Chapter 42

ZiTao was all wet while standing still at there and staring at YunHo.

He now was shaking in cold and fear.

ZiTao was feelings cold with the rains and fear with the man in front of him.

YunHo : “Young Master Zhou, I’m asking you politely. Please, follow me.”

YunHo demanded.

ZiTao hesitated but he was also afraid this person might hurt him if he refused to obey his words. Without any choice left, ZiTao followed YunHo and get into the car. ZiTao was blushing right now; he felt embarrassed because he messes up YunHo’s car.

YunHo : “It’s okay. Don’t worry about the car. But you need to clean up first before you are going to meet Sir Kim or I will get scolded for bringing a poor wet panda to him.”

YunHo said with a smile but ZiTao couldn’t feel his friendliness.

With that YunHo drove ZiTao to the Kim's hotel where Mr Kim was waiting.

Kim’s Hotel

Walking inside to the five star hotel with the wet clothes, ZiTao was drawing all of attention from the workers to the customers although ZiTao was cover up by YunHo’s coat.

ZiTao take a good look at the hotel. This is just one of the hotels that the Kim’s owned or should he say JongIn's. Compared to this big hotel, ZiTao’s bakery shop was nothing. There was an organization chart on wall, of cause, JongIn’s name was on the top after his father. But what catches ZiTao’s eyes was KyungSoo’s name.

The name was next to JongIn’s.

Tears were starting to form in ZiTao’s cat-like eyes. The scene inside JongIn’s apartment was playing in his minds. Now he finally understands why JongIn would put KyungSoo first before him or maybe he was just JongIn’s play thing since the beginnings.

YunHo lead ZiTao to the suite room.

YunHo : “This is my room.”

ZiTao just standing there while he was wondering what could happen to him later.

YunHo : “Change into this.”

YunHo give ZiTao his own clothes to change and a towel for wipe his wet body.

YunHo : “The bathroom is over here.”

YunHo pointed the way while ZiTao just follow everything he was told to do.

YunHo : “Please be ready soon, Sir Kim is waiting for us.”

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ZiTao now wearing a loose shirt and pants since YunHo’s size was bigger than he is.

The panda was playing with his finger, feeling nerves with the air right now.

There is someone else in the room together with them.

Someone he hasn’t meet for these three years.

Mr Kim, JongIn’s father.

Mr Kim : “What happened to your forehead..?”

ZiTao : “A-Accident…”

YunHo : “Don’t worry, I already treats the injury, Sir Kim.”

Mr Kim staring at ZiTao before he speaks again.

Mr Kim : “You still beautiful as I remembered.”

ZiTao : “T-Thank you.”

ZiTao was blushing in deep red but he was nerves too.

Mr Kim : “Three years had passed...  Time flies so fast…”

ZiTao : “Yes…”

Mr Kim : “I will never apologize to JongIn for what I had done three years ago because I did what every father would do for their son.”

ZiTao just sat there and listening to Mr Kim while playing with his fingers.

Mr Kim : “JongIn never give up on you no matter what we do or say.”

Then ZiTao turns his vision to Mr Kim.

Mr Kim : “Soo always being together with JongIn since they were kids. I know that boy have a strong feeling to JongIn but my son just couldn’t accept it.”

JongIn “I don’t love him; I love Tao, only Tao. You can destroy me life if you want to but Soo is innocent, you will make Soo suffer for marrying someone who can’t love him more than just a brother.”

ZiTao : “They would be perfect couple…”

ZiTao said with a sad tone while remembering the scene he had saw just now.

Mr Kim : “They would be perfect couple by the appearance but they won’t be happy.”

ZiTao : “Why…”

Mr Kim : “Because there is no love in their relationship. For sure, Soo loves JongIn with all his heart but not JongIn. He could only love Soo as his brother.”

ZiTao : “JongIn will learn to love him…”

Mr Kim : “It’s been so long, JongIn never want to learn it not matter what happened, not even my late wife’s words could change his mind.”

“My late wife”

ZiTao frowned.

Mr Kim : “Karma always comes around. Mrs Kim and I always lie about being sick to distract JongIn away from you but the lie come with price.”

ZiTao : “What do you mean..?”

Mr Kim : “The day you broke up with JongIn, Mrs Kim collapsed.”

Mr Kim sighed.

Mr Kim : “JongIn wanted to chased you back but Mrs Kim fainted that moment. All of us rushes to the hospital and after took the blood test and all other test, the doctor's suspicions confirmed, my wife had brain cancer.”

ZiTao : “What?! How is he now..?”

Mr Kim : “He passed away two years ago.”

ZiTao : “I-I’m so sorry… I-I didn’t know…”

Mr Kim : “There is a reason why JongIn didn’t come for you these three years. After my wife found out he was suffering for brain cancer, he becomes hopeless; he give up on his life. JongIn and I were doing our best to keeps him moving forward. That’s also the reason why we move to America since my wife needs better medical treatment.”

JongIn : “Mother, Me and father will go with you, we will fight this together.”

JongIn said it with a smile but the father could see how painful JongIn was when he had to give up on ZiTao, his love to save his other love, his mother.

Mr Kim : “Soo, YongGuk and HimChan comes together with us. They had been supportive to JongIn, in his personal matter and careers, especially Soo. He helped JongIn a lot but only nothing to gain back. Mrs Kim feels bad for Soo so we decided to let them both engaged even if JongIn unwilling. It was our wish since they were young. After few months later, we planned everything and of cause, Soo was happy and accepted it but not JongIn.”

JongIn : “Why are you doing this to me..?”

Mrs Kim : “JongIn, I’m going to die soon… I just wanted to see my only son get marry with the right person… Was it too much for me, as a dying mother asked something from his only son..?”

JongIn : “I will give you anything, even my soul if that you ask for, mother… But this will never change my love for Tao…”

Mrs Kim : “JongIn, why can you love Soo just like you loved Tao..?”

JongIn : “Loves… I still love Tao…”

Mrs Kim : “JongIn, Soo is—”

JongIn : “Mother, can you love someone else except for father…?”

Now that ZiTao thought back, he did receive an invitation card when he was five months pregnant.

Mr Kim : “My wife and I finally understand JongIn’s feelings. Just like me, I could never love anyone else as much as I love my wife. His place was irreplaceable. No one can replace my wife’s place in my wife and inside JongIn’s heart there is only you, ZiTao.”

Mr Kim : “It’s okay… I’m here…”

Mrs Kim : “I’m not scare… I’m glad… You both are here with me…”

Mr Kim : “I’m so sorry… I did everything I could to save you