After neatly folding & restoring his clothes that were once in a disorderly pile, he peers at his windowpane, beaded with morning dews, only to see that the sun has not completely made its appearance yet. 

Kris lives in a modern 24 storey condominium where he resides on the topmost floor. He notices the faint yellowish-orange color beyond the concrete jungle surrounding his place, trying to blend with the dark navy blue color of the sky— or perhaps, it’s trying to steal its spotlight.

He glances at his wristwatch. 5:45 am. It’s too early to be awake. In fact, his job requires him to be in their work office by 8:00 am & he usually wakes up at 6:30 am. But this day is an exception.

The day before, Kris decided he would not drive his way to work today & will instead, just walk. He wants to blend himself with the world today, which he infrequently does because he’s always so busy with work (he only gets one day off each week & dedicates those days to sleep).

It usually takes him about half an hour to get to their office by car. Since it’s his first time, he still doesn’t know how long it will take him to get there by foot which is why, he set his alarm extra early today to be sure. 

✺ ✺ ✺ 

“Kris hyung! Hurry up we’re gonna be late!”

“Okay wait, I’m coming.. sheesh!”

Kris finally came out of the door only to see Tao’s semi-irritated face.

“What? We still have 5 minutes.” he assured him.

“You haven’t changed have you?”

“Old habits die hard yo” Kris explained while placing an arm on Tao’s shoulder as they headed to the campus.

“And why are you saying “yo” now? Have you been hanging out with Luhan a lot, lately?” 

“Aw man you’re right.” Kris gives out a worried but cute expression (in Tao’s opinion) in which he couldn’t help but notice & unknowingly stared at his face.

Ever since they were kids, Tao & Kris considers themselves as brothers & best friends. Nothing more, nothing less.

For Kris, that was not a problem. It was Tao who was baffled about his own identity & real feelings.

He didn’t know when, how, why. It just happened. Everyday his heart would unknowingly skip faster every time he saw Kris. For a while, he thought he was having a heart problem so he consulted a good friend of his, who is Do Kyungsoo, who seemed to be good at handling those kind of things, & that was when Kyungsoo told Tao that he’s in love. Of course Tao didn’t tell him whom he was in love with. He was afraid that it would go around the whole campus & to Kris & would make things awkward for them. He didn’t want that & though he did not have any experience in love, he’s seen those things happen in movies.

Since Kyungsoo is a nagger & won’t let Tao out of his room without spilling the beans, Tao lied & said that that person is Oh Sehun, the campus jock & also Luhan’s ex. He was the reason why Luhan became a rebel & started smoking & doing all sorts of drugs after their breakup not too long ago.

“Oh man good luck about that. Especially when Luhan finds out. That guy is still madly in love with Sehun.”

He didn’t want to lose their friendship that’s why he thought it was best if he lied about it.

As expected, the news about Tao being in love with Sehun spread like wildfire within the campus in a span of just 24 hours.

That morning, Tao asked Kris if he’s heard the latest news, Kris nodded & seemed apathetic. Tao felt his heart slowly shatter into pieces.

That night, the clock in their dorm room struck at 12 but Kris hasn’t returned yet. He tried calling him, but he wouldn't answer.

Tao couldn’t take it  anymore & finally, he pulled out a thick leather jacket from the wardrobe & went out to search for Kris. The frigid air that drifted against his face did not obstruct him. In fact, it reminded him of many things.

They spent their first Christmas night together in a nearby park where snow piled up everywhere. Tao ran away from home & coincidentally bumped into Kris who was just coming back from a convenience store.

Kris knew he’d get bruises by tomorrow if he did not bring the things he bought on time to his Aunt Victoria, but he accompanied Tao to the park anyway.

Kris placed the plastic bags beside the swing set before sitting down on a swing next to Tao

“So why did you run away?”

Without turning his gaze away from the ground that’s covered in white snow, Tao answered his question “You’ll probably laugh but my brother gave me a toy bug as a gift & it looked like a real bug so I cried. I hate bugs & he kept annoying me with it so I ran away.” He was sniffling a lot & Kris couldn’t quite figure out if he was sniffling because he was crying or because it was so cold.

Kris got out of his swing & stood in front of Tao who was still looking at the snow covered ground.

He placed a hand on Tao’s shoulder which caused him to finally lift his head & with a wide smile, he said; “Don’t worry! From now on, I’m gonna protect you from whoever bullies you!”

And in that very moment, although he was not aware, Tao’s heart skipped a beat.

Tao searched the whole campus for any sign of Kris but there was nothing but darkness & silence until it had hit him that Kris can only be found in none other than.. Luhan’s room.

He hastily went back to their dorm & stood outside Luhan & Baekhyun’s dorm room for a while before knocking. He could hear their voices— including Kris’. He didn’t know if he should barge in to let them know how livid he was or if he should just knock & be the better person. Of course, he chose the latter.

It was Baekhyun who opened the door. Their room was skeevy & reeked of alcohol & cigarettes. Things which Tao found highly obnoxious & did not fairly understand why people would involve themselves in such things. Ragged clothes, neglected textbooks & other things were scattered everywhere.

“Hey who invited that brat over there?” it turned out that Lay was also invited to the party. Like Luhan, he doesn’t go a day without drugs. Tao wondered if it was Lay who introduced Luhan to those things.

Sitting beside him was Kris, who would look at him sporadically. He didn’t look drunk.

“What the are you doing here? Huh?!” Tao always found it difficult to distinguish between a drunkard Luhan & a furious Luhan, but this time, he has a strong feeling that it’s both (but more on the latter side).

With quivering lips Tao said “I came here to get Kris” 

The group, with the exception of Kris, burst into laughter & Baekhyun mimicked Tao in a high-pitched voice along with gestures that made Lay literally roll on the floor laughing “I came here to get Kris.. ppffffttt!!” & they would high-five each other for Baekhyun’s comical interpretation. “Don’t be such a killjoy dude. Can’t you see we’re having fun? Pick him up when we’re done” Lay exclaimed while rubbing the tears that beaded the corners of his eyes.

Tao clenched his fists & bit his lips, not knowing what to do until Luhan got up & erupted in ire “Are you gonna ing leave or what?!” he could see the lividness in his eyes & could hear it in his tone.

Tao hates fights & would do everything he can to avoid fights especially if it involved him.

“I said I came here to get Kri—“ before he even had the chance to finish what he needed to say, Luhan gave him a blow of his fist causing Tao to collapse on the floor.

“You know what?! You’re such a pain in the ! I’ve always considered you as my friend! A friend that I can trust & count on! You knew how I felt after our break up! You knew how much I loved him.. & you know I still do! But you still told the whole damn world that you’re in love with him! What kind of friend are you?! & now you’re taking away Kris from us while we’re having fun?!” Luhan grabbed him by his collar & gave him another punch in the face “Do you know how selfish you are?! HUH?! Do you know how hurt I am because of you?!” as much as Tao wanted to say something, as much as he wanted to say that that rumor was just a huge hoax, he couldn’t open his mouth & had to endure the pain— physically & mentally.

Kris eventually came to halt Luhan & grabbed Tao by his arm & dragged him outside where the freezing air continued to drift forcefully. Tao whimpered but Kris chose to ignore him & pretended he didn’t hear anything.

Pleading Kris to let go of his already battered arm, he finally opened his mouth with the very little strength he had. “Let go of me Kris!” 

The luminous moonlight along with the free flow of the translucent midnight mist floated above their heads, & the trees of the night all of a sudden burst into the rhythm of susurrus.

“Are you pissed?! I saved you again just now, why are you angry at me?!” 

With a quavering tone, Tao spoke. He was crying this time. “I’m angry at you b-because you said you’ll never be involved in those kind of things! I trusted you..but you betrayed me. I care about you so much. Hyung, I like you— no, I love you. Not as a brother nor best friend. It’s more than that. And the whole I’m-in-love-with-Sehun thing? T-that was just a huge joke. I thought keeping it a secret would make everything okay but no. It was okay to you but not to me. Everyday I have to pretend I’m not feeling anything. Every time I see you with another person, my heart shatters. I don’t think you realize what you mean to me. Do you know how that feels?! Of course you don’t because you only see me as nothing but a brother. Nothing more, nothing less, right?!” 

Kris was deadpan & dumbfounded by Tao’s words & the deafening silence that followed. He couldn’t find the words to speak so Kris grabbed Tao once again, but this time, he tried to be more gentle. He gently held Tao’s face with his hand & pulled him closer by grabbing his hips with the other, & planted a deep, passionate kiss on Tao’s lips. It wasn’t just a simple kiss. It was more than that. Tao felt it. The kiss gave him the feel as if it was etching a message inside Tao. He took it as a sign that his feelings were reciprocated.

It was the kiss that prevented the grasp of the cold winter wind from disrupting their little lovemaking that didn’t stop there. They brought their affection inside & ended the night with love that sated them for the rest of the hours that followed.

That one hapless occurrence led to a fortunate of serendipity.

After Kris & Tao revealed their new status, it was Sehun & Luhan who followed afterwards. 

Luhan also apologized to Tao & even offered him a free treatment to his cousin’s clinic to make up for the damage he has done to his face but Tao insisted, saying that his wounds will heal in a couple of days.

It was evident to everyone who knew Tao that he became much more lively than he usually was which was often contagious.

Maybe Kris was right, maybe Tao did emit a peculiar aura which affected not only him, but that time, it became stronger & has affected the people around them as well.