CHAPTER 18

The following night I stood in front of my mirror, trying on different cloth for my date/not a date/of course it’s a date with henry. Actually, it’s not a date, oh what am I saying?

So what am I trying to say is, the invitation party of Suho hyung and Yixing ge finally arrived. It says that ‘bring your partner’ which I don’t have one. In other situations I would asked Kris, but not now. Not when everything was a mess.

Heck, having a decent conversation with him was difficult enough.

In end of the day, the only option I had was only Henry. I don’t mind though. With these whole project going on between us, our relationship getting better and better. We went on diner date couple of time, which one of them we had to got an encounter with Kris on the way downstairs. Seems like dejavu, isn’t it?

Henry comes in the middle of my gloomy days. Offering me something that could made me, at least smile. I was drowned in this whole situations between Kris and me. Like I said, having Hanry as company is a good thing.

But, it doesn’t mean we’re getting back together. No way!

I comb my hair messily with my hand, getting frustrated of what should I wearing tonight. It shouldn’t be a problem for me actually, but I don’t know. I’m a er for fashion, but remembering that Kris would be there to with someone only God knows who made me want to be perfect.

Besides, it not a formal wedding party. Its more like ‘lets get drunk and party until dawn’ party kind of thing. Nothing too formal and nothing to casual. me right?

I have thrown almost all of my collections out of my closet and had nothing to wear.

Okay, no. I finally have something cool to wear. I choose my black skinny ripped jeans along with high black shoes. As for the top, I choose a plain grey T-shirt inside my black leather jacket. And of course, I wear my ear piercing accessories.

Oh, I’m all black tonight.

I shrug it off and put a thin eyeliner along my panda eyes. Wait, did I just said panda?

I eyed my reflections in the mirror. I don’t look like someone who had a serous job at the office though. Feels like going back to my teenage days. Perfect.

“Oh, Boo! Am I cool?” I asked Boo who is pocking my legs with his paw.

He barked as if he said yes.

I actually cracked myself up. Boo was embarrassed for both of us and hid his nose behind his paw. I was still laughing when I heard the knock at the door. Checking myself for the last time and went for the door, Boo close behind.

I took a deep breath, and opened it. “Hey, Henry.”

“Tao, you look great,” he murmured, stepping inside and catching me into a hug.

As his arms went around me, I knew immediately. This was a date.

I hugged him back, enjoying the way my body still fit with his. We always were good at the hugging.

“You ready to go?”

“Yep, let me grab my bag.” I knelt to give Boo a quick kiss. He tossed his tail angrily in Henry’s direction and wouldn’t let me kiss him.

“What’s your problem?” I asked Boo, who turned and showed me his rear end.

“You know, that’s starting to become a very rude habit, Mr. Boo,” I warned him as I picked up my purse from the table. I stuck my tongue out at Boo, grabbed Henry, and locked the door behind us.

He chuckled a little, “He never liked me since day one you decided to adopt him.”

“Oh yeah, I remember that day clearly. He never let you touch him, even his tail.”

I take a glace to Kris’s apartment before we went down. I didn’t hear any sounds coming from his apartment. Oh, maybe he already went out.

“Is everything okay?” Henry asked me by tugging at my arms.

“No, everythings good. Lets go?”

~

The party already begun once we arrived. There were hundred of people her. Well, it was just my guessing. I don’t really know actually, but I can recognize many familiar faces, like my previous clients. Also, Henry’s colleagues also there.

All the guest had gathered around the newlywed couple. A smile formed in my face as I see how happy they are. I wanted to approached them as soon as I was there, but they were too busy to talk to their guests.

“Attentions please,”

Everybody attention was focused on them while the newlywed couple made an announcement, “Thank you guys to being here. As you guys know, today we would like to announce that we are officially married.” Yixing ge leans over to Suho hyung to plants a chaste kiss on his lips. All the guest cooed at the sweet moment before them.

“So, today we want to shared our happiness with all of you here. Please, enjoy the dish we’ve prepared for you. Let’s the Party begin!”

there was another round of clapping and I realized that the presentation had already ended. They were began to congratulate them right after Yixing ge speech.

The crowd started to disperse, and people started to went back to their drinks and conversations. The beat of the music played again and it was familiar. It was their favorite song. I heard that many times when I was with them.

When we was about to approach the drinks table, Yixing ge sees us and hurriedly came to us with Suho hyung on his arms.

“You guys made it!” he said.

“Congratulations, ge!” I gave him a warm hug, “How’s Netherlands? I haven’t got a chance to meet you since you guys come back, have I?”

“Yes, I was busy to catch up with my work. But you’ve been feed up with the stories from Suho, am I correct?”

I giggled in process, “Of course!”

Yixing ge leans to my ear and whisper, “I thought you’ll be here with Kris.”

I shook my head a little. To be honest, I don’t want to talk about this right know. I was just hoping that Suho hyung will tell him the real story between me dan him.

“Oh my God, babe, do you really have to ask him that?” Suho hyung interrupt. It seems that Henry doesn’t have a single clue of what we were talking about.

“Oh, Tao, I’m so glad you’re here. We have lots of sweets cake!”

“Really?”  my eyes lighten up a bit. Henry was preoccupied with something that Yixing was telling about.

It was a chance for Suho hyung to escorted me to where the cakes lies. We were talking about many things, probably because Suho hyung wanted to distract me from all the Kris’s thing. But it doesn’t help anything.

My hands were clenched and unclenched, as I tried to ease the tension from my body. I was feeling nervous and excited. The feeling that I’m gonna meet Kris here made me nervous. Even the cakes didn’t help me.

I shook my head, feeling a bit stupid to feel that way.

“There is someone I would you like to meet,” Henry says coming out from my behind.

“Uh? Oh, yeah, sure.” I smiled, gave him a tiny smile.

“I’m gonna go find Yixing.” Suho hyung says before added, “Enjoy the party.”

Then he leads me towards the crowd. That very moment, I could recognize that head of honey blonde everywhere.

His hands was linked with someone. I know him, Aaron. I was lost the moment my eyes and Kris’s met.

I missed that brown orbs. I missed those eyes to staring right back at me. My body was all burning under his eyes.

After a second, Kris turned his heads to his left, where Aaron stood, and he gave him the smile that I wanted for myself. It was quiet painful to witness. I had to look somewhere else.

But then what shock me the most that when we were actually approaching them.

It’s not Kris he wants to introduce, right?

I stood still by the time we were finally in front of them. I guess Kris was the same. His eyes widen in shock as am I.

What was happening?

“Good evening, Aaron.” Henry says

“Henry,” Aaron greeted back.

“Tao, this is Aaron. He was chosen to be the model for the advertising posters and all, for the Apartment project that you’ve been working. Also he is currently the brand ambassador of my friend clothing line. ”

“Oh, yes. How fast, you booked a model already.”

He chuckled, “And Aaron, this is Tao. My date for tonight and Uhh, my ex. You know, the one I’ve told you.”

“Tao? That Tao?” Aaron eyes widen in shock.

Wow, how close are they?

“Huh? Wait, have we met?” Aaron said. He was smaller than me so he had to slightly looked up. Its funny, really.

“Umm i—“

“Oh! I remember! Kris, he is your neighbor right? The one who his dog was chasing me?”

“Yes, it’s him.” Kris said for the first time. Eyes never leave my eyes. I can feel my face heated up.

“Hi, Kris.”

“Hi, Tao. You, uhh look great.”

“Thanks, and I’m sorry about my dog,” I said back to Aaron.

He giggled, “It’s okay. I wonder why he was chasing me.”  He made the cutest thinking face ever. Yep, he is cute.

I wonder why you don’t know..

“So you guys know each other?” Henry asked.

“Ah, not really. He just happen to be Kris’s ha—“ I stopped myself before I said harem. “I mean, Kris’s… boyfriend.”

I swear I almost choked on my saliva when I said boyfriend. There is something twist in my stomach. I know their relationship, I just made up a situation for Henry, but saying it out loud made my heart broken apart.

“And you are Tao’s neighbor, right? Kevin?” Henry asked.

Aaron giggled, “It’s Kris, you silly. You know him too?”

“No. We met when I was about to pick up Tao.”

Aaron lips suddenly tugged into a playful smile, “I smell something off right her. Are you guys getting back together?” his eyebrows wiggling.

“What?” Kris and I said unison.

Henry laughed loudly, “What do you think then?”

Oh, Jesus, please don’t..

“So?” Aaron asked, to me this time.

“I, uhh no. I don’t think so.”

“Aww, too bad.”

“By the way, you two make a cute couple.” Henry said.

“Yes, we are. Right, Kris?” he said as he cling onto Kris’s arm.

“Uhh, hm-mm,”

My heart suddenly clenched hard. Are they finally together or it was just an act? I need to get out of here.

“Oh, it’s Luhan hyung. I better go first okay? B-bye..”

Without waiting for Henry, I hurriedly went to the others. I cannot bear to be with them any longer. But I can feel Kris’s stare at the whole conversation we had. Even when he answer Aaron for the