Luhan watched a little boy play with sticks in the street. He looked lonely, and the cold look on his face should have scared any child. Being a five year old with a warm heart, Luhan pulled on his parents arm trying to get to the boy. His parents just pulled him back and said they were too busy for Luhan to be playing with random street kids. He cried as his parents dragged him farther away from the other boy, who looked at him curiously. 

"It's time to run to town Luhan!" he heard his mother come from downstairs as he jolted awake. He had been having that dream often, ever since he heard about his arranged marriage, really. It wasn't only a dream, it was a memory from twelve years ago. A trip he had made with his parents to see some relatives in a farther west village. It wasn't a place Luhan planned to visit again. Going the journey for a brief encounter when he was five would be ridiculous. Still, it was a thought Luhan found himself considering in his free time. 

It was three days before his birthday, and eighteen was considered the age which people start to marry. His parents had the exact same plan for him. Despite his protests of wanting to wait till he found his "Affinity", his parents thought it was a ridiculously naive wish and refused to accommodate it. 

Luhan grumbled as he got out of bed. It was early in the morning, but this was the time he would ride into town and pick up items for his family. Getting dressed in his trousers he fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, awkwardly buttoning the rest the random places he could fit them as he was prompted again by his mother. He made his was downstairs quickly, and was out the door before his mother had a chance to scold him, or give him any more tasks. He strapped up his horse, Velvetier to the wagon he carried back the items in, and fitted the horses saddle. He made his was to town. 

Luhan lived in a small, quaint village called "Wildebarrow" It was in the middle of the western region. All around were thick lush forests, and small lakes. It was a peaceful region, as were most at the time. Though, Luhan didn't know much about other places and villages, having never travelled outside his own region to begin with. He knew the north had giant, snow covered mountains and villages that rested on cliffs. The south had quite the opposite. It was flat along the coast, where harbors lined the ocean. Luhan didn't know much about the east, except that it was no place to want to be. 

When Luhan arrived in town, he made a stop at the bakers. Though mediocre in Luhan's eyes, the baker was the only one in his village, so Luhan had no choice but to buy from the old sour woman. It was a common joke around those in the town, that the lady was more sour than her sourdough.

"Good morning Mrs Nahm!" he greeted her cheerfully, 

"Ah, good morning Luhan" she had her typical annoyed tone.

Knowing his usual order, exchanging more words was unnecessary, which was quite fine with Luhan. He bought his loaves and moved through town, holding Velvetier by her muzzle strap and leading her through the cobbled streets. Luhan was quite loved by those in the town, he was always hello-ing someone, or being offered help. He was always a cheerful and polite boy, which won the favor of almost all the town. He didn't know how long he could keep up his attitude, with what he considered his "appending doom" coming soon. 

After loading his cart up with all he needed, and some extra, he made his way back to his home. But, on his way, he made a little detour into the forrest. Getting Velvetier and the wagon up the small hill off the road was slightly difficult, having to prompt and pull his horse up the small but steep angle. He led Velvetier to a small clearing, a kilometer off the dirt road. He had discovered the place as a child, and it was somewhere he liked to go occasionally, often to get away from the stresses in his life. Tying his horse to the large oak that covered the clearing, he sat down on the lush green grass under it, resting his back against the wood. He knew he couldn't stay long, seeing as his parents were expecting him, but he tried to savor every peaceful minute he had there. 

He sat for a while, sometimes closing his eyes, but opening them again when he felt too close to sleep. He stared up the tree, watching the golden rays from the sun flicker as the oaks leaves swayed in the breeze. He realized the sun was close to noon, and decided he should head back before some of the food spoils. 

It was afternoon by the time he had arrived back home, a little later than usual. He knew his mother would be angry but couldn't keep himself from delaying what was coming. When he entered through the door, just like he expected, his mother was furious. It was rare his mother ever yelled at him. After she was done, they sat down for the usual afternoon tea. 

"Your mother and I have some news, Lu" his father spoke, breaking the silence.

He assumed his mother was still a bit upset with him when she didn't say anything, but his heart raced on what this could possibly mean.

“The wedding is set for when!?” Luhan gaped at his parents. 

“Now, Luhan you know we’ve been planning this for a long time, you were expecting this.”

“Y-yeah but, not so soon!” He stared at his parents incredulously. The wedding was set two months from now, his arranged spouse and their family would be there within the next week. 

“Luhan, you know what this marriage will do for our family? They own twice as much land as we do, its a privilege they even agreed to the marriage. 

"But mom-” Luhan tried to argue, but the look his mom gave him made him hold back. 

The conversation had ended, his mother making it clear it with her stern expression. Luhan looked down to his hands in his lap, fidgeting his fingers as he held in tears. This was nothing that Luhan wanted. Since he could remember, Luhan had looked forward to the day he would find his affinity. Though his parents never supported his ideas, them being arranged into marriage themselves. Its not like his parents were unhappy, he knew they loved each other. But he believed that a deeper love came when you met your Affinity, and that’s what Luhan wanted.

The table was silent as afternoon tea continued, his parents acting like nothing had happened. Luhan, on the other hand couldn't let it go. Eyes stinging with the threat of tears, he looked back up to his parents before speaking again. 

"Give me more time." He looked at both his parents as seriously as he could. 

His mother sighed at him "It's not up for discussion Lu-" Luhan cut his mother off before she was finished, it was now or never. 

"It's not fair. I haven't even lived yet, I can barely say I've left my town. If I get married now, I'll be busy with making a family, I won't have time to experience anything. It's not fair if you marry me off as soon as I'm 18. And, to someone I've never even met before. All I've ever dreamed of since I was a kid was to find the person I'm supposed to be with. You've heard the stories, they say it's like finding the missing part of you, that there's some person out there who makes you whole. I deserve a chance to find my Affinity, don't I? I won't be happy living the rest of my life forced with someone I don't belong with. You guys may have been fine with it, but I'm not. I know you think they're myths, but.. don't I at least deserve a chance?" he finished the last sentence in a breathless whisper, feeling defeated as he felt hot tears role down his cheeks. 

He didn't expect what happened next. His mother's face had softened, and she sat silently for a while. The tears began to dry as Luhan waited, looking back and fourth between his parents, searching for some kind of response. As the minutes ticked past, his father spoke this time.

"You're right, Lu. You do deserve a chance" 

Luhan could have fainted. Never in a million years had he expected a response like that. He looked to his mother, who looked like she agreed. 

"This is going to be difficult to arrange.. since we had planned the wedding so soon" she paused for a second, thinking. "I'm sure we can work something out.. but Lu, you better mean this, because you're going to be putting our family through a lot of embarrassment with this. They won't agree to wait. You better hope you find your Affinity, or else I don't know if we could fine someone to marry you in.." 

"Three years" Luhan spoke again.

"Three years..?" His mother looked at him confused, until she finally realized what he meant. "You want three years!?" It was her turn to look at him incredulously. 

Luhan nodded. "Three years, starting at the end of the week. From then, in exactly thirty-six months, I'll be back. Affinity or not." 

His mother sighed, rubbing her temple. "Fine."

That's all that Luhan had been waiting to here.