Minseok moved in on a Wednesday, one of the days of the week that Tao had classes from bright and early (10am…that’s early don’t judge…) to 8pm. This was Minseok’s day off though so it was the best day for him. Tao promised to help him unpack to make up for not helping him move in boxes and furniture, so with heavy steps he trekked back to his apartment declining Jongin’s invitation to dinner despite wanting nothing more than to eat Kyungsoo’s spaghetti.

 

“I’m home~” Tao called brightly opening the front door. He giggled at how cheesy he sounded, choking on his laugh though when he looked up to see an unfamiliar face sitting on his couch.

 

Tao cocked his head in confusion before shuffling back to the front door. He flung it open, saw the big brass number 88 hanging there. It was definitely his door. He looked down to see his leopard print house slippers. It was definitely his front hallway, but not his roommate in the living room.

 

“Um, hello,” he greeted hesitantly.

 

“Uh, hi, you must be Tao, I’m Sehun,” the boy stood to bow in greeting looking just as awkward as Tao felt.

 

“Tao, are you home?” Minseok called from somewhere in the apartment. Tao heard a thud and some curses as Minseok slid into the room from somewhere down the hall carrying a giant pink pillow.

 

“Hi, sorry about this,” Minseok smiled, “this is my friend Sehun. He’s the one who found the flyer, I told you about him right? The one helping me move?”

 

Oh, now he remembered. Minseok mentioned having a friend do all the heavy lifting so Tao shouldn’t worry about him lifting things alone. Tao nodded brightly looking the other over only to be shocked by how hot he was.

 

Hot…?

 

“Oh, I remember you! You’re hot guy!” Tao gasped and slapped his hand over his mouth as he realized what he just said. “I mean that’s what my classmate kept calling you, I don’t think your hot…wait, I mean you are good looking but…Aish.”

 

Tao covered his face with his hands cursing in mandarin unable to face the other boys’ confused faces. Tao had been calling the man he ran into “hot guy” every time

Baekhyun brought him up. Which he did, every single time they talked, it was as if Baekhyun had nothing else to talk about with Tao. Or maybe he just didn’t want a repeat of the last time. “Ignore me,”

 

Minseok laughed, “I’m hungry. How about I order in? Is it okay if Sehun stays for dinner Tao, I sort of promised to feed him?”

 

Tao nodded quickly rushing towards his bedroom a hastily called “be right back, order whatever.”

 

Tao slipped into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face in hopes of cooling down his blush. “Okay Taozi, you need to pull yourself together. This is not a good idea at all. You just got your heart broken, and then stomped on. No matter how hot that guy is and how good it’ll feel to see Kris go crazy in jealousy seeing him on your arm, this isn’t you. You do not use guys to get back at s. It is unethical. It’s wrong!”

 

Tao shook himself and after taking calming meditation breaths returned to his guests…well roommate and guest. He sat down on the couch beside Minseok as he talked into the phone, his voice overly polite and higher pitched than usual. It was like he was trying to use aegyo on the delivery man to get a discount. Tao looked at Sehun with an eyebrow raised. The brunet smirked before leaning over the arm of the leather recliner (a gift from Suho’s parents like the majority of the furniture in his apartment).

 

“He does this with all strangers,” Sehun whispered. “You can’t tell him though because he gets all uptight and defensive about it, saying he’s no good at aegyo.”

 

Tao widened his eyes in disbelief, “not good at aegyo, he’s adorable though!”

 

“Last time I told him that I got beat with that pillow,” Sehun shrugged gesturing at the pink pillow his roommate was still clutching and a blush.

 

Tao nodded in understanding, it was probably embarrassing to get beat up by a short man with an adorable pink pillow. Minseok hung up the phone then with a cute “thank you~” and turned to them.

 

“I ordered Chinese, I hope that’s okay?”

 

Tao bit his lip to hold in a laugh, “Hyung, you do know I’m Chinese, right? I grew up eating Chinese food.”

 

Minseok blinked rapidly for a few seconds, tilting his head and then gasping an “oh” as if he just realized the sky was blue.

 

“Tao…Huang Zitao…it’s Chinese,” he murmured to himself.

 

Tao didn’t even hide his giggle this time.

 

“Sorry Tao-ah, my high school had a lot of Chinese students! So hearing Chinese names doesn’t even register as strange anymore.”

 

“Yeah, it was crazy, there were more Chinese than Koreans!”

 

“That’s a lie Sehun,” Minseok rolled his eyes fondly.

 

“Humph, I’m not lying,” Sehun pouted causing Minseok to scoff, the rough action surprising Tao.

 

“You are such a baby; it’s obvious you’ve been spoiled way too much.”

 

“I am not a baby Hyung, if anyone is a baby it’s you with a face like that,” Sehun teased.

 

Tao sat back and watched them banter looking like lifelong friends. They reminded Tao of someone…kind of like him and Jongin.

 

A knock on the door came, and then another, and soon someone was pounding on the door insistently. Tao groaned. Minseok didn’t. He couldn’t have.

Tao went to answer the door in place of the slightly scared looking Minseok, a muffled voice being heard through the door as he got closer. Tao slammed his body into the door as it opened.

 

When did that get a key?

 

“Baby peach~” The voice called as Tao relented with a few curse words directed at the unwanted house guest. A big bag of takeout was thrown into his arms as a man pushed past him and into his apartment. “Just who was that adorable person who called, Hm? Have you been keeping cuties away from me?”

 

Tao groaned even louder as he tried to wrestle the man out of his apartment to no avail. The man was Luhan, his long-time friend and the heir of a famous Chinese restaurant chain.

 

“Luhan Ge, please go away, I don’t want you to scare off my roommate so soon,” Tao whined taking yet another bag of takeout from Luhan as the other flung it at him in his haste to put on his slippers (which he had bought specifically for Tao’s apartment).

 

“No way Tao,” Luhan smirked. “I need to see the owner of that adorable voice; I think I’ve fallen in love.”

 

Tao was used to this. Luhan had a thing for cute…well things. People, animals, you name it and its cute Luhan will want it. It was the reason he had ‘collected’ Tao according to the man himself.

 

Tao was too late to stop him though, weighed down by large takeout bags and Luhan’s speed was not a good combination.

 

“Helloooo cutie~” Tao heard Luhan call from the living room followed by yelps of surprise. “I’m Luhan and I’d like to call you mine.”

 

“Lu-Ge step away from my roommate and no one has to get hurt.” Tao put the bags down on the living room table and grabbed Luhan by the collar pulling him away from where he was bent over Minseok.

 

“Who the heck is he?” Sehun asked looking only mildly alarmed.

 

“This is Luhan; unfortunately he is a friend of mine.”

 

“Why is he here,” Sehun questioned. Tao ignored the rudeness of the question though, asking himself the same thing but in a different context. Why is Luhan here, here as in Tao’s life, as in existing at all?

 

“I wanted to see the face of the owner of that sweet voice and can I just say that face is giving me a toothache. Do think God knows he is missing one of his angels?”

Minseok looked very much more alarmed than Sehun, in fact he had shimmied himself onto the back of the couch in fright. Luhan looked like a rabid dog being barely held back by Tao, Minseok his kittenish prey stuck in a tree.

 

“His family owns the Chinese restaurant down the street, I suppose he decided to come for a visit, though I am pretty sure Hyung didn’t order Lo Mein with a side of crazy stalker,” Tao grit out as he threw Luhan onto the loveseat and sat on him.

 

“I may be crazy, but I assure you it’s only crazy in love,” Luhan swooned.

 

Sehun and Tao both fake gagged. Minseok blushed prettily. Luhan sighed like a teenage girl in love.

 

“Can we please just eat without you attacking Minseok Hyung?”

 

“Minseok? Is that my angel’s name?” Luhan asked, but stopped struggling and stayed in place as Tao stood up to grab some plates. Minseok blushed more heavily but nodded anyways.

 

Sehun glared at Luhan, “You are grossly cheesy.”

 

Luhan snapped his gaze to Sehun, “and you are?”

 

Sehun rolled his eyes helping Tao to put out plates and dish the food. It seemed like Luhan had thrown in some extra for himself.

 

“I’m a friend of Minseok Hyung’s,” Sehun replied chewing on his chopsticks distractedly trying to decide what to eat first.

 

“Friend?” Luhan emphasized.

 

Sehun groaned. “Yes, friend, as in we share a platonic relationship. He’s single and ready to ignore your creepy attempts, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

 

Tao snorted a laugh enjoying Sehun’s attitude. With the way he handled Luhan Tao saw a great friendship between he and the handsome boy.

 

“How uncouth,” Luhan mumbled. ‘Uncouth?’ Tao mumbled to himself, figuring it was one of Luhan’s Korean words of the day. They had an app for that, apparently.

“Minseok, dear, cutie pie, hunny bunny boo, if this boy is a bother with his rudeness I’d be glad to get rid of him for you~”

 

“Did you just rhyme?” Tao questioned Sehun the only one to respond.

 

“Uh…” Minseok mumbled caught in the wide eyed gaze of the Chinese man. He really was beautiful which made this all so much more confusing to Minseok, who couldn’t grasp the idea that someone was so blatantly flirting with him. “I’m okay; he’s not bothering me, uh, thank you though?”

 

“But you are Luhan, so shut up,” Tao smirked.

 

“Luhan Ge, Tao, GE,” Luhan corrected mumbling something about rude kids in mandarin around a mouthful of dumpling.

 

“So Sehun why don’t tell me about yourself?” Tao asked part curious and part trying to ignore Luhan.

 

With only a few minutes of awkward small talk Sehun and Tao finally found a rhythm in their conversation. Tao asking the boy as many questions as he could think of like he was going to be writing an exam on the tall Korean boy.

 

Sehun was a year younger than him and had no declared major, much like most people Tao knew including himself. He had a passion for dance though and even knew Jongin, “small world!” they had agreed. Tao had told Sehun all about his life back in China while Sehun had shared some stories about him and Minseok; they had played together as kids when Minseok moved onto Sehun’s street at age eight, the two also sharing a babysitter. Minseok was apparently so small that Sehun’s parents had mistaken him for younger than Sehun, Minseok calling the younger boy Hyung for a few weeks. Minseok’s parents found it hilarious but corrected the Oh’s eventually. Sehun was funny and snarky, a little cold looking but still so cute with his whining. He seemed comfortable enough with Tao whining and pouting at him but was stoic and rude with Luhan (“he’s okay,” Sehun had whispered, “but if he wants to be anything to my Hyung I have to test him first.”) Tao had giggled and agreed to helping Sehun push Luhan’s buttons.

 

Everything seemed so nice and Tao hadn’t laughed so hard in days.

 

Of course it wouldn’t last.

 

Tao had checked his phone when it buzzed with new notifications from Facebook. Tao opened it simply because it was rare for anything to be going on in Facebook for him, most of his friends were Chinese and on weibo or totally tech challenged (see; Kyungsoo). Upon opening the notification, a new photo, he was shocked into a noticeable silence.

 

Chanyeol had posted a pic of Kris and his new girlfriend dancing at a party with a caption about how wild his party was and people should hurry up and get there. Tao was one of many tagged names and Kris and Jessica weren’t the focus but the way they were dancing and making out was impossible to look away from. That was something Kris would never do with Tao, always ashamed of PDA.

 

“Hey, you okay?” Sehun asked looking over his shoulder at Tao’s phone. “Is that Jessica?”

 

Tao jolted at the question, “uh yeah you know her?”

 

Sehun nodded glaring at the phone, “Of course, she’s my cousin. Who is she kissing though,” he asked defensively looking like an overprotective brother.

 

‘Well,’ Tao thought, ‘this could be interesting.’

 

“Is that Kris?” Sehun murmured unable to instantly recognize Kris’ blonde hair and side profile like Tao so expertly could.

 

“y-yeah,” Tao stuttered.

 

“Ugh, I wish he wouldn’t put his hands on my cousin like that. In fact wish he wouldn’t even look at her,  something weird about him.” Sehun said stabbing at some leftover rice on his plate.

 

“Weird?” Tao asked.

 

“Hm,” Sehun said, “She’s liked him for ages but gave up when he didn’t return her advances, and all of a sudden he called her out of the blue and asked her out.”

 

Tao stared silently at Sehun. “You don’t know why he rejected her for so long?”

 

“Nope, he would never tell her, just said he was busy with school,”

 

Tao swallowed mouth feeling dry. He wanted to be sick, he had no idea. He knew Kris was attractive, but he had never said anything about someone actively pursuing him. Tao had told Kris when a person so much as smiled at him too long for fear of some kdrama-esque misunderstanding…he just thought everyone knew about them and backed off of Kris.

 

“He was dating someone, they just broke up.” Luhan blurted out.

 

“What really?” Sehun asked. “I didn’t know that, I mean was it serious? How long ago did they break up? Should I be worried?”

 

Tao winced at how worried Sehun sounded already; he was really protective of his cousin it seemed.

 

“Oh I’d worry alright,” Luhan replied. Tao glared at him, threatening him into silence.

 

“Do you guys know something I don’t? Seriously, if this guy’s bad news I have a right to know, this is my cousin we’re talking about.”

 

Tao sighed, “There’s nothing to worry about. Kris is a complete gentleman. A real big teddy bear, he’ll treat Jessica like gold.” Tao grit his teeth practically spitting it out.

 

“You would know right Tao?” Luhan asked moving out of the way of the empty egg roll box Tao threw at him.

 

“Shut up Luhan,” Tao hissed in mandarin.

 

“Tao…what do you know?” Sehun asked looking Tao dead in the eye.

 

Tao squirmed uncomfortably. Sure he hated Kris but he didn’t want to sabotage his relationship. It wasn’t for his sake, but for Jessica’s, if she really was ignorant of what happened between he and Kris then he didn’t want to break her heart. But when Sehun begged with such wide eyes and whiny pleas Tao couldn’t stop himself from blurting out, “We dated, okay? Kris and I dated for two years and he broke up with me two weeks ago saying he couldn’t deal with the shame of dating a guy okay?”

 

Sehun’s eyes widened in horror.

 

“That ,” Sehun whispered.

 

Tao grimaced making sure to send a glare at Luhan. “It….it’s not as bad as it sounds. Kris really is a great guy, he just has mommy issues. You have nothing to worry about when it comes to Jessica. I’m sure he’d love nothing more than to introduce such a pretty and smart girl to his mum.” Tao was bitter but could anyone blame him? Kris had moved on way too fast. It wasn’t fair.

 

“No, he’s clearly going through some , he shouldn’t even be dating anyone right now. He’s probably using Jessica as a rebound the .”

 

Tao winced. He wished it was just that. Though it probably wasn’t, Kris was the type to date seriously, he wouldn’t ever waste time with rebounds.

 

“You shouldn’t worry about it,” Tao defended Kris, always defending him but where was Kris to defend him? Where was Kris to care about Tao as much as the younger did for him. “I’m one hundred percent sure Jessica isn’t a rebound.”

 

Sehun pushed at his food quietly with a deep frown on his face, he looked so upset that Tao reached over and flattened out the crease between his eyebrows. Sehun looked up at Tao in surprise, “Don’t frown so much you’ll get wrinkles.”

 

Sehun huffed trying not to smile, “Okay, fine I’ll let Jessica make her own decisions, I won’t even tell her. But, if he hurts her you’ll tell me all his weaknesses right?”

 

Tao snorted patting Sehun on the shoulder, “Of course I will, I’ll help you bury him so deep he’ll never date again.”

 

Tao almost wished, selfishly, that Kris would break Jessica’s heart just so he would have an excuse to do just that.

 

Hell have no fury like a Tao scorned.

 

~~♦~~

Sehun and Luhan eventually left once Sehun realized he hadn’t read any of his chapters for his 9am philosophy lecture, which he complained about taking for about half an hour*. Luhan followed only because Tao had grabbed him by the ear and dragged him to the door throwing his shoes at him and threatening to call Kyungsoo over to kick him out (“where is the respect? kids these days! manhandling their elders, you’ll hear from my lawyer if I bruise!”). Ultimately the threat of Kyungsoo and Minseok’s agreement to exchange phone numbers (and twitter, instagram, emails, facebook none of which minseok even used but gave over after much pleading).

Once they had left the apartment was quiet except for the sounds of Minseok brushing his teeth for bed. It was weird, even with Minseok there Tao still felt a little lonely lying in his bed. The chinese boy stood up and walked to stand outside the other boy’s room hesitating. He didn’t know if they were even close enough for this yet, they had only just met. But Tao needed it. He was so lonely, and cold.

 

“Tao,” Minseok asked standing behind Tao on his way back to his room.

 

“Hi, Hyung,” Tao whispered looking down at his feet kicking them shyly.

 

“Are you okay?” the older boy asked stepping forward to rub Tao’s arm in a comforting gesture. “Is this...is this about Kris?”

 

Tao in a shuddering breath, “Sorry hyung I just…talking about him brought back a lot of memories and I...I’m so lonely.”

 

“Oh Tao,” Minseok cooed pulling the tall boy into his arms hugging him tightly. “Did you want to sleep in my room? I’m told I make a good teddy bear.”

 

“Really, Hyung?” Tao didn’t dare sound too hopeful.

 

“Of course, don’t I look squishy enough? It’s like I was filled with stuffing~” Minseok chuckled.

 

Tao giggled, “No I meant…alright squishy hyung. I’ll take you up on your offer.”

 

“Ah, such a pretty sound, you should laugh more often.”

 

“I wish I could,” Tao mumbled following Minseok into his room giving the impeccably organized room a glance. “But a big meanie dragon came and took all my happiness away.”

 

Minseok tsked tucking Tao into his bed before crawling in beside him. “Then I’ll have to be your Teddy Bear in shining armor and help you find new happiness. No big dragons will hurt you again while I’m here Tao-ah.”

 

Tao chuckled feeling light and giddy but tears pricking at his eyes, it felt so natural with Minseok. He felt so warm cuddled up beside the boy not having to think about the crushing loneliness. Although they were being really silly, acting as if Tao was nine and not almost twenty one he still needed this. He needed someone like Minseok who didn’t know Kris personally, who didn’t know the situation well and could offer comfort without offering advice. Minseok felt like family, like an older brother, and not like a younger sibling he had to keep in check like Jongin. Although Jongin was good for ranting and the initial cheering up he was too emotionally involved, he couldn’t just lay there and be silly with Tao to help him forget.  

 

“Thank you hyung,” Tao whispered. “I’m sorry I’m such a burden already.”

 

“No Tao,” Minseok murmured sleepily, “it’s what friends are for.”

 

Tao fell asleep easily that night, dreaming of little teddy bears wearing armor fighting off ugly dragons with the help of a deer while a faceless brunet prince carried him away on a tall white horse.

 

~~♦~~

 

A Note from the Author

So. I am a horrible person. I am so sorry for the lack of update this month...and part of last. I just started university and have been super busy and hectic but have finally settled into a routine. I love it, and am totally commited to updating this fic every monday now since that's my day off, seriously I have no classes on Mondays how cool is that? :) 

 Some notes about the chapter: 

1. this was hard to write, introducing two characters at the same time was efficient but hard, the flow of that scene with the four of them was difficult for me. Also, writing Luhan is going to be either hard or extremely fun in this fic, depends on how many original cheesy pick up lines I can think up~
2. Did Tao ans Minseok get close too fast? Maybe, but I kid you not the first night my bestie and I met two of our guy roommates the four of us were already swearing and insulting each other like old friends thanks to a game of dominoes and now play cards against humanity or othee games together almost every night. It's so easy to get comfotable with someone when you know you'll have to deal with each other for awhile so accept it.
3. That last little part with Tao and Min made me cry a little. Man it came out of nowhere, but I love it. This will be all their friendship consists of, cuddling and adorableness. also, did you notice how touchy Tao was? and the facelss brunet in his dream? Taohun is progressing, you just have to look out for the signs. 

Thanks for reading, I'll update again on Monday i hope, but since it's homecoming weekend and I have a paper to write we'll see~

gwen