Exo M: Love, love, love

Junmyeon was stunned into silence. After some whining, Kyungsoo finally began singing, filling the small room with his voice. And his voice . . .

It was powerful and gentle; it was satiny, velvety, silky and whatever other expensive fabrics there was; it was a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day, giving Junmyeon a warm and fuzzy feeling and turning his insides to jelly; it was ethereal and dangerous, a fallen angel longing for Heaven from his throne in Hell.

“Stop staring.”

He belatedly realized that the song was over and silence hung over the room. “Your voice is pure ,” Junmyeon said breathlessly, without hesitation. “I think I'm in love.”

The fallen angel laughed and Junmyeon found himself delighted at the rich melodic tinkle and joined in.

The moment was cut short with a knock. The door opened before either two could move and in strode Sehun, a tall man trailing behind.

“We're here,” Sehun announced.

“Hi.” Junmyeon stood up to greet the newcomers politely, while Kyungsoo stayed where he was. “Introduce you date please, Sehunnie.”

“Well, this is Tao. I met him a week ago,” Sehun said, motioning at the stranger. Junmyeon studied him, eyes moving quickly from head to toe, taking it all in. The boy had shaggy black hair, a tight black shirt, worn leather bracelets piled on one arm and black jeans hugging long long legs, ending with a pair of scuffed Converse. His eyes stared back at Junmyeon, daring him to linger on the badly hidden scars.

He wondered if Sehun was being serious and decided it didn't matter.

“No need to introduce yourself,” Sehun said, rolling his eyes.

“Huh? Oh.” Junmyeon chuckled awkwardly. “Hello. I'm Junmyeon, Sehun's best friend. And this,” he said, pointing at the man still sitting, “is Kyungsoo, my- uh- date.”

Said date looked up with amusement, an eyebrow expertly quirked. “Come sit down,” he offered cordially. “I already ordered drinks, so they should be coming soon.”

“Let's get this party started!” Sehun cheered with too much energy, in Junmyeon's opinion, for someone who didn't even want to be there, and tugged Tao down to the seat.

~ ~ ~

“Do you want to sing a song?” Junmyeon asked Tao, pointedly interrupting Sehun who was laughing at how Junmyeon contorted his face while singing.”

“Uh, no thanks.”

“Come on, Tao! We can sing a duet. It'll be fun. Promise.”

Tao glanced at his date, looking as if he was softening easily.

“ . . . Okay.”

As Sehun and Tao began singing, off-key but in tune, Junmyeon whispered, “Maybe next time it can just be the two of us?”

Watching the younger couple, Kyungsoo whispered back, “What makes you think there's a next time?”

Junmyeon chuckled and the other grudgingly let out a smile.

If you close the door, I will turn to leave. But can we stop time? I don't want to leave like this. Even if it's one day, I can't leave you, my heart won't sway, love, love, love.

It doesn't feel real, is this a dream? I still can't believe that I'm hugging you and breathing right now. How lucky must I be to meet you. I was fated to love you, love, love, love.

You're my earth, air, water, fire.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The two Princes entered the private chamber of the modest but lavish palace and Yixing sat down onto a stone stool. “You can tell me now,” Luhan said as he bustled around the room and placed tea and a platter of sweets onto the table.

Yixing stared at the teacup before him. The light brown liquid seemed to be trying to escape the confines of the china and the magic rippled in defense. Sirens were immortal and there was no need to eat, but being alive without really living was monotonous, and these little afternoon snacks and drinks were a fun pretense.

“It's just . . . do you know about Father's newest captive?”

Luhan sat down and popped a sweet into his mouth. his finger, he said, “I've heard some things. Everyone's been discussing it, calling him the 'new pet'.”

“He refuses to cry.”

“Well, that's a problem, isn't it?” Luhan commented dryly.

“Don't be like that,” Yixing chided his brother who smiled innocently at him. Yixing was the eldest prince, but Luhan was the heir to the crown, ready to step in whenever needed. Because while Yixing hated the pain that tainted his power, Luhan was ambitious, calculative and a sweet talker who won everyone's hearts. “This actually is a great problem, because Father is intrigued.”

“Really.”

“And he ordered me to try to make the captive cry. Do you know what he suggested?” He paused and plowed on without waiting for an answer -- not that Luhan, who was listening attentively, would interrupt him. “He told me to have the captive fall in love with me and then break his heart. How absurd is that?”

“Then, are you going to do it?”

“No!” he exclaimed with intensity. “I can't do it, you know that. Love is not something I can just create and why does Father even want this? And why me?”

“He is old and impulsive,” Luhan declared after a beat of thoughtful silence. “He thinks that he is so powerful, but look around you! The magic is thinning and we are weakening. Our light can barely cut through the water. If he continues like this -- thinking he is invincible and not worrying about what matters -- the Empire will be defenseless against enemies. We will slowly crumble to dust.”

“You shouldn't say that,” Yixing protested without conviction. He didn't know why he was defending his father -- he just felt the need to be the peacekeeper. “And don't be so dramatic.”

“No. I've been thinking this for a long time and I'll say whatever I want. It is the truth. He needs tears and if he can't procure any, then he should find another captive instead of wasting time and efforts like this! He thinks it's so fun -- a game, a challenge, to casually play around with -- but the fate of the Empire, our fate, is in his hands.”

Yixing watched calmly as his brother threw an empty teacup at the ground. Its fall was stopped a millimeter before the end and it hovered. “Then what do you suppose I do? Torture the captive mercilessly or do as Father said?”

Luhan stared at the cup, eyes smoldering. Looking up, his face was eerily serene. “Brother, let me do it.”

“He won't allow it. I'll-”

Yixing was cut off with a nonchalant wave of the hand. “Don't worry. I will show him how useless his ways are.”

The cup wobbled and landed lightly on the ground.

There will finally be xiuhan in the next chapter. yehet~~