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Changmin was originally from Korea. When he was eleven and was still just an ordinary boy living with his ordinary family which included his mother father and two younger sisters. Changmin was living an ordinary life until he turned twelve. His father died in an accident, which was not clear how, and left behind a big debt that their family was left to pay back. Changmin did not even know they were having trouble before.

Late one night his mother had woken him up from his sleep and said she had made him soup. It was strange, Changmin thought. But he followed her into the kitchen anyway where she sat him down and handed him the bowl. She watched him closely as Changmin drank it. After he finished his hands became weak and dropped the soup bowl in a crash. He kept hearing his mother say, "Sorry Changmin, I am so sorry". Everything after that was a blur.

Changmin awoke in a place they called Spider Lillie. They told him he was in Japan, another country just across the sea. Changmin only heard and read about a land like this in books at school. They also told Changmin his mother had sold him.

Then they told him he was going to become a geisha. Changmin did not know what a geisha was, but he found out eventually and he did not want to be one. But they forced him. 

It was a challenge as Changmin could barely understand this language they speak called Japanese (but after 6 years he had gotten the hang of it). Not only that, Changmin could not say he was "beautiful, charming, or artistic", which was what defined a geisha. To add to that Changmin found out he could not put on the make up due to him having sensitive skin. Nor did he knew how to seduce a man, or entertain them other than with his clumsiness. In the end they demoted him to the kitchen to cook, serve, clean and do all other things servants did.

It was not so bad really. Changmin would much rather serve the food and wine than parade himself in the heavy bundles of fabrics, they called a kimono, in front of rich good-for-nothing-erts called their guests. 

The people who worked there are not the friendliest either. The geishas always screamed and threw things when they felt like it. Changmin had been in the crossfire a couples times unfortunately. Then they pretend to be all nice when they are with guests, but that all eventually became a normality.

However, they are not all that bad. One of the cooks in the kitchen is quite nice, always giving him extras at meals. Although, Changmin knew the other helps do not like it. He have seen the looks he gets and heard chatters about him. They said he seduced the young cook but Changmin tried to ignore it. No one listens to anything he says anyway.

Then there are some geishas who can be nice and polite when he brings them the tea and wine. While others would just grab the tray and shut the screen door in his face, but he is use to it by now.

And then there was this one guest. Somehow, Changmin felt he is different from all the others. He had these almond-shaped eyes, that looked almost feline which seemed to twinkle. And there is his shining smile, gentle and sweet. And can't miss that bottom lip, plumped like a red berry. He was also tall and handsome, which Changmin usually does not say about men he saw that came to this place. 

Furthermore, Changmin just could not stop thinking back to that night in the garden. He had dropped another tray and even worst it was in front of a courtesan. That geisha boy was so mad Changmin thought the other was going to hit him with his fan. And those things hurt when they are folded up. 

Changmin did not know if it was his luck, but the big guy came around and yelled at them and scooted the courtesan back to his guest. Changmin went back to pick up the remaining pieces, and that's when he saw an extra hand appeared to help him. It turned out to be him, that handsome guest. 

Changmin felt a bit ashamed, thinking the other might have seen everything. He did not want him to see him like that, even though Changmin did not really know him. Flustered, he thanked the other and quickly ran back into the kitchen.

Then he later went to the garden to empty the buckets of dirty water into the canal when something got to him. It was everything that had been piling up inside of him, Changmin suppose. The tears simply came out no matter how hard he tried to hold it back. Changmin felt so mad at himself for letting them slip that he just threw the stupid bucket to the ground and did not care if anyone saw. 

But someone did saw. It was him. Had he followed Changmin? The next thing the other did was unexpected. The handsome guest gave Changmin his hankerchief made of silk. It was soft and smooth, and warm as the hand he took it from.

One day on a not so wonderful morning (it never is) half the courtesans in the house fell ill. At that rate Spider Lillie would have had to close for the day, or a week even, but 'NO!' said the owner. So the trainees that were of the close age to serve guests had to fill-in for the night and still there were not enough, even some staffs were chosen. Changmin never would have dreamed that there will be a day when he had to wear a geisha's kimono.

On that night Changmin was paired with a trainee courtesan named Mokoto, who was only two years younger than him but looked much younger, to serve a group of guests. The younger wore a kimono close to the ones the regular courtesans wore but less elaborate. While Changmin was tucked into something less restraining and simple, though much more decorative then what he would have normally wore as a server. 

The younger boy had a cute face too, though he kept glaring at Changmin so it was hard to call him cute in general that little brat. His face was also all powdered up while Changmin stayed natural due to his skin sensitivity. Thankfully, he already had fairly light skin so the mamasan did not force him to do the makeup like the other servants were, who had to filled-in for the night.

As they were led to their guests' room Changmin noticed it was right next door to the same room which that handsome guest regulared. And there he saw was him and his friends walking towards them. Changmin tired to hide his face with his sleeve, but he made the mistake of peeking anyway and he caught those almond-shaped eyes looking back at him.

When the mamasan cleared the door for them to go into the room Changmin literally rammed in there hoping to get way from the other's sight. In result he pushed Mokoto forward hastily. To make the situation more humiliating Changmin tripped over his own kimono and fell face first in front of a guest who was sitting near by. Mokoto rolled his eyes at Changmin who tried to get up as their the two male guests laughed. Then to his surprised the younger of the two men told him to sit next to him.

After a short while Mokoto and the older man went outside for a stroll leaving only him and the other younger guest alone. That was when Changmin found out his name was Shunsuke and a businessman a few years older than him, and the one he came with was his uncle. 

Conversing more, Changmin found that he was actually quite nice and even good-looking in that unconventional way, if that makes any sense. That was until he got to his fouth cup, Changmin guessed he was a shallow drinker. He started saying how pretty Changmin was and his cheek the same time he was rubbing his thigh with his other hand. Changmin tried backing away and asking him to stop politely, but the next thing he knew the other was on top of him kissing his neck.

Right then and there his offensive instincts set in which gave him the strength to push the monster off of him and ran to the door. When Changmin slid opened the screens he thought he saw his guardian angel - sparkling and glowing, and he looked a lot like that handsome guest from next door. 

Changmin caught a glimpse of his feline eyes and realized it really was him. And very much like a dream he once had, the other grabbed him by the hand and started running while Changmin following behind him. 

Changmin felt like a heroine from a storybook, which is a bit weird to say, but Changmin did not hate the idea. They ran and ran away far from Spider Lillie, away from the city and lights, away from everything, until they came to a wide open field with grass that went up over their waist. All that could be heard was their lungs grasping for air and the crickets chirping.

Eventually, the silence of the breeze and the warmth of their hands, still wrapped around each others' was all there was. And then suddenly the other let go only to wrap his arms around Changmin, so tightly that he almost could not breathe. But it was fine because he had not felt this kind of warmth for such a long time.

"I hope you understand I'll never let you go back there again," said the handsome stranger, for first time, still embracing him.

Then what looked like stars rose from below them, rising up from the tall grass. They were fireflies, hundreds of them, glowing in the night, giving them light. It was beautiful. It was a beautiful moment that seemed surreal. But it felt real and when the other did not let go after a long time Changmin decided not to either in case this was just another dream. 

"Can you tell me your name?" Changmin finally asked.

The man before pulled back just a little and breathed, "Jung. My name is Jung Yunho."

Changmin smiled, thinking how his name just fit him right. 

"Well, Jung-san I hope what you just said before is true because I had been waiting." He blushed. 

How could I have said that, Changmin thought. But somehow, in that moment he felt adventurous and free, like he could do absolutely anything he wanted. Changmin wrapped his arms around the the other's neck and pressed his mouth against his. As he imagined, his lips were very soft.

Once they pulled away Yunho asked in a daze, "What is your name? I must know."

The other chuckled. "Changmin. Just call him Changmin."

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