Stand By Me...(EXO TAORIS) {On Hold}

The Panda Charm

                                                                 BACKSTAGE...

         Tao stood in awe, but was restless at the gaze she held for the his panda. Grabbing the panda charm Tao placed it inside his shirt snapping the girl out of the trance. "Cho Hee, have you met ZiTao?" Kris asked addressing Tao by his full name. "He is a bit younger than me but has a lot of...wait Tao where are you going?" Kris called after Tao, but there was a barrier that kept his call from reaching him. 

            Cho Hee stood phased by the re-acquaintance, Does he recognize me? "Cho Hee, come let's go eat with Mom and Dad tonight. I was going to invite Tao over but it seems he's not in the mood." Gathering the biggest smile he could muster Kris held out his hand towards his sister as they walked out of the building. Cho Hee thought back to the years when she had lived in China for 5 years with her mom before she moved to the U.S.. If it weren't for her mom's line of work being distributed in the U.S. she would have still been in China with Tao, but now after seeing him once again, Cho Hee has lost confidence that he still remembers her.

                                                     DANCE PRACTICE...

          Kris came into the studio to find Tao hard at work, at least to him more than usual. "Hey Tao, you got a second?" Tao relaxed a bit and walked over to Kris. "What's up?" Kris took a moment to study Tao's composure and then brought up the subject of Cho Hee. Tao felt a little pang in his chest at the mention of her name, but then he asked Kris if he ever remembered meeting someone that looked just like him. "Hyung, I know this may be a bit far but have you in your past met or saw someone that looked like me?" Tao regretted asking the question and fiercely turned back to the new dance he was learning for the next song. 

          Kris's reaction to the question left Tao feeling even more frustrated. When Kris approached him Tao ignored his beckoning and went on with practice. Kris couldn't understand why Tao was so uptight, but he gave him some space. It wasn't until they were just sitting against the dance mirrors that Kris noticed Tao rubbing the belly of his panda charm. "Hey my Cho Hee has the same necklace as that, but her panda is smaller with a ruby bow." 

           Stealing a quick glance over at Kris, Tao tucked his necklace back into his shirt. " What a coincidence, I never knew." Tao's tone was sarcastic even though he didn't mean to come out as so. It made Kris feel as though Tao had a problem with his sister. "Hey! What's the matter with you? Did my sister ever do anything wrong to you?" At the mention of 'sister' Tao shot a surprised expression towards his direction, sending Kris in a shocked reaction. "Why are you looking at me like that? You scared me there." Kris said slowly. 

               Tao took a moment to re-position himself and asked, "Cho Hee...is your sister?" Kris with a confused expression nodded haltingly. "Do you...do you know her?" Tao made a face at the question as if he were about to let out a huge secret but kept to himself and walked out the studio.

                                                             FAN CLUB INTERVIEW

            "Annyeonghaseyo uri EXO ibnida! (Hello we are EXO!)" the duo announced proudly before taking their seats at the signing table. The first hour had been spent taking photos and signing fan items. There was a brief break before their manager came to conduct the question and answer session. The first question requested Tao perform some Wushu, and following after there was a question about Kris's artwork. There was time for two more questions and it was a girl with pretty big round eyes, and wavy auburn hair. The manager chuckled and asked her if she was a trainee at their company and she nodded excitedly, "Kris Oppa, what is your ideal type of spouse?" 

             Kris was a bit surprised but answered accordingly, "My ideal type is kind, knows how to cook, filial and can take care of people." Kris blushed at the number of confessions after he had announced his ideal type. "One last question before we leave please," said the manager. "Anyone? Okay then it's time-" before the manager could wrap things up a voice from the sea of fans shouted. "ZiTao WHO GAVE YOU YOUR PANDA NECKLACE?" The crowd became like waves as they looked around for the girl the voice belonged to. The manager hushed the crowd and addressed Tao about the necklace, and Tao responded sincerely, "When I was back in China I had a dear friend who was very special to me...before she left for the U.S. she gave me a gift that marks our friendship. Mine has my name on it and her name on her own. I still miss her a lot and if I did see her again I would like to tell her about my heart." The girls in the crowd squealed with adornment while some scorned at the thought, all the while the sea parted making way to little person dressed in a panda suit. 

             Tao and Kris looked at each other bewildered, but then the panda spoke. "Tao I missed you too..." Unmasking itself the girl under the panda head was Cho Hee smiling in tears. She wore her panda necklace on the outside of the suit to make it known to Tao. Kris was taken aback at what was unfolding between them. "Cho Hee, you and Tao know each other?" Kris was shocked at the news as the fans were but it didn't stop Cho Hee from running up to Tao and giving him a huge hug. Tao was in tears, but they were of joy for have being reunited with his dear loving friend. "Later, you guys will have to tell me what's going on." Cho Hee turned to Kris and said, "Yifan I can't believe you don't remember." The crowd pulled out their cellphones and took as many videos and pictures of the news. The manager escorted the three to the car and returned safely back to the main S.M. Building. 

              Tao and Cho Hee sat near each other smiling the whole ride there, while they retold their history. Kris laughed at how much of a dunce he was to not remember. All the while, Kris apologized and Tao accepted his sincerity, and so their relationship as partners grew.