A Series of (God-Awfully Unfortunate) Events: Chapter 1

Pairings: OT12, KaiSoo(?) (more later)
Rating: PG 13 (to be safe)
Summary:   In which, Sehun is the new Assistant  professor of Language; Jongin mysteriously landed a job in the cafeteria; Kris' English major students are failing; Yixing is the calm Chinese teacher who helps the music club undercover; Kyungsoo is the sweet and oblivious, yet regularly mobbed by fans, Language professor; Luhan is the seemingly sweet Mathematics professor plotting to steal the new Assistant Professor; Jongdae is the snarky Economics professor, with a deadly inner troll; Minseok is the new Electronic Engineering professor whom no one pays any attention to; Tao is the History of Arts professor who (not so) secretly works as a part-time Gucci model; Chanyeol is the grinning Biology teacher; Baekhyun is a diva of a Chemistry teacher; Joonmyeon is the Director of  Affairs, who has no control whatsoever and the Dean of the college is a man so evil that the devil drinks wine with him (by devil we mean Cho Kyuhyun).
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This Could Be the Start of Something New...
[Or: what starts at "why the hell did I come here?!" and ends at "you are my mortal enemy— FOR LIFE!!!"]
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Oh Sehun is your average Joe, except he's Korean, so maybe he's an average "Kim", but he's obviously an "Oh", not a "Kim" so... anyway, the point is, if he was an American. he'd be an average Joe. An average guy, with an average family, from an average town, with an average job, until his parents forced him to go to Seoul for work.... but he's still an average guy- wondering what he's done to end up in this loony bin.
It hasn't been five minutes since he's entered the campus and two minutes of those five have been wasted by a human traffic jam, caused by the onlookers of a fight between two people, one of whom looked like a very tall Psychotic Clown, with a weird blonde mushroom growing out of his head and the other was a very tiny (or did he just look tiny because of the giant mushroom guy, wonders Sehun) guy, who looked like he was the spokesperson for Eyeliner rights, both of whom were hurling insults at each other...

"You Sone of a bicarbonate!"
"You're the Sone! The Sone of a Brachybacterium!"
"Why you freaking nitrate of ammonia-"

Sehun hadn't waited there for much longer before making dash in the opposite direction and yet by some sad twist of fate, here those two are sitting opposite him in the staff lounge, no longer fighting but with each other but now Ginormous-Psycho-Mushroom dude has his arm draped over Eyeliner-Poster-boy, who's reading over sheets of paper while trying worm his way out of the taller one's grip. On Sehun's right there's a person who looks like a little kid, well if truth be told, like a cherubic  little girl, and this Little Girl-Guy has his foot across the couch on the lap of a very calm looking Chinese man, who actually looks more dazed and lost than calm. Then next to the Mushroom-Eyeliner duo is a man with the cheek bones of a Greek God, except he'd tripped Sehun on his way to the couch and flashed him a very disarming grin so Sehun decides that he's officially Mr. Cheekbones-of-Hades, there's also a Chinese guy with panda eyes who looks way too fashionable for a professor (also he has a strange emo aura), a guy with really squishy looking cheeks and a really tall imposing guy, who has not said a word, or lifted his eyes off his book (Premeditated Murder Made Easy) so Sehun's giving him a wide berth. Somewhere in the middle of this zoo, his old friend Jongin walks in. Jongin has landed the head position in the cafeteria and Sehun wonders exactly what horrors the students are in for.
But before he has a chance to wonder exactly how may hospitals will be full by the end of the day, the Director of Affairs, who's name Sehun knows is Joonmyeon, walks in with a smile that says "look-at-me-lowly-beings-I'm-an-angel" but he really looks like somebody's grandpa trying to be cool.
"Sehun ssi, glad you'll be joining us, you too Jongin ssi."
"Seriously?!" Squishy-Cheeks looks at at the Director with incredulous eyes. "You're giving cafeteria boy a welcome too?!" Then he looks over at Jongin apologetically. "No offense bro." Jongin shrugs.
"Anyhoo," the Joonmyeon carries on, "let me introduce you. That's Luhan, he lectures math." Little-Girl guy gives him a real angelic smile, that leaves Sehun mildly disturbed. "That's Chanyeol, Chem." Psychotic-Mushroom gives him a psychotic grin. "That's Baekhyun, Bio." The Eyeliner-poster-boy looks up in disdain.
"Hey kids, and it's Bio-logy."
"Yeah, okay, that's Jongdae, he's for Eco." Mr. Cheekbones-of-Hades grins at them.
"What's up shortstuff?" Jongin and Sehun raise eyebrows, because Jongdae looks atleast a head shorter than both of them.
"That's Tao, History of Art and Kris, English." Panda-Eyes and Potential-Murderer give him curt nods. "This is Minseok, Electronics." Squishy-Cheeks pouts and then smiles kindly (is that pity in his eyes?) at the two. "And this is Yixing, Chinese." There is no response as the dazed Yixing stares at the opposite wall with his eyes half-shut, and his ears plugged with purple earphones. "Yixing? Yixing? Yixi-"
BAM!
The door flies open and Yixing jumps up with a "I swear I was paying attention!", while Luhan's legs drops to the floor and he utters a yelp of protest. The person at the door looks like a sorry mess.
"I'm... sorry... I'm... late...." he manages to spout among the panting and gasping. Sehun notices his shirt looks terribly crumpled and his hair is more than askew, while his large eyes are watering and his cheeks are red. Sehun thinks this pint sized man looks like a soft toy, and he's about to say that to Jongin, when he realises that his friend is staring unabashedly at the new comer, with eyes wide enough to match his.
"Ayo! Wassup D.O.!" Luhan calls out chreerily, two decibels too loud and everyone visibly winces.
"Mobbed again Soo?" Minseok asks with a pat on "Soo's" back. He nods woefully.
"I don't even... they need some... so many people!!!!" Baekhyun rises from Chanyeol's grasp and gives his seat to "Soo" who gets engulfed into a bear-hug by the large Biology professor.
"Yeol-can't-breathe-let-go-" Chanyeol lets go with a hurried apology. He hears something snap, actually snap next to him, and he realises that Jongin has broken a pencil in two with his fingers while looking at Chanyeol like he was going to end up on the afternoon's lunch menu soon.
"How do they even find you?" Sehun almost fell out of his seat in shock at the deep baritone of Kris. "Soo" shook his head in utter defeat.
"I swear, someday I will find out." Sehun has the intense urge to hug this tiny man. He notices Jongin's knuckles have turned white.
"This is Kyungsoo," says Joonmyeon. "Sehun ssi, you'll be his assistant lecturer."
There's a suddenly loud crash and Sehun realises that Jongin has fallen out of his seat, and is now looking at Sehun with a face halfway between "I'm-in-terrible-pain" and "I-will-end-your-life"... why the second, Sehun does not know.
"You teach Languge?" Jongin asks Kyungsoo politely (too polite, thinks Sehun), while trying to act as if nothing had happened. Kyungsoo looks at him with the same curiosity that one might use to look at a monkey in a zoo.
"Yes, I do.."
"He totally D-O-e-s!" Quips a grinning Luhan. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes.
"Isn't it a bit too early to make fun of my last name?"
"Of course not Do-nut my man!"
"Argh!" Says Kyungsoo, ruffling his own hair in defeat. Suddenly Sehun feels himself being hauled upwards by two pairs of strong hands, and he lets out a very high pitched yelp.
"I'm borrowing him for a bit," says Jongin between gritted teeth and proceeds to drag him out of the door, ignoring the raised eyebrows and Jongdae's call of "play nice kids!" and slam him against the wall at the nearest corner.
"You're the Assistant prof.?" He demands.
"Ye-ah..." Sehun is very unsure of where this is headed.
"No~!" Wails Jongin and slumps to the floor. "You... but I... I mean this.... I- I don't want to work in the cafe!!"
"Why'd you even get a job there? You're-"
"Don't talk to me Oh Sehun!"
"What? You dragged me out here-"
"Zip! Do not talk!"
"Wha-?"
"Oh Sehun you're officially my mortal enemy- FOR LIFE!"
"Morta-"
"For LIIIIIIIIIIIIFE!!!" Says Jongin before stomping off. A second later Sehun hears a crash and a groan.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" He peeks around the corner to see Jongin sprawled on the floor with a very concerned Kyungsoo hovering over him.
"Ooooh, you've D-O-n-e it now," whistles Luhan.
"Not now for god's sake! Are you okay?" Jongin groans and opens his eyes. Sehun notes his friend's interesting red colour over his tan skin.
"I'm hot!" Says Jongin springing up, and Kyungsoo takes a hasty step backwards, while Sehun mentally facepalms. "I- I mean I'm cool! Not- not that cool, but cool as in 'hey I'm okay'... oh wait that rhymed and umm.. I uhh-" He catches a sight of Sehun's impassive face around the corner. "For LIIIIIIIFE!!" And he bolts towards the stairs, leaving a very amused Luhan and Yixing and a very confused Kyungsoo in his wake. In fact, Sehun can almost hear Kyungsoo's internal comment on Jongin's sanity, or the lack of it.
So a loony bin, that just became loonier thanks to Kim Jongin, contemplates Sehun as he walks through the corridors. Students start pouring in, some looking at him in vague interest, others hurriedly rushing past.
He sees Chanyeol and Baekhyun animatedly discussing something, Lunhan, Yixing and Jongdae with their heads conspiratorially together, Joonmeyon walking through the corridors, smiling perkily at the students who  could not care less, Kris walking off with his nose still in the book ( Sehun is going to give him a very wide berth)  and Tao occasionally pauses to check his reflection in the mirror.
Yes, right now if someone could read Oh Sehun's mind, they'd hear him ask exactly what sin he's committed to end up here.
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This is the first chapter in the series, the following ones are going to focus on a few members at a time, rarely all 12.
I hope to get better at humor as I write so please bear with me and I'm happy to receive suggestions.
Xie xie,
ElfinJoy
P.S- in the summary, if you click on the highlighted names, you will get images of the members as I imagine them to be in the story!
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Cut Scene 1: Kim Jongdae and his Tape.

"Not fair... even Lunch-Boy gets a welcome and I got nothing when I came last month. Just 'Hey Minseok, this is your schedule, have fun.' Who the hell has fun in Trical?! People just stare-"
"SUUURPRIISE!!!"
"OH MY- oh very funny Jongdae... what's that?"
"This is a tape recorder and why yes, I did record my voice and then digitally layer it eleven times so it sounds like bunch of people and ta~da~!"
"Where the hell... do you even get the time...?"
"Wouldn't you like to know my little Minseokkie, ehehehehehee."
"I'm not your little Minseo-."
"Ehehehehehehee."
"The whole evil-hand-rubbing thing isn't working, so sto-."
"Ehehehehehehee."
"And nor is the high-pitched-maniacal laugh, just sto-"
"Ehehe-" THUNK!
"OH MY GOD! Did you just knock Jongdae out with that text book?!"
"Lu..han... I uhh-"
"HEY GUYS! WE NEED TO HOST A PARTY IN HONOUR OF MINSEOK! LIKE NOW!!"
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Wake Me Up II: Exo Drabbles

Kris
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The muffled sound of rain has a gentle soporific effect as you drift somewhere between sleep and wake. The grey sky filters in through your nearly closed lids, seeming more beautiful than its dull reality. The novel lies forgotten under your cheek. The hard library table seems so comfortable. You really should not have pulled off that all-nighter to finish your English assignment, but you did, and the end result is spending your free fourth period in the library.
Something soft pokes your arm a few times. You ignore it. Then a deep, gravely voice softly says, "students aren't allowed to sleep in the library."
You jerk off the table. You probably look like a train wreck, which is the worst possible thing you could look like in front of him.
Wu Yifan.
His eyes glint sharply, speaking volumes more of the teasing behind those words than his face.
"Sunbae..." You mumble, looking everywhere but at his face. The last thing you want is to stare into his eyes and turn red.
"Rough party last night?" His smirk is well pronounced now. Here come the butterflies.
"I wish." Months of practice has rendered you able to utter short sentences in front of him without sound like you could use english lessons... though the idea of lessons with Mr. Vancouver doesn't seem all that bad. He clicks his fingers in front of your face. You blink at him with a start. You've been dreaming about him— right in front of him! The tip of your ears burn in embarrassment.
"Do you always dream of him?"
"What...?"
"Whoever gets that silly smile on your face." The butterflies in your stomach flutter in a whirlwind of confusion.
"I- I..." You pause for a second, knowing your face is probably redder than a London tour bus, and say, "I have no idea what your talking about sunbae." He runs a hand through his hair and leans back into the chair, putting his hands behind his head.
"I'm just saying- lucky guy." Your eyes turn wider than an owl (or for that matter, your classmate, Do Kyungsoo's). The old Dream Boy joke again... going on ever since you blanked out at a council meeting... for the record, it was his new spiked hair.
"Wha-?" You blink at him rapidly, wondering if its the sleep that's causing you to hallucinate. He laughs, the deep sound making you flush and the butterflies stir again. Then, there is a loud crack of lightening. The sudden shock sends you gasping to clutch at the sleeves of his shirt.
"Scared of thunder?" His lips are pulled into a teasing smirk, but his eyes are clouded with.... worry?
You pull back with an attempt to look dignified (and fail miserably). "I was surprised." Then you look out of the adjacent window, into the thick curtain and sigh softly. "So much for english class..."
"No umbrella?" The voice is too close. You snap back into your chair with wide eyes and flush cheeks. He has been leaning close to look out of the window. You shake your head jerkily, still trying to process the proximity. "I have one, and I'm headed to the council room." You look at him with furrowed eyebrows.
"Students' Council Room.... now?"
"I'm the president, I can do what I want." That playful smirk is back. You roll your eyes. "I may not be Mr. Dream Boy, but you shouldn't turn down the umbrella." You resist the urge to roll your eyes again and tell him that he is "Mr. Dream Boy"... but of course you're not that much of an idiot.
"Gamsahaminda sunbae," you try a half bow, but in your groggy state, end up hitting your head on the table. There is a sharp sting of pain along your forehead and you bury your face in your hands.
Two hands gently tug your wrists away from your face. Through teary eyes you can see the blurry face of Wu Yifan, looking at you with an unreadable expression.
"So careless," he mumbles softly and then, despite your squeak of protest, proceeds to rub the hurt area with the pad of his thumb. Remember the butterflies? They're doing the samba now. Your face could be a colour catalog for red paint.
"Sunbae..." you try to pull away, but he utters a small, irritated noise and you sit still in submission. Besides, he's doing a pretty good job at the headache too.
"Stop trying to run to Dream Boy." Something inside you snaps in sudden irritation. And you slap his hand away.
"I wish I could but he's too busy playing President." Your words make no sense to you, let alone to him, but he seems to have caught onto something. He shrugs, picks up your books and you follow meekly, not daring to utter another word.
He doesn't say anything either. That is, not until the two of you have reached the middle of the football pitch (because crossing it is quicker than going all the way around it to the other building) and he stops, and you realise, you have no where to run in the pouring rain.
"You should have said something earlier, and here I was wasting my jealousy," the smirk is back, and in tandem with the playful look in his eyes. You dart a look left, then right and decide to stare at the mud on your shoes, because that is all you can do, short of praying for sudden-death-by-lightning.
"Ku ai de baobei."
The voice is deep, low, heavy, and its suddenness shocks you into lifting your head. He's much to close, looking at you with the smouldering eyes that make you feel so hunted and drawn in at once. This time though, he shuts your squeak of protest by kissing you.
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For Qiuyue jie,
Hope, though as lame as this is, it makes you blush (^•^)
For Mink jie,
Hope you had lovely exams (^w^)

Kiss List

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"Guys! Holy cow! Guys!!" You race through the library, ignoring the dirty looks thrown at you by the librarian, stopping at a table of four boys, only two of whom were actually reading. "I'm dead, so dead!!" You wail, earnings still more dirty looks from the students at neighboring tables. Luhan looks up from the half solved crossword in his hand.
"Forgot your homework?" Yixing shakes his head without raising it from his book and counter,
"No, she lost something again."
"Umm... a bit of both, actually..." you mumble, shuffling your feet underneath the table. Jongdae raises an eyebrow at your embarrassed face.
"You forgot-lost your homework-something? What does that even mean?"
"No, pabo— you see, I lost my notebook, so I'll go to class looking like I haven't done my homework.... and it's Cho seongsaengnim's class... he's scarier than hell when you don't get your homework... remember what he did to Jongin?" The lot of you of you shudder involuntarily in memoriam of poor Kim Jongin who carried desks from the first floor to the third till he lost feeling in his arms.
"Why don't you explain it to him?" Asks Joonmyeon, his face twisted with fatherly worry (sometimes you wonder if he's ever going to find something that doesn't worry him). You shake your head.
"It's not just that, you know.... there's something in that notebook that I don't want anyone to see." The thought of it makes you red. Jongdae grins at you.
"Everyone knows your grade in math, nothing can be worse." You resist the strong urge to throw the nearest Oxford Dictionary at his head.
"This is." You say firmly, ignoring his comment with the roll of an eye. Luhan suddenly looks at you with a smile too wide to be normal (and frankly, frightening enough to send chills up your spine).
"This list," he begins, and you begin to regret your existence. "Does it contain certain situations, which involve you and a significant other in very, very close proximity?" The grin is positively diabolic now. You blush a violent shade of red and kick under the table, only to miss his leg and hit Joonmyeon's- which contorts his face into a grimace, his angelic features long lost. You mumble a hurried apology.
"What list?" Asks Jongdae curiously.
"How. Did. You. Read. It. Gege?" You ask, between gritted teeth. His smile reaches epic proportions.
"You really shouldn't leave things like that lying on your desk," says Yixing, looking at you languidly, his chin propped up on his palms. You glare at them. Even non-nosey Joonmyeon has had his curiosity piqued.
"What list?" Demands Jongdae. Luhan grins like the devil reincarnate.
"Wouldn't we all like to know," he says looking very suggestively at you. You look from Joonmyeon's polite curiosity to Jongdae's (very) impolite one.
"There you are." There! The voice of your savior! Your knight in shining armor! Your guardian angel! Your— your classmate, Do Kyungsoo (though right now, he's all of the above for you).
"Nae?" You look at him calmly, though your insides are screaming at you to glomp him for saving you.
"We need to work on our english project," he says and then looks around the table at the others, particularly at Luhan's devilish grin and falters, "did I interrupt something?"
"No—"
"Sit down Kyung," Luhan cuts you off. Your eyes grow wider than Kyungsoo's (and you thought it wasn't possible). "Let us enlighten you."
You jump up and grab your erstwhile savior by the crook of his arm.
"He'll listen some other time!" You start pulling him away, knowing that Joonmyeon and Jongdae would know everything before you could say 'kimchi'. Atleast one out of three rescued isn't a complete loss.
"Spawns of Pure Evil," you mutter darkly as you get between two bookshelves. Kyungsoo laughs and you release his arm with a start. His face turns into the, all-too-well-know, 'heart-shaped' smile (which stops your heart) and you know you'd be lying if you said you didn't have a small- wait, no, a massive- crush on your classmate (who would have been your sunbae, if the both of you weren't taking Advanced Language together).
"—wondering if this belongs to you?" Something is thrust under your nose and you realise that while you've been staring at his face, he's holding something out to you.... something that suddenly makes Luhan seem like a poodle.
"Ye-yes, that..." You trail off, waiting, watching for him to make some snide reference to the all incriminatong list— but he's smiling as usual. "Thank you, I spent all morning looking for it." You laugh, partially in relief and mostly at your own thoughts, while he turns to the shelf, going back to hunting down books, his lips pursed into an adorable pout of concentration. So much will power wasted in not breaking out into a fit of giggles.
You take a deep breath, and flip the notebook. The math homework is there, but more importantly, the list is not.
The list contains exactly what Luhan implied it did— a list of your favorite situations, to be.... kissed in. It's an embarrassing list to be sure, well, in the hands of Lay or Luhan, its probably a lethal weapon, and you shudder at the armageddon that would come as a result of its exposition. You trail your eyes over the expanse of the tall bookcases, hoping for some brilliant spark of some sort to hit you. It's about then that you notice it. Sticking out harmlessly from Do Kyungsoo's back pocket, with the tell-tale song of your pink lipbalm on it, while you mentally flail wondering exactly why you'd never learnt to pickpocket in your free time.
He turns slowly, feeling your hard gaze. "Yes?" Your breath hitches for all the wrong reasons.
"You-you...." You're pretty certainly making, what Luhan calls "bunny eyes", at him. The corners of his lips quirk into a small smile that is so infuriatingly teasing that, if you didn't worship his face, you could have punched him.
"Oh this?" He dangles the small scrap paper between his thumb and forefinger. "Here."
You stare at it for a long while, thinking Luhan's armageddon seemed much more pleasant. Hesitation and haste wage wars against each other inside you and you eventually pluck it out of his hands, with clammy, shaking fingers. He calmly turns back to his literary hunt. You blink and wonder if he's seen what's in the list. You guess not by the lack of his reaction, and your face breaks into a wide smile.
"I don't know about the rest but I can help with the first two... about now." The smile freezes in place as your eyes grow owl wide. He turns to you with an ordinary enough look, but the look in his eyes makes Luhan feel like an Archangel. You gulp.
"Are you saying you'll kiss me?" You're almost shocked at how natural you make that sound.
"That's not a bad idea." Yes. Luhan is the God of Kindness and Benovelence compared to this.
He walks close, almost teasing, no, daring you to do something.
2. A tie kiss...
1. A library kiss..
You reach out to the soft fabric of his tie, holding it gingerly between your fingers, and give a small tug. He laughs softly.
"What happened to Miss Taekwondo?" He cups your cheek with his palm and presses his lips onto yours.
Sure it's incredibly cliched, and Luhan might be the end of you if he hears of this but it's the best first kiss to you.
Your fingers curl around the tie tightly as he pulls away. There is somewhat of a half-smirk on his face, which changes into a wide smile. You bite your lips to stop a smile, but that fails.
"Come for lunch someday, lets see what we can do about the other ones." You laugh before he kisses you lightly again. When he pulls away, his irises slightly shining in the sunlight from the bay window next to you, you're slightly breathless, and definitely light headed. So cheesy, but so perfect.
A few minutes, and kisses, later, you walk through the library, your little finger hooked through his, and notice that the table everyone was at seems emptier. Yixing and Joonmyeon the model students,obviously having left for their classes early, leaving Jongdae, who's fallen asleep on an open book, and Luhan—
Luhan sits with his elbow propped upon the table, his chin in his palm, looking... no, staring, at Jongdae, as if he's seeing the latter for the first time. You don't know who is more vulnerable, the oblivious Jongdae or the observing Luhan. You smile and decide to let him be.... but of course not.
Kyungsoo watches in amusement as you walk behind Luhan, and stoop to whisper,
"Lulu ge, would you like to borrow ideas from my list?"
Luhan whips around with the look of a cat caught staring at milk. Then as the words sink in, he turns pink and accidentally kicks Jongdae, who looks like a little Beagle pup as he awakens and blinks, asking Luhan, in a voice heavy with sleep and accented Chinese,
"Wei shen me....?" Luhan turns into hybrid between a tomato and a beet. Kyungsoo starts laughing as Jongdae gives a confused stare. You bite your cheeks to stop yourself from doing the same.
Revenge is sweet.
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Inspired by a dream I had.
And an embarrassed Luhan is the cutest thing ever, beagle Chen is cuter!!!
(I imagine the reader a first year, Kyungsoo and Jongdae as second years and Lulu, Lay and Suho as final year students)
Read and review!! (^•^)/
Elfinjoy

Wake Me Up: Exo Drabbles

D.O.

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There is a soft hand running through the locks of your hair, gently pulling you out of your sleep. Vivid dreams fade to black and you open your eyes to black. It takes a while for you to realise it's a black shirt front. You pull back slightly. The hand drops to your back.
"Did I wake you?" The voice is gravely with sleep. You smile at the half open eyes and shake your head slowly.
"I was almost awake anyway," your voice is barely above a whisper. His face breaks into a sleepy half smile. You can hear his rhythmic heartbeat. "You're sleeping in a shirt..." you mumble, while fingering the collar.
"I was too lazy." His sleepy drawl almost makes you blush.
"When did you get back?"You ask, making sure to keep your voice in check. He slips an arm under your head and pulls you closer. Maybe it's a tad cheesy, but you feel safe and protected each time he does this.
"I don't know... two? Maybe three?" He smiles at your frown. "Don't worry, I slept all evening in the car." Your hands slide over his shoulder.
"Doesn't it hurt...?" His soft laugh reverberates through your body.
"Look who's talking. I picked you up from the desk. Sleeping there can't be any less painful." You offer half a pout as protest.
"In my defense, I was writing."
"You're the one who over-works yourself." There is a faint note of chiding in his voice.
"Well..." Your eyes drop from his face to his chest, afraid of more to come. You're surprised to find yourself pulled closer.
"Nol pabo ya?" He whispers into your hair. The faint smell of his faded cologne soothes you as you breathe in deeply.
"Aniya..." The hold around you tightens.
"This... calls for a day off."
"But-but I have to go..." The protest in you voice is hardly there. It's more of talking for the sake of it. He knows that, and he laughs.
"No you have to stay."
"But I'll lose my job..."
"If you keep talking, I'm not letting you move."
"You know it's impossible for me to stop talking."
"I wonder if you won't because you want to stay like this." You flick your hand against his chest, but then again, he's not very far from the truth.
"Do Kyungsoo, don't get too full of yourself." But you settle again his chest, which is shaking with laughter and allow him to put his chin on your head. His breathing is slow and steady. So safe, so secure... almost as if nothing can touch me now...
"Kyungsoo?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm sorry for worrying you..."
"I'm sorry too." He drawls and you remain quiet for a while.
"Kyungsoo?"
"Hmm?"
"Let's... take a vacation."
"Hmm."
"You know.... somewhere that has quiet beaches to walk along... Imagine the wind in your hair, the rolling waves, the salty sea air— oh! I could make that into a new song." There is no response. The hold on your frame relaxes, the breathing becomes slow and rhythmic and you look up to see closed eyes and parted lips. You smile at the sleeping face and bury your head in the crook of his neck once more. You can take one pre-vacation, vacation. You snuggle closer, breathing in deeply, and let out a content sigh. To hell with work.
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Suho

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Warm hands are gently shaking your shoulders. You slowly open your eyes to a pair of brown orbs.
"It's almost seven," he says. You reach out to touch his cheeks. He's stiing on his haunches on the floor next to the bed.
"I'm still sleepy..." You mumble. He smiles and you wish you were awake to see it better.
"It's alright," he presses a quick kiss to your lips. You start and open your eyes.
"Do-don't!" You exclaim, pulling back sharply. He blinks in surprise. "I have morning breath..." You mumble defensively. He shifts from his haunches to his knees and rolls his eyes, cupping your cheek to pull you in for another kiss. This one is slower. Still, soft and gentle. Your eyes open wide in surprise but you let him pull away (almost regretting it when he does) before your hands fly to your face in embarrassment.
"Do I look like I care?" He asks with a laugh. You peek out from between your fingers.
"Joonmyun!" You whine. "I'm awake now, thanks to that!" He laughs loudly and pinches your cheek lightly.
"Aigoo. Look at this pabo!" He tugs at your hand. "Now get up." You resist it for the fraction of a second before you allow him to pull you out of the bed by your wrists. You stand for a moment on your own two feet before the grogginess returns and you sway. Two strong arms wrap securely around you waist and pull you close.
"Don't kill yourself, it'll ruin my day." You slap his shoulder, though you're too sleepy to make it hurt. So you pout and rest your head on it.
"I'm uncoordinated in the mornings," you mumble into the fabric of his shirt.
"You are uncoordinated always." He teases and earns another light slap to the shoulders. His hands fall loosely around your hips as he sways you, from side to side, to the rhythm of a silent tune.
"Mmm... I'm getting sleepier..." you protest while pulling closer. His low, warm chuckle sounds in your ear.
"I'll stop, then." There is a murmured protest from you as you nuzzle deeper into the side of his neck. He laughs. The swaying is slowly making your eyelids heavy. Then the swaying stops, the hands drop from your hips and suddenly, the ground disappears from beneath your feet.
"Yah!" He carries you, one hand around your waist, the other one under your knees.
"I told you it's better you don't kill yourself first thing in the morning."
"I can walk..." you say meekly, pressing your head into his chest to hide your red cheeks. He laughs before putting you down outside the bathroom door.
"Happy to help My Lady," he adds a small wink at the end. You shove his chest slightly.
"Stop it!" You pout.
"When it comes to you? Never," he pats your cheek and says, "hurry up, I have breakfast waiting." He turns to leave but pauses on an after thought. "And don't fall asleep in there." Your pout becomes more pronounced and he sneaks in yet another kiss.
"Kim-Joon-myun!!" You huff and he leaves, eyes twinkling with suppressed laughter.
As you catch your face in the mirror upon entering the bathroom. You note the wide eyes, the pink cheeks, and you bite the corner of your lower lip trying to, but failing to, stop the shy smile that slowly takes over your face.
Yes, Kim Joonmyun, and only him.
•
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The Suho one is for Miya,
Hope you like it long-lost-sis :P
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Baekhyun

"Ireonah," he calls your name. You bury you head deeper into the pillow- noting its absurd hardness. "Yah, ireona-ah," he calls for a third time. Slender fingers brush against your cheeks gently and you flinch in surprise. You move and your pillow shifts under you— wait. Did your pillow... move? You open your eyes groggily, slowly adjusting your vision and his face looms above yours. You flush in embarrassment.
"Baek—?" You mumble curiosly. "Wha-? Why are you in my house?" He laughs, his eyes crinkling and his pearly white teeth dazzling.
"I'm not in your house darling, you're in mine, and on my chest, if I may add." He pokes your cheeks playfully. Your eyes open wide in mortification and you bolt upright, only to find yourself pulled back by two arms around your waist. "I didn't say I mind," he grins.
"Bu-but what-?" He laughs once more. The clear, sweet sound fills the air. You realize that you're sleeping on the couch, with your head on his chest, while he's stretched his legs out onto the ottoman.
"Mianhae.." you mutter. He leans into the backrest.
"You fell asleep during the movie, I didn't want to wake you up, so stop apologizing. Besides you look cute when you sleep." You blush a little at that frank compliment. Your eyes are still drooping from lack of sleep.
"Still, if I keep sleeping over at your house like this, you'll never get a girlfriend," you mumble while rubbing your eyes. You feel his body stiffen.
"I don't want a girlfriend," he says curtly and you don't push further, though it stings somewhere inside at his firm refusal to be in a relationship. You avert your eyes to the ceiling, while you lie with your hear and shoulders across his chest. His fingers intertwine with yours, across your waist and years of knowing him tells you that he's nervous about something.
"You have pretty fingers," you note abstractly, trying to ease the situation. He laughs silently.
"If we have kids, they should have your cute face and my fingers." Kids? Your eyes widen and your cheeks turn pink at that thought. "We should have two, and we could live in a farmhouse in the countryside."
"How will the kids go to school?" You blurt out.
"Uh! So practical. Fine. We'll live in the city- but we need a dog."
"Brownie!" You stick your tongue out at the thought.
"Okay, brownie." He grins, the tension is now completly dissipated but your heart it thudding so loud you're afraid he can feel it. "Hmm.." he continues, "we can paint our room blue-grey and make the furniture black and white."
"Uh! That is so depressing Baek! Try warm colors, like orange and yellow."
"Sure, that gives me the perfect opportunity to wear my Ray-Bans indoors." You roll your eyes, though you can feel your cheeks getting hot. For a while both of you remain silent, basking in the images in your minds.
"I wish it was real." His voice is a near hesitant whisper. Your breath hitches.
"Me too..." you breathe out shakily. Is that your heart beating earatically or his? For, what seems like years, neither of you moves. Then he slowly rises, putting you in a seated position before reaching out to cup your cheeks with the palms of his hands. Is that nervousness in his eyes? Or the reflection of your own, perhaps, as he slowly pulls in for a kiss. His hands are so gentle, as if he's afraid he might break you with his touch. His lips are soft. As he pulls away, you look into his smiling, unsure eyes, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, but wishing, hoping and praying that every morning was like this one.
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For Ruka,
Hope it isn't a fail :P

The Wu Chronicles: Discord

"Chen, Mei, do you know where-" Meixiang stopped short of finishing her sentence, taking a moment to take in the cherry blossom tree in all its summer glory. Beneath it, Chen lazed, his eyes closed, with his frame rested upon the sturdy trunk. Meilin was swinging gently, a book between two hands as she read, occasionally pausing to turn pages. Meixiang smiled at them. "Have you two seen Yifan," she asked softly, almost afraid to break the spell in Meilin's grove (as they had all come to call it). Almost simultaneously, both shook their head, Chen without opening his eyes and Meilin without lifting hers from the book. Meixiang sighed.
"What are you two doing?" She asked, hoping do distract herself for a few moments.
"Nothing," answered Chen with a yawn. Meilin kicked a tuft of grass and he sneezed.
"You're the one doing nothing," she said with a flick of her hair. Chen shrugged, too lazy to argue.
"Well," said Meixiang, "if you see him, tell him he can't run forever." Meilin looked at her with a sad smile.
"Jie jie, none us of ever see Yifan ge anymore...."
"Not outside of official reasons, that is," added Chen, his eyes trained on Meilin, catching the edge in her voice Meixiang had failed to. Meixiang offered them half a smile before walking away from the grove. She paused again and looked back.
Chen was still reclining against the tree but Meilin had slipped onto the grass, using the swing as a makeshift back-support. Their knees were arched and their toes almost, but just not, touching, seeking comfort in the closeness. Meixiang turned away, suddenly feeling like she was looking at something she shouldn't.
                                                    ---------------------------------
In the War Council room, the Emperor Wu sat, mulling over documents, with deep knit brows. He was alone in the lamp lit room, deep shadows dancing across his face made his frown look deeper than it was.
Meixiang had walked by the room twice before without entering.This time she did. She would forever be amazed at the power and magnetic attraction that radiated from him, then and forever, perhaps, but she knew it wasn't the time to admire him at his work.
"Shengshang," she called, loud enough to make him flinch at the use of the overly polite term.
"Yes?" He asked, although he already knew why she was there. Meixiang walked up to the table, her hands crossed across her chest, a deep frown crossing her forehead.
"Need I remind you what it is?" This time the Emperor did flinch.
"I'd rather you didn't," he murmured darkly. Meixang sighed.
"Yifan..." Her voice spilled over with pleading. Yifan had never been able to resist that, he still tried.
"I can't do this, Xiang," he said softly. If the Emperor could ever beg, this would be it. Meixiang looked at him with a blank face, trying to mask her own feelings in it.
"Do you think I can?" Yifan felt like he had been stabbed through the chest. He rose and wrapped his arms around her frame.
"I have a wife... why would I need another one..." He sighed, more to himself than another. "I'm... sorry.."
"It was decided for you, you don't have a choice," said Meixiang, though her voice was muffled against Yifan's chest.
"I have been trying to look for one..." Meixiang blinked and looked past his arms and her eyes took in the vast amount of paperwork lying upon it. She raised an eyebrow.
"Have you been trying to find a loophole in the treaty?"
"Trying... and failing."
"Well, you can't hope to find one in a pact that says- the eldest son of the Emperor shall marry the daughter of Lord Li, as he upon her coming of age." Yifan sighed at her words.
"It doesn't matter to me, she can come here, but I shall refuse to acknowledge her."
"Yifan-"
"I've made my mind Xiang, nothing can change it." He released her from his hold and went back to his seat. Meixiang allowed a myriad of expressions that had waged war in her mind to flit across her face and wondered if Yifan felt the same or if it was just her emotions reflected in his eyes. She tore her gaze away and left.
                                                 -------------------------------
"What's your sister like Chen?"
"I don't know Mei, I haven't seen her in years."
"Oh well, she'll be nice."
"I wouldn't..be so sure...... there's a reason she was sent away to my uncle, instead coming of here."
"Oh..."
"I'm hungry, I'll go, poke around the kitchens."
"Uh! You are such a pig- hey! Wait for me!"
                                               -------------------------------
It wasn't long before Qiuyue, daughter of Lord Li and sister to Prince Chen, became the Emperor's second wife- or at least she was so in name, for Yifan never bothered her a second glance. For her part, it seemed the Princess was hell bent upon making herself an enemy out of everyone, starting from the maids to the Emperor. Whether it was because she was offended at the ignorance or some other thing, she spared no one. Her onslaughts started from her entry into the palace, where she referred to Meixiang as an "old woman" to which Meixiang had had reminded her that they were only two years apart, so it would make Qiuyue an "old and wrinkled woman too". Of course, everyone wondered why Chen and Meilin started coughing violently while hiding their faces. After that, Qiuyue, realising that Meilin was a force to be reckoned with, gave up on her and moved on to easier targets. The first unintended victim was her own brother Chen.
Though brother and sister had been separated for years, Chen had taken no time in warming up to his sister once again, but yet, they still did know each other as well as siblings should. It happened, when, for the first time in a long time, everyone of Meilin's "important" people sat together to eat. Yifan sat at the head of the table, Meixiang on his right, Qiuyue on his left. Meilin sat next to Meixiang, while Yanlin and Suho sat on the new queen's side. Everyone was digging in well, at one point Yifan even paused to compliment the cook, when Chen came rushing in, apologizing for being late, as he took a seat next to Meilin. "I'm famished!"
He said, helping hinsef to twice the normal amount of each dish as if he had not eaten in years. Meilin looked sideways and rolled her eyes at him. Chen took a vegetable mix, wrapped in kuei leaves an bit into it. Almost instantly as she heard a crunch of the leaves, she heard a strangled gasp from Chen. She whipped her head towards him. Chen still had his cheeks puffed with food, while his eyes were brimming with tears and his nose turned red, as his face contorted into a pained grimace. One whiff of the leaf wrapping in his hand and Meilin hurriedly called out to the servants,
"Milk! We need milk now!!" Then she turned to Meixiang and added, "he's eaten a pepper." Meixiang's eyes widened. It was common knowledge that Chen had no tolerance for peppers whatsoever and they had long since asked the cooks to stop using them if they ate together. This mistake was strange, very strange. There was chaos at the table almost instantly as Meixiang ran to the kitchens to admonish the poor cook (who stared wide eyed at the Empress, having no knowledge whatsoever of the presence of the peppers in the food), while Yanlin rushed to the speed the milk delivery and Meilin, Yifan and Suho tried to comfort Chen as he tried to look dignified and refrain from crying because of the burn in his mouth- and miserably failed. Perhaps if they had not been so occupied with him, they would have noticed the flicker of shame and regret in Qiuyue's eyes before she rose from the table and walked out with her nose in the air.
For the next few weeks strange things happened in quick succession that, one day, caused Yanlin to declare, "I think this castle is haunted," as she slipped her arm  through the crook of Suho's elbow. Suho smiled at the familiar touch.
"Why would you say that?" They were walking through the inner courtyard on the way to the library. Yanlin's eyes sparkled as she replied,
"Why would I not! It started with the peppers, then the sugar and salt got switched in the kitchens, after that the oils wen't missing from the lamps and we spent an entire evening wandering around in the dark and- oh! Let's not forget the horses that got mysteriously lose from the stables.... not to mention that is only what I remember at this moment." Suho looked at his wife with a small smile playing on his lips.
"And how much are you hoping for it to be an actual ghost?" He teased. Yanlin looked to the floor in embarrassment.
"Maybe just a little," she admitted shyly. Suho's smile turned into a laugh. Yanlin raised her head to look at him. The bright summer sun made his hair and face glow with an, almost, ethereal aura, as his eyes crinkled into crescents and his warm laughter made Yanlin's cheeks warm. Suho turned to find his wife looking up at him with wide eyes and parted lips, echoing the girl he had met and fallen in love with all those years ago. "You—" There was a deafening crash and Suho stopped mid-sentence. For a moment both stared at each other with wide eyes before exclaiming at the same time- "The library!" And making a swift run for it. It did not take Suho more than a heartbeat to locate the source of the crash. He stared in horror at the mammoth of a bookcase that had toppled over, scattering scrolls and books everywhere. Among that literary mess, Qiuyue stood, looking absolutely unhurt, and staring at the broken case in disdain.
"Are you hurt, Your Majesty?" Asked Suho, his eyes trailing the strewn books. Qiuyue looked at him with a faint note of contempt.
"I am fine. It's a fortune I wasn't killed. You have such flimsy bookcases." Suho's eyes surveyed the torn scrolls with pity.
 "That should not have happened..." he wondered aloud. "They've always been sturdy."
"Really?" Said Qiuyue, "all I did was stumble against one and it toppled over..."
"How could that-" began Yanlin but she was cut off with a wave of Qiuyue's hand.
"Why don't you ask your Emperor, who thinks he can buy everything, to get another one." Suho opened his mouth but someone else beat him to it.
"You broke my table." Yanlin turned to find Meilin behind her, her eyes locked on the wrecked bookcase. For the first time, both Suho and Yanlin noticed a table, which had caught the bookcase's fall, the weight of the latter object having broken a leg and cracked a chunk of the polished wood. Images of three children sitting at the table danced before their eyes and a wave of sadness overcame them. Yanlin raised an arm to touch Meilin's shoulder, but Meilin stepped away to avoid her comfort.
 "You... broke it." She said, her voice dangerously low and her face devoid of any emotion at all. Qiuyue shrugged her shoulders.
"Get another one."
Meilin looked at her and then turned away, muttering a soft, "I wish my brother never got you," before walking out. Suho and Yanlin stared after her as Meilin walked out briskly, before reaching the courtyard and breaking into a run. Eyes blinded by loose hair and tears, she crashed into a firm chest.
"Mei?" Chen blinked in surprise at the figure against his chest. She looked up at him with a tear streaked face, for a second Chen was taken aback before she pushed him, roughly, out of her way and stormed away, leaving him confused. He looked in the direction of the library, hoping someone might tell him something, and knowing it would be useless to talk to Meilin when she was enraged.
The carnage met his eyes when he stepped into the library. He saw Suho and Yanlin looking everywhere but at him. He saw the wreckage of the table and knew Meilin's heart would have shattered into thousands of fragments at the sight of it. Finally, he saw his sister, starting at the same wreck with unabashed contempt. It did not take him long to come to a conclusion. There really had been a reason his sister was sent away. As she looked up to meet his eyes, Chen wondered what hell they had brought upon themselves.
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To Suho oppa, 
Saengil Chukahamnida! (^_^)/ 
This is my birthday gift to you. 

 Thanks to the real Qiuyue jie, for the roots of idea of this story and for finding me a leafy vegetable (kuei) for me to get Chen to bite into. Xie xie, wo ai ni jie!! ^^ 
Also thanks to the real Meixiang Jie and Yanlin, who review my story. 

Read and review please~
ElfinJoy.

Masquerades

Silence.

Silence greets Jongin as he walks the dark, narrow, suffocating corridor towards the last room in the villa. Not a soul responds to his fervent calls. There is no electricity. There is a gale blowing outside. Yet, it pales in comparison to that in Jongin’s mind. He reaches the door at last. His hand hovers unsteadily over the doorknob. Images of what lay in the four previous rooms assault his mind. His throat feels like he’s swallowed sand. His heart is thumping, hard, in his chest, the dull, hollow sound ringing in his ears like a warning. He turns the knob. The click echoes through the empty corridors. Why did they agree to take this vacation?

Strange silhouettes and shapes stand out in the semi darkness. He can gauge the outline of two figures on the couch- one sitting, the other having fallen on the former’s lap. Visions return to Jongin’s mind.

Freshly raised out of a deep, almost drugged slumber, he had not seen anyone around in the darkness, nor had anyone responded to his calls. Kris and Tao’s room was the nearest and the door was unlocked. Two figures lay, sprawled, upon the bed. Jongin had leaned against the door frame, prepared to pass a witty comment. Then lightening flashed- thousands of volts of electric charge lighting the sky and the room-killing the words in Jongin’s throat. Tao had had his head on the elder’s shoulder, his hand clutching onto the fabric of the Kris’ shirt and Kris had one arm under Tao’s head and the other dangling off of the side of the bed… and then there was the blood. Blood that had flown from the two deep, fatal wounds- one in Tao’s abdomen and the other in Kris’s chest- and bathed the sheets red. Jongin had been too stunned to cry. He had wondered if they died trying to protect each other. But that did not matter. What mattered was that they were dead. Dead. Tao and Kris were dead.

Jongin steps further into the room. His shaky breathing the only sound in the air, barring the dull monotony of the rain on hard ground. He knows what waits for him inside.

Joonmyeon and Yixing’s room had seemed empty, the door to the bathroom left slightly ajar. Joonmyeon lay on the floor, limbs askew, eyes wide open- and lifeless- a far cry from the warm angelic looks that everyone was used to… but Jongin had wondered if “everyone” was alive to begin with. Then there was the blood, which ran small rivulets on the bathroom floor, flowing from a gash in Joonmyeon’s throat- flowing everywhere. The desperate urge to throw up had risen within Jongin as he backed out of the bathroom, only to trip and falter. Yixing, bleeding from a wound on the head, had been slumped against the wall. The wall itself had horizontal stains from the Chinese boy’s blood. Jongin had known Yixing had put up a fight. He was the type to put up a fight to the death. But the point was just that- death. Dead. Joonmyeon and Yixing, the angels, were dead.

 Jongin doesn’t need lightning to tell him that it’s Minseok who is sitting on the couch with his head thrown back, while Jongdae lies with his head on the elder’s lap. He doesn’t need lightning to tell them that they’re dead. They must be. Dead. Jongdae and Minseok were dead too.

He needs to breathe. A lump is blocking his throat. Tears are welling up in his eyes. He needs comfort. He needs support. He needs someone. So he raises his head and screams into the still air.

“Kyungsoo-hyung!”

The smell of alcohol had assaulted his nostrils as he entered Luhan and Sehun’s room. Luhan had been laying on the bed, dressed in a bathrobe, his hair still uncombed and askew. He looked like an angel, except for the lifeless eyes and the robe dyed red from blood- that reached the tips of his blond hair. A bottle of beer had rolled out of his hands and shattered on the floor. Among its tiny fragments, Sehun was sprawled out, the tiny crystalline shards dotting and piercing his pale skin. Jongin had not known where to turn. He stared at the two. His chest had begun to ache. Dead. How could Luhan and Sehun be dead?

Jongin’s cry dies out in the darkness. There is no response. The oppressive silence returns once more. He fears the worst. There is no way Kyungsoo could have survived this. Not his innocent and defenseless hyung. Tears are falling, thick and fast, down his dusky skin. He raises his head to shriek again.

“Kyungsoo hyung!”

Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s room had been locked. Jongin had not thought twice before breaking the door and entering. The wood had given in after a few tries. Then, he had stopped in horror. Every visible surface had been splattered with blood- the walls, the carpeting, and the furniture. In the center of the room, Chanyeol had been curled up, with Baekhyun against his chest, arms and legs a tangled mess and every inch of their skin covered in deep gashes, shirts torn to ribbons, hair matted with blood. Anger had bubbled within Jongin. They had ben butchered. Butchered and then left to bleed to their deaths. Dead…. How could the very signs of vitality, Chanyeol and Baekhyun be dead?

“Jongin-ah.”

There is a soft voice behind. Jongin’s heart leaps to his mouth he knows that voice all too well. His body acts of its own accord as he pivots around and engulfs the shorter male in a bone-crushing hug. First he laughs in relief, which then turn to choked sobs, which evolve into ear piercing shrieks of anguish. For all his mature looks, Jongin is still a nineteen year old boy. Kyungsoo is oddly calm as he rocks Jongin back and forth on the balls of his feet. He lets the younger cry himself to exhaustion till the only sounds coming are quiet sniffles, muffled by his face in Kyungsoo’s hair. Jongin feels selfishly glad he isn’t alone. He inhales deeply to calm his shaking nerves. The smell of spices and kimchi, that is forever a part of Kyungsoo, calms his rattled nerves. He memorises the feel of the small elfin body between his hands. The smile on his face.They are the only ones left. Then- a flash of lighning, a glint of steel, a quick scuffle, a decisive stab, a hot flash of pain and a whiplash of thunder that drowns Jongin’s scream. There’s another flash. Kyungsoo has just enough time to note the meat cleaver sticking out from Jongin’s back, before the dancer’s dead weight causes his knees to buckle and he toples backwards, under Jongin’s weight, and crashes into the side table behind. There is darkness for both boys. One, unconscious, the other dead. Yes… dead… he may know it, he may not, but Jongin too is dead.

………………………

“Something doesn’t feel right…” says Cho Kyuhyun, staring at the bright screen of his laptop, the lights casting odd shadows under his eyes. “Something does not feel right.” He says again. Sungmin stares at him in the dimly lit dorm room. He knows what the maknae is talking about. A few months and a thousand articles later, no one has reached the end of the bloodbath that has been dubbed the “Jeju Island Getaway Mystery”- that had left eleven boys massacred and one unconscious. “How did Kyungsoo survive?”

“Are you saying he should have died too? They found him unconscious under Jongin… the killer must have thought he was dead too…” Sungmin sighed.

“All this while and the only explanation is ‘anits’ or ‘sasaengs’? I don’t get is… there must be something that no one is looking at.”

“There isn’t anything in there… all that there is, are the boys’ fingerprints… and that is normal!”

“There was that one report that said the fingerprints on the cleaver that killed them was weird…”

“Kyuhyun-ah! That was a rumor… let things be… anti-fans are a good bet.”

“Even if it was them... how do people do such things…?” he shivers. Sungmin places a calming hand on his shoulder.

“No one ever knows what lies beyond a person’s face… even the sweetest smiles hold the darkest secrets…” Sungmin’s words cast an image into Kyuhyun’s mind- a pair of large, round eyes and a sweet heart-shaped smile. Could it be…..? He shakes his head and looks at the half-empty bottle. No, the wine must be getting to his head.

I am very aware of what I implied at the end.... and I take no pleasure in doing that....
Oppa, jjincha, jeongmal, jeongmal, nomu mianhamida. Saranghamida (^.^)
I finally discovered my Exo muse.... oh boy...

The Wu Chronicles: Memories

............................
"Let this meeting be called to order." Several men, of several ages, sat around a large table, at the head of which sat a middle aged man, but he radiated wisdom, and importance.
For several hours they had discussed matters of grave importance to the nation. The meeting commenced one more post lunch. For a while things moved smoothly, about as smoothly as they could with the hot-headed General of the Imperial Army and the Minister of Finance at logger heads with each other. Still, to the mind of the Emperor, the wise man at the head of the table, as long as swords were not drawn, the gathering was a success.
"Emperor of China!"
The meeting was suddenly disrupted by a booming voice that seemed to be eminating from no where in particular.
For a while the men looked to the doors and around the room. Then came the voice once more.
"Emperor of China!"
The Emperor furrowed his eyebrows, "show yourself!" He demanded.
"I cannot." The voice boomed once more. "You would not be able to bear the sight of me."
A hushed silence descended upon the gathering.
"Wh-who are you?" Demanded the General, who looked slightly pale.
"I am your ancestor oh Emperor!" Boomed the disembodied voice.
"What you desire?" Asked the Emperor.
"For you to allow your son, the prince.... and oh, okay fine!!! His friend too, a chance to mount the royal horses." The men frowned. A mighty odd request to come from an ancient soul...
"And why is that, O' Old One?" Asked the Emperor skeptically.
"That is because..... I foresee greatness if you allow him to do so." Eyebrows were raised all around.
"Exactly how will that do anything?" Asked Lord Li, King of the Eastern provinces, a soft looking man, who was really firm as a rock.
"Do not question me!" The Voice said loudly. "I have plans- ouch! Hey! Your knee is in my side! What- ouch! You're hurting me-! What-! I am not fat!"
All the men around the table looked at each other, confused at whether the Voice was still talking to them, or not. But they didn't have long to wonder for long. There was a loud yelp, followed by another, and then two, small, figures tumbled onto the table, from a small loft above.
The reaction from the gathering was instant panic. The Minister of Finance latched onto the General in fright, while the other men hastily shifted backwards. Only Lord Li and the Emperor stayed as they were, with raised eyebrows, as the figures on the table groaned and sat up dusting themselves.
"Yifan, Chen, explain yourselves." Said the Emperor, highly displeased. The two young boys grinned disarmingly at the men.
"Sorry, Father," said Prince Yifan, to the Emperor, though not looking very sorry at all.
"What were you boys doing up there?" Asked Lord Li and then added, "Minister In, please detach yourself from General Li." The lanky minister sprung off of the shorter, but more built, General, both looking extremely embarrassed. The boys further grinned. Prince Chen, who was Lord Li's son smiled triumphantly and said,
"You see, we found this old vase," and Yifan proudly displayed the long ceramic vase, who's base had broken off, leaving it much like a hollow tube.
"And I realised that it made our voice louder and deeper," said Yifan, preening like a proud peacock.
"And I realised we could make you give us permission to ride the horses," grinned Chen.
"So, we came up with a plan to hide in the loft, when you were out to lunch-"
"But we didn't realize the space was so small..."
"And you know what happens after that." Finished Chen triumphantly. The Emperor sat rubbing his temples, while the King nearly slapped his own face out of frustration. 
"You boys mean to say you pulled this elaborate stunt just so you could ride a pair of horses?" Asked the emperor with disbelieving eyes. The two boys grinned and nodded. This time the King did slap his forehead in despair. But he was interrupted from going any further by a deep throated laugh from the shadows. The Minister of Finance edged closer to the General, who raised an eyebrow but did not protest.
"When did you arrive, Commander Cao?" Asked the King warily, looking into one of the darker corners of the room. A tall, slender male emerged, clad completely in black, which contrasted sharply with his pale whit skin. Commander Cao, leader of the spies, was a man highly respected in his good moods and mortally feared in his bad ones.
"I was always here your highnesses," he smiled congenially and then turned to the Emperor, "if I may, your Highness, I would like to take these boys under my wing. They have the makings of good strategists and spies. We could use some fresh minds." The Emperor waved his hands,
"Take them away then, just keep them out of trouble." Commander Cao nodded brightly.
"Of course, your highness. They remind me of myself, to be honest. Come on boys, let's get going."
"I almost dread the day my son turns into you," muttered King Li darkly, but the Commander heard it. He turned around, grinned cheekily at the King, which was nothing out of the usual, and said,
"I'm sure you'll love him even more for that," before adding a 'your majesty' at the end and leaving with the young boys.
…............

A little girl, no older than eight, wandered along the Imperial Library. She could barely read even a fifth of the books that were in it. She wandered along till she came upon a little corner, almost hidden by the bookshelves, though brightly sunlit by two large windows. Then she frowned. Her frequented spot was taken by another, a young boy, to be precise, who was pouring over a large set of scrolls. He could possible not have been much older than her. She frowned at his bent shoulders for a while before he raised his head. Then panic set in the little girl's mind, torn between reclaiming her spot and rushing away from it. She did not do well with strangers. The boy obviously knew who she was because he instantly hastened out of his seat and bowed deeply.

“Your majesty,” he said to the little girl, because she was after all the emperor’s daughter and he was only a minister’s son. The princess shrunk back in fear and the boy looked at her in confusion.

“You-you won’t do anything…. mean?” She asked shakily. He looked at her in utter confusion.

“I-I don’t understand….” He said.

“You won’t put silkworms in my hair, or a frog in my bed, or leaves in my dress… or….” Her voice trailed away, excessively self-conscious and nervous. If the boy was confused before, he was absolutely taken aback now.

“I- of course not!” He said indignantly. The little princess relaxed her tensed shoulders. “Why on earth would I?”

“My brother and Chen do it… some… times…”

“Oh…” For a few moments there was awkward shuffling of feet on both sides.

The princess peaked at the scrolls on the table and asked, “Can you read all of that?”

“Mostly…” Replied the boy uncertainly. She looked at him with new-found wonder and respect.

“Would you… teach me?” She asked hesitantly. The boy nodded. This he could do. “I’m Meilin, please can you not call me princess....” said the princess with a shy smile.

“Alright, I'm Suho.”He smiled at her warmly.

For a long time the princess sat with her new companion, learning new characters from old scrolls, until a laugh and a babble of words distracted Suho. He looked out of the window with wide eyes. Outside, among the cherry blossoms, a petite girl, not older than the princess, chased after a cat, calling out to it, all the while, her eyes crinkling in laughter. The princess followed his gaze.

“Who is that?” Suho said, his voice barely above an awed whisper.

“That? Oh! She’s Yanlin, my friend,” said the princess proudly. “She’s really nice, you know… not like…”

“Oh.” Suho’s eyes never left the window. For all she was worth, Meilin was not a fool and she looked back and forth between the boy and her friend outside before calling out.

“Yanlin! Yanlin! Over here!” The petite girl stopped in her tracks and looked around wildly. Suho nearly fell out of his chair in shock. “Over here by the window!”  Yanlin, at last, located her friend sitting by the window in the library.
"Mei Mei!" She squealed happily and ran over to the window. Suho looked like he was about to faint.

Yanlin stopped at the window and pouted. Suho, at his very young age, nearly had a heart attack. Meilin laughed and held out her hand to the other girl. Yanlin grabbed it and tried to climb in, but Meilin was really not strong enough. Suho hastened out of his seat and held out his hand, which Yanlin took rather shyly and between the three of them, Yanlin managed to climb in through the window. 

"Thank you," she muttered softly. Meilin looked in wonder, never having seen her friend behave like this.

"It- it's nothing." said Suho hurriedly. He bowed to her, several degrees lower than he had bowed before, noted by Meilin, and said, "Suho, son of Minister Jin."

"Yan-Yanlin, daughter of Vizier Kang." She had clearly fallen prey to his angelic smile. Meilin looked back and forth between her new friend and her old one, both equally flushed and nervous, and giggled softly. Things were about to get very interesting.

..................

"This is General Li's daughter, she is going to stay with you for now," said the Empress, smiling kindly between her on daughter and the young girl, not much older, who's shoulders she gently patted. Then she turned away to attend to other chores since the empress was never really idle. Left alone, the two girls eyed each other with open curiosity.

"Do I have to call you 'your highness'," asked the older one, still gauging the other.

"I'd rather you didn't," said the princess with a grimace. Eleven years old, and she knew how easily it alienated people. The older girl blinked in surprise.

"Really? Then... what do I call you?"

"Meilin. What's your name?"

"Meixiang and oh! We have 'mei' in common!" Meilin smiled shyly at the older.

"I know you're older, so I'll just call you Xiang jie, is that alright..?" Meixiang nodded happily. For hours to follow, the two girls talked and laughed as if they'd known each other for years, and Meixiang learnt that behind her shy facade, Meilin was a bright bundle of energy waiting to be released. She realised this even more when Meilin dragged her to the gardens declaring that the older just had to see her swing.

"It's my favourite place in the palace, even more than the library!" Said Meilin, bouncing along the garden path. It was a small area cordoned off by cherry trees. There was a swing hanging from one of them.  Meilin displayed this proudly. Soft breezes danced around the trees. Leaves fell to the green ground.  It was truly a beautiful place- a befitting place for an elfin creature like Meilin.  

“Hello Mei-Mei, how did you like your little gift.” Meilin pivoted sharply. Then an angry scowl overtook her features. A think boy stepped out from behind the trees.

“Chen.” She said, almost spitting out the name.

“Why yes, that is what I’m called, it’s a wonder you can keep it in that small head of yours.” Meilin’s scowl turned darker. Meixiang looked confused.

“What gift?”

“The lovely amphibian we left in her bed this morning.” Meixiang noted the other boy for the first time. His features were chiseled and handsome, he looked very regal, almost like a dragon but he couldn’t have been much older than he. His eyes were glinting with mischief.

“That was not very nice…,”Whispered Meilin, looking very close to tears at the memory.

“You will forever be a crybaby,” laughed Chen and the other one laughed too. His laugh made Meixiang strangely attracted to him. But then she realized that Chen was leaving. He walked past them with his tounge sticking out at Meilin. A foot shot out. Chen fell flat on his face. The other boy burst out in laughter.

“Oh shut it Yifan!” Scowled Chen.

“Next time pick on someone your own size please.” Said Meixiang with mock politeness and led Meilin away by the elbow. Yifan’s deep laugh filled the summer air…. which changed into high pitched shrieks next morning when he found a frog on his torso upon opening his eyes. No, then, it had been Meilin and Meixiang, hidden outside his door, giggling into the sleeves of their dress, at their masterpiece.

...............................

It was a rainy afternoon. The flurry of water kept the three girls inside (by then, Yanlin had been included too). Meixiang giggled.
"Fourteen and you're married!! Yanlin!! Fourteen and married!!" Yanlin ducked her head in embarrassment.
"I suppose loads of people get married at this age..." she mumbled shyly.
"Meilin is fourteen and she isn't!" Meixiang giggled a little more. Meilin looked over her book and raised an eyebrow.
"Why would I be married?" She asked.
"Stop losing yourself in that book, silly!" Said Meixiang, a little too loud for a library. Meilin furrowed her eyebrows.
"It's a book. I'm supposed to." she said, matter-of-factly. Then she smiled at Yanlin."Ignore Xiang jie, I'm sure loads of people get married at fourteen," she said kindly. Yanlin returned the smile gratefully but Meixiang wan't finished.
"You're a wife! A wife!" She paused for a while and asked, "what's that like?" Yanlin's eyes widened for a moment before finding their way to the back of the library, where a familiar figure sat, burried deep in books and scrolls. her gaze softened and her eyes glazed over.
"It's nice...." she offered, for the want of anything better. Meilin looked at her friend out of the corner of her eyes and then followed her gaze to where scholarly Suho sat, oblivious to the world, pouring over his materials like there would be no tomorrow. But Meilin saw just that, Yanlin saw more. She saw the small furrow of his brows as he concentrated on the matter before him, she saw the hair flutter against his cheek because of the blowing wind, she saw the focused eyes and pursed lips, but most of all she saw Suho, just Suho, for who he was, for all of who he was. Yanlin's eyes glazed over for a second time. Meilin smiled into the pages of her book. Meixiang waved her hand infront of the dazed Yanlin, who started out of her reverie and dropped a book off of the table. The sudden sound disturbed the quiest of the library. Suho looked up with a jerk and blinked wildly as he tried to locate the source of the noise.
Yanlin hurriedly swept the book of of the floor and placed it on the table. Her eyes met Suho's as she raised her head. He bit his lower lip, in an obvious attempt to hide the laughter that was bubbling inside. She bowed her head rapidly a few times before mouthing a shy apology.
'I don't mind.' He mouthed. And then smiled widely at her.
 For a moment Yanlin forgot to breathe. For a moment the other two ceased to exist. For a moment it seemed she could stare at that smile forever with wide eyes. A warm flush spread over her pale face, which did not go unnoticed by Meixiang.
"Good heavens! Look at her face! Meilin look at her face! She's red! Our Yanlin is in love!" Said Meixiang in an attempted whisper,that should have been enough to carry to the back of the hall, that caused Yanlin to wave wildly in a a failed attempt to subdue the elder girl. Meiling smiled at her friends. She glanced over at the back of the library and caught Suho's eye before he bent down to read again. Had Yanlin not been so embarassed, she too, thought Meilin, would have noticed the quiet laugh and the distinct redness of Suho's face as he looked at Yanlin flapping her arms about to stop Meixiang from speaking any further. So love it was.

..............................

It was a clear autumn day. Meilin sat on the lower branches of the sakura tree, while Meixang and Yanlin sat at it's roots, under it's nearly bare branches. Yanlin's clear laugh rang out in the secluded garden. "This is what happens when you tease someone so much!" Peals of laughter followed and Meixiang pouted angrily.
 "I'm three years older!" Yanlin laughed. 
"You were laughing at me three months ago... so now, what's it like to be a wife?" She asked, her voice overflowing with frivolous teasing. 
"It's an arrangement. I had no choice!" 
"It isn't as if you mind the arrangement much, do you?" Yanlin asked with a light wink. Meixiang opened her mouth to ramble on about exactly how much she minded- only to stop. There was a rustle of foliage, as someone pushed past the trees and bushes that kept the area secluded from the rest of the garden. Meilin stopped reading and looked curiously at the intruder. Then the tall, broad chested figure came into view and she broke into a wide smile.
 "Yifan ge!" She called out with a lazy wave of her hand. He looked up in surprise and broke into a smile. Meixiang's eyes widened. 
"Climbing trees again?" He asked. Meilin let out a short laugh and stuck out her tongue childish-ly. Yifan laughed at his sister, looking so much in her element among the near-bare branches. She went back to her book with another disarming smile and a nod of the head. Yifan laughed again at the elfin frame in the branches, devouring every word on the page, with cheeks slightly puffed in concentration. Meixiang stared at the frame of the Crown Prince with the same fascination that she had on the first day. To her he radiated some sort of warmth that made her feel safe and protected in his presence. Though she was close to his sister, not as much to him yet, she could hardly stop the warmth that spread through her as she looked at him- her husband now. He turned and caught her stare. Mortified, she bowed and ducked her head downwards, refusing to take her eyes off her lap. Yanlin did better, greeting him, then asking after his health and small matters. Meixiang trained her eyes on the grass and tried to calm her eratic breathing. Suddenly the grass disappeared and was replaced by two legs and something thrust under her nose. Meixiang lifted her head in surprise. Yifan crouched on his haunches before her, holding a bunch of orchids, tied together neatly with a strip of cloth. She blinked at them in surprise and lifted her head to meet his face. His face was softened into a smile that Meilin, years later, would call his Xiang-jie-smile, as he held out the orchids before her face. There was something so hesitant in his look that she instantly took the flowers with both her hands, turning slightly pink from the contact. 
"Th-thank you," she mumbled, " these are my favourite..." her voice became a whisper, while her fingers played with the delicate petals. Yanlin smiled at them from a distance. Meilin looked down from her perch with equal interest. 
"Mother said you would like them," said the Crown Prince slowly, almost as if he was thinking over each syllable before he uttered them. 
"Well, thank her.... they're- they're lovely." Her face broke into a shy smile. 
"I'll remember to thank her..." His smile mirrored her. 
"Do you find something strange in that?" Meilin did not have to look to know it was Chen that sat one branch below hers, the crook of his elbow almost brushing against her knees. She grinned at the two figures beneath the tree, lost in their own world.
 "Yes, I do, the fact that my mother has been away for days." 
"He's such an obvious liar." There was laughter in Chen's voice. 
"I think it's a nice thing to do for someone." Meilin hear a twig snap and a sprig of leaves was pushed before her face. 
"Here." 
"Thank- why are you giving me leaves...?" 
"Well my mother told me, goats like leaves." 
 "So what does that-? Wait!" Realization set in and Chen's grin almost reached his ears. Meilin glared at him and slapped his shoulders with her book. "Why you insufferable-" Chen lept out of the branches. Meilin followed, disturbing Yifan and Meixiang in the process, who laughed at the two childish figures and then caught each other's eyes, only to break off and smile shyly. Yanlin wandered off to the library. Meilin chased after Chen, yelling for murder and more when she heard the sound of laughter. She stopped and turned to her little grove. Through the trees she saw Meixiang laughing, at something her brother had said. She smiled at the image. "Wait!" She called out to Chen, who'd raced ahead of her. "Stop!" He paused and turned. She held up her hands in a truce and smiled at him, before sitting on the grass. "Promise me something?" She called out. 
"What?" He asked, coming closer. 
"That we'll be friends even if you get married off to some random lady." Chen came to stand in front of her, before grinning widely at her face. 
"That's an easy one." He sat down next to her. "I'll be the very best. You're stuck with me till we have grey hair and wrinkled skin." Meilin stuck her tongue out at him. 
"If you say it like that, I might have to reconsider." Chen lay back on the ground with his hands behind his heads. 
"Sorry too late to do that." For a while they sat in a pleasant silence before Chen said, "you know.. if you were a goat, you'd be the prettiest." Meilin blinked at him before bursting out into a fit of giggles. The corners of his mouth tugged upwards. 
"Have you ever seen a pretty goat?" She asked incredulously. He closed his eyes and said, "I see you, don't I?" Meilin shook her head at that half compliment and allowed herself to fall back upon the soft grass. The soft autumn breezes danced through her hair and the warm glow of the sun spread through her entire being. She peeked sideways at the peaceful features of Chen and smiled to herself, before closing her eyes and allowing nature to lull her to peace. 
………………

"Meilin?"
"Yifan gege!"
"What are you doing here alone Mei?" Meilin swung back and forth gently. The spring air meant the cherry blossoms were in full bloom and Meilin looked almost unreal amongst them. Yifan smiled at his sister. Meilin at eighteen was slowly becoming a lady, though part of her charm he supposed was her wildness.
"I'm.... thinking...." She smiled at his face. Yifan sat under the shade of the tree.
"Oh? About what?"
"Umm... about how time flies...." Her eyes became glassy and Yifan let her continue. "It seemed only yesterday I met Yanlin and Suho ge and Xiang jie.... and now they're married... I mean Suho ge and Yanlin and you and Xiang jie.... and it seems like yesterday when I think of all those tricks you and Chen played on me and how I hated you back then... except..." Her voice trailed off as she stared at her feet.
"Except?" Encouraged her brother.
"Except now I wish you would do that again..." Her eyes sparkled and Yifan wasn't too sure of whether it was all the sun's doing or some of her own tears.
"We're not children anymore..." 
"I know... and I'm happy and proud... except I wish we never had to grow up..." Yifan stayed pensive for a while, unsure of what to tell her. There were no words of comfort or suggestions he could offer to such an irrational want.
"Did it hurt?" Piped up her small voice a while later. He furrowed his eyebrows together and asked in confusion,
"Did what hurt?"
"When I said 'I'm thinking', you were supposed to say 'did it hurt'," she said, a small cloud of nostalgia raining torrents over her. Her brother smiled at the old joke.
"So did it hurt?" He asked. Meilin laughed.
"When you become emperor, what will you do?" She asked him suddenly. His eyes widened a beat before he looked down at the ground seriously considering the question. All his life he'd been told what to do when he ascended the throne. no one had bothered asking him what he, Yifan, wanted to do.
"I... don't know.." He looked at her face, searching for disappointment only to find her smile aimed at him.
"Don't worry gege, I'm sure you'll be the best." It was said with such conviction, that Yifan was almost inclined to believe it. 
................................

(Two years later)

Fanfare and horns played on all around and a soft nudge to Meilin's side brought her back to the present, a long way from memories heard and experienced .
"Can you try to act awake at least," whispered Chen with a smirk. She glared at him, her eyes narrowing dangerously behind the ceremonial fan.
"Look it's them!" Whispered Yanlin excitedly. Chen and Meilin followed her gaze where the ceremonial procession walked- her brother leading it. "Xiang jie looks so nervous! Her hands are trembling...." She added. The procession stopped a short distance away from them.
"I'd say they were trembling from excitement," mumbled Chen wisely. "If I was becoming the Empress, mine would too."
"Are you saying you'd marry my brother? That's the only way, you know..." Said Meilin, taking her turn to smirk, lifting her fan slightly away from to allow Chen to glimpse it. His lips twitched in laughter despite not wanting to. Meilin's eyes trailed over to her brother ans sister-in-law, dressed in ceremonial robes, listening to the speeches by various vassal kings who pledged their loyalty to him. Though, she reckoned, the ones most loyal to him, never had the need to make speeches.
"He's going to be a prat, you know," said Chen conspiratorially.
"Be careful, we might have you executed for treason," said Suho, unable to keep the smile out of his voice, as he kept a protective arm around his wife, who smiled up at his face.
"Oh well, he'll be a royal prat, happy?" Meilin swatted the back of Chen's hand with her's.
"I will execute you here and now, if you don't keep quiet," she hissed, but Chen noticed her eyes, nervously flicking between her brother and Meixiang. He remembered a promise made made on a distant summer and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, before attempting to remove it, but Meilin held on, and Chen realised her hands were cold and nervously shaking too. He offered her a comforting smile and the pressure against his hand grew.
"He'll be fine," whispered Chen so no one but Meilin could hear. She nodded in jerks.
"I know he will be," the same conviction was back in her voice coloured by uncertain fears an her brother met her eyes. She gave him what she hoped was an encouraging smile and he blinks slowly in acceptance, he really could do no more. She saw the fear and uncertainty in his eyes as he bowed before their father, who placed the crown upon his head. She saw the hesitation as he rose to face the crowd of people, his subjects. But beyond all of that, she saw her brother and that made her heart swell with pride as her father rose to the words,
"All hail the Emperor."
She felt the sting of tears in her eyes, the choking lump in her throat, and the comfort of Chen's hand against her's as the crowd responded with and up-roaring,
"Long live the Emperor."
..................................................................................................................................................................

Thanks to Qiuyue jie, in who's words- she sowed the seeds while I nurtured the plant. It was her idea to make Kris ge an emperor!
Also to the real life Meixiang jie and Yanlin who listened to my stories patiently.
And last, but never the least, kris ge, although he doesn't know it, I do respect him a lot.

{For those who did not pick up the Suju members in the first memory,
-Minister In is Eunhyuk/ his chinese name In He
-General Li is Lee Donghae
-King Li is Lee Sungmin
-Commander Cao is Cho Kyuhyun/ his Chinese name is Cao Kui Xian
-I imagine the emperor to be Han Geng for the most part...}

Read well and leave your reviews~
ElfinJoy