---

Kris checks his phone while the younger is washing the dishes. The other insist on doing that. He says it will somehow be his payment of him staying here in his condo.

     

    

The blonde zooms the picture of Tao's plans. He checks it with his mind. "One, two, three," he thought. "Done." He checks. He is guessing that they'll be shopping today but that will be for later.

     

    

"I'm done," Tao merged from the kitchen. He's drying his hands with a towel while walking over the couch and sat next to Kris. Tao became too familiar with Kris warmth that he didn't notice how intimate their position seems. Tao is leaning in Kris and the older was frozen in place. "So what are you up to today?" The younger hopefully asked, considering that Kris might not answer him. He love the blonde's surprises.

   

   

Kris heard his heart pounding in his chest, fast like he just ran a marathon. He remembers that he had mentally noted back when they're at the airport that he would check his heartt. And it seems like this is the best time to visit a doctor. But his heart is getting worst and its becoming familiar to him that it frightens him. He slowly move away from the younger. 

    

    

"Um... I'm going somewhere," He said, looking away.

    

"Really?" He snapped his gaze back to Tao. The younger looks excited. Kris heaved a sigh. He also noticed that the younger is expectant look, he hates that he'll turn this smiling face into the opposite.

   

"Sorry Tao. I have to go on my own. Get dressed when I get back, okay?" Then Kris left the room without glancing at the younger.

   

*-*-*-*-*

     

"Mr. Wu?"

     

      

Kris looks up at the mention of his last name, he raises his hand to indicate that its him. The male nurse nodded and leads him towards a room where he'll goes for a check up. As they enter, a small intelligent looking man stood up from his swivel chair, bowed at them. The two males return the gesture. The male nurse left the room and Kris took a seat beside the table. 

   

    

"So what's wrong Mr. Wu?" the man said, sitting at his swivel chair and leaning in. The blonde dropped his gaze at the other's chest where his name tag is found. It says Dr. Kim Joonmyun. Kris snapped his gaze back to the smaller's face.

    

    

Then he lowered his gaze yet again and tapped his chest where his heart lies inside. "Dr. Kim, I think I have a heart disease." 

    

    

The smaller raised a brow. "You think?"

       

    

The other didn't look at the smaller but he looks up and stare straight at the white wall. It seems like the taller can see something far more interesting at the wall. "Yes. I'm not that dumb to know the signs. I don't have shortness of breath, I just have my heart palpitating like crazy." the older paused but then continued on.

     

    

"But I'm not that sure. Because sometimes I felt like I have a fever when my face is burning, but its only my cheek. I also have shortness of breath like it was somehow steal away from my lungs but my heart doesn't ache. I just don't understand."

    

      

The doctor laughed, understanding the situation. He don't believe that the taller doesn't really know what is happening, he believe that the other was denying it. "I think, Mr. Wu, you understand." 

    

    

This makes the other snapped his head to the smaller's direction and blinked. He smiled knowingly as he saw that surprised look. "I know that you're not that innocent, Mr. Wu. And I also know you're denying it." The other looked quite perplexed.

     

    

"What do you mean?"

    

"You're in love, Mr. Wu," The smaller smiled.

       

The blonde just looked away, his golden locks hiding his face. Joonmyun smile, satisfied.

   

   

*-*-*-*-*

   

Kris arrived at his pad at exactly 5pm sharp. He dugged his pockets for his keys and insert it at the keyhole. Letting himself in, he felt the room's ambience. And it's not the thing to laugh about. The room felt bleak and just plain gloomy.

    

    

The lights are out. The room is dead quiet. And the only thing that could be heard is sobbing. 

    

    

Kris quickly dashed towards their shared room. Tao wasn't in the living room and what would the younger do inside the kitchen and weeping? So he head straight to their room. 

   

And there he is. At the corner of the room, curled into a ball, rocking back and forth.

     

    

The blonde quickly run to the boy's side and hugging him as tight as he could. Tao was surprised but then hugged back. Kris lift him up and carried him to their shared bed. The younger lets him and stared at the god-like face of his carrier.

     

    

The blonde lay the younger on the middle of the bed. He lays on the youngerster's side, body plops up on his elbow while his other hand is brushing the other's hair soothingly. The boy's eyes stared at Kris.

    

    

And he felt like... he's safe. And he likes him. He admit. 'Those lips,' Tao thought. 'those plump lips... curled into a careless smile.'

    

    

"Staring is rude," Kris chuckled. The younger remembered that he always says that to the other. "Hey." He playfully pushed the blonde a little.

     

    

"Your words, not mine." Tao watched as those broad shoulders lifts and falls. He watched as the older's eyes shift from playfulness to being serious within just a second. He watched this admiringly.

    

    

"Zitao, what happened? why are you crying?" Kris carefully asked, continuously soothing the boy with his gentle touch. The other looked away and grief washed over his face. He felt his heart clenched ever so lightly. And he remembered what the doctor had said.

    

    

Kris shook his head violently, shaking the thoughts off of his head. He jumped off of his bed and immediately picking Tao up on his feet, earning a small squeal of surprise from the younger. 

      

   

Taking a hold of the boy's hand, he led him to their bathroom, grabbing a towel on their way. Tao turned around when he is inside the bathroom. "Wha—?"

      

    

The tallest of the shush him by putting a hand up leveling to the other's face. "Just take a bath and get dressed. We're going somewhere."

    

    

Then Kris shut the door, leaving Tao yet again dumbfounded and staring face to face at the back of the door.

    

    

Tao obliged and slipped off of his clothing and slide in underneath the shower.

    

   

Meanwhile, Kris had his back leaning against the door of the bathroom, listening to the running water. One hand on his heart, the other facing his face. He didn't know why but what that damned doctor told him struck him. Hard.

 

   

~~~ [During the check-up] ~~~

 

   

"Its not love, Doc. I have fallen in love and this is much more than that," Kris tried to reasoned out. He don't want to fall in love. Its just that it was such a short time since he broke up with his ex girlfriend.

 

   

Yes, A girl. He's straight. So, no, he can't love Tao.

 

   

"Maybe you haven't fall in love. Maybe you only believed that you have fallen in love. Maybe this time, this is really love. Would you still deny it and let it just slip out of your grasp?" Joonmyun said.

Kris just stared at him.