Suho's POV

"That is how you do it." Chanyeol bragged his accomplishment in begging.

"Tell me Chanyeol, you are taking Psychology minor in Begging Arts right?" I kid.

Chanyeol nodded and said, "Of course!"

I hit his face lightly.

I guess I better go to Tao now. Kris, the childhood friend? Is he perhaps talking about Kris last time?

"Hyeong." Chanyeol called. "Your face is scary."

I hit his face lightly once more.

Chanyeol drove his car going to Tao's place.  As unfortunate as it is Chanyeol doesn't really drive well. I sometimes wondered how he managed to get a driver's license. On our way we almost hit a speeding car, a water post and the fence of the oval park. Chanyeol blamed the road for being curved.

"If you see a curve, that is like entering another door, your body needs to adjust, so it isn't my fault hyeong." He argued. "Besides we're alive!" He grinned.

I texted Tao, "We would be there in six minutes, fetch us slave."

"Hyeong, why are you smiling so stupidly?"

"Eyes on the road Chanyeol." I avoided the question.

"Whatever you say~" He kept his grin faced on.

Finally we arrived. The red garments and lanterns were thrown away and his front door looked perfectly normal.  No signs of Tao anywhere. I texted him, "Where are you?"

He didn't reply. I heard the front door opened. "The playground huh?"

I grabbed Chanyeol and hid behind the bushes. "Shut up Chanyeol." I shhed him before he can talk.

Kris' POV

I opened his door without asking and saw the room was almost the same.

"Sorry for not knocking, habit." I said upon entering.

There was no Tao inside. I pat the bed sheet and there wasn't any cold body in it. I checked the bathroom but it was empty as well. I was shocked by my reflection upon entering. I screamed to aunt, "Is Tao in his room?"

She didn't reply. Maybe she went out.

I decided to stay put and sat on his bed. Beside it was a small desk with a small box on it. It has silver laces. I grabbed it and shook it to guess what was inside. I held the left lace and slowly unlaced it.

Before opening the box, someone grabbed my foot. "ing hell!" I screamed, I pulled my feet up and wondered what got me.

Tao came out under the bed and laughed. "Never gets old. Never gets old."

Tao...

"What? You are too stiff!" He still laughed. "Ohh. Give me that."

I handed him the box. He re-laced it and place it on the table.

"Why suddenly so quiet?" He asked. He was smiling. It crept me out. Why does he smile now?

"Sorry, I was debating whether this is real or not. I thought you would still be mad." I confessed. "You know back then..."

Tao wasn't listening anymore. "Do you want to go to the playground?"  He asked.

"Sure."

Tao grabbed my hand and we went down.

As I exit their front door, "The playground huh?" I wondered how much it has changed.

"Slowpoke." Tao commented when I reached the front gate. He unlatched the lock and opened the gate for me, I left first he followed.

I heard someone somewhere, "Is that him?"  It came from the bushes. What are these spies?

Tao led the way. We didn't talk on the way there which I didn't mind. I can't help but feel we are being followed. I don't like this.

There were more children now than ever. I was never fond of crowded places. I didn't necessarily hid my distaste of how the playground become like a zoo. Tao didn't commented. He just smiled. 

I miss these days. How long was it that we were together. 

I took the lead and sat on the swing— my side of the swing of course. I patted the swing next to mine but he shook his head. 

"What's wrong?" I asked. 

"You are still a bastard to me." He said. 

"I know." I started swinging. "But you won't let me explain."

"True." 

Like always, there was silence.  

It's funny how this playground holds all sorts of memories. Even for me now twenty-one, it never fails to create a scene. 

Kids came along and asked me for the swing. Tao gave me a judging look. I gave it willingly and stood next to him.

Tao smirked.

"I gave it okay! Even without you looking, I will." I said.

He laughed. "Defensive."  

"The oak tree is still alive!" I was amused. 

He nodded. "You never beat me in climbing this tree."

Arrogant. I motioned in irritation and mocked, "All hail King of the Playground. But, that doesn't count much because you fell."

"I did not fell!" Tao argued.

"Defensive." I mimicked.

"No seriously..." he punched me in my arm. I did so too. 

"Why you!" He said then laughed. 

" This is nice" I admitted after we fooled around. 

He smiled and agreed. 

He sat on the ground and stared at the oak tree for a while. I followed sitting next to him.

I looked to my right and I see his hand laying. I took it and grab it immediately.

He was surprised and was trying to get it back, but I said wait. 

"I know you don't want to hear the past."I  said, "But I want to tell you now."

He sighed. "Kris please stop."

"No!" I sounded a little angry. "I know I don't have the right to be selfish, but... please..."

He fell into deep silence and I started talking. 

"For quite some time after we became friends, I came to realized that I like you." He said it calmly. "Like you in a way, that by looking at you, it made me happy. I was scared because it wasn't normal. I shouldn't like you because we were both guys. Each passing day, it hurts. Because sometimes I made these erted thoughts of us."

"I know I made a promise of never leaving your side but I don't want to drag you down with me. But still in China, I missed you. There, I realized how much I really liked you. Sometimes nights were unbearable and I ed thinking of you. About us. About what would have happen if I didn't left " 

"I don't know what will happen in the following days. I don't know if you want me back in your life. But..."

"Stop." He said. He was crying. At the moment I don't know what were those tears, remorse? Joy? Guilt? I really don't know. I just have to stop for a while. I hug him again and he continued to cry. Why do I always make him cry.

"I can't" he detached from our hug, "we are friends. I can accept as much. Anything more... is too much."

My eyes went down. I sighed and nodded. "Am I too late?" I asked. "Do you like him more now?"

"What do you mean?" He was perplexed.

I looked at the horizon and answered, "Yesterday, nuna told me that you made some friends. On the ice cream shop, I noticed that some guys were listening to our conversation. I was amused of course. They didn't know I know. Anyway, he likes you right?" 

He nodded. "But not the way you think of."

"Really?" I quickly replied. "Do you really think he like you only as a friend?"

He nodded. 

"Poor guy" I commented. "Guess we both are a er in this field."

"Well..." I stood up after all those conversations were over. "This had been nice."

He nodded and raised his hand. I grabbed it and pulled me up. "Thank you."

I smiled. "Good-bye... for now."

He smiled back. "You are leaving me again?." 

I punched my left chest. "I'll be visiting tomorrow stupid. " 

"Don't I get a good night kiss?" I half-joked.

He took it seriously and stared at me.

"Whoa, your eyes are killing me stop." I laughed. "Are you amused Suho?"

"Suho is not here." Tao said. "How did you even know him?"

Out of the blue, Suho came out from the bushes, his forehead appeared to have wrinkles. "When did you noticed?" 

"Tao's house. Your companion blew your cover." 

Another guy came out of the bushes. He was giddy and greeted.