A/N:  This is a steampunk, mid-Victorian AU wherein the Joseon government abandoned their strict isolationalist policy fifty years prior to the telling of this story (24 years before it happened in real life), and enjoyed open, friendly relations with England. 

Sehun was a sickly child.  

Born the youngest of twelve sons, he had to struggle for almost everything--enough attention, enough food, but never enough love.  The Oh household was hardly known for its affluence, but if nothing else, there was more than enough love.  

Pale and otherworldly, Sehun was often coddled by his hyungs, babied, and treated preciously, even as he grew to tower over half of them.  They would never hesitate to offer him the best morsels of food, the warmest blankets, the choicest of everything.  All he had to do was look at them with his mischievously twinkling big brown eyes, and they’d cave.

Despite having eleven older brothers, Sehun could always be found in the shadow of his hyung, Junmyeon, ever since he could walk.  It was Junmyeon who discovered his talents, Junmyeon who encouraged him to hone his abilities, clever, thoughtful Junmyeon who came up with the plan that would take them across the ocean to a new country, a new language…

And new pockets.