If Luhan had thought the palace was grand when he first arrived, after seeing the great hall filled with people donning diamond earrings, with shirt cuffs lined with gold Luhan knew that there was no way there could be anything grander than this. People all over the country came to this one event where no matter how many people there were, there was always excess. Seven courses with as much food as you can eat which went well into the night, the men drinking, the women gossiping, it was a feast fit for a king. Or maybe seven.

Unlike the last feast however, Luhan kept quiet this time. He mainly stuck around Yixing, Jongin and Yifan who were off in their own world. Many approached him and he greeted them all courteously, however he never kept conversation up, preferring to keep to himself.

Part of him wished to leave the feast all together, but he knew he could not disobey or embarrass the king like that, he was of course, part of the court. So he merely hung to the sides, staying quiet as he ate, standing in the shadows as they danced.

Many asked him to dance, he declined.

The king never approached him once and Luhan had the joys of watching the king dance with practically everyone else.

Four or five hours into the feast, the king was definitely drunk. He began to slur his words, letting out loud laughs as he slammed his hand on the table. Not that anyone else was much better. Everyone was getting a little tipsy at that point, everyone but Luhan.

He merely stayed quiet, in the back, before Sehun’s voice jolted him out of this thoughts.

“And that one there.” Sehun seemed to slur his words, laughing as he pointed at Luhan “Beautiful as the sun but a traitor at best. Doesn’t know a thing about love.”

“Oh you’ve had him?” another man piped up, letting out a loud belch.

“’Had him? Of course I have.” Sehun let out a loud laugh before he shrugged, a smirk on his lips “Had him and then threw him away, wasn’t worth much after all.” He let out a chuckle before rolling his eyes “Poor thing didn’t understand a thing about flirting. I reckon he’s never been courted once in his life. I reckon he’s never been loved as I showed him, though that was fake.” He snorted, and Luhan merely closed his eyes, trying to block out the other’s words as he stayed still in his seat. “Bet you his parents didn’t even care for him.”

That was all the duke could take. In one move Luhan rose, nearly tipping over his chair as he headed out of the great hall, cloak flapping behind him. Sehun could see the other’s sleeve come up, seeming to wipe his face as he left. Even after all these years, Sehun still knew Luhan like the back of his hand. He knew the other was coiled with anger and with pain, that had been Sehun’s intention, to lash at the other for leaving him.

He had expected the boy to fire back.

But Luhan had merely taken it, eaten every word that Sehun threw at him until he was at his highest pain tolerance. And then instead of exploding he had shrunk back, withdrawing even deeper within himself as he had left.

Why?

Was it because Luhan wanted to protect Sehun? Was it because he didn’t want to humiliate the king? Or was Luhan afraid of Sehun, or was it love?

Sehun would have felt better if Luhan had lashed back.

AN: Just when you think Sehun gets better, he merely gets worse. Poor Luhan ;;. Anyways, thank you all for the 100 subs, that's an awesome goal to reach, I'm so glad 100 people like my work enough to stick around for more of it! thank you all for the support and I know I'm a bit slow with updating but hopefully each update is to your liking, enjoy! c: