20: Reality

The night was cool. A steady breeze tickled Tao’s bare torso, making him shiver from head to toe, goosebumps prickling across his tan skin beneath the grayish moonlight.

"Taozi! Come join me!" Kris patted the bubbling water in Minseok's new jacuzzi, smirk cocky as he stood shirtless, a distracting wet sheen present on firm skin and lean muscle.

Tao's eye twitched involuntarily. If he'd known that Minseok had a new jacuzzi the size of a pool, he sure as hell wouldn't be here right now. And why was Kris grinning at him like that? "How about no," he replied resolutely.

Kris frowned. "What? Why not?" The surfer waded to the edge of the glowing hot tub to look up at Tao. "You're not thinking about naughty stuff are you?"

The way Kris arched a brow had Tao blushing. "What? That's just ing stupid."

"Oh is it now?" The surfer chuckled dangerously. "Then you won't mind if I do... THIS!"

Suddenly, Tao was yanked into the rolling water with an ungraceful splash. The heat was a shock to his skin, making him feel much like a lobster that'd just been thrown into a pot of boiling water. A scream soon followed when he broke the surface. "OH MY GOD. MY SKIN IS ON FIRE!" Kris chortled on the other side of the jacuzzi. Tao balled his fist beneath the water. "Just wait your turn. I'm gonna off you in your sleep."

Kris' smiled faded. "Oh really?" He approached Tao with a dangerous glint in his eye. "I think I like the sound of that."

Tao threw up an arm and inched away. "No-no-no-no! You stay on your side of the fence." He pointed.

Tilting his head, Kris continued his advance. "Fence? What fence? Afraid I might do something that you’ll like?"

Just as Kris reached out, Tao went into survival mode. With his back against the jacuzzi and arms splayed wide, he pulled up his legs and lifted out of the water, capturing Kris in a headlock between his thighs. "Game over, !" In one fluid movement, Tao pulled hard, sending Kris tumbling into the water with a surprised gurgle. When Kris emerged, an aquatic battle of glorious proportions unfolded. Water was splashed into faces, hands pulled at hair, skin got slapped, and a chorus of laughter mixed with cursing filled the air.

"BANZAIIIIII MOTHERERRRRS!" A wave of water ejected outwards when a human asteroid known as Jongdae cannonballed into the jacuzzi. It didn't take long for him to break the surface with a very unmanly scream too.

"." Sehun stretched across a nearby lounge chair as he relaxed back and looked up at the stars twinkling overhead.

Minseok had a pretty good setup. Apparently, his father had deemed storm repairs an excellent excuse for throwing more money into the house. A new porch constructed of expensive stones had been built at the back of the house. Three sets of handcrafted tables complete with cushioned chairs resided close to a large stainless steel grill, while a path lined with flowers curved to the jacuzzi, which was flanked by a line of lounge chairs. As a finishing touch, a nearby a fire crackled in a metal fire pit beneath a wooden canopy.

Luhan walked behind Sehun, accidentally swatting the youngster's head with a surfing newspaper on his course towards the neighboring chair.

"You know your skin's probably gonna peel off tomorrow," stated Luhan as he crossed his ankles and unfolded the newspaper.

"WHAT!" Both Jongdae and Tao gaped.

A curling grin quickly gave away the bleach-blonde. "Man," Luhan snickered, "You guys'll believe anything."

"That wasn't funny." Tao pouted.

Kris reached over and ruffled Tao's wet hair. "You're so cute when you're all flustered."

Tao swatted the surfer's hand away like a grumpy wet kitten, earning multiple groans and gags from their surrounding buds. Suddenly, Minseok appeared with a tray of fancy drinks balanced on one hand.

"Oh-ho-ho! What do we have here?" Jongdae craned his neck curiously.

"Vodka martinis." Minseok began dishing out the drinks so as not to spill any of the delectable liquid. While everyone else received a clear beverage, Tao's was bright green in color. "I know you don't like the plain stuff, so I made you sour apple instead."

Tao smiled. He hadn't even been here that long but apparently everyone knew him well, even down to his taste in alcohol. "Thanks," he said while accepting the drink and stealing an inquisitive sip. It was the perfect combination of sweet and sour that made his cheeks pucker. "It's good."

"I thought you might like it." Minseok tucked the silver tray under an arm. "I can make some more later if you guys like. Just don't go crazy. Drinking in the hot tub will make you twice as drunk."

"Really?" asked Tao.

"Yup," replied Minseok, "Ask Jongdae. He knows."

Tao turned to his other friend who nodded solemnly. "It's true. It happened to me once at a party. One minute I was feeling up the babes in the jacuzzi, then the next I was waking up in the hospital several hours later with a vomit bin to my right and an IV stuck in my arm. Trust me. You don't want it."

The image rattled Tao enough that he decided to take his time with his drink. There was no way in hell he'd ever be on Jongdae's level, but still, it never hurt to be cautious.

"So...just what exactly is all of this for anyway?" asked Kris.

"We were wondering when you'd ask." Luhan got up from his lounge chair and turned his newspaper so that Kris could see it.

There, on one of the inner pages of the newspaper, was a picture of Kris surfing the previous morning--bangs wet and sticking to his forehead, water spraying out, board curving over the crest of a large wave. Kris' eyes widened. "What the hell? When did that happen!"

Everyone shook their head. Kris never had been one to keep up with the times. Hell, the guy didn't even own a cellphone. Sometimes Tao swore he was dating a man from the dark ages.

Luhan turned the newspaper back around to read the small article. "It says...Local instructor and all around nice guy, Kris Wu, is known for his go-all-out surfing style and commitment to the swell. His late father, Kristopher Wu, was also well-known, until an unfortunate accident claimed his life during the Sunset Beach Surfing Competition in 1998. With this year's competition just on the horizon, many are beginning to wonder--Will Kris finish what his late father started and take home the crown? One thing is for certain, with some of the most talented competitors we've ever seen--such as Kim Jongin, Park Chanyeol, and Kim Jongdae--this year's competition is guaranteed to be the most challenging to date."

"Well would you look at that." Jongdae puffed out his chest. "They even threw my name in there."

Sehun rolled his eyes. "Everyone knows you're just in it for the girls."

"And what's wrong with that?"

Silence fell over the group when they realized that Kris was still standing in the middle of the hot tub wearing a blank expression.

"You alright?" asked Minseok.

"Hm? Oh...uh...y-yeah." Kris sputtered.

Tao's brow knitted. This was the competition. Finishing his father's work meant a lot to Kris, and having something like that published in a newspaper must have amped up his nerves. Wading over, Tao threw an arm over Kris' shoulder. "Relax, dummy. You've been training all summer."

"Tao's right." Minseok crossed his arms. "You've been training for this practically all your life. You've got this."

"For once, I agree with everyone," provided Sehun.

"Yeah. And you don't have to worry about me because I really am just in it for the girls," declared Jongdae.

Kris cracked a smile at that. "Thanks guys. I just...didn't realize that it was so close to the competition."

"You'll do fine you oaf." Luhan smirked. "Everyone knows you're one of the best."

"Now," Jongdae interrupted, "Let's stop being all mooshy-gooshy and make a toast to our friend." Luhan and Sehun got up long enough to approach the hot tub for a toast. "To our friend and soon-to-be pro surfer!"

"To one hell of an employee!" added Luhan.

"To one hell of a summer!" Minseok grinned as they all clinked their drinks together.

Tao stared at the green liquid in his glass before taking a sip. Looking to Kris, he felt his lips tug up at one corner, to which the surfer returned the gesture with an indecipherable quirk of the lips.


-


Morning rolled around with a migraine pounding behind Tao's skull. Three martinis had been a bit much. Thus, his current predicament came as no surprise. He was curled up in bed with Kris, the other still sleeping soundly as the soft glow of early morning bathed their room in hues of pastel blue. They'd crashed at Minseok's place again. He knew this because not only were they staying in the same room they had during the storm a few weeks ago, but he recalled some questionable things as well, like how they'd stumbled into the room drunk last night while locked to each other's lips. That probably explained the broken vase in front of the dresser. Whoops. He'd have to figure out how to explain that to Minseok.

Feeling out of sorts, Tao began to assess the damage, which apparently hadn't been much seeing as how he was still dressed. Kris was a man of his word. They still hadn't gone anywhere beyond kissing (and maybe some...um...touching too). Looking back on it now, Tao kind of regretted it, yet at the same time he didn't. His life had turned into one large contradiction.

A loud thump on the wall behind the headboard caused him to jump. What was that? Then it happened two more times and was followed directly thereafter by a moan.

"L-Luhan! Ha~ah!"

Oh hell no.

Tao turned around and banged on the wall. "EITHER QUIETLY OR GO SOMEPLACE ELSE! YOU'RE BURNING MY EARS!"

" - sorry man!" came Luhan's muffled voice,  "I thought you guys were still asleep."

Rolling his eyes, Tao turned back around to find Kris wide-awake and grinning like a devil.

"A , huh?"

"Don't you say a ing word." Tao threw the blankets aside and launched out of bed, which proved to be a horrible mistake when his head swam and he stumbled back onto the mattress clutching his head.

"Easy there, tiger." Kris reached over to his nightstand and handed Tao his cup of water. "Drink up. You're probably dehydrated after all of that alcohol."

Tao gladly accepted the drink and took a large sip. It churned uneasily on his empty stomach. "I don't get it. I didn't even drink that much."

"It was the hot tub. And Minseok's martinis are pretty wicked."

Tao took another sip before mumbling a quiet, "Thanks."

Kris pressed his lips to Tao's forehead before ruffling his hair. "No problem. Now get dressed. We're an hour late."

Invasion of personal space aside, Tao was baffled. "Late? For what?"

Kris snorted. "For surfing, of course."

"Nooooo~" Tao groaned loudly. "But I'm hungover."

"Too bad. So sad. The waves aren't going to surf themselves." With that, Kris wandered into the bathroom and shut the door.

Tao groaned again and rammed a fist into the headboard behind him.

"Come on Sehun!" Luhan huffed from behind the wall.  "We can't let them out do us!"

Soon another loud moan violated Tao's ears. He sat his drink aside and buried his head beneath the pillows. "I hate my life."


-


Even to Tao's untrained eye he could tell that the waves weren't ideal. There was a strong wind blowing from land out to sea, clipping off the waves, making surfing both challenging and sloppy. Kris seemed to be tackling them pretty well considering the conditions. However, being a novice surfer, Tao soon tumbled into his first wave and ate a mouthful of salt water as Jongin swam up.

"You alright there, Taozi?" asked the overly-confident surfer.

"Yeah. And why are you calling me Taozi?" Tao hoisted himself back onto his board. Well, it wasn't really his board. Luhan had lent him one from the shop.

Jongin shrugged. "Everyone else calls you that. Plus, it suits you."

"Uh-huh." It was one thing for Kris and his friends to call Tao that, but it was an entirely different experience for someone he previously despised to call him by his nickname. "You, uh, ready for the competition?"

"You bet your I'm ready. I'm gonna kill it this year." Jongin's confident demeanor slipped a bit. "My dad's gonna to be watching this year. So I have to win."

A light bulb went off in Tao's head. Was that why Jongin was so viciously adamant about winning the competition? Because he wanted to impress his dad? It made sense, he supposed, after all, Kris was essentially doing the same thing. Tao really wanted Kris to win, but for the sake of being civil, he mustered up some sportsmanship. "Good luck with the competition." He paused. He just couldn't resist. "Because you'll be needing it."

Luckily Jongin took the jibe pretty well. "Right back at ya," replied the surfer.

"Tao." Kris' stern voice sliced through the air.

"Kriiiissss~" Jongin sang pleasantly. "The surf is this morning."

Kris paddled up and sat on his board. "Seems like it." He flashed Tao a wary look.

"Well..." Jongin laid back down on his board and gave them a casual salute. "I'll just leave you two lovebirds to it."

Once Jongin was gone, Kris turned around, but Tao spoke before the surfer got a chance to open his mouth. "That was freaky."

"I'm glad you think so," said Kris, "I'm telling you, he's up to something."

"Yeah, but what?"

"I don't know. That's what worries me. I'm telling you, Taozi, I've known Jongin for a long time. It's just not in his nature to be nice."

Tao narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Kris kept saying that but he never would elaborate. "Just how long have you two known each other anyway? And how?"

This seemed to make the Kris uncomfortable. "Since we were kids."

Tao waited for Kris to finish answering the question but it never came. "You're not telling me everything."

"There's nothing to tell," replied Kris, "We used to be friends and now we're not. As soon as Jongin started entering competitions, he turned into a . I can't be sure, but I'm pretty certain it has something to do with his dad."

Looking out, Tao watched as Jongin paddled past the pipeline. For obvious reasons, he didn't like the guy, but at the same time Tao had a feeling Jongin wasn't as horrible as he seemed. People didn't turn into s for no good reason. But it wasn't something Tao should waste his time dwelling over. The competition was coming up. He was on Kris' side one hundred percent. And they still had a lot of practicing to do.

"Are you just going to float around all day and tell me cryptic stories or are you gonna surf?" asked Tao.

Kris flashed a cheeky grin. "Oooooh. I love it when you give me orders."

Tao reached out and smacked Kris on the back hard enough to leave a handprint. "Shut the hell up and get back to work!"

"Gyah!" Kris winced. "Okay! I'm going!"

Kris paddled away but Tao lingered behind. Kris really was something else. Shaking his head, Tao quickly caught up and dove with his board beneath a passing wave. He should probably tell Kris how he felt about him. For now, he had a future pro-surfer to boss around.


-


Tao used to hate routine. Back when he'd been in the city, he'd done whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, and with little regard for anyone else but himself.  The only reason he'd ever made an effort in school was to appease his mother. Therefore, the fact that he'd willingly taken up a routine and a job was shocking. He’d grown to enjoy surfing, working at the surf shop, and assisting Kris with his lessons. The only thing he didn’t like were the constant phone calls from his worried mother. And boy, were there plenty of those to choose from.

Tao was munching his way through a bowl of popcorn on the sofa when his phone vibrated on the coffee table.

"Better answer it," said his father while walking into the living room with two cans of soda, "You haven't answered her calls in a couple of days."

Sighing heavily, Tao snatched his phone off of the table and accepted the call. "Hello?"

"Tao! I've been trying to reach you all day!"  His mother very nearly whined.

"Mom, I worked all day, and now dad and I are watching a movie. I'm tired."

"You could at least send me a text!"

Tao popped open the can of soda his father offered and took a sip. "Sorry. Guess I lost track of time. That's easy to do around here."

"Yeah, I've heard that."Your father says you've been staying busy and making new friends."

Tao rolled his eyes. What was up with the friends thing? Was it that big of a deal for him to make friends? It wasn't like it was hard. Although, he had thought it'd be difficult at first, but as he'd discovered, when you make an effort to go out into the world, friends just sort of fall into your lap.

"Anyway," his mother continued, "I don't want to keep you from your movie so I'll be quick. The reason why I called was to let you know that I went ahead and booked your flight."

Tao jumped up from the sofa, sending popcorn flying all over the floor and onto the coffee table. "What? For when?"

"This upcoming Saturday."

"S-Saturday?" Numbly walking into the kitchen, Tao stared at the calendar hanging on the wall. There, on the Saturday he was due to fly back home, was a big red circle around the date with the words Sunset Beach Competition written beneath the date. He swallowed down the lump in his throat. "What time is my flight?"

"It's at 3 p.m."

"Can't I come home on a different day?"

"Sweetheart, I've already booked it. And have you forgotten that school starts on Monday? I made your flight on the latest possible date. You've got all week to get things ready and part with your friends."

"But..."

"But what?" His mother's tone became stern.  "I haven't seen you all summer, Tao."

"The competition..."

"Competition? What competition?"

"Kris' competition is on Saturday. I promised I'd be there." The lump in his throat was impossible to swallow by now and his eyes were starting to burn and get watery.

"Oh." Recognition lit up his mother's voice. "Your father tells me that you and Kris have become very close."

Tao stupidly nodded until he realized that she couldn't see him. "Y-Yeah," he cracked out a broken confirmation.

"I'm sorry, Tao. I don't know what to say. You need to be home by Saturday so we can get everything you need for school on Sunday. I'm sure Kris will understand. Plus, he can come and visit whenever he wants. It's not as bad as it sounds."

Tao couldn't think anymore. All he could do was stare at that red circle on the calendar as if it were some vow of blood he was about to break.

"Honey?"

"Fine." It was all that Tao could manage to get out before pushing the "end call" button and angrily tossing his phone onto the kitchen counter.

"Tao?" His father walked into the kitchen a placed a hand on his shoulder.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Tao exploded as he shrugged off the elder's hand.

"I'm sorry you're upset but you knew this would happen."

"So that's it then, huh?" Tao nearly choked on a sob as he struggled to keep his tears at bay. "You guys brought me here! This is all your fault!"

"Tao, I'm--"

"You're what... sorry?  Well you know what? I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that I allowed myself to be dumped off here! I'm sorry that I got a job and made friends and found someone that I ing care about!" The sudden wash of understanding on his dad's face brought utter silence into the room. Tao felt as though he'd just been blasted with a bucketful of ice water. He'd said too much. "D-Dad I..."

"That's..." Mr. Huang struggled for words. "I had a feeling that--you and Kris--but I didn't say anything because I wanted to respect your boundaries."

Tao was speechless. His dad had known about it? It made him feel like an absolute idiot. "Did you tell Mom?" he croaked.

"No. I thought you'd tell us when you were ready." Mr. Huang sighed while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Listen. I know you didn't ask for any of this. And I know that I don't have much of a right to tell you want to do or give you any advice. But Tao, happens, plain and simple. And yes, sometimes it can turn your entire world upside down. Trust me, I know. And your mother knows too. But at the end of the day you do what needs to be done and figure things out. That's how adults handle situations like this. You're almost an adult now, Tao, so it's time to start acting like one."

A lecture on responsibility was the last thing Tao needed. Right now all he wanted was get out of the damn house or run away like he'd always done. "You know what's so sad about all of this?" He seethed through his teeth as the first tears finally broke free. "All my life I've never felt like I belonged anywhere. I've never had friends that I could trust, or a father, and right when I've finally found those things, they get ripped away. This was a mistake, coming here."

Pushing past his father, Tao ran out of the kitchen, through the living room, and out the front door. Ignoring the calls from his father, he grabbed his bicycle and took off as fast as he could, pedaling down the road toward the only place he felt safe and at home. It wasn't long before he was running up a familiar deck and knocking on a door that swung open with creak.

"Tao..." Kris looked shocked as he took in his Tao's tear-streaked face. ", what's wrong?"

"S-Saturday!" choked Tao. "My flight is this Saturday!"

Kris' hand dropped from the doorknob as he stared numbly into the distance. Tao still couldn't believe it. They had six days. Six ing days left to spend together. He'd been having such a good time that he hadn't realized how time had slipped away.

"Come on, Taozi." Kris placed a gentle hand to Tao's shoulder and ushered him inside. "It's getting late and you look tired."

Once inside, Tao stood in the middle of the room, shoulders slumped as he stared at the carpet. "It happened so fast." His voice faded into a whisper. "I can't believe it's almost over." Then he looked up, heart smothered with guilt. "Kris, I'm so sorry. The competition..."

"It's alright. We'll figure it out." Kris was shockingly collected. Wasn't he upset? Broken? Mad? "But we have six days, right?" The surfer smiled encouragingly. "We still have time. And you still might be able to make it to the competition. What time is your flight on Saturday?"

"It's at three. But that's beside the poi--"

"See! The competition starts that morning. You'll still be able to come."

"Yeah but I might not be able to stay for the whole thing. Kris aren't you--"

"That doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter? Are you ing deaf! I JUST TOLD YOU THAT I'M LEAVING! AREN'T YOU UPSET?" Tao couldn't breathe. His nerves were torn up and his heart felt like it was boiling. God, he really couldn't stand this!

Kris pulled Tao into a warm embrace. The familiar scent of vanilla and coconuts was soothing as Kris rested his chin atop Tao's shoulder. Then he spoke with calming words laced with affection. "The point is that you'll be there. And that's more than enough for me."

Tao buried his nose into the warmth of Kris' shoulder. He’d wasted half of the summer being a stubborn jerk. If only he could go back in time, he would've made the minutes and hours count. Pulling back with a sniffle, Tao rubbed away his tears. "You better come visit me you ing !" He jabbed a finger into Kris’ chest. “And get with the times and buy a damn cell phone so I can text you! And while you’re at it get a computer so we can Skype!"

"Fine. But you’ll have to teach me because I’m when it comes to technology." Kris rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “And what’s Skype? Is that like Facebook or something?”

Tao snorted in disbelief. “You’re joking, right?”

Flashing a goofy smile, Kris shrugged. “Nope.”

“You really are hopeless. I hope you know that.” Tao couldn’t help but grin.

"It's what I do best." Kris winked. They fell into light laughter as they walked over to the sofa and settled into the cushions. "I was watching this James Bond marathon on TV. Wanna watch it with me?"

Tao nodded. "Okay."

As he settled into Kris' side, he tried his best to focus on the movie, which was nearly impossible when all he wanted was to watch Kris for as long as he could. Tao wanted to burn the image of his ruffled-up surfer into his memory --every perfection, flaw, and movement--that way he'd have something to hold onto when all of this was gone.

Because all summers came to an end no matter how perfect they were.

Even this one.