a bad liar, Ge, I’m just embarrassed to see you today, sorry” Tao surrender and put his both palm to cover his face. What he said is true, he can never lie to anyone without being discovered, but he is a hella of liar and denial to himself, without him realizing it.

Kris laughing so hard because of Tao’s innocence, damn, he is too cute to be true, he said to himself. “You are lying about that? That’s adorable, Taozi. I never suspected you’re for lying though, you are pretty good at this, hahaha”

Tao start rolling his eyes and sighed “I never knew such compliment exist, Ge. I just so embarrassed the last time we met. Umh, Wh..What are you doing today at the library, Ge? Still working on your thesis?”Tao’s trying to change the subject and it looks like Kris buying it.

“Yeah just borrowing some books and then I saw your figure tiptoeing to the corner bookshelf, I knew it was you, and I’m happy I was right” Kris continues to smile and looking at Tao in the eyes making Tao’s blush, what the..? Handsome guy in front of me making me blush? Yeah because he is a stranger and you are not comfortable with his stare, idiot. Tao’s thought.

They spent 1 hour eating their late-lunch since it is already passed 3PM, in awkward silences and Tao is the one who breaks it, “I’m going back to campus, Ge. My roommate already finished his tutor class and ready to go back to apartment, I’ll treat you, this means that I paid my debt, right?” Tao trying to smile and failed because Kris is now looking at him seriously

“No, I’ll treat you this time”

“What is that really matter who pays for this late-lunch anyway, Ge?”

“Of course it makes a huge difference, if you treat me today, I don’t have any reason to see you again” Kris genuine smile appear on Kris’ face and Tao’s heart flabbergasted hearing those sentences from his acquaintance, he thought. Not a stranger, not a friend, just an acquaintance.

“You.. You are so funny, Ge” Tao bound himself to speak and getting up grabbing his bag and put it on his shoulder “Thank you very much for the lunch, Ge, see you, maybe next time” Tao bowed to Kris without looking at Kris face and start running and never look back. Ok, I should find another place to do my homework starting from today, Tao’s thinking to himself.