Chapter Five

Zitao

Tao and s sat in two rows of six at the MAMA Awards.  It was actually fairly uncomfortable for him tonight.  They were standing, waiting for all celebrities to come in and find their assigned seats.  Don't get Tao wrong.  He loved going to these events and meeting all the people he hasn't seen for a while since he had been promoting in China.  Some friends from long ago, some friends from recent shootings, some that came back from vacation.  They were all going to be here tonight.

Including 2NE1.

Tao wanted to be excited for tonight.  He was glad that 2NE1 was sitting near them again.  Suddenly someone nudged his gut and Tao shot a glare, looking at Baekhyun.  "What was that for, hyung?"  Asked the 21 year old, looking at Korea's favorite meat in irritation. Baekhyun just laughed and smiled deviously.

"Can't wait to meet 2NE1, huh?"  Asked the older male.  To this, Tao faintly smiled and Baekhyun took notice of it.  The older man frowned.  "What's wrong?"  He asked in concern.  Chuckling nervously, Tao pointed to Chanyeol in secret, hiding his hand motion from cameras.  The two men looked over to their left and Baekhyun rolled his eyes.  "Him?  Don't worry about it.  Him and Bom-sshi are good friends."  Assured Baekhyun and he suddenly left to talk to Kyungsoo.  Tao pursed his lips at the person suddenly next to him.

'It's not Chanyeol I'm worried about.'  Tao said to himself and stood there, uncomfortable between Chanyeol and Luhan.  Just before Chanyeol was Lay and Tao honestly wanted to cry at the moment.  Going to China, Tao has noticed his hyung's become very irate lately.  Something Tao could believe from Luhan but from Lay?

It was pretty frightful.

And Tao had a pretty good hunch as to why.  He just didn't want to admit it.  

Now here he is, standing awkwardly between Chanyeol and Luhan with Lay not far at all from them.  'Maybe if we're lucky, Bom-sshi might not come today.  Maybe she has a shooting to go to tonight.  Oh please, let that be the case!'  Tao silently prayed to himself.

Fans were cheering from their seats and the number of camera's made the tanned boy slightly nervous.  Those things could catch anything.  Being swallowed up with worry, Tao glanced at Luhan real quick.  The older Chinese man was simply smiling and waving to the fans.  Something everyone was doing except for him.  

'Please, as much as I don't want it to happen.  Please don't let Park Bom be here today.  Please, don't let 2NE1 be here in general.  Oh please, oh please, oh please.'  Tao smiled at a fan who caught his attention and winked at her.  The worry in him didn't subside and the cheering wasn't drowning out his concern.  More than anything, Tao didn't want s to disband.  More than anything.  They've worked really hard together.  And Tao grew more aware of Chanyeol's interactions with Bom as days passed by.  And he knew he wasn't the only one.  He stole a glance at Luhan and Lay once more, biting his lower lip.  Chanyeol's attachment to Bom...

It was beginning to be a problem.

"Hey look!  Tao!  That chick has my face on her shirt!"  Chanyeol called out to Tao and slung an arm over his shoulder.  Tao looked up and furrowed his brows.  

"Hyung, a lot of girls have your face on their shirts."  He stated making Chanyeol laugh out loud.  'And probably in other places too.'  He ruffled the younger man's hair and Tao scowled.  "Yah!  Hyung!"  Tao whined and tried to fix his hair.  Tao took note of Chanyeol's eyes that were wandering around the large stage, specifically his view would go to the empty chairs that were still near them.  "What're you looking at?"  Tao questioned, suspicious.  

"Mm?  Nothing."  Chanyeol replied and went back to smiling at the fans.  Suddenly, screaming reached a new time high that Tao actually had to cover his ears.  He saw Chanyeol perk up, excitement filling his face.  Grabbing Tao's elbow, Chanyeol turned the younger man to face his way.  "Look!  Look!"  Chanyeol yelled.  He said something else but Tao couldn't hear because of the loudness the whole room was suddenly filled with.

Observing the fans, Tao noticed everyone holding up a Blackjack light and Blackjack banner's were suddenly up.  Tao gulped.  He glanced at Chanyeol for the quickest second and the grin on his face was huge.  

'Really hyung?  You couldn't at least try to hide your excitement?'  Shaking his head, Tao looked down their row only to see 2NE1 approaching them slowly.  His eyes fixated on Bom immediately and Tao tensed.  She was gorgeous today.  Unusually gorgeous.  The smile on her face was pure as she waved to fans, being last in their line as the girls made way to their seats.  Bom wore something out of her usual style that Tao couldn't help but gaze at her curiously.  

The young, thirty year old woman had minimal make-up on, something he found unusual.  It really brought out a more natural look for her.  She also had her hair down, loosely curled with a pink lily rose sticking in her hair.  There was one braid going down the left side and the dress she wore was...flowerly in a sense.  Bom looked like she just came from a shoot.

"So pretty."  Tao heard as he looked left and right.  

'Who said that?'  The young man thought as he saw Chanyeol, Lay, and Luhan's gaze stick to 2NE1.  He gulped.  The girls were getting closer to them and for some reason, Tao felt a flag go off in his head.  The girls bowed to the other celebrities they passed by and Tao knew that they would be soon.  Looking at Luhan and Chanyeol, Tao shook his head and started to scoot away.  He wasn't going to be in the middle of it all.

It was already uncomfortable standing by the three men.

Luhan grabbed Tao's shoulder.  "Where are you going Tao?"  Asked the older man, gripping Tao's shoulder with a vigor.  

"Owwww!"  Whined the 21 year old.  "Hyung!  That hurts!"  Shaking off Luhan's grip, Tao attempted his great escape once again.

"Oh!"

"Wah!"

Tao blushed the instant he felt contact with a body.  'Soft.'  He told himself and looked down only to gape.  'C-CL!?'  Apologizing immediately, Tao bowed and Chaerin laughed it off.

"No worries.  Come on girls, we're almost there."  Chaerin called out, Minji and Sandara following closely behind.  Each girl did a slight bow to EXO's group making most of them swell inside.  Tao more so as he could feel Suho's gaze burn right through his flesh.  'Heh heh.'  Smirking, Tao looked up and was suddenly greeted with a floral scent.  "Smells good."  He said out loud.

"Thank you."  A sweet, sugary voice said making Tao look down again.  There, right in front of him, was none other than 2NE1's oldest member.  Tao smiled shyly and bowed out of respect.  Bom giggled and did the same, trying to squeeze through Luhan and Tao, whom, the younger noticed Luhan was as stiff as a brick and was suddenly sweaty.  Tao wrinkled his nose at this.

"NOONA!"  A happy voice yelled.  Tao was suddenly, and very rudely in his opinion, pushed to the side.

"ACK!"  He stumbled a bit, bumping into Luhan.  

"Yah!  Get off me!"  Luhan pulled Tao away quickly.  

"All of you are so rude!"  Tao suddenly yelled, wanting to be heard over the roaring of the fans.  Luhan just ignored Tao making the maknae feel irritable.  "Hmph!"  The taller of the two folded his arms.  Luhan leaned slightly into Tao with narrowed eyes.

"Get out of the way, you're blocking my view."  Luhan said through clenched teeth.  Rolling his very expressive eyes, Tao side-stepped.  For a moment, he heard Luhan gasp.  Curious, Tao looked over his shoulder and pursed his lips.

How could he forget?

There in the middle of everyone was Chanyeol giving Bom the biggest bear hug he had ever seen.  Bom just laughed happily and awkwardly, whispering something inaudible for him to hear.  Chanyeol just looked at Bom with large, bright eyes and set her down softly.  Amused, Tao looked past them only to see Lay giving Chanyeol a blank stare.  

Tao shivered.

'That's not a good look.'  The worried maknae told himself as he turned his attention to Chanyeol and Bom.  He tried listening into their conversation.  

"—ld you it would look good on you!"  Chanyeol beamed out loud, trying to be heard over the crowds.  Bom gave out a hearty laugh and patted Chanyeol's cheek.

"I like your gift very much, thank you Chan Chan!"  Bom gave Chanyeol an eye smile making Tao feel flustered.

'So pretty...'  Tao gushed at the sight.  He heard an inhumane growl from his left and suddenly remembered that Luhan was next to him.  'Uh oh...'  "H-Hyung?"  Asked Tao to Luhan in a meek manner.  Luhan's lips were pursed and Tao knew that the older Chinese man was trying hard not to be so obvious.  "You alright?"

"Fine."  Was all Luhan bit out and turned to look ahead at the stage, finally sitting down in his seat.  Tao did the same with everyone else, except Chanyeol.  He was still talking to Bom.

"So...like, can we go out and eat later tonight?"  Chanyeol asked suddenly, starting to sit down.  Tao gaped at the question asked, his eyes popping out.  What amazed him even more was when Bom nodded her head and walked past the rest of the members saying a faint hello to each of them until she reached her table.  Tao looked at the 2NE1 girls and how they giggled once Bom sat down.  She just huffed and flipped her hair causing Dara to lightly slap Bom's shoulder.

"Oh my gosh, what're they saying?"  Tao wondered out loud, trying his best to ignore the intensity of the aura Luhan was giving out.  He was too fearful to look at his face.  Chanyeol, as the Chinese maknae observed, had one of the biggest grins on his faces and he fist pumped to himself from below the table.  "Hyung, where are you going tonight?"  

"Out."  Was all Chanyeol answered before the MC's began up stage.

"Yeah, but like...where?"  Tao inquired.  Chanyeol chuckled lightly and looked at the dark-skinned boy with huge, bright, sparkling eyes.

"Oh you know, out."  

Tao knew he wasn't going to get a clear answer and settled for huffing, folding his arms.  "Fine, keep your dirty secrets."  Next to Chanyeol was Lay who looked very angry as far as Tao was concerned.  Lay narrowed his gaze before locking eyes with Tao.

"Zitao, we're going out tonight."  Lay spoke to him in Chinese, purposely ignoring Chanyeol's confused look.  Tao could only groan and slouched in his seat.  He only nodded his head.  Luhan perked up and added;

"I'm coming too!"

"What're you guys saying?"  Chanyeol looked at the three confused.  Luhan and Lay just gave the Happy Virus sugary smiles.  Tao groaned some more.  Of course, he wouldn't deny his hyung's demand request for him to go with them.  Oh no.

Not tonight.

Someone had to keep the peace.

(A/N: Whoop.  Didn't really know how to write for Tao but...  Well, there he is.  Good-night now!)