---

 "Oh my goodness..." Tao mutters in a state of shock and pure awe. 

   

Kris crack a grin, loving the reaction the younger displays. He expected that kind of reaction, maybe much more better than what he anticipated. The younger was so lost in astonishment with his mouth fell slightly agape, his eyes glisten with something close to euphoria. The older became anxious, what if he don't like it? What if the other pictured a much better beach than this? He can't help but worry. 

   

"Did you like it?" He ask carefully.

   

He watch the younger close his mouth and looks up at him with teary eyes. "Did I like it?" The younger boy's voice is laced with something Kris' couldn't decipher because he's too nervous. Then the younger broke into a wide smile and engulf the older into a tight hug. "I love it, Yifan. Thank you."

   

His heart pounds loudly as he felt the boy's warmth wrapped itself not only his body but also his heart. He didn't know how the warmth crept up onto his heart but what he does know that this feeling is blissful and  wished it to last forever.

 

   

"Kevin!" He heard a deep voice calling them. And he never thought he could loathe that voice more than he did before. Tao broke away once he heard that voice. The blonde's smile turns into the opposite.

   

He spun around, watching as his father ran to their place. Once they're an arms length, the oldest of the three pulled Kris into a hug. "I thought you'll never come. I'm glad," his father utters. They broke away but then he was again pulled into an embrace. "Hi Kris," Maris said, patting his back.

   

"Hey," He replied, returning the gesture kindly. They broke away and introduced Tao. "Dad, Maris, this is Tao. A friend."

   

The said man puts his hand out. "I'm Tao," he said in an unsteady english. Kris giggled. Tao could only throw a sharp glare.

   

His father took the hand and shook it as he introduced himself and his fiancee. "Glad to meet you, Tao. This is Maris, my fiancee and I'm Kris' dad. You could call me Shushu," His father said in Chinese then winks.

   

Nostalgia punch Kris hard on his gut, rousing something inside him that's making him close to tearing. Those accent that he adore when his young, turns into despise. He swallowed the lump on his throat and choked the cry that's trying to escape his shaking body. Tao noticed this and even though he doesn't know why Kris is acting this way, he still comforts the older. Tracing soothing circles at the back of the blonde's palm, just like what the other did to him when they first met. Kris jump a little surprised. The younger boy look up at him and smiled genuinely, he nods a little encouraging the older.

     

Kris' father cleared his throat, snapping the other two out of their created word by themselves. "Let's go to the cottage, shall we?" Kris' dad puts an arm around Maris and pulled her to their cottage.

   

*-*-*-*-*

   

After they settled into their shared room, Kris pulled the younger immediately. Tao just let himself be pulled by the older. Once the blonde finally got tired and had let go of the younger boy's hand, they both pants for air. Kris had his hand on his waist, his back slightly arch, trying to even his breathing. The younger among them had both of his hands on his knees, wheezing for air. The younger looks up from his position, glaring at the older.

   

"You really love dragging me around, don't you?" He hissed.

   

But it seems like the older doesn't here a word he said. His eyes is shinning. The blonde broke into a wide grin that reaches his eyes. "Just in time..." he  said in a low whisper as he walk passed him. "W-what...?" Tao said, still panting for air.

   

Kris stopped at his tracks and spun around. He extends his hand for the other to take. The raven haired boy looks up to see the blonde grinning foolishly. He never saw the older grin as wide as it were right now. "Come on, you'll miss it," Kris said, snapping Tao back to reality and out of his thoughts.

   

The younger reached for the hand before standing upright. Kris pulled him into the wooden pier and he immediately feel awe-struck. Its like they're walking towards the sun. It was dipping into the depths of the clouds. And its just plain beautiful. They came to a stop and just watch as the beautiful scenery comes to end. "I always like to go here whenever I came to visit this country. It never fails to steal my breath away." Kris murmurs. Tao could only nod, still distracted and can't keep his eyes off the sky that was once a plain canvas and now a beautiful painting unfolds right before their very eyes.

  

     

Thereafter the sun was long gone and out of view, they sat at the edge of the pier, one pair of legs dangling over the edge. The two men lost in thoughts and fell into an comforting silence. The younger among them were hugging his legs, his head slightly tilting at one side and thinking about 'him'. Oh how he misses 'him'. He wonders what kind of ecstasy he'll feel when 'he' kissed his fully on the lips as the sun sets. He really wishes that 'he' were here and with him, enjoying the sunset and sharing kisses and hugs.

   

Kris, on the other hand, stares at younger who seems to disregard him. Well, for Kris, it makes things a lot better. He likes staring at Tao's distinct features. It looks innocent yet exotic at the same time. But what he really like the most is Tao's eyes. It was deep and it held a story that was yet to be told. Then suddenly a tear escaped the youngerster's beautiful eyes. Kris sat there, stunned. It took him awhile before he finds his voice. "W-what's wrong?" He stutters.

   

Tao looked at him, hurt written all over his eyes. He's been stifling a cry and the older failed to notice. The raven-haired boy glance away and stare at the horizon. "Can I pour my heart out?" 

   

The blonde didn't have enough time to respond before the other turns into a crying mess. At first, he covers his mouth, stifling cries that still goes through his fingers. But the moment the older soothes his back, the younger let everything out. He cried. He cried until he couldn't cry anymore. Tears dry down and the sobs seems to slow down. 

   

Kris who is baffled just held the younger close to his arms and curse the reason why this person cried with all his might. It pinched the older's heart and it hurts watching thr younger cry to his sleep. Atear rolled down the younger boy's cheek. He brushed it off with the pad of his thumb. He hates seeing Tao like this. And somehow, he is getting a clue as to why he were feeling this way. But he ignored it. He doesn't want to deal with it. Not now, not later, maybe not forever.

*-*-*-*-*

   

"Let's swim, Yifan!" Tao said, pulling the older into the water. Kris tried to pull away. He doesn't want to get wet. He tried to free himself from the youngerster's tight hold. They end up falling into the water. And once the blonde got wet, he chased Tao and splash water at the raven-haired boy.

    

    

They spend the whole day like that. Free from stress and hurt and just plain fun. They build sandcastle. They covered themselves with sand and everything just seems right. They, again, watch the sunset. Coloring the beautiful sky. The night came and Kris invites the younger for a drink. They headed for an open bar and grab something to drink. They spend the night and day enjoying, until eventually, Kris' father ruins it for him.

 

   

One evening after the sun was long gone, Kris and his father barbequed for their dinner. Of course, the older would talk nonstop and Kris' wouldn't pay attention and continued fanning the coals. But then, something caught the youngerster's ears to listen.

   

"Do you love Tao?" His father said, looking at the raven-haired boy playing with he twins. Kris grimaced.

   

"I would never love a man," He said simply and tries not to stare at the boy's smile.

   

"It doesn't matter if you love a man, what really matter is that you loved," His father puts a hand at his shoulder causing the younger to look up and brushing the hands off abruptly. His father chuckled.

    

"You really don't know love," His father said. Oblivious to Kris' feeling, the younger felt onsulted.

   

"Don't be so presumptuous. You're not there when I fell inlove, when I fell out of love, when I first had my heart broken. You're not with me half of my life, so you don't have the right to accuse me to something because you don't know me that much," Kris

deadpanned.

  

His father suddenly gripped the fan his holding tighter in distress. What his son had said was a low blow to him. But he just sigh and tried to understand his son. Its the

truth that hurts. He clears his throat and composed himself.

    

"I know I wasn"t there when all that happened but I saw how you look at Tao. You beamed there and here whenever his there. And I saw how you look at Tao its the wayI looked at Maris. Its the look of Love, Kevin." He said.

    

Then Kris looks at him squarely at the eye, straight face, no emotion could be seen. "So you never look at mom that way, huh?" 

   

The younger waited for the other to reply but when it seems like there is no such thingcoming to his way, he spun around and walks away. His father stood there hurt and dumbfounded.