Chapter 1: “a good day”

As the servants finished brushing off their spacious yard, Junmyeon slowly opened his eyes. He blinked once, twice, before blankly staring at the wooden ceiling of his chamber. He could hear the birds chirping, the distant sounds of the servants doing their works, also the complete silence from the chamber next to his. Junmyeon sighed before a smile slowly creeping on his handsome face. Today wasn’t like any other day, he should at least start it with a smile.

After all, it was supposedly a good day.

He left his chamber still in layers of his white undergarments, left behind a messy bedding for the servants to be fixed later. It wasn’t like he had that much time to waste to fix his bed anyway. As soon as he stepped out of his chamber, a basin of clean water and a towel were already waiting for him beside the small wooden stairs. At least they didn’t forget to prepare it like the day before. So far, today started like he hoped for.

He washed his face and doing other morning rituals he usually did, a smile still intact. After he finished, he leaned his body on the wooden post beside him, enjoying the cool morning breeze with his eyes closed. His favorite time of the day was when the sun was barely up and he still could see the moon from far away, slowly disappearing. He sat just silently like that for a few moments.

Junmyeon then had a look on his surroundings, the flower garden in front of the east wings of their huge Hanok was as beautiful as usual, but he couldn’t find anyone besides himself as far as his eyes could reach. Looked like the servants already finished with their cleaning at this part of the house, and it was too early for the residents of the house to wake up and starting their day. Unlike the rest of the family, it was a routine for him to wake up early, and he had no problem in continuing this habit of his. After all, it brought him inner peace he enjoyed very much.

When he saw the sun was already rising and the sunlight was warm enough, he reentered his chamber to change his clothes. Not wasting his much time in changing, he came out wearing a light blue and deep purple set of Hanbok, wearing his hat on the way as he walked toward his shoes. He needed to go to the bookstore he usually visited, a new series of his favorite literature from the Qing Dynasty supposed to arrive in Hanyang today.

He hummed a song as he walked toward the front door of their house, a smile was decorating his face as his two hands were put on his back. Though his steps halted as he saw a commotion just right in front of the door. He saw his half-brother –still clad in yesterday’s clothing- roughly pushed the door open while a servant seemed to have a difficulty in keeping him standing still.

With his staggering walk, red cheeks, those half-open lids, and that crazy sickening smile on his face also not to mention messy appearance and the missing of his hat, Junmyeon was one hundred percent sure his half-brother was drunk. Seemed like he spent another night in the Courtesan House. Junmyeon couldn’t find himself in shock after he saw his half-brother not so nobly act. He did it so often that Junmyeon got used to it.

The servant, a young fellow by the name Chen, bowed down as he saw Junmyeon not far away from them. He looked weary and tired after spending another night not getting enough sleep. “Good morning, Young Master”

Junmyeon just waved his hand while gesturing the servant to continue on his way, he didn’t want any sight of his wasted half-brother any longer. It would just flip over his supposedly good day into a bad one. He didn’t want that.

“Oh! Isn’t it Junmyeon-ie? Our talented younger brother Kim Junmyeon~ I miss you!!”

Junmyeon just silently winced as his half-brother pushed his servant away and then swayed to left and right before throwing his arms around Junmyeon shoulder, putting his weight solely on Junmyeon. Junmyeon closed his eyes in annoyance, the sharp smell of alcohol and women were attacking his sense like no tomorrow. He sighed as he glared at his half-brother’s personal servant, silently ordered him to bring his half-brother away from him. It was supposedly a good day, and he didn’t want his half-brother to spoil it even before he really started it.

“I’m sorry, Young Master” Chen bowed down even lower before literally dragging away the drunk older sibling toward his own chamber. Dealing with a drunk- young master was better than dealing with the infamous second young master of the Kim Household just right in the morning.

Junmyeon just clucked his tongue before dusting off his clothes, hoping the strong smells of alcohol and cheap perfume to go away just a little bit. After he satisfied, Junmyeon continued his way toward his destination.

~

The market was lively and full of people as he walked down the pathway, a smile was on his face. His hands were put on his back and his chin was up high, he was a definition of a nobleman who everyone avoided. Though his smile slowly disappeared as he saw how many dirty children running around the crowded path. He grimaced when an apparently homeless kid brushed off his side and then just continued running.

Junmyeon mood dampened drastically as he dusted off his side grumpily. Those peasants need to know their place, he unhappily thought, slowly started to regret wearing his favorite clothes.

But as he wanted to continue on his way, another homeless kid bumped on him, though this time the impact made the kid fall on her . She couldn’t be more than