Korean

Mandarin

Your POV

I sigh as I exit the studio without being given a lecture today even though I had taken my time to speaking with my sister and Exo. When I think of Exo Tao pops into my head causing me to stop in my tracks.

I sigh and take in a deep breathe as I walk to the SM building instead of using the money my sister gave me earlier today.

I enter SM to see all the staff that I usually see in the entrance wave to me and I wave back to them.

The girl that sits behind the front desk shouts to me, “Same room as before.”

I nod my head, “Thanks.”

I race up the stairs not bothering with the elevators since they scare me.

My phobia needs to stop, but at least my sister lives only on the third floor and I live on the fourth floor in my building.

I run up the steps, but as I go to take the last step, I feel my foot lose traction and I slip.

When I’m about to fall down the stairs I feel a hand grab a hold of me steadying my body so I’m standing up right.

I open my eyes not realizing that I had them shut to come face to face with Tao.

“Are you alright?”

I nod my head, “Yes I am, thank you.”

He chuckles, “You know I speak Korean correct?”

I nod my head, “I do, but I think it’s better to use what people use is to plus I’ve been studying Mandarin for about half a year and I’m getting better at it.”

“That must be nice,” he says almost as if he wants to have a real conversation with me.

“I’m sorry but I think I should try to get to my sister.”

“She’s with her boyfriend.”

“Now what will I do? Ugh I was going to use an empty practice room, but now I’m stuck here.”

“You can use our practice room. We’re not using it since we’re packing up to leave. Why do you need it?”

“In the next year I’m supposed to compete in a taekwondo competition next year.”

“Really that’s good. Can I ask why you didn’t you compete this year?”

I sit down on the landing and Tao follows my actions.

I keep my head down as if I’m watching the stairs, “I couldn’t this year because I had fractured my foot and have had a problem with using it still.”

“I can go over strength training with you if you want. I need to keep up my practice. I know they are different but they are based off of balance.”

I nod my head as I smile at him, “You’re right. Thank you.”

Tao is silent until he realizes I seem to have no idea where his practice room is.

“It’s this way just follow me.”

I nod my head smiling at how he went from a boy that knew little to no Korean to at least being able to say sentences even if they are a little broken. I bet my Mandarin is about just as good as his Korean.

I follow him but I seem to be too slow for Tao’s taste since he takes my hand is his own and he starts to drag me in a direction of the practice rooms.

“Tao-ssi,” he looks back at me as I slowly say, “I can probably use another practice room. I really should use yours.”

He shakes his head and pulls me into the room and right away, it seems it goes silent right when I’m in sight.

I look up to see the members of both Exo’s are in the room looking between Tao and me.

“Tao-ssi,” again he looks back at me, “You’re still holding my hand.”

He looks down to see our hands to let mine go as quick as he grabbed it.

“Umm… hi everyone.”

“Hi… Um why are you in here?”

“Tao said I could practice in here since you guys were planning to leave, but if not I’m sure there’s a room that’s open.”

“No, it’s alright,” Suho says as he waves me in and I smile at him.

“Suho-ah, it’s nice to see you again. Are you the leader of Exo-K?”

He nods his head, “Yes, I am.”

“That’s so cool. I wonder why I didn’t see you when I left earlier.”

“It’s because you rushed out like a robber with a cop on your tail.”

I chuckle, “Oh but were you not that one that always played the robber and I played the cop.” He gives me the stink eye causing me to laugh, “Alright I’ll drop it Suho-ah.”

“Why do you still add ah to my name just Suho would be fine?”

“Because it’s odd to think to call you Suho and you know I don’t ever call anyone oppa.”

He chuckles as I say that, “True. True. Are you practicing for the competition?”

I shake my head trying to hide the hurt on my face that he mentioned it, “No, I can’t compete this year since I had fractured my ankle. It has yet to heal. They say I can’t be in the competition this year. They said that I have to work towards next year.”

“If it isn’t healed then why practice?” I hear a deep voice ask.

“I need to make sure I don’t lose my touch. I can still run without falling so I will make sure I can practice without hurting myself and see if that can lead to something even stronger in my technique. I have to prove myself.”

“What level are you in black belt?”

“I’m a third I believe I might be a higher belt. I lose track since I also work with everyone at the studio and train them with Mr. Gu.”

Xiumin looks at me shocked, “What’s his full name?”

I shrug, “I’m not completely sure since I never really listen. I think I have a picture of him standing with me in the last competition.”

I pull out my phone to find a picture of me and Mr. Gu standing by each other.

“Here,” I hand them a picture of me and Mr. Gu the instructor at the studio I work at. “He knew my father when they were younger. As they grew older, they grew apart. I met him when I was 8. I was running from a group of bullies and I ran into him knocking him over. He looked straight at me and told me to defend myself that you shouldn’t hold fear in your heart even if it is strength. When you feel fear, it reminds you that you are human and all you need to do is accept it as a part of your life to become stronger. When I asked him how I would do that he told me to have my parents to bring me by his taekwondo studio and I’ve been there ever since.”  

Xiumin nods his head, “I think I know you.”

I look at him with head tilted to the side, “Wait. Are you that kid my first day I beat with a kendo stick?”

He nods his head, “Wow you have changed from when you were young. I remember you being a very angry little girl.”

I smile and nod my head, “Of course after you left I think it was a year I studied Taoism and Buddhism. I’m not saying I’m not violent like I use to be, but I am saying I’m much more in control of my emotions then I was as a kid.”

“Oh really what are you now then?”

“I’m just a girl who has taken teachings and accepted them as something that I need to know, but I’ll kill whatever bugs bother me.”

He chuckles, “Are you a vegetarian?”

I nod my head, “Yes, I’ve always been one since I was 5 and watched a cat tear apart a chicken. It made me sick to my stomach.”

He nods his head and pats my shoulder.

“Hey, Xiumin will you go a round against me?”

He looks at me and shakes his head, “I’m not as good as I used to be.”

“Then just help me practice well you guys clean up. Please just this once.”

He agrees.

Tao’s POV

I lean over to see Sehun watching Hyun Ok practicing with Xiumin.

“What do you know about her?”

“I know that in middle school she went to a delinquent school for boys and no one messed with her. Then in the middle of the last year there, she transferred to the school I went to. I was bullied then because I was expressionless. One time when I was being bullied a girl showed up and beat the guys up. I remember her yelling, ‘What’s wrong with you? Just because he’s different, gives you the right to beat him up? You all are different than I so come over here and I’ll teach you a lesson.’ They ran off not wanting to fight her. I kind of stuck to her and her friends for the year. I looked up to her, but like me, she had no expressions unless she got angry. On Valentine’s Day and White day she never received a present so the day she graduated from middle school I gave her a present. I gave her the friendship bracelet on her wrist. She had smiled at me the first time anyone say such an expression on her. She thanked me and gave me a hug. I thought that was the last time I’d see her until I got into high school. She was peaceful and everyone liked her. She had so many expressions that everyone could see. She was a mystery to everyone. What had caused this once violent girl to change so much?” Sehun looks over at me, “You like her don’t you.”

“What do you mean?”

Sehun gives me a look and walks over to Luhan for he can harass him enough to get some kind of food and drink out of him.