Yifan

Wu Yifan lived the dream, literally. Loving parents, a caring older sister (despite being very spoiled and too perky sometimes), and lots of friends. Yifan was 10 when a new family moved to the house next to his, and that is also the time he met Chanyeol, who later became his very best friend. He was very similar with him, very cheerful and outspoken, both seemed to not able to stay still, the kind of kids who brings life to a party. Soon after they met, the two was practically joined in the hip. It was with Chanyeol that he first climbed a tree, then create a tree house they called “fortress”, and the one he practice to ride a bicycle with, without the extra training wheels. Everyday, both goes to school together, did homework together, then played or sometimes when the weather was bad, they would watch TV shows together, preferably the one that involves superheroes.

It was during their the third month of their friendship that Yifan noticed a black haired boy, who turned out to be Chanyeol’s younger brother, peeking from behind the wall that separates the kitchen from the living room where Yifan and Chanyeol were watching a movie. Yifan asked Chanyeol who it was, and the cheerful kid turned his head towards the kitchen with a smile, calling his little brother. Yifan remembered that Chanyeol called him Zi.

But Zi didn’t join them. The little kid simply hid behind the wall again. Yifan also remember that Chanyeol taught him a very big word that day, “avoidant”. The elf said it was the word his mother used to describe his brother, and it is also the reason why Chanyeol has to be very nice to his brother. Yifan reminded himself to be nice to Zi too, since that day. He would glance every now and then towards the wall, and sometimes he would catch Zi staring at him, but immediately hide back behind the wall.

At the end of that week, a massive thunderstorm hit the city. Schools were cancelled and so the three kids were practically locked up in their homes. Chanyeol can’t go to Yifan’s house because the wind was blowing so hard and he can’t go without Zi, who never wish to go out of the house. So Yifan needed to be creative. He made his driver drove him next door, from inside the protection of his parent’s garage to the dry garage of the Parks’. Chanyeol was very excited, Yifan too. Both galloped to the living room, a robot and a train locomotive in each of their hands, and hopped on the couch. The TV was on, showing one channel that could still get through in the weather, showcasing a cheerful mouse on an adventure. Zi’s favorite. In the middle of the show, Yifan heard a rustle behind the couch and he smiled wide when he saw Zi there surrounded with his plushies, a small blanket around his neck, peeking to watch the show too. It’s the first time Zi was not behind the wall when Yifan was visiting. Chanyeol peeked too, and he laughed, telling Zi to join them on the couch. Zi only turned to his brother and watchhim for a moment before returning his attention back to the TV. In the older kids’ head, both cheered and high fived, happy that Zi is joining them

The next week, the sun shone bright, but the pair decided to stay inside the house because both had been keeping track on the TV show schedule and today is the day the new episode would come out. Not the superheroes series they always watched, but the one Zi liked so much. When the clock ticks four, Chanyeol called Zi and the kid popped from behind the wall, his eyes wide in curiosity. Chanyeol told him to come, and after glancing at back and forth between his brother and Yifan, the younger nodded in agreement. Zi sat at the other end of the couch, one hand clutching his Mickey plushie, the other holding on Chanyeol’s thumb with his chubby fingers. Yifan was on Chanyeol’s other side, watching the TV too, but sometimes stole a glance towards Zi and Chanyeol. It must be fun to have a younger brother, he thinks, because his sister did nothing but annoy him. Yesterday she tried to make him wear lipstick! Yifan glanced at Zi’s fingers. So chubby. He wonders if it’s also squishy, like buns.

The next month, Yifan went to Chanyeol’s house again. He doesn’t really mind staying in now, or them not playing at his house, because Chanyeol’s house means Zi’s too. They watch a Christmas edition of Mickey. Zi was so happy that he sat in the middle. Chanyeol on his left, Yifan on his right. This time his chubby hands held both the elder’s thumbs while Zi’s Mickey plushie was sitting on his lap. Yifan cheered inside. He was right! Zi’s fingers felt like buns!

The routine goes on, Yifan spending time with Chanyeol and sometimes with Zi too depending on the weather and what they feel like doing. Finally elementary school is over, and together they enter middle school. Both joined basketball team and got more involved in school. Chanyeol joined theatre while Yifan enrolled in student body. Their friendship was stronger than ever that now both spend more time with each other at school and on the court. Both were teachers’ favorite, and after winning their first game, even more kids wanted to be their friends. So Yifan and Chanyeol hangs out with their new friends outside school too. In the midst of laughter and fun, Yifan was sure he forgot something, but when Chanyeol tapped his shoulder and asked him if he wanted to join him and their other friends to go to the arcade, the thought disappeared into thin air. Never crossed Yifan’s mind, that that last time he watched Mickey movie with Zi was the last time he would see the younger for an awfully long time.

Zitao

That day little Zi opened up to Yifan, was the day he started to believe that other people are good. First, he sat in distance to make sure he was good. Then, Chanyeol encouraged him to trust the other elder and Zi sat closer to him. And he was right, Yifan was nice. So when he held Chanyeol’s thumb as he watched the movie, he reached and captured Yifan’s thumb to. He had two brothers now and he was happy. He had so much fun with his two elder brothers, watching movies and sometimes watching them play in distance. He never join them at the tree house. Zi hated height since he was so tiny. But he observed them from the open window of his own bedroom while playing by himself. Watching the two elders play and bicker made him chuckle while bumping his plush to the other just like how Yifan and Chanyeol playfully pushes each other; made him felt like he was a part of them, that he has friends and company, no matter what.

But then Chanyeol started to spend more time with Yifan, and Yifan with just Chanyeol, and with their school friends too. They were so busy they forgotten little Zi. Zi knows. He always peeked from behind the wall when Chanyeol came home with his heavy duffle bag, throwing it to the kitchen floor as he reached the fridge for apple juice. The elder noticed his presence, as always, and peeked from the bottom of his glass as he chugged its content. Chanyeol knows his brother like no one else does. Zi misses him and wanted to play with him. But little Chanyeol is easily distracted. He finished his juice and slowly approached Zi, ruffling his hair like always. He was about to ask if Zi wanted to eat ice cream with him when Yifan popped his head from the kitchen door, asking him to go out with everybody else to the pizza shop. Forgetting what he actually was about to say, Chanyeol jumped and yelled for Yifan to wait for him. Zi watched as Yifan’s eyes caught his and gave a wave before disappearing to God knows where. Zi just looked at the place he stood questioningly. The next second, Chanyeol was out of the door, trying to catch up with his friend’s equally long legs.

Losing his brother and his friend to their new school and friends made Zi struggle even more. At school, he always hide, not wanting to be with the others, and no one wanted to befriend the tiny awkward blob with onyx hair on the corner of the playground, who rather than watching his classmates play chose to stare into space instead. Or sometimes butterflies, if one flew by. Zi was content on his own. Until one of them started to mock him, and like how little kids are, others started to copy him and the whole class laughed at him, pointing at him and calling him names. His teacher tried to help. But honestly, what can a teacher do after the bell rang and everyone ran on wild directions to get into the cars, to meet their nannies and mothers? No one was there to help Zi when his ‘friends’ bumped into him so hard his sketch papers fell out of his hand and got stepped on by kids from the class next door who just got out; nor when they pulled his backpack so hard he fell backwards and scratched his elbow until it bled. No one was there to meet Zi at the school lobby anymore, because it was usually Chanyeol, or Yifan, or both, and now they were so busy with their new friends and school and other things he remembered Chanyeol mentioned to their parents but he could not recall the exact words. Something that sounded so hard. It was important, he supposed, because their father looked so proud, repeatedly patting Chanyeol on the shoulder. Their mom too, if the bright glint in her eyes was any clue. He heard her called Mrs. Wu, Yifan’s mother and told her about the thing Chanyeol was talking about, and the excitement in her response told him that again, Chanyeol is doing whatever he was doing with Yifan.

Zi was nothing like Chanyeol. He was not as cheerful nor as bright, he only scored well on very few subjects, and he doesn’t have friends at school. A lot of kids mock him, for he always fail to answer every single pop quizzes their teacher gives, and he couldn’t even kick one soccer ball during PE.

It all gets to him at one point. Crying, dragging his Mickey plush with one hand, face all ugly and contorted, snot all over his nose; he came to his parents telling them he was so sad. His parents were surprised. Not the good kind of surprised like when Chanyeol talked to them, but a bad one. There was no glint in his mother’s eyes. If there is, it must be because of the tears. She cried too. Zi felt so sorry that he made his mother cried. He was so sorry. And he told them sorry. His father took him in his big embrace, telling him he doesn’t need to apologize. But they were sorry. Both of them tucked him in to bed that night, companying him until he fell asleep.

The next day, he was told that he doesn’t have to go to school anymore, and was given a brand new sketchbook, so thick that it was a struggle for him to carry. His dad also ordered a new white grand piano, he told him as he held Zi by his arms with both hands, that he was sending to Vienna. The name of the place was so foreign as Zi repeated it himself. Then, he realized that his parents were home, and not working as usual. He asked them about it. His mother scooted next to his father so she could hold him too. We are waiting for Grandpa Huang, she said, and then we will go to Vienna tomorrow.

Boy, how happy Zi was. He really liked Grandpa Huang.

Chanyeol

A conductor and composer, that’s what he is. Had been living in Vienna most of his life, Grandpa Huang is Zi’s favorite person in the extended family, other than his own parents and Chanyeol. He was the one who introduced him to music, and gave suggestion for his parents to enroll him to music and performing arts school, instead of regular school, where he believed Zi would excel more. Grandpa Huang promised not to tell, but actually, it was Chanyeol who called him in the first place. There is no way the elf would let Zi become very sad everyday like this.

Their mother was doubtful at first, not sure if sending Zi to school is a good choice after what the kid had been through in the first one. Maybe home schooling is a better option. But their father agreed, putting Zi’s happiness in number one priority, despite his plans of making him the successor of the company. Zi had only been getting good grades on art, music and languages after all. Mr. Park believed that his son would excel best in the field that he himself wouldn’t. So they enrolled him into a program in Vienna, where Zi would stay with Grandpa Huang and learn about music from where it came from.

The plan is set, and so the Park family went to Vienna to help Zi settle with his new life. Chanyeol was left with the Wu’s temporarily, so he could continue school and other activities until his parents come back. Both Yifan and Chanyeol were sad; in the middle of them enjoying middle school, they had failed to protect Zi.

Chanyeol was silent, but refused to say goodbye. Little Zi however, circled his short arms around his brother’s waist.

“Hyung, I love you,”

Young Chanyeol had no strength to reply. He felt too guilty. Too sad. He just lifted his hand, and ruffled Zitao’s soft fruity hair, the way he always does. Yifan was there too. Watching in silence. His expression unreadable, and not that little Zi had time to pay attention. Zi tightened his hug, wanted to bring his brother along. But their parents said he couldn’t. Zi cried, but Chanyeol shushed him, telling him to be brave. Chanyeol needed to stay.

Slowly, Zi let go and turned, holding Grandpa Huang’s hand on his right and his Mickey plushie in his left. Their parents followed behind after telling Chanyeol to be good. Zi jumped into the car and everyone followed suit, buckling their seatbelts. Zi stopped thinking about everything else when Grandpa begun to tell him what he was about to meet in Vienna. Zi turned and never looked back.

So he missed it, when Yifan and Chanyeol ran after the big black SUV that was driving him to the airport, barefooted and breathless, until the car was too fast for them to follow anymore.

Zitao

At 8 years of age, Zitao left all the kids who made fun of him, and the first heartache in his life: his brother Chanyeol and his first friend Yifan.

Zitao had been insecure ever since. With that, he had trouble starting in Vienna. But Sehun made it easier for him. Sehun was his age, bubbly and lively, and a er for bubble tea and milky lattes. Sehun restlessly encouraged him and never once, left his side. Sehun helped him built his self-esteem again. He made a lot of good friends, hung out in different places with different groups, and he felt better about himself, because of Sehun. Sehun was his new person. They were inseparable for the next phase of Zitao’s life.

Yifan

Yifan watched as Zi bid his brother goodbye. Zi didn’t say anything to him. He didn’t have any energy in him to do so either. Zi’s car pulled out of Park family carport and he ran after the black van, Chanyeol running beside him. But of course, car is faster. Being friends with Chanyeol after so long enable them to speak without words. Kris looked at Chanyeol and the other looked at him, and they knew how each other felt that instant. Both went berserk on Zi’s classmates the next day, for being really cruel to him. Yifan had never seen Chanyeol so angry, and Chanyeol had never seen Yifan so angry too. Both were mad at what Zi’s classmates had done, but at the same time to themselves too. Inside, they were disappointed at themselves for forgetting Zi. Both were suspended from school the next day and they don’t mind, thinking they had done what was enough to make up for what happened. But it was not true, and in their hearts they promised not to let this happened again.

Zitao

Nothing did though, for Zi shone in his own way in Vienna. Grandpa Huang and Mr. Park’s hunch were right. Zi excelled. His teachers and mentors praised him, he was a genius, they said, a prodigy. By the age of 14 he had held his own recital, and had won various competitions. At the age of 16, Zi started to compose his own songs, and performed solo pianos for important people across Europe, from the dukes and duchesses, to prime ministers and the princes. Grandpa Huang was so proud. So were his parents, and Chanyeol.

Chanyeol

Back in Korea, Chanyeol and Yifan succeded to finish high school with excellent report card, securing them both places in Harvard. Both were now fully understand their future responsibilities as the successor of their parents’ companies, and they tried hard to meet the high expectations. Both were highly involved in both academic and non-academic activities, as well as various discussions and seminars. They felt like having early baldness when an empty summer break finally came. Chanyeol decided to visit Zi in Vienna, offering Yifan to come along. But being the perky and demanding girl since young, Yifan’s sister came and made her brother company her to Disneyland in California. Chanyeol laughed, saying maybe Yifan can come along next year. Laughing it off, Yifan said that maybe there would be no chance because his sister would come and go every year and drag him places just to annoy him. So that summer break, for the first time, they spent it away from each other.

Tao and Chanyeol finally reunited; both were older, and a little more mature. Both finally had the courage to face each other again. Meeting Chanyeol again was not easy. Zitao promised to pick him up at the airport and when he recognized his brother between a flock of people, he paused, didn’t know how to react. It had been too long. Chanyeol still had the same wide smile, and Zitao was grateful. His smile made him look happy, despite that flash of hurt in his eyes when Chanyeol saw Zitao for the first time after all these years. They finally met, smiled to each other, but there were nothing else. They did talk a lot through Skype but now that the real person is in front of him, Zitao did not know what to say. Neither does Chanyeol. Zitao reached for his brother’s suitcase and led both of them to the car. There were no words exchanged, until the next night.

Chanyeol was determined. He was in Vienna to mend the broken relationship he once had with Zitao. His little Zi, who once was so tiny and shy, now tall and confident. He took Zitao for a walk after dinner and finally had the talk. Chanyeol apologized. To his surprise, sobbing Zitao did too.

Zitao told him all, about how he felt like Chanyeol had left him when Yifan came into the picture, then everything was all right and Yifan was there for him too but then both abandoned him, ever since middle school happened. He was sorry that he felt that way when he was supposed to give him space. Middle school is supposed to happen. But school was hard, and math was too, making friends frightened him and there were days it was so hard for him to walk because his legs were trembling from fear. He was alone and he was scared. Chanyeol was not there and neither does Yifan. And they were moving him, to the strange land he never once stepped on, and Chanyeol did not wish to come with, and it was even harder, because he thought Chanyeol was his brother but again, he didn’t choose Zitao. He couldn’t even tell him the same thing when Zitao told him he loved his hyung so dearly on the day he left. It took Zitao one hell of a deep breath to stop talking and sobbing, and to finally tell Chanyeol not to worry anymore now, that he is more than capable of taking care of himself, he is no longer afraid of people.

The sentence hurt Chanyeol like a thousand sharp stab in his chest. His little Zi didn’t need him anymore. Chanyeol apologized repeatedly between his own tears, telling the shorter sorry, he was too occupied with things that now seemed to be so much more less important than Zi, for being the very cause of his withdrawal at school and all the troubles he had to face, for not being there when he is the one who knows that Zi had always been different, that he always needed his brother’s help, nor when he was sent away. Watching Zi sobbed even harder from his words felt like an iron fist clenched his heart, a punishment he deserved, the one he knows is coming. He is so proud of what Zi had became despite what happened in the past, and promised he would never ever did the same mistake again. Zi was too precious. He begged for Zi not to stop relying on him, because Chanyeol wanted him to trust him again. Now it’s the other way around, Chanyeol needed Zi.

His little Zi, the younger brother that once was so fragile and now so strong, ruffled his hair like his own habit in the past, and told him in the choke of his own sob,

“Yes, yes, of course.. I still love you hyung. Thank you... Thank you,”

This time Chanyeol had a reply, giving a ruffle on his brother’s still fruity hair, “I love you too little brother. Thank you for not shutting me out. Thank you,”

And they hugged, Zitao holding his brother’s body like there’s no tomorrow, hugging him for dear life and Chanyeol embraced his brother as close as possible. Chanyeol kept on saying he was sorry and Zitao continously nodding; the younger missed his brother so much and he was so grateful to know that Chanyeol did too. Both sobbed on the curbside not minding bystanders’ stares nor the fact that they’re standing outside the train station, releasing everything they had kept for the past years they lived without the other. That visit changed both their lives once and for all.

That year, Zi introduced Chanyeol to his new friend he made when he just arrived in Vienna: Sehun, an aspiring Violinist. The three enjoyed Europe the whole summer; from partying their youth in Ibiza, visiting Louvre (courtesy of Zi, of course), fly fishing in Norway, to watching live opera in Italy. Chanyeol finally spared some time to call Yifan through Skype, in which Zi joined, and for the first time after what felt like forever, Yifan saw Zi. The elder too, almost didn’t recognize him, but excited for him and his achievements in the past years. Both said their goodbyes to each other as Sehun called Zi for their wine tasting session in a vineyard they were visiting in Tuscany.

For the next three years, they continued to live separately: Yifan and Chanyeol in Cambridge, Zi and Sehun in Vienna; with Chanyeol commuting annually on summer breaks to visit his brother (in which Yifan had always failed to join because Victoria had decided to visit him annually too and made him go on different places across the States, or because of school obligations).

Chanyeol kept on going back and forth to Europe even though Zitao had told him that it was unnecessary, that it’s okay, but Chanyeol did anyway; he wanted to make up for all the times they were separated and to keep up with each other) until Chanyeol’s internship in New York ended. Time for Chanyeol to join the company came and thus prevents him from coming to Europe as often as he did. He needed to take over and work even harder for now their parents had passed away.

Zitao

An invitation came for Zitao a week after, to play with a Korean Orchestra a month from that day. He accepted it without a doubt; a reason to go home and visit Chanyeol!

It turned out that coming home to South Korea was his best decision, for that was how he met Kris, the older version of Yifan.

Yifan

When both of them turned 25, after an exhausting and enriching internship in New York, Yifan and Chanyeol returned to Seoul, ready to join their parents’ company, which had been merged several years prior. Again, the pair got to work together. In their dynamic and strong leadership, the company continued to develop and grow. When both of them think things couldn’t get any better, that year, Chanyeol met his better half.

Sharing Chanyeol with Baekhyun was not easy; Yifan and Chanyeol had practically spent their whole life together. But seeing Chanyeol so happy (he literally could not stop grinning anymore) made him happy too. He would never admit it but other than that he is slightly jealous. He wanted someone too, someone that would make him feel like how Baekhyun made Chanyeol feel.

He never thought that his prayers would be answered the next month, when Zi returned back to Seoul.

He goes by Tao now, like how Yifan goes by Kris; a name he think would be easier for his professors to pronounce. Tao returned to fulfill an invitation to play in a concert led by a very famous Korean conductor, and also because he missed the land he called home.

When they actually met (it was when Chanyeol wanted to introduce Baekhyun to his brother and insisted on making Kris tag along because he also wanted him to welcome Tao home), Kris could not believe his own eyes. Tao was all grown up, looking so different, but same all at once. Big palm and slender fingers, a result of a lifetime worth of playing piano replaced his chubby hands. His hair was dyed blond, no longer bowl shaped onyx. He’s just slightly shorter than him, by a couple inches. He was no longer silent and reserved, but cheerful and welcoming. Tao’s new bubbly personality amazes him. When Kris said his greetings, Tao no longer hid behind a wall; he greeted him back with a cheerful “hello”.

Kris was hooked.

On their first meeting after a long time, Kris was mesmerized. On their second one, he was sure that he had completely infatuated by Tao. By the third, Kris wondered if someone had claimed Tao because there is no chance in the world anyone would pass on him, and at their fourth meeting he decided to screw his thoughts and ask him out already.

Tao nodded with a shy smile.

Their relationship was filled with rainbows and glitters (literally. Kris arranged a customized glitter filled confetti popper on Tao’s 23rd birthday), and everyone around them supported the relationship, including his parents and sister (save for Chanyeol who tried to beat Kris up for taking away his brother). Both spent most of their time off work together, each trying to know each other a little bit more, something that they missed growing up. Tao’s supposedly short visit turned into a more permanent one, and Kris could not be happier. He was sure that both of them were meant to be, since the first time he saw the younger popped his head in that living room.

Then, when he was 10, Kris’ promise was to get Tao out of his hiding behind the wall and to be nice to him. Now, Kris wanted more, he wanted to be the one to keep the smile on Tao’s face, the one who would make him happy the way Tao made him, until eternity.

Three months later Kris asked the question.

Zitao said yes.

Yes, Wu Yifan lived the dream.

The one that’s now also crashing before his eyes since the accident.

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Here it is guys, as promised!! ^^

I'm on a roll this time, woot woottttt~

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