Chapter 17

Present Time

XiuMin doesn’t even want to understand the whole story. Is this some kind of dramatic story for television series? Is everything that he heard from HanGeng was some kind of heart breaking drama?

ZiTao was by someone who XiuMin called best friend.

ZiTao was pregnant.

ZiTao was forced to marry Kris, the one who him.

ZiTao was forced to leave the Zhou’s mansion by his parent.

ZiTao was tortured by the Wu’s and BaekHyun.

This is the life his baby brother been living on for these three years?

Without knowing he was crying until tears drops into his hand, XiuMin quietly wiped away his tears, not wanting others to see it while Chen already dissolved in tears.

After HanGeng finished the story, the others remind silent.

They were speechless.

XiuMin was there, yet XiuMin choose to leave. It may not XiuMin’s fault for what happen but he can’t help but feel guilty.  He did left ZiTao behind because for his own matter. If he stays in the first place maybe this won’t happen but now no one will ever know.

It was XiuMin who decided to go while Chen was still concerned about ZiTao.

In the end, they both agreed to leave.

XiuMin left when he promised he will never let ZiTao be alone.

Flashback

ZiTao’s ten years old birthday.

Today XiuMin was going to bring his baby brother to their family restaurant to celebrate ZiTao birthday together with Chen. XiuMin smile to himself, he was happy that finally he was old enough to bring his baby brother and celebrate his birthday together with beloved boyfriend.

It was a surprise for ZiTao.

But XiuMin’s smile drops when his mother wasn’t happy with his idea and tries to stop him.

Mrs Zhou : “Umin! How many times do I have told you? You can’t bring ZiTao to outside!”

XiuMin : “Why? He’s my brother. Why can't he be with me?”

Mrs Zhou : “Umin, listen to me, that boy is bad influence! You can’t be too close with him.”

XiuMin : “Mother, you don’t make any sense. I really don’t understand why you are doing this to Tao. You won’t even let him live with us in same roof.”

XiuMin was just fifteen years old at the moment and he didn’t understand why his mother hated ZiTao so much while his father was careless about his baby brother.

Mrs Zhou : “Because he just an adopted son! We don’t know what kind of person his mother was.”

XiuMin : “Well, all I know his mother must be beautiful since Tao was born with it.”

Mrs Zhou : “Umin!! Don’t you dare say those kinds of words again!”

XiuMin : “Mother, If you hated to have another son, why you adopted him in the first place?”

Mrs Zhou : “You think I want to?? I don’t have a choice!!”

XiuMin : “What you means you don’t have a choice?”

Mrs Zhou : “This is none of your business! Umin, please… I’m doing this for you… Just stay away from that boy.”

XiuMin : “I won’t! He is my brother! No matter what happen Tao is my only baby brother!!”

Mrs Zhou : “No! He is not your brother!!! He just some ’s son who seduced your father!!”

XiuMin : “What are you saying mother?!!”

XiuMin was shocked, he felt disgusted and ashamed with his parent behaviour.

Deep down inside, he did doubt about ZiTao’s true identity and now all of his questions were answered.

Mrs Zhou : “Umin… I…”

XiuMin : “So Tao wasn’t adopted? He was our blood? Is that what are you trying to say!!”

Mrs Zhou : “No!! He will never be our blood!! ZiTao is not our family!!!”

XiuMin : “Mother, like I said before. No matter what happen Tao is my only baby brother!!”

Mrs Zhou : “Umin!!!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

XiuMin : “TaoTao…”

ZiTao : “Emm..?”

The innocent panda was happily eating his birthday cake.

XiuMin : “TaoTao… Do you love Umin gege..?”

ZiTao : “TaoTao love Umin gege so much!! And Chen gege too”

ZiTao shows his most beautiful to his beloved bothers.

XiuMin : “TaoTao, always remember, Umin gege love you, no matter what happen or will happen, TaoTao always be Umin gege’s baby brother.”

XiuMin’s tears escaped from his eyes.

ZiTao : “Umin gege don’t cry… I will be a good boy…”

XiuMin hugged ZiTao tightly in his arm. The ten years old panda was clueless about his past and he didn’t even understand why he always being treats in the different way by their parent. But not XiuMin, not anymore, he finally understands the reason why.

XiuMin : “I will always be with you, TaoTao… I will never leave you... Never...”

Chen rubbed his boyfriend’s back to comfort him. He too, was shocked about everything XiuMin had told him.

The impulsion to protect ZiTao is growing stronger inside XiuMin and Chen’s heart.

Flashback End

Chen : “What are we going to do now?”