That First Love

 

Part 1

 

Genre: Romance

 

“Who is that guy again?” Kris walked into the kitchen and picked up a bottle of water.

 

“Who?” Krystal poked her head out refrigerator's door.

 

“The one that wants to rent one of the room.” Kris twisted the cap and watch Krystal stocking the meat into the fridge.

 

“Oh. He is my close friend. I will introduce him when he get here.” She suddenly jerked her hand away from the bag. She mumbled a swear word, then bring her front finger to her lips.

 

“Ya... Ya..” Kris reached out to stop her. “Are you still a kid? Just use a bandaid. You are so clumsy.”

 

“It just those damn plastic that they use to wrap the meat. I am telling you is sharper than those kitchen knife.”

 

“Aigoo. Do you even know how a kitchen knife look l like? Wait here I will go get bandaid.” Kris stood up. Krystal stick her tongue out as a sign of rebel.

 

Before Kris can walk away, the door rang. Krystal jumped up from the floor. “That must be him.” She light up her face with a smile and ran to the door.

 

Kris stood there waiting for the new roommate to walk in. He, himself, is a renter of the house. The owner is Krystal’s parent, but they rarely come by because they live is so far away. Krystal only live here so she can go to school. There are total of five kids living in this place, but most of them have their own life and have no topic with Kris or Krystal.

 

“What happen to your finger?” Kris heard a guy’s voice travel from the doorway.

 

“Nothing. Come in. I will introduce you.” Krystal pull on his hand and lead him in the house. A really tall boy appear before Kris’s eyes.

 

He had dark black hair and a very mysterious style. There are dark eye bags under his eyes, but it makes his face features more define.

 

“Wait.” The boy pulled the hyper Krystal to a stop and brought out a bandaid. “Finger.” Krystal pouted and stick out her front finger. The boy gently form an O shape with his mouth and lightly blow on the wound, then he wrap the bandaid around it.

 

Kris’s eyebrows furrowed and looked away from the scene.

 

“Kris! Kris!” Krystal called and pulled the boy with her. “Let me introduce. This is Kris. Kris, this is Tao.” She smiles and loop her arm around Tao’s neck as he bow for a polite greet.

 

“Shy like a girl.” Kris walked by them. Krystal slap him on the arm and whisper the words, “Be nice.”

 

“I will show your room.” Krystal takes him by the hand and walked up stairs.

 

Kris exhale heavily and rolled his eyes. The house suddenly feels stuffy. Kris shuffled his hair and walked out the house.

 

---

 

 

“Who is Kris?” Tao set his suitcase down as Krystal finished the tour.

 

“He is a brat. He is in the same college with me, basically my best friend.” Krystal make a silly face.

 

“You have enough friends already.” Tao joked. “So his room is next to mines?”

 

“Yes.” Krystal fixed her long hair with her fingers using the mirror in the room. “If you don’t want to I can...”

 

“No. That is fine.” The man smiled warmly.

 

“Well. I am just across you and Kris’s room.” Krystal point in the direction. “If you need anything just knock on my door. We usually take turn cooking. Today is Kris. So come down when you are ready.”

 

“Ok. Thanks I will be there.”

 

---

 

“Where did you go?” Krystal run down the stairs.

 

Kris raised the plastic bag in his hand as he consume the pockey stick on the corner of his mouth. He reach the bag and found a strawberry milk then tossed to Krystal.

 

‘Nice catch!” He winked and walked into the kitchen.

 

Krystal stared at the milk and a smile uncontrollably light up her face.

 

“Make sure you have the light on for the hall today.” Kris reminded.

 

“Do you have to say that everyday?” Krystal rolled her eyes and one shot up the milk.

 

“Tisk. Tisk. Look at you. How can you find a husband like that? Be more feminine.” Kris wipe the milk from the corner of .

 

“Ay.” Krystal exclaimed disliking his judgment.

 

“Did you tell that guy about the light yet?” Kris remind again.

 

“I will do it later.” Krystal make the bottle into a small basketball and throw it into the garbage can.

 

---

 

Tao rumble down the stairs and stop went Kris turn and saw him. Kris had an apron on and an egg on his other hand. They looked at each other and blinked.

 

“Dinner is not ready yet.” Kris said breaking the long silence. Then he went back to his cooking.

 

Tao pull out a chair from the dining table and sat down facing the kitchen. Only the sound of oil against the pan echo in the house. Kris turn his head and exam Tao. Their eyes met and the shy boy quickly looked away.

 

“So how did you know Krystal?” Kris asked feeling a little bit awkward.

 

“We went to the same high school.” Tao reply quickly. Kris nodded and put the food on the plate, then fixed the fire on the other side of the stove.

 

“You.. you live here for a long time?” Tao stuttered and didn’t dare to look up.

 

“Just a few year. I move in here before Krystal. Her parent took care of me.” Kris sat down across from Tao and put his elbow on the table. “You are very shy.”

 

Tao nodded and smile lightly without looking up.

 

“Since you are Krystal’s high school friend, do you know everything about her?” Kris leans in.

 

Tao back away a little and nodded quickly. Kris suddenly smiled and eyes filled with interest. “Did she have any boyfriend in High School?”

 

Tao looked up and their eyes stare at each other for a while. It seems like they are trying to read each other’s mind. Tao shakes his head.

 

“Then had she went on a date?”

 

The boy shakes his head.

 

“Had she like anyone?”

 

The boy look to his right and pondered. Kris’s eyebrows furrowed. “Never mind. I am must be crazy to ask you this. Don’t tell her about this.”

 

Tao nodded. Kris shuffle Tao hair like he is a puppy. The boy smiled as Kris went back to his cooking.

 

---

 

*After Three Weeks*

 

“Let’s watch TV.” Krystal pat on the space next to her and Tao joined them. Kris is sitting on the floor and eating pockey sticks.

 

“Tao. Have you check this yet?” Krystal lean on Tao’s shoulder and showed him her phone.

 

“Is that who I think it is?” The boy raised his eyebrows.

 

“Yep.”

 

The two continue to have their small talk behind Kris. Kris suddenly stood up and storm back into his room.

 

“Tisk. Tisk. Look at that temper.” Krystal shake her head. Tao smiled at the humor in this house. “Oh yea. Did you call you mom yet?”

 

“Ah. I will do it right now just a second.” Tao rush back to his room and shut the door behind him.

 

*Phone conversation*

 

Mom?

 

Tao. Ay. You are finally there?

 

I arrived in the morning, but I forgot to call.

 

That’s alright...(a short pause) How is the house?

 

It’s fancy and clean. I like this place.

 

Let’s just hope you can find that someone you love in college. That is your purpose of moving out right... (sounds teary)

 

Mom. I know what I am following. I found that special someone here.

 

Who?(sniffed)

 

I will have to go now. I will talk to you later. Love you, Mom.

 

Love you too.

 

Tao stared at the lighted up screen in his dark room and wait for it to disappear. It is hard for him to leave his mom after all. They only had each other in their family.

 

---

 

 

Krystal leap off her bed and saw the new night light plugged at the corner of her room. It must be Kris that brought in the new light.

 

Krystal had achluophobia, the fear of darkness. It is not something that she can control. Her own body shuts down on her when she is in the dark. It is always difficult for her to go to sleep.

 

She step out her room and walked to the kitchen. Tao is standing there drinking milk.

 

“Still didn’t sleep yet?” She asked.

 

“It’s a habit. I drink milk before I go to bed.” Tao smiled. Krystal reach for the cup on top of the wooden cabin. She tiptoed. When her finger touched the glass, the light suddenly shut down.

 

The glass shatter on the ground. Then someone screamed.

 

“Kris! Kris!”

 

Tao followed the voice and found Krystal leaning against the counter. Supporting herself with her arm. Her legs unable to stand straight.

 

“I got you.” Before she started to panic a soft voice reached her. Tao wrap his arm over her and pick her up in princess style.

 

He ignores the glass under his bleeding feet.

 

Kris rumbled down the kitchen with a light and his face spelled the words panic. He finally relax when he saw Tao with Krystal.  Krystal is still shaking nervously in his arm.

 

“I will take her up.” Tao said shyly.

 

“No. Your feet is bleeding. Sit down. I will be right back.” Kris demanded and take Krystal in his arm.

 

“Kris? What was that?” Krystal whispered.

 

“A blackout. Can you see yet?” Kris asked gently.

 

“No. It won’t come back to me that fast. It will take a while.” The girl reply and lay her head on his chest as he walk up the stairs. It is an eye problem that cause her to have this phobia. Her eyes takes a long time to adjust back to normal vision after a sudden darkness.It is like being blind.

 

“I will put you in the bed. Ok? I will be right back.” Kris turn to his room and place Krystal in his bed. He fixed the blanket and walked back down the stairs.

 

“Tao. Are you ok?” Kris held up his flashlight and saw the boy’s bleeding feet. He kneel and pick up the boy’s feet gently. Then he walk up to the counter and got out a first-aid kit.

 

“I don’t think there are any glass in there. It just a little scratch.” Tao said.

 

“Still we need to stop all the bleeding.” Kris lift up the boy’s feet and exam it. “It’s not really bad.” Kris start to carefully clean out the wound. Tao watch closely. He sighed and a light smile appear across his face.

 

---

 

 

Kris opened the door and Krystal flinched. “It’s me.” The familiar voice said. She relaxed.

 

“Can you see?” He lean towards Krystal. She shakes her head and her eyes wide open only focusing on the ceiling.

 

Kris sit up on the bed and move Krystal’s head on his stomach. Then he softly smooth her hair with a pattern.

 

“I will be here. Close your eyes.” Krystal relaxed and her eyes shut. The man kept his eyes on her goddess like face. Something like this only happen once while, but every time he feels blessed to be able to be here for Krystal.

 

This is the girl he loved for the past years. Just being present in her life is enough to make him to enjoy his life.

 

One-side love is really painful but blessed at the same time. There is one thing holding him back. If he confessed to her, their friendship will fell apart with it.

 

That first love.

 

 

---

 

 

Tao quietly creep in the door crack of Kris’s room. He watches the man gently smooth Krystal's silky hair. A heat of jealousy raised to him. It feel like something is hitting his chest and suffocating him. He turn away from the view of this pair of love bird. Tears filled his eyes and he held his head high.

 

He can understand this pain. It not coming from his wound, but from his heart. How can he ever confess to his first love?

 

---

 

 

Early in the morning, Tao walked into Kris’s room. He found the two sleeping side by side. Tao lift Krystal from the bed carefully and move her back to her bed. He walk down stairs and started to work on the breakfast. Just a few minute later, Kris walk down the stairs.

 

“Did you took Krystal back to her room?” The man rubbing his eyes as he pass by.

 

Tao nodded and keep his blank face on. Kris didn’t say another word and reach for a bottle of water.

 

“You like Krystal right?” Tao shut of the stove. Kris almost choked on the water and quickly grab a bunch of tissue with his left hand.

 

“How did you...” Kris’s eyes wide with surprise. Tao didn’t respond but his expression tells everything. He is expressing angry right.

 

“Do you also...” Kris paused and hesitated for a while. “Do you also like her?”

Tao looked up with his panda eyes and they stared at each other for a while. However, not a word was exchanged.

 

That hidden first love.

 

(part 2)