II. Tao's Vow
If You Ever Fall in Love Again“Com’on man, stop pacing! It gives me headache.” Chen shouted over Kris.
The taller blonde can’t help but pace nervously. He’s been waiting for him for almost half an hour now.
“He’ll be here okay?” Chen finally put his hand over Kris’ shoulder to stop him.
“But he’s never been late before!” Kris shouted out of frustration, worry, and God knows what reason.
“Geez. Even the most punctual person on Earth can be late some of the times.”
“B-but. We’re talking about Tao.. H-he.. he’s never late. He told me he’ll be here ahead of me. He doesn’t want me to worry so he always comes earlier than me. Especially this day. He should be here right now. I c-can’t help but think that something bad happened.” He doesn’t know what to think anymore. Forcing himself to discard the bad feelings he is having, he decided to call Tao.
He is expecting a familiar voice, a voice that soothes him every time. But to his dismay, an unfamiliar voice answered his boyfriend slash soon to be lifetime partner phone.
“Hello?” The voice on the other line said.
“Hello. Who are you? Why do you have Tao’s phone?” He gritted his teeth.
“Mr. Wu?”
“Yes. Where is Tao? Put him on the line?” Annoyance was obvious now to the blonde’s voice.
“Please. Can you come here? Hamchul Medical Center. P-please be here.” He heard it correctly. The voice from the other line sounds so… broken. He never heard something like that and hearing it for the first time makes his stomach upside down. He can’t explain well but maybe the bad feeling he’s having has something to do with this, or worst, has something to do with his love.
Without another second pass, he shut his phone and run as fast as he could outside the church.
Today was supposed to be him and Tao’s wedding…. But something went wrong, something that no one knows if Kris can handle.
--
Running and passing by the nurses and other patients at emergency room, Kris reached the triage table. “W-where is Huang Zitao?” He asked with a weak voice almost eating his own words.
“Mr. Wu?” A not so familiar voice from his back called him. That voice. The one he talked at the phone a while ago.
Turning hastily, he grabbed the shorter boy’s shoulder, almost shaking him. “Tao... Please tell me where he is.” Surveying the entire emergency room to look for Tao, Kris can’t help but panic. Seeing different people having a hard time because of their condition, he can’t imagine what is happening to his panda.
The shorter boy does not move. He is just staring at the taller guy’s eyes, noticing the tears starting to form.
Taking out a small piece of paper out of his pocket, Baekhyun held it to Kris. “Please, read this first.” He said softly.
Kris just stared at the paper he is giving. “What the hell is that? It can wait! Tao needs me more that that paper. Just tell me where he is now. Please. I’m begging.” And there the first tear drop rolls on his cheeks. The brunette can’t help but feel more heartbroken now.
“Please. He wants me to have you this first. Just read it first Mr. Wu.” Baek held the paper on the talles’s hand.
Not wanting to argue anymore and to see Tao as soon as possible, Kris grabbed the paper and read the contents.
“I, Huang Zitao, vows in front of everyone and in front of the love of my life that I will cherish him, love him and take care of him for the rest of my life. Okay cut the formality vows. This may sound so cheesy but at first I never thought I could fall for a guy like this. See him? Our closes friends knows how hot tempered he is and how arrogant and narcissist he is. Time and fate played us. They put us together, and now, I won’t waste any time. I will be forever with you (whether you like it or not). I’ll be the best husband that you can ask for. I’ll learn how to cook. I’ll even wash your boxers if you are not embarrassed though. Every time we will be having our dates in the future, as I already told this before, I promise to be earlier than you. I know how impatient you are but I know you are just worried sick if you I’m a bit late. Err~ but wait! Why do I need to be there earlier if we can go together at the same time? Kris, I’ll tell you this now. I know I am not perfect. I know I can commit mistakes that you’ll get mad in the future. But then I know you. You’ll just keep on forgiving me. That’s you. You may look like rough from the outside but you are the sweetest and softest person I know. I wouldn’t fall in love again if it is not you. So Kris from now on… Let’s be together forever.”
Kris read the entire vow, not missing any single word. He didn’t understand why his panda wrote his vow for their wedding but he didn’t care. Reading Tao’s vow makes his heart flutter, but hearing it on their wedding will stop his heart out of happiness.
Tao.
He needs to see him now.
He ce again to the shorter guy. This time he grabbed his wrist so hard making the other whimper. “Now tell me where is he.”
“I-I’m sorry.” Baek said.
Again he heard it, the voice that is broken.
“Please just tell me where is he..” This time the shorter boy heard Kris voice, almost shuttered. What more if knew where Tao is.
“He.. He is there.” Baekhyun points at the green curtain. It is located the end of the room. “He loves you so much.”
“You don’t need to tell me that.” He released his arm and run where the other boy pointed.
It’s quiet in the other side of the curtain. If something bad happened to Tao, he should at least whimper because of pain right? Or maybe he is not in pain anymore.
He entered the space where his panda is waiting. He didn’t notice Baekhyun followed him. The shorter boy needs to be there. That’s what Baek’s think. He needs to calm Kris, though he doesn’t know how to.
“Hey.” Kris said softly. He saw his panda, on the stretcher, sleeping peacefully. Bruises were evident on his face and stains of blood were visible on the boy’s shirt. Kris tried to control, his trembling body as he reaches for Tao. "Com'on baby wake up. I'm sorry. I'm late, as always." He tried to sound calm. "You're scaring me, Tao."
Still Tao is not waking up after Kris’ attempts of waking him up. The shorter guy is just behind the curtain, listening.
Kris’s stomach flips once again, bile started to rise to his throat. His panda is not waking up and there is something wrong with that.
“Doctor!! I need a doctor here!!” He shouted on the top of his lungs. “Hey.. baby please wake up.. P-please..” The blonde continuously shakes Tao’s body. His body is wobbling. He doesn’t care.
A guy in white coat came inside. “You’re Mr. Huang’s relative?”
“I’m his husband.” Kris said, though they are still not yet married. “Help him! He is not waking up.”
The doctor removed his gaze from the blonde guy. “I’m sorry.”
Kris turned to Tao. He knows that line. He heard that line from several movies before. The doctor’s saying I’m sorry means something happened to the patient. He doesn’t believe it though. It is just a movie. It can’t happen to Tao.
“What the hell are you sorry for?!” He grabbed the doctor through his coat and push him on the wall. “Do your ing best right now!!! That’s what the doctor’s does and always say right? So do it now!! Save him!!”
The doctor noticed Kris’ hands were trembling. “We already did our best Mr. Wu. But he came here dead on arrival. The car’s impact is so hard that it damaged his organs. I’m sorry.”
“No.. P-please take that back… I don’t believe you.” He released the other and reached for Tao. He looks like just sleeping. He will wake up anytime right? Kris wants to think that way.
Today was not supposed to be this way. They should be both at the church, changing vows and rings, promising their love for each other. After that should be their honeymoon. Kris already planned a surprise flight for Tao. They should be preparing their luggage now for the trip. Kris should claim Tao now. His heart, his life, his soul, his body.. Everything.. Tao will be his as a whole and he is Tao’s. But what happened today was the total opposite of what should happen.
Crying himself out.. He placed a tender kiss at the boy’s lips. He is not moving. Tao is not reacting. Saltiness is what he tastes as he kisses the other. Unlike the sweetness they always share.
He fell on his knees as he embraces the love of his life, lifeless.
Tao left him. Time and fate let them meet, but it also separate them without warning.
The doctor can’t help but watch the scene. He exactly knows how to be left by someone you really love, but on his case, it is not because of time and fate.. Maybe it is the other’s choice.
a/n:
Done with Taoris...
Up Next:
III. Jongin's Note
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