The Price of Vanity
Forever
LuHan left his bedroom, glaring at the mirror as he passed. With the feelings he had for Sehun, he had thought something would change once he kissed him. Apparently not. It must be because Sehun wasn't royal blood. He just wanted the curse to end. He wanted it over.Taking a quick shower, he dressed in clubbing clothes. If he wasn't going to change, at least he would go out in style. Maybe someone would dare to shoot him, and the curse would be done for. That way, he wouldn't need to worry about Sehun anymore.
Finding Sehun, he told him he was going out for a while. Sehun didn't look happy, and tried to discourage him. He was confused about the prince’s change in mood, but didn’t have the power to stop him. It wasn't his place.
Once he got to the club, LuHan wasn't worried about being recognized. He didn't care now, since it would all be over soon, anyway. He danced with anyone that would approach him, male or female. Nothing mattered anymore. After dancing for a while, he walked over the bar to get a drink.
The bartender smiled at him. “Hello. You must be the cursed prince. You aren’t as hideous as I thought you would be. I’ve heard stories…”
LuHan nodded curtly. “Yeah, they're quite terrible, aren't they?" He slapped his hand on the counter. "However, I don’t want to think about that tonight. I just want to forget…everything.”
The bartender poured him a drink and handed it to him. LuHan paid with his credit card, still not caring who saw him tonight. He sat at the bar and drank himself into oblivion.
At about midnight, LuHan woke up in a strange bedroom. Walking around, he recognized the woman in front of him. It was the same princess who almost caused him to be kidnapped a few weeks before. He was certain this was the end for him now.
************
Yixing picked up his phone, groggy from sleep. “Hello?”
“Hi. This is LuHan’s servant, Sehun. I got your number from his contacts. He left a while ago to go out clubbing and I'm concerned about him,” Yixing could hear the fear in the young Korean’s voice.
“Oh, shit,” Yixing mumbled, looking through his contacts. This didn’t sound good. He needed to contact Jongdae, since the other man had told him he would protect LuHan. “Thank you, Sehun. I appreciate it. Did he say where he was going?”
“No,” Sehun cursed under his breath. “Everything was going well. I don’t get it. All I know is that he is in danger with the people out to get him. They want to bring him in.”
“Okay. I'll come pick you up now, and we'll track him down,” Yixing didn't wait for Sehun to reply, and hung up the phone. Calling Jongdae, he asked him to get a car ready.
************
LuHan struggled against the bonds that were tying him to the bed. He was terrified, despite telling himself that he didn't want to live like this anymore. Glaring at the woman, he shook his head. “What is this? What do you want from me? I’m the one that has to live like this.”
The woman smiled, nodding. “Yes, prince. You will continue to live this way, since we are keeping you here past the expiration of the rose. When the last petal falls and you don't have any hope of turning back into a human, we will give you to out boss. He's been waiting to meet you for weeks, and you won't have any hope at that point.”
LuHan’s eyes went dead. He knew she was right. He didn't have any hope, as it was. His only hope of turning back had died when he had kissed Sehun, someone he truly cared for.
************
Jongdae pulling into a dark alley and parked, turning to Sehun. “I know who has him. We just need to get there before time runs out.” Getting out of the car, he walked over and opened he door for Yixing. Grinning at the noble, he gestured for him to step out.
“I told you I would protect him, my lord. I keep my promises.”
Yixing stepped out of the car, smiling at him. “Thank you, Jongdae.”
“Of course,” Jongdae led the way to the side of a building. Motioning for the other two to be quiet, he listened carefully. They could hear voices inside, and Jongdae recognized them. They were at the correct place, and his suspicions had been right.
Sehun winced when he heard LuHan’s voice, sharp and full of malice. He was angry.
Jongdae took out a gun, holding it carefully. He turned and handed guns to the other two, also. They were going to need them. Moving to the front of the building, Jongdae picked the lock. Opening the door silently, they moved from one room to the next. The abductors weren't in the front of the house, as he had heard from the window. That would buy them some time. All they needed was to get LuHan back.
They moved through the house, and finally saw light under one of the doors. Jongdae did not waste any time as he kicked the door open. They saw LuHan now tied to a chair, and there were three others with him. The big man that had tried to kidnap LuHan the first time turned to them, kicking at Jongdae. The young guard ducked, sweeping the other man to the ground with a low kick. Jongdae shattered the man’s kneecap with his foot, and the other man began to pass out from the pain. Yixing pointed his gun at the woman, who had a knife to LuHan’s throat.
“If I kill him now, no one wins and the game's over,” the woman, pressed the knife closer to LuHan’s throat, and they saw a small trickle of blood run down his chest. That was enough for Sehun to lose it. He drew his gun shooting the woman in the arm. She yelled in pain and dropped the knife.
Jongdae cut the ropes and grabbed LuHan, but didn't see the other man come up behind him. The third kidnapper shot Jongdae in the side, and he fell to the ground.
Reacting quickly, LuHan picked up the gun and shot the man in the head.
Yixing glared at the woman. “You’re all alone now. just give up and let us leave. You don’t have anything to gain from this.”
The woman was in obvious pain, and Yixing could see her will slipping away quickly. She nodded, turning to LuHan. “I’m sorry…”
LuHan smiled at her. “It’s okay. Just don’t tell anyone of this. Tell everyone it was a freak accident…and leave this mess behind.”
Yixing picked Jongdae up carefully. He was losing blood rapidly, and they didn't have much time. Rushing to the car, they got in and sped to the hospital. While Yixing took the young guard in, LuHan turned to Sehun. "We should get home. They'll be here all night."
Sehun didn't say a word, but simply nodded.
Once they were home, LuHan turned to Sehun, who was still on edge from the ordeal.“I’m sorry for being so foolish. This is all my fault. I thought that if I kissed you…” LuHan bit his lip, shaking his head. “I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. It doesn’t matter that I am falling in love with you.”
“Well…you’re an idiot, but I am falling for you, too,” Sehun smiled at him. "Don't ever do that again. You nearly got us all killed." He was silent for a moment, then Pushed LuHan against the wall, kissing him passionately. At that moment, LuHan felt a tingle, and his bone structure changing. It hurt quite a bit, but he ignored the pain, not caring if he was changing or not. He was kissing the most important person in his life.
Sehun felt the effect of the curse being lifted and pulled back. The man before him didn't look like a cat, but a hot young prince. Tears filled his eyes as he kissed LuHan again.
LuHan smiled at him. “Thank you." He stared at Sehun for a long moment."I love you and I know this is where I need to be now.”
"Yeah, I've known that for a while," Sehun smiled back at him. "You're just slow on the uptake. I love you, too, though."
************
Two days later, LuHan met with his parents again. Yixing had not come with him, since he wanted to stay with Jongdae at the hospital. LuHan wasn't shy about the young man that was currently clutching his hand. He had found the one he wanted to be with, even though he happened to be a male servant. His parents would just have to live with it. He had learned his lesson, and also found the love of his life…the former servant, Sehun.
Finding Sehun, he told him he was going out for a while. Sehun didn't look happy, and tried to discourage him. He was confused about the prince’s change in mood, but didn’t have the power to stop him. It wasn't his place.
Once he got to the club, LuHan wasn't worried about being recognized. He didn't care now, since it would all be over soon, anyway. He danced with anyone that would approach him, male or female. Nothing mattered anymore. After dancing for a while, he walked over the bar to get a drink.
The bartender smiled at him. “Hello. You must be the cursed prince. You aren’t as hideous as I thought you would be. I’ve heard stories…”
LuHan nodded curtly. “Yeah, they're quite terrible, aren't they?" He slapped his hand on the counter. "However, I don’t want to think about that tonight. I just want to forget…everything.”
The bartender poured him a drink and handed it to him. LuHan paid with his credit card, still not caring who saw him tonight. He sat at the bar and drank himself into oblivion.
At about midnight, LuHan woke up in a strange bedroom. Walking around, he recognized the woman in front of him. It was the same princess who almost caused him to be kidnapped a few weeks before. He was certain this was the end for him now.
************
Yixing picked up his phone, groggy from sleep. “Hello?”
“Hi. This is LuHan’s servant, Sehun. I got your number from his contacts. He left a while ago to go out clubbing and I'm concerned about him,” Yixing could hear the fear in the young Korean’s voice.
“Oh, shit,” Yixing mumbled, looking through his contacts. This didn’t sound good. He needed to contact Jongdae, since the other man had told him he would protect LuHan. “Thank you, Sehun. I appreciate it. Did he say where he was going?”
“No,” Sehun cursed under his breath. “Everything was going well. I don’t get it. All I know is that he is in danger with the people out to get him. They want to bring him in.”
“Okay. I'll come pick you up now, and we'll track him down,” Yixing didn't wait for Sehun to reply, and hung up the phone. Calling Jongdae, he asked him to get a car ready.
************
LuHan struggled against the bonds that were tying him to the bed. He was terrified, despite telling himself that he didn't want to live like this anymore. Glaring at the woman, he shook his head. “What is this? What do you want from me? I’m the one that has to live like this.”
The woman smiled, nodding. “Yes, prince. You will continue to live this way, since we are keeping you here past the expiration of the rose. When the last petal falls and you don't have any hope of turning back into a human, we will give you to out boss. He's been waiting to meet you for weeks, and you won't have any hope at that point.”
LuHan’s eyes went dead. He knew she was right. He didn't have any hope, as it was. His only hope of turning back had died when he had kissed Sehun, someone he truly cared for.
************
Jongdae pulling into a dark alley and parked, turning to Sehun. “I know who has him. We just need to get there before time runs out.” Getting out of the car, he walked over and opened he door for Yixing. Grinning at the noble, he gestured for him to step out.
“I told you I would protect him, my lord. I keep my promises.”
Yixing stepped out of the car, smiling at him. “Thank you, Jongdae.”
“Of course,” Jongdae led the way to the side of a building. Motioning for the other two to be quiet, he listened carefully. They could hear voices inside, and Jongdae recognized them. They were at the correct place, and his suspicions had been right.
Sehun winced when he heard LuHan’s voice, sharp and full of malice. He was angry.
Jongdae took out a gun, holding it carefully. He turned and handed guns to the other two, also. They were going to need them. Moving to the front of the building, Jongdae picked the lock. Opening the door silently, they moved from one room to the next. The abductors weren't in the front of the house, as he had heard from the window. That would buy them some time. All they needed was to get LuHan back.
They moved through the house, and finally saw light under one of the doors. Jongdae did not waste any time as he kicked the door open. They saw LuHan now tied to a chair, and there were three others with him. The big man that had tried to kidnap LuHan the first time turned to them, kicking at Jongdae. The young guard ducked, sweeping the other man to the ground with a low kick. Jongdae shattered the man’s kneecap with his foot, and the other man began to pass out from the pain. Yixing pointed his gun at the woman, who had a knife to LuHan’s throat.
“If I kill him now, no one wins and the game's over,” the woman, pressed the knife closer to LuHan’s throat, and they saw a small trickle of blood run down his chest. That was enough for Sehun to lose it. He drew his gun shooting the woman in the arm. She yelled in pain and dropped the knife.
Jongdae cut the ropes and grabbed LuHan, but didn't see the other man come up behind him. The third kidnapper shot Jongdae in the side, and he fell to the ground.
Reacting quickly, LuHan picked up the gun and shot the man in the head.
Yixing glared at the woman. “You’re all alone now. just give up and let us leave. You don’t have anything to gain from this.”
The woman was in obvious pain, and Yixing could see her will slipping away quickly. She nodded, turning to LuHan. “I’m sorry…”
LuHan smiled at her. “It’s okay. Just don’t tell anyone of this. Tell everyone it was a freak accident…and leave this mess behind.”
Yixing picked Jongdae up carefully. He was losing blood rapidly, and they didn't have much time. Rushing to the car, they got in and sped to the hospital. While Yixing took the young guard in, LuHan turned to Sehun. "We should get home. They'll be here all night."
Sehun didn't say a word, but simply nodded.
Once they were home, LuHan turned to Sehun, who was still on edge from the ordeal.“I’m sorry for being so foolish. This is all my fault. I thought that if I kissed you…” LuHan bit his lip, shaking his head. “I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. It doesn’t matter that I am falling in love with you.”
“Well…you’re an idiot, but I am falling for you, too,” Sehun smiled at him. "Don't ever do that again. You nearly got us all killed." He was silent for a moment, then Pushed LuHan against the wall, kissing him passionately. At that moment, LuHan felt a tingle, and his bone structure changing. It hurt quite a bit, but he ignored the pain, not caring if he was changing or not. He was kissing the most important person in his life.
Sehun felt the effect of the curse being lifted and pulled back. The man before him didn't look like a cat, but a hot young prince. Tears filled his eyes as he kissed LuHan again.
LuHan smiled at him. “Thank you." He stared at Sehun for a long moment."I love you and I know this is where I need to be now.”
"Yeah, I've known that for a while," Sehun smiled back at him. "You're just slow on the uptake. I love you, too, though."
************
Two days later, LuHan met with his parents again. Yixing had not come with him, since he wanted to stay with Jongdae at the hospital. LuHan wasn't shy about the young man that was currently clutching his hand. He had found the one he wanted to be with, even though he happened to be a male servant. His parents would just have to live with it. He had learned his lesson, and also found the love of his life…the former servant, Sehun.
