Frail pale hands grabbed the bottom of Yixing’s shirt.

    “No, Yingtao, I have to go. It’s the only way for to get enough money to buy you those herbs.” Yixing said while trying to pry her fingers off of his shirt. Her grip was like the final grip of a dead man, and Yixing knew that there was no getting her off with the use of strength. He bent down to her chair level, and looked deeply into her eyes. Yingtao used to be an energetic young girl, but the disease that took their mother, also robbed Yingtao of her hearing and voice. Since she was always a smart child, she was able to read lips as long as she can see his lips.

   “You like Kyungsoo right? He said that he's willing to take care of you while I'm away. And don't worry, Xiumin and Luhan's steamed bun stall is right next door, and they don't mind feeding you, my chubby bunny.” He tried to invoke a smile in Yingtao by using her nickname, but she turned away instead.

   “Yingtao, it's like I'm trying to leave you, but mother's last wish was to be able to hear your voice within this house again. So please, for my sake, stay with Kyungsoo. Once I get to the top, I'll come back with a gold decorated sedan chair with a white stallion pulling it for you.” Even though Yixing couldn't see his sister's face, the tension in the air lessened. She knew that it was in his nature to keep his promises, and she couldn't be mad at her good brother. She grabbed Yixing's hands and held them to her face. Smiling, Yixing got up and patted her head.

   “You'll stay with Kyungsoo when he's working at the cloth store, and if you're bored, you can go sit with Luhan. She said she's getting more tired lately, so she needs your help in making the buns.” A small smile crept onto Yingtao's face. Luhan treated Yingtao like her own daughter, and they would always have fun when they were together.

   “I need to go visit Kyungsoo for a bit, want to tag along?” His sister bounced up and went off to the partition that separated the living room from their room. She's probably fixing her hair for Kyungsoo or something. Stifling a chuckle, Yixing went to the box hidden under the cupboard and took out some copper coins. Shaking the box sadly, the sound of few lonely coins chinked together; their savings were almost depleted. He heard the footsteps of Yingtao, and he hastily put the box where it belonged. He tried not to give any more worries to his sister, but sometimes, she was just too smart for her own good. Yixing could tell that she tried eating smaller portions of rice, just so that he could have more. Casting last look at the mirror, Yingtao grabbed her brother's hand and left the house to the shadows.”

   “Yah, Kyungsoo!” Yixing shouted and looked around the store to find Kyungsoo. Normally, that boy is at the front counter, watching people on the streets with his huge eyes. Every once in a while, a fight may break out on the streets, with vegetables and little trinkets granted the gift of flight. Kyungsoo's eyes would get so big that Yixing tried to poke them back in, and was rewarded with a slap on the wrist. This time, Kyungsoo was nowhere to be found, with only a cat to guard the shop. Yixing bent down to the cat's level and asked, “Mango, where's your owner?”. The cat pranced away from his touch, and went over to Yingtao, rubbing its body on her legs, begging for a belly rub.

   “Damn cat, I'm not going to bring Yingtao over next time!”

   “Don't insult my cat like that. It's not its fault that you're not cute like Yingtao.” Kyungsoo came out from the back holding a bunch of periwinkle silk bolts. “I ought to give you mango colored danci--” Kyungsoo stopped in mid-sentence due to Yixing winking; it looked more like Yixing was having some weird eye seizure. Yixing moved over and helped Kyungsoo with the bolts and whispered into his ear, “Shh, I didn't tell Yingtao that I'm going for the dancing contest. Remember your promise from last time?”

   “Yeah, I'll take care of her...... and braid your hair too.” Kyungsoo giggled and dodged the attack from the bolt. “Hey! That's expensive! I had to put in the back or else some madam might come and make some bras with it.”

   “Good to know that my cloth would be made into bras...”

   A cross voice rang out from of the store, “You nasty boys, talking about bras in front of my poor Yingtao. I ought to give you meatless buns the next time you visit. Yingtao, come to your savior, I have some new duck buns made. Mango can have some of the scraps too.” Wearing an faded old frock, Luhan went in and tried to pick Yingtao up. “Phew, you're getting bigger. And no longer a little girl anymore...” Luhan poked her chest and Kyungsoo looked away with a blushing face.

   “Bye boys. You shall not taint Yingtao's purity. How can she can get a husband hanging around you guys? Oh lord.” Yingtao and Luhan left the store with a goodbye wave from Yingtao.

   “You should get cross dressing tips from Luhan. It's was by accident that we found out that he's actually a guy... Or else we would have thought that Xiumin actually scored a beautiful girl.” Kyungsoo took out his measuring tape and motioned for Yixing to raise his arms.

   “You know Yingtao found out before us, right? She wouldn't let Luhan bathe her anymore after she started to show signs of womanliness. She almost kneed Luhan once in the crotch once. I'm pretty sure that wasn't an accident, since Luhan wouldn't give her some peaches, and she was pretty mad for some reason...” Yixing started to twirl with the measuring tape still wrapped around his chest. Kyungsoo promptly made a knot and smiled.

   “Hmm, good luck keeping the men off of you at the dancing competition. Don't come back unless you make it into the dancing troupe.”

   “I'll try my best to keep my bra on from all the men.” Laughing, the both of them went on with their mission of trying to make Yixing as girly as possible.

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:D Comments are much loved <3 You guys should thank my history teacher for always telling stories about how he a cow with his hand...