Suho's POV

I was surprised that I managed to fall asleep yesterday after our break up in the playground. I must admit I spend an hour thinking about the reasons why, another hour just staring at the box she gave me and surprisingly a few minutes thinking about Jae and Tao.

I tried to shake the minute box, about the span of my hand, laced in silver-colored cloth. It seems to rattle a little so most likely not paper or not just paper. "Do me a favor and open it when I leave." I remembered her say. But should I open it? Wouldn't it be better to just let it be and move on. What if what is inside makes me regret all the more my decisions. 

This won't do, I'm hungry.

I got out of bed and headed towards the kitchen. Along the way, some staffs greeted me good morning. They were on their way to the foyer clearing up the area from fallen leaves. I asked the chef to make a heavy breakfast and an orange juice. I sat on the round chair in the kitchen, half-dazed, still thinking about her.

The sound of the bell from the chef released me from daydreaming. I thanked him and grab the platter. I took some scoops into my mouth and occasionally shook the box. At one point, I untied the silver-lace. But I instantly re-laced it up and hid in my bedroom.

After eating my breakfast, I felt my phone vibrated.

"Chanyeol?" 

"Hyung..." he sounded troubled. "I need your help."

"Why? What happened?" 

"Just go here..." 

"Huh, Cha..." He cut me off.

Always the pain, well whatever it is, I'll find out soon enough.

My phone beeped after a few seconds— a message from him. He sent his location and direction on how to get there.

Chanyeol said he was in the plaza circle, somewhere near his favorite ice cream shop. He again sent me directions saying "walk two blocks to the left, then walk straight to the alley, see the game corner? That's not it, skip it. Continue going left and head north" 

I found him later outside a magazine store. What is he doing in a magazine store?

 "Hyung!" He waved his hand as he saw me approached.  

"So, what's wrong?" I asked. He doesn't seem in a dire need of help.

Chanyeol grabbed his bag and pulled out a magazine. 

"Look, look!. I wanted to buy this magazine because Dara nuna is here. Isn't she pretty? Very pretty right?" He hugged the magazine, "Dara nuna~" 

Chanyeol is ever the loyal fan. "So what now?"

He suddenly frowned, "You weren't listening, I told you I just bought this magazine!" 

I still didn't get it. "And..."

"Actually I called you because I was short of moola— that's money— and I wanted to buy it now, because if I don't buy it now, when will I buy it? So while I was waiting for you, an older nuna came and told me she'll pay for what I lack. Of course it was weird at first but it  is free!" He was talking so fast. "Who turns down on free things? Especially free things involving nuna Dara." He hugged the magazine again, "Pretty~" 

"So you asked me to go here and now you are asking me to leave, why you disloyal brat!" I kid. 

"Hyung buy me ice cream!" He ignored what I said.

Chanyeol is Chanyeol. I sighed.

We walked a few blocks back and entered his favorite ice cream shop. He ordered the same. I ordered plain vanilla. 

Once we were done ordering we sat on the back couch and waited. 

"Chanyeol." I called. "You know that you won't get a girlfriend if you always act so goofy."

He nodded. "I don't see the need to have a girlfriend as of the moment. Just because you have one hyung" 

He laughed. I laughed with him. Damn you Chanyeol if only you knew. 

"Hi sir, here are your orders. Enjoy!" The lady tried to look cute. 

I gave her a short smile and said my thanks. 

"You sly hyung!" Chanyeol said when the lady left. "Unfaithful boyfriend, you can't always flirt with girls like that!"

Ha! "It's not flirting, I was just being charming." I corrected. 

I am not even lying when I said that. Instead of giving girls risky compliment just smile truthfully. It works magic. 

Suddenly I noticed that little Jae was also here. She was with an older girl, probably her sister. I called her and she waved back at me. Jae whispered something to her sister and she giggled. I wonder what she told her. 

"Who's that?" Chanyeol asked. 

"Oh, a kid I played with on the playground." I replied. 

He glanced to their table and said, "Seriously Suho hyung, you won't even let a kid pass by you?" 

"What?" I'm shocked, do I seriously sound like a maniac? "Chanyeol... don't tell me..." I came closer and whispered, "you're jealous!"

"Like hell!" He screamed. 

Everyone turned their eyes on us and started laughing. 

"Aish messy messy!" I commented. "Finish your ice cream, we are leaving." 

"Hyung wait!" He grabbed his spoon and took big scoops of the ice cream. 

I approached Jae and greeted her sister. "Hey Jae, where is your brother?" 

Her sister looked confused and said. "Jae doesn't have a brother..."

"What do you mean he doesn't have a brother?" I asked. " She was with him on the playground. He even told me I have horns" I extended my pointing fingers on my head to look like horns. 

She laughed, so did Jae. 

"I really don't know what you are talking about."  She said.

She doesn't seem to be lying. I wonder who Tao is. By chance is he... a ghost? I have heard  strange phenomena like these. Maybe Tao is the ghost of the playground! 

I gulped and continued. "Do you think, Jae is being haunted by a ghost? A male ghost named Tao?" 

She laughed at what I said. "That is impossible."

"How come?" I wondered. These days nothing is impossible. Before hand, they say flying was impossible, or defying gravity was impossible or getting to the moon, or becoming a star or graduating. Everything was impossible until it was made possible. Ohh the irony.

"Because I am alive..." someone said behind my back. 

I turned around and saw it was Tao. So he is not a ghost! 

"What's this nonsense?" He asked with the same platonic voice.

"Oppa!" Jae hugged him. "Suho oppa just told us that you are a ghost!" 

He looked at me dully, "Did he?" He patted Jae's head and said, "Don't worry, smart guys are actually idiots in disguise. Besides, don't call him oppa. He will eat you alive." He added a munching sound.

Jae laughed even more. Her sister did the same. 

"Hyung, who are these people?" Chanyeol came, his upper lip covered with ice cream.

"Chanyeol.." I called, motioning my tongue around my upper lips.

He took a few steps backward. "Hyung... don't kiss me please. Don't I beg you!" 

Aish! He always take things to the extreme. 

"I won't kiss you. You have ice cream residue, clean it up. Messy messy." I said, slightly pissed. 

Tao snickered. "ert." 

He carried Jae and walked out with her sister. 

"We'll be going then!" She smiled, waved her hands and followed him.

"Wait!" 

She paused, Tao didn't.

"Hey creepy undead little kid soul eater!" 

Tao turn around and commented, "That's new." 

"What are you?" I asked.

Jae's sister laughed. Tao rolled his eyes. "Such a stupid question." He continued walking out.

Jae's sister waved her hand again and walked away. 

Argh! What were you thinking Suho! Stupid question! Seriously? What are you? 

"Hyung..." Chanyeol called. "So really didn't plan on kissing me?"

Tao's POV 

"It's good you finally made friends." My cousin said. She was looking down, watching her slow footsteps. I know she was smiling.  

Friends huh? I don't know. I kept silent and kept on walking. 

"You know that guy said that Jae here is your legit little sister." She giggled. "I am amused. I remembered the first day you met her, you kinda hated her because the attention suddenly shifted to her being the youngest in our family." 

Right... I remember those days. 

Everyone was on such a fuss because my mother's sister is moving next to us along with her children. Jae was 2 years old and I was seventeen. You could say for a soon to be legally aged guy, I was very rebellious. 

Suddenly everything about Jae was made out to be something big. When she speaks, everyone laughs. I hated her, I thought to myself. But in reality, I was jealous. Because she makes people happy with ease. I have a struggle deciphering people, when to tell the truth and when not to tell it. People say honesty is always good but when I became honest they commented I should learn to lie a little. But when she first said "Tao oppa, I was glad, even though we weren't Korean, she adapted to the formalities here so quickly. At that moment, I began to love her truly. 

"As if." Is all I replied. 

After a few steps, she asked again, "So what is his name?"

"Suho." 

"Hmmm.." After a few more steps, "He looks good."

"He is a ert." I added.

"But you like him." She replied.

I paused. "What?"

She smiled and said, "Nothing."

I don't hate him, that is for sure. 

"You know Taotao, you don't have to be afraid making friends. Not everyone is the same as him." She said slowly. "Well, here we are, we better get going!" 

They entered their house and I remained motionless.

"Bye oppa!" Jae followed. 

Not everyone is like him... I know. I just... don't know anymore.