“So how old are you Tao?” Kris questioned, wanting to make a small conversation with the pretty boy.

“I’m …19… I think?” Tao replied as if he himself wasn’t sure about his age.

Kris nodded as he half smiled.

“Y-you?” Tao stuttered, embarrassed.

“Me? Oh I’ll turn 23 this year.”

Tao nodded, looking down, having nothing else to say.

“So you mind telling me about yourself?” Kris questioned with a warm voice.

Tao snapped his head up, a gummy smile spread on his face.

“About me? Aw nothing interesting, really!” he replied as he frantically waved his hands on the air, trying to make it look as if there was nothing interesting about him.

“Come on, there must be something. Tell me anything, that comes on your mind.” Kris said, patting Tao’s shoulder.

Tao slightly tensed at the foreign touch but quickly relaxed.

“You start.” Tao said

“Well I’ve been living in Guangzhou since the day I was born. I live on my own. My favorite color is blue. I like playing basketball from time to time. I graduated university last year. What about you?”

“Well let me think…” Tao said, a finger on his lips, contemplating which information he should share or not.

“Ah, I am from Qingdao but I came in Guangzhou a year ago.  That’s all I think.”

Kris slightly scoffed. The younger wasn’t sharing anything. But he didn’t want to push the wrong buttons.

“Aw and I live in the streets!” Tao beamed, remembering another detail, that he thought Kris must have slipped. Well, he hadn’t.

“Oh” Kris replied not knowing how to react. Should he smile, or comfort him? But it didn’t seem like the younger needed his comfort. He seemed happy…

Tao lowered his head, feeling extremely awkward. Maybe he shouldn’t have talked to Kris in the first place.

“Well I have-

“Wait” Kris cut in.

“Do you want to come to my apartment?” Kris asked, not even realizing how wrong it sounded.

Tao seemed alarmed, as he shot up ready to run for his dear life.

“No wait, not what I meant.” Kris said, grabbing the younger’s wrist.

Tao was frightened to death. Who was Kris exactly?

“What I meant was, do you mind coming all the way to my apartment, so I can take my wallet with me, and maybe buy us some food..? It’s on me.” Kris pleaded, which was what scared Tao to death.

Why was Kris so persistent? Something was off.

Tao was trying to decide what to do. Follow the beautiful stranger to his house, which seemed a bit suspicious, or just starve here?

“Okay.” Tao whispered, nodding.

Food > safety. Yes, his priorities where a ‘bit’ messed up.

“Follow me.” Kris replied, eye smiling, leading the way.

He just hoped he hadn’t freaked out the younger.

Which he probably already had.

But what is done is done, and can never be undone.

“Will you wait here, or climb upstairs?” Kris asked as he finally reached his house.

“Don’t mind me. I’ll just wait outside.” Tao replied alarmed, looking everywhere else, except Kris’s face.

Kris quickly nodded, and climbed upstairs.

He unlocked the door and entered the apartment. It was a small one, but with so many windows, that light shone through everywhere.

He searched for his wallet hoping Tao hadn’t run of.

He closed the door behind him and walked out of the building. He was living on the second floor, so it didn’t really take him much time.

“You are back” Tao exclaimed, sounding like he didn’t really believe Kris would come back.

“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t i?”

Tao opened his mouth to reply, but quickly closed it again.

“So are we going?” Kris asked

“Yes f-

“Just call me Kris please.”

“Yes Kris.” Tao replied, happiness written all over his face.