The rest of the time Kris spent at the Huang’s was quite relaxing, though the house did get louder with Tao’s rantings and complainings.

It was exactly twelve midnight when Tao looked out the window in awe at the fireworks in the distance. Tao turned slightly to his side and his lips were met with Kris’.

“Happy new year, babe,” Kris whispered, to which Tao turned away immediately.

“Happy new year,” Tao muttered in reply.

“…….” Kris grinned as he looked at Tao’s reddening cheeks.

“…………” Tao could feel his cheeks getting warm.

“Haha.”

“Oh my GOD. Can you stop ruining the moment with your stupid laugh all the time?!”

Kris gave Tao a peck on the lips.

******************************

It was the weekend before school began when Kris left to go back to his home.

“Miss him, Zitao?” Mr. Huang asked on the Saturday before school started.

“No.”

“Miss him, Zitao?” Mrs. Huang asked on the Sunday before school started.

“No.”

******************************

“Why would I miss him, Ben Ben?” Tao asked his panda plushie the night before school resumed. “Stupid Kris. Stupid Kris. Stupid Kris. Ben Beeennnnn! You agree, right?”

******************************

On Monday, Tao groaned when his alarm woke him up early. “Not again.” Tao got ready and left the house for the morning basketball practice, which unfortunately, did not get cancelled.

“Tao!” Your boyfriend is here to pick you up!” Mr. Huang called.

“Urgh,” Tao groaned as he went down the stairs. “Why do I have to see you so soon?”

“Bet you missed me,” Kris said as they headed off.

“No.”

“I missed you.”

“Wh-what?” Tao was caught off guard.

“Haha.”

“Oh my God with your stupid laugh.”

“Oh my God with your ‘Oh my God’,” Kris mimicked Tao.

“Ugh, you better be ready for the retake cake baking practical.”

“You better be ready for basketball tournaments.”

“Whatever.”

******************************

“Okay, team!” Kris said as his team members gathered together. “Tournaments start in a month, so we have to practice hard to win first place this year. Got it? No way will we lose to A High!”

The members cheered loudly as placed their hands in their center. “Fighting!”

******************************

Over the next month, Kris and Tao would walk to school together, but Tao would walk home alone because Kris always stayed back to practice some more on his own.

“It’s too tiring. Don’t you want to rest?” Tao would often ask.

“No, I have to keep my A game to lead the team,” Kris would always reply.

Both morning and evening practice went relatively well. Cooking class also went relatively well. Tao always felt butterflies when Kris was around, but would always push the feeling aside. Kris continued to steal quick kisses every now and then when Tao slipped out an “”, “”, or began yelling loudly.

“Maybe you like him,” Tao’s friends would say.

“N-no. I mean, it’s not like he likes me either.” Tao noticed that all of his friends ended up having boyfriends within the month. Luhan and Sehun got together over their basketball trip. Lay and Suho got together sometime after the trip, but before Christmas. Xiumin and Chen went on their movie date on the twenty seventh and became official. Kai was able to get Kyungsoo to go out with him right before New Year’s. Chanyeol and Baekhyun somehow got together and no one knew how, even those two themselves.

Baekhyun snorted, “You guys always hold hands every morning when walking to basketball practice.”

“So? I-it’s