It had been three days since Jun Mian fell into the lake by Mount Er Mei. He couldn’t stop thinking of the girl who had saved him. But sadly, the most terribly, something happened to him that he felt like punching his own head for that until bleeding.

He had forgotten the girl’s face.

He tried to remember how her face looked like, but no matter how many times he tried to recollect his memory of that girl, he couldn’t dig any deeper than the layer of truth saying that the girl was beautiful. Only that. Yes, indeed, the girl was really beautiful, the face that could be expected from a goddess.

Shoot, shoot, SHOOT!!!!

DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!!!!!!!

How could he forget his savior? The one who had saved his life by giving him air through her kiss.

Her kiss!

Jun Min squealed and jumped. The boat he was rowing on was shaking. He cursed himself. He would almost get drowned, again. Pinching his own cheek, he sighed deeply.

What if the girl was nothing but my imagination only? What if she doesn’t exist? Why do I feel like my heart is already taken away by her? Dear God …. Why does it so hurt now thinking of her …?

“Ferryman!!”

Jun Mian almost tripped from his boat once again when that piercing scream burst into his ears. He held the boat rail, trying to calm himself down before looking around, trying to find someone who called him. He gazed at the river shore and saw two monks standing there, one of them was waving at him.

 He motioned his boat to their direction, to land near the shore.

“Good afternoon, Mr Ferryman. How much do you charge? My master and I are going to town.”

“I am not a ferryman, Monk, but I am heading off to town too. So, jump in.”

The other Monk, who was taller and dressed fancier than the other one was looking at him and smiling considerately.

“Is that okay if you load us two, Sir? We don’t want to trouble you. I see that you have quite a load too there.” He pointed to the herbs and plants decorating the wall of Jun Mian’s boat, weighing the small boat deep into the water surface.    

“No, not at all, Monk. Helping others is a really nice thing to do to pass the time. Besides, heaven will give us credit to that.”

Both of the monks smiled with gratitude. Jun Mian hold the wood he was using as row and asked the monk apprentice to pull it so they could hop into the boat. It was not a necessary action. They both jumped into the boat without giving even the slightest rock to it.

“Woa, you’re great!” Jun Mian's mouth opened in awe.

“That’s just a little specialty of ours, Sir.”

“Bao Xian! Don’t brag about what we could do. Forgive him, Sir, please. He is still young and inexperienced.”

“That’s fine, Monk.” Jun Mian chuckled seeing the younger monk slightly pout. He turned the boat around and started rowing on the river again.

“So, what is your name, kind Sir?” the monk named Bao Xian grinned as he asked Jun Mian a question.

“My name is Jun Mian, Monk.”

“Ahh, nice name for a nice man. I am Bao Xian and this is my master, Abbot Yi Fan.”

“Abbot Yi Fan? The one from Leifeng Pagoda?”

Bao Xian grinned widely, clearly taking a pride as he saw amazed look on Jun Mian’s face.

“It is a really lucky day for me then today, for I could meet someone really famous for his great deed in bringing peace to people. People say that it takes ten years of good deeds to meet someone special. I didn’t think I have done that to deserve a meeting with you.”

“You are really humble, Jun Mian. I am not that great. I am just a Buddha's assistant who is obliged to spread his teaching of peace and mercy to people so they could end up their suffering.”

“Yes, and my master is a very awesome demon slayer, Jun Mian! He could detect demon’s presence just by sniffing the air and bam! He would destroy it! Last time he defeated an ice harpy in an – ouch!”

The knock on Bao Xian’s head made him whimper. Abbot Yi Fan shook his head.

“I told you not to brag about what we are able to do to people. Buddha doesn’t like it when we are being boastful.”

“Yes, Master ….”

Jun Mian chuckled.

“That’s fine, Abbot. I don’t think Bao Xian meant to boast. He is just excited to tell a very interesting story. Why don’t you let him tell it then? I love this kind of stories. Besides, we all won’t get bored listening to it. We still have quite a long journey before we arrive at town.”

Abbot Yi Fan shook his head, smiling in defeat after Jun Mian’s request.

“Fine, you can tell our adventure, Bao Xian, but only because this very kind young man asks so. Next time, don’t do it again, will you?”

Bao Xian nodded his head so fast and started talking. The moment Jun Mian saw him he knew already that this monk was having a difficulty to stay silent. However, it was amusing. As he listened to the story, he didn’t realize that he forgot about the girl. He would remember it again too many times later after the monks had left and he stayed with himself again. But still, all the thing he was feeling right now was amazement, as Bao Xian clearly described the most thrilling adventures that he and his master had done to Jun Mian.

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Far away from the river, on his usual spot on the camphor tree, Lu Han was smiling fondly into the lake. He kept replaying the moment when he was saving that handsome man, giving him the vital force he had earned really hard by meditating. Shi Xian complained a lot when he knew that. It freaked him out to know that his brother had given up his vital force worth as ten years meditation to mere human. Lu Han didn’t bother to care though. His heart was filled with happiness, something he had never felt in his life, except at the moment when that boy saved him from a hungry badger years ago. However, it was tremendous this time. He felt like squealing and squeaking every time he remembered that handsome man’s face.

“Lu Han, what’s bothering you? Tell me and the turtle. We can help you to resolve it.”

Lu Han turned his head and saw Rabbit, Turtle, and Mouse Demon approaching him. He could also sense that Shi Xun was beside him, too dejected to approach him.

“Nothing, Xiu Min. I’m fine.” Lu Han smiled to the Rabbit Demon.

“Fine like hell!” Shi Xun retorted.

“Relax, Shi Xun. I am fine, really fine.”

“Nothing is fine. You’re not supposed to just sit here for three days, moping a long that man. He is just a mortal man, for Heaven’s sake! It’s sickening to see you lose yourself just because of a fool who ate flowers!”

Lu Han frowned. Shi Xun had never been rude before like this to him. He opened his mouth to scold him but he was interjected by the squeaky voice of the Mouse Demon.

“Wait, wait, guys! I don’t understand what you’re talking about. What is it all about?”

Lu Han could feel warmth around his cheeks now, making Shi Xun roll his eyes.

 “Gege used his vital essence, which is worth of his ten years meditation, to save a flower-eating fool from drowning. Now he is all falling over him.”

“Really …. What … happened … to … you …?”

“He gave him his vital essence by touching his lips to that man’s”

“I … see …. That … mea -- “

“Alright, alright, Yi Xing. Let me just say it, okay? You need to practice on your speech again.”

The Turtle demon pouted when Xiu Min stopped him.

“So, both of you have ‘kissed’. It happens when you two press your own lips to each other’s. When you kissed him, you gave him your vital essence, but it didn’t stop there. He also give you his. You’re exchanging a part of your souls. You are in him and he is in you now. That’s why you can’t stop thinking of him.”

Lu Han’s face was red now, only making Shi Xun’s face sourer.

“Somebody is jealous, I guess.” Chen grinned, pointing at Shi Xun.

“You little mouse! Say that again and I will eat you!”

Lu Han reached his hand Shi Xun, pulling him to sit by him. Shi Xun was perplexed at first, but he moved to his brother’s side albeit feeling really upset. He sighed when Lu Han rested his head on his shoulder.

“Shi Xun, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you or what these three days. It’s just …, it’s just …, I don’t know what I am feeling right now. I can’t stop thinking of him. I really want to meet him, even if I just take a glance on him. Just a second is okay, for I want to know if he is alright or not. I …, I  don’t know why I am feeling like this ….”

“You … have … fallen … in … love …  with … that … human ….”

Shi Xun’s face was indescribable. He knew what that meant. It meant his brother would be taken away by a stranger and he would be left alone.

Shi Xun stood up quickly, making Lu Han almost tripped

“No! This can’t be happening! There’s no way you can see that fool! Forget him!”

“But ….”

“You love him. You choose him over me! You choose him, a mere mortal that you met just for some minutes over a brother who has been faithfully with you for more than three hundred years! How could you!”

“Shi Xun ….”

“I don’t give a damn! You are not to see this human! Period!”

“But ….”

“I always listen to you, Gege! But now, it is your turn to listen to me!!”

Shi Xun was breathing really fast, anger was controlling him.

“Shi Xun,” Xiu Min came closer to him, “it is not Lu Han’s fault to fall in love. You can’t choose whom you’re falling in love with. It just happens, either on the first sight or after several times you have been together. Love is a pure thing that happens to all creatures.”

“But we are demon! We aren’t supposed to fall in love with humans!”

“Love cannot choose between whom it would entangle. It is unplanned, unpredicted, uncalculated. If love shows itself, no one can deny it.

“Look, Shi Xun. I know you love your brother too. But your love and the love he is having now is different. You love Lu Han as brother, while Lu Han love the human as soul mates. Why don’t you give them a chance to nurture their feeling. In this case, we don’t know yet if they both feel the same way. The human is probably having the same feeling as Lu Han’s right now. Give them a chance, Shi Xun.”

Shi Xun shook his head. That’s exactly what he didn’t want to happen. What if Lu Han truly loved the human and the human loved him back? He would be left. He and Lu Han might have made pinky promise, but the red thread on Lu Han and the human's pinkies was way too powerful than Lu Han and his own pink thread. Lu Han would ignore him and leave him. He would be left alone, roaming by himself, going back to the lonely life he had before he met Lu Han. He didn’t want that. He wanted this moment to last forever. Him, Lu Han, and his other friends in this peaceful Mount Er Mei. It was enough for him.

“Shi Xun …, can’t you see that your brother is in misery? He is longing for his love right now. There is nothing more torturing than that. Give them a chance. For the sake of your brother’s happiness.”

Chen’s words made Shi Xun blink. He dropped his body again on the branch. A moment later, he could feel that he was being hugged by Lu Han.

“Shi Xun, I won’t go if you don’t want me to go. You are my brother and you are very precious for me. However, I also want to see this man. I want to see him really bad until it starts to hurt. I just need to see him, just for a while. A second is enough. I will be satisfied with that.”

Shi Xun stared at Lu Han. It was always he who requested to Lu Han. This time, it’s Lu Han begging him for a chance. As much as it hurt to think the possibility of his being left, it hurt more to see his brother suffering like this. He sighed many times before he wiped his eyes and said a stern voice.

“Fine, fine! You could see him, Gege. And you can test whether he loves you or not. If he does, you can go with him. If he doesn’t, you’re not to think of him even for a tiniest second. I will make you forget him by my magic.”

Lu Han was beaming and even if he scolded himself for being too soft, Shi Xun couldn’t help but smiling to his brother.

“Thank you, Shi Xun! You are the best brother ever!”

Lu Han pecked Shi Xun’s cheek, only making Shi Xun roll his eyes.

“Ah …, I am glad this ends happily. So, when will you see him, Lu Han?” Xiu Min asked.

“I can’t wait no more. Let’s go, Shi Xun!”

Lu Han pulled Shi Xun, making him yelp.

“Bye guys!! See you later!!” Lu Han screamed.

“Wait!! Guys!!! I wanna follow you!!!!”

But Chen’s voice was not heard by Lu Han. He and Shi Xun flashed to the sky and quickly disappeared between the clouds. The three demons sighed, looking at the sky with the same tired looks.

“Love, love, love …. What a hard thing to understand …,” Chen murmured.

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2014/04/20

I know that the last chapter is too short like hell, so I updated this story for you. Clap for my kindness? Wkwkwkwkwk!

And!!!!! Our Deer Lulu is having birthday today!!!!

Congratulations to our main cast!!! Hip hip, hooraayyy!!! Just come to Indonesia, Deer. I will be waiting for you in Bali! My treat!!!

Ahhh, see you on the next chapter. My tooth is getting better now. Thanks for all of you who have asked whether I am okay or not. I feel deeply touched.... Thank you so much! I dedicate this chap to Luhan and you. :)

Enjoy the story!

Schandelierre