“Morning Zitao! Late as usual I see!”

Sally cheerful call didn’t match in any way how he was feeling.

He didn’t sleep at all on the previous night, his mind seemed to be on a replay mode, he revived everything that happened with him and Kris this week. Yeah, it had been only a week, but it had been a hell of a week. He had met a ghost. Had been friends with him. Had travel to his memories and fought fate. He managed to win against fate and bring that boy back to life.

But now what?

“…Zitao?” Sally pokes his arm, trying to gain his attention. “Jeez, are you okay? You look… um. Well I don’t wanna say awful but…” She bites her lip sheepishly.

That brought an idea to Zitao’s mind.

If he actually managed to erase Kris death, then maybe the legend of the ghost never existed. And maybe, just maybe, Kris was in this school as a normal living student. And maybe… Just maybe… He remembered Tao.

“Sally! Does the Terror of the Halls mean anything to you?”

“Wha-? Terror of the Halls?” She scrunches her nose at that. “What is that? A movie? Sounds scary.”

“What about the school’s biggest mystery?”

“Mystery…?” She looks at him blankly.

 Zitao sighs in relieve at her reaction.

“Oh!! You mean like that legend that says if you confess to the person you love under the cherry tree on the night of a full moon you’ll be together forever?” She asks cheerful. “I’m totally gonna do that!! I was planning to do it with Dan but… I dunno if I like him anymore.” Sally shrugs while talking. “I don’t know if you noticed but he can be kinda mean…”

Zitao only nods at that, not making too much of a case of it. He had bigger matters to care for now.

“Does the name Kris mean anything to you?”

“No… Should it?” Her eyes widen in confusion.

“He’s a student here! He should be a Second Year! Does he still hang out with Dan?”

He holds her arms. All he wanted was answers. And Kris.

“Tao what’s gotten into you? I don’t think there’s anyone called Kris at this school.”

“But…” Tao breaths out in terror. “But you don’t know anything about the accident, right?”

“What accident? Tao, you’re acting really weird today.” Sally chuckles “More than you normally do.”

She pats her best friend shoulder in comfort.

“… Hey! Come here, let me take a closer look at you.”

“What-“

He is cut off by her pulling his face down, close to hers. She was meticulously studying his features. Suddenly she opens in surprise.

“Zitao, are you in love?”

His own eyes grow big.

‘In love? Am I…?’

He carefully starts to think about the previous week once again. It was true that Kris had something that had pulled Tao towards him from the very first time they met, either as a ghost or as human. And as they met each other, Zitao had started to gain a like on the taller boy. As a ghost he was so kind and sweet, he always put him first and he trusted him so much from the very first time. Kris as a human was a higher challenge, he was a jerk, an idiot, a bully, but at the same time, he cared and he had died showing that. Kris was someone really special to Tao. But was it love?

“… I think I am…”

He looks down blushing.

He finally admitted it to himself.

He had felled in love with Kris.

“Eee!!!!” Sally nearly screams in excitement. “You finally got that big romantic break you’ve been waiting for!” She gives him a mischievous look. “I thought you looked different today.”

“I do… feel different.” Zitao nods slightly.

“Morning guys!” Dan waves when passing by them.

“Good morning Dan.” Sally frowns a little, not caring much about him.

“See you inside!” He quickly makes his way into the school gates.

Zitao stares at Dan’s back. Should he talk to him? He could be the only person who might help him finding Kris.

Of course he should!

“Excuse me Sally! I just have to-“ He bows slightly at his friend before starting to run after the other boy.

“Dan!!” He screams, trying to get his attention.

“Hum?” Dan turns around looking at Tao. “What is it?”

Finally catching up with him, Tao says immediately what he wants. There’s no time to lose.

“I need to talk to you! About Kris!”

“… I don’t know who-“

‘Oh boy, if you’re trying to fool me, think twice.’ Zitao glared at him.

“There is no point in lying, I know everything!”

“Oh, yeah? Then you know that what happened wasn’t my fault.” He glares back at Tao. “Kris even said it himself. So don’t go spreading weird rumors about me around school.”

‘Oh, he was scared about what people might- Wait a bit! Did he just said…?’ Tao’ eyes widen in surprise.

“Kris… Said…? Where is Kris?!” He holds the older boy’s arms and shakes him a bit.

“H-How should I know? His parents pulled him out of school, like, the day after the accident. They told me to keep my mouth shut and not disgrace their name or anything and then I never saw any of that weirdo family ever again!”

“He… doesn’t go to this school anymore…?” Zitao blinks, his mind starting to run wild.

“No. And before you ask, I don’t have any idea where he goes now, okay?” He grumbles, pulling his arms away from Tao. “Now let me go!”

Tao takes a deep breath and nods.

“That’s ok. I think I know…”

Turning his back to Dan, Zitao started to run as fast as he could. He needed to go there. He needed to go now!

Ignoring the shouts from Dan and the worried calls from Sally telling him he couldn’t leave school and go away, he kept on running.

‘Sorry Sally, I have something important to do…’

Kris was the most important thing on his mind on that moment.

-⌛-

Zitao looked around. He was lost.

He rarely came to this side of town, only once or twice with his parents, and from what his memory was telling him, it had to be close.

“I… I wanted to go to a vocational school.” Kris voice rings on his mind.

“A vocational school? You mean, like the school on the other side of town?”

“Yeah! Actually that’s the one I wanted to go to.”

Turning around, he heard a school bell ring.

Just around the corner, there it was. The vocational school.

It was big, enormous. All in red wine bricks and white tainted stone.

It had such a different vibe to Tao’s school. It looked so cool and alive.

There were a lot of students going in at that moment. He started to wonder if this all was just a stupid idea. How could he possibly find Kris among so many people? Even if his hunch was right the changes of spotting him on the crowd were…

Zitao’s pout turned into a big grin once he spotted the familiar blonde hair and tall figure.

There he was!!

‘It’s him! It really is him!!!’

His feet started to move on their own and his heart was beating on a crazy rhythm. He felt like he was about to faint from nervousness.

“Kris!?” He stops behind the taller teen.

When the other turned around, Zitao was out of breath. Kris was there. In front of him. Breathing. Alive. Handsome.

“Eh?” Kris blinks while looking at him.

“Kris! It’s really you! You… you are okay…” Tao lets out a sigh of relieve. He felt so relieved when seeing him like this.

“Uh…” Kris blinked a few more, before finally speaking. “I’m sorry if this is rude since you seem to know me but…” He his lips nervous and smiled sheepishly at the younger kid. “Who are you?”

Zitao’s eyes widen in shock. He didn’t remember him after all. Kris didn’t manage to remember him. Tao was feeling like someone had ripped his heart out and was squishing it till the last drop of blood had left, leaving his heart there to turn into dust.

“…You don’t remember me.” He whispers in defeat.

“I’m really sorry. This happens sometimes.” He sighs. “See, something… happened … a year ago. I hit my head. My memory’s kinda fuzzy on some things since then.”He looked at Tao uniform and pointed at the school symbol. “That school uniform… I bet we met around then, didn’t we?”

Zitao nods, looking down sadly. “Yeah… Yeah we did.”

“Yeah, that would explain it.” Kris looks down too, lost in thoughts, before looking back at Tao. “Hey, what’s your name?”

“You… You really don’t remember?” It was hard for him to believe in that after everything, he just…

“… I’m sorry.” Kris looked really apologetic. It must be hard for him as well.

“I’m… I’m…” Zitao takes a deep breath. For some reason he couldn’t bring himself to say his name so he just told Kris what was on his mind. “… I’m glad your parents finally let you go here.”

Kris eyes widen in surprise while staring at Tao.

“Woah! I told you about that?!” Kris eyes turn vague as if he was trying to travel to the past. “I didn’t think I ever told anyone…” And suddenly a smile was back on his lips. “Yeah, I think the accident must’ve mellowed them out a little. Silver linings, uh?”

Zitao can’t help but smile back and nod a little. “I guess.”

They stare at each other’s eyes and faces for a moment, before Kris awkwardly look away and clear his throat.

“… Well, I’d better get to class.” He looks back at Tao and bows slightly “It was nice to re-meeting you, whoever you are. Take care.” He looked away before reluctantly walking to the school doors.

‘…That’s it…? Just “Take care” and he’s gone? … … … I … I should go back to school…’ The raven boy looks down and starts to walk away.

-⌛-

‘So it’s that easy for him… I guess… I guess he can just walk away’ Zitao sighs with his thoughts. ‘Snap out of it Zitao! The important thing is that he is alive! Nothing…  Nothing else matters. You have to move on. It doesn’t mean anything to him anymore. I … I don’t mean anything…’

He was holding back his tears while he walked. It was all over. Everything was over. Kris didn’t remember him now. It was over.

“Zitao!” A sudden scream made him stop on his tracks.

Turning around slowly he saw what he never thought he would see.

Kris was standing at the end of the street, panting, he had ran to catch up with him.

“That’s it, right? You are Zitao?” Kris looked at him hopeful.

“You… Do you…” He was at a loss of words.

“They told me you weren’t real… That the head injury screwed with my brain.” His face suddenly turned sad and regretful. “They said no one else had ever seen you. They said there was no student called Zitao at the school. And I… I don’t get this! I forgot you so easily… Because I thought you couldn’t be real… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry….” He smiled at him, hope visible in his eyes. “You are real, aren’t you?”

Zitao looked at him in shock, but manage to give him a smile and a short nod of the head. His eyes puffy with unshed tears.

That was enough for the taller boy.

Kris began to chuckle. “Zitao!” He started to run towards him.

“Kris!” Zitao could merely give a few steps before being engulfed into a warm embrace.

“Come here!” Kris grins at him and holds him tightly, lifting him up of the ground like he was nothing and started spinning him around.

They didn’t know if anyone could see them but it wasn’t like they cared. This moment was everything for them.

Their happy laugh echoed through the street.

Before Zitao knew what he was doing, he leaned forward to kiss Kris.

But the taller was too fast for him and got there first.

It was a sweet kiss. Their hearts were longing for each other for a long time. Their souls were calling for each other for even longer.

‘I don’t know how long we stood on that street corner kissing each other like it was the only way to make sure we were both really there. But when our mouths finally drew apart, he was still right in front of me.’

“I have been waiting…. For a really long time… To do that.” Kris managed to say.

Both of them were panting thanks to many stolen kisses.

Their faces were pink but none of them seemed to be capable of erasing the silly grin of their faces.

“… Me too.”

“… Wanna do it again?”

At that Zitao starts to laugh and punches lightly Kris chest.

“Wh-What kind of line was that?!”

Kris starts to laugh with him.

“Did I kill the mood?” Suddenly he blushes a little more and tightens the hold he has on Tao’s waist. “Sorry… It just feels like… If I don’t keep touching you… You’re going to disappear.”

Tao shakes his head and smiles softly.

“No. No one is disappearing. Not anymore.”

Kris looks at him weirdly, before laughing softly and kissing his forehead.

“I seriously never understand half the things you say.”

-⌛-

‘ Not everything that happens has to make sense. But everything that happens has a reason. I thought I was lost until I found you. You were the one who took my loneliness away. You were the one who warmed my cold heart. You were the one who saved my soul. I died for you and I would do that again if it was needed. I gave you my heart since the very first time I saw you. I gave you my love. You are the one that I trust. You are the one that I love. You are my forever. Without you it would be like being dead. I’m so happy I got the change to have a second opportunity, and had the blessing to live it beside you. Thank you so much for everything. You are my all. Thank you. Zitao, I love you. ‘

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now I'm actually wondering if I should make that white space bigger, so I could scare you more. Meh~ I will think abut that.

So... This is it. This is the end of our adventure. I hope you all liked to live it with me and will join me on my future adventures.

This is actually the first story that I managed to finish, and I couldn't be more proud of myself right now. Thank you to all the silent readers and to the few who actually commented. Thank you so much. You all gave me strenght to keep writting.

See you on our next adventure! Till then, I'll be immagning the map and I'll be waiting for you!

Love from this silly idiotic dorky writer.

KimMaabo.

PS: Buah! I don't want this to end! /cries