You sat up in bed and yawned widely as your stretched your arms out."I have to meet Tao today!" You thought. After that thought you started to blush and a smile slowly crept onto your face. You tried to hold it back but you were happy you were going to see Tao and get ice cream. "What will I wear!?" You said rushing to your closet. "Should I just go casually...? I mean it's not like this is an actual date or anything.... But... I want to look nice don't I..?" You thought. You sighed, picking an outfit was going to be way harder than you thought. And what about your hair? You started going through your clothes for a good 30 minutes mixing and matching different outfits until you got to one you really liked. It was a white blouse. It had a collar and before it was a transparent lacing. You wore a flowy mellow pink skirt that went down to your knees. For shoes you wore black flats that had a bow on them. You tied your hair into a messy - but cute bun. "What if this is over doing it...?" You thought starting to worry, "who cares anyway..? Its just Tao..." But thinking of Tao made you feel a strange sense of happiness. You couldn't quiet explain it.

You made your dad breakfast, just simple eggs, and you cleaned up a bit. You checked on your dad to make sure he was ok, not like he would talk to you, but he looked physcially fine... in a way. You paced back and forth around the house getting more nervous with each second. Tao would be there any minute now. "Maybe I should just go outside and wait for him!" You thought opening the door and bumping into Tao. You started to blush and couldn't look at him. "How embarassing!"

"Looks like we're in sync, huh?" Tao joked. You just looked up at him a little and gave him a small smile. He started to head out and you followed him. You got yourself together and asked, "Ya~ Tao! Why did you want to meet so early anyway?" 

"Ahh.. umm... I was thinking... Lets spend the whole day together!" Tao replied and you felt your heart beating quickly. You didn't know what to do. 

"Where... um, where are we going first then?" You said looking up at him trying not to get lost in his eyes again... but you noticed something about him. He had no flaws. All of his imperfections were perfect.

"Um.. I was thinking... a simple breakfast maybe? Then we can go to a movie.... and then lunch. Then after that we can maybe walk around a little... then ice cream of course! We can get ice cream at the boardwalk. What do you think?" Tao said smiling. He looked so comfortable walking next to you with his hands behind his head. Your stomach felt week and your heart didn't stop beating quickly, it just seemed to get faster and faster. You could have sworn Tao could hear it.

"Nice.." You said trying to sound cool when you were clearly freaking out. "Is this a.... date?" You thought looking up at Tao again.

You arrived at the small bakery. "In China, my mum always made me eat some kind of pastry for breakfast! It was a little odd.." Tao said examining every bread, cupcake, cake, and scone that was on display amongst a bunch others. "I'll take that!" Tao said pointing at a strawberry scone.

"Me too! But the... chocolate scone!" You said. Tao giggled, "chocolate in the morning... cute."

You both ate then you took a public bus to the cinema. The bus was crowded and you stood so closely to Tao, you could feel his breath. You liked it, being close to him, you felt safe. Sometimes on the bumpy areas of the road you would collide with Tao making you be on his chest. "Do we look like a couple?" You thought seeing the bunch of people on the bus and looking up Tao who was looking off into space. "I wonder if his heart is beating as fast as mine?" 

Finally after the cinema you were full off of popcorn and the movie had lasted a little longer than you had planned so you both decided to skip lunch. "Let's walk around a little before we get ice cream then." Tao suggested. You nodded your head, you couldn't even think of food right now.

You guys walked in silence for a little then Tao spoke first, "Ah, how's Kai?" You were surprised he'd ask such a thing. 

"He's good... why?" You asked. Tao just shrugged but you knew there was something. You started poking him, trying to annoy him to the point where he'd tell you. 

"Quit it." He said trying to hold back a smile. You smiled hugely, "Tell me! Tell me!" you said tickeling him and pulling on him.

"Ya! You're such a kid, you know?" he said. You just laughed, you didn't care. Sometimes you liked it like this, being playful and carefree. Just like when you were a child. "Fine, I'll tell you. Somewhere, I heard you like Kai."

"Wa!? People know about that? Or are you just snooping around Huang Zi Tao? Huh?!" You said playing around some more. 

"Eh? Snooping around? Ha! Like I care about your personal relationships that much." Tao said trying to sound cool. You just smiled at him, you knew it was more than that. You felt happy that Tao knew and asked.... It felt like, maybe, he really did care about you.

"And who do you like?" You said looking up at him. You could tell the question sort of threw him off.

"Ya! Stop being so nosy, huh?" Tao said walking faster. You noticed he was blushing and you giggled. "Let's go get ice cream now! Its a far walk anyway."

***

"Why do you like strawberry so much?" You asked Tao. 

"Why do you like chocolate so much?" Tao asked back. You giggled. You felt so happy, the happiest you had felt in years. "Swap?" Tao asked handing out his ice cream cone to you. You didn't hesitate. It felt like such a couple-like thing to do. You couldn't help but wonder what everyone walking passed you two thought. Were they thinking you both looked compatible? That you looked perfect for each other?

It started to get late so Tao walked you back home. He had started to become quiet ever since you both had went to the boardwalk. "Why is he so hard to figure out?" You thought with a sigh. Finally you arrived home. It was quiet for a while. You didn't know what to do. Was he going to say anything? Should you just thank him and go inside? Finally Tao spoke, "Never speak to me again." You looked at him confused, you opened your mouth to speak but he beat you to it. "Don't come into contact with me, ever. Pretend you don't know me when you see me, okay?" 

You couldn't even speak. You felt yourself start shaking, your face felt hot, it was like you were going to pass out. "Tao.. I don't understand. Is this a joke? What about today.. we just..."

"Forget it. If you want to know the truth, I only took you out like this today because I felt bad for you. You thought I really liked you after this one week? You're so gulliable. You should know me, I'm not just some friendly guy. I'm a troublemaker. As if I'd easily become close to you." Tao's words were cold, they were so icy sharp you could feel them stab your heart. You were holding back tears now. 

"Then why'd you do it? Why did you pretend?!" You asked trying your hardest to get the words out.

"Because, I like SoHee. I figured if I got close to you, I could get closer to SoHee. And it worked." Tao said. Right then, your world came crumbling down, there was no stopping it now, tears rushed down your face. You could barley see, your eyes were full with water. "This is good for both of us. Now I can countinue to live happily like I was before I met you and with the girl I like, and you can live rumor-free." And just like that he left. You fell to your knees. You were too weak to get up. You just kept crying harder and harder. You couldn't believe what just happened and you wouldn't believe it. After today.... you were so happy, you really liked Tao. But was it all just an illusion?

***

"Dammit!" Tao yelled, punching a brick wall. "I am so sorry ______.... I'm so sorry." He fell to his knees. It started to rain but he didn't move. He couldn't stop replaying you, tears streaming down your face. "I'm the worst... But I had to do it for you...." he thought. "You have no idea how much I like you, ______.... but I know I can't be forgived for this. Why do our fates have to be this cruel?"