Man in the Woods: Rozdział III [ENG]

He chewed mindlessly on his favorite cookies, sitting comfortably on the villa's terrace. As always, Baekhyun was cooking and baking some delicious stuff, while Chanyeol was sitting on the counter, watching his actions closely and talking mindlessly about some not important things without a pause. It was about three in the evening, and Tao felt somewhat at peace, with his tummy full of good food, and his favorite snack in hand.

It was their third day in the mansion, and they slowly started to get accustomed to the new way of living. Baekhyun and Chanyeol every day were getting up early in order to get everything done before Tao could even wake up. His best friend (he was pretty sure he could call him that now) prepared them delicious breakfast, while Chanyeol was patrolling the house and its surroundings. They spend the rest of the day mostly in the kitchen, cooking things, that were unimaginable for Tao before; he found pleasure in creating tasty dishes, that were making others happy, and it was a good feeling. It let him put his mind off of the things he didn't want to think about.

One of them, was the mysterious man from the forest. It became a habit of his to look outside his window at the dawn, in hopes he would see the blonde once more, but since the time Chanyeol interrupted them, he couldn't spot him in the bushes. Although he knew that the police officer was just taking care of him and doing his job, he was a little angry at him. Maybe the handsome man was afraid, that someone would do something bad to him, or ask questions he didn't want to answer? Well, if you think about it, it's pretty obvious someone would do something like that. But what was his goal? By watching him, what did he wanted to achieve? Was he really just a weird stalker guy? Or maybe... he was an assassin send by his ex-lover? His heart picked up its race at the thought, but then Tao started to think about it more. If that was the case, why didn't he just kill him instantly, when he first saw him? He understood it would be hard when he was in the car with Chanyeol and Baekhyun, but what about the second time? They were all alone, only looking at each other.

Tao sighed, furrowing his brows and stuffing his cheeks with the cookies even more for comfort. Through the slightly repealed door, he could hear Chanyeol's loud laugh from some lame jokes he himself said, and Baekhyun's entertained retort, that he should rather stay at his profession as a police officer, and leave comedy to comedians.


He smiled the littlest of smiles at this. He could get used to living with these two. Although he still couldn't be sure how his future would look like, he really wanted it to contain the two men. They would surely make his life more lively and just a little bit happier.

He crossed his legs on the rocking chair, making it move a little. His cookie supply was slowly ending, and he planned to make his way to the kitchen for more soon, but something made him stop all of his actions.

For the last two hours, he was constantly scanning the forest around the villa in search of something out of the ordinary. He knew that it was in some way futile, as for the last three days the mysterious man didn’t give any signs of life, but for some weird reason Tao just wouldn’t give up.

The boy whisked away the cookie crumbs from his skinny leather pants, and arranged his tight, panther t-shirt on his slightly muscular body. It was also one of the things that had changed in his behavior. After his “meeting” with the blonde man outside his window, he started to wear his old clothes.

He kept telling Baekhyun that he only wanted to make sure that they were still good for him and that they don’t go to waste, but still the smile on the older man’s features was undeniable.


His, once favorite, bracelet, clattered a little, when he tried to clean himself from bakery leftovers. The exposed arms of the young Chinese boy, pale and still all in bruises and scratches, were slowly healing in the warmth of the afternoon sun.

At first he was reluctant to show his scars to the world, but after Baekhyun sat with him in his bedroom, and talked to him for a few hours straight about it, he was convinced that it’s nothing bad, because he didn’t do it to himself willingly. And moreover, his injuries will heal quicker, if they will have more fresh air.

But still, when in the presence of Chanyeol, whom he trusted, but still was a little embarrassed of him, he was wearing at least some hoodies to cover his arms. Only when he was alone or with Baekhyun, and certain that no one would interrupt him or them, he would allow himself to sit comfortably like that only in his t-shirt.

He let his body relax against the wooden chair and a lazy, cat-like yawn escaped his mouth, when he saw the familiar strand of blonde hair between the trees.

Tao bolted out of his chair, quickly checking whether Baekhyun or Chanyeol noticed something, but they were too immersed in each others presence to notice anything. To be certain, that nothing will intrude the moment this time, the young man closed entirely the door in quiet manner, turning once more to the green thicket.

He took two shaky steps forward, stopping on the terrace’s steps, leading to the rocky pathway around the small garden, that some time ago he planted here himself, to ease his mind.

The raven felt his breath hitch involuntarily, and he swallowed loudly the lump, that formed suddenly in his throat. He felt somewhat nervous, meeting the man for the first time without anything or anyone standing between them, able to protect Tao.

His heart picked up its race, when the bushes on the verge of the forest and the garden moved quickly, making a loud, rustling sound, that caused the Chinese boy to jump a little in his place but he didn’t move nonetheless. It was too big of a chance to lose it now, because of his fear.

If he wanted to solve the mystery that was occupying his mind for the last three days, he had to be brave and not let go.

He gulped, and bravely moved forward, taking cautious steps down the pathway, by each second getting closer to the woods. A few meters away, he finally saw him, and his mind felt suddenly numb, but nonetheless he still went forward. The blonde was standing behind the same tree he was three days ago; this time whatsoever, his shirt was black, and his pants were in dark blue color, although they were made only with linen. He was watching warily Tao from a distance, with his hands crossed over his chest, furrowing his thick eyebrows a little, as if he was searching for some danger to come at him.

With each step, as he was closer to the intimidating man, he was going slower, not really sure if what he was doing was a right thing to do. What if he pulls him into the thicket of the trees the moment he stands beside him, just to rape him or even kill him in the next moment?

But when Tao was only two steps away from the man, the latter furrowed even more and took a step back, as if saying to himself, that Tao was getting too intimate with him at the moment. The raven couldn’t contain the blush that crept on his cheeks, seeing the mans gesture, but nonetheless he took a deep breath, and urged himself to look deep into the dark brown orbs.

“ No one is here with me, you’re safe.” he said, and instantly cursed himself; it was so stupid of him, now the latter knew, that he could do to him almost anything, and no one will come to his rescue. Scared, Tao clenched his fist, that was right now his only weapon against the taller man.

The blonde watched him some more for a few more seconds, and a playful smirk arose on his plump lips, and Tao once more couldn’t help the blush. Why was he smiling like that? Was he making fun of him?

The handsome man opened his mouth then, but after a few seconds, when nothing came out, he closed them, not really pleased with himself, and the Chinese boy let his head fall to the side curiously.

“ You’re mute?” he asked, and once more shouted at himself for such stupid, direct questions, that were leaving his mouth.

The man looked at him, somewhat offended, like he was saying “Like hell I am mute”, and Tao found himself apologizing to him.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to anger you. It’s just… you’re not really talkative, are you?” this time, he wanted to slap himself. What happened to his always composed self, why was he asking such silly and blunt questions to the man he didn’t know, and who could probably do to him something really bad if he wanted to?

In response, the blonde only shot him a disapproving look, under which he squirmed a little in embarrassment, and then he started to examine his shirt and tight pants. He looked at them for a while, and then smiled to himself, really content about something.

In the next second though, a furious look appeared on his face, and frightened, Tao took two steps backwards, not knowing why the man got suddenly angry.

He then followed his stare, and found that in the midst of his excitement, he forgot to put on his sweatshirt. In one second cold sweat was running along his spine, and he felt a new wave of hysterics taking over him.

He didn’t want it. He didn’t want him to know, he didn’t want anybody to know.

His body started to shake on its own and his eyes started to tear up; a few choked sobs left his mouth as he tried to cover himself up, stumbling backwards, panic taking over his whole existence.

The man stared at him dumbfounded, not really knowing what happened; whether it was his own fault, or something else scared the smaller man. He raised his hands slowly, as if to calm the other down, but he achieved the opposite.

Pale lips of the raven boy opened slightly and a terrified scream left them; he fell to the ground, and the blonde didn’t have any chance to catch him, even if the latter had let him to.

Even more hot tears fell from his eyes, and although he tried, he couldn’t stop the scream that was coming out of him. Each bad memory came like a wave to him, and he couldn’t make them stop filling his mind to the brim with remorse, pain and suffering.

The other man looked like he was about to kill someone, with his stare full with confusion and somewhat pain. But instead, he kneeled beside the frightened Tao, and with hesitating hand, lightly patted him on his knee, clearly not really knowing what to do in such a situation.

A little surprised by this sudden intimacy, sobs stopped coming out of Tao’s mouth and his screams slowly died out. With red, wide eyes, he watched as the man tried to make him feel better in an awkward way.

For a moment there, the raven forgot what was the reason for him to be half sitting, half lying down on the coniferous ground, that was painfully stabbing him even through his clothes, immersed in the intense stare of two dark, mysterious eyes. The blonde’s eyebrows were furrowed, and his jaw was clenched tightly, as if he was thinking about something hard.

But in the moment he noticed, that it became quiet, he put his thoughts aside and smiled a littlest of smiles to Tao – he seemed to not be used to this, as the corner of his mouth shook slightly, haven’t done the motion for a long time.

The Chinese boy felt some weird, tickling sensation in his tummy, and turned his eyes away. Still though, he could feel the uncommon for him feeling, and the attentive stare of the taller.

They stayed like that for God knows how long, as Tao successfully lost his track of time a long time ago. Then, after a little battle in his mind, he turned his head once more to the blonde.

“Wh-who are you?” he asked quietly, his lips barely moving, slowly regaining their pink color.

The latter once more opened his mouth, but still, nothing came out of them, and Tao had a sensation, that wasn’t used to… not talking, as weird as it sounded, and even if he wanted to, he just couldn’t utter a single word.

What was even more weird, was that he accepted the thought calmly, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Then, the grip on his knee tightened a little, and he looked back in the dark, intimidating orbs. The man pointed his one, long and perfectly shaped finger at his chest, as if to say to him “Watch me now”, then at his own full, plump lips. In the next second, they started moving, and Tao leaned a little, trying to read something out of them.

After a few tries, he was able to read the world clearly.

“Kris” he said to himself, and the blonde nodded his head, content that he was able to read it right.

Tao was also glad, but once more got lost for a moment in his thoughts.

“Who are you?” he asked, and the blonde furrowed, probably thinking of a way to explain himself in a best way possible.

But just then, they heard a panicked cry in the villa’s garden.

“Taozi, where are you?!” they heard someone yelling desperately, and the raven let out a surprised squeak.

“Baekhyunnie Hyung…” he said only, and the other man started to retreat from his position, not minding the stare Tao gave him.

He looked at him the last time, before disappearing in the woods like a ghost, leaving Tao still sitting on the ground, with his mouth wide open.

He still couldn’t utter a single word when Baekhyun and Chanyeol found him. He only threw his arms around silently sobbing Baekhyun, trying to comfort him in some way.

At the time Chanyeol was walking through the forest around them, to check what lured Tao there, and whether it was still around somewhere. When he returned, with an unreadable expression on his face, and his smile gone somewhere along the way, Tao finally gathered himself up.

“ It was a boar… I heard some rustling and came here, and he was here… I got scared” he said silently, his voice hoarse from his crying before.

Chanyeol kneeled beside them, and looked him deep in his eyes, while slowly patting Baekhyun’s back.

“Tao… are you sure it was only a boar?” he asked with a totally straight face.

Chinese boy once more thought about telling about everything to the two men, but again the voice in his head told him not to.

So he only shook his head for a “Yes”, and hid his face in the crook of his friends neck, wanting to avoid new questions.

He only heard the low sigh from officer’s Park direction, and a few minutes later he was seated cozily in his own bed, with warm tea on his night stand. Just before he lost himself to the sleep, he heard Baekhyun promising him, that he would wake him up for dinner.

For the last time he looked outside his window, and behind the usual tree he saw blonde hair and a pair of warily watching him orbs.

Instead of feeling panic whatsoever, he felt at peace of some sort. He smiled to Kris, although he probably couldn’t see it because of his position on the bed, and then smiled a little to himself, before falling in a deep, dreaming of a pure nothingness.