Fángzi (House)

Chapter 16

"-Fan?"

He heard somethi-

"Yifan?"

Kris opened his eyes and blinked few times before he realized that he was laying on ground. It was weirder as he captured a different environment that he never witnessed before. Soft breezes and chirping birds were so calming. He laid on his back on what he believed a grass field, prettier than any field he ran into before. As he examined himself, he can see that he was wearing a robe - a white robe that was so familiar at the hospital. Kris tried to stack his memories together, combining the pieces till he remembered, Tao.

"He's okay, don't worry", Kris was shocked and immediately turned his head to his right. Fuck, how come I didn't see him. There was him, the attacker whose face was so similar to Kris it was unpleasant, except for his long hair and armor. He sat next to laying Kris, legs stretched out and hand supporting his slightly slanted to backward body. For a second it made Kris think that he was really dead from that night.

"You're not dead"

"Stop reading my mind"

The other man chuckled. It was so natural and friendly that made Kris felt like they have known for a century. Kris tried to sit down and he did that carefully. And surprisingly he didn't feel any pain so he sat easily on his buttocks.

"Wow", Kris dusted away any milli-things from his robe before folding his feet to chest-level and arms placed around his knees, hugging them. It was then he looked in front of him with mouth agaped.

"Wow"

It was a beautiful field of grass where he can't see the end of it. There was a stream few meters from where he sat where he still can hear the water flowing to the underside of the hill. At the bottom of the hill, there were houses made from woods and dried leaves that were strong enough to hold entire household. He saw a fenced field where in the fence there were livestock - horses, cows, pigs - you named it.

"This is our land", General Wu spoke. "This was the environment before Huang came and destroyed everything"

Kris looked to the person next to him, his face full of sadness.

"I failed to protect our land", he sighed, "And much worse I killed a Wu"

Kris saw tears formed at his eyes and dripped down to his cheek a moment later. He didn't know what to say to calm General Wu because he did kill a Wu. He killed him thus Kris decided to stay silent.

"Thank you for protecting Han Town", General Wu turned his face towards Kris and they stared to each others' features. Aside from above of his lips and on his chin, General Wu's face was smooth. No such thing as man of war should have a rough face with stubbles and beard. Not for him.

"Please keep on protect what was ours"

**

Kris opened his eyes and tried to identify where on earth he was now. It was until he heard a heartbeat machine checking his pulse and an IV drip next to where he laid.

He was in a hospital.

Next thing he realized that there was a man sitting next to his bed and pair of hands held his hand. Zitao. A Huang. And Kris smiled.

**

It was a week later when Tao invited everyone - Kim's couple and their child, Officer Park, Sehun and Luhan, and Kris - to his house for a celebration. Mr and Mrs Huang came two nights before and it was Mrs Huang who proposed to have a dinner with everybody who had helped Tao with his house, especially Kim's couple who called an ambulance after Kyungsoo heard a scream came from the direction of his rose garden.

Since Tao was still in his recovery period - bandages wrapped around both of his hands and plasters everywhere, Mrs Huang was the one who settled everything to have a perfect dinner, with helps from Kyungsoo of course.

Tao didn't believe that he was still alive after what happened on that night. His body was awfully hurt and he shamefully asked for Kyungsoo to take care of him until his parents came back from Australia. Thank God Kai didn't mind too.

Sehun and Luhan were badly injured too. Sehun had fractured his hand and took a fortnight leave from company, but still with his supervision from home. Tao was relieved when Sehun acted like usual around him, not when he dragged Sehun together in this mess and Luhan too. Yes, Luhan. It was a miracle that Luhan just got few stitches on his head when he was practically buried under the glasses.

It was the same for Officer Park Chanyeol too. He knocked his head hard that night until he got a concussion and stitches for the cut on his forehead. Other than that, he was fine.

And Kris, he was sitting on the couch in front of the television; right hand punching the remote control buttons while the other was still. Kris' left hand needed some time to recover as he was the one who injured badly and fatally - as the doctors described before. Tao felt guilty that it was him who made Kris suffered from paralyzed hand, oh and currently jobless. He made his way to Kris when everybody was busy in the kitchen. Plus in their condition, they can't do anything involving the act of helping anyway.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Tao sat next to Kris and held Kris' unmoving hand. Kris' hand was cemented on his side to make sure the muscles cured a little faster than if it was cemented in front of his chest.

"I'm truly fine", Kris flashed his gummy smile to Tao hoping that it would lifted the burden off of Tao's shoulder. "Is your house okay now?" Kris searched for Tao's eyes to make sure he was okay and to change the topic to something happier.

Tao nodded. There weren't any weird feelings anymore. No mysterious threats and creepy entities he ran into. Tao felt safer.

"You know Tao-sir", Kris touched Tao's hands with his other hand. The wrapper was rough it was a distraction to Kris.

"It's Tao. Only Tao", Tao lifted his head and smiled. After everything happened it wasn't enough for Kris to drop the formal name from his name. In fact it was him that should call Kris as a sir.

"You know Tao", he sighed before spoke slowly. "I met him in my dream when I was on the hospital's bed", Kris saw Tao nodded and his expression was saying 'and then?' "And then he asked me to keep on protecting Han Town"

Tao's smile died.

"Hey! It's okay, okay? It wasn't your fault", Kris shook Tao's hands trying to get the previous smile back. Just how stupid I can be.

No voice was heard between the two of them and the only thing was heard was the rustles from the kitchen. It was a good minute before Tao opened his mouth, "It was awful though. It was my great grandfather", he stopped Kris' hand from shaking his. "But I will help you to protect this land", Tao's smile was wider that before. It was full of sincerity and happiness when Kris stare deep in his eyes.

"No no no. This land was Wus so it will be the Wus who'll take care of this land", Kris joked and gave Tao his mocking face.

Tao on the other hand pretended to sulk and gave his sad expression while taking in baby-way "I can't do anything since I was born with this name"

"Haha, of course you can. Go marry a Wu", as Kris said without further thinking.

It was the most awkward one-minute Kris had experienced in his entire life.

****

Now I'd like to announce that FangZi is officially end ! TAT

It was four months-duration and believe me it wasn't easy. Dx

FangZi, Han and Xi-Jin was originally came from Chinese words where Fangzi ( 房子 ) means house. Han ( 汉 ) and Xi-Jin ( 西晋 ) are the names of dynasty tehee~

I want to apologize for lacking in FangZi and awful connection between chapters mianhaee (and grammar and shortage of vocab too). )':

Lastly, thank you for reading my ff. It was so exciting to see the views increased (but it's better if the comments too :P )

I love you guys. Till we meet again and Happy Lunar New Year. ^^

-taohuo68