The next morning, Ryeowook found himself back on the market place, one hand once again holding Kyuhyun’s while his gaze wandered. Even though it was still early, the sun was already burning down, bringing unusually many visitors to the market. Just how bad was the heat during the day?

“I think we should get fans today,” Ryeowook commented, already on the lookout for a booth that might sell what he wanted. Or would it be better to find a proper store that sold fans?

Kyuhyun laughed at that. “You do sound a little spoiled, you know?”

“For not wanting to melt?”

“I get it, I get it.” He raised his free hand in defense and also let his gaze wander.

“Will it sound just as spoiled when I say that I want a pretty fan?”

“Yes?”

Ryeowook sighed softly because he really did want a pretty fan. Back at the royal palace, he had had lots of fans in all kinds of colors and phrases and images, matching his array of robes, and he suddenly regretted not having brought at least one of them. Then again, he also hadn’t had the space to bring anything unnecessary.

“You!” someone called out somewhere behind them and Ryeowook turned around automatically. Many other heads turned towards the man who had called before the majority of them went back to taking care of their own business, only some still watching in case of a spectacle.

Kyuhyun stepped in front of Ryeowook, not pulling his hand away from Ryeowook’s, but clearly shielding him, making the prince worry immediately. Who was this man? And, the man’s unfriendly tone and expression aside, why was there a need for Kyuhyun to shield him from that man in particular?

The man indeed approached them and started talking to Kyuhyun as soon as he was somewhat in (human) earshot, and Ryeowook quickly realized that this was the man whose hut they were staying in. The man flashed him irritated glances during the conversation, but Ryeowook couldn’t figure out whether that was because Kyuhyun was shielding him, because they were holding hands, or because there were obviously two young men staying together in such a small hut.

“Yes, we’ll be out by the day after tomorrow,” Kyuhyun promised to the monologue-complaint from the other man who humph-ed in response, glared once more, then left. Around them, a few spectators were still glancing at them, probably trying to be discreet, and Ryeowook did his best to ignore the uncomfortableness of being in the spotlight. The wish for his two maids to be by his side rose inside him even though he tried to suppress that as well, reasoning against it as always: Kyuhyun was there, they were both vampires, there was nothing to be afraid of and nothing where his maids could be any more help than Kyuhyun. His tries were as futile as ever.

When the man was definitely gone, Ryeowook stepped forward and his eyes met Kyuhyun’s. “So we only have one more night, then we have to move,” he concluded quietly and Kyuhyun nodded, looking worried though not surprised. Sensing that Kyuhyun wouldn’t add anything else, Ryeowook turned away and scanned the area, spotting a cart with fans not too far away. “Come on, I think I saw something!”

He led the way to the cart, Kyuhyun staying close to him as always, giving Ryeowook the anchor that he needed to navigate through the comparably crowded market place without further incidents. From his peripheral vision, he noticed people keeping a slight distance from them, though he wasn’t sure if that was intentional. He kept his eyes securely on his destination, refusing to let anything else distract him, but his heart still fluttered anxiously when they crossed the market place and people were all around them, leaving no direct way out of the situation, the scent of humans and their naturally noisy behavior surrounding him like a pack of wolves. Something inside him stirred, to protect or maybe even attack, tempting him with its power, but Ryeowook pushed it down, clenching his teeth and holding Kyuhyun’s hand a little tighter.

They crossed swiftly, but Ryeowook still let out a breath that he hadn’t realized he had been holding when they finally arrived at the cart that offered fans. Kyuhyun’s thumb caressed the back of his hand reassuringly and maybe even as a compliment, prompting gratefulness and pride to fill Ryeowook. Both feelings were short-lived, though, when he took a proper look at the fans.

“They’re fake,” he commented the moment the vendor started talking excitedly. Ryeowook’s shoulders sagged and he took a step away.

“How do you mean ‘fake’?”

“The colors look cheap. And the characters are obviously aimed at people who don’t know how to read because some of them are wrong. There was even one fan that held a saying that was supposedly from Confucius, but the phrasing is wrong and the writing is sloppy.”

“You took a fleeting look at it and immediately saw that?” Kyuhyun sounded honestly impressed, but Ryeowook just nodded with a sigh.

“I’m a prince, I studied the characters and the Confucian Classics all my life. Believe me, if there’s something that I’m entirely certain about, it’s those two things.”

“Should we look for another cart then?”

Ryeowook shook his head, discouraged. “I doubt they’ll be much better. Let’s try to find an actual shop instead.”

“Need any recommendations?”

Ryeowook spun around in record time while Kyuhyun’s head shot up, prompting the young man in front of them to laugh. “Heechul-sshi!” Ryeowook exclaimed. The other once again wore his black and red robes, but this time, he held a white fan in his hand with beautiful scenery and Chinese characters that looked proper. He waved the fan leisurely, looking quite amused at the scare he had caused the other two.

“I apologize; I had meant to find you, but I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. But if you like, I can lead you to a place that has good quality fans, though it’s also a bit on the pricy side. This fan here is from that shop.” He raised it to emphasize his words and Ryeowook was about to agree when the memory of the argument he had had with Kyuhyun popped into his mind and he remained quiet, looking at Kyuhyun instead. Only when he thought about it again did he realiye that the phrasing ‘a bit on the pricy side’ was probably also troubling, though Kyuhyun would certainly be able to judge that better than he himself.

“What do you mean with pricy?” Kyuhyun asked indeed and when Heechul named a price, his eyebrows shot up, making Heechul laugh.

“But don’t worry about it, I can get you a discount. So?”

Kyuhyun hesitated and eventually looked at Ryeowook, seemingly also gaining the ability to read minds, because his expression changed to one of defeat and he nodded. “Okay, let’s do it.”

Had the wish to go really been that clear on his face? Ryeowook swallowed the question and his eyes turned to the fan in Heechul’s hand instead, admiring its design, though he couldn’t help the wonder that Heechul carried a fan that didn’t fit the rest of his styling at all. Or was this way of thinking just applying court standards to the outside world?

“Do you want to take a look?” Heechul asked out of the blue and closed the fan, holding it out for Ryeowook who hesitated but then took it with a small ‘thank you’. The group started moving while he opened the fan, taking in the intricate details and the neatly written characters.

“It’s really beautiful,” he said as he handed the fan back, making Heechul smile.

“I know, right? I actually snatched it from Hangeng earlier.” He laughed and Ryeowook couldn’t help but smile, finally getting his answer why the fan seemed a little out of place when Heechul held it.

Heechul led them through various streets while making light conversation with them until they arrived at a shop that Ryeowook instantly liked. It was a small place, and even though he was so far away from home, it reminded him a lot of blacksmith Park’s place.

They went inside and an elderly man welcomed them immediately, his speech slow, but his dialect so heavy that Ryeowook gave up on understanding anything after the welcome. Heechul on the other hand easily made conversation with the man while Kyuhyun listened carefully, also seeming to struggle a little with understanding the two. After just a bit of conversation during which the elderly man turned from welcoming to presumptuous to angry to flattered while Heechul remained calm and his tone friendly, Heechul turned to the two of them, continuing in the capital’s dialect, “You two can look around freely, any prices will be absolutely negotiable.”

Ryeowook was a little surprised that Heechul didn’t continue speaking Korean with them, but he assumed that he didn’t want to displease the shop owner any further. “Thank you very much,” he said towards the owner with a bow and then looked around, simply pulling Kyuhyun with him for the time being while Heechul remained at the entrance with the shop owner.

As Ryeowook examined the fans, he eventually let go of Kyuhyun’s hand, feeling secure enough in this small room that there was no need for him to have the other’s hand as a constant anchor. Heechul and the shop owner were making conversation, but since Ryeowook couldn’t understand it anyway, he mostly droned it out.

The majority of the fans were kept in light colors and had drawings of landscapes on them, some of them also had flowers, and all of them held at least one Chinese character. The brush of each character and each drawing was filigree and Ryeowook couldn’t help a small smile when he could almost hear his teacher’s praising over this art. The shop owner—or the artist, in case they were different people—had to be one with high education!

The sound of footsteps came closer and the elderly man appeared next to Ryeowook, obviously having figured out that he was the one who knew what he was looking for. He asked a question and even though Ryeowook tried his best, he could only understand the words ‘you’ and ‘like’, yet he immediately nodded.

“They’re all very beautiful and neatly made. My good sir must be a master of his work.”

The man looked obviously flattered and behind him, Heechul barely managed to suppress a chuckle, quiet noises still betraying him and making Ryeowook smile.

The man went on to explain his fans, his voice excited yet calm and Ryeowook enjoyed listening despite his lack of understanding. Kyuhyun, on the other hand, seemed to gain more knowledge about the fans, nodding every now and then or humming softly.

Ryeowook felt tiredness settle in by the time that the shop owner finished his explanations, once again asking a question with the words ‘see’ and ‘like’. But how should he decide for something? All of them were incredibly well made and he somehow wanted all of them, though that was of course out of question.

Kyuhyun picked an orange-red fan that read Wherever you go, go with all your heart, and Ryeowook thought to himself that he would have chosen the same one for Kyuhyun. But which one should he himself pick?

“I think this one would suit you.”

Ryeowook’s gaze shifted away from the array of fans with Confucian quotes and to the one that Kyuhyun held in his hand: a mostly white fan with blue and pink highlights that formed beautiful orchids, the name of the flower written neatly in the upper left corner. He hardly managed to suppress a blush rising to his face, but he couldn’t hold back the thoughts: orchid, the flower that symbolized fortune, harmony—and love.

The elderly man kept on talking, sounding a little hesitant, but Ryeowook carefully took the fan from Kyuhyun’s hand, turning it around to find a beautiful landscape with orchids on the other side. The fan was certainly aimed at women users, but from the moment that he held the fan in his hands and when his eyes met Kyuhyun’s, intense love surged through him.

“We’ve chosen,” he said to the shop owner when he pulled himself back into reality and he hoped that his emotions hadn’t been too clear on his face.

Heechul indeed managed to land them a great discount and even though Ryeowook tried to contribute, Kyuhyun once again paid the full prize, then the three of them left. “Should we go back?” Heechul offered and Ryeowook nodded, automatically taking Kyuhyun’s hand since they were out in the open.

They hadn’t walked very far yet when Heechul spoke up again, “It wasn’t accidental that I came to the city today and found you two. Hangeng and I talked about everything yesterday. A lot, actually. You see, it is rather uncommon for anyone to even just meet us a second time after they learn of our powers.”

“What conclusion did you get to?”

“Nothing will change about our offer. But of course we understand that, should we agree to spend time together now, there’s no guarantee things will go smoothly—we’ve had time to adjust to our own and each other’s powers, for you, I’m assuming that they would be very new. And it has been a long time since Hangeng and I have lived with other people or have even just had others stay with us temporarily.”

If even Heechul said that it had been a long time, it had to be an eternity. How long was ‘a long time’ for vampires? Ryeowook’s heart went out to Heechul and Hangeng and he couldn’t even begin to understand how much rejection the other two had to have faced.

Heechul glanced at them before he looked at the pavement ahead of them, seeming insecure with the topic at hand even though Ryeowook could tell that he tried to appear strong and self-confident. “All we will ask is for you two to be honest—not necessarily to us, that part is a given, after all, but to yourselves. Even if you should stay with us but soon realize that you can’t handle it anymore, please don’t force yourselves but be honest. Maybe we’ll just need to talk about possible changes—maybe it will be best to part ways.”

Heechul had his shoulders squared and his head high, but to Ryeowook, he sounded genuinely sad. Was he afraid of another rejection when they had already come so far?

“Hey, I’m used to getting exposed by Hangeng, why are you starting on the same track?” Heechul suddenly turned towards Ryeowook, sounding exasperated.

Kyuhyun instantly blocked them with his body, but after a moment’s surprise, Ryeowook couldn’t help but laugh and he gently pulled Kyuhyun back to his side, grateful when he allowed it with just a hint of hesitation. “I grew up at court. I know that people often write me off as gullible or reckless and I know that, from their perspectives, they’re usually right, but I have learned my share of safety measures and reading people.”

“Shouldn’t you be shying away from us then? We’re vampires, after all, and I could bet that none of us has the most glorious past.”

“But does that make you bad people now?”

Heechul actually stopped. Ryeowook turned around to find the other looking perplexed and like he needed a moment to cope with that question before he replied falteringly, “I mean… it doesn’t erase our pasts.”

“No, but does that necessitate that you haven’t learned?”

“Of course not.”

Ryeowook nodded. “Then that’s all I need to know. I don’t think you’re a bad person now even if your past may be troublesome, and I think the same about Hangeng-sshi and Kyuhyun. My gut feeling says that I can trust you and so far, it seems to be correct.”

Heechul shook his head lightly, taking the lead again. “You’re truly different,” he said quietly after a while. He opened his mouth once more, but then closed it without making a sound, just shaking his head.

Those words hung in the air as they walked, and it was clear that at least Heechul needed some time to sort his thoughts. It was only when they turned around another corner and saw the city gates nearby that Heechul spoke again, “So have you two already reached a decision?”

“We have. And we’d like to take you up on your offer,” Kyuhyun answered.

Heechul glanced at him, looking surprised and like he wanted to comment that, but then he just smiled and nodded. “When would you like to come over?”

“If it’s possible… in two nights’ time? The day after tomorrow, we have to be out of the place we’re staying in these days.”

Heechul looked like he thought about those words, then he nodded. “I’ll let Hangeng know that you’ll come over then. Just… If my intuition isn’t wrong, you two seem to be more on a night-rhythm. We would appreciate it if you could come over around dawn again; since Hangeng works for the city council, we have adopted a similar daily rhythm as humans.”

Kyuhyun nodded immediately while Ryeowook felt a little wary about that. The sun was still affecting him so much, but he didn’t want their sleeping schedules to be so different. Would he be able to adjust quickly?

“We’ll make sure not to arrive too early.”

“Thank you.”

They exited the city and chatted a little longer until they arrived at the forest where they parted ways. Ryeowook eventually let go of Kyuhyun’s hand because it really got too hot for physical contact, and his other hand kept on leisurely using the fan, a mere glance down or a thought of his new fan making him smile.

__________________________________________________________________________

A/N

Even though belatedly, I did my best to research a proper quote for Kyuhyun's fan that fits into the era where this story takes place. While Wherever you go, go with all your heart is attributed to Confucius, I do not speak Chinese well enough to confirm the fact (and do not know the Classics). I've read on a post on reddit (I am aware that reddit is generally not a reliable source, but this isn't a research paper, so I decided that it'll have to do ^^') that the original version is a little different from the quote that I'm using here, but for the sake of the story, I'll stick to Wherever you go, go with all your heart.