chapter one; solitude

Loneliness becomes a lover, solitude a darling sin

-Ian Fleming, James Bond - The Spy Who Loved Me

»  Luhan was shy. He didn't know what to, or what to say when he was introduced to his parents' business partners. They were mostly Korean, or at least everyone was speaking Korean. Luhan was only ten, yet he was being introduced as the future heir to his parents' company. He looked down shyly, not understanding a word of what was being spoken around him except for the basics.

"Luhan," his mother said, taking his hand. He looked up at her and blinked. She smiled and nudged him forward. "I want you to meet our family friend. This is Mrs. Kim, and Mr. Kim. They have a daughter a few years younger than you."

Luhan blinked than looked at the adults in front of him. He bowed, not knowing what else to do because of his limited Korean. Then he looked down slightly only to meet eyes with a girl. She was small, with large eyes and long chesnut brown hair. The girl didn't look too timid. At least, she wasn't hiding behind her mom's leg.

"Hello," she said in accented Mandarin. "I'm Kim Sarang." Luhan tilted his head, happy she spoke Mandarin. He bowed politely. "Hello. I'm Luhan."

"I know." She walked forward and held her hand out to Luhan. "Want to play with me? It's boring around the adults." Luhan nodded in agreement, taking the girl's hand and following her to wherever she would lead him, which turned out to be a garden, hidden behind a tall gate they climbed over. Luhan admired Sarang's willingness to jump a fence in a pretty dress.

They sat side-by-side on a bench, looking around at the garden, the only light coming from the quarter-moon hanging above them in the sky. "How old are you?" Luhan asked curiously. Sarang hummed before answering. "I'm eight." Luhan nodded to himself. "So you're two years younger than me." The two fell into a silence, though it wasn't uncomfortable or awkward.

Slowly, they made small talk, finding that they were quite alike. Both enjoyed solitude, and the company of books over people. However, if it was each other...they'd make an exception, it seemed. They enjoyed each other's presence, and that was a first for Sarang, and in some ways, Luhan as well.

Sadly though, the time came for their parents to call them back in. Luhan sighed, wishing he had more time with Sarang. Sarang got up and extended her hand towards Luhan. He smiled softly and took it, letting her help him up. They went back to the gate and helped each other over it, walking hand in hand towards their parents.

"Oh," Luhan's mother said, raising an eyebrow. "I see you two have been getting along." She smiled at her son and petted his head. "Did you take good care of Sarang?" Luhan nodded obediently.

Mrs. Kim hummed and smiled, taking Sarang's hand. "How cute," she commented with a chuckle. "Well, I hope we can see you soon." Mr. and Mrs. Lu nodded in agreement. Everyone bowed, Sarang and Luhan hugging, before they went their separate ways.

Luhan groaned as he sat up. He had a dream about his first meeting with Sarang. He looked at the clock and scratched his head, running his fingers through his now dyed blond hair. He grabbed his phone and dialed Sarang's number to see if she was awake.

"Mm?" she mumbled into the phone. Luhan smiled; she'd been sleeping. "Wake up, babo," he said with a chuckle. "We have to go to school, and I don't have time to wait for you."

She groaned again and he could imagine her nodding. "Sorry," she said in her quiet voice. "I was up late last night." Luhan grinned, tilting his head as he got out his clothes. "Let me guess," he said. "You were reading." Sarang sighed and made a noise of confirmation. Luhan smiled to himself. "Well go ahead and get dressed. I'll pick you up in twenty minutes."

"Okay," she grumbled. Luhan heard her getting out of bed. "Bye, Xiao Lu." He smiled at her nickname for him; it meant 'Little deer'. "Bye, Sarang." He hung up.

He was in his first year of college while Sarang was still in high school. He drove her to school every day, and then picked her up after school. Luhan moved to Korea in his second year of high school, his only friend Sarang. She had been teaching him Korean since they were young, lucky for him. She was his only friend, and he, her only friend. Neither of them minded though. They were more than enough for each other.

Luhan finished fixing his hair and grabbed his keys, heading out the door and to his car. He drove to Sarang's house just as she came out of the door. She gave him a small smile and walked towards his car in your uniform. He smiled. He always thought she looked the cutest in the uniform out of all the girls in the school. And that smile. She only ever smiled with him. He had never seen her give that rare, beautiful smile to any other boy. And he loved that.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," he greeted with a chuckle. Sarang rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Morning Xiao Lu."

He chuckled again and shifted the car into drive as she buckled in, heading to the school. He played with Sarang's fingers on the way there, a habit he had gained when he was sixteen and she was fourteen. But she didn't mind, and he knew. He was the only one allowed in her 4D world.