Chapter Thirty-Six:
My Heart is Racing so Fast towards you that it can’t be caught,
From now on everything will be about you

I really think you should give this guy a chance. Even if you two aren’t bonded, it’s not like it’s against the rules to date someone you aren’t bonded to.

Victoria’s final words were still playing through ZiTao’s head as he was making his way back to the dorms, staring at his mobile and messing with it without paying any real attention to it. He paused his steps after a while when a familiar feeling started in his chest and he looked up, eyes widening as he internally cringed. Yifan was on the same sidewalk, making his way in ZiTao’s direction with his little pianist attached to his arm, though the envy that started to burn up ZiTao’s chest deflated at the smile that Yifan gave Yixing.

His gaze lowered to the ground, not quite sure what to think about the envy he had always felt towards the other blond. Was it because he was with Yifan, or... I want someone to look at me like that… I shouldn’t be trying to wait for Ge to, when he… he seems really happy. Ge makes me happy, so I want him to be happy too… Even if it isn’t me that he’s happy with.

“ZiTao?” He flinched, startled from his thoughts before he looked up at the pair before him. “What are you doing out here by yourself?”

“I… I was visiting Victoria-Jei. What about you?” ZiTao replied, eyes shifting to Yixing who was creeping him out with the fluffy smile he was giving him.

“Us? We…” Yifan trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.

“We were on a date,” Yixing finished, turning his smile up to Yifan, who’s cheeks tinted.

“Y-yeah. ZiTao, this is Yixing. Yixing, this is ZiTao, my…” The youngest stared at them for a moment before he started messing with his mobile, pulling up his text line with Sehun.

“Platonic soulmate.” Yifan blinked when ZiTao finished his statement, watching the other closely.

“It’s nice to meet you, ZiTao,” Yixing greeted, and ZiTao gave a halfhearted nod, sending a message to Sehun.

“Would you like to… come to lunch with us? We were headed to that hot pot place you really like,” Yifan offered, ZiTao finally looking back up at him.

“Actually, I’ve got a date of my own to get to. Have fun,” He called, walking right past the pair as Yifan watched him make his way from the pair.

“That’s good, isn’t it Yifan-Ge? You were worried about him before,” Yixing offered and Yifan’s attention flickered down to him before back at ZiTao who was disappearing past the others on the sidewalk.

“It’s a good thing, yeah… I just don’t know about the guy that he went on a date with before. That one was a setup though, so I’m sure this new date will be someone that ZiTao chooses to go out with, and will be… better than the last one,” Yifan explained, letting Yixing turn so he was walking backwards in front of Yifan, tugging on his arm.

“You sound like Junmyeon. ZiTao will date who he dates, and you should let him. Otherwise he might not be able to find happiness.”

“Why did you send me a text asking if I still had the scarf?” Sehun asked, setting the article of clothing onto the counter as ZiTao disappeared into his and Yifan’s room. He came back out in one of the designer jackets that Yifan had caved in and bought for him after a week of pouting from the younger, his hair a lot more presentable than when he had come running into the dorm.

“I changed my mind, I’m taking it to him.” Sehun cocked an eyebrow at the statement, before a faint smirk crossed his lips.

“I knew he made you swoon.”

“Just like LuHan-Ge made you~” ZiTao chimed back, and Sehun’s smirk drooped into a small pout of his own, ZiTao snatching the scarf off the counter and darting from the dorm. The front door was closed for less than a minute before it reopened. “Where does LuHan-Ge’s friend live?”

“Are you seriously telling me that you still don’t remember his name?” Sehun scolded before sighing and texting LuHan, writing down the address once the older replied. “Just please don’t call him ‘LuHan-Ge’s friend’ to his face,” Sehun requested when he handed the other the address, and ZiTao gave a small nod before he was gone again.

“ZiTao?” Minseok got out before narrowly missing getting his scarf shoved in his face. When he and LuHan had heard a knock on the door to his apartment, the blond in the doorway was the last person that he expected to see on the other side.

“Go on a date with me.” The pair fell silent for a moment after the demand, Minseok’s eyebrows knitting together.

“Come again?”

“You and me are going on a date, tomorrow night and you’re picking me up at six.” ZiTao stated before he turned and hurried back down the hall, ignoring Minseok when he called out to him. The copper haired male slowly closed the door, turning back to LuHan, who was laying on the floor, arms wrapped around his waist as he laughed loudly.

“What… What just happened?” Minseok asked, looking down at his scarf while LuHan tried to contain his laughter.

“Looks like you fell for a feisty one. Hope you like taking orders in bed,” LuHan teased, Minseok balling up his scarf and tossing it at the younger.

“You need to teach me Mandarin, and not dirty things like I’m sure you would try. I don’t want to scare him off now that he finally seems interested.”

Minseok replayed the event from the night before in his head a couple times before shaking it as he made his way into the minute mart to pick up a couple of the peach flavored vitamin juices. He had time before work to head over to the dorms, and intended to find out what ZiTao actually wanted to do on their date since he hadn’t said what they were going to do, just that they were going to go on a date, no questions asked apparently. He thanked the cashier before exiting the minute mart and crossing the street to finish the walk to the dorm, offering a smile to Jongin when the younger opened the door for him.

“Minseok-Hyung? I thought you weren’t picking ZiTao-Hyung up until later tonight,” Sehun said, standing from the couch to hug Minseok.

“About that, I was stopping by to figure out what he wanted to do. He left out that detail,” He replied, trailing off when he heard a pair of muffled voices from the room he remembered ZiTao disappearing into the other night.

“Right not might not be a good time, Hyung is sorta...”

“Throwing a tantrum.” Minseok gave a curious look to the small smile on Jongin’s face as he finished Sehun’s sentence, then he looked back to the room as the door opened.

“Ge, why not? I want to go!” ZiTao stated, the older sighing and rubbing his face.

“I told you, I won’t have time before I have to leave. We’ve gone over this, I have to start going on my business trips, and my first one is over the next three days. I won’t be back before your festival ends.”

“That’s why I said we can go now! It’s okay if we don’t go when the lights are on,” The blond pressed, following the older out of the room.

“You might have the afternoon free, but I don’t. I still have to pack, and by the time I’m finished with that I’ll only have a little while before I have to catch my flight,” Yifan sighed, turning to the younger. “Maybe next year, ZiTao.” He finished before noticing the three standing in the living room, ZiTao’s attention following, and Minseok’s heart dropped a little at the frown he received.

“You’re here really early,” He said, and Minseok offered a small laugh before holding out the bag of juices.

“I had something I was going to ask, but I might have figured out the answer,” He said as ZiTao took the bag, looking inside.

“Was the question my favorite flavor of juice?”

“That’s been one of my questions, but not the one I was specifically looking for the answer for today.”

“Well you guessed it,” The blond stated with a small frown as Minseok made his way to the front door.

“I’ll be back after work, kid,” he said, giving a small wave before making his way towards the door, pausing when he heard a thud, looking back at the others.

“Did you seriously just stomp your foot, Hyung?” Sehun sighed, Jongin fighting back a snicker.

“I told Minseok-Hyung he was throwing a tantrum,” he said, ZiTao turning a sharp look to him before looking to Minseok though he didn’t seem able to keep the sharp look.

“I’m not a kid,” The blond stated firmly, pulling a small smile onto the eldest’s lips before he turned back to the door and saw himself out. He knew exactly what ZiTao was trying to get Yifan to take him to; there was always a festival around this time of the year where one of the streets was blocked off to car traffic and the houses went all out with holiday lights, and the street was full of vendors as a night market went on selling handmade trinkets and hot cocoa and hot cider. A smile crawled across the copper haired male’s lips as he left the dorm building and made his way to the coffee shop.

ZiTao was the one to open the door when he returned, who seemed a little confused when Minseok didn’t step out of the way and let him through the doorway.

“You’re going to want a heavier coat.” ZiTao frowned a little.

“Why?”

“Just trust me. I don’t want you to catch a cold, kid,” Minseok pressed, the younger huffing a small sigh before stepping back from the door and digging around in the closet by the door to change into a thicker coat.

“Better?” the blond asked, trying to ignore the other calling him kid again, Minseok giving a nod before stepping back from the doorway. ZiTao stepped out of the dorm, locking the door before turning to face Minseok. “So where are you taking me?” He asked, Minseok’s lips curling up in a small smile as he started down the hall to the exit of the dorms.

“It’s a surprise,” He cooed, ZiTao puffing out his cheeks in a pout. “But you won’t have to wait long before we get there. And I’m sure it won’t catch you off guard like the dinner from last weekend,” he added, continuing to lead the way once they were out of the dorm building. They walked in silence, to the point that Minseok found himself occasionally peeking over at the younger to make sure he was still keeping up with him.

Ten minutes later Minseok guided the other around a corner, looking over at his face just in time to watch his eyes widen at the colorful lights that could be seen a couple blocks down the street. ZiTao’s pace picked up and Minseok bit back a giggle as he quickened his own steps to keep up with the younger’s new enthusiasm, stopping when the other did on the other side of the street from the section that was blocked off, his mouth open a little in awe. He looked down at Minseok, who chuckled before nodding his head across the street, and ZiTao hurried across the road as Minseok’s chuckle turned into a laugh.

Minseok caught up to ZiTao, seeing that the other’s awe had turned into a childlike joy as he turned in circles trying to take in all the lights and different vendors in sight, making Minseok glad that they weren’t super busy because he was starting to think he had a chance of losing the younger without one. He trailed behind ZiTao as he hurried from stall to stall, his smile pausing when Minseok caught him gently by the arm, looking down at the copper haired male.

“We have at least four hours before they start to close down, you can take your time looking around,” he told the other, who’s smile turned a little sheepish before he nodded. When Minseok let go of his arm, ZiTao hesitated before taking his own hold on Minseok’s arm, pulling him back to the beginning of the street to start at the first stall on one side of the road. They stopped after the first block for hot cider, ZiTao staring at the older who didn’t wait long before taking a drink of the sweet drink. ZiTao looked down at it, bringing the cup to his lips and flinching at the hot sting he felt, frowning down at it and catching Minseok’s attention.

“Do you not like it?” He asked, ZiTao turning his small frown to the other.

“It’s too hot, how can you drink it already?” The blond asked, and Minseok bit back a small laugh.

“I drink a lot of really hot coffee, I guess I just got used to drinking things even before they’ve cooled down,” He offered with a small shrug. ZiTao turned back to blowing on his hot cider, starting down the second block of vendor stalls, Minseok trailing behind him. ZiTao had a small bag of trinkets he had bought by the time they were starting down the other side of the street, Minseok stopping when saw a wide range of colorful threads. The vendor looked up and offered a smile before looking back down at what she was working on, and Minseok noticed ZiTao was beside him when he saw the blond’s head come over his shoulder to see what he was looking at.

“What is it?” ZiTao asked, Minseok stepping a little to the side to try and ease the rate his heart was beating at while hoping it just seemed like he was giving the younger a better view.

“They’re bracelets,” the vendor explained, finishing the one she was working on and tying the ends of the threads together before attaching it to a small metal hoop and holding it up. “You can choose the colors that you want and just have one with those colors, or I can weave in your name if you would like,” she added, slipping the keychain onto a hook beside her with a sign that read ‘ready for pick up’ above it.

“Would you like one, ZiTao? I can buy you one,” Minseok offered, and he noticed the other’s cheeks tint.

“I-I can buy my own,” the blond mumbled, his cheeks darkening at the giggle from the vendor.

“What colors would you like?”

ZiTao ordered one that was black and white for the base, with his name in a medium blue, Minseok getting one that was white and copper with his name in the same shade of blue, ZiTao giving him a curious look that caused the older to look over at him.

“We have the same favorite color?” ZiTao asked, Minseok giving him a smile and a nod, the vendor catching their attention again.

“They should be finished in about forty-five minutes,” she said, the pair nodding before continuing along to the other vendors. Minseok arched an eyebrow at the younger, who was pointing at one, looking to Minseok.

“You want ice cream? But it’s so cold out,” He said, resisting a smile at the pout that the other gave him.

“Says the one who probably drinks boiling coffee in the dead of summer.” Minseok gave a small shrug, mostly because he wasn’t wrong, and got in line. When ZiTao ordered a vanilla cone Minseok did his best to ignore the confusion on the blond’s face as he paid for the cone for the other, his hand shaking a little when he took his card back as ZiTao grabbed a hold of his upper arm and shook him a little. “I could have bought it!” he protested, Minseok taking the cone from the vendor and offering it to him.

“I know you could have, but I wanted to buy you at least something since I’m the one who took you on an inexpensive date,” he replied, ZiTao shyly taking the ice cream cone.

They finished the walk down the other side of the vendors before heading back to retrieve their bracelets, Minseok surprised by how excited ZiTao was over them. He held his wrist out, asking the older to tie it on his wrist for him, and Minseok gladly complied, the smile ZiTao had as he looked at it contagious.

“Come on, things are calming down so they can start putting their wares away. And I should get you home before it gets too much later, kid,” He added, ZiTao offering a nod before going back to finishing his ice cream, following Minseok back to the dorm. He unlocked the door, looking over at Minseok and biting his lower lip before opening the door and stepping inside, turning to face the other.

“Th-thank you for taking me out… Especially to the festival. I had a really nice time,” ZiTao mumbled, Minseok smiling at the blush that dusted the younger’s cheeks, and he opened his mouth to tell the other that the pleasure was all his, his voice catching when the blond leaned down to quickly peck his cheek before he retreated behind the closed door. Minseok blinked, reaching up to touch his cheek, his smile creeping back across his lips as he turned away from the dorm door to head home.

ZiTao stared at the door, feeling his face grow warmer and warmer when he realized that he had done what he thought he had. He locked the door, turning around to slide off his shoes, freezing when he saw the blond leaning back against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over his chest loosely.

“Hey Hyung, what was that about?”

“What was what about? You knew I was going out with Minseok-hyung,” ZiTao mumbled, trying to made his way into his room, frowning when Sehun blocked his path.

“Yeah, but you don’t like him, so why’d you kiss him~?” the younger teased, poking ZiTao’s cheek as he turned a darker shade of red. “Someone’s finally over his ‘Yifan-Ge’,” He added, stepping back and allowing ZiTao to retreat to his room for the night. “I’ll get his number from LuHan-Hyung~” he added loudly when the door had shut behind the other, hearing a garbled ‘shut up’ in response.