Journey 35

He intended to kill Chanyeol right there and then. But that Kim Jongin for ruining his plan.

Luhan seethed as he stormed inside the palatial GalaEXO with Kris, Tao, Xiumin and four other EMs trailing after him. The EMs guarding the palace looked startled as their leader suddenly appeared on the oak doors. Then everyone scrambled frantically towards their positions as they bowed low for their king.

"Welcome back King Luhan!" the guards chorused.

Luhan smirked. He hadn't heard that name for a while now. But his amusement disappeared as soon as he remembered how Jongin took the blow for Chanyeol. With that, he rounded on Xiumin and pulled him by his collar.

"You know how I hate mistakes Xiumin." Luhan whispered dangerously. 

Xiumin shivered as he stared at Luhan's callous eyes. This was the reason why he preferred Kris leading them than Luhan himself. It's just that Luhan was so heartless even when it comes to his friends. 

"The next time you make another one, you're dead. And I mean it." Luhan pushed Xiumin on Kris' arms. "I want 500 beatings for Xiumin! No food for 5 days!"

Xiumin's heart dropped. He opened his mouth to plead but Kris hold him roughly on the shoulder. 

He looked up desperately to his tall friend who looked at him back with a warning stare.

*Don't plead Xiumin. You know better than that*

Meanwhile, Luhan barged inside the master's bedroom, breathing heavily with anger. He clutched his fist tightly until his nails dug deeper in his palms. He hated how Xiumin's carelessness spoiled the fun of watching Chanyeol die. He hated Jongin more for his loyalty on that good-for-nothing prince.

But even though Chanyeol was safe (for now), they were still back in Exo which means he will never make Chanyeol's life easy. Never on anyone's watch. He up for more than six months pretending that he was mushy, fluffy, kind and all - just to accomplish a mission he can only entrust to himself. He was so glad that he had finally quited the act.

Luhan felt his pockets and pulled out a small, crumpled handkerchief. He walked towards his bed and sat down, carefully unfolding the tiny cloth.

Above Luhan's palm sat a tiny black pearl, all credits to its beauty. He was able to steal it when he was preparing for a surprise party for Chanyeol and no one even noticed anything suspicious from him. Good thing though... because he doesn't know what he would do if he ever got caught.

What was so important to this black pearl?

Luhan cautiously touched the black pearl with his long fingers. At first it was cold, bringing goosebumps all over him, but then as if it sensed familiarity, the gem began warming up. Slowly, his background dissolved in mid-air. Then he was traveled back in time, towards a memory he was not his to witness...

Mei knelt in front of King Iyo desperately. She choked back her tears while she stammered her pleas repeatedly.

"I b-b-beg y-you... P-please..."

The once warm-hearted and loving king of Planet Exo was as emotionless as ever. His silence brought more tears to Mei, prompting the woman to kiss his feet and soak it with her tears.

"He n-needs you..."
"I don't know him." King Iyo replied coldly.
"He's your son!" Mei shrieked. "He's your blood!"

Mei's words seemed to have angered King Iyo more.

"My only son is Yeol." he hissed. "He alone is my successor."

Mei laughed bitterly.

"Successor?? Your son hasn't grown for the last twenty years! But Luhan... in just a matter of four years, he was able to grow into a handsome, healthy boy. And he longs for a father my king. Luhan needs y-"
"SHUT UP!" King Iyo roared. "Don't you get that I'll never accept a bastard like him?! He's a shame in my family!"
"But my king, Luhan doesn't need your throne." Mei started crying again. "He only wants a father. He's been waiting for you for four years. Please..." and she started begging again.

King Iyo pulled his feet away from Mei's reach. He turned his back to her without saying another word, closing the basement door with a loud thud.

Mei cried even harder when he was gone.

Luhan - who was still in his adolescent years - had never believed his mother's words. She said his father abandoned him. She said his father doesn't love him. She said his father won't accept him. Those were only words anyways.

Plus, he was so sick of being hidden from the rest of the exotics that he wanted to at least feel his father's love. It was not that too much to ask, right?

If only he can transport like his father, then he would have gone to GalaEXO without his mother knowing it. Unfortunately, he was just half-blood so he was not able to adopt King Iyo's powers. But what he did have was telekinesis. He did not know where it came from, but he was thankful of that.

"Luhan, I told you to not use your powers carelessly!" Mei scolded as soon as she entered their home.
"But I was bored. Can I see my father now?" he said, letting the floating spoon drop with a clatter.
"You can't. No more questions."

It's always the same response. Even her mother's words bored Luhan.

But Luhan was an insistent kid. One day, he had finally managed to convince Mei to visit King Iyo. So at midnight, when everyone was sleeping soundly on their beds, Mei and Luhan sneaked inside GalaEXO and waited for King Iyo to come. 

Annoyance was clearly painted in King Iyo's face when he entered the same meeting place. His eyes grew bigger when he spotted Luhan, who had literally ran towards him and hugged him by the waist.

"I've been waiting for you for so long father!" he said sweetly, almost excitedly.

King Iyo gripped Luhan's shoulder and yanked him away.

"I don't know who you are." he said icily.

It was evident from Luhan's eyes that he was hurt. He blinked a few times and attempted to smile.

"I-I've got something for you fa-"
"Get out of here." King Iyo said quietly. When no one moved, he shouted. "NOW!"

Luhan jumped back in alert and stared at his father. So his mother was right all along. King Iyo had never cared for him. He had never acknowledged him. But he still wanted to refuse that thought. Well... not until King Iyo confirmed it.

"I don't need a son like you."

Luhan did not listen. He hugged his father again. King Iyo dug his nails on Luhan's shoulder until it hurts, but Luhan never let go. How his father rejected him hurts, but he won't give up.

"I love you Father." he cried.

King Iyo responded at him with a loud "Slap!". He regretted doing that mistake with Mei and he regretted it more when it bears fruit. He can't accept his mistake - and that mistake was standing in front of him, his cheeks red, his eyes watery.

A year had passed. Luhan was 21 while  Chanyeol was still a six-month old baby. Rumors started spreading that King Iyo and Queen Yal were getting panicky in line of the throne's next successor. What if anything happens to them? Who will lead the exotics? How can Chanyeol lead Exo when he was more helpless than his people? There were lots of dilemmas, and at times like these, Luhan watched in amusement.

Hatred burned inside him since that night his father turned him down. He watched in jealousy on how King Iyo bragged to his people about his son, Yeol, while he stood in the shadows, unknown by everyone. He loathed it more whenever he sees how happy Yeol's family is.

One day, he talked to his mother.

Mei studied his son's determined face after Luhan finished his proposal. Then, she sighed at last.

"It's a risk Luhan."
"But I know how much you hate him too!" Luhan insisted. "I was thrown in the desert together with Exo's notorious criminals. I lived but I never existed. You said it yourself mother.... you want revenge!"
"How do you plan to do this? All by yourself? Even with my wits and your powers combined, we will never succeed."
"Who says it's just you and me against them?" Luhan smirked. "It was a life-long plan mother, we have the EMs backs since day one."

Mei rounded her eyes in disbelief.

"You mean -"
"Yes. But I need your help too mother."

Mei bit her lip and thought hard for a long time. Then he looked up to his son.

"How can we weaken the prince, defeat the EKs and get the throne all at the same time?"

Luhan had his answer ready. He flipped his mother's book, "1000 Days of Visit to Planet Earth", and read a certain paragraph.

" 'This writer learned through Experiment 101 that an exotic weakens because of two things: First, because of Earth's fast aging cycle which corresponds to 365 days per year; and second, from an Earth vessel that will give human emotions to an exotic.' " he recited. 

Luhan looked up to his mother and grinned with malice in his eyes.

"You said the answer yourself mother."
"There's a flaw Luhan. How can you transport the prince in Earth? You don't have that ability. The only man capable of doing that was your fath-"

Luhan hissed vehemently.

"He is not my father!"

Mei was thunderstruck from his son's outburst. She quickly gathered herself and said with a still clipped tone.

"That the king was the only man capable of doing that."

Luhan breathed heavily until it resided into slow, calm breaths. 

"This is when the EMs will come in. And the throne? It'll be as easy as pie after that." Luhan snapped the book shut and stood up.
"And what if Prince Yeol did not find a vessel in Earth?" Mei asked, already knowing the answer.
"That's why I said I need you Mother. You will find the vessel for me."

Mei was ready for that. All she wanted was his son's happiness, nothing more than that.

"And what if the vessel failed to weaken the prince?"

Luhan's sly smirk reappeared in his lips.

"I'll go there myself and bring him back in Exo. Here, I'll make sure he won't survive." he turned to leave but Mei gripped his hands.
"Luhan... there's 99.002342% possibility that I might die if I go in Earth. When that day comes, I entrust my black pearl to you. You can wish anything after that."
"Yes Mother." Luhan started to walk again.
"Wait. I'm not done yet."

Luhan turned around just in time his mother looked at his doe eyes. They stared for a while, silence enclosing the small room they were in. Then, Mei broke the silence.

"King Iyo will surely be on your way. What will you do?"

Luhan's once soft and warm eyes had vanished a long time ago. It was dark, vengeful and scary. Even his own mother felt cold shivers in her spine as she searched for an answer.

"I kill him."
 

I wonder - and please comment if you did - if anyone here noticed before that I made Mei and Luhan's surname the same? 
I scattered the clues on chapters 13 & 20. Kkk~ There's no comment from the past chapters about that so I was curious. Kkk~