Chapter 13:

It seems that there are simply some things in the world that can only be dealt with love and understanding. Lu Han had gone to his father to talk to him of Yoona, and he consented. Though the meeting was not completely triumphant for Lu Han, it was still quite successful nonetheless.

Should Yoona's parents consent, she would be brought with them immediately to China to begin preparations. She and Lu Han would be engaged, and until Yoona's eighteenth birthday, that's all they're going to be. Lu Han was allowed to court her in his own way, should he wish, to win his soon to be in-laws over. However, he was given only the rest week. If, by the end of the week, he has not yet won them over, the Emperor would take the matters in his own hands.

Lu Han wondered how he would do that. He was the emperor of China, not of Korea, and coercing people was never looked upon. Truthfully, his father had never been the type to coerce people into things that they did not wish, he persuaded. However, he did not put much thought into it, and simply focused his attention to the task at hand. For the first time in his life, he was given the freedom to choose, and he had the freedom to do whatever he wanted in order to get it.

The schedules he had been assigned for the week were all cleared for the sake of it.

Early the next day, Lu Han got up and got ready for the day. Kris was with him not only to go with him as an assistant, but also because there were things that he needed to iron out with Seohyun, hopefully nothing too big. The two of them were clad in smart-casual attires and appeared outside of the Ims' residence.

"Good morning," Lu Han cheerfully greeted when Kai opened the door.

"Morning?" Kai responded sleepily. Perhaps not the best person to open the door since he was still practically half-asleep.

"It's us, Kai," Kris said. "Is Seohyun and your sister around?"

"My sister has classes today, but she's still here," he answered a bit huffily. "Are you here just to bother her life so early in the morning?"

"Dear me, no," Lu Han replied.

"Kai, what's taking you so long?" they heard Yoona's voice call her brother.

"Yoona!" Lu Han chirped, catching her attention.

"Lu Han?" she wondered.

"No," Kai responded, blocking Yoona's view.

"Out of the way, Kai. That's not how we treat guests," Yoona gently reminded. "Remember, it's never good to let your bad feelings get the better of you."

Kai grumbled a bit, then turned to the two and said, "Good morning, please come in, it's a pleasure to have you today," rather monotonously. Then, he trudged off back to the kitchen. Yoona shook her head at her brother's actions, but there was really nothing she could do at the moment; so she shrugged it off and welcomed the two boys in.

Both parents were shocked to have guests so early in the morning, and before Yoona's Dad could even begin to fume at the prospect of having guests with no manners, Lu Han apologized. He apologized for not saying so earlier,  for suddenly popping up in front of their doorstep without prior announcement and also for the confusing happenings that occurred yesterday. He also greeted them warmly, and introduced themselves. Lu Han had been nothing but courteous, so Yoona's father had nothing to really get mad about.

In the end, they allowed Lu Han to court their daughter properly. It sounded simple and quite unremarkable, but to him, it seemed like the first step to getting anywhere, and that was definitely something big.

Unfortunately, Yoona had classes to attend to, so Lu Han offered to accompany her, since sit-ins to classes were allowed. Kris could not tag along because it would attract unwanted attention; besides, he needed some time with Seohyun. After what happened, he did not know what to expect of their relationship. That is if their relationship was still going to exist, friendship included.

"Your school really is lovely," Lu Han remarked. It was Yoona's break, and Lu Han prooved himself a wonderful study buddy.

"But it was more beautiful then," she replied, referring to the time they had met in a dream in her school.

"That was a dream," he reminded her. "And they are usually far more beautiful than the waking image. But then again, sometimes, the waking world and reality... They're better than dreams."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"It's supposed to mean," he said, smiling at her, holding her hand and helping carry her things despite her protests. "that I'm happier having you here by my side in the waking world than just in dreams, Yoona. It's really different, and the things I see... They're different with you by my side."

"Cheesey," she replied sheepishly. A furious blush crept up her face and she tried to hide her embarrassment by burying her face into his shoulder from behind.

"Come now!" he exclaimed. "Yoona, dear, I wish to see you, not feel like you are a ghost."

"If you say so," Yoona said. She dropped his hand and stole her books from him and ran off.

"Come back!" he exclaimed, scurrying off after her.

Lu Han enjoyed that day more than any other, for it was a day he had spent with someone he genuinely liked, not a day spent with people whose looks always contained judgement without fail. Also, he enjoyed it because it was a day wherein he was free to be who he was without the chains of being a prince binding his every step; a day to be free.

~°~

"How have you been, Seohyun?" Kris asked as they walked in the park, side by side. Kris had his hands in his pockets, uncertain of himself, of her and of the situation at hand, and it was absolutely nerve-wracking.

"I've been better," she confessed. "But I'm not feeling too bad. How about you?"

"Good enough," he replied with a shrug. But really, he was feeling anything but good. He stopped in his tracks, causing Seohyun to stop as well, and turned to her. "Actually, Seohyun, I wanted to apologize to you for what happened. I mean, it wasn't something I had done intentionally, nor something done just because I felt like it and that I was cheating on you. I did it because I needed to. For my friend, Lu Han."

"Is he...really your friend?" she asked. "That Lu Han guy? Isn't he the prince?"

"He is, but he's my friend, too. Seo, I think you have to hear the whole story for you to understand," he explained, hoping that she had enough patience with him to put up with it.

"Alright, let's hear it," she replied, planting herself firmly on one of the benches. She patted the seat next to her, and got ready to listen.

It probably wasn't going to be easy, but it was definitely going to be worth it in the end. At least, that's what seems to be the case. After a sigh, Kris began the story, starting from the very first time he met Lu Han.

When his story had ended, so had his explanation, and he sat there tensely as he waited for her verdict. Was Seohyun going to accept his pitiful explanation or was she going to throw it like trash? Was she going to try and understand it? Or was she going to claim he was insane?

"You know, I don't understand how these things work," she began after a moment of thoughtful consideration. "I don't know because I'm not from a country that has a king, or in this case, an emperor. I don't know what it feels like to think that serving a prince or an emperor is an honor--a highly regarded one. But what I do know is that loyalty and friendship are good things.

"Kris, I'm not entirely happy of the way things turned out to be. I'm not happy you lied to me about what you were and everything in between... But I want you to know that I can try and understand. I'm still thankful that you and I met, and that for the most part, you were honest with me. I know you know what it's like, how people see you if you never got to finish school in favour of a job and everything, but you still said so, didn't you? And... I think that amount of honesty that you showed in both communicating to me who you were and your loyalty to your friend, I think that's a good thing," she told him.

"So...?"

"So it means, Kris, that I understand. It hurt, but I can't exactly hurt my best friend for something she didn't do on purpose; that's just plain stupid. And... Wait. Tell me, are there any more secrets you're hiding that could possibly result to something like this or possibly even more damaging?"

"No. I'm only assigned to Lu Han. His siblings I could care less about and Tao? Lay? They can handle their own love-life problems, I promise," he promised.

He smiled, and pulled her into a hug. Just as suddenly as he had pulled her in, he pulled away. A furious blush crept up his face as he looked away, flustered.

"What's wrong?" Seohyun asked with a hint of laughter in her voice.

"It's just that... Uh..." he began, grasping about blindly in his mind for a perfectly reasonable explanation, only to find none.

"It's so easy for you to steal a girl's innocence yet you blush so easily at a single hug," she teased.

"Hey...! I did not steal anything!" he replied adamantly, making Seohyun laugh.

~°~

Kai sat on his bed as he waited for the two girls to finish speaking with their guests. His breathing was slow and even, but the urgency he felt was obvious; it could be seen in his eyes.

His sister wasn't home late, rather she was home fairly early. Lu Han had brought her home just an hour or so after class, right before sundown, which impressed Yoona's parents a lot, but definitely not Kai. Oh, no. Kai was actually quite peeved that Yoona got home early because it became a reason for his parents not to be mad at Lu Han. It became a reason for his beloved sister to be taken away from him, and for that, he arbhoured a few ill-feelings. Though Kai was quite mature and level-headed most of the time, and there were days he acted as the elder brother, this was one occassion he could not help but be childish and vent out his childish frustrations, wants and needs. He wanted--no, needed--his sister still. No matter how strong the image that Kai had, how seemingly understanding he was, he was still, in the end, just a boy, forever his sister's younger brother.

His little brain was ticking, thinking of ways he'd get rid of Lu Han. He didn't know how much time the 'oh-so perfect little prince' was going to be around, and he didn't know what that guy could do to convince their parents, but one way or another, he was going to retaliate. This was an important matter, and it was winner takes all.

"When are you leaving again?" Kai asked Baekhyun. He had decided to bother the boy for the day when he had nothing to do, Seohyun was out with Kris again.

"The end of the week," he replied, lazily leaning backwards. They were sprawled on the floor of Baekhyun's room.

“You don’t sound excited,” Kai mused.

“Should I? I feel like I’m playing a pawn in someone’s game of chess.”

“Don’t we all?”

“Kai, what’s up?” Baekhyun asked seriously, losing the lazy air, staring directly at his friend. “There’s something wrong, isn’t there? Is it Yoona?”

"She's being asked to marry that guy," Kai spat. "That prince guy that thinks he's all that. Tch. Pathetic, you know that?"

"Actually, I do. I was there when the conversation began; so were Chanyeol, his sister, his parents and my parents. It was awkward. But I don't think that's such a bad thing, if your sister likes Prince Lu Han," he mused.

"'Prince Lu Han'? You're actually calling him that?"

"Shouldn't I? I mean, he is a prince."

"That's not what I meant!"

"I know what you mean. You're not happy 'cause he likes your sister and she's being asked to marry him. No, wait, I think... They're asking her to marry him? She seems to know him, though."

"And? He's a fake."

"Ah, I was right all along. Dude, you've got issues. Sister issues. Do you know how weird it is for me to know that my friend has a sister complex to his elder sister? Sister complex is far more normal in guys who are older than their sisters, or so my observation of Chanyeol goes," he said, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. "I hold no valid therapeutic claim."

"That, too! I hear they were initially asking Luna to marry him. Luna's a kid, for-"

"Luna's your age," Baekhyun commented with a deadpanned look. "You guys are even classmates."

"So? Doesn't that just prove my point?" he asked.

"No, 'cause I'm not entirely sure I got your point," Baekhyun said. "Correct me if I'm wrong, 'kay? You're mad at the prince 'cause he's asking your sister to marry him when he was originally asked to marry Luna...? And the thing is he and Yoona-noona are of the same age, so the problem is that they can get married by next year or something. Legally. And 'cause he's the prince, he has to stay in China, and therefore, take your sister with him. You're being a gruff 'cause you don't want your sister to marry him for reasons I do not know, but I shall classify as 'sister complex issues'. Now, you're telling me all this and not Sehun, who, allow me remind you, is also of your age, same as Luna, and therefore more likely to understand what it is that you're trying to tell me without questioning you like a freak because...?"

"Because you like my Sis, too!"

"Aaand I can suggest Suho. Or Minseok, who could probably talk your sister out of it or delve into her mind more since they're the same age, more or less. I think Suho has a fondness for your sister."

"Baekhyun!" Kai whined.

"Okay, okay," he replied. "But I really think that the prince is not as bad as you think. If you really want, spend some time with the dude and confirm or refute those little weird thoughts of yours of him. Like it or not, if Yoona likes him, your opinion is as good as void."

~°~

"You know, Yoona, not only are your fellow students wonderful people, so are your professors!" Lu Han exclaimed. This was the second day that he had gone with Yoona to school.

"You're enjoying this too much," she remarked.

"How can I not?" he asked. "I'm experiencing something I've never done before. What's more is that I'm spending time with you, Yoona. Isn't this nice?"

"Yeah, it is. Who knew that those seemingly empty promises would materialize into something in the end," she replied with a smile.

He laughed softly, taking her hand in his as they walked along. Every now and then, Yoona would pull her hand out of his, feeling self-conscious from the contact. But she allowed him to, if he wanted, and he did, slowly getting her used to the feel of it. To him, the gesture was quite new as well, but he enjoyed it a lot. It gave him the feeling of assurance, likely a feeling he missed after losing his mother at a young age, and no one stayed to hold his hand. Save perhaps Kris, but even as children, they found it odd, and so never really did.

"The only thing that's probably left for us to do is for us to go to a theme park together," he mused, remembering her story with her brother. "You know, the more that I think of it, shouldn't I devote at least one day to get to know your brother? He and I have hardly had any interactions since the beginning of the week save hi and hello and that queer first meeting."

"Weird is right. I haven't apologized to you two about that. Kai can be a bit difficult when he wants to, but there's usually an explanation why. So, I don't really know why he was being difficult," she explained.

He chuckled. "It's alright; we all have days when we're simply grumpy. Don't mind it."

"I really do wonder if you're real, you know," she commented. "Are we really awake?"

"Yes, yes we are."

"Then stop being so perfect."

"I'm not," he confessed. "I'm a messed up kid."

"Messed up," Yoona scoffed. "What kind of messed up kid goes to school and dresses up like a professional on a day off?" She ruffled his hair as she said so.

Unable to use his other hand to fend her off because he was carrying her books for her, he had to resort to running. But he didn't let go of her hand, dragging her with him.

“Let go!” she demanded playfully.

He shook his head, but did so anyway, then gave her a hug from behind. "It's not easy to let go of my precious!"

"Lu Han, let go; we're in school," Yoona reminded with a hint of laughter.

He did so, but weaved his fingers through hers. "Ah, yes. We must not set a bad example. Where to next?"

"Home," she said. "That was my last subject."

"Would you like to go to the street markets? Kris tells me that it's lovely there, he and Ms. Seohyun have gone there. He seems to really have enjoyed himself there."

"Are you sure it was the market and not Seohyun that held his attention?" she asked. "I'd rather not, Lu Han. I've homework, remember? I'll make Kai go with you. You said you wanted a heart to heart with my little brother."

"I was actually planning on pestering your brother tomorrow, and inviting your family to dinner with me. Yes, including Seohyun, love. She's practically family for you, isn't she? Well, that is if your parents oblige."

"They might. Kai doesn't have classes."

"Your world revolves a lot around your younger brother," he mused. "Is there any special reason behind it?"

"No, but my classes for tomorrow don't start early, and Kai's just in high school, remember? That boy has a curfew on school days."

"That makes sense."

The two made their way to Yoona's house after a quick drop by the bookstore. The moment they stepped inside the house, the two got to work on Yoona's schoolwork and finished it quite quickly, especially Yoona's classical literature homework, as Lu Han was quite well-versed in literature. He read it in his spare time when documents did not consume his time and gathered dust on his desk.

When Kai got home, Baekhyun was trailing behind him, and so was Seohyun and Kris. The four had met while they were on the way to the Ims' house. The moment Kai saw Lu Han, his neutral bearing seemed to darken, and Baekhyun seemed to realize it, giving his friend a friendly pat on the back. Seohyun didn't realize it, and went to greet Yoona.

Soon, Yoona's parents arrived home as well, and Lu Han gave them his cordial invitation. At first, her parents declined, first because of Baekhyun and Seohyun's presence, then because Lu Han was a minor and therefore had no real means to provide for himself. But he insisted, explaining that Baekhyun and Seohyun seemed like important extensions of the family, so they too were invited, then, he went on to say that he had his own means of earning money, and that this was not the state's money, but his own. Technically, he had an allowance, something like a rough equivalent to Kris' salary, and the only reason why he was sure he had enough was because he hardly ever spent any of it. After all, if you're practically cooped up in the palace library all week long, where would you spend your money? Renting the books you owned?

After giving his answers, Yoona's parents could not say no, though they felt a bit guilty because the younger was to pay. Lu Han had explained that though it was customary for Koreans to let the older pay, in China, it was not so. The younger could pay if he chose to, and because they were to be his guests, he would.

Lu Han brought them to a pleasant restaurant that served both Korean and Chinese dishes. It wasn't the most high-class, but it was lovely nonetheless. He figured his guests wouldn't be able to properly stomach eating at a very expensive restaurant since it would seem like he was flaunting off his money, but he couldn't stomach not serving them good food since they were his guests.

Kai was a bit peeved that Lu Han was not the stuck-up type. His parents wouldn't object as much knowing that their daughter's suitor knew how to handle money well. However, he could not grimace, since Baekhyun sat beside him, threatening to hurt him should he decide to show off his discontentment. Besides, it was not polite, and he knew that.

The next day, Lu Han had decided to help Yoona out with dinner. He wasn't a master chef as Lay was, but at least he was decent enough a cook. He presented this to the Ims, chatting up Yoona's parents in a very polite yet very engaging manner. His friendly personality and oddly down-to-earth-ness bring him closer to Yoona's parents' heart, annoying Kai.

Kai thought that his petty hatred towards Lu Han went unseen, but Yoona noticed it even if everyone else seemed not to. The two of them were connected to a deeper level, and Yoona was quite fine-tuned to her brother's attitude.

"What is wrong?" Yoona asked her brother as soon as Lu Han had gone, and their parents had trudged up the stairs to get ready to wind down for the day. Seohyun, too, was off getting ready for bed. She had her arms crossed over her chest.

"Nothing," he replied, but there was an edge to his voice that said otherwise.

"Kai, I'm serious. Why are you acting up? Lu Han has been nothing but nice to you, to me, to Seohyun and our parents. To Baekhyun, too! Just in case you're forgetting. So why do you dislike him?"

"I don't dislike him," he defended.

"Im Jongin!" Yoona warned. Her voice was starting to rise. Kai had never been so hard-headed before, and so this was a new thing for them. For both of them.

"I said I don't dislike him," he insisted, raising his voice.

"Don't raise you voice on me, Im Jongin. I am your elder sister, don't forget that," Yoona lashed. "And don't you dare lie to me, either. I deserve to know."

"I said I don't dislike him, I hate him. I hate him with every fiber of my body, Noona."

"Why?" she blurted.

"Because!"

"Reasons, Jongin, reasons."

Kai shut up and refused to meet his sister's gaze. He kept his head down, his bangs shielding his expression away from her strong gaze.

"Kai...?" she asked softly, feeling the sudden drop in the climate. She reached out to him, planting her hands firmly on his shoudlers. He was shaking.

Plock. Plock. Plock. One by one, tears fell from his eyes, falling onto her arms.

"Kai?" she asked.

"...I hate him..." he cried. He was shaking, but his voice was soft, weak. "...I hate him because he's taking away... Noona... He's... I can't..."

Yoona gathered her little brother in her arms and tightly held onto him. "He's not taking me away," she whispered  softly. "No one's taking anything away. I promise."

"Noona..."

"It's okay, Kai, it's going to be okay," she promised.

Warmth. That was the first thing that came into Kai's mind when he drifted into consciousness the next morning. He cracked open an eye and saw none other than his sister curled up beside him, an arm encircled around her brother. She had fallen asleep like that, comforting him, reminding him that she was going to be there for him; nothing was going to take her away from him against her will.

The events from the night before flashed in his mind. He felt awful for saying such things, for thinking such things, but neither could he say that that he didn't think them true. He did, but that didn't change the fact that now, he felt bad for being a hindrance to his sister's life.

But I'm no good without my sister, he mused to himself, not daring to move lest he wake his sister up. I need her, more than she needs me.

He stared at the table on the other side of the room. On it were a couple of books, Yoona's school bag and that little figurine that he had given her during her college applications.

Yoona moved a bit, and he felt the surface of cold metal touch his arm. It was the bracelet that he had bought for her, for all of them, when they were in the street markets that day. He thought back for a moment and realized that she'd never removed it since he clasped it on for her that day.

"What's got you thinking so deeply so early in the morning?" Yoona's voice asked. He had been so deep in thought that he had not felt the pressure that her weight had put on him. She was half on top of him, peering at him with sleepy but curious eyes.

"Morning," he replied.

"Ew, morning breath. Don't breathe on me," she replied playfully.

"...Hey!"

She chortled. "Morning to you, too. You know I was just kidding. My little brother wouldn't do such a thing."

"Such a thing...?"

"Breathe on me on purpose," she replied, rolling off the bed, crushing him in the process.

"Yah, you really are a twig," he responded. "Too light."

"Mhm, but at least clothes will be the ones doing the fitting on, not me doing the fitting in," she replied cheekily. "Come on, get up; we gotta get Seo-baby to the airport. She leaves today."

"Already?!"

"Yes," she replied with a hint of laughter in her voice. "It’s been a week, Kai. She has to go back to Canada and get back to studying or else she won’t graduate.”

Lu Han was consistent, Kai noted. He arrived as early as he did on weekdays, with Kris trailing behind him. Yoona had reminded Kai not to be a kid on a tantrum whenever Lu Han was around, and after a short chat with the guy,  it was decided that while she and Kris sent off Seohyun at the airport, he and Lu Han would go out and have a day together. A bonding day, just Kai and Lu Han.

The elder agreed wholeheartedly, expressing his eagerness to spend some time with her brother, while the younger took a little convincing. But there was no saying no to Yoona who had already made up her mind, however. And so, the two boys marched out the door before the other three left for the airport.

"It's too bad Mom and Dad couldn't send you off today," Yoona said. The two were off to visit a sick friend.

"It's okay," she replied, giving her friend one last hug before she left. "They're busy, busy people. Thanks for having me over."

"Thanks for coming over. Come back any time you can, okay Seo?"

"Sure. But maybe when I get my Canadian passport," she replied, pulling away.

"That's still a few years from now."

"Yes, well, life's like that," Seohyun shrugged.

"Take care of yourself, Seohyun," Kris said. "Won't be around for a while."

"When will you be visiting?" she asked with a laugh.

"Somewhere around new year," he replied. "So that's still quite some time away."

"Don't worry, I can fend for myself. Trust me."

"I already know that," he said, amused.

"Anyway, see you all whenever," Seohyun said when she heard the announcement for boarding.

"We'll miss you," Yoona said.

"I'll miss you, too," she replied.

"See you soon," Kris said, giving her a hug.

"Yes, see you soon," she agreed with a smile before heading off.

Lu Han was walking down the road with a special bounce to his step with Kai trudging behind him, hands in the pockets of his hoodie, hood drawn up. He resisted the urge to plug his MP3 into his ears, so he decided to leave it at home. He hadn't been paying much attention to where they were going and he bumped into Lu Han, who had stopped in front of a building.

"We're here," he announced.

Kai looked up and saw that they were standing in front of an arcade. "An arcade...?"

"So that's what you call it!" Lu Han exclaimed with a huge grin. He had not known the word for 'arcade' and instead described the place to Yoona, who gave him instructions. "Yes, arcade. I hear you like playing games. I'm afraid I'm not very good with games, but it's always nice to try something new, don't you think?"

Kai nodded reluctantly. Lu Han nodded as well, and brought him inside.

"What do you want to do first?" he asked.

"Um... Dance off?" he suggested. It was one of the games that he and his friends frequented. He wasn't trying anything new, and Lu Han probably knew that, but the older boy nodded and followed him there.

Lu Han was no dancer, that was something Kai realized. He was well-coordinated, but he just seemed to be unable to follow the steps as was dictated by the machine. Nonetheless, he looked like he enjoyed himself despite having his kicked by Kai in a game.

"You're still happy...?" Kai asked. This was the fifth time they played, and Lu Han had won none of them.

"Why not? I'm learning something new. My feet only know how to move quickly, how to do self-defense, none of these moves," he confessed as they sat down for lunch. "But dancing is beautiful, I've always wanted to learn."

"But you haven't because...?"

"I have no time," he shrugged. "And my caretaker did not see the benefit of it. I'm well-versed in Tai Chi, as well as basic Wu Shu, but none of that beautiful moves that your friend Baekhyun possesses. I'm honestly envious."

"Why?"

"As regular members of society, you have much freedom, Kai. I hope you will never overlook that. You have the freedom to do as you please, be who you wish to be, do what you wish to do, and love who you wish to love. And that's a good thing, Kai. Those little things are an amazing gift, something worth cherishing. I hope you will never let anyone talk you out of your dreams, they're your own, and as a person, they're your right.

"I don't have that freedom, even if I am lucky to be loving someone I choose to love, and maybe one day soon, even that will be pulled away from under me by someone else. Possibly my father, possibly my advisors, my people or even by someone else entirely. I am a public figure, and therefore I am owned by the people. My actions are to be dictated by them, for them. If I had the right to, I would choose not to have stayed by your sister's side all this time simply because it's going to hurt a lot when that time comes. I'd rather have her not notice me, not know me, than to bring any harm to her. I know the difficulty it poses, and I'm ashamed of myself for being so selfish and pursuing her. I hope you can forgive me, Kai, but I've fallen deeply in love with your sister. And...

"I'm speaking nonsense, now, aren't I?" he asked with a bitter chuckle. "Forgive me, I... Did not mean to lecture you of anything."

"You say you love my sister?" Kai asked resolutely, sounding a little cold.

Though there were no tears trailing down Lu Han's face, Kai could feel them falling on the inside. He figured that this man in front of him has learned a lot from his own experiences, and he's learned to seem strong on the outside even when he was crumbling on the inside. And that...crumbled Kai's defenses. He wasn't a romantic, but Kai was a sincere person, and he feel Lu Han's sincerity.

It sounded cheesey, but he appreciated Lu Han's sincerity. He still resented the fact that Lu Han was courting his sister with the intention of marrying her in the near future, but considering the events of the day, it was safe to say that he was prepared to do anything to ensure Yoona's happiness, even if leaving her now was the answer. Even if it killed him. He would do it, no regrets.

Lu Han nodded.

Kai stopped for a moment, thinking. "Then go for it. By now, you probably know that I hated you. Yoona wouldn't say, but I think if you really liked her, you'd realize something was bothering her."

"...Yes. So that's the problem," he murmured. "May I ask why?"

"Because I'm a little too dependent on my sister," he explained. "She doesn't really know, she doesn't think that I really need her, but I do. I can't let go of my sister so easily, and your sudden appearance didn't help anything at all. It aggravated me, if anything.

"Then you go off prancing with her and she becomes different. She's a lot more friendly and... I dare say she's happier. But since I'm not her, I'm only her brother, I can only say what I thought I saw, and that's what I thought.

"I know she doesn't need me; she lived through four years of her life not having me, so I'm sure she can live the rest of her life without me, you know? But I can't. All my life, I've had her. It's a difficult reality," Kai confessed.

"Ah, I see. I apologize, if I've intruded into things that I do not know of. To be honest, I'm envious of the relationship that you and your sister have, do you know that? I really envy you. I've seven younger sisters, two younger brothers, and I've no such relationship with any of them. Sometimes, I wish to be a good brother, to be a fraction of what Yoona is to you, but I can't be simply because I'm not in a position to be," Lu Han said. "I realize we are worlds apart."

"Are you giving up?" Kai asked.

"Giving up? What do you mean?"

"Are you giving up on my sister?" he asked.

"Not unless she wants me to," he replied. "I cannot make a person do something for my benefit alone. It is selfish."

How odd those words sounded in Kai's ears. Lu Han himself was, as he was able to piece together, the recepient of such selfish actions yet he was not fighting back. Was he that soft and weak that he will just let by anything?

But he seemed ready to do everything to make sure that Yoona is happy should they continue to be together. He seemed capable of securing for her a future where she is the beloved wife and mother, but did that mean he was going to leave all the important decisions to her?

...Yoona was, as Kai recognized, a strong woman. She could lead if it was needed, and she didn't mind it. Surely, she already knows the personality that Lu Han has, for her to seem so deeply infatuated with him.

No, infatuated was not the word. She was in love, as in truly in love. She saw him as the person behind the mask, behind all the glitz and glamour that came with the fact that he was the crown prince of a country, an economic powerhouse, no less. And that... That was quite clear a decision. Definitely, her eyes were open, wide open, when she made that decision. It was possibly risky, but what was life without the risks?

"Take care of her," Kai said. "...Hyung."

Lu Han's head snapped up when he heard the honorific that Kai had called him by. The atmosphere was solemn still, but he felt so different after hearing it come from the boy's mouth. All day long, Kai had not called him by any name nor referrent that could be used as a substitue, though he spoke respectfully enough. Besides, Kai did not seem like the kind of boy to use words carelessly. There was a judging, calculating side to the boy that Lu Han could see, but he did not put it against him. So far, Kai knew where his boundaries lie, and it was always good to have an idea what kind of people one was dealing with.

"I'll do my best. Thank you, Kai," Lu Han replied with a smile.

~°~

"Baekhyun? Take care of my sister for me when you're in China, will you?"