The Price of Vanity
The Costume Party
LuHan avoided Sehun for most of that day, but when he saw him that evening, Sehun made eye contact with him. LuHan looked away quickly. He hurried down the hall, but heard Sehun call to him. LuHan stopped and turned around. “Yes?” He spoke softly.
Sehun was smiling at him. “Your Highness…I…just wanted to tell you that I hope you have a wonderful night…and be careful.”
LuHan stared at Sehun, then motioned for him to come closer. Once he was within LuHan’s reach, the prince touched Sehun’s arm. Licking his lips, LuHan began to speak. “That note you left…What did it mean? Are you coming on to me because you want to compete with the princesses that come here?”
Sehun shook his head. “No, I don’t,” he replied quietly. “Your Majesty, with all due respect, I wasn't coming on to you.” He was now resisting the urge to tell him off for letting him think in that manner. He had to remember his place.
Prince LuHan clarified if for him. “Sehun, even if you WANTED a chance with me, you are a servant. You would never have a chance, no matter how much we may get along at times.” He was not going to let the servant see how deeply he had been affected be the letter.
Sehun’s face went blank, which LuHan had learned to expect when he was not happy. He seemed to just shut down. “Prince LuHan, I think you are good looking, kind, and cute in your cat…”
LuHan held up a hand, shaking his head. “Stop.” He thought about it for a moment, fighting with his emotions. That was exactly what Sehun wanted. “I'll see you in the morning. I have somewhere to go. It is a banquet. I won't be home tonight.” He began to walk away. “Goodnight…Sehun.”
“Goodnight, prince,” Sehun called after him weakly, going back to his cleaning. He wished he knew where LuHan was going so he could keep an eye on him. The prince was not safe. Sehun managed to beat LuHan to his room, and wrote a quick note to the prince, mentioning a knife he was insisting that he take with him.
The entire time LuHan was gone that evening, Sehun couldn't think straight. He was worried, and wished he could be with him…AROUND him. The prince had already made certain that Sehun remembered his place. He would always just be a servant, no matter how nice Prince LuHan seemed at times. Despite his clear station, he couldn't help being worried. LuHan was in danger. Sehun now wished he had been assigned as Prince LuHan’s bodyguard, and not only a servant.
The event was a costume party, so LuHan wore a mask so that people would think he was like them, and not a cursed freak. It wasn't terribly bright in the ballroom, so he didn't draw attention to himself.
When the party was about halfway over, LuHan was approached by a young woman who smiled at him. He touched the mask, suddenly grateful for it. “May I help you, young lady?” LuHan smiled warmly. He was surprised that it was genuine. He WANTED to be nice, and could feel a difference in his demeanor. He smiled, and hoped that this might help him break the curse, even if he wasn't truly interested in her.
The young woman, dressed in a tight, revealing black outfit with a furry tail, smiled back at him. He recognized her expression. It was just as fake as her mask. He had seen it several times, while he was growing up. That was why he didn't like this crowd.
She cleared her throat. “Prince LuHan, do you mind going out on the balcony with me?” It was a repeat of the incident that had placed him in this situation in the first place. That made him nervous.
“Sure,” he smiled at her, determined to make the best of this night. This wasn't something to be worried about. Once they were outside, she turned to him. “Prince LuHan, I've heard that you are very good looking, and would love to see your face beyond the mask,” she winked at him. “I would take off anything you wanted ME to take off in return for the mask.”
LuHan cocked his head, feeling a warning sign. “I don’t think I'm supposed take it off…and I don’t think it would be proper for you to remove anything.” He edged away from her. “I’m sorry, princess.” He was silent for a moment. “Would you like to dance? I CAN do that.” He smiled at her.
“Okay. We can dance.” the princess sounded icy, which send chills down LuHan’s spine. He felt like he needed to go home, even though the party was not over. He ignored the feeling.
“So…will you go in and dance with me?” LuHan felt a knot beginning in the pit of his stomach.
The princess smiled at him, still looking irritated. “I just said I would, didn’t I? I would rather be doing other things, but if that's how you want it, then fine. Let’s dance,” she replied, still sounding bitter.
LuHan ignored her irritation and took her hand gently. They walked back into the ballroom, and he began dancing with her. On the second dance, the princess moved her hand down, touching him on the leg. It caused LuHan to jump, and he realized that his mind had drifted to the servant, Sehun, with his stern stares and beautiful face...
What the hell? The girl leaned in, whispering in his ear. “I could make you feel very good.”
LuHan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He wasn't going to sleep with someone in this form he was stuck in. No one would want to be with him, and run away when they saw him…except for Sehun. Stop it. He was ONLY a servant.
The princess smiled at him. “You are quiet, Prince LuHan. Are you not enjoying dancing with me?”
LuHan managed a smile. “Of course.” He lied to her. “It’s not that, princess. I’m just getting tired. I think I'll retire to my quarters. Excuse me.” He bowed to her and left.
He didn't notice the princess’ icy glare as he was walking off, nor did he see her walk over to the tall, burly man in the corner.
An hour later, Prince LuHan heard a knock on his door. Opening it, he realized he had forgotten his mask. The man at the door saw him and slammed the door behind him before LuHan could push him out. “Hello, prince. I've been looking for you for a long time. Do you know how valuable you are to me?”
LuHan glared at him. “Get the hell out of my bedroom. I'll call for help.”
“There is no help coming, Prince LuHan. You are coming with me.” The man began to grab for LuHan again, and he remembered the knife Sehun had given him. Struggling, he stabbed the man in the side. The large man doubled over in pain and LuHan took the opportunity to knee him in the chin. The man’s head snapped back, and he fell unconscious.
Shaken, LuHan sent a text message to Yixing, asking him to come to his room immediately. It only took the young Chinese prince minutes to arrive. When he got there, LuHan was still shaken, so Yixing led him out one of the secret passages.
When they got back to the mansion, LuHan turned to Yixing. “Thank you for saving my ass. I guess it’s true that people are after me.”
Yixing nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.” Leaning over, he surprised LuHan by kissing him on the lips. LuHan jumped back, and Yixing frowned. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
There was an awkward silence and Yixing smiled at him. “Be careful going inside. Your servant will be waiting for you. You should go…Gege. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” LuHan smiled back at him. “Thank you.” He hurried inside, and was met by Sehun. “Welcome home, Prince. I thought you wouldn't be home until tomorrow.”
LuHan stared at him for a moment, then pulled him into a hug. “Thank you. You were right about people wanting my head. I’m sorry for not listening to you before. I think I will be staying in for a while.”
Sehun looked confused. “Your Highness, what…?” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I forget my place.”
LuHan looked very serious. “I don’t. Sehun, may I stay with you tonight?”
Sehun felt his heart jump. “Of course, Your Highness. You can do whatever you wish.”
LuHan laughed softly. “Just call me LuHan. I don’t want to be Prince LuHan right now.”
Sehun was still confused, but did not mention it. There were thoughts going through his mind. There were temptations that could be realized, if LuHan was “not a prince” tonight. Sehun decided this was not the time to take advantage of them. He was just going to enjoy the moment he had been given now.
Sehun was smiling at him. “Your Highness…I…just wanted to tell you that I hope you have a wonderful night…and be careful.”
LuHan stared at Sehun, then motioned for him to come closer. Once he was within LuHan’s reach, the prince touched Sehun’s arm. Licking his lips, LuHan began to speak. “That note you left…What did it mean? Are you coming on to me because you want to compete with the princesses that come here?”
Sehun shook his head. “No, I don’t,” he replied quietly. “Your Majesty, with all due respect, I wasn't coming on to you.” He was now resisting the urge to tell him off for letting him think in that manner. He had to remember his place.
Prince LuHan clarified if for him. “Sehun, even if you WANTED a chance with me, you are a servant. You would never have a chance, no matter how much we may get along at times.” He was not going to let the servant see how deeply he had been affected be the letter.
Sehun’s face went blank, which LuHan had learned to expect when he was not happy. He seemed to just shut down. “Prince LuHan, I think you are good looking, kind, and cute in your cat…”
LuHan held up a hand, shaking his head. “Stop.” He thought about it for a moment, fighting with his emotions. That was exactly what Sehun wanted. “I'll see you in the morning. I have somewhere to go. It is a banquet. I won't be home tonight.” He began to walk away. “Goodnight…Sehun.”
“Goodnight, prince,” Sehun called after him weakly, going back to his cleaning. He wished he knew where LuHan was going so he could keep an eye on him. The prince was not safe. Sehun managed to beat LuHan to his room, and wrote a quick note to the prince, mentioning a knife he was insisting that he take with him.
The entire time LuHan was gone that evening, Sehun couldn't think straight. He was worried, and wished he could be with him…AROUND him. The prince had already made certain that Sehun remembered his place. He would always just be a servant, no matter how nice Prince LuHan seemed at times. Despite his clear station, he couldn't help being worried. LuHan was in danger. Sehun now wished he had been assigned as Prince LuHan’s bodyguard, and not only a servant.
The event was a costume party, so LuHan wore a mask so that people would think he was like them, and not a cursed freak. It wasn't terribly bright in the ballroom, so he didn't draw attention to himself.
When the party was about halfway over, LuHan was approached by a young woman who smiled at him. He touched the mask, suddenly grateful for it. “May I help you, young lady?” LuHan smiled warmly. He was surprised that it was genuine. He WANTED to be nice, and could feel a difference in his demeanor. He smiled, and hoped that this might help him break the curse, even if he wasn't truly interested in her.
The young woman, dressed in a tight, revealing black outfit with a furry tail, smiled back at him. He recognized her expression. It was just as fake as her mask. He had seen it several times, while he was growing up. That was why he didn't like this crowd.
She cleared her throat. “Prince LuHan, do you mind going out on the balcony with me?” It was a repeat of the incident that had placed him in this situation in the first place. That made him nervous.
“Sure,” he smiled at her, determined to make the best of this night. This wasn't something to be worried about. Once they were outside, she turned to him. “Prince LuHan, I've heard that you are very good looking, and would love to see your face beyond the mask,” she winked at him. “I would take off anything you wanted ME to take off in return for the mask.”
LuHan cocked his head, feeling a warning sign. “I don’t think I'm supposed take it off…and I don’t think it would be proper for you to remove anything.” He edged away from her. “I’m sorry, princess.” He was silent for a moment. “Would you like to dance? I CAN do that.” He smiled at her.
“Okay. We can dance.” the princess sounded icy, which send chills down LuHan’s spine. He felt like he needed to go home, even though the party was not over. He ignored the feeling.
“So…will you go in and dance with me?” LuHan felt a knot beginning in the pit of his stomach.
The princess smiled at him, still looking irritated. “I just said I would, didn’t I? I would rather be doing other things, but if that's how you want it, then fine. Let’s dance,” she replied, still sounding bitter.
LuHan ignored her irritation and took her hand gently. They walked back into the ballroom, and he began dancing with her. On the second dance, the princess moved her hand down, touching him on the leg. It caused LuHan to jump, and he realized that his mind had drifted to the servant, Sehun, with his stern stares and beautiful face...
What the hell? The girl leaned in, whispering in his ear. “I could make you feel very good.”
LuHan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He wasn't going to sleep with someone in this form he was stuck in. No one would want to be with him, and run away when they saw him…except for Sehun. Stop it. He was ONLY a servant.
The princess smiled at him. “You are quiet, Prince LuHan. Are you not enjoying dancing with me?”
LuHan managed a smile. “Of course.” He lied to her. “It’s not that, princess. I’m just getting tired. I think I'll retire to my quarters. Excuse me.” He bowed to her and left.
He didn't notice the princess’ icy glare as he was walking off, nor did he see her walk over to the tall, burly man in the corner.
An hour later, Prince LuHan heard a knock on his door. Opening it, he realized he had forgotten his mask. The man at the door saw him and slammed the door behind him before LuHan could push him out. “Hello, prince. I've been looking for you for a long time. Do you know how valuable you are to me?”
LuHan glared at him. “Get the hell out of my bedroom. I'll call for help.”
“There is no help coming, Prince LuHan. You are coming with me.” The man began to grab for LuHan again, and he remembered the knife Sehun had given him. Struggling, he stabbed the man in the side. The large man doubled over in pain and LuHan took the opportunity to knee him in the chin. The man’s head snapped back, and he fell unconscious.
Shaken, LuHan sent a text message to Yixing, asking him to come to his room immediately. It only took the young Chinese prince minutes to arrive. When he got there, LuHan was still shaken, so Yixing led him out one of the secret passages.
When they got back to the mansion, LuHan turned to Yixing. “Thank you for saving my ass. I guess it’s true that people are after me.”
Yixing nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.” Leaning over, he surprised LuHan by kissing him on the lips. LuHan jumped back, and Yixing frowned. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
There was an awkward silence and Yixing smiled at him. “Be careful going inside. Your servant will be waiting for you. You should go…Gege. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” LuHan smiled back at him. “Thank you.” He hurried inside, and was met by Sehun. “Welcome home, Prince. I thought you wouldn't be home until tomorrow.”
LuHan stared at him for a moment, then pulled him into a hug. “Thank you. You were right about people wanting my head. I’m sorry for not listening to you before. I think I will be staying in for a while.”
Sehun looked confused. “Your Highness, what…?” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I forget my place.”
LuHan looked very serious. “I don’t. Sehun, may I stay with you tonight?”
Sehun felt his heart jump. “Of course, Your Highness. You can do whatever you wish.”
LuHan laughed softly. “Just call me LuHan. I don’t want to be Prince LuHan right now.”
Sehun was still confused, but did not mention it. There were thoughts going through his mind. There were temptations that could be realized, if LuHan was “not a prince” tonight. Sehun decided this was not the time to take advantage of them. He was just going to enjoy the moment he had been given now.
