In the year 1732, gambling houses thrived. Most houses provided the common games, like cards or mahjong, but now, fight clubs were on the rise. Since most of their clients were rich noblemen and powerful officials, the gisaeng houses found most of their clients there. Some of the bigger pleasure houses even started fight clubs of their own.

One such gisaeng house was Jade Palace, the biggest, most popular pleasure house in East Asia. People came from all corners of the known world, just to spend a night with one of their girls and boys, while at the same time gambling away some money.

One might wonder what their secret was, because it most definitely wasn't the owner's people skills. Kim Youngmin was rude, crude, arrogant and just plain evil. But he had one redeeming quality: his most precious gem.

22 years old, Kim Jaejoong had been the owner's trophy for seven years, ever since his father sold him to settle his gambling debt. Officially Youngmin's protégé, Jaejoong was the man's slave. A one client gisaeng. Kept locked away deep inside the lavish mansion that made up the gisaeng house, Jaejoong's appearances outside the walls of his 'home' were as rare as they were desired, and people who caught even so much as a glimpse of him considered themselves luckier than most.

"Psst! Jaejoong-ah! Come here!" Junsu whispered excitedly over the stone wall when he spotted his friend in Youngmin's private garden. It was one of the few times when Youngmin let him have some free time, and Jaejoong would always come out into the garden. He loved everything that grew, and his dream was to have an orchard of his own.

Junsu was one of the few people who treated him like a human being, rather than a prize to be won, or a toy to be jealously hidden. After Junsu's uncle, Kim Kyung-tak, had become Jaejoong's personal servant, the two boys had become closer than brothers.

"Junsu-yah, what's up?" Jaejoong whispered back.

"I have a gift for you."

"What is it?"

Jaejoong couldn't help but gush over the cute little white kitten that Junsu handed him.

"Is it really for me?" Jaejoong had never received a gift solely for himself in his life. Everything people sent him went directly to Youngmin.

"Yeah. I thought you could use some fluffy cuteness in your life."

"Thank you. Thank you so much. You know I love you, right Junsu-yah?"

"I love you too."

Jaejoong smiled sadly, watching as Junsu ran away to tend to the guests. He hugged the kitten gently. "We'll be alright, won't we? Susu-yah." The boy placed a light kiss on the kitten's head, naming it after his only friend in the whole world.

OoOoO

Far away from the capital, in the bamboo forests near Gwangju, lived a martial arts master by the name of Jung Yunho. At 27, he had a reputation for being the best master, not only because of his skills, but also for his kind heart and righteous personality. He detested the gambling world for being immoral and decadent. The only thing worse than gambling, in his eyes, was the gisaeng business, since he thought it was pure slavery.

"Hyung! Yunho-hyung!" Changmin, Yunho's self-proclaimed student, called out, having prepared lunch for them both.

"Changmin-ah, just on time", Yunho smiled. The bright teenager had followed Yunho around for over ten years, ever since he saved the orphan child from gangsters, and Yunho had come to see him as family.

"My stomach can tell time better than any human invention", the food enthusiast grinned, holding out a kimbap roll to Yunho.

"Hey, hyung. I heard something interesting in the marketplace yesterday."

"What?"

"Apparently, in the capital, there's a palace made entirely of jade, and in it is a gem so rare and perfect that people even come all the way from Beijing just to see it. Isn't that amazing?"

Yunho's unimpressed look drew a pout on Changmin's face.

"What?" the younger grunted.

"Nothing, nothing. It's just that when people talk about the capital, they tend to exaggerate beyond reason."

"Have you ever been to the capital?" Changmin asked haughtily.

"No."

"Then how can you know they're exaggerating? Hmm?" Changmin pressed.

The teenager smiled when Yunho merely tsk-ed in defeat.

"Speaking of the capital… I hear they have all kinds of exotic food there… I sure would like to try it sometime…"

"Oh no, not that manipulating tone! You know it won't work on me."

"Oh, but it will, won't it? Especially when you realise that this poor boy whom you've taken under your wings knows only life in the countryside, and has never experienced the glamour that is a city." Changmin faked a sob for emphasis.

"If you wanna go to the capital just say so", Yunho muttered and threw the fishbones into the fire.

"You're the best, hyung. I knew you wouldn't disappoint me", Changmin said, his fingers to finish his meal.

A/N

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