Sometimes it's hard to explain what Zitao is to Chanyeol.

“You’re taking too much of a breath in between the verses,” Chanyeol says, looking up from the sheet music. “You need to be faster.”

“So not breathe as much?” Zitao manages a smile, wiping some sweat from his forehead.

“Well…” Now that Chanyeol thinks about it, the way Zitao framed it is essentially what he needs to do. “Yeah.”

“Okay. Let’s go one more time.”

Chanyeol nods, reaching over and pressing play for the music to start. Zitao takes a deep breath, getting ready for his part as his eyes concentrate on the lyrics in front of him.

Chanyeol watches with a smile as the younger starts. He’s glad he offered to help him with his rapping as opposed to one of the others. They’re both not the main rappers for nothing.

Though sometimes it seems Zitao is the one teaching Chanyeol new things. The raps he’s doing now are made for more experienced singers, for elder ones that probably have a lot more practice. Chanyeol has to admit he’s been having some struggles as well with them.

But Zitao is jumping right into it. He may not be that good-yet, Chanyeol reminds himself-but he’s giving it all he’s got, which is more than other people can say.

“You got it!” cheers Chanyeol when the song ends, clapping his hands excitedly. Zitao grins at him, part from relief and part embarrassment.

“Yeah but it was only once hyung. I need to do it again.”

Chanyeol frowns momentarily. They’ve been going at this for close to two hours. Shouldn’t he be going to sleep now? “Don’t you have a busy schedule tomorrow?”

The younger shrugs. “Just a couple photo shoots, I think an interview. And then practice at night.”

“So shouldn’t we stop for now?”

“Aww, hyung!” Zitao whines, lightly hitting him on the knee, the only part of Chanyeol he can reach. “But I just got it! I need to practice more.”

Chanyeol can’t say no to Zitao, especially when he pouts like that. “Alright, fine. But only a couple times or the others will murder me.”

“So morbid hyung.” Zitao shakes his head, making a face. “Okay, start again.”

“There should be a please in there somewhere.”

“Please?”

“There we go.” Chanyeol presses play once again, ignoring Zitao sticking his tongue out. He knows the younger thinks he can’t see it but he’s not that oblivious.

Besides, he does it to Zitao when the younger’s back is turned. So they’re even.

Zitao starts again, his voice deep and quick and Chanyeol can’t help but marvel at how far he’s come.

He knows it was hard in the beginning. He was never really one to help Zitao with his Korean much, just because he didn’t see him as much as the others and he did have EXO-M to help him more. It’s a thing he kind of regrets.

Of course there are still times when Zitao doesn’t know how to express what he means in Korean and that’s when Chanyeol usually steps in and corrects him. Well, makes fun of him while correcting him.

But he can never bring himself to actually hurt the younger. Even though he’s only half a year younger, Chanyeol just sees something very kidlike in Zitao. He’s not really one to talk, since he’s known as being quite childish himself but Zitao’s different.

He looks almost rough on the outside, intimidating, mysterious, sometimes y. And then a minute later he’s cowering in fear because of a bug or pouting because he’s not getting his way or he’s being teased.

Chanyeol admits he does a lot.

It’s so weird but he is still like a little kid to Chanyeol in some ways. It’s ineffable to explain, really.

“Hyung? Was that good?”

Chanyeol blinks. “Hm? What?”

“Were you even listening?” Zitao accuses. “Was I good? Did I do it right? Should I practice more?”

“No!” Chanyeol realizes how loud he said it. “No, no, that was good. Really good, Zitao-ah, super good. It was fantastic, really-”

“Okay hyung, I get the picture,” laughs Zitao, muttering something soon after in Chinese that’s probably in mock affection. At least, Chanyeol hopes it is.

He never really tried to learn Chinese that hard. He had some lessons, most from Zitao actually, to try and help him but after a couple months, he gave up. More like Zitao gave up on him because he kept getting distracted way too easily.

“But thanks hyung, really. I actually…” Zitao stops, fumbling for words.

“You what? What is it?” Chanyeol is slightly worried. He pokes Zitao’s cheek, probably aggravating the younger but he doesn’t care. “What’s wrong? What is it?”

“Aish hyung, you’re so annoying!” Zitao grins at him in a joking manner. “I was actually going to say that I want to rap…I want to rap like you.”

Chanyeol’s flattered and he grins widely at him. “You’re already pretty close Zitao-ah. Although, no one can rap just like me.” He puffs out his chest proudly.

Zitao rolls his eyes.