HE KNEW he had to act soon but he didn't have the courage to ask Sungmin to go out because Heechul was always around. Tao had planned to ask him to watch at least two musicals and a concert but Sungmin always ended up going with his friend, complimentary tickets for a celebrity friend. Super Junior, at least those who were in South Korea occupied his nights and his Saturdays. SUJU Saturdays, an old thing they had done when they were still college students and then some. Now they spent it over the internet or somewhere they could all talk to the ones who were out of the country. Tao couldn't ask him to skip it since he's so happy whenever he talked about his friends. It's been a month since the time they got their reunion and Sungmin was on a SUJU high. Tao, on the other hand, was feeling like chopped liver as the days passed.

KRIS was reporting the sad news bulletin to his EXO brothers and they couldn't think of a way to get Heechul out of Sungmin's place. It wasn't like Tao could impose for him to move out. Sungmin had cleared up the issue with Heechul to their relief.

"Sungmin-nim, are you and Heechul-ssi together like Eunhyuk and Donghae?" Kris had the heart to ask since Tao was not ready to.

"Ani! No, we're not. He's my brother." Sungmin waved the hand that held his chopsticks making rice pieces fly. He laughed then apologized. "He's just really clingy when he wants to be."

"Ahh..." Kris could see that Tao was relieved though his face didn't show it that much. They've been friends for a long time so he could see that Tao relaxed after hearing that bit of information.

"Why is he that clingy?" Tao had to ask. He was relieved that the hugging was purely brotherly but he didn't like the idea that Sungmin let him do it so often. It made fangirls wonder about them but Sungmin didn't seem to mind since Heechul was never really the kind to date men. So rumors like that died fast.

"I guess ever since Han Geng left he's been traumatized. He didn't want to let SUJU members out of his radar. If we needed to know where one of us was he'd know." Sungmin said matter-of-factly. "Jungsu is our father and Heechul is like the mother. He can't seem to help it. He cares for us a lot. And he's a pretty thoughtful guy."

"Would it be okay with him if I asked you to help me out with something tonight?" Tao didn't know what Kris was up to. They had burnt out most of their plans to get Sungmin with him. But one call from Heechul wondering where Sungmin one had the latter coming back to his apartment on the first available cab. If Tao was not so dense he'd think Heechul was c0ck-blocking his every move. Or the other SUJU members were in on it too. But if it was Kris then they might not get in the way...

"Help with what?" Kris felt Tao's anticipation. "Is it school work?"

"No. It's for a friend of ours. They're having their anniversary." Kris had talked to Chanyeol and Baekhyun about putting their "date" into action. There was a school musical that was playing in the same place that Chanyeol set up their picnic date before. Kris didn't tell Tao about it because he might feel obliged to prepare for it. It needed to be a surprise even for Tao.

"What kind of help do you need?" Sungmin heard about their EXO couple friends before. And he would often feel envious of how seemingly freer they could be in being together. Though it still wasn't that popular, it was less difficult to be in a relationship with all the more global ideals floating around.

"We wanted to set up a small picnic for them. But we need to make sure they don't know about it." Kris could see that Tao was remembering Chanyeol and Baek's date. "Our friends' Baek and Yeol had their first date like that. And we wanted to set up something similar. They've been together for 1000 days now." Kris lied through his teeth. Tao knew that Baek and Yeol had been together longer than that.

"Sure, what do you need me to do?" Sungmin asked. "Do you need help with cooking?" Kris nodded. "I think I can help with that. I mean...I have a friend who can help me with that."

"It's settled then. Tao will pick you up and the picnic basket." Kris' smile was wide and meaningful. Tao wanted to do a facepalm.

TAO didn't know whether to kick his EXO brothers or to laugh and kiss them all at once. Kris had told him that there was a pink panda-themed blanket waiting for them under the Sakura tree Chanyeol and Baek had their date once upon an EXO date.

Sungmin was delighted with the blanket and Tao had offered to let him sit there for a while. Sungmin had made a separate basket for them. Ryeowook’s basket of love was delivered to Chanyeol and Baek's blanket by Tao.

"Don't let the magic of our spot diminish, okay?" Baek teased Tao who gave him a wary look.

"If he's willing to love you then he will fall for you. That spot is EXO magic." Chanyeol added to encourage him. Tao felt like he had a dozen or so butterflies in this stomach. It was now or never. He walked back to Sungmin and the spot where a person once took a risk and spoke of his love to a person who may or may not have been willing to accept it. He wondered when was the right time to ask him to love him back, before or after the curtain falls.

SUNGMIN was enchanted. This was a place for lovers and picnics. He never got a chance to do something like this with Kyu. And he felt a little bit of regret when he remembered how many times he's asked that they spend time here to watch a concert or a play. They would always have friends with them, other members of SUJU with them in the dark or in a group to make sure people didn't think it was unusual that they were all together. But never in this spot, under a lover's tree, as it was called. Not on a night with not that many stars and a shy moon.

Tao was walking back, the light from his handphone helping him come back to the spot where Sungmin waited. He looked apprehensive, perhaps because he didn't want to step on anyone along his way. Sungmin waved at him as if to remind him where he was. But he had a feeling that Tao knew how to get back to him even in the dark.

Tao stopped for a bit and looked at him. Sungmin felt something stir inside of him for a moment. Then it was gone when Tao looked back down on his feet and walked towards him again, wary of the grass and the people in their own blankets.

"Did they like the food?" Sungmin asked. Tao nodded and sat beside him. Sungmin took out the food from their basket. Tao seemed focused on the play that was about to start.

"Have you done something like this before?" Tao had asked seemingly out of the blue. Sungmin smiled and was glad that Tao chose not to be his pensive self.

"No, at least not just with one person. I used to come with friends when we watched our other friends perform. Siwon loved the stage and he sometimes acted in the plays so we watched him. Sometimes it was Heechul or Kibum or Jungsu."

"But you never went on a date with anyone, just the two of you?" Tao's question made Sungmin stop unloading the basket.

"Is this...a date?" Sungmin asked, almost a whisper.

"What would you say if I said I wanted it to be?" Tao looked at him intently. Sungmin felt it again, the stirring.

"I...you're...but..." Sungmin didn't know what to say to keep Tao from getting hurt. He didn't know how to tell him that he still loved Kyu and that there was not a very big chance of that changing any time soon.

"Tonight, I don't want to be your student or your dongsaeng. I just want us to enjoy each other's company. No complications. No tomorrows. No yesterdays." Tao held on to Sungmin's right hand and pressed it gently to his lips. "No one else here but you...and me." He didn't let go of Sungmin's hand throughout the play or even when he fed Sungmin the food he prepared for them.