Chapter 17:

Driving away from her, Kris couldn’t stop shaking his head as he smiles. The look on her face when she’s angry looked so cute that he wanted to kiss her again but seeing as that wouldn’t be happening for the time being, he let it pass.

Even as he parks his car in front of his house, the smile never disappeared. Even as he passed Tao, who looked confused seeing him in that state.

“Hyung,” Tao called out, “Are you okay?”

Kris looked at him with the same facial expression and nodded his head.

“Are you sure?” He was about to check the temperature on Kris’ forehead when he finally realized that the dumb smile – for him – was for. “What happened?”

“I talked to Jessica.”

“And? How’d she react?”

“Irritated,”

“Figures,”

Kris suddenly laughed. Clearly, this conversation is far from over.

“Then?”

“I kissed her.”

Tao screamed like a little girl. “Seriously? How? Was her boyfriend there?”

The smile – the dumb smile – disappeared from Kris’ face once he heard him say “her boyfriend”. Tao noticed the sudden change of mood and immediately tried to change the subject by asking another question.

But he didn’t get to say anything. “Yeah, he’s there. He saw it all.” Kris answered bitterly, glaring at the floor before raising his head to look at a shocked Tao.

“What? Are you out of your mind?!” Tao screamed once again, moving his hands in different directions before stopping. “Wait a minute.” And inspecting Kris, “You don’t look tired. You don’t have any bruises so did you two fight like men do or just screamed like little girls?”

He almost punched Tao in the face. Almost. “no one got to throw some punch or scream like little girls because he was a coward who peed in his pants.”

If his mouth wasn’t glued to his face, it would have fallen from the floor. “Hyung I’m serious! Did you two really fight over noona?!”

“I’m just kidding!” He laughed for a second. “No one saw me kissing Jessica, okay?”

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure, yeah.”

Both guys nodded their head as they walked inside the house. Kris wanted to go and take a quick shower before sleeping, but his stomach growled and he had no choice but to follow what it wants. As he walks towards the kitchen, he saw Tao eating cereals by nook while staring at his phone.

“What do you do all day?” He asked, curious.

Tao looked at him, opened his mouth before closing it again. Kris became suspicious and just went and took Tao’s phone from his grasp.

“Look all you want, it’s locked.” He said as he smirks. “Don’t eavesdrop, hyung. That’s not good.”

“I’m not eavesdropping. I was just curious. I only see you at mornings and evenings and I know you’re not the type to just stay at this house.”

“I don’t stay at home all day, that’s correct. But I also don’t go clubbing. I don’t like that stuff too much.”

Kris was still trying to know what he’s pass code was when the need to go and feed his stomach became too much to bear. He threw his phone back to Tao and opened the fridge and searched for something to eat but seeing that there’s nothing there but water, he settled for the banana and sat across Tao.

“Okay,” Tao started a few seconds later. “So let me get this straight.” He looked at Kris. “You went to noona’s house and kissed her without her permission?”

Kris laughed. “You’re making me look like I’m some crazy ex for goodness sake!”

“You are crazy!” His tone wasn’t light, it was serious and it stopped Kris from laughing. “Following a girl who doesn’t even like you? What’s normal about that?!”

“How do you know she doesn’t like me? Were you there?” He snapped. “And it’s not like I’m some psychopath who follows her everywhere! I didn’t mean to go there, my feet just took me.”

“Oh, and your lips also collided with hers because you don’t know how to control yourself?”

“Stop talking, dammit!” Kris finally screamed. “You don’t know how ing hard it is to see the woman you love and your daughter to talk and smile and hug a man for some reason you don’t even like! What if you’re in my position, huh? What would you do if you’re this close…”He walked and stopped in front of Tao and imitated the same position he and Jessica were in a few hours ago. “This close? I only acted on impulse! She was supposed to be mine! Mine!”

Tao gulped and stepped back. “Calm down, hyung.”

“No, you ing calm down! I’ve been patient for so long. I waited for 5 years! 5 years! And now that I’m here, now that I finally found her, it hurts that I almost tried killing myself. She should have stayed with me. We should have raised our daughter together. But no! She moved away, thinking I wouldn’t accept her, and let some guy raise our daughter!”

“Calm down,” Tao tried rubbing Kris’ back but he glared at him.

“How can I calm down now, Tao? You provoked me.”

“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. You’ll get your daughter back,” He tried to cheer him up, but it seems that it doesn’t work. “I’ll help you with it too, if you want.”

Kris shook his head. “I don’t need your help.”

“Hyung, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say those things,”

“Don’t.” He turned around. “Leave me alone for now.”

Tao didn’t answer, just stared at him while he walked away. He really didn’t mean what he said; He knew Kris was reckless, but not this reckless. With nothing left to do, he went to back to his room and continued scrolling through his phone.

Closing his door, Kris sighs as he walks straight to his bathroom and took a quick shower. And as the water flows through his body, his mind wonders to the possibility of Suho really peeing in his pants. Would Jessica still love someone like that? A coward? Someone who couldn’t even protect something he owns?

He shakes his head. Jessica is not a thing.

Turning off the water, he took the nearest towel from the rack and covered half of his body and let his hair dry on its own. And as he walks out of the bathroom to change to his boxers, his phone suddenly rings and it made him stop walking.

That was a ringing tone that he never thought he’d hear again.

With shaking hands, he reached for the phone and breaths. What does she want now? After leaving him for almost 8 years, why call now?