Chapter 1.

1934 Spring

The sweet smell of magnolia was in the air. Spring had come.

Chanyeol observed each tree carefully as he walked by, noting their shapes and heights. His checker cape fluttered behind him as he dutifully inspected the vast grounds of the estate. His father told him that all of the estate, including the acres of woodland and the factories beyond the trees, all of it will be his one day. As a boy who just turned eight, Chanyeol could not completely grasp the significance of this sizeable fortune, but he did understand that he needs to take care of what is or will be his one day. So, there he was, making his daily round and making sure the trees were in order. Although he'd like to inspect the factories as well, his father would not allow him; he’d simply pat Chanyeol gently on the head and say “you’re a good boy, Chanyeol, you’ll make a fine heir.”

Heir. That was what everybody in the estate regarded Chanyeol as; after all, he was his father’s only son and they shared the same smoky silver eyes that watched over this family. However Chanyeol wasn’t sure if he liked that title. Whenever this word came up in a conversation, his mother would tell him to study harder and stop wasting time running amongst the trees. “But I already study most of the time, I just want to play for a while!” he’d argue, but then his mother would just start lecturing him even more. She’d say being heir to the estate comes with many responsibilities and Chanyeol cannot always put what he wants first; she’d say he should be lucky that he is an heir because many Korean boys his age are living harsher lives; she’d tell him to be a good son and accept what his family has given him, and he needs to learn to be selfless for the sake of the family. At his mother’s words, Chanyeol obediently nodded. Family, it was always for the family.

Rounding the corner, Chanyeol spotted his favourite magnolia tree standing aloof in the clearing; however the tree was not alone. Underneath the old flower tree, Chanyeol found a small boy shivering and crying. The boy’s cries were soft and pearls of tear stained his rosy cheeks. Chanyeol didn’t know who the boy was or why he was crying, but he knew his chest felt stuffy and he wanted to do anything to bring smile back on the boy’s fair face; he was sure the boy’s smile would be really pretty. Running at full speed, he charged towards the boy and tree. Out of surprise upon seeing Chanyeol coming to a sudden halt in front of him, the boy choked on his cries and fell backward, landing his skinny bottom on the soft grass. The two boys regarded each other wordlessly, one curiously observing while the other gawked in shock.

“Who are you? Why are you crying? What are you doing underneath my tree?” Questions came out of Chanyeol’s mouth like rapid fire.

“I.. I..” As the boy stuttered, trying to find his voice, Chanyeol looked him over. The boy wore an old and tattered cotton-stuffing jacket in a shade of discoloured brown. Below, his black pants were patched at the knees and he only had a pair of black canvas shoes to protect his feet from the cold. Chanyeol frowned, noticing how the boy shivered and his pale hands were red at the knuckles from the chilly spring wind.

“I.. I’m D- D-oh.. Kyung.. soo…” muttered the boy in-between sniffles with chattering teeth, bringing Chanyeol’s attention to his reddened face again. The rims of his eyes were red, but his eyes were clear and bright; Chanyeol thought it reminded him of the moon on a brisk autumn night.

“D.O.?” Chanyeol asked, slightly confused, having only picked up the first part of boy’s soft mutters. “Are you an American? You look Korean to me. Why are you named D.O.?” He looked carefully at the boy’s cute face: prominent black eyebrows underneath soft black hair, long lashes hooded over large round eyes, and a pair of plump red lip opened and closed like a fish out of water below a cute button nose. 

“N-no… I said m-my name is Doh Kyungsoo.” Replied the boy softly after one more sniff, “I-I’m crying because I’m lost. I came here with my hyung and my u-umma… she starts working here today and…a-and” at the mention of his mother, Kyungsoo’s eyes welled up with more tears and he began to cry again. “I saw a pretty bird a-and I chased after it… t-then I got l-l-lost.” Breaking into full sob, Kyungsoo hid his eyes behind his little hands. He cried wistfully partly because he missed his family, but also because he knew he would be in so much trouble when he returns.

Chanyeol panicked watching the bawling boy in front of him; he wanted to make him smile again, not cry harder! Quickly, he knelt in front of Kyungsoo and wrapped himself around the crying boy, imitating how his nanny usually soothed him when he cried. He rocked the boy back and forth while whispering his name. “Shh, Kyungsoo it’s alright,” he whispered softly as the boy’s sobs subsided, “Shh, I’m here now, it’s alright. I’ll take you back to your umma, Kyungsoo, I promise.”

Kyungsoo peeked from behind his hands and hiccupped, meeting eyes with Chanyeol who had a determined look on his face. “Will you?” he asked shyly and Chanyeol nodded firmly.

“Of course!” Chanyeol boasted proudly, “This is going to be my estate one day, so I can do anything. I will take you to your umma.”

Kyungsoo broke into a small smile and his lips formed into a red heart. Little Chanyeol felt a flutter in his heart. Taking off his cape, he wrapped it around the shivering Kyungsoo and pulled the small boy up from the ground. The hem of the cape dragged on the ground as the two made their way towards the main house hand-in-hand. Kyungsoo felt bad that he was getting the cape dirty and tried to give it back, but Chanyeol refused and insisted the shorter boy wear it; he liked how Kyungsoo looked even smaller in his already small cape and how the boy’s face turned red from embarrassment. Squeezing their hands together closer, Chanyeol smiled cheerfully at Kyungsoo.

“My name is Park Chanyeol,” he said with utmost enthusiasm and his grey eyes sparkled silver, “from today, you are my friend. We will always be together. We will stay together forever.”

Kyungsoo looked straight at Chanyeol and noticed for the first time the colour of his eyes, like wisps of smoke swirling in crystal orbs. The small boy was mesmerized and in his daze, he nodded. Kyungsoo had never seen eyes so beautiful before and if he did not need to find his mother, he would have preferred to just stare at Chanyeol’s eyes all day. All of those thoughts unbeknownst to Chanyeol, the taller boy smiled brighter and continued his journey back home, tugging a distracted Kyungsoo behind him. Over and over again, Chanyeol muttered Kyungsoo’s name under his breath; he thought it was the most beautiful name he had ever heard.

---

When the two boys walked up the pebble driveway leading to the large mansion, an older boy ran towards them followed by a woman. With shaky hands, Kyungsoo tugged Chanyeol to a stop and hid himself behind the taller boy looking frightened. Instinctively, Chanyeol raised his arms in guard against the older boy that was fast approaching. However upon contact, Chanyeol was easily pushed and shoved to the ground while the older boy smacked Kyungsoo repeatedly on the head and his upper body. Kyungsoo squealed in pain and tears welled up in his eyes again.

“Where the hell did you go, you little twerp!” The older boy screamed in rage as he continued to beat Kyungsoo, “Do you know how worried umma was??”

In response, Kyungsoo simply cried and tried to dodge his hyung’s smacking hands. Snapping out of shock for being manhandled so easily and feeling anger burning throughout his body, Chanyeol bounced off the ground and jumped on the older boy’s back; nobody beats his friend. Without mercy, he yanked the older boy’s hair and bit him hard on the shoulder. Kyungsoo watched dumbfounded as his hyung yelped in pain at Chanyeol’s attack. He tried to intervene, but he only made things worse as his hyung continued to beat him and Chanyeol upped his antics for revenge on Kyungsoo’s behalf. In an instant, the children were shrouded in a dusty cloud, formed from tangled feet stomping on the pebbled driveway. 

Finally, the women reached the three fighting children and with some difficulty, she pulled them apart. For the second time that day, Chanyeol found himself on the ground and he landed next to Kyungsoo, who also fell from being pushed by his hyung. Ignoring his bleeding knee, Chanyeol grabbed Kyungsoo’s trembling hand and tried to make a run for it; he realized he might be able to defend Kyungsoo against his hyung, but he definitely was no match for an adult. However, his escape was cut short when the woman knelt down and grabbed Kyungsoo into a tight hug. Chanyeol pulled on Kyungsoo’s arm, trying to loosen his new friend from the embrace until he heard Kyungsoo whimper in the stranger’s arms.

“Umma… I’m sorry.” 

Slowly, Chanyeol released Kyungsoo’s hand. In a flash, the adrenaline left his body and he was grounded to the spot in a daze. He watched as the woman pulled back from the hug and wiped the stray tears from Kyungsoo’s cheeks. She whispered his name and caressed his back, quietly scolding him for running away. Behind her, Kyungsoo’s hyung glared at Chanyeol while rubbing his shoulder. Standing up again, Kyungsoo’s mother turned to Chanyeol and bowed deeply; her two sons quickly followed her action.

“Thank you, young master, for finding Kyungsoo.” She said in a gentle voice, reminding Chanyeol of how Kyungsoo spoke, “I hope our Kyungsoo hasn’t caused you too much trouble. I apologize for my elder son’s earlier actions as well. Please forgive us.” To show the sincerity of her apology, she dipped her head even lower.

Chanyeol shook his head silently, forgetting she probably could not see him with her head hanging so low. Before he realized his mistake, Suho, his personal butler walked up and took control of the situation.

“You can raise your head now, Mrs. Doh.” Suho spoke calmly. Chanyeol scrunched his nose at the voice from behind him. He had always hated the way Suho sounded. There was barely any emotion in the butler’s voice, only civility, which on several occasions he explained to Chanyeol that was what butlers supposed to sound like when the boy complained about the tone of his voice. “Butlers need not show excessive emotions,” he’d always say with a straight face, “we are simply a servant here to serve you. Our emotions are not of your worries and we make sure of that.” Every time, little Chanyeol would roll his eyes and receive another reminder from Suho that eye rolling was improper conduct for an heir.

Turning his sharp gaze on Kyungsoo, Suho spoke again with a polite smile. “I’m glad to see that little Kyungsoo was safe. Please do not cause trouble for the household again.” Kyungsoo lowered his head and edged closer to his mother, whom patted him on the back and urged him to apologize again. Timidly, Kyungsoo bowed again at Suho and whispered he was really sorry. He thought this man was cold and scary, like the dark winter night; his mouth may be curved into the perfect smile but his eyes were frozen and brittle like ice. The butler nodded curtly, accepting Kyungsoo’s apology. Then he looked down at his young master and noticed the bleeding knee. With a guiding hand, he urged Chanyeol to return to the house. “Let’s go, young master Chanyeol. Your knee needs to be tended to.”

Still dazed, Chanyeol let himself being led away. With each step, the pain on his knee became more pronounced. When they almost reached the door, he turned around and saw Kyungsoo being hit again by his hyung. The small boy did not make a sound; he merely bit his lips and lowered his eyes to the ground. The anger returned in a surge and Chanyeol roughly shrugged away Suho’s hand on his shoulder. Running as fast as he could and ignoring the blood that trickled down his wounded knee, Chanyeol chased after Kyungsoo down the pebbled driveway.

“Young master Chanyeol?” A hint of surprise was actually noticeable in Suho’s voice.

Following his mother and hyung, Kyungsoo regrettably walked away from the house. He didn’t even have a proper chance to thank his new friend and he was sure they will never meet again. Chanyeol was the master’s son and he was the son of a lowly maid; even to a seven year old, Kyungsoo understood the unsurpassable social status that stood between their friendships. He was too poor and too shabby, and Chanyeol was destined for much grander things in life, like being heir to the estate. Their friendships would only bring shame to Chanyeol, Kyungsoo thought. However he could not help but catch one more look at the boy with the beautiful smoky eyes.

When Kyungsoo turned around, he was startled for the second time that day by Chanyeol who came to a sudden stop right in front of his face. Panting, Chanyeol looked intensely at Kyungsoo with his eyes of silver and grey.

“I said we’d always be together. Do you want to stay together with me forever?”

Without hesitation, Kyungsoo nodded solemnly with his eyes wide open. Chanyeol smiled. Lacing his slightly larger hand with Kyungsoo’s smaller one, Chanyeol broke into another run with Kyungsoo right behind him. The two boys ran off the pebbled path and on to the snowy lawn, leaving behind a small crowd of people screaming after them.

“Young master Chanyeol, where are you going? You’re still bleeding.”

“Kyungsoo? Kyungsoo, why are you running away again?”

“Twerp, get back here! Stop making umma worried!”

Soon the voices faded and all sounds seem to have disappeared into the wind. All Kyungsoo could hear was his racing heartbeats and the pitter-patters of their feet. His eyes trailed from their linked hands to the back of Chanyeol’s head and Kyungsoo laughed. Listening to the bell-like laughter from behind him, Chanyeol joined in with his obnoxious laughs and he cheered for their temporary escape. Around to the back of the house, the boys went through a pair of stained French glass doors, up a flight of well-maintained marble stairs, and down the wide hallway glistening with porcelain vases and gold encrusted picture frames. As they sped by all the glamour and splendour the house had to offer, Kyungsoo took everything in in awe. It was his first time entering a western style house. He was pleasantly surprised at how big the mansion was and how everything seemed to sparkle. Chanyeol turned around and saw Kyungsoo’s mouth was wide open while his dark eyes shone with excitement as they scanned every corner and crevice of the house. Chanyeol felt very proud his future estate impressed Kyungsoo so much. Finally reaching the end of the hallway, the two boys crashed through the heavy dark-oak doors hand-in-hand.

“Appa, please let Kyungsoo be my personal attendant!”

Chanyeol shouted excitedly as he made his way to his father’s desk by the large bay window an Kyungsoo trailed nervously behind. Kyungsoo didn’t know what a personal attendant was, but he trusted Chanyeol; although he was young and they’ve just met, his instinct told him he could even trust his life with Chanyeol. Mr. Park looked up from his paperwork and saw two pairs of eyes peering from the edge of his ebony desk, one pair shimmering with anticipation and determination and another filled with uncertainty but also commitment. He regarded the two boys carefully with the same grey eyes as Chanyeol’s, but much deeper like a brewing storm. Calmly, he reached a hand to ruffle his son’s hair lovingly and kept his eyes on the shorter boy, who visibly gulped at the attention but never breaking eye contact.

“Boy, what do you think it means to be a personal attendant?”

Feeling Kyungsoo’s palm began to sweat, Chanyeol squeezed his friend’s hand for reassurance. Hesitantly, Kyungsoo answered.

“It means to... do what Chan- I mean what young master Chanyeol wants me to do…” carefully he observed Mr. Park’s facial expression as he spoke. However he was only greeted with a poker-face. Feeling even more nervous, Kyungsoo stuttered in desperation. “B-but, b-but a-also what is g-good or b-beneficial for young m-master Chanyeol… I- I will only do w-what is good for y-young master Chanyeol.”

After a few seconds of tense silence, Mr. Park finally nodded and walked around his desk to have a better look at Kyungsoo. When he spotted Chanyeol’s bloody knee, a small frown graced his handsome face while Chanyeol sheepishly bowed his head, avoiding his father’s disapproving gaze. Turning his attention back to Kyungsoo, Mr. Park scanned the nervous boy over. Although Kyungsoo’s attires showed he was from a poor family, but the master of the estate thought that was less relevant. Most importantly, he liked how clear and honest Kyungsoo’s eyes were, how he emitted a calm and rational aura, and how despite the layer of fear clouding his eyes there was strength and patience to persevere hidden deep within; this boy would be a good complementary to Chanyeol, Mr. Park decided.

“You’re half right, Kyungsoo,” the master of theestate explained slowly, his voice soft and husky with grit, “as a personal attendant, you will be Chanyeol’s aid and you must always have his interest in mind. But more importantly, you must always have the family’s interest in mind.”

It was always for the family.

“Chanyeol is the heir to the estate and the future head of the family. If it is good for the family, it is good for him. However what is good for him personally may destroy the family. So as his personal attendant, you will help Chanyeol with his daily tasks to ensure he will become a good heir and help him maintain the family’s standing. Do you understand that Kyungsoo? It is always for the family.”

Kyungsoo nodded gravely and repeated after Mr. Park. “It is always for the family.” Next to him, Chanyeol lowered his head even more.

“Good.” Mr. Park approved, satisfied with the boy’s answer. Disregarding his son’s lack of response, he went back to sitting behind his desk and returned to his paperwork.

“Suho, I leave you to settle the boy in. And Chanyeol,” he looked up and gazed into eyes identical to his but are still innocent and callow, “give Kyungsoo a good welcome. You have chosen well, son.”

Chanyeol smiled and bowed to show his respect. Kyungsoo also bowed deeply and said this thanks, but was quickly dragged out of the office by Chanyeol. Outside, Suho greeted them and began to lecture his young master about being reckless. However, Chanyeol only half listened as his mind was preoccupied; Kyungsoo stood by and awkwardly nodded at everything Suho said. As the heavy oak doors closed, Chanyeol caught a last glimpse of his father’s dark silhouette and a bittersweet feeling sank to the bottom of his young heart.

---

Since that day, Kyungsoo became Chanyeol’s right hand and Chanyeol became Kyungsoo’s shadow. The two boys were inseparable, as insisted by Chanyeol who constantly exercised his power as the heir to ensure Kyungsoo would always be by his side. They took lessons together, played together, ate together and also slept together, much to Suho’s disapproval. Even when Kyungsoo was training with the butler on how to become an excellent personal attendant or when the boy did choirs as required by his position, Chanyeol stuck around and tried to help out, eventually angering the normally composed Suho. Over and over again, Suho explained to Chanyeol that he was the young master and Kyungsoo was a servant; they each had their role in life and Chanyeol was definitely not to treat Kyungsoo as an equal. Each time, Chanyeol would scrunch his nose at his butler’s sermon and continued his ways. Until Mr. Park stepped in, Chanyeol had no choice but to accepted the difference in social status between him and Kyungsoo and he did so bitterly. Kyungsoo on the other hand remained silent throughout and always kept his eyes lowered. He understood his position and status. Although he felt really touched at how Chanyeol really wanted to be his friend, the fact that they are master and servant cannot be changed.

One day, as Chanyeol threw a tantrum in class and ran off into the woodlands, Suho dispatched Kyungsoo to fetch their young master back. Under the same magnolia tree they had met, Kyungsoo spotted Chanyeol sitting on one of the top branches.

“Young master Chanyeol, please come down!” Kyungsoo shouted with worry in his voice, “You’re going to hurt yourself if you fall!”

“I’ll definitely jump off if you call me young master again,” Chanyeol retorted with spite. He had made it clear with the younger boy on multiple occasions that he could call him by his name if it was just the two of them. To Chanyeol, the term ‘young master’ often felt like an insurmountable wall that segregated him and Kyungsoo, dwarfing their friendship to nothing.

“Okay, okay, Chanyeol. Could you please come down?”

“No, you should come up instead, Soo. The view up here is great!” Chanyeol dangled his feet cheerfully and he flashed a smile at the worried Kyungsoo down below. After a few more minutes of failing negotiation, Kyungsoo gave in and he carefully scaled up the flower tree. Gingerly placing himself next to Chanyeol, Kyungsoo surveyed the view in awe. All around, fresh leaves sprouted on branches and the flower trees bloomed in full. Gentle breeze caressed their faces and the two boys closed their eyes enjoying the moment. Both losing interest in returning to the stuffy classroom, they began to chat.

“Why does your brother hit you so much?” Chanyeol asked. He noticed that Kyungsoo was always getting hit by his brother but his friend never retaliated.

“He is trying to be like a father to me, I guess.” Kyungsoo shrugged, “It doesn’t hurt too much, really. I know he means well.”

“What does hitting you have anything to do with being a fatherly figure? Appa doesn’t hit me.”

“That’s because your family is rich. We are poor.”

Chanyeol looked at Kyungsoo as if that was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. “What does that have to do with anything?” Chanyeol argued.

Kyungsoo ignored the taller boy’s stare and changed the topic. “Why are your eyes grey?”

“Because my grandmother was an American. Both appa and I inherited her grey eyes.”

“She must have been pretty.” Kyungsoo wondered out loud and he tried to imagine how Chanyeol’s foreign grandmother looked in his head.

“It was all for the family, appa said,” Chanyeol continued, his voice reflecting bitterness unusual for an eight-year-old, “grandfather married grandmother so our family would have American protection. But I guess she was pretty, at least from the photographs. I don't remember much of her. She passed away when I was really young.”

Silence fell among the two friends. Kyungsoo quietly shifted closer to Chanyeol, trying to bring some comfort to the taller boy.

“Where is your appa, Soo?” Chanyeol asked, breaking the silence again.

“He was drafted into a Japanese labour camp…that’s why umma came to work here.”

“What is that?”

“Hyung said it’s a place where you’re forced to work all the time until you die…”

“Oh… I’m sorry.”

Kyungsoo shook his head. He was sure he would never see his appa again and that thought made his really sad. He will always miss when his family was whole, but at a young age he learned that many things in this world were often out of his control. At least he has Chanyeol now, he thought, and Kyungsoo smiled sadly at his friend who looked really apologetic. Wrapping his arms around Kyungsoo’s thin shoulders, Chanyeol gave the shorter boy a warm hug. They hugged until Chanyeol had a bright idea.

“Hey, let’s make a code for when your hyung is bullying you again!” He held Kyungsoo squarely by the shoulder and excitement flashed in his stormy eyes.

Curious, Kyungsoo widened his eyes and he tilted his head in question. “A code? Like what?”

“Mm…” Chanyeol hummed and focused in concentration. Seconds later, his eyes lit up and he clapped his hands loudly for three times. “Like this! Clap, clap, clap! That will be our code for when you’re in trouble. If he’s hitting you again, just run away from him while clapping three times like this, and I will come to save you!”

Kyungsoo giggled at his friend’s enthusiasm. He was sure Suho would never approve of this loud clapping and running plan, but a code does sound like fun. “How about we both either clap or make some kind of noise three times in a row when we are in trouble? It will be our distress code!”

“Like if you break another vase or when I get Suho angry again for some reason?”

“Yes!” Kyungsoo laughed. His bell-like laughter tickled Chanyeol’s ears and heart.

“Done!” Chanyeol shouted eagerly. Linking their pinkie fingers together, the two boys sealed their promise amongst the magnolia flowers. Chanyeol smiled like a fool and Kyungsoo’s heart-shape smile reflected in his grey smoky eyes. He felt intoxicated by the sweet smell of the flowers and from having a secret between him and Kyungsoo.

That day, something began to bloom in Chanyeol’s heart. Spring had come.

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Author's note: Happy holidays everybody! I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D I've been thinking about this story a lot and although there is a lot of angst, I like how it reflects history and reality, or at least I will try to! Leave a comment if you'd like, I always welcome constructive criticism. Thank you <3