After having dinner altogether at home, Jella washed the dishes as Ella went upstairs and Deni had a tutorial class with Zelo who actually came over to their house this time. Ella who was in her room opened asianfanfics.com. Suddenly, she had a new friend request. The username was ‘xiongmao’. She accepted it without even bothering checking its profile. Suddenly, she had a new message.

 

xiongmao: HI! Thanks you for accepting.

 

“What kind of English is this?”, said Ella to herself.

 

No problem. You’re welcome.

 

Ella replied.

 

And not even long, the stranger then sent another message.

 

I love your stories. It’s all about Tao. Do you like him?

 

“This is awkward. I don’t usually talk to readers. But, fine.”, said Ella as she continued to reply.

 

ella: Oh, thanks for reading. Well, I did like him but not anymore. I guess.

xiongmao: Why?!

 

“Do I really have to waste my time talking to this reader?”, said Ella as she was scratching her forehead and was quite annoyed as the reader had to be asking about Tao, the guy she’s trying not to think about.

 

But then she received another reply.

 

xiongmao: Why? Why? Why you don’t like him anymore??

 

“Err.. this is starting to irritate me”, said Ella as she sighed.

 

xiongmao: Hello. I’m sorry if I disturbs you. Can I be your friend? Please?

 

“Err… fine.. I’ll be friends with this idiot. I think he’s a fan of that person too.”, said Ella as she sighed in frustration.

 

ellla: Ok. I’ll be friends with you.

xiongmao: Really???? Omo! Thanks! I’m happy! I just need someone to chat to. I like Tao too. I’m a fan of his. I’m actually a guy.

 

Ella’s eyes grew big and she had to stop for a bit staring at the laptop screen.

“He’s a guy?? He must be gay?”, whispered Ella

 

xiongmao: I hope we can chat sometimes. Here’s my kakao username: xiongmao88

 

“Wow, I think this guy badly needs someone he can talk to about his feelings for Tao.Tao’s fan boy. This is getting fun.”, said Ella as she let out a smile as she shook her head, still surprised.

 

ella: Okay, I’ll add you up later. :)

xiongmao: Thank you. I’m happy to have a new friend like you who writes good stories. I’m a fan of yours.

ella: Wow! thanks.

 

Ella placed her hand on her forehead as she continued laughing from disbelief, “This is weird. I don’t get a lot of readers or views and I don’t have subscribers and I don’t write good stories but this guy is praising me. There’s something wrong with this guy’s brain.”

 

 

- o -

 

Exo had a day off. The boys stayed at home while a few of them went outside. Kris, Tao, Chen and Xiu Min were in the living room. Chen and Xiu Min were watching TV while Kris was sitting on the couch opposite Tao watching Tao who was smiling to himself while using his phone. Kris was so curios what Tao was up to. “Hey, Tao! What are you up to? You’ve been smiling to yourself while using your phone since breakfast.”, said Kris while rubbing his chin.

 

Tao looked at him and said, “Huh? Nothing. Nothing.”

 

Kris’ eyebrows crossed as Tao went back to his phone. Chen suddenly joined in after hearing that quick conversation. “I think Tao is in love.”, Chen teasingly in.

“Tao? In love? With whom?”, asked Kris as his eyebrows rose

“I dunno. He has this ‘mystery crush’. And he’s being so secretive about it.”, Chen goofily kept on as Kris and Xiu Min looked at Tao who seems to not hear a single thing from them.

 

Kris becomes more and more curios thinking Tao must be secretly communicating with a girl idol.

“Yoona Noona? Impossible.”, he thought to himself as he shook his head.

 

---

 

Evening came,

“The show will be on air tonight, right?”, asked Xiu Min referring to the show they filmed the other day.

“Yeah, put the right channel on.”, suggested Chen as he was taking some chips.

 

The members who were at the dorm gathered in the living room to watch the show together.

 

 

- o -

 

Jella and Deni were on the couch while Ella was going upstairs to her bedroom.

 

“Hey! Aren’t you watching?”, asked Jella.

“I’ll be doing some homework. I’ll just watch it over the internet later.”, said Ella.

“Oh, okay.”, said Jella

 

 

Ella locked her room and she quickly turned her laptop on. She opened asianfanfics.com quickly. When she was already there, she got five messages from ‘xiongmao’. She didn’t know why but she started getting excited every time she gets messages from him.

 

xiongmao:

I enjoyed reading the updated story.

I love it. Where are you?

Where are you? You didn't add me on Kakao yet.

Hello? Hello? Knock and knock!

Mrs. Huang!!!

 

“What the?? He called me Mrs. Huang? Doesn’t that hurt him? I thought he likes Tao too?”, Ella wondered.

 

The guy was online so she quickly replied to him.

 

ella: Hey, sorry. I was in school. Today’s a Friday. Don’t you go to school?

 

She quickly received a reply.

 

xiongmao: Homeschool. Don’t bother to ask why. Hehe. Hey can we chat using kakao instead?

 

“Homeschool? Oh, so he must be rich.”, muttered Ella.

 

Ella opened her kakao account and she quickly added him.

 

xiongmao88: Yey! You added me already!!

ellapark: Yes. So how are you?

xiongmao88: I’m fine today. Btw, are you watching the show Exo is on right now?

ellapark: well, actually no. maybe later.

xiongmao88: why later? I heard Tao is going to tell her ideal type.

ellapark: really? Well, about Tao. I really wanted to lie low being a fan of his. It hurts being a fan.

xiongmao88: but why? Don’t you like him?

ellapark: well, I know this is really weird but I really do like him. Not just ‘like’ as a fan but more than that.

xiongmao88: really? Then why give up? What if he will like you too?

ellapark: that’s soooooooo impossible. LOL.

xiongmao88: no it isn’t! we don’t know what can probably happen

ellapark: but still.. I just wanna lie low. It’s hard. And he likes Yoona

xiongmao88: No he doesn’t!!! He just said that out of confusion. And she just likes her as a sunbae!

ellapark: how would you know?? It’s not like you two are friends

xiongmao88: but still~ anyway, I hope you won’t give up! I'm not giving up either.

ellapark: but why are you telling me not to give up on him?? You like him too, right??

xiongmao88: yes of course I like him but don’t give up! okay??

ellapark: I don’t know. It’s just that I think it’s really love that I feel for him. Dumb isn’t it? He is my first love. I know it sounds crazy but I don’t care.

xiongmao88: I feel the same too right now.

 

Ella stopped as she read those words.

 

“Wow, he’s really gay? So he really likes Tao? But it’s really weird that he’s telling me not to give up on Tao.”, murmured Ella.

 

 

xiongmao88: you still there??

ellapark: Yeah, still here.

xiongmao88: Oh, okay. I thought you were lost.

 

“Wow! Lost… this is funny.”, giggled Ella.

 

ellapark: by the way, what’s your real name? and are you in college already? What do I call you?

xiongmao88: Just call me ‘Tom’ and yeah.. I’m in my last year in high school. And you?

ellapark: just call me Ella. I’m still in high school.

xiongmao88: Oh, so cute. Anyway, you take care and don’t give up on Tao, understand?? And don’t be sad. You can tell oppa how you feel.

ellapark: I just started talking to you last night but I feel comfortable enough knowing you’re Tao’s fan boy. Thanks Tom Oppa. Thank you so much! It’s nice knowing someone like you. I’ll try not to give up on Tao.

xiongmao88: Okay, I have to go now. Tomorrow evening, let’s chat again. Okay?

ellapark: Yup! Sure! Chat you tomorrow.

xiongmao88: bye bye!

ellapark: bbye!

 

Their conversation ended.

 

“Wow, I feel so comfortable chatting with this Oppa. At least I have someone I can talk to about Tao.”, said Ella with smile