It was a spring evening on the capital city of Eastland Empire. There were Luhan with his two best friends, Minseok and Jongdae sitting at the corner seats of a public house near the river. A few hours ago, Minseok and Luhan had finished taking an exam on history subject.

Luhan, Kim Jongdae and Kim Minseok were scholars in Eastland Imperial Public School. It was a public school which only upper-middle class people could attend because it required pretty high sum of money for paying their certified top master teachers who had taught the children of noblemen from the palace.

“How was the exam, hyung? Was it difficult?” asked a guy with high cheek bones and intense jaw while leaning his head on the table.

“Of course not. Most exams are just repetition from the pasts, Jongdae.” Luhan answered meanwhile his small doe-eyes wandered to the beautiful scenery of the river through a window beside him.

“Wahh, you’re so cool hyung!” the one who had asked clapped his hand.

“Now, why don’t you ask me?” a white skinned man with rounded face spoke.

“I know that you’ll be fail, Minseok-hyung.”

“Eh? How dare you!” the latter hit Jongdae hard.

Luhan stared at them with smile. His cousins were distracting him from his own world. They were always like this, going hang out after they finished the class. While Luhan got lost in his own thought, the two would make a ruckus and indirectly woke him up. It always brought smiles on his face, some precious moments that he cherished in his life.

Luhan, Jongdae and Minseok were friends since they were small kids despite they were also blood-related. Luhan’s mother was Jongdae’s mother cousin while Minseok’s father was an older brother of Jongdae’s mother. Jongdae was two years younger while Luhan and Minseok were twenty two years old right now.

Frequently family gatherings made them familiar of each others, beside the fact that they were live in the same city. They became good friends since they were kids and had known each other’s personalities very well. They had many fights as they grew up and still had a few nowadays but they usually could overcome the problems.

“Hey hyung! Look at the girls there,”

Jongdae whispered, referring to a bunch of women in that place who were watching Luhan every once a while. Luhan himself didn’t pay attention and continued to stare out of the window.

Minseok chuckled while saying, “I’m still very curious, why every time we go outside girls will watching this guy constantly?”

“I mean, we’re here too. It’s like both of us don’t exist.”

“Yeah, me too, hyung! How come?” Jongdae added, “We’re handsome too, aren’t we?”

Hearing that, Luhan burst into laughter.

“What? Do you think you’re the only one who’s handsome here?” Jongdae pouted.

“It must be! His self-pride is too high.” Minseok snorted, “It’s dangerous for us to hang out with him, Jongdae. It means fewer girls we can get to be girlfriend!”

Luhan just rolled his eyes hearing his cousins’ complaints while holding his laugh. It wasn’t his fault though. He also didn’t want all this attentions. But it was funny to hear his friends always complained about how that they got different treatments.

“You know I never enjoy it,” he finally could speak.

“Hmph, that’s why I keep wondering, why someone who hates attentions get more attentions in the end?” the youngest blurted.

“Maybe because girls have tendency to like cool guys, not to mention that our Luhan’s handsome. So he has double impacts on girls.” explained Minseok.

“No, hyung! He has triple- no, quadruple impacts! He was handsome, cool, rich and smart!”

“Ugh, we’ll never beat him,”

“Aye, what’s this? Don’t talk anything like this!” Luhan protested.

Luhan didn’t like people talking about this. He knew that many people would love to have those things who Jongdae had mentioned before. But, he himself didn’t want those, except his smartness. Yes, he loved learning that much.

He couldn’t remember when exactly things started become like this. It just happened a long long time ago. People started to treat him better compared to his friends or other people. One thing that Luhan learned was people would prioritize someone who had good-look, wealthy and educated background and they would underrate someone who didn’t have any of that.

Girls, particularly, they would look at him with discomforting gaze or trying to approach him directly or subtly. Sometimes they would go too far with seducing him. It made Luhan felt worse.

When he just reached age of fifteen, mothers started to introduce their daughter to him. They were trying to impress him with anything by all means. Since that time he was very careful about women. He couldn’t even talk much to women except from his own family members.

It would be very exaggerated if Luhan was labeled as a women-phobia, but it would be very degrading if people thought that he was just a coward. It was very complex. He knew he couldn’t avoid women forever because his mom was always nagging about giving her grandchilds. But, Luhan didn’t know how to make he could face a girl.

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As the time went by, crowds were increasing and more girls came to the place. Luhan felt more uncomfortable as when he shifted his gaze he would met other gazes from girls around. He would frequently look out the window to avoid the stares.

Some girls now started giggling meanwhile looking at them blatantly. It was so clear that their main object was Luhan. Now the latter started to look restless. His eyes squinted whenever the girls made squeals. Everything started to seem like a blur, his head was throbbing because Luhan tried to ignore all the voices.

He wanted to hit the table and yelled at them. As far as he concerned about public etiquette, he couldn’t show his anger in public place. Moreover, it only lead more attention from others.

“I need to get outta here, right now.” he said.

He had cold sweat running down his body. He couldn’t stand it even more.

“Geez,” Minseok snickered, “Are you sure you don’t want to be a monk? You’ll be safe there.”

Jongdae glared at him,”Hyung! How mean!”

“Fool, that’s the way I show concern!”

But, Luhan didn’t respond to them. All that he wanted right now was getting out of the place as soon as possible.

With that they were leaving the public house and enjoyed strolling at the riverbank. Magnificent sunset radiated its glow all over the river, delivered romantic ambience for some couples who enjoyed the nightfall around.

Luhan seemed more composed when they had left the public house. It was like breathing fresh air after you felt suffocating atmosphere. It looked like he would need more time to cure this problem.

“Recently, I heard some rumors about a big kingdom, which is rising in the far eastern.” Minseok spoke, bringing a new topic.

“I heard it too, hyung! What’s the name exactly? I forget.”

“Ugh, I can’t remember either.” said Minseok.

“Many call it Far East Kingdom. They’re building their military forces on a large scale nowadays. They gain powers by seizing small regions one by one around their kingdom.” Luhan explained, “Now that many countries start to recognize their rising power they’re afraid that the big kingdom will come and attack them.”

People who knew Luhan personally would acknowledge well that Luhan loved to analyze things. He always paid attention around for news then did some researches about it. It was a habit. In the end, he would proudly explain anything to everyone.

 “Whoa, whoa, wait! I thought you were just daydreaming in our classes Luhan!” Minseok scratched his head.

“Aye, hyung! He’s always like that but his brain stores mysteries.” Jongdae argued.

“How could you say something like that?” Luhan kicked the latter.

Jongdae grimaced, “Ouch, Hyung! I’m defending you!”

“Ways you tell it make it sounds that I’m a lunatic!”

“Hmm, that’s why I heard people on the streets saying that kingdom will attack many countries easily. But they say, it won’t come to our country!” Minseok told them, “Is our country that strong?”

 “No, our country forces aren’t strong if compared to that Far East Kingdom.” Luhan answered.

“But they won’t dare to attack us because we have a great alliance, The Westland Imperial. Westland has strongest army in the world right now.” he added.

“By the way, do you know big news today?” Jongdae exclaimed, “Westland envoys are coming to the palace. Rumor has it that they’re delivering a proposal to our Princess Sooyeon!”

“Wow, nice! Marriage will strengthen our connection to them. The Far East Kingdom will think twice before threaten our country.” Luhan commented.

“Wow, so the Far East is really nothing now.”

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I don't own the picture. Credit to the right owner. Source: evaranic.blogspot.com

AN :

This chapter is about Luhan's brotherhood!

How is it?

If you have any questions or constructive advices, just send me comments :)