The week started off as it normally did - nothing out of the blue. Sehun still wasn't on speaking terms with Luhan, Yifan was still canoodling with Junmyeon, and the empress was waiting for her plan to fall into place.
Okay, so maybe none of this was quite normal. At least, it wouldn't have been a few months ago. But due to recent events, things couldn't get any more normal than this.

It felt strange to Luhan to simply watch the morning military drills from his balcony; he hadn't dared to go down to the general, and in turn, the general hadn't come up to see him for days after the banquet. Sehun was much too proud to accept anything other than an apology for something done wrong against him, even from someone as delicate and gentle as Luhan. And the emperor's son wasn't as good with words when it came to apologies.

The wedding to Yixing was growing closer and closer, and it was rumored to be a grand affair (was anything else expected from such well-known families?), one that would have people speaking about it for many more decades to come. Any bride or groom would be thrilled about such things - Yixing definitely was - but Luhan wasn't. That was expected too, wasn't it? But the only one he could blame was himself; if he hadn't dared to dream about a life with choices, this wouldn't have happened. If he hadn't dared to imagine what it would be like to love and be loved by someone who wasn't chosen (or liked for that matter) by his parents, then he wouldn't be in such low spirits right now. If he just ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑡 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑟𝑢𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑑, then everything would have been okay.

He sighed as he dumped his book on the floor - he couldn't concentrate in the play held inside of it, especially not when it was a romantic one. He didn't feel sad today, more like...sulky. He didn't want to leave his room; all he wanted to do was skulk around and wallow in his pitiful state by himself, even if it was just for today. But he was still royalty, and he was still the emperor's son, and that meant Luhan could never be alone for a whole day without any repercussions.
Still, he couldn't mope around. He didn't want to. In fact, he regretted ever meeting up with Sehun at all, but then felt defeated right after. As much as Luhan wanted to be mad at himself and beat himself up for his mistakes, he just couldn't help but miss the certain taste of freedom the general had offered him. No one would fill that slot that Sehun had taken - no one would even come close. And as nice as Yixing seemed to be, he was a diligent son just as Luhan was, and that meant their life together would be predictable, mapped out, fully programed, and just plain boring. Nothing out of the ordinary would happen, and that's what Luhan feared the most. A week ago, he would've been happy that his parents found a nice match for him; he had been raised in a strict environment without so much as an unplanned step, and he had liked that...until Sehun came along. Luhan never knew what fun was until he spent time with the younger man, and he would be damned if he allowed his sulking to get the better of their relationship.
So, he decided to meet Sehun when drills were over.

The sun hung high in the sky when Luhan made his way to the grounds. At least, if anyone had been suspicious of him before for going down there a little too often, their thoughts had been dropped when Luhan decided to stay away for a few days without so much as a mention of the drills. It was one less thing to worry about.
He didn't know what to expect when he saw the general; his stomach churned all the way there. He could see the familiar golden glint of metal that twinkled in the bright sun - it would be lunch time in a few minutes, but Luhan knew he could make it quick. He had to.

As he had done before, he waited for the soldiers to leave. He then descended from his horse to walk over to the general who had since removed his helmet, and Luhan could feel those butterflies rise up in his stomach once more. It was as if he had been underwater this whole time and only managed to get a deep breath of fresh air now that he saw Sehun once again.
“Is your poet not available today?” But Luhan was knocked back down when he heard Sehun's stone cold voice as the general passed him, and he stood in the same spot for a second or two before he turned to the taller one. So, he was still angry then.
“You know I did not choose this. Why are you punishing me for it?” It was the first thing Luhan could think of, and soon he was rushing to catch up with Sehun who walked away without a single word.
“If I could change it, I would! Do you think I am happy with how these things are moving along? I do not want to get married! Not to him. Not to anyone if it is not you,” It was bold, maybe even something a simple, lovesick teenager would say, but he continued when he got no response, “I love you, Sehun! Do you not see that?”
“If you loved me, you would not expect me to accept you marrying someone else!” Sehun suddenly exclaimed as he stopped in his tracks, and Luhan did the same.
“I do not have a choi-”
“You 𝑑𝑜 have a choice. You are just too weak to decide for yourself,”
“I am not weak! It is easy for you to speak about decisions when nothing can happen to you!”
“Is that what you think? If your parents find out about us, what do you think will happen to me? You know the consequences will be stronger for me than for you. And the difference between us is that I was willing to take it for you!”
“You would not do that now?” Luhan felt like someone had popped his heart like a balloon. He didn't want to think of this as the end for them, but what more could be said? He was a coward, he knew it, and he was too afraid to make such a drastic change to his life, unlike Sehun. There was pressure on Luhan from all sides - his family, Sehun, and even Yixing, though that wasn't direct. The wedding itself was pressure enough. And he didn't know who to turn to; no matter what he did, someone would get hurt. Someone would turn their back on him. The question was - would he want to spend his life making his parents happy, or living out his own happiness?

“Of course I would do it now. My feelings have not changed for you. But I cannot stand to see you do nothing to change this outcome,” Sehun sighed, and he only flinched slightly when Luhan's one soft hand cupped his cheek to wipe some dirt off of his skin.
“Then I will approach the subject tonight at dinner. It is the only time they will listen to me properly,” His voice was soft now, but inside his heart was turmoil. If Sehun was a lion, then Luhan was a mere lamb; he couldn't speak his mind as openly as the general could. Maybe that's why no one - even the servants - took him too seriously. But he was determined to make his parents listen this time...the result wouldn't be positive, and that made his knees weak just thinking about it, but he had to show strength. He truly did love Sehun with all of his tiny heart, even if that seemed foolish at such an early stage; how was he supposed to think otherwise when all he did was read about a feeling in his plays that he only felt with Sehun?

They parted ways, and Luhan felt the tsunami of emotions finally reach him. The overwhelming pressure, the crushing sadness if he backed out now, but also the uplifting happiness now that Sehun seemed to be talking to him again. He knew this was something big; his parents would find a way to keep him and Sehun apart the moment their son mentioned his strong feelings for the general. That was why he had to be completely sure this was the path he wanted to go down - once he started it, there would be no turning back.

He was on his way back to the palace when he passed by the one teahouse no one used anymore...or at least, it was meant to be that way. There were two people seated at the small table with a teapot and teacups.
He was about to go inside and demand why they were using a space his father had said was supposed to be closed off when something told him to hang back. Maybe it was the golden robe that caught his attention, or the low thrum of voices that sounded eerily similar to Yifan and...the royal doctor? Suho? No, why would they be meeting? There wasn't a consultation organized for today, was there? And surely not in an abandoned teahouse?
Luhan decided to step behind a tree and properly observe them once he had come to the conclusion that it certainly was them - still, their conversation didn't give much away as to why they were meeting. He wondered if his mother had organized it; she was known for organizing consultations with the royal doctor when Yifan was being too stubborn to see him. Or she used to. Lately, she had tried to convince him he didn't need to see the doctor so often. Luhan wondered why there was suddenly such a drastic change in her attitude towards the doctor.

“...does not suspect anything. Why are you so worried?” It was Yifan.
“Are you sure she does not have any suspicions about us? She is very cold towards me these days,” Luhan hadn't heard Suho's voice that much, but his distinct hesitation that came with speaking Chinese was unique enough for the emperor's son to recognize it now. He was reminded once more of Sehun - he was the same, always putting much thought into words before he spoke them since the language was a complex one.
“She is cold to me as well. Maybe she is ill,” Yifan's tone was a thoughtful one now, and this got Luhan thinking as well. The empress certainly had been acting odd these days...then he snapped back into reality. Why was the family doctor and the emperor together?!
“I doubt she would want me to advise her on her health,” Suho said with a wry chuckle lining his voice, and Luhan saw his father take hold of the doctor's hand.
“As I have said before, you have no need to worry. Nothing will happen to you while I am around,” There was a gentleness in Yifan's voice that Luhan hadn't heard him use with his wife for some time now. In fact, it sounded foreign now and made Luhan's brows furrow in confusion.
“And when you are gone?” Suho asked, and they gazed at each other with such an intense, loving look that it almost made Luhan expect them to kiss.
He was no poet nor genius, but it didn't take one to figure out there was something romantic going on between the emperor and royal doctor. For how long, he wasn't sure, but it seemed to be more than a few days or weeks from the way they spoke to one another.

He backed away from his hiding spot behind the tree, careful not to trip over anything or step on something that would give away his presence. His heart was pounding in his ears and stuck in his throat; he had never expected his father to do something like this. He was such a family man, always making sure everyone stayed in line, and yet he was cuddling up with Suho.
How odd - his situation wasn't that much different from Luhan's. They had both fallen for Korean men who were well-respected in their fields and younger than them. Like father, like son...maybe the apple didn't fall far from the tree after all.

At lunch, Luhan was quiet with his thoughts. The table didn't have much chatter in general, but he tried to make it seem like he was listening whenever someone spoke. He couldn't meet Yifan's eye for obvious reasons, and he wondered what he was supposed to do now. Keep it to himself, or be a good son and tell his mother? What would come of it? The royal family couldn't split up, it was just unheard of. But what if the truth came out to the empress one day and Luhan knew all along? He'd feel wickedly guilty for that. Damn him and his conscience!

After lunch and up until dinner, he still hadn't come to a decision as to what he should do. He almost wanted to feign being sick just to get out of going to dinner, but it wouldn't make the situation magically disappear. He had to at least try maintaining a normal routine so no one would suspect anything, but now that he knew about this as well as the fact that he had to tell his parents about Sehun, it only made him feel lower and lower with each passing second.

It was just when the sun was about to set when Tao entered Luhan's room, and the shorter man looked up questioningly.
“You have been acting odd the whole day,” Tao started off, “why is that?”
“I am not sure what you mean,” Luhan mumbled as he placed his calligraphy brush down, trying to avoid his brother's eye as much as possible.
“Do not play coy with me. If you are concerned about mother and father finding out, then you should know I will not tell them whatever the matter is. Just like that time we stole plums from the plum tree,” Tao murmured as he stared at his brother thoughtfully, and Luhan smiled just a little as he was reminded of when they picked plums and ate them together without their parents finding out.
“Father...he...” He sighed after a long time of silence - he knew Tao was maybe the only one he could trust with such a delicate problem. Of course, Sehun was there too, but Luhan felt like this was something he needed to keep within the palace walls. Just until he decided what to do with the information.
“Father is seeing the family doctor behind mother's back. But not for checkups or consultations - it's like...the doctor is a consort of some sort,” Luhan admitted, and it felt like a certain weight had been lifted from his chest. He still felt as if he was drowning, but at least it wasn't as overwhelming as it was before.
“A consort?” Tao frowned, “are you sure?”
“Yes! I saw them in the old teahouse earlier. The way they spoke, it-it wasn't like they speak in front of mother,” Luhan hadn't realized just how much he let this get to him until there were some tears in his eyes; he just wanted everyone to be happy, and the way this was carrying on, his family would fall apart before he lost them for good. The palace was in chaos...or at least, it would be very soon.
“What do I do, Tao? If I do not say anything and mother eventually finds out, I will feel guilty for not telling her. But if I do say something...she will be hurt either way!” He allowed himself to be hugged by his brother in an unusual act of affection, and for the first time since he met Sehun, he finally let his emotions get to him and break him down into a crumpled, sad mess.

It was dinnertime, and the royal family was seated together as always. Except, it would be the dinner that would change all their lives forever.
Luhan picked at his food as he had earlier, and this time, his mother spoke up about it.
“Is there something wrong with your appetite, Luhan? You have not eaten much of your lunch, and it seems dinner will be the same,” She said, and he looked up as his heart began to pound again.
“No,” Was all he could answer in a meek voice, and his eyes turned down to his food again.
“Are you sure? I will consult with a doctor,” She said in a concerned voice, and Yifan glanced at her.
“Should I call for Suho?”
“No. I will find another doctor,” Her tone was crisp, as if she wasn't going to listen to his opinion on the matter.
“For what reason? Suho is the most capable doctor in China!” But he seemed to have other ideas.
“Everyone can be replaced. Everyone! And I have begun a search for another family doctor already,” Tao and Luhan glanced at each other as she spoke, then back at their parents.
“On what grounds? I have not approved it, so no one will be moving in or out of the palace unless I say so!”
“Why is it such a problem that another doctor be moved in?”
“He is a well-known doctor, that is all,”
“Nonsense. There is another reason!”
“There is no other reason! Do not argue with me on this,” Both their voices were raising in volume now, and Luhan felt his stomach churn and his palms grow sticky with sweat. The truth was about to come out, and it wasn't going to be pretty-
“He does not want Suho to leave because he is father's consort behind your back!” He shrieked from all the panic that had been bubbling in his chest; there was just too much for him to deal with right now. He always blabbered about secrets he was supposed to keep when he began to panic, like now. And something else was about to come out with his word vomit, something that he hadn't wanted to come out right after telling his mother that Yifan was messing around.
“And if he can do it, why am I not allowed to? I do not want to marry Yixing! I do not want to marry anyone unless it is general Oh!” Now 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 was something no one expected to hear.
Yifan and Tao were stunned into silence, but the empress was huffing and puffing like a steam engine. If she could explode on the spot, she would've.
“Your father has already ruined this family's reputation by being too welcoming with Suho! I will not let you deny Yixing, a perfectly good scholar, for some...some...illiterate soldier!” Her voice was like nails scratching on a board, piercing through their skulls as she screamed her words at the top of her lungs.
If the whole palace didn't know what was going on a few minutes ago, they did now.
“He is better than Yixing! I love him!” Luhan cried out as he felt tears brim down his cheeks.
“You do not know what love is! Love is nothing. You are not some commoner that has a choice between love and what we as your parents say!” She exclaimed, and he got up from the table in his upset emotional state, “I will not marry Yixing! I refuse!”
“You will do as I say to save this family from your father's incompetence!”
But Luhan was already on his way to his room.

Once he was alone, he let out a small sob; he didn't plan for things to go so awry, and his mother seemed more hurt by his revelation of wanting to marry Sehun than the revelation that Yifan was busy with Suho.
“Luhan!” Amidst his small crying fit, he heard a tiny voice, “Luhan!”
He wiped his face with his sleeve before he walked over to the balcony to find the source of the voice.
“I heard what happened with your father and you not wanting to get married,” It was Sehun, and a concerned expression was etched onto his features, “may I come up to see you?”