“Erm, Tao?” comes a deep voice from across the other side of the room.

I’m rolling in the sheets trying to hide my blush. That was just… awkward.

Kris explained that he always has a shower before bed. I told him that’s OK because I shower in the morning. So he got up, grabbed his clothes and walked across to the bathroom, locking the door behind him.




That’s when I decided I would get changed. Take the initiative to get into my pyjamas so I wouldn’t have to do it in front of him.


…But that’s also when Kris decided he’d forgotten his facial cream and unlocked the door, taking in the sight of me almost completely .








Well, I had on my trademark panda boxers, but was still awkward.







Especially because Kris must have forgotten I existed and he had walked out . And I mean actually, really, things showing, .

Luhan was right.

Kris has a massive . I suppose that explains how he can be a massive head.

Yes indeed.


I don’t even know what’s wrong with me. I mean, I just stood there, pants around my ankles, staring at him. Like, actually staring. And he stared right back.

I mean with me there’s not much to look at. Sure, my abs and arms are pretty nice but that’s because of all the wushu training. Kris… he’s like a friggin’ God or something. I don’t even know.

Perfect bodyline.

Perfect face.

Perfect everything.

So I sit there thinking these ungodly thoughts about life, the universe and everything and how unfair the temptation is to just jump him then and there, and Kris slides back into the bathroom, not saying a single word.

But I only have one word to describe the situation…








Awkward.








“What is it Kris?” I ask, voice muffled. I hear a shuffle and I know he’s rolled over to face me from his bed.

I gasp as I feel the end of my bed sink, and then I squeak as I feel him slide up so he’s lying right next to me.

It’s comical, really, because there can be no way he actually fits on this size bed by himself, let alone with me on it.

I just lie there, awkwardly gulping in and out like a fish out of water. And that’s pretty much what’s happening to me right now.

I’m dying of the awkwardness that is my life.

“Uh, I’m really sorry about before…” Kris mumbles.

“I’m so used to just walking around because I don’t have a roommate that I just… I’m sorry. I should have asked if you were decent. Also, I should have been dressed because that was just… awkward.”

I snort, quite unattractively at that.

“Awkward.” I repeat.

“It wasn’t you that was awkward,” Kris exclaims feverishly, like his life depends on it.

“It was all my fault, OK? I’m the one that’s awkward, not you! I’m the one that’s always pretending to be someone that they’re not because the real me is awkward… I even really like-” Kris cuts himself off, and I quirk an eyebrow, rolling around on the bed to finally face him.

“I think I said too much,” he grumbles to himself, sliding off the bed and onto the floor. I hear strangled cat noises, and I realise that for once it is not me making the awkward vocal sounds that people seem to laugh at.




It’s Kris.





Kris making strangled cat sounds.

Deep strangled cat sounds, like whatever cat he’s trying to synthesize with his vocal chords took steroids to bulk up their muscles and tone of voice and become manly.

I don’t even know what to think anymore.



“What were you going to say?” I ask.

Kris ignores me and bashes his head against the wooden bed frame, dragging himself off the floor and back onto his own bed. He shuffles around in the sheets, grunts a manly ‘goodnight’, and smashes his head against the wall beside his bed repeatedly.

“Kris… I think you should stop doing that, you’ll give yourself brain damage,” I tell him pointedly. The repetitive thud stops, and Kris falls silent.




Oh, so now he’s going to pretend he’s asleep so he doesn’t have to talk to me. Brilliant.



I huff, rolling over. I can’t seem to find a comfortable position at all, so I keep rolling around for a good half an hour before I give up, simply staring at the ceiling.

I hear Kris’ breath steady, and I know he’s already asleep.

Even though Kris was on the bed for merely seconds, it feels like he’s left his mark.

I can’t seem to fill the space where he’s been, all I can do is roll around and hope that maybe, just maybe, if I roll hard enough I’ll press my back into the warmth he’s left behind and be able to smell his scent, know he was there. Let this get me to sleep.

Another half an hour of shuffling, and there’s no improvement. I sigh, picking up my pillow and fluffing it out. I place it back on the bed, and scan the room.

Kris is still asleep, completely unaware.

A thought crosses my mind, and I scowl. It’s a bad idea, but I might be able to sleep better with him there.

I get up out of the bed stealthily, walking across the room. I’m mindful of the squeaky floorboards and the way I wiggle myself on top of Kris’ bed, tilting my head so that I can fit it in the space between his arm and the bed sheets.




Kris is hugging me.

Kris may be unaware that he’s hugging me, but he is.



Oh God, I sound like such a stalker!




I almost let out a gasp as Kris rolls, flinging his arms on top of me. He thinks I’m a pillow, I realise, as he pulls me closer. He wraps his arms around my torso, squishing us together. He growls and nuzzles into my hair, snoring loudly.

“Tao…”

My eyes widen and I stay silent. There’s another snore, and I realise that he’s still asleep. Soon, if I don’t calm myself down, my heart rate will definitely wake him up.

Kris breathes heavily, whispering something in English into my hair. I can barely make it out, what with my atrocious English skills. But luckily for me, I know exactly what he says.





“I love you.”