"Yeah?" Tao looked up at Kris across from him. Why is he staring at me like that? So intense.. Tao started shivered. 

"Are you cold?" Kris asked his head tilted a little to the side. Tao gulped. Kris' innocent face was piercing right through him, straight to his heart where it was slowly melting it away like a burning candle. You are a guy, Tao. Don't think about this.

"No, I just.. No." Tao stammered. Chen looked between the two and noticed the tension.

"Kris," Chen chirped, interrupting the conversation. "What were you saying about testing Tao. I think I have a theory about what you were talking about but I am still not so sure what you really meant."

"Ah!" Kris snapped his fingers and turned to Tao again after rotating to Chen. "I wanted to test his abilities as the thief. Chen, you always boast about how Tao is such an amazing thief and yada yada yada, but I wanted to see for sure.. In case I ever wanted to recruit him." Kris winked at Tao. 

Tao stopped breathing. The whole world got in slow motion as Kris winked at him. Tao's heart skipped a beat and then thumped louder and louder as it drained out all of the conversations and noises in the room. All he heard was his heart beating, all he saw was Kris.

Why? What is going on? Tao has never felt like this before. "I-I have to go to the restroom." He excused himself and stepped out of the little booth. He tried to walk somewhat normally, but his legs wouldn't let him. He felt as if they were replaced with the cheap, thin 0.5 lead that threatens to snap into pieces any second. He took each step carefully, and once he gained composure, he rushed to the restroom as fast as his legs can take him.

--

As soon as he reached the dark wooden men's restroom door, he was panting ferociously. He used his whole body to swing open the bathroom door since he knew that his arms won't be able to take on the door. He stumbled in and scanned the restroom. Thankfully, it was totally empty. The restroom also was dimly lit with yellow lights. It was also wood, but some sort of shiny wood. There were four sinks connected to each other on a cream granite board with light brown wood shelves supporting it underneath. In front of the sinks, was a long mirror, covering the whole wall. The bathroom doors were also made of wood and was structured to look like those cheap plastic toilet dividers you normally would see in restrooms at public places. 

Tao stood in front of the sink. He was sweating. How can one wink do this to me? And from a guy too? No Tao, you must not be thinking like this. Tao splashed himself with some water from the sink, hoping that it would cool him down. It sure didn't. He tried to calm his heart rate down by closing his eyes, but all he saw was Kris. Other people would see darkness with faint light shining through, but Tao saw Kris.

--

Tao walked outside the restroom, somewhat composed. As he walked towards the table, he noticed that their food has already come. It probably just came, considering the vast amount of steam coming out from it. Once Tao was in eye view of Kris, Kris looked up, sensing Tao and smiled. Great, here I go again.

"Hey Tao, steak is here!" Chen smiled, waving his fork with a cut piece of steak back and forth. "It's really good!"

Tao slid into the seat and examined his plate. A decent sized steak, a decent amount of mashed potatoes and fries, and a couple of fried shrimp were crowded onto his wide, oval plate. Tao once again almost drooled puddles. No, not even puddles, he could have drooled enough to fill the seven seas. He dug in. 

After an hour or so of telling jokes and funny stories, they all finished and walked out of the restaurant. Everyone was full and tired. It seemed as if it was night time already. Tao took out his white iPhone with a leopard print case on it. 12:03. Wow, midnight already.

Chen peered at Tao's screen and also looked at the time. "Tao, it's really late, how about you sleep over with me and Kris in the hotel room?"

Tao glanced at Kris. Share.. A.. Suite.. With.. HIM?!? Tao wasn't disgusted by the thought, but he was scared. Tao tended to.. Drool. A lot when he slept. What if I drool a huge lake in the hotel room?! What would Kris think of me?! That would be so embarrassing!

"Uh, I think I'm good Chen, Thanks any ways." Tao replied back.

"No. You are not going out onto the streets. There might be ghosts." Chen answered back. The word ghosts made an abundance of frightful images cram into Tao's brain. His eyes started watering as he also started sniffling. 

"Tao.. Are you okay?" Kris' eyes widened like it did before when Tao did aegyo. 

"No, *sniffle* I am *sniffle* not." Tao choked on his words. Ghosts scared him, a lot more than they should. Even the word itself makes Tao cry.

Chen's face softened like the butter in I Cannot Believe It's Not Butter on a pan. "Come here." Chen put a protective arm around Tao and led Tao to the elevator. "Now, you have to stay the night."

Oh, great.