Birds were chirping on the brances of peach tree. It was in the winter end and the tree had passed its blossoming phase, now fruits were peeking under the left petals. Pink lotus on the water surrounding the house were just opening their petals, fragrant scent was up in the air, refreshing and relieving.

Jun Mian was sitting on a small bench, washing the clothes that he and the boy wore last night. His own clothes had been washed, now he was washing the boy's. He carefully washed the clothes, as it was so delicate and soft, a type of silk which was so expensive in price. Jun Mian was afraid to rip the clothes, he might never be able to buy such kind of clothes if it was torn.

While he was rinsing it, his mind wandered off to the moment when he woke from his sleep.

He opened his eyes, feeling really delirious. He needed one full minute to finally open his own eyes. He looked at the ceiling and realized that he was in his house. Jun Mian frowned. As far as he remembered, last night he met his savior. He drowned in the lake and his saviour saved him for the second time. How could he be at his own house then? Was it all just dream?

Jun Mian sighed and turned his head to the right. He was almost screaming when he saw someone sleeping by him. He managed to clamp his mouth and  jump out of the bed. Still clamping his mouth tight, he observed that person.

It was his saviour.

His adrelined rushed down, heartbeat slowed down. It was not just a dream. It was reality. He was there, he was here! The saviour who saved him, who took his life was not just a fragment of his imagination. He was of blood and flesh, he was alive as Jun Mian was.

Jun Mian was containing himself really hard not to squeal and scream of happiness.

But a moment later, his jaw dropped. His blood raised to his cheeks along with the shame which occupied his mind.

The boy was wearing Jun Mian's old clothes. The clothes was already torn here and there. It revealed the milky white, soft skin that the boy possessed. The torn was all over the clothes, including the area near the crotch.

Jun Mian shook his head. He quickly grabbed a blanket from his cupboard and covered the boy's body. He spotted wet clothes on the corner of the room. Jun Mian dashed to get it and got out of the room. Wanting to clear his mind, he quickly put them in a basket and began washing it.

And now he was thinking of it again. Jun Mian bit his lips, trying to supress his mind from thinking dirty. He tried to focus his attention to the white clothes he was washing but he heard a screeching sound which was made everytime his room door was opened. Lifting his head up, Jun Mian anticipating what, or whom he would see.

Jun Mian's eyes widened. Nothing could compare the scene before his eyes now. The boy was standing at the door. He was looking really handsome even when he was wearing a ripped of clothes and just woke up. His face was delicately pretty like that of doll, shining under the reflected sparkle of sunlight. The breeze blowing in the house made his hair sway like little leaves on the tree. His eyes were sparkling, reflecting grayish and brownish side at the same time.

Jun Mian stared at him with mouth open like toad's mouth.

"What are you staring at?"

The boy smirked, mischief on his eyes, making Jun Mian blush. He lowered his head and continued washing the clothes. The boy was approaching him, smile was evident on his pretty face.

"You don't have to stare at me so long. I won't go anywhere. Besides, my clothes you are washing now is clean already. We just need to dry it up."

Jun Mian felt his cheek burning. The boy laughed, it sounded like tingling bell. He took Jun Mian's hand which was holding the clothes and pulled him to stand up. The boy brought led him to the poles where laundry was supposed to dry. Their hand brushed when they put the clothes on the hanging wood together and spread it so it could get dry soon. The burning on Jun Mian's cheeks insisted.

"My name is Lu Han. What is yours?"

"Ju ..., Jun Mian ...."

"No need to feel so embarrassed, Jun Mian. If you don't know already, I have fallen in love with you since the first time I saw you."

Jun Mian's heart was about to burst with happiness. He looks at Lu Han who was beginning to blush as well.

"I ..., just ..., can't stop wondering, if this is really happening."

Lu Han smiled. "What do you think, then? Do you think it is all just a dream?"

"I don't know. It is definitely not a dream. But I still can't believe it. It is just ..., too superstitious ...."

"Superstitious?"

"Someone once told me that if I want to see someone, I have to keep that person in my heart then, only then I could see that person again. Now I know it isn't just a superstition."

Jun Mian's hands were wrapped by a pair of warm hand. Lu Han fixed his gaze on him with such intense expression.

"Are you saying that you wanted to see me again?"

Jun Mian nodded and smiled. His eyes widened again when Lu Han pushed himself forward and hugged him tight.

"Jun Mian, let's go on like this. Always together, okay? Eating together, drinking together, sleeping together ...."

Jun Mian's eyes were round like marbles.

"... doing everything together."

"Won't you get tired of me?"

The hug was broken off abruptly. Lu Han was pouting before him. "Won't you? Of me?"

Jun Mian shook his head and Lu Han flashed him his brightest smile.

"However, we both are men .... We are not supposed to live like this together .... It is wrong ...." Jun Mian's voice faltered.

"Then I want to ask you, Jun Mian. Do you think love is wrong?"

"No. Never."

"Do you feel like you want to be with me with every core of your existence?"

"Yes. Do you?"

"Absolutely. Do you feel like you want to protect me and stay by my side forever? Until the end of the time?"

"I do."

"And so do I. See. What we have here is a true love. A true love is never wrong. I love you with all my soul that I will do everything for you. I love you with all my life that I am willing to sacrifice everything for our love."

Jun Mian's doubt was washed away as he saw sad expression on Lu Han's face. He cupped Lu Han's face, boring his gray-brown eyes.

"Please don't ever doubt my love to you. I am willing to be with you even if it is against Heaven and Earth. However, I want to my ourselves official. I want to come to your parents and ask you formally. I don't care if they beat me to the death, but I want them to know that I love you with all my life. If they don't agree with us, will you elope with me?"

Jun Mian could see startled gaze on Lu Han's beautiful eyes, but a second later Lu Han was beaming. He hugged Jun Mian very tightly.

"I'll come with you wherever you go, Jun Mian."

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"Brother, brother!"

The little monks ran to the place where their big brother was resting. He had been sleeping for three days and never once woke up.

"Sshh!! Shut up! We will disturb him! Master gave us permission to visit Bao Xian-ge but he told us not to disturb him!"

"I'm sorry. I just want to see him so much."

They tiptoed to the Bao Xian's room, careful not to make any sound. As they entered the room, they could hear loud snore from the bed.

"I thought he was sick?"

"Me too. But he is snoring so loudly! That means he is completely okay already!"

They dashed to him and started yelling and rocking Bao Xian's body.

"Gege! Gege! Wake up! Wake up! Sun has risen hours ago! Wake up, Ge, wake up!"

"Ugghhh!!! No ...!!!!"

All the kids startled. Bao Xian's voice was not light and crispy as usual, but deep and scary like bear. They looked at each other before the pulled th blanket that covered Bao Xian's face.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The little monks's united scream woke Bao Xian up. He groaned. All his body was itchy and he felt really thirsty.

"What's up with you all, guys? Can you just let me rest here? I don't feel well and I just wanna sleep to recover myself!" Bao Xian said as he was scratching his body.

"You are scary, Gege! What happened to you?!"

"Gege, your ears have grown pointy!"

"You got fangs in your mouth! You are scary!"

"Gege, you are turning into demon!"

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

All of them escaped, leaving Bao Xian stunned. He touched his ears, feeling a sharp tipped flesh where it was supposed to be spherical. He gulped, hard. He mved his tongue to the place where his incisor was supposed to exist.

It was way too long and sharp.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Master! Master! Master!"

Yifan opened his eyes. He felt upset now that whole temple morning meditation ritual was halted by the little monks' scream. He was ready to scold them. Morning meditation was a very important ritual to cleanse the soul and sharpen inner senses. He had told them many times that they were not to  disturb when the ritual was taking place. Now were all his sayings not remembered, they also halted the process in the middle.

The little monks bowed before him, looking frantic as they were not allowed to talk before being allowed by Yifan.

"I never expect you to ruin this ritual, kids. I told you not to scream or proceed to the ritual. This is a holy ritual. You'd better have a very good reason to do this now."

The biggest monks bowed to hi before he talked nervously.

"Bao, Bao, Bao-Xian ge, Master! He turned into a monster!"

Yifan eyes widened. He jumped from his seat and darted to Bao Xian's room, leaving all the other monks behind.

"Please stay here, everyone. I will go check on him. Xiu Min, continue the meditation, please."

He almost broke Bao Xian's door room. His heart beat faster as he found nothing there. There was no trace of Bao Xian. His bed was abruptly left and he didn't bring anything with him. His nose caught a smell which he was very familiar with, a sweet, intoxicating smell mixed with the smell of burned rotting stench.

The smell of demon.

And it came from the bed where Bao Xian previously laid.

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May 29, 2014

It is really hard to make a rendition of straight themed story into themed story, especially when it comes to one specific religion. I deeply apologize if anyone is really offended by this. My main intention is just to write a story for the sake of my own creative process and reader's entertainment. So far no one complained, but I really, really apologize in advance for unintended offense to anyone. :)

Have a nice reading.

Schandelierre