Dance into the Fire

~*~

Beauty is fleeting

Time takes it all away

But a blushing butterfly

Remains in the art

Of the day

~*~

Chapter Six

~.~

Whilst he was used to receiving stares that demeaned his presence, made him feel inadequate and generally out of place even if at the time the young man had been exactly where he was supposed to be and just generally having people dismiss him as being nothing more than a piece of dirt that was to be scuffed away at the first available opportunity, Himchan found he almost couldn’t speak with the amount of stares that were coming his way on the night of the Butterfly Ball.

At first he naively thought that they were all judging him, they were running late after all and there were many who did not like anyone to be tardy in the slightest and was ashamed enough to lower his head to avoid the vile stares that were coming his way. Until there came the sound of a gentle chuckle from the man who was announcing the arrival of the guests to the Ball, “Ah, Madam Key, it is wonderful to see you so very nearly on time.”

“Don’t flatter me, I’m fashionably late as is expected but tonight I have a very good reason,” Key paused long enough to check that Jinki was not in the middle of his boring speech before turning to smile like a Cheshire cat at Himchan, “Just you remember what I told you, my most beautiful butterfly, we are going to capture so much attention tonight that you won’t know what to do with it.”

About to whisper the very real fact that he genuinely did not know what to do with any form of attention that was sent his way, Himchan was silenced as they were announced and he found himself stepping forward into the warm shining light of the ball. The central town square had completely changed from its dull stone paths and a pond which always looked to be sluggishly attempting to appear to still be alive as it was now filled with hundreds of small paper lanterns in an array of colours that were strewn on long winding lines around fence posts, trees, small statues and anything else that could be put up in order to help out. There were trader stalls scattered around selling a variety of foods and the most glorious displays of flowers in full bloom were present everywhere.

Everyone was dressed to impress, though those who were considered to be locals were in more sombre colours than the Brides who were being paraded about in all manner of fashions. Some had their mentors wafting petals in front of their feet, whilst others were giving out small little rice cakes which Himchan had no idea of the meaning behind but by the smiles on the faces of those who received them it was clearly something that was to be considered very special. One bride who had been made into a virtual white china doll, complete with ghostly white hanbok and shocking black hair that was all at once enticing and yet downright terrifying to the young carrier, had four young maids surrounding her to carry her necessary items and only allow certain people to speak to her.

Key scoffed, “That little madam is going to end up in the wrong side of the river if she’s lucky. Come on Himchan, don’t be so worried, you outshine them without trying.”

Trying to smile despite still being highly nervous, Himchan followed Key as he briskly made his way through the crowds, noting immediately that virtually all of the attention was on his mentor. There again he was dressed in a creamy yellow hanbok that almost shimmered like gold, had painted his lip a dashing shade of red and kept his hair in the same style that he typically wore it in but with more accessories than ever before. By comparison, Himchan knew that he would just appear to be nothing more than a handmaiden and nerves got the better of him.

Lowering his head, he just somehow managed to keep up with the rampaging Key who seemed to know exactly where he was going and was presumably under the impression that Himchan could keep up without getting lost. For the most part this was perfectly true, until at the wrong moment a pedlar happened to pass in front of Himchan with a cry of whatever it was that he was selling that startled the living daylights out of the already nervous boy and caused him to take a misstep which sent him tumbling towards the stones beneath.

Well it would have done if not for the pair of very strong, sturdy hands that caught hold of him boldly and the deep chuckling laugh that was somehow gentle and warm even if it were being directed at him, “Easy there, little butterfly, one as sparkling as yourself should not be allowing nasty rocks to spoil such a lovely image.”

The flush that would have naturally come to his face did not even begin to bloom as Himchan allowed his dark eyes to travel up towards the man who had just saved him from potentially ruining everything that Key had worked for and receiving the scolding of a lifetime. Immediately they opened innocently wide, the tiniest of gasps escaping because he would have never believed that there was such a male beauty in the world.

The man who was still holding him had a gentle round face, with a light olive complexion and a nose which flared a little but in such a way that it matched the high cheekbones. Naturally thick eyebrows framed the deep chocolate eyes that held Himchan completely captivated in their dark chocolatey depth whilst a wild array of long hair, ash black with a few remaining streaks of brown and blond littered throughout, fell in a series of waves that were adorable and looked so soft. To complete the face were the fullest lips that he had ever seen on a man before and as he was finally raised to his feet to stand all by himself properly, Himchan realised that this man had to be someone of a very high standing.

He wore a hanbok of pure black silk, lined with gold and silver and bore a necklace that was probably the exact same worth as the entire house Himchan currently resided in.

Still the man smiled and gently extended his fingers to brush along the side of Himchan’s cheek, “There, you look far more stunning standing tall and straight than tumbling like a frightened little kitten to the floor.”

Himchan flushed and looked down, barely able to speak a word as he wasn’t entirely sure if he were being chastised, insulted or praised. For the first time in his life he really wished that he was as confident as Key, or could charm anyone to his side like Ren or had Minhyun’s unwavering cuteness that made him adorable. All three of them could have very easily talked to this most handsome of strangers without so much as a pause for what they were doing but Himchan found that he couldn’t even manage to get a single syllable out.

Another chuckle came his way but this time it wasn’t directed at himself, rather it was at the white flower hairpin which had tumbled out of his hair onto the pavement and had landed in a puddle of water. It was clearly ruined and Himchan could only stare at it in horror. “Aww such a shame for a pretty little thing to end up like this,” the man said, turning to give it back to Himchan, “Though to be honest, it was distracting from yourself.”

Himchan did not hear the comment and instead took the flower pin back with a look of devastation on his face, “I’ll never be able to pay Key for this.”

“Key?” the man asked, tiling his head to the side before a strange smile crossed his face, “As in Madam Key of the Mayors Family?”

Looking up sheepishly, Himchan nodded before glancing back down at the pin in his hands, “He lent me this for tonight and now it’s ruined. It must have been worth a fortune and I could never…”

Soft, warm and pleasantly large hands wrapped around Himchan’s and helped them to close, “If you’re his apprentice, then you’ll never need to worry about such things.”

“But this was his and I’ve ruined it,” Himchan almost wanted to break down into tears, in fact he could shamefully feel his eyes beginning to water, “He has been nothing but kind and caring towards me and on the first time I have come out I have ruined something of his. I really am cursed with ill fortune.”

One of the hands clasping his moved to his cheek, startling Himchan into looking up into those mysterious eyes that felt like they were drawing him in, “Oh dear one. An accident like that can happen to anyone and I assure you that Madam Key will not to be worried about some old daisy hair pin in the slightest. He’ll more fret over his most preciously hidden butterfly than that.”

“But!” Himchan started, unable to speak another word as he found a finger being lightly pressed against his lips.

The man smiled, almost smirking but stopping just short, “Now now, none of that. Though since you seem to be so upset over the whole matter, how about this? If you accompany me for the rest of the night and manage to charm yourself into my heart so much that I bestow a kiss upon you then I shall give you a flower hair pin so rare that it rivals your beauty.”

“For a kiss?” Himchan asked, sounding just a little sceptical over the arrangement and pulling the most adorable expression as he stared up at the man.

“Only if I give you one after you charm me enough,” the man smiled cheekily, “I am not a man to be usually entertained by Brides so you are making a very good start…” lightly he inclined his head to indicated to the blushing butterfly before him that he wanted his name.

“Himchan,” the word slipped almost too easily and readily from Himchan’s lips, “Kim Himchan.”

The man smiled brightly, dazzling the poor carrier even more than he suspected, “My name is Jin Akanishi, and I think tonight shall indeed be a dance of the butterflies.”

Offering his arm towards Himchan, after plucking the daisy hairpin from his fingers to place into a top pocket as if Himchan was unsuccessful in making Jin kiss him he would have to return the item to Key and face his wrath alone, Jin smiled as the carrier gracefully took it and together they set off towards the festival grounds which were alight with yet more glowing paper lanterns and the merriment of revellers.

Hiding behind a nearby stall, Key let out a very unmanly sounding shriek when someone placed their hands around his hips and turned around to smack his husband square in the chest, “Jonghyun! Don’t do that to me!”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist,” Jonghyun grinned impishly towards his wife, watching as his feline eyes snapped back quickly in search of Himchan and Jin in the crowds. Chuckling again, Jonghyun pointed to where the pair were getting ice shavings together or more to the point, Jin was getting them for Himchan since the boy clearly had no idea what to do with the gentle ice particles. “Using the old hairpin daisy trick are we?”

“Not directly,” Key hummed thoughtfully back, “I wanted to lead him to the bridge and have him nearly faint to capture the merchant’s or mercenary guild but I will quite happily settle for this little scenario.”

Jonghyun sighed, “You do know who that man is right?”

“Yes, he’s the man who’s going to bring out the true beauty of Himchan because everyone will want to steal him away from Jin Akanishi,” Key grinned a little too devilishly, “Though he will behave very much with Himchan. Do not fear about that side of his reputation.”

“Oh really? What have you got on him to make him behave that much?” Jonghyun asked, a playful trace of jealously in his tone as he ran his fingers more calmly over Key’s hips and felt the longing need for his husband’s touch as it had been a rather long while since Taemin was born. Even their Minhyun had grown up now and it was starting to get lonely once again.

Key smiled, “He was the one to give me that ugly cheap hairpin all those years ago when he was nothing more than an out of town trader trying to make his way in the world. I know more secrets about him than I do about you and he wouldn’t dare to cross me else he’ll get his balls cut off.”

“Ah,” Jonghyun said, stepping around to offer his hand, “Shall we watch them from far, just in case?”

“I want to make sure that Himchan believes everything he’s been told,” Key said with a smile, “Just to see what story he comes up with when he gets that kiss and the pendant because I know that it will be worth a thousand times what that little daisy was and I shall be more happy to have it back than anything in the world.”

Nodding, Jonghyun began walking Key to follow his little golden butterfly who was capturing the attention of everyone and not just because he was hanging off the arm of one of the richest self-made men in Huinsaehkkoch. 

authors babbling:

In case any of you don't know who Jin is, he's a Jpop Singer and Actor formerly of Johnny's Jpop Entertainment and used to be in the band KAT-TUN who were one of my first ever real bias groups and he is just one of the noted dreamboats of that particular world. Here's a picture to prove it too:

^^ -fangirls breifly- 

I wanted to choose a sort of first 'boyfriend' for Himchan who wouldn't really affect anything else storywise and he just fitted in nicely. Though question, do you guys want to see if Himchan can charm Jin enough to get the really pretty and expensive hairpin or shall I summarise it? Let me know in the comments and look forward to writing more!