When you reach the moon

 

Wufan has always loved birds.

 

He loves the way their wings outstretch, how a feather or two may tumble off from a light breeze in the wind. Birds are weightless, and magnificent.

 

He often doesn’t understand why he’s human and not a gorgeous blue bird, or a hawk, anything that can fly.

 

He drowns himself in story books – sometimes 10 years too young for his age – about phoenix’s, the large red fire bird that once ruled Egyptians in awe, not in truth. Phoenix’s aren’t real, he knows that.

 

He also knows dragons aren’t real, he knows they don’t vary in colours and scales like in his story books.

 

But his mother had always said wishing and understanding are close – so understand your wishes, and you’ll understand life. So he continues on loving the way birds move, fascinated by the vibrant graphic tales of bloodshed dragons never left behind.

 

He had even taken on a more noble name in turn to his obsession, he even self-taught himself English so he may read more tales.

 

“Kris” his mother calls from downstairs, jolting Wufan from his delusional world with only wings and the dark blue sky, that varies in colours, sometimes the skies are grey, sometimes they are blue. Sometimes, they can be red. “Dinner is ready” she finishes and she’s already scurrying herself to the kitchen to serve Wufan’s father and little brother.

 

“Gege Kris is weird” Yu says when he comes downstairs and seats himself next to the little brat, Wufan just laughs. Even if his brother is calling him weird, he still calls him by his false made-up name.

 

King Kris, the noble man that defeated the black dragon, the black plague.

 

It’s his favorite story, it’s false and isn’t that old at all. But it’s beautifully written, and he loves the way the words flow together. Kris had never found another story like it, but he had taken up the name.

King Kris – whom will figure out how to fly one day.

 

“He’s not” his mother coo’s while patting down Yu’s messy straw hair, “he just likes stories.”

 

“They’re stupid” Yu says flatly.

 

“And your hair is gross” Kris rebuts, and his self-conscious (most likely future gay little brother) runs his ebony fingers thru his tangled locks, glaring at his gege.

 

“That was mean” Yu says while placing his fork down, “stupid Wufan.”

 

Kris doesn’t like being called Wufan very much.

 

Kris doesn’t like Yu and his stupid monster video games – either.

 

 

“Kris you need to make friends” his mother coaxes often, giving subtle hints that she’s just a bit more worried than usual. “Don’t you have any? I never see you leave the house.”

 

“I do” Kris replies automatically, he does have someone he claims as his best-friend at school, but him and Luhan agree not to meet after school much, Luhan likes his world history books as much as Kris likes his story books, they don’t have time for each other after school.

 

“Who?” She groans, just because she’s sick of coming upstairs to find her eldest son reading children books.

 

“Luhan, a pretty boy in my class, he likes to read world history a lot. He knows everything, I swear.” Kris says, flipping to another page. “I one day asked him to tell me about England’s history about dragon stories and witch tales – you see, because the students were gossiping about how he’s so intelligent, so Luhan said he’ll read up on it that night and tell me tomorrow, we’re very good friends.”

 

Which is true – Luhan and him eat lunch together, Luhan often uses his wisdom on the world to aid Kris in finding his next best story, and sometimes they do silly things, like argue about which is better. Luhan is smart, smarter than your average person.

 

Kris likes smart people, they’re much easier to associate with.

 

“I see” his mother says, a bit more relaxed. “Why don’t you invite him over for dinner?”

 

“Were busy people, mom.” He groans giving her the duh stare, and she’s left defeated to wander back downstairs to relive the bad news to the father and the little brother.

 

 

“I was reading about China yesterday” Luhan says when Kris sits down beside the boy, Kris tugs out his latest novel. This time an actual book, not story book. (many thanks to Luhan and his connections in the process) but he hums; cause Luhan likes him humoring him.

 

“Shouldn’t you have read about China like, years ago? We live here.” Kris says, taking a bite of his bread while flipping to the next page.

 

“Yeah, but I forgot about martial art history in China.” Luhan explains, pulling out a large thick book that reeks of old age, Kris crinkles his nose back and looks up from his book.

 

“Okay? Gross.”

 

“You know the rumors about the kid –“

 

“No I don’t, I don’t really socialize.” Kris interrupts, and Luhan rolls his eyes grumbling a small ‘oh yes, I’m sorry my King.’

 

“The Wushu kid, Huang Zitao.”

 

“Wushu?” Kris asks, looking away from the dusty old book and back to his novel in hand, taking another bite of his coconut bun. “What’s that?” He mutters in between bites, and Luhan seems to smile radiantly – apparently that was the question he was looking for.

 

“I didn’t know either,” Luhan explains excitedly, his voice going a bit higher and his words coming together much quicker. “It’s a very calm, relaxed and very focused type of martial arts, very few people do it now days. It’s quite interesting, the history that is, the fights, not so much.”

 

“Why?” Kris asks, mildly interested and kind of use to Luhan and him being super excited about a cool discovery.

 

“Because they don’t fight, they’re super peaceful.” Luhan finishes, flipping open the large book that’s probably the size of Kris’ whole collection of books to the first page, pointing sharply at a painting of a man in a rather painful looking stance. “Wushu”

 

“Oh, cool.”

 

“That’s not the cool part –“ it never is with Luhan, Luhan doesn’t care for martial arts, Luhan likes the history. “ – their teachings and how it’s been passed on for generations is amazing, breath taking.”

 

“Shush” Kris hisses, his book finally getting good and Luhan pouts, slamming the dust-smelling thing closed, “good part, tell me about your grand discovery later oh great scholar.”












 

“The Wushu kid, Huang Zitao” Kris mutters, unable to get the string of words out of his head the rest of the day. Sometimes, Luhan does get to him. It doesn’t bother him though, he learns useful things that he can use in everyday life when he researches about whatever Luhan had been rambling about.

 

So he flips open his laptop, googling the sole word ‘Wushu’ and he gets plenty of things, he reads a bit, gets bored and moves onto better things, like his online stories about birds, about flying things.

 

He isn’t in the mood for fiction though, so he reads on planes – he reads on birds, the evolution of them, how their bones work, how their wings work.

 

He’s read it so many times before, but he can never seem to rid of the exhilarating thrill reading about flying gives him.
















 

He never met anyone that can fly, sure he’s met dancers and pole dancers – he’s met those people that dance from the roof, holding tightly onto those long scarf’s, he’s seen people dance in fight, he’s seen people bungee jump, people sky dive – he wants to try all.

 

But Kris can’t master kung fu or fighting – he hasn’t an ounce of patience for that – so he tries to convince his parents to let him sky dive, to no avail

 

“It’s hopeless” he whines to Luhan, not even bothering to bring his current obsession with him to the park they agreed to meet up at on Sunday – just to shut their mother’s up. “All I can do is read about flying.”

 

“You know,” Luhan says, flipping the page to another ancient book that’s probably off limits to the average person – but Luhan is smart, and handsome. People like Luhan and his pretty dear like face. “Wushu is considered a flying martial arts.”

 

“Oh, really?” He asks unimpressed, because that’s not the flying he wants to hear about, he wants to hear about how a bird flaps their wings in sync, in rhyme, he wants to hear about how a plane crash landed, or how it takes off.

 

He really should teach Luhan some more useful things aside from history. History is the past, some things need to be present.

 

“Yeah” Luhan says flatly, and he’s flipping the page sharply which is an indication to shut his mouth – so Kris does, and watches the ducks in the distance flap away from children and dogs that get too close.



















 

“The Wushu kid” one of Kris’ classmates whisper, hushed and secretive, even though Kris is sure everyone knows if Lumai is talking about it now – she’s always the last to hear of things, Luhan says. “He’s really like a monster, he attacked Hunghao!”

 

Kris frowns because that’s not how the story goes at all – apparently Hunghao was trying to ambush Zitao, and Zitao effortlessly flipped him over his shoulder without so much as batting an eyelash. Luhan said he witnessed the entire thing, and Luhan does not lie.

 

Cause history does not lie – most of the time. Luhan says every country tweeks history a bit in the text books, though. He says it takes a lot of effort to find thereal documents and battle records, what really happened.

 

“He shouldn’t be allowed in the school, he’s like a ing time bomb. He’s dangerous.” Another caked face girl whispers back, “I bet he sleeps with the principal.” And the group of girls start cackling.

 

Stupid. Kris decides, but doesn’t blame them – humans are easily deceived by rumors and lies. Practically humans live to be fed lies, Luhan told him that one day, saying that an old Chinese mountain man said that 600 hundred something years ago, and both Kris and Luhan finally agreed on something.

 

When class resumes, there’s no more talk about the Wushu kid who beat Hunghao to a pulp (apparently) and how he sleeps with the principal.

 

When the teacher turns his back, Kris flips the page, the words on his story about fairies playing with his thoughts and cares.

 

Fairies are much more important than who Zitao could possibly be sleeping with.

 

“Wufan” the teacher chimes unhappily, and Kris is snapping his head up with a grave frown.

 

“Kris” he corrects, just cause his teacher should get it right at least once this year.

 

“No, your name is Wu Fan, stop being silly.” The older man grumbles, rolling his small squinted eyes. “The office called for you, if you were paying any attention instead of reading your stories. You and Luhan, honestly.” The man sighs, and Kris is already packing his book into his jacket to slip unnoticed.

 

“Okay” Kris says, standing up and making his way out of the classroom.

 

He goes to the office without a damn worry – Luhan says worrying brings bad luck, plus, Kris is well aware he hasn’t done anything but not pay attention in class lately. Hell, he wears his school uniform to regulation – and 90% of the student bodies don’t.

He knocks once, then twice (just because he hates waiting) and – “come in” the principal chimes, and Kris does.

 

He’s shocked when he finds Luhan – perfect attendance record and top student in the school – sitting daintily in a big plush chair beside some sulking flat ironed tall kid.

 

“Sit down” the older man instructs, “now I know Luhan has always been a perfect student and such, but I just need you to vouch for him. Okay?”

 

“Okay?”

 

“Is Luhan telling the truth about Zitao merely using that move to protect himself from Hunghao?” The man asks sternly and Kris scrunches his face up, looking back at flat ironed tall kid.

 

“Wushu kid?” He asks curiously, and frowns when he sees his fellow school mate flinch to the nickname. “Nice to meet you, I’m Kris.”

“Wufan, we’ve talked about this, your name is Wufan not King Kris, or Kris.” The principal sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.

 

“I like Kris better, I never said it was King Kris, now did I?” Kris defends, jetting his lower lip to pout, and Luhan laughs.

 

“Just tell him I’m not lying you idiot, I’m missing History.”

“The horror, you probably already know everything.” Kris rebuts, and Luhan sticks his tongue out. “But yeah, I don’t think Luhan is lying – he doesn’t lie, when I was a kid he told me dragons existed, but that’s cause he didn’t want to burst my bubble yet.”

 

“You were 14.” Luhan replies flatly, “you’re stupid.”

 

“Shush, I’m saving your .”

 

“Not really,” Luhan points to Wushu kid, “your saving his from being expelled from the school. I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal, like someone had to beat Hunghao up, that guy has his head up his a –“ he pauses and smiles that innocent charming smile, and Kris is rolling his eyes.

 

“I didn’t even know his name, sir.” Zitao says stiffly after listening to Kris and Luhan argue. “I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s fine, now go to class, the three of you – actually, Kris, Zitao you stay, Luhan go attend your favorite class.” The principal rolls his eyes, and Kris sulks – he was hoping he could finish his book before the end of Math.

 

“Anything else?” Kris asks sulkingly, looking towards the clock.

 

“Yes, Wufan” Kris rolls his eyes are the stress on his birth name, “I was reading your career report, and how you just want to be involved with flying – flying Wufan, a pilot, a  bungee jumper instructor? You can’t just write ‘flying’.” He turns his attention to Zitao, “and you, what does ‘to be loved by many’ mean? That’s not a job Zitao.”

 

“Master says that –“

 

“This is school, not a temple.” The principal cuts off. “I want the both of you to go and think, when you think of a job you want to do, come back to me.”

 

 

“You want to fly?” Zitao asks awkwardly, “and I’m Huang Zitao, you may call me Tao though.” Tao practically whispers, so Kris chooses to sit closer to Tao then further – even if it is a bit awkward.

 

“Yeah so uh, you want to be loved by many? Wow, you’re worse than me with decisions.” Kris laughs jokingly, but stops when Tao just looks confused instead of amused.

 

“I don’t need a job though.” Tao says finally, “after school I just plan to go back to the village with more knowledge, and many more hearts.”

 

“I see…” Kris says slowly, smiling at Tao. “Well I hope that works out, so what do you think I should do?”

 

Tao just looks up at him, round eyes innocent and confused. “Didn’t you say you want to fly, isn’t that what you should do?”

 

 

“He’s cool” Kris rambles, “like he’s really cute cool – do you think it’d be weird if I asked him to eat lunch with us?”

 

“No” Luhan says flatly (in more of a groan of annoyance than anything) “just go ask him, I’m sure he thinks you’re cool too.” Cause really, he’s sick of listening to Kris repeat the same phrase of ‘he’s cool’

 

“Okay” Kris says finally, standing up and scanning the court yard. “I just need to find him first.”

 

“The matt room” Luhan says, waving his hand in a dismissing way. “I talk to a lot of people, but yeah, the matt room.”

 

“Thanks, see you later booky.” Kris waves and runs into the general direction of where the matt room is located.

 

He feels like a knight – a knight saving a princess from loneliness, Kris isn’t sure why, but no one wants to be friends with the Wushu Kid, Huang Zitao, Tao. Kris likes Tao, he likes Wushu kid, and he likes Huang Zitao.

 

He pushes open the doors, his eyes widen and he can imagine the prince falling in love at first sight.

 

Huang Zitao, the Wushu kid, Tao, is flying.

Tao is moving his body from toe to toe – stretching each limb and muscle, leaping into the air to do a twirl sideways or not; Huang Zitao is flying.

 

And Wu Fan, likes things that can fly.

 

It’s like time froze, each part of Tao’s moving perfectly and precisely so he can twirl gracefully threw the air – and when it’s finished, Kris is left facing Tao.

 

“You were flying” Kris says dumbly, and Tao bats his pretty eyelashes at the other in confusion.

 

“No” Tao says, “I was doing Wushu, do you need something?”

 

“Uh – oh yeah, do you want to eat lunch with me, well not me, me and Luhan, the kid with the small head and dear like features and –“ He stops, cause he’s rambling, and he’s embarrassing himself, Tao cracks a smile and strides to the other side of the matt room picking up his bag and throwing it over his shoulder.

 

“Okay” Tao says – and Kris thinks his mission is complete, the princess Huang ZItao does not look lonely anymore.

 

 

 

“I’m Luhan, now a lot of people wonder why popular me is best friends with anti-social y Kris over here,” he jabs his thumb into the middle of Kris’ chest, whom is scowling at Luhan. “But it’s cause we both have a common like, reading.”

 

“I like to read about flying, dragons, birds planes –“

 

“I like history, much more sensible, right? He really likes dragons. He’s odd, befriend me, not him.”

 

“Hey!” Kris protests, grabbing his latest story book and whacking Luhan with it “I befriended him first, so can your tiny lips.”

 

Tao smiles and pulls them apart, “I’ll be friends with the both of you, I’m Huang Zitao, please call me Tao, Luhan.”

 

“Taooooooo~” Luhan whines, clutching onto one of Tao’s defined arms, “Krissy is being mean to me.”

 

“Krissy?” Kris asks horrified, “Luhan – you, you, we can’t be friends anymore.” And Luhan is laughing, and Tao is laughing too. Kris pouts for a second – but Tao’s laughing face is too beautiful, so he smiles from ear to ear, watching as the two clutch each other roughly.

 

 

“Ma’!” He drawls loudly, and the older woman is wandering out of the kitchen with a rag in her hands. “I brought a friend over, we’ll be upstairs okay?” He says when he finally gets out of the kitchen.

 

“Friend?” She questions, eyes looking over to Tao – and her eyes bulge. “Oh my, why are all your friends so handsome? First Luhan and now Tao!” She exclaims, but smiles, “welcome and yeah do you want me to bring snacks up later?”

 

“Sure” Kris says and grabs the upper part of Tao’s arm, “come on!”

Kris finds out later while him and Tao’s shoulders are pressed against each other, one hand holding the others, while the free hand flips a page – that Tao has never read a story book.

 

They stay like that, Tao’s head on Kris’ shoulder, one hand holding the other – shoulder against shoulder. And Kris wouldn’t have preferred it any other way.

 

When his mom comes out with a large tray of food, eyes narrowing on their closeness but dismissing it as nothing when she places the tray in front of them, “are you reading?” she asks, and Tao smiles.

 

“He’s reading me a story book – I never read one before.” Tao explains, and Kris is beaming proudly.

 

Kris’ mother just smiles kindly and wanders downstairs to her husband sitting in the living room with a book in his hand.

 

“Honey,” she says shoulders dropping and looking quite defeated, “I think Kris has a boyfriend dear.”

 

The old man blinks and scrunches up his face at his wife. “Boyfriend?”

“That boy he brought over.” She explains, “they don’t look like just friends.”

“At least he found someone, I thought that kid would be single forever. Well Yu said he doesn’t talk to many people but his friend Luhan.”

 

“Ah” she says clapping her hands together, “you’re right – he did find someone, 60 bucks my love.”

 

And the father is scowling but reaching for his wallet.

 

 

“Morning Tao” Luhan says waving shyly while approaching the taller male, Kris’ arm wrapped around his “how are you?”

 

“Morning Tao!” Kris exclaims happily, tugging his arm away from Luhan in favour of wrapping his arm around Tao’s.

 

“Morning, Luhan, Kris.” He smiles to each before shrugging, “I am fine, you?”

 

“Tired” Luhan groans narrowing his eyes at Kris, “guess why.”

 

“Kris?” Tao offers, just because he’s not used to the Luhan-Kris dynamics still, Luhan and Kris are best friends undoubtedly, but they argue more then what Tao can comprehend too.

 

“He’s just grumpy and likes to blame everything on me.” Kris explains, tugging Tao a bit closer to his side.

 

Luhan snorts. “Oh really, so you calling me at 11pm at night and rambling till four am isn’t your fault at all, right?”

 

“Friends listen” Kris pouts, and Tao cracks a smile slightly, leaning his head onto Kris’ shoulder.

 

“Not till 4am.” Luhan rebuts, and sticks his nose up in the air, “call Tao next time and see how he likes it, I’m going to class, bye Tao, bye !”

They stay silent, watching Luhan stomp thru the wave of students and Kris laughs – Tao just nuzzles his shoulder cutely.

 

“You can call me” Tao whispers, and Kris looks down to the black haired boy – realizing that Tao is blushing slightly, “I wouldn’t mind.”

 

“I need your number first” Kris jokes but pulls out his cell phone to hand to Tao. “You can call me too though – whenever you want.”

 

And it’s so painfully awkward and messy to do, but they exchange numbers and wave each other a farewell till lunch, both clutching their phones more roughly than necessary.

 

Only till Kris gets to his class does he wonder why a Wushu martial artist from a small village would need a phone, a cell phone.

 

“You radiate gayness lately, stop it.” Luhan whines while rolling onto his stomach, eyes glued onto the words in his new ancient book.

 

“Why?” Kris teases, because he likes annoying Luhan, Luhan is fun to annoy, and Tao yawns and stretches beside Kris – not really following the conversation, he’s learned to just ignore the two when they bicker.

 

“It’s gross, people are asking me if you’re gay.”

 

“Don’t you support me?” Kris pouts inching closer to his friend, and Luhan is smiling – but still trying to scowl.

 

“No” Luhan says fake-flatly, “so who’s your boyfriend, hm?”

 

Kris throws an arm around Tao’s head, and tugs it closer to him till his lips are planted against Tao’s cheek – Tao just yawns sleepily and cracks an eye open to stare at Kris.

“Yes?” Tao asks, just because he’s polite and Kris is smooching all over his face for no apparent reason – not like Kris hasn’t done it before, but still –

 

“Just showing Luhan my boyfriend” Kris laughs but pulls away when Tao looks confused, and Luhan laughs loudly.

 

“He’s joking, don’t worry Tao.” Luhan wheezes in-between laughs, and Tao just shrugs it off, stretching out again before placing his head onto Kris’ lap and closing his eyes again.

 

 

“I’ve been thinking.” Kris says slowly, unsurely, and Luhan just gasps fakely, flipping to the next page of his book. “I think – I like Tao.”

 

“Oh?” Luhan says, because he’s not really shocked, Kris kisses Tao all the time, and hugs him all the time and they just do gay together all the time – Luhan is just glad Kris’ true colors came out for Tao, not him.

 

“Should I ask him out?” Kris whines, and looks over to where their newest addition to their group is wandering, currently trying to seek out a book he promised he’d find for Kris.

 

“Why not?” Luhan offers, still concentrating on his book. “I’m sure he likes you too.” It’s flat, and it doesn’t really sound sincere at all – but Kris knows it’s cause Luhan doesn’t really care, and Luhan never says things he doesn’t mean.

 

“I will” Kris threatens – kinda –

 

“Okay, you do that.”

 

“Do what?” Tao asks while holding the book out to Kris, and both males jump slightly – because their shocked, and Kris is blushing, and Luhan is smirking. Tao just frowns.

 

“Are you friends with the Wushu kid?” Lau asks when Kris sits down beside the kid – him and Lau have never talked before; but it’s rude to ignore people.

 

“Yeah, why?” Kris asks while reaching for a book.

 

“Aren’t you scared that he’ll beat you up?”

 

And Kris blinks – because he never really thought of that, nor does he really care.

 

“No” he says rudely, giving Lau a stare-over. “His name is Huang Zitao though, not Wushu kid.” And that’s that, Lau doesn’t say anything more.

 

 

“Would you ever beat me up?” Kris asks randomly to Tao, and Tao is having another one of those I’m-to-sleepy-to-give-a-care days.

 

“Yes” Tao yawns out then laughs, “no I wouldn’t, why?”

 

“Cause you could” Kris points out, as if the most obvious thing in the world has been said, and Tao just nods.

 

“I could” he agrees, “but I wouldn’t.” Kris smiles, and slides his arm around Tao’s waist.

“That’s all I wanted to know.”

 

“So you’re almost as stupid as Kris here” Luhan points out, flipping the page. “Nice Tao, nice.”

 

“Wanting to be loved by many is a good goal.” Kris protest, and Luhan just snorts.

 

“Shut it lover boy, so Tao, I think you’re picking favorites – you totally love Kris more than me.” Luhan says in a slight whine, and Tao blinks.

 

“What do you mean?” Tao asks slowly, and he’s pulling out his ‘Luhan notebook’ because Luhan says lots of strange things he needs to search up later.

 

“You like Kris, right?” Luhan asks, and Kris goes red.

 

“Yes” Tao says slowly, “I like you too.”

 

“Then, do you love Kris?” Luhan stresses and Tao blushes dropping his notebook.

 

“W – what?”

 

“Don’t listen to him, he’s crazy.” Kris interrupts, and Tao’s fingers are twitching (they always do that when Tao is frightened or worried)

 

“H – how does he know?” Tao asks, cheeks going redder and redder, and then Kris is going redder and redder. Luhan lets out a wicked laughter.

 

“I know everything” he says, mastering his I’m-so-evil voice.

 

“You lik – love me?” Kris asks, lips twitching a bit to give an awkward shy smile.

 

And Tao is looking down, Kris is looking at a wall, and Luhan is suddenly out of sight.

 

“Yeah” Tao says dumbly, and they’re both smiling like the awkward teenagers they are. “I do, is this favoritism?”

 

Kris shrugs, fingers lacing underneath Tao’s chin, pulling the slightly shorter Wushu martial artist’s face closer, their lips brush and the world suddenly seems a lot smaller.

 

“Probably” Kris whispers against his lips, and they kiss.

 

Love wasn’t that hard to find, Tao decides. And Kris never really did fly, he learned that humans don’t have wings. But they can feel love – and love gives an odd sensation like flying.

And yes Luhan, he does know everything. Kris admits, and Luhan smiles.