Her eyes were merely closed, while her feet took her wherever it decided to go, and as the expensive-looking wooden floor under her creaked, it answered the silence of the house. Her soft and delicate hands swiftly unlocked the back door, and when it did opened, a gust of wind went by, followed by the sound of rustling leaves from the rubber trees, coming from the estate not so far from her mansion’s compound.

With the first step taken, her bare-footed feet landed onto the dry, grassy ground. Her eyes still remained closed while her mind still seemed to be in a deep slumber, assuming that she was on her luxurious cotton-made bed with expensive Chinese silk as her bed sheets.

A ghostly smile played on her lips, --- which was rather unusual for someone like her to do so when she is a awake, as smiling to her meant that it has to come sincerely, from the bottom of one’s heart. Smiling was meant for someone who is sincerely happy with their life. While there she was, not really happy with the life she was leading because she turned out to be the only child to the two most influenced people in the state. Yes, --- she was forced to do things out of her league.

Her feet kept on moving and she walked into her night, just with her thin, white nightgown on. It would be a disgrace if anyone had seen her in this state, at this hour, with her hair dishevelled, feet empty, as she is, --- after all, the final heir of the most respected family in the city.

And yes, the infamous Alana was yet, sleep-walking again.

__________

Meanwhile on the other hand, a Chinese boy with a riffle gun in his hands, walked into the forest to do the usual patrolling that was instructed by the General, --- or more likely to be known as “Papa” to himself.

A yawn escaped from his lips, --- well why wouldn’t it not, as he was forced out from his precious bamboo bed at two o’ clock in the morning. It was hard being the General’s son honestly because when your father is the Lieutenant General of the Malayan Communists Party, you are forced to do things that you wish to not to do, bad things for example, murdering someone innocent.

Soon enough, he arrived at the rubber estate that he was situated to report for duty. “Luhan.” An elderly-looking man who’s face mirrored Luhan’s appeared from the depth of the trees. “Papa.” Unconsciously, those words rolled off his tounge when he knew he was forbid to do so outside of his home. “What did I told you about using informalities outside of the house?” Luhan’s father said  with a stern look.

With a small sigh, Luhan said, “I apologise for my actions, General Lu.” and bowed. Head held high, General Lu said, “Go ahead and report for duty. Watch out for any of the villagers and if you do see anyone loitering around at this hour, shoot them down.” With a curt nod, General Lu left, leaving behind a cold and lonely Luhan. “Yes, General.” And with that, Luhan too, to his heels and left.

__________

After an hour of patrolling the rubber estate’s area, Luhan started to feel the bore building up in him. Exasperated, he decided to leave the estate for a short while, thinking that it would not bring harm anyway.

He slung the riffle over his head and walked lazily towards his spot, situated at the very end of the estate. A cliff came into view and he pushed the thick bushes aside, quickly sat at the edge of the cliff and admired the stars above his head. He leaned back onto the soft, green grass and unintentionally, a smile crept onto his face. He hummed to a melody of a Chinese song that he knew so well, softly and slowly, his eyelids fluttered close.

The sound of the bushes brushing each other stirred him awake. Out of reflex, he pulled his riffle gun over his head and aimed it at the direction where the sound was coming from. His eyebrows rose when he sees no one around and proceeded to dusting his pants as he stood up. “Who’s there?” He said to particularly, nobody.

He shivered slightly when the wind answered him instead. He turned back to the front to take in the breath-taking view below the cliff. Dim city lights greeted him. Footsteps filled the silent air and Luhan’s eyes widen in surprise when he sees a pretty-looking girl walking with her eyes closed. Her fair skin illuminated under the Moon’s gaze, followed by her pointy nose, and small pink lips. Her long wavy, dark hair followed the wind and with every step that she took towards Luhan, his heart seemed to beat faster.

“Hello?” Luhan spoke in a shaky breath, which caught himself off-guard too. She didn’t reply but instead, kept on walking, --- towards the cliff. Alarmed, Luhan rushed in front of her and waved his hands in front of her face. *Is she perhaps, sleep-walking?* He wondered.

*Or am I just seeing a ghost?* At that thought he cringed. Of course there would be lots of lost souls at this area, hunting for their desired revenge. Luhan observed the girl’s facial features, admiring her face much more than he did 10 seconds ago. Her lashes were longer that any girl’s that he had seen, and her cheeks were tainted with a light shade of pink. Her hair reached just below her chest and it was the colour of a prefect, silky black. Her lips had a darker shade of pink and Luhan found himself wanting to touch that beautiful pair of lips.

Luhan jerked back into reality when he realised that she, --- they, were nearing the edge of the cliff. *What should I do? If I don’t help, she dies.* He bit his lips and took a hesitant step towards her, and anxiously, he started to sing.

Beautiful Chinese notes filled that air. Alana smiled at this, and immediately flicked her eyes open, returning back into reality. She let out a small gasp when her face hit a hard chest. By then, her head was facing downwards and her eyes went wide when she saw how close the person in front of her to falling off the cliff.

She hugged the body tight, and pulled it back with a thumping heart. “You’re going to fall!” She exclaimed in a hush tone, almost inaudible to Luhan’s ears but he had caught it. “Says the person who was sleep-walking.” He teased. Her cheeks turned into a rosy shade of red as she pulled herself off Luhan and hugged herself instead. *It’s a male.* Her big eyes, widen even more.

A long silence followed while Alana and Luhan threw glances at each other. Alana looked down at her thin nightgown and shivered. *He’s a Chinese, I shouldn’t be here. I might get murdered.* Alana noted. Her mind went back to the constant warnings and blabberings from her father, “Those Chinese are communists, Alana. They bring nothing but trouble. Keep your distance and pride as a Malay and also as a Lady.”

Her trance was disturbed when she felt a soft leather fabric grazing her skin. She looked up and gazed into Luhan’s soft, beautiful eyes, --- they seemed almost trustable, so soothing and comforting, but she wasn’t going to take the risk. She started to shake out of fear. Luhan raised his brows as he set his expensive leather jacket onto her back, --- trying to be a gentleman, because he had seen her shivering earlier. *My jacket should be warm enough, why is she still shaking?* He scratched his unhitched head.

“Are you okay?” He spoke in prefect English and plastered on a beautiful smile. Alana opened to speak, --- but she was stunned. Stunned by this Chinese boy’s smile. Luhan’s face turned into a frown when she still refused to say anything. *Perhaps, she’s a mute, or deaf?* Luhan questioned himself. Alana took in a deep breath and set her lips into a thin, but firm line. *Vulnerability is your worst enemy, Alana. Don’t let him get to you. Don’t show your fear.*

With every last courage she had, she spoke, “Aren’t you going to slaughter me?” Luhan’s brows relaxed for a moment. She has the prettiest voice in the world, --- besides than his mother of course. Butterflies fluttered inside his tummy and he could feel his face heating up. *Why am I acting like this, am I sick?* He let out a small laugh as his eyes turned into crescent-like shape, and soon after gave her a smile, that reached his eyes. At the same time, Alana’s heart started to beat 10000000000x faster than it normally would.

“That’s what you are so afraid of? Instead of thanking me, you ask me if I am going to kill you?” Luhan smiled, a playful one. Alana was taken aback by his reply and she returned his smile with an eye roll. “Well excuse you, Mister, --- “, she leaned forward and squinted her eyes from the dark to read his name tag, clipped onto his chest. “ --- Luhan, I didn’t know some communist soldiers can be nice.” She sharply remarked, with a hit of sarcasm in her voice. Luhan’s heart started to thump faster, yet again. He didn’t know if he should be happy that she said his name, or angry with the fact that she just called him a communist soldier.

*Luhan. She said my name. She said my name.* Luhan chanted in his mind and started to smile like a nut person. He bit his lips to fade away his smile, but he couldn’t help but to feel happy when she said his name.

Alana made an attempt to shrug off the jacket and return it back to Luhan, but he shook his hands and said, “You’ll need it more than I do.” Alana sighed, contemplated whether or not to wear the leather fabric, and chose the latter one when a cold breeze swept by them. She tugged the jacket closer to her chest, and gave him a silly grin. “Can you get me out of here? I slept-walked myself in, and I obviously don’t know how to get out.”

Luhan’s face broke into another smile and nodded enthusiastically. “I thought you would never ask.” He lead that way and Alana trailed closely from behind. They walked in silence, the estate growing thicker as the number of steps increases. “May I know your name?” Luhan proposed a question.

Silence.

“It’s okay if you don’t wa--- “, “Alana.” She cut him off. “My name is Alana.” She repeated. *Alana...* Her name lingered on his lips. “And how old can you be?” Luhan asked, yet again. Alana sighed. She didn’t know why she was answering his questions, but she did anyway. “17. How about you, soldier?” Alana said and looked up into his sparking eyes. “There’s no need to be formal when we are of the same age. Just call me Luhan.” He smiled.

*He really needs to stop doing that.* Alana placed a hand onto her rapidly beating heart. She bobbed her head and looked out front. “Luhan, you have a pretty voice.” She bluntly said. “I-I-I-I do?” Luhan stuttered, and lowered down his head to hide the blush that had successfully crept onto his face. “Mmm.” Alana hummed. “Thank you.” Luhan said, politely. “My stop.” She halted when they both reached the palace. But Alana insisted to call it a mansion every single time her chauffer would say that they would head home to the palace.

Luhan’s mouth went slightly agape. *It’s huge! She must be really rich, it’s bigger than mine.* Even from the back view, it already seemed like a palace. Luhan’s eyes fell upon hers and he could see sadness in her eyes. “You don’t want to go in?” He whispered, gently. She shook her head and sighed. “It’s nothing. See you later --- “, She walked forward towards the first step of stairs of the veranda. She looked back at him and said, “--- Luhan.” And after she said that named, her lips formed a wide smile and Luhan’s hear skipped a beat, --- again.

Luhan waited until she closed her dark, mahogany back door before stalking away to his patrolling duty again.

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Hello everyone, welcome to the first update yay! So what do you think of the first chapter heh? And oh, I skipped school today because i'm a rebel hehe. I know that no one likes long author notes, so see you the next time i update! 

xoxo, Tuna.