In the edges of the Chinese empire, nestled between craggy hills and high walls of the next city, was a small village, bustling life forgotten by the rest.

The first day of spring was golden and evergreen, sunshine baking the well-worn streets, dancing with grassy fields ruffled by the breeze. Another day opened with a old woman yelling across the street mingled between rumbling wagons and bits of “good morning” and “the weather's nice today”.

In the world of musty shadows, a boy woke up in the stable to the family horse neighing loudly.

His name was Chen, which could mean either stars or dust. Sometimes he let himself believe that he was born of stardust, but mostly his life was just dust. Dusty yards, dusty furniture, dust that kept on collecting and would never go away.

His brothers called him Chenderella sometimes, for some unknown reason.

Chen stretched a little, picking at the bits of hay that had gotten stuck in his hair. He yawned loudly and the horse neighed along, agreeing with him that there weren't enough hours in a day to sleep.

“Good morning Kai,” he said to it. “And hello, Yixing,” he greeted the songbird that had just landed near him.

The bird chirped something that only Chen could understand. To an outsider, it would seem like a one-sided conversation.

“But I don't want to get up,” he whined. Then after two beats and a sigh, “Ok. Fine.”

He dragged himself up, bid farewell to his friends, and entered the house through the back door long before its inhabitants would wake up.

With some wood from the pile in the corner and a lot of patience, Chen managed to coax a fire in the stove. He sang softly under his breath as he began making breakfast.

“When you smile, sun shines . . .”

~~~

It wasn't always like this, but then Chen's mother died and left him with the rest of the family.

Sometimes, he was sure that he was adopted. Sometimes, when monotonously sweeping the yard, he would convince himself that he was the Royal Prince of China, and was only left in the unassuming village to avoid assassination. (After being called delusional, he pushed those thoughts into his pre-consciousness.)

Because he was nothing like his father and brothers.

His father's mood fluctuated throughout the days and weeks, operating on a variable interval schedule. He wasn't a morning person, always quiet and withdrawn, almost depressed, big eyes staring blankly at the breakfast porridge. Come afternoon, he was short tempered and Chen learned long ago to stay out of his sight. Then night would arrive and he would become happy, staying up to describe his fantastic plans, lips forming a heart shaped smile.

Baekhyun, the eldest of the family, acted as if he was the Crown Prince and deserved all the attention and respect that came with the title. He walked around town, singing and waiting for all the girls to fall for him.

His biggest rival though, was Chanyeol, the middle son. With his easy smile and sweet words, he was the id disguised as as the superego, making everyone and anyone love him and willingly give him their hearts and money.

And all Chen could do was clean.

And cook and tend to the animals and go to the weekly market and every other domestic chore to keep the household running.

~~~

“Listen,” his father commanded halfway through breakfast. Chen obeyed, looking up from his spot near the door, wondering if he was in one of his manic moods, but no one else paid attention.

“Listen!” he bellowed again. Chanyeol pouted and Baekhyun looked offended at being spoken to in that tone, while Chen was contemplating going back to talking with a mouse that appeared out of nowhere.

His father cleared his throat before finally beginning. “There is news that Princess Lu, the Princess, will be touring the country to find a husband. She will be here tonight, and I want you all to attend her banquet.”

“Tonight?” Baekhyun screeched. “How am I supposed to find an outfit and be ready when I don't even have one full day to prepare?”

The older man smiled. “And you are not allowed to leave before these green beans are shelled.” With a flourish, he revealed three identical bowls. And then he walked away, whistling.

“How dare you do this to me?” Baekhyun yelled after him. Chanyeol nudged him and both glanced over at Chen, who felt a little uneasy at the attention.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Come sit with us,” Chanyeol said sweetly.

When Chen sat down across from his brothers, Baekhyun pushed his small bowl of beans over. “I can not be bothered by these mundane tasks.”

“Eureureong?” was the first word that popped up in Chen’s mind. It just sounded right, so he said it.

"What?"

"Kkabsong?" Chen tried again.

It rhymed, but Baekhyun, who made a disgusted face, didnt seem to understand.

"But we're the galaxy," Chen finally said. "We are one, right?"

"No," Chanyeol explained slowly. "Me and Baek, we're one. You're not part of this."

"Just do it for me, got it?" Baekhyun said, exasperated. And then he left, leaving Chen alone with Chanyeol and his puppy eyes.

"Please?" he asked sweetly.

Chen sighed, not able to reject him. Chanyeol smirked and went off in the same direction as the other brother, leaving Chen alone with three bowls.

~~~

Night came and strands of beautiful lanterns, rivaling the brightness of the stars, shone through the dark velvet cloak. There was music and laughter and the clinking of fine ceramic plates in the village square. The colors were loud and the conversations were umami and sweet- a synesthetic delight. Party-goers feasted without a care for tomorrow- all anterograde amnesiacs living in the moment.

But in the kitchen where Chen was, laboring over the beans, it was silent except for his angry singing. “Heartless, mindless, no one who care about me."

He sighed, breath warming the beans, before continuing. "So Mama, can you please tell me-"

He was rudely interrupted when a girl suddenly burst through the door. Chen gaped at her. “Who are you?”
 

The stranger glanced around the room before landing her eyes on him. “You don't know who I am?”

Chen wrinkled his brows. Was she another narcissist like B- “Princess? Lu?” he exclaimed, finally taking in the silk dress embroidered with silver and golden phoenixes.

“Yes, that's me,” she said, sighing tiredly.

“But aren't you supposed to be at that banquet?” He had never met royalty before and had no schema to fall back on, so he stood awkwardly.

The princess bit her lip. “Can I stay here?” she asked as she slowly slid into the chair next to him.

“Huh?”

“I don't like people.”

“Uh . . .”

“And there's no one here?”

Chen didn't bother pointing out that he was a person and just said, “Okay.”

The silence that followed was unbearable, the royal presence suffocating the room and Chen didn't dare sing. “Umm . . . would you like some food?” he asked, not being able to take it anymore. “I have dumplings and fish and . . . uh . . .”

“I like baozi.” Her voice was tiny and he could barely hear it.

He thought it strange that she would rather have steamed buns instead of delicacies, but he went to get them for her.

When he returned, it was chaos.

The rest of the family was back, and furious that Chen had the Princess to himself the entire night.

His father, who was probably happy a second ago, was now red in the face and screaming. Baekhyun, oblivious to the deafening volume, was throwing his own temper tantrum and Chanyeol was just adding to the noise. Chen thought of going to help the princess, who was cowering in a corner, but then he saw a figure in white.

“Fairy godfather?” he thought.

But no, the man was dressed oddly and his hair too light, and when he spoke, it was in a different language, but for some reason, Chen could understand. And when he spoke, his voice floated over the noise, soft and calming and eerie.

“Jongdae?”

“What?”

“Are you seeing hallucinations again?”

Chen began walking backwards as the man approached him with something pointy.

“Did you forget to take your medicine?”

“Who are you?” His back was to the wall, but he still tried to retreat.

The man grimaced and covered it with a smile. And maybe he said something else after that, but Chen felt a small prick and his mind fell silent.

So...Explanation and definitions here

and i added so many fandom things into this. if only there was an exo stan in my class....

please comment!