“So, will I get rich because of that?” Chanyeol said.

            “I might not join you, because I’m already rich.” Jongdae grinned.

            “Yeah, me too.” Kyungsoo simply said.

            Baekhyun smirked while listening at the spouses and fiancés of the members. At that moment, he is coaxing them to be investors to his and Jonghyun’s business. He just couldn’t stop working. New businessmen are like that, excited. So many dreams and…

            Baekhyun’s train of thought suddenly stopped when his gaze settled on the bar counter of the bar and bistro where they are having their meeting. Wherever he goes, he will not overlook that certain figure. Huang Zitao wa drinking alone and he looked… lonely? Baekhyun sighed. He remembered his conversation this afternoon with his Sungmin hyung as well as the other members about Tao’s life last year. Maybe Tao still remembers whatever tragedy he experienced that became the reason why he left his prestigious career last year.

            “Hey, Baekhyun. Are you still listening?”

            “What?”

            Jongdae looked at the direction where he is currently looking at. He clicked his tongue. “This is the problem when you’re in love. You’re choosing him over your business partners.”     

            Chanyeol just smiled brightly. “It’s better to talk to us when there’s no one that takes your attention away from our business meeting. Because I’m a selfish person, with matching hard shell and everything. You know?”

            “No.” Baekhyun looked again at the direction where Tao is at the moment. “Is it okay to you if I leave you for a moment?” Jongdae, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo looked at each other and grinned. “Don’t look at me like that. I was just worried about Tao.”

            “We are not saying anything.” Kyungsoo said, trying not to smile. “It’s good that you are worrying about Tao—I mean, about other people. That’s so nice of you.”

            The three just laughed, obvious that they are setting him up with Tao. That’s why he stood up before he can smack those three. They might not invest in his business if that happens.

            “I’ll be back in a second.”

            “Don’t worry about us, Baek.” Chanyeol said, grinning. “We’ll be fine. Just enjoy your conversation with Pretty Guy over there.”

            “And don’t forget to use protection.”

            He almost smacked Jongdae’s head if the latter wasn’t able to dodge his hand. Baekhyun just went to Tao before he thinks of going back to hurt the troll.

            Ah, Tao. What’s on your mind? Don’t think about me too much because others might think that you are so crazy about me.

            Baekhyun just laughed at his own silly thought then sat at the stool beside Tao. Jongdae is right. His attention is on Tao now so he can’t concentrate on their conversation. He just couldn’t ignore him. He is annoyed by his reaction but he can’t do anything about it. Because he can’t ignore that nagging feeling on his heart.

            Wow! Since when my heart became involved in this?

            Baekhyun just laughed again at the thought. Tao helped him, so it’s natural that he helps him too even Tao doesn’t ask for help. That’s the reason why he can’t leave Tao alone. Baekhyun doesn’t have an idea why he can’t take to see Tao confused and sad. And he could not forget the little kiss they shared… Baekhyun lightly slapped his reddening cheeks.

            Will you forget about it? Darn! It was an accidental kiss.

            Baekhyun cleared his throat, and his mind, and turned to Tao.

            “It looks like your drink is delicious, huh.” Tao just ignored him. “I was thinking of what to drink since I came here. They say that drinking alcohol is bad. And I say that it depends on the person’s taste. Anyway, this is a free country. I can do whatever I want, and not break any laws. Meaning, I can drink whatever I want as long as I can handle myself. Am I right?”

            Tao just shrugged. He’s still not saying anything. Baekhyun’s okay with that. He’s used to Tao being like that—quiet and all. Anyway, he’s talkative so he’ll just continue his speech.

            “You know why I don’t get drunk easily? I don’t even know. They say that I have a high alcohol tolerance. What do you think? Hmm, maybe I should try to get drunk today because I don’t have anything to do.” Baekhyun grabbed Tao’s glass. “It’s my turn to drink now. You seemed to be drunk.”

            But even he could get Tao’s glass, the other man slapped his hand away. But he doesn’t give up. He still tries to get Tao’s glass secretly.

            Tao finally turned to him. “Do you mind? I don’t have that much time to play with you. Just find someone whom you can pester endlessly.” He has a foul mood.

            But Baekhyun just smiled. He will never get tired of looking at Tao even if the other man is cold towards him. Especially if despite his grumpiness, he still has a good heart.

            “If I’m not reacting to anything that you are saying, you should know that I don’t want to talk to you or to anyone else.” Tao continued. “So before I get really angry at you, just stop bugging me. Leave me alone. Give me some space.” Tao reached out a hand and brushed the side of Baekhyun’s mouth with his thumb.

            He wasn’t able to comprehend Tao’s next words because he was surprised with what he did. He’s clearly saying to him that he doesn’t want his company but Tao is showing otherwise. That’s why he couldn’t stay away from him. Especially when Tao continues to gently his face.

            “You’re cute, aren’t you?” Tao said.

            “Just cute? Say that I am handsome.” Baekhyun touched his index finger to Tao’s face. “You are so shy when it comes to complimenting someone.”

            Baekhyun was not prepared what happened next. Tao smiled at him. Yes, he was actually, really, smiling at him. Baekhyun just gawked at him. He felt that his heart fell when he saw that smile for the first time.

            My gosh… He wants to laugh and cry at the same time. It’s weird but that’s what he is feeling at the moment.  What a disarming smile... He quickly trapped Tao’s face with his hands when he tried to look away to get his glass of scotch. There’s no one that can see that smile but him alone. Tao’s smile vanished at it was replaced by confusion. That’s why he immediately pulled his hand away.          

            “S-sorry, I, ah…” Baekhyun just used his hands to relay what he wants to say. That is nonsense by the way because it can’t be understood. That’s why he just smiled in the end.

            Hey, smile is the universal language.

            “Why are you always smiling like that?” Tao asked. “Is there something wrong?”

            “I don’t know.” Baekhyun’s voice cracked a little. “You just make me smile, that’s all.”

            “I’m not smiling right now.”

            “That’s why I told you I don’t know.”

            “You’re weird.”

            “I know.”

            Tao just sipped at his drink without taking his eyes off him. Baekhyun wants to be insulted. Well, a bit. Because based on what Tao is doing, he’s showing that he’s just complimenting him because he is drinking.

            “Does that taste good?” Baekhyun asked, pertaining at Tao’s drink.

            “No.”

            “Then why are you drinking that?”

            “It helps me calm my nerves.”

            If that’s the case, then Tao is still thinking about what happened earlier. When he was distraught by his little “accident” at his house that morning.

            Does our kiss included in that little “accident” earlier? In other words, that little kiss that they have shared earlier?

            Baekhyun felt that his face is getting hot that’s why he just cleared his throat. So that he will be distracted away from his thoughts.

            “So…you’re not drunk?”

            “No.”

            “Really?” Baekhyun raised three fingers in front of Tao’s face. “How many is this?”

            His heart melted for the second time when Tao smiled at him again. Damn! I can’t take this anymore! Stop torturing me with your smiles, you beast!

            “You’re more handsome when you are smiling.” Baekhyun said. “I hope you always do that smiling thing.”

            Tao just took a sip from his glass to hide his smile.

            Baekhyun secretly stuck out his tongue at him. Wait. If Tao is not drunk like what he said, then he’s aware that he has been touching his face earlier? What does that mean? Baekhyun could feel his cheeks burning up again. Because he can’t help but think that Tao touched his face because he finds him cute. His heart beats wildly at the thought.

            “Ah…” He stood up. “My wound is okay now. Thanks to you. You are good. I hope you won’t get tired of helping others.”

            Tao is just quiet and just like before, he was thinking deeply again.

            “You can check the condition of my wound if you’re really worried about me.” Baekhyun winked at Tao and playfully kissed him before walking out of the bar. Then he scolded himself for the way he had acted.

            What in the world did I just do?

-----------------------------

            “Hey!”

            Baekhyun almost shrieked when he heard that familiar voice. His heart is still beating erratically when he turned to look at the man who talked. “Tao, don’t scare me like that. I will have a heart attack in no time.”

            “I want to check your wound.”

            “Huh?”

            “Your wound.” Tao gestured on Baekhyun’s bandaged leg. “I want to know your legs condition, after all, you reminded me to check on it earlier.”

            “Ah, no need. It’s alright.”

            So the mess that he is in now is his own fault. If he didn’t flirt with Tao earlier, he would be not in this mess. Because he had practically flirted with him back at the bar! He can’t even do that to Minho. He can just do aegyo but when it comes to Tao, his stupidity just reached a new level. What is happening to him, really? What was he doing involving himself with a man like Huang Zitao?

            “Ah, I’m feeling okay now.” Well, duh. “You should just go home and rest. Because you are drunk.”

            “I have a high alcohol tolerance.” Tao answered. “Just like you.”

            “Ah.”

            “Are you sure your wound’s okay now?”

            Baekhyun wants to stomp his feet. He hopes Tao is drunk so he could play around him and to not take his words seriously. But now that his mind is clear from any alcohol, he doesn’t have an idea what to do.

            “Okay, you can go home.” Tao said. “If you felt any pain on your wound, just go immediately to Donghae. He’ll know what to do.”

            “Okay.”

            But when Tao walked away, there seemed to be a magnet that made him follow the other man. Tao seemed to notice it so he turned to him.

            “What are you doing?”

            “I… don’t know.” He gave him a faltered smile.

            Tao placed a hand on his waist. “Byun Baekhyun.”

            “Okay, fine. I want you to check my wound.” Tao’s forehead knotted. He’s not just annoyed by Tao, but also to himself. His mind is really messy right now. “Don’t frown at me like that. You were the one who offered on checking my wound, right? So don’t complain if I accepted your offer.”

            “You rejected the idea, right?”

            Of course, he will be defensive. Because he has a fault too. “I can change my mind whenever I want.”

            “Just go to Donghae.”

            “Fine! You don’t need to push me away!” Baekhyun is about to turn back when he felt a hand on his arm. It was Tao. He is scowling again. Then Tao pulled him. “Where are we going?”

            “To the nearest cliff. I’ll throw you because of too much headaches that you are giving me.”

            “I wasn’t able to do any last will and testament.”

            “I don’t care.”

            “But all my money will go to waste.”

            Tao doesn’t answer anymore. He will be ready to fight him if ever Tao will put hi sthreat into action. But he doesn’t have to worry because they are heading towards the taller man’s house.

            “It’s my second time coming to your house. If the club members learn about this, they will surely think that you have feelings for me.”

            “Just let them think whatever they want.”

            “It’s okay that you’ll get linked to my handsomeness?” Tao doesn’t answer. “You let me ride with you on your horse.”

            “So?”

            Baekhyun was humiliated with Tao’s grumpiness. He shouldn’t have opened that topic about that golden rule of the club members about riding with the same person in their horses. It was just a rule anyway. The rule says that whoever the member gave the permission to ride with him on his horse will be the one that they will be spending the rest of their lives with.

            “If there is someone that teased you about that thing, tell it to me.” Tao said.

            “Why? What will you do?”

            “What do you want me to do?”

            “You’ll greet them?”

            Tao clicked his tongue. “Forget it.”

            “Slap their ears.”

            “What?”

            “Nothing.”

            Somehow, he felt a lot better knowing Tao was willing to come to his side if anyone would about the incident. Baekhyun looked at their clasped hands and smiled.

            Yeah, this one is good too.

-----------------------------

Hi guys! I'm so sorry for not updating for two and a half weeks. Things have been so busy in school lately and I don't have time to write. I don't have to check for any grammatical and/or spelling errors because I have to sleep now because I have classes tomorrow. So if ever you have seen one, I'm sorry. Thank you so much for reading, subscribing and upvoting this story! :)

P.S.: I may or may not be posting an update next week. I'm really sorry and thank you for patiently waiting! ❤️