A.N.: Hey guys updates for all you nice readers out there :) May be inactive this holiday, have lots of studying to do my tests are after the holidays T~T When all i wanna do is write my ficccccs for you guys D; So anyways today's a kind of special day for me, was saving this chapter to post today :) I hope I can do the same as Tao, and always be there when other people need me :) Anyways, enjoy and subscribe please, and im always open to comments and requests :) And here you go~

Jae-Eun POV

I’ll never leave you for as long as I live.’ Steely, cold words born out of fear and determination fought their way past the lump in his throat.

He lifted my hands to his cheek, pressing my hand over his as I cupped his cheek tenderly, probably for the last time, so different from the lethal force he employed during martial arts training.

‘Feel this? This is my cheek.’ I could hear his stifled sobs, could picture the rivulets of tears streaming down his face.

‘Tao… Stop it please… Don’t do this if you don’t want to...’ I had prepared for this possibility, that my stubborn kiddy panda would want to stay with me, inadvertently ruining his own life in the process. But not the emotional onslaught that utterly decimated my heart.

‘Feel this? This is my nose.’ He was gulping for breath in between words, as the deluge of tears threatened to cut off his air, yet he forced those words out regardless, simultaneously holding my hand in place.

‘Tao… Please don’t make this harder for yourself…’ Weakly struggling against his firm, solid grip, I tried to remove my hand from his grasp. Damn, those pesky tears made their comeback again. Dumb company.

‘Feel these? These are my lips. Don’t you remember? …’ He gently traced his own lips with my fingers, what I often used to do s often in the past. He clutched my hands tightly in his, like he never wanted to let it go. I could imagine how he looked like right now… Hair still in a messy mop, that sombre face, those intense eyes. Eyes that I would never see again… But well, it was worth the sacrifice.

A sudden displacement of the air around my face warned me of an incoming target, as I instinctively flinched, awaiting the harsh contact with some random flying object. What took my by surprise was the soft lips that pressed slowly against mine, the warm backing of his hand holding me in place, as the scent and taste of my panda wreathed around me, taking my breath away (not that it hadn’t already). Warm and gentle, this unexpected kiss took away my fears and despair, dispelling it to the corner of the world, soothing waves of safety and protection washing over me, calming my agitated soul. His other hand tightly held me to him; this touch, this kiss, the promise he made to me. I could feel it through his body language, without needing to see it, as he held me close, never letting me fall, as we forgot where one started and the other ended.

It lasted for an eternity or two, maybe more, ending when we both came up for air, panting slightly at the intensity. As I buried my face in his chest, soaking up his musky scent and his overflowing comfort, he planted a soft kiss on my forehead, as I cried quietly into his arms.

With rhythmic of my back, Tao comforted me back to peaceful shores, whispering constantly into my ear, as I nuzzled tiredly against him, drowsy and drained after the emotional incident. As I drifted off into sleep, the last few lines he said echoed in my mind.

‘I promise, I’ll be your eyes. Whatever you need to see, I’ll be there to see it for you. Wherever you need me, I’ll always be there. I’ll be your eyes and ears and anything you need me to be. Whatever happens, I’ll always be here for you, forever and always.’