“Hey Tao, I am so sorry I ran out like that last time but I had to…what the hell?!”

                “Hey Xingie baby!”

                “Tao, what are you doing?”        

                “What?”

                “You’re gardening. You loathe gardening.”

                “Did I?” Tao furrowed his eyebrows, with his gloves buried knuckle deep in the pot of soil. He had a sunhat on his head, remnants of soil and pulled roots surrounding him and a brand new rose plant in the corner, waiting for its new home.

                “Yes you do. You hate mud, you hate bugs and you hate dirt.” I reiterated, as if he was a deaf man. “So why are you gardening?”

                “Well I thought the garden looked a little drab and it could do with some roses. So I went to the store, got some roses, soil and pots and I’ve been planting them since this morning. Look at that one over there!” He picked up a pot which he must have planted earlier and lightly flicked one of the leaves.

                “Look at this beauty over here! He is going to grow and trump all them other roses, like the fabulous tree he is, as his owner.” Tao smiled and waved a hand dramatically. “I’m also thinking about getting some daisies in that corner, daffodils over there and maybe even peonies! Don’t the flowers look just beautiful this time of year?”

                “So you’re willing to get yourself dirty for flowers?” I raised an eyebrow.

                “Well you have to work in order to see the beauty! We could always use some colour in our life! Oh look at the pretty butterfly!!” Tao pointed at the black and yellow spotted butterfly that flew past the roses towards us. I gripped Tao’s hand and prepared to save him from what he calls “the creature with more than 4 legs”. He can’t even say ‘bugs’ or ‘insects’, the name terrifies him.

                “Awww, look how gentle it is.” To my shock and confusion, the butterfly stopped on his finger and he hummed. He ing hummed. To a creature with more than 4 legs on his finger. Then, he started prancing about.

                “La la la la….” He sung as he spun in small circles and I picked up my jaw from the floor. The butterfly flew away and I stared at him.

                “You are not afraid of butterflies?”

                “What’s to be afraid? They are such gentle creatures! They can’t possibly hurt you.”

                “Then why is it the last time you saw one you dialled 911?”

                “That was the old me. The new me is no longer afraid! I appreciate Mother Nature for the gift she has given us, whether in the form of bugs or trees, or flowers or even the simple breath of fresh air.” He inhaled deeply, fresh air going up his nostrils and through his entire system. “There is beauty in the world around us Zhang Yixing. Life, is beautiful.”

                “No way, this is… this is…almost impossible!”

                “Why?”

                “You! You getting your fingers in soil with the bugs and the mud and the butterfly on your finger and all this ‘Mother Nature is beautiful’ jazz.”

                “I can change my ways, it’s not that shocking.”

                “A leopard changes his spots faster than you will learn to love bugs.” I rolled my eyes. A thought popped in my head and I glared at him accusingly. “Did something happen while I was gone?”

                “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He turned his head and I pointed one finger at him.

                “You turn your head when you lie. Something did happen! I was gone for 24 hours and you changed! Did God send Jesus back down here?”

                “No, but I did go to heaven.”

                “What, you died and came back?” I pulled him to look at me. “What did you…” I narrowed my eyes and looked at his face. I studied his complexion and his eyes and his lips, and then it hit me. Of course, why didn’t I think of it?

                “This is about Kris, isn’t it?” I smiled evilly when Tao’s face turned red.

                “This is about Kris! You must have had one amazing day with him in order for you to…OH MY GOD. You slept with him.”

                Tao tried to turn his head and run away but I shut the door to block him. “You totally did! You got laid by my boss!!”

                “Shh!! Don’t scream so loud! The whole neighbourhood will hear you!”

                “I bet they already did when you got laid.” I and he opened the door. We ran inside the house and I could barely hold on without falling down and laughing away. Tao’s embarrassed face is the funniest thing ever!

                “Stop laughing!! Oh my god, has it always been this hot?” he fanned himself and I tried to sit up.

                “You better tell me every single detail about this. I. NEED. TO. KNOW.”

                “Okay, so it all happened the day after you stormed out. That night, we were both drunk and we fell asleep on the couch. The next morning, he helped me clean up and…”

                “Wait, he helped to clean?”

                “Yeah, and then we went to the market together, which he has never been…”

                “He has never been to a market?!”

                “Weird right? The boy is so pampered.” Tao rolled his eyes. “We stopped by a flower stall and he actually loves flowers! Like, he knows all their names and stuff because he used to play with the gardener when he was lonely as a child.”

                “My boss, a flower man?” I could picture him in a mafia suit and a gun that shoots flowers instead of bullets.

                “Don’t interrupt me! Anyways, he suggested getting some for our garden so we got a few and we started planting them in the garden. He thought me how to use the fertiliser and all…”

                “MY BOSS GOT HIS HANDS DIRTY??!!” I screeched in amazement.

                “You know, if you keep interrupting I won’t be able to tell you the rest of the story.” Tao goaned.

                “Oh right, my bad.” I zipped my lips shut.

                “So we had a small break and we’re just drinking water and all and then...” he blushed suddenly. “He kissed me. And oh my god, it was like fire and electricity. The man’s tongue has a mind of its own.”

                “And?” I pressed on.

                “So he pushed me down on the couch and started ripping our clothes off. And oh god,” Tao moaned. “His body is just…perfect. Can you imagine, rippling muscles and soft skin…”

                “Skip the and get down to the good stuff. Is he big?”

                “Huge.”

                “Then how is it possible you are still walking?”

                Tao blushed even deeper and another thought hit me. This time, I screamed.

                “OH MY GOD YOU TOPPED HIM!!!!!!”

                “Shh!!!!!” he shushed me but I had already started hyperventilating.

              “You topped Kris!! You topped a 6 foot tall man with a huge , scary eyes and makes people miserable for a living! You topped the CEO of the largest entertainment company in South Korea. You stuck your in his tiny !!”

                “Did you have to put it that way?!” he slapped my arm. “I thought he would be all fierce and wild, like an untamed beast full watching his prey across the land, ready to bounce and bit with all his might. But he turned out to be so gentle and so soft, like a little lamb.”

                “Oh my god, I cannot believe this.”

                “Frankly it was all a little slow for me, so I turned us around and let’s just say that for such a dominant person in the business, he is such a good boy.”

                “OH MY GOD!!!” we squealed together and fell back on the couch. “He was so submissive; actually I think he likes that. In the office, he likes to be the big man with the reigns but in the bedroom, I bet he likes to be handcuffed and punished for being a naughty boy and given a tight slap on that round of his every once in a while.”

                “I cannot believe he is a sub. I have seen everything.”

                “I wouldn’t really count on him being a sub for long. I have a feeling it will be my turn next time.”

                “Can you handle being the bottom after this? And how do you know there is a second time?”

                “Oh puh-lease, I am Huang Zitao. They always come back for seconds,” Tao flipped his bangs.

                “He’s taking you out Friday night?” I grinned.

                “Hell yeah, we’re going shopping.” Tao wiggled his eyebrows. “Time to see if his wallet is as big as his .”

                We squealed and giggled some more. I took him by the arm and looked at him. “You feel really strongly for him, don’t you?”

                Tao shrugged and smiled softly. “It’s been a long time since I felt alive again. In this way I mean.”

                “I’m glad you guys are together, even if it did cost me my job.”

                “That is ridiculous. Kris would be a fool to lose you. You get back to the office tomorrow, and if he does fire you, there will be no more seconds.” He cackled and gave me a hug.

                                                                                *******************

                “Ah Yixing,” Kris greeted me when I came in to work the next day. I bowed deeply and stopped in my tracks, thinking he was going to yell at me or reprimand me for my behaviour the other day.

                “Er, boss, I would like to apologize for…”

                “You don’t have to apologize for anything,” he put up a hand to stop me. “You were right in many ways. It’s just that it’s been a long time since I’ve met someone who was able to see through me like that.”

                I inhaled and didn’t dare exhale. I watched him lower his head.

                “Have I been making things tough for you?”

                “Uhm…” I bit my lip. “No sir.” I lied a little on that one.

                “I felt like someone gave me a slap on the face, but in a good way you know.” He sat up and gave me a small smile, probably trying to make me feel better. “That’s what assistants are for you know, to make sure their bosses are on the right track.”

                “So I still have my job?” Kris nodded and I smiled happily. Thank god!! I’m not unemployed! I jumped in my place and rushed up to give him a hug, which must have shocked him because he was rigid when I hugged him. Tao later told me he was not used to sudden acts of affection.

                “Thank you so much sir!”

                “Anytime.” He patted my back.

                “By the way sir, about your stay at my place over the weekend, did anything happen between you and Tao?”

                “Tao and I had a lovely time,” he grinned. “As a matter of fact I’m taking him out again this week.”

                “It seems like you guys have been hitting it off very well.”

                “You bet.”

                “Sir, would you like to head off to your meeting in the conference hall now?” I raised an eyebrow.

                “Erm…” he shifted in his seat and I’m thinking ‘Got you!’. “I, um, slipped down the stairs in my home last night, so walking is a bit inconvenient for me. Can’t we move the meeting to my office?”

                “If you say so, I’ll inform the rest of the committee.” I tried to stop myself my smirking. “Is it safe to say you will be in your seat all day?”

                “I guess you can say that.”

                “Do you need any ointments?” I choked back my giggle.

                “That would be nice.”

                “Very well.” I handed him a red envelope with his name on it. Kris looked at the envelope and started to open it. I figured I would give him a few minutes in peace to read the invitation. I opened the door and proceeded to move out, but I stopped at the doorway for a couple of minutes. There was a feeling that nagged me and I was fighting it so hard…

                “Sir?”

                “Yes?”

                “Tao told me everything.” I slammed the door and ran away as fast as I could. I was half giggling and half panting as I sprinted down the hallway, almost knocking into Minseok and Jongdae. They stared at me like I was mad but I just did a little dance and ran away, laughing.

                                                                                *************************

                “Hey, Sehun.” Jongin ran towards Sehun when he spotted him in the dressing room. The Guess commercial shoot was over, but the fashion director was still really impressed with Sehun, so he asked the two of them to come and model for their a centrespread in one of their catalouges. Jongin and Sehun don’t talk to each other very often, but when they do, it’s usually a mix of minor hostility and small talk. So when Jongin was in a rush to see Sehun, that left Sehun very puzzled.

                “What is it?”

                “You’re on Dispatch.” Jongin told him.

                “What’s your point?”

                “Look,” he shoved his phone in Sehun’s hand and Sehun scrolled down the Dispatch news. He almost dropped the phone in shock when he saw the photos. It was of him and Luhan, walking down the streets of Seoul holding hands. There was another photo of them kissing! The headline said Luhan Is Gay: Dating Model, Oh Sehun.

                “Oh no. Oh no.” Sehun shook his head in denial. No, this is not happening. Those pictures are not real. This…Sehun felt the shock electrocute his brain and he felt like he could pass out. South Korea is not open to homoual relationships. This is the end for the both of them. The whole world knows.

                “Oh god Luhan…Luhan…”

                But there is no time to do anything else, the director calls and reality snaps back in. Sehun cursed himself internally as he shoved the phone back in Jongin’s hands.

                My life is over now.

                                                                                ******************

              “ARE YOU INSANE?!?!!?!?!?!?” Kris yelled at Luhan, pointing to the news on his computer screen. “How could you?! You know our policy! See, this is what happens when I give you guys freedom! You go ahead and screw everything up!”

                “No come on, it’s not that bad.” Minseok stood up for Luhan, who’s just sitting with his head buried in his hands. “He is a grown man who deserves to love whoever he wants to love. Look at Jongdae and I, we’re happily married and going to have a child!”

                “No one cares about your relationship you guys are a bunch of unknowns! Furthermore, this is Luhan we are talking about! An international celebrity with millions of fans all over the world! Do you know how badly this will affect his reputation as a gay celebrity? They will swallow him up!”

                “Oh, so being gay is some kind of disease is it?”

                “In this country, YES!!” Kris growled at Minseok, who merely rolled his eyes. “You don’t understand the severity of this, do you? Luhan, what do you have to say for yourself eh? So you had a fantastic time shagging your boyfriend and now look what happened!”

                “Stop yelling at the poor boy! It’s not his fault he can’t control his feelings! You think he’s feeling any better than you are about this situation?!”

                “Stay out of this Kim Minseok! It is none of your business!”

                “I’m making it my business! He was abandoned by his teammate and now publicly hated upon for being gay. How can you just sit there and make him feel any worse than he already is?!”

                “Yixing, how is the public response’s?” Kris asked and all eyes are on me. I gulped and shook my head. “It’s not good.”

                “What are they saying?” Luhan called out weakly, his eyes are runny and his nose was red. I clutched the iPad and refused to give it to him.

                “No, you’re not reading this.”

                “Yes I want to.”

                “No you don’t.” he reached out for the tablet and I tried to wrestle it away from him. I lost the fight and he grabbed the tablet away from me. He read the comments and I could feel his glass heart shattering bit by bit.

COMMENT #20

Luhan is gay?!?!?!?!? OMG NO!!!!!!

COMMENT #300

Great, another gay . This is just what the world needs. Wow, congrats man.

COMMENT #689

How could this happen? How could he do this to us?

COMMENT #1670

I hate him. I hate him so much.

COMMENT #2450

Nothing describes the pain he is giving me.

COMMENT #2900

He just committed an act that is sinful and against the power of Jesus.

COMMENT #4876

#stopluhan2k14

COMMENT #5000

So….just how many people in Kpop are gay?

COMMENT #5876

Wow, and I used to like him.

COMMENT #6654

Why Luhan?!!? He was so cool!!

                Why him? Why Luhan indeed.

                Luhan broke out a sob and fell to the ground. Sticks and stones may hurt my bones but words can’t hurt me. That was the biggest lie ever, because words do hurt. They hurt more than any sticks and stones, and people on the internet don’t realize that, because they don’t see the hurt. If they did, they would take back every poison they just spit out.

                To be hated because you fell in love.

                He got up and ran away.

A/N: Some fluff to help with all the angst and drama that is going on. But it ends with some more drama. TT

I'm thankful for all the responses you guys have left behind regarding Luhan's issue and I'm going to try and respond as much as I can to get to know you guys. But I apologize beforehand if I miss out on some of you because I have plenty of class assignments to catch up on as well as my studies. If you have never left a message please do so! I look forward to hearing, or in this case reading, your thoughts and comments!

Love you guys so much! Massive EXO-L group hug!!