-Tao's POV-

Today is the third Friday of August which means It's been two months and a half passed since I met Hyori. We've been really great friends but now, I can't fight feeling so empty when she's not with me. Almost everything I see or hear, reminds me of her. I try really hard to shut her out of my mind but I can't. It's not that I hate her or anything, it's just that I'm scared... I'm scared of losing her, our friendship, the weirdness we share with each other... I'm scared of losing her to someone else, and I am most definitely scared of rejection. Yes, you guessed it right, I think I love her. But I have to hide it. Why? Well oh well... How can you tell your best friend you love her when she likes someone else? Hm? Remember JiYong? Yeah, about him, I'm pretty sure you know who Lee Seunghyun is right? Well great news! My best friend likes him and she won't shut up about him. Oh and how does it feel? It ing honestly hurts.

"Hey Tao!"

"Oh... Hello Hyori...", I mumbled, shaking myself out of my thoughts.

"Are you okay?", she asked

"Yeah, I'm just... Sleepy, as always...", I lied.

"I'm really not sure that what you're telling me is the entire truth Panda", she said, sitting down beside me

"What are you talking about?", I asked, faking a laugh.

"I don't know, you just seem unhappy today... You're usually not like this, you're always jumping around or asking me to come with you to watch you spar with the other guys"

"Well, do you want to go home already? Classes just ended, or do you want to go to the mall with me?", I asked her, hoping I could distract her from Seunghyun, who was passing by.

"Of course I'd go to the mall with you! Why wouldn't I? As long as it's your treat...", she teased

"No problem princess...", I smiled getting on my feet

"I'm just kidding Tao, so, do we have to leave now?", she asked as I helped her up

"Well since you seem to be demanding me to take you somewhere, yes", I laughed

"Uh, hi Hyori...", we heard a voice say. Me and Hyori turned around to see Seungri passing by behind us. He gave her a smile and obviously, Hyori got giddy and red. *AWKWARD* She waved at him and he continued on walking away. What. A. BUZZKILL.

"I cannot believe he just noticed me!", Hyori exclaimed loud enough for only us to hear. I nodded and forced out some sort of chuckle (while keeping a straight face).

"So? What are we waiting for? Let's go!", she said, taking my hand and dragging me to the car.

---

"Where's Coleen and Lara?", I asked her, realizing that the two kids aren't with her.

"Well Coleen is hanging out with Sangbum, together with Chanyeol and Lara... I just don't remember where..."

"Oh, okay.. You know what I don't get?", I asked her as we got into the car

"What is it?"

"Well, I don't get why Coleen doesn't hang out with Luhan anymore... And how come Sangbum is always with her?", I asked, starting the car.

"Meh, I don't know Tao, I think Sangbum really likes her..."

"And does she really like him back?"

"I-uh, I don't know... I mean they hang out a lot but they're not really dating or anything... Or are they?"

"I also don't know, Kai isn't telling us anything... "

"But I thought Sangbum left already?", she asked

"He came back a few weeks ago, remember?", I reminded her

"Oh, right... That's too bad, I always thought she and Luhan would be more fond of each other. Not to hate on Sangbum but seriously, why him?"

"I don't know... And you do know that he's gonna transfer to our school in a few days, right?", I asked her

"What?! Are you serious??" she asked, almost too loudly

"Yeah, Oh and by the way, have you heard?"

"What is it?"

"Suho and Nina are together now..."

"Really?! Why didn't he tell us?"

"We had to get him drunk first just to get him to talk", I chuckled, driving away.

"You know that's not nice Tao...", she giggled

"We didn't do it on purpose! He was just so happy! He kept buying himself drinks and he got himself drunk and started bragging about Nina...", I reassured her.

"Oh, well, happiness got the best of him...", she smiled. I nodded in agreement.

"So, Tao... Is anyone bugging you lately? Is someone still really after you?", she asked. Hesitantly, I could tell.

"Hyori, don't worry. No one is after me, and we are never getting into any kind of trouble...", I said. Well hopefully we were never getting into any trouble, and as for the part where she asked me is anyone has been bugging me lately, well, there's always Lee Seunghyun now isn't there?

"Oh, okay...", she said with a ghost of a smile.

"Hey Tao, do you mind if I take a nap?", she asked sleepily

"No problem, princess...", I said, giving her a smile. After a few minutes she was sound asleep. How do you make someone so perfect, become your own? I mean seriously, out of all the guys, why couldn't she just choose me? Why did she have to choose that stupid Lee Frogging Seunghyun? I mean, seriously?! I can be her panda too you know? Aish, I'm just hurting myself over this. But, why him? Why not me? Why can't I be the best friend that she falls in love with-

"Tao?", I heard a sleepy voice say

"Wh-what?", I asked, snapping out of my thoughts.

"Are you crying?!", Hyori asked, suddenly fully awake

"N-no I'm not...", I tried to say, keeping my composure

"Don't you dare lie to me you idiot... What's wrong?!", she scolded me. Great.

"It's nothing okay?', I denied, which was useless since my voice was already breaking and a tear already rolled down my cheek.

"Stop the car...", Hyori ordered me.

"Why?"

"Do. It.", she said with a serious tone.

"Fine...", I grunted in defeat, and pulled over in the near sidewalk

"Okay... What the hell is wrong?", she asked, once again

"Seriously... It's nothing...", I denied, looking out my window to avoid making eye contact with her

"Why won't you just tell me Tao? You know you can trust me, right?"

"I know I can, but I don't think I can actually tell anyone about this...", I said, as nicely as I could

"Well,can't you tell me?", she asked once again. God, I'm having the urge to tell her but my mouth just won't let me spill the beans

"I-I don't think I can princess, I'm sorry...", I said, breaking down on the steering wheel. I know, I know, I'm too dramatic and overflowing with feelings, but please just bear with me.

"Why can't you just tell me? Geez....", she said in an annoyed tone which made my heart sink even more. Knowing that I was starting to annoy her

"Because, I will... In time, I just need to muster up the strength to tell all of you guys what this is okay? Please don't be mad at me...", I begged, turning my head to look at her.

-Hyori's POV-

When Tao peeked at me like that, I lost it. Why did he have to look like such a baby when he's crying? He looked so heartbroken but cute all at the same time and it's annoying because it always gets in the way of me being mad at him. He's resting his head on the steering wheel and looking at me like I killed his pet cat or something and he's crying because it was his only friend or whatever the hell it is, but I don't get why he won't tell me anything. I'm his best friend, right? Gosh... This is annoying.

"Hyori... EARTH TO HYORIIIIII", Tao said, weakly waving a hand in front of me

"Oh, I-uh, I'm not mad at you... Why would I be mad?", I said, chuckling a bit

"Because I'm not being honest with you-"

"Yet... You're not being honest with me, YET ", I interrupted. "That doesn't make me mad at you... I'm just upset because you're crying again. And I honestly hate seeing you cry, so please, be more open to me and don't be afraid to tell me what your problem is, okay?

"Mmkay...", Tao said with a small smile

"Do you want me to buy you Gucci?", I . He furrowed his brows and chuckled.

"I'm serious Tao...", I said, doing my best to keep a straight face.

"No, I don''t want Gucci. But some cake will do...", he said mischievously.

"I'm not buying you cake, Tao. You'll eat it by yourself and you have a habit of not sharing..."

"But why do you suggest to buy me Gucci?"

"Well.. I-uh.."

"Hyori... What. Did. You. Do?"

"I sort of... Looked into your old photo albums and saw your picture standing in front of a Gucci store and I assumed that you liked Gucci which seemed pretty weird for me and I am truly very sorry.", I said breathlessly. Tao looked at me in shock and he turned tomato red.

"Oh my God why did you have to see that? That's probably why the Gucci jokes never end, ughhh", he complained

"What are you talking about?"

"Well Luhan probably saw your thoughts when you saw the photo, and now he won't stop teasing me about Gucci and Kris keeps handing me his old Gucci wallets and Chen keeps placing Magazine Cutouts of Gucci products on my wall and my door every morning and Baozi even gave me his mom's old Gucci handbag, which was awkward...", he explained.

"I'm sorry TaoZi, I promise not to look through your stuff ever again...", I apologized, lowering my head

"It's okay... Just remind me to look for a better hiding place for my old photos. They're quite embarrassing", he chuckled

"Don't be like that, I think they're cute...", I admitted, trying too hard not to blush.

"You think so?". I nodded and looked up to see him smiling, finally.

"But, it's still embarrassing..."

"Is not! Now, are we still heading to the mall?", I asked, in order to change the subject

"Yes", he chuckled, and drove off

I