Changmin remembers a time when he was not the youngest Headmaster ever named at Daejong Academy of Sorcery. He remembers the days before he became a Ravenclaw. He remembers the Wizarding schools he’s attended before Daejong: Sendai Witchcraft and Wizardry Institute, Wizarding University of Petrograd, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Busan Elementary Board of Magic, Sichuan School of Sorcery. He remembers the different places he’s had to live in before Seoul: Tokyo, Volgograd, London, Busan, Chengdu. He remembers a time when Luhan wasn’t his brother. He remembers when his parents were still alive.

            He even remembers when he wasn’t Shim Changmin but Xi Chengmin, living in Shanghai, the city of his birth.

            He was five when his father brought home a baby boy.

            “This is not just any child, my son,” his father had said, bringing Chengmin’s hand to the sleeping babe’s glowing cheek. As a young child, Chengmin was more interested in the baby’s odd accessories.

            A spider web veil, spun with softer touch than silk.

            A deer’s hide, wrapped delicately around the tiny body.

            And baby antlers, just poking out of a thin layer of golden hair.

            “What kind of baby is he, Dad?” Chengmin had asked, running a small finger over the soft deer skin.

            “A deer nymph,” was the answer given. “A beautiful little deer nymph.”

            “What are deer nymphs?”

            “You’ll learn in time,” his father replied, one arm cradling the baby and the other curled lovingly around his son’s shoulders. “They’re rare creatures. He is possibly the last, and we must protect him.”

            “From who, Dad?” Chengmin questioned. Xi Jiatong turned his gaze from the young creature to level his eyes to his son, quirking his lips into a sad smile.

            “You’ll learn in time,” he repeated.

            The nymph grew up to become Xi Liuhuan, Xi Chengmin’s beloved little brother. When Chengmin had left Shanghai for Yuenan Wizards’ Academy at the young age of nine, Liuhuan’s blonde hair had grown thick over his antler stumps. He could act like any other four-year-old wizard child and his disposition was lively and chirpy; he made friends with all the kids of the neighboring wizard manors in Shanghai. Liuhuan gained his magical ability quickly at the half-mark between age four and five and often “practiced” with his dearest friend, Zitao.

            During the winter break of Chengmin’s third year, Liuhuan went through his first change. And with him, he took the identities of their family.

            Changmin understands why they had to move, why they became the Xin family, the Kims, the Chan orphans, Ximens, Itos, and now the Shim brothers. He understands and he forgave Luhan a long time ago. He forgave him because he loves him, because he knows but hasn’t experienced the pain Luhan has to live with by keeping another animalistic self within him every day and how hard it is to not blow the cover in public.

            Changmin knows he forgave him for all the times they had to erase their lives.

            Changmin knows he forgave him for all the times he has had to reregister to new magic schools under the thick garb of false identities.

            Changmin thinks he forgave him for their parents’ death. He knows he wants to.

/lazy cries all over the floor

This is Changmin's prologue. It was originally much, much longer, but I decided to reserve all that information for Luhan's prologue :) He'll be able to describe it with more detail and stuff. About the last names, I know Luhan's last name is not Xi, but I just wanted to find a surname close to Changmin's. And just because, I looked up all of those last names AND XIMENS IS LEGIT OKAY EVERYONE. It's either specifically Russian or just a European surname in general. I'm doing my research :3 /satisfied.

And it only looks like a little bit, but I actually had to make this big chart regarding the different places the three characters jump and align it with each other and their ages. =_=

Also, I am updating a week early because I will be going to China  for two weeks ^^* YAYYY! IT'S SO FUN DEREE. I might be able to buy an EXO album there too so :D exciiiiittteemmeeeeennttt..

For those who are curious, Changmin lists the schools and places from most recent => farthest back

Bonus: if you guys can figure out where their parents died :D -.-''