--1--

A man with a radiant smile on his face stared at the little boy in front of him. He patted the boy’s face and the little boy scowled quietly as he fixed his bangs that covered his small face. He stopped his movement and brought his hands down back at his sides when he heard the man’s voice.

“It’s been awhile since we meet, isn’t Han?” The man crouched down in front of the little boy named Han or what he preferred to call more, Lu Han.

Lu Han slowly nodded while avoiding the man’s gaze that was directly stared at his doe eyes. He was rigid in his standing position; not moving a single muscle while the man still towered him even though he was crouching down.

“Uncle Zhou Mi missed you here. Why don’t you give your uncle a hug?” The man, Zhou Mi stretched out his long arms to little Lu Han’s direction. Lu Han hesitated to move or not but his mother behind him lightly pushed him; making him trapped into Zhou Mi’s embrace. Lu Han slowly raised his little arm and lightly hug him back.

After some minute, Zhou Mi released Lu Han and grinned at him. It was the first time Lu Han directly gazed into his eyes and immediately he noticed something was off. And the smile…it didn’t look really sincere at all. Not a single bit.

“Zhou Mi, could you help mom in the kitchen?” Lu Han’s mother who was also Zhou Mi’s sister asked him. Zhou Mi stood up while he nodded. Before he left to kitchen he gave Lu Han another small smile and then he disappeared to help his mom.

Little Lu Han released his breath he didn’t know he was holding and ran to his mother side and hugged her legs. He didn’t like his uncle, he didn’t like the vibe he’s giving off, and he just didn’t like him. The tall, slim and sharp looking featured face uncle of his…somehow scared him, intimated him.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Lu Han’s mother questioned while she wiped the sweat on the side of his little head. “Are you okay?”

The lady was worried. Why Lu Han was sweating cold sweat? Why his heart pounding so loud that she even can felt it against her leg? But most importantly, why Lu Han seemed to be scared of his own uncle?

“How about you play with Xiu Min outside? He got a new soccer ball from Aunt Yuen today” she suggested to her son.

Lu Han frantically nodded his head before dashing off to outside of the house. He saw Xiu Min with his cousins playing ball and he immediately joined them.

Lu Han’s mother watched her son from the window inside. Once she assured herself that Lu Han is okay, she went to help her mother in the kitchen to prepare lunch. She saw her husband and her brother talking normally so she headed there.

“Zhou Mi Ge, I don’t know what you are doing to my son but he seemed weird to be around you” She stated and gave him a look. Her husband sensed some seriousness in his wife’s tone; he wrapped his arm around her waist.

“I didn’t do anything, Mei Mei” Zhou Mi lightly laughed. “Maybe he’s just not familiar with me because he rarely sees me”

Lu Han’s mother was slightly convinced by her brother’s words so she just nodded in agreement. However, she couldn’t shrug off the thought of Lu Han’s expression whenever he’s near Zhou Mi. It was different, it was like he’s frightened and it was definitely not like him.

The rest of the cooking session with the family ran smoothly and happily until Xiu Min came barged in and ran to the kitchen.

“Mama! Lu Han is bleeding! Lu Han is bleeding!” His high pitched voice echoed in the house. He went into the kitchen but instantly halted in his step when he made an eye contact with someone. His eyes bore into his small single lidded ones, he almost whimpered on the spot if it wasn’t because of his mother who gently asked him where is Lu Han now.

“He’s in the yard, ma” Xiu Min said before pulling his mother hands in his much smaller hands to the yard. Xiu Min always know, he always know that his uncle have more affection to Lu Han instead of him. That’s why he, also like Lu Han, was scared of him.

Lu Han was wincing in pain, his knees was bleeding. He accidentally tripped while playing which resulting a scarped knee. He was trying hard to hold back his sobs but his tears were falling. He was always thought by his dad that boys need to be strong. But what can you do to a seven year old boy when he’s bleeding?

“Oh poor dear” He heard his mother voice; he looked up and saw his savior. Lu Han was escorted back inside the house to treat his wound; once it was done he was told to stay put and not to play for awhile.

While waiting for the lunch to finished, instead of going back outside, he watched TV in the living room. He watched some cartoons and lightly laughed when he saw a funny scene. But all of that entertainment and laughter of his went silent when he saw his uncle coming towards him.

It’s like a sudden cold breeze inside the room, everything went silent and cold. He heard the couch he was sitting at made it squeaking sound when Zhou Mi sat on it. Lu Han’s eyes focused on the screen and he tried his best to ignoring his uncle.

“Lu Han” Zhou Mi called. In his voice, there is some glowering under it. “I have something to tell you”

Lu Han reluctantly leave his gaze on the TV and turned to his uncle but his eyes didn’t meet Zhou Mi’s. Suddenly his chin was cupped and pulled up; making Zhou Mi’s eyes met his.

“I saw something today” he said. Taking Lu Han’s hand into his big ones and caressed it. “I saw your future”

“Want to know?” he asked. Lu Han being the curious kitten nodded his head.

Zhou Mi smiled; showing his whites at the little boy before looking around to see if there’s someone around them.

“Later on in couple of years…” he started.

“You’ll meet a special person, your other other half" he said. Young Lu han didn't know what his uncle means. What's the meaning of 'other half'? He thought.

“But unfortunately” Zhou Mi continued, making Lu Han slightly frowned at the ‘but’.

“But all has it's price...One day you’ll be having a competitor”

A competitor for what? Price? How much it cost? Lu Han innocent mind thought.

“And…”

Suddenly the atmosphere became chilly and tense. After having seeing his uncle’s eyes more than a second and he didn’t run away, he realized a dark look in his eyes. It was telling something.

Zhou Mi inhaled a breath and his hand was still caressing Lu Han’s small hand. “It was all started from a dream”

Lu Han felt Zhou Mi’s grip on his hand became tighter. He tried to wiggle it free, but the grip just got stronger and stronger.

“It isn’t a normal dream, Han” Hearing his uncle said his name made shivers ran all over his body. Second by second the grip got stronger than ever. Lu Han softly whimpered in pain but Zhou Mi didn’t stop.

His gaze drifted to Lu Han to somewhere or rather someone else as he slowly spelled…

“It was a never ending nightma-“

“Ge! You’re scarring my son!” suddenly Lu Han’s hand was released from the death grip. He cradled his hand and was it turned red from the grip.

“What’s going on here?” Grandmother peeked from the kitchen door. She saw her daughter glaring at her brother while holding her son close to her body.

“Ma, he’s telling his non-sense stories again. And this time, to my own son! Don’t tell me we need to see the therapist again” Mrs. Lu complained as she pointed at Zhou Mi. Zhou Mi on the other hand, only rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“I’m going out” He declared before walking away. Before he walked to the door, he gave Lu Han a smile as he said, “Until we meet again, Han” he waved.

The front door slammed shut when Zhou Mi was out of the house. He walked across the yard and saw his nephews and nieces playing. But his eyes were staring directly at one of them who also staring back at him.

He gave him a blank look before walking away; leaving everyone confused.

Unknown to him and everyone, someone was watching him stalked away from the window inside the house. Zhou Mi was in big trouble after this.

It’s because he broke a promise.

15 Years Later

The old mansion in the middle of the woods covered by the autumn's dried leaves; leaving a gradient of yellow and orange. Inside, the furniture were covered by white cloths; protecting it from dust. 

Somewhere not far from the mansion, a car sped through the thick forest; making the leaves flew at its back. 

"Give me back my book!" She whined as she tried to reached her book which on her in-law's hand. 

"Xiu Min Ge!" She pouted. 

"Come on now, Shei. What's great about the book anyway?" Xiu Min said as he leaned back at the chair in the back side. Shei and Lu Han were in front and Lu Han's driving.

"It's about the presence of the unknown, okay?  I just like horror stories" She replied with a slight roll of eyes. 

Lu Han chuckled in amusement; sometimes his brother could be very childish. "Xiu, just give her book back" 

Xiu Min gave him a look, "You just being kind to her because you just got your first night" he stated.

"Min Bao Ge!" Shei exclaimed. Her face was red from embarrassment then she unbuckled her seatbelt and lunged at him in the back. Lu Han would watch from the rear mirror, worrying about the two.

"Guys, stop it. You both going to get hurt" he warned. The two stopped their childish bawl and sat up straight.

"Is it me or the road gave me chills?" Xiu Min commented. The road was very narrow and big trees were on each side of the car. 

"And then a figure will suddenly appear in the middle!" Xiu Min playfully put Shei in a light head lock. 

"Ha Ha, very funny Ge. But I'm not scared" Shei pushed his arm away and then tried to crawled back to the front seat. 

Screech!

Shei cursed when her head hit the glass window. She felt pain on her left side, she groaned in pain. 

"Are you okay?" Lu Han immediately asked her and helped her fixed her position. The car halted in the middle of the road but they were not far from their destination.

"There's the house" Xiu Min suddenly pointed at something. After Lu Han settled with Shei, he looked up. He saw his grandparents' mansion not far from their position. 

He set his hand on the steering wheel and drove again. He parked the car and got out; jogging to the other side. 

Shei came out with the help of Lu Han with Xiu Min following behind. Xiu Min opened the door with a set of keys and it creaked open. A dark living room greeted their sight.

Shei settled down on a couch; not minding its dirtiness. She still was clutching her pained left side of her waist. 

"How come you're hurt on the left side if you actually bumped on the right side?" Lu Han questioned as he settled down her bag beside her. 

She didn't reply but she feels relieved when the pain started to subside.

Xiu Min was wondering around the mansion he always played at with Lu Han. It's still looked the same aside from the tiered ceiling and also tiered wallpaper. 

The house was left for ten years after their grandparents died. They gave the mansion to Lu Han after he found his woman but Lu Han -being the kind brother he is- wanted to share the mansion with his adoptive brother, Xiu Min.

"The house definitely needs a makeover" Xiu Min commented. As he walked, He ran his hand on the wall and he felt the dirtiness on the tip of his fingers.

He halted in front of a table by the side of the wall which was covered by a cloth. He opened it; revealing a set of pictures of the past. He smiled when he picked up a picture of his mother, Lu Han and him in front of the mansion, smiling brightly.

But his smile faded when he saw a picture of his uncle, his aunt and his mother standing side by side.

Uncle Zhou Mi and Aunt Yuen Mi

He ignored the eerie feeling in his gut and walked further. He opened the door he assumed to be his grandparents' bedroom. The room looked normal expects the oddly placed single chair in the middle of the room. 

A dust-less chair and uncovered from cloth, a brown wooden chair. But what made Xiu Min crept out is that, the chair seemed to be new. 

Weird, Xiu Min thought.

"Baozi! Let's get the movers to come here!" He heard Lu Han hollered from the living room.

"Coming!" Xiu Min hollered back. He turned and left the room. 

But what he didn't know was that his steps left a slight trail of blood behind.

Author's note:

Enjoy :))