I’m sure when they first met, Ton first gravitated towards Taro because he felt comfort in the fact that 1. they’re both foreigners and 2. Taro is an older, reliable figure that had experience being an idol from his NCT era. As they got closer, spent more time with each other and learned about each other, there are several things that I think made Taro a very compelling and irresistible person for Ton. Firstly, Taro and Ton share three of the same love languages, physical touch, quality time and gift-giving. They’re always showing affection towards one another, always spending time together/going on dates, and they love giving/receiving things from each other. On top of that, Taro is a great listener and is very attentive/observant of others, and because Ton tends to be a quiet person sometimes, an attentive person is a great fit for him. Plus, Taro has been voicing his opinions and opening up more and more from his debut till now, which means he’s good at communication! Because Taro has been working on that aspect of himself, in turn it allows him to be more vulnerable, more open and real, and Ton is a person who craves genuine and thorough bonds. Although Taro is the eldest with the most responsibility, he allows himself to be taken care of by Ton, he recognizes Ton’s mature side and has even called Ton his bodyguard/protector before. Even in Taro’s vulnerability there is strength because it shows that he’s brave enough to let his guard down even in professional surroundings, in a country he did not grow up in. Taro isn’t strict, doesn’t have a lot of rules, and is generally easy-going, but he isn’t a doormat, he’s confident and he knows exactly who he is and what he deserves. There’s a kind of self-assuredness in Taro that allows Ton to both rely on him and offer him a shoulder to lean on, equally, without any hang-ups. This in turn creates a specific type of comfort that makes it easy to love each other more deeply and genuinely. There are so many lovely, caring and sweet qualities of Taro, some of which are extroverted qualities that offer a nice contrast to Ton’s introverted personality, and I think because Taro is truly a one-of-a-kind person, Ton finds himself naturally drawn to him.