My father and Mr. Kim had asked about the trip when we got home while Min Ho had squinted his eyes at me saying I should have stayed in Japan longer. I had laughed at him and given him a hug against his will. If there was one person who actually managed to make me feel a tad better after everything, it was Min Ho. He and I spent the entire day together doing everything he wanted from watching a movie to getting ice cream. It wasn’t until around 5pm that I left him to get ready. At 6 sharp, my cellphone rang while I was making way downstairs. Everyone was having dinner.

“I’m waiting for you outside”, Tao said. “Come when you’re ready.”

“You don’t want to come in?” I asked.

”I think I’ll pass”, he laughed. I hung up and went to put my shoes on.

“Ji Eun ah”, Mrs. Kim called from the dining room. When I entered the room, she gave me a big smile. “I cooked your favourite meal.”Seeing her this happy that Kai and I were back made me feel bad I couldn’t stay for dinner. Not to forget the work she had put in for dinner, the meal looked extravagant. “Why are you dressed so prettily?”

I was just dressed in a blue summer dress. It was nothing fancy yet Mrs. Kim made it sound like I was going to a gala and now everyone was looking at me.

“I’m sorry”, I said. “But I won’t be staying for dinner.” I saw Mrs. Kim’s disappointment show through her face although she tried to hide it.

“Where are you going?” She asked.

“I’m going out with my friend from earlier”, I said. “Tao. We made plans.”

“Tao?” My father smiled. “I haven’t seen him in a while. Is he picking you up on the motorcycle?”

“You’re going on a date?” Min Ho asked in awe. “With a boy?”

“No”, I smiled. ”I’m going out with my boy friend. I mean guy friend."

“You let her drive on a boy’s motorcycle?” Mrs. Kim asked my father.

“It’s safe and Tao would never let any harm come to her”, my father answered. “He has an extra helmet.”

“I have to go”, I said once I felt the awkwardness became too much. “I’ll be home late, so don’t worry if you hear noise at night. Bye.”

I ran out of the house to Tao.

“Sorry I’m late”, I said. “I was having an interrogation on you.”

“I saw”, he laughed. He helped me put on my helmet but then he stopped. “They are staring at us.” I turned to the window he had nodded at and saw into the Kim’s dining room. All of them, besides Kai who was no longer at the table were looking at us. 

My dad waved happily whereas Mrs. Kim had narrowed her eyes. Tao waved at my father and I put on the helmet myself and got on the back of the motorcycle. I sat behind him and he drove to the cemetery. 

Tao bought flowers at a shop before we entered the cemetery. One thing I hated about cemeteries was how it made the hair on the back of my neck raise. To put it simply cemeteries gave me the creeps. We found his sister’s grave, and he placed down the flowers beautiful .

“Hi Li Sa”, he said. “It’s me your brother. I don’t know if you remember her, but I came with Ji Eun unnie.” I waved at the grave. “I miss you very much.” I could hear the pain and hurt in Tao’s voice as he continued to his speech and even though I wanted to make him stop talking so he wouldn’t be so sad, I didn’t. When he finished, he took a deep breath and I gave him the warmest hug I could. 

Later

Tao’s house hadn’t changed since the last time I had come by. It was still big yet warm and welcoming like.

“Are your parents not home?” I asked.

“You know them”, he said. ”They’re always travelling.” I followed him to kitchen and helped take the groceries out.

“I can’t believe school ends in on friday”, he said while we were deep into cooking. ”We’re going to be seniors next year.” 

“I’m actually relieved it’s our final year in a couple of months”, I said. “Junior year was so dramatic, I don’t think I can deal with another year like this.”

I turned around the cooking vegetables.

“I think you mean these last six months were dramatic”, he stopped pouring rice into the wok and looked at me. “So how are things? You’ve looked depressed since yesterday.”

“Things are ”, I answered and he laughed at the way I had cursed.

“Do you want to talk about what happened yesterday?” I didn’t answer. “Okay, I’ll take a guess. You were jealous when you saw Kai with that girl, then you ditched us and cried all night.” Tao was indeed the greatest mind reader there was. “Listen, carefully to what I’m going to say.” He cleared his throat. ”Kai knows you like him and he hasn’t done anything about it. The fact that he even went on a date with a girl in front of you..." He sighed. "If he liked you he would have made a move a long time ago but... here we are and nothing has happened.” He paused. ” I don’t like seeing you hurt yourself like this.”

“We’ve been making small progress”, I said. “Do you know long it took for him to even have a normal conversation with me? I swear he’s been opening up to me now.”

“I just don’t get the two of you”, he said. “What’s your relationship?”

“We just live in the same house”, I sighed.

“Is that really all? Based on the way you were glued to each other at the beach it looked like more to me." He stirred the wok. "I wasn't there when you ran into the sea but I saw what happened after. When Lu Han came out and you weren't there, Kai was the first one yelling your name and running in to pull you out. It was so intense, I don't think anyone has ever seen him show so much... emotion before.” I was shocked at what Tao was telling me.  Had Kai really reacted that strongly at the incident? I did felt his worry when he'd comforted me but the way Tao was talking it sounded almost like Kai... Nah, I was overthiking it. Of course he had to worry. His mom had literally threatened him to watch over me.  

"I was a little jealous he got to you before I got the chance", Tao continued. "But I'm glad he saved you. I don't know what I would have done if anything bad had happened that day." I leaned my head on his shoulder as a form of thank you.

“What about you?" I asked shortly after. Do you have anyone you want to date?”

“You mean besides you?” He laughed. ”I don’t.”.

”So what are you doing during summer?” I asked ignoring what he had said.

"Music camp in L.A.”

“Cool.” We mixed everything we had sliced and diced together in the wok and let it cook some more.

“By the way, I know you don’t have anything to do during summer”, he said. “So I looked around and found an old brochure about this coffee shop at a idol training centre. You remember I worked there one summer? They’re looking for teenagers to apply for my old job. My friend worked there last year and he was scouted and now he is a trainee.

“That’s awesome”, I smiled. At least I’d have something to do during summer while everyone else travelled to other countries.

”He’s working there this year too”, Tao continued. "I think the two of you will get along."

“How do you apply?”

“I already applied for you”, he announced right when he turned off the stove.

“Without my permission?” I asked.

”I was going to ask but I never got the chance because you were M.I.A for a while", he began serving the food into two separate plates. "On the bright side, you did get the job.”

“I love you”, I said and planted a big fat kiss on his cheek.

“All the ladies do”, he smiled. Tao took the plates and I grabbed a bottle of coke and chopsticks and we went to his bedroom to eat and watch a movie.

“Did you prepare the graduation speech for friday?” Tao asked while we were eating.

“Why would I do that when I’m not even graduating?” My mouth was full.

“Because school traditions has always had a senior and a junior hold the speeches and Lee Tuk announced while we were going to Japan that you were holding the speech for the juniors with Kai.”

“What?” I almost chocked on the food and started coughing. "I don't remember him saying that." Tao gave me my glass and although it didn’t help enough I gulped the coke down and felt a tad better.

"That's because you weren't listening", he said.

“I can’t hold a speech in front of the entire school”, I said. “That’s just… No.”

“But you have to do it”, Tao laughed. “The principle specificcaly asked for you and Kai to do it together. Aren’t you happy you get to do something with the love of your life?”

“B-but”, I stuttered. "What if I embarass myself?”

“It’s going to be fine”, Tao encouraged me. “Whatever happens on stage, you've been through worse by the doings of Kai." I couldn't help but at his joke and also feel a ittle hurt about how right he was. "Just let mr Number one do the speech. I’m sure he’ll have a better speech than the senior himself.”

Later 

“Do you want dessert?” He asked and looked at the time. ”Ther's still about an hour left before I have to take you home.”

“I’ll race you down the kitchen”, I said but Tao was gone before I even stood up.

“Cheater!” I said when I entered the kitchen. He had already taken out a Ben&Jerry ice cream pack with two spoons. I snatched the ice cream away from him, ran to his bedroom and jumped on his bed. After hiding his spoon away, I lied on my stomach and started eating the ice cream. When he came he knew exactly what was gone.

“My spoon”, he asked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”, my eyes were glued on the tv screen.

“I brought ice with me so you better get ready”, he said.

“You’re joking”, I looked at him. When I saw his smirk, I knew it was war. He jumped on the bed and next thing I knew, I felt an ice cold thing on my bare stomach. I yelled. “Stop it! Take it away!”

”My spoon”, he asked after taking the ice cube away. I fixed my dress and jumped out of his bed sticking my tongue out.

“I don’t know”, I playfully said. As soon as he moved, I ran out of the room and he chased me around with a hanfull of ice cubes. He finally pined me down on the couch in the living room upstairs. This time when I felt the ice against my back I laughed because it was melting and ticklish and the water drenched my clothes.

“Last time I’m asking”, he said. “My spoon.”

"It’s in your bed!” I gave in. He removed the ice cubes from my clothes but he didn’t remove himself from being on top of me. I saw the way he was looking at me and knew exactly what was on his mind. ”Oppa…”

”Don’t you ever think about it?” He asked.

Yes, I did think about it. Not very often but sometimes it did cross my mind. What if instead of Kai, Tao was the one I was in love with? Tao was an amazing person and friend and one of the people I respected more than anything. He knew me better than anyone. He loved me and I loved him just as much. We understood each other, so why did we never try to be more? Almost everyone seemed to think we should date. Maybe they were right. Maybe I should just forget about Kai? 

Without giving it more thought, I grabbed his collar and pushed him down towards me and kissed him. Tao was gentle and soft and just perfect. His hand was planted on my waist and I held on tighter so his body would be even closer to mine,  but Tao ended the kiss.

”Ji Eun ah”, he looked at me. ”What are you doing?”

”I want to see if everyone is right”, I said. ”If maybe we tr-” Tao kissed me and the rest was history. It didn’t take long before his shirt came off and my dress followed. After a moment of being all over each other, he lift me up and I wrapped my arms and legs around him. He carried me down to his bedroom and we continued on his large bed.

At one point, when his hand went up and down my thigh and his lips went below my neck, everything came crashing down to me and I had to stop him. 

”Ji Eun?” I kmew Tao was looking at me but I avoided his eyes. My own were teary and I was currently crying. ”Come here.” Tao got off of me and pulled me into a hug meanwhile I continued to cry.

What was wrong with me? Why would I start crying in the middle of whatever it was we were doing? Why did I even convince myself to try to do this in the first place? It wasn’t fair to Tao at all because deep down I knew that all of this was happening for one reason. I was sad and angry at myself because I didn’t try hard enough to come to terms with the fact that Kai would never be interested in me.

“I’m sorry”, I cried. “I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay”, he planted a kiss on my temple. “It’s okay. We don’t have to do this.”  I snuggled up closer to him and continued to cry.

We laid like that for hours, with me trying not to cry and him caressing me and trying to calm me down. When I finally did cool, Tao went and got our clothes so we would cover up. 

“I have to go home”, I said. “I’ll call a cab.”

“I’m not letting you get into a car with a stranger at this time”, Tao said. “I’m taking you home.”

“It’s a 30 minute drive and it's late.”

“All the more why I should drive you home", he smiled and held my hand. I felt too weak to argue so I simply followed him.

When I got home, it was almost 2 am in the morning. I was still a mess and just wanted to get to bed. I carefully climbed the stairs and tip toed towards my room when someone touched my arm and my heart jumped out of my chest. I spun around in the blink of an eye and saw Kai. It wasn’t that difficult to recognise him in the dark, but then he turned the lights on.

“What are you doing out here?” I asked.

“I was booking my hotel for Paris on the phone”, he said.

“At 2 am?” I asked and then I remembered the time difference. “Wait, you’re going to paris this summer?”                        

“Yes”, he let go of my arm. He looked at my dress. “Why are you wearing your dress on the wrong side?”

”I'm not”, I quickly said and hid the tag that was sticking out on the side. By the way his eyes became smaller I knew he didn’t believe me.

”Did you and.”, he stopped what he was about to say. My heart was beating so fast and my hands where anxiously tightened into a punch. ”Where you at Tao’s house?” I was about to answer but stopped myself. I didn’t have to tell Kai anything. I didn’t owe him an explanation when it came to what I did on my free time.

“Good night”, I said instead and walked to my room.

A/N:

Thank you guys for all the comments and for subscribing :)

What are your thoughts regarding Tao and Ji Eun? You think Kai suspects anything?

Next chapter is probably my favorite chapter ye, can't wait for you to read it ;)