[for chiharu] Limitless; 无限 [1/2]
Title: Limitless; 无限
For: chiharu
Pairing: Lu Han/Minseok
Rating: PG-13
Length: 13,600 words
Summary: Lu Han dreams of flying. (Inventors/Alternate History AU)
Author's Note: Dear recipient, I’m not sure if this was what you had in mind but I hope you like it? Also, huge thank you to p and l for putting up with my horrible last-minute things and crying and etc etc.
In the corner of Lu Han’s living room, in a cage, there lived a magpie.
“I paid a lot of money for it,” his grandfather had explained the day he brought it home. Lu Han was only six years old then, and he’d only ever seen paintings of magpies. He set it down by the window, overlooking the courtyard, and Lu Han had been mesmerized by its’ black and white feathers.
“Why did you buy it?” He had asked softly, in wonder.
“Magpies represent joy, celebration and happiness,” his grandfather had told him, a kind smile appearing on his weathered face.
“So now we’ll always be happy?” He’d looked up at his grandfather, eyes wide with curiosity. There was no reply, instead, his grandfather had chuckled softly and ruffled his hair.
The bird would sing for a brief period in the morning, just as the sun peaked into the compound. It wasn’t much of a melody, and Lu Han thought it sometimes resembled the sound of a clear stream, but he never grew weary of it. The bird would always face the window, only turning away when Lu Han or his grandfather interested it with pieces of fruit or vegetables.
There were times when, as Lu Han observed the bird, he’d feel the innate urge to reach out and pull its’ cage door open. Maybe not to set it free forever -- no, his grandfather would be furious at that -- but perhaps to just let it soar around the compound for a while, let it stretch its wings. Lu Han couldn’t help but feel as if the bird’s constant obsession with the outside world was a plea for him to let it go, but he never found the strength to release it, no matter how long he stood in front of the cage. Besides, with the magpie’s arrival, Lu Han had felt the atmosphere in the house liven, as if the bird really had brought all those things his grandfather had said it promised.
And so the bird remained, singing only at the dawn, its’ eyes fixed on the world beyond its’ cage.
⌲
By the time Lu Han was nineteen, the New City had been built. Most of his friends, the people he’d grown up with, left the compounds for the buildings that were said to touch the clouds. Rumour had it that whoever stood on the top of the highest one, the one they nicknamed the Skyscraper, would be able to reach out and catch a star with his bare hands. Lu Han would have been lying if he said he hadn’t been curious, but he couldn’t stand the thought of leaving his grandfather behind. His grandfather could hardly walk now, even with a cane, and his hands shook even when it was summer.
The magpie, now much older as well, sang softer and much less frequently. Lu Han had watched as its’ form slowly became drooped over its’ perch, as if it had grown tired to hold its’ head up. As the weather got colder, Lu Han shut the window its’ cage was by, for fear that it too would grow sick, but this only appeared to make it sadder as it stopped singing altogether. By the time winter arrived, most of the original inhabitants of the compound had left for the New City, and the ones who remained were either injured or too old for travel, with the exception of Lu Han.
One night, his grandfather came into his study, a heavy-looking pouch in hand. He dumped it onto Lu Han’s desk with a flourish. Lu Han heard the jingling of coins and he looked up, confused.
“Go,” he instructed, gesturing towards the pouch, “go to the New City.”
Lu Han was surprised. His grandfather had always been a man of tradition, and up until now he’d been under the impression that his grandfather was as unwilling to let him go as he was to leave.
“W-what?”
His grandfather tsked. “Such a young boy and you’re already losing your hearing? Go to the New City.”
Lu Han bit his lip, looking at the pouch. “Whose money is this?”
“Yours, now. Spend it wisely.” His grandfather shuffled over to the bed and shakily bent down, trying to reach for something. Lu Han stood up and quickly went to help him, but his grandfather swatted him away with a mutter of ‘I can do it’ before pulling out a large suitcase. It was dusty and seemed hardly used.
“But Grandpa I can’t leave you here-”
“Nonsense!” His grandfather interrupted, opening the case. He opened Lu Han’s drawers and rummaged through his things, pulling out clothes despite Lu Han’s protests. “I can take care of myself. I’m still young, you know.”
Lu Han watched as his grandfather hobbled over to the case and began putting the clothes in. “But I don’t want to leave!” He tried.
At this, his grandfather stopped, and for a moment Lu Han thought he had succeeded in persuading him until his grandfather turned and went to one of the posters of his bed. He balanced himself against it as he held out his cane and tapped one of the floorboards. There was the sound of a spring and squeak and click before the floorboard sprung up, revealing a compartment stuffed with rolls upon rolls of paper.
“I’ve seen your work,” his grandfather said, but his voice was much gentler and softer now. “You’ll find the opportunities you want in the New City. There’s a place there, a convention for inventors.” He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and held it out to Lu Han. There was an address on it, with a poorly drawn dome. “Find it and register your name, and then submit your invention. The world needs to see your work, Xiao Lu.”
Lu Han looked from the paper to the secret compartment, the darkness of the space within overcoming him with guilt. “I...I wanted to tell you but-”
“Lu-ah,” his grandfather shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips, “you can’t hide these kinds of things from me.” He tapped at the floorboard again with his cane and there was a different series of the clacking of gears and springs as the floorboard was pulled back into place, hiding the blueprints once more.
He let his grandfather pack the rest of his things away, feeling oddly helpless. Maybe the fear of the New City hadn’t really stemmed from the fact that he was leaving his grandfather behind.
⌲
As he made his way to the entrance of the compound, a part of Lu Han couldn’t help but feel like he was betraying something. Generations of the Lu family lived on the compound, his grandmother used to tell him when she was around. He felt like the world behind him dissipated with each step that he took.
When he finally reached the gate his grandfather called his name. He turned around, expecting him to be standing at the door, his hands over his cane, a small smile on his face, but instead he saw his grandfather hurrying towards him with the magpie’s cage in hand. It swung back and forth with the movement and the bird within chirped, hopping around as if elated at the change of scenery. Lu Han’s eyes widened in confusion.
“Grandpa-”
“Take her with you,” his grandfather said, handing the bird over. Lu Han looked at the magpie, who chirped happily at him, and then back at his grandfather. “She’s old, Xiao Lu,” his grandfather explained, smiling kindly. “Give her some adventure.”
“I’ll write to you,” Lu Han promised, holding onto the cage tightly. “I’ll write to you as often as I can.”
His grandfather nodded. “Now go, Lu Han. Your future awaits.”
And so, for the first time in his life, Lu Han stepped out of the compound.
⌲
Lu Han dreamt of flying.
He dreamt of being amongst clouds, of reaching out and feeling one against his skin. He could only imagine what a cloud felt like. As a child, he figured it felt like cotton, soft and fluffy, easily coming apart and drifting off with the wind. When he got older, of course, he learnt otherwise, but the knowledge failed to cap his craving for adventure in the skies.
Part of it, he figured, was to do with the bird. She sat in her cage all day, and Lu Han would watch her, waiting, for the moment when she stretched out her wings. The frequency of the moment grew less and less as time went by, but he always made sure he was present with his sketchbook, mapping out the lines of her feathers and the form of her wings before she settled back again.
It was the time of a new age of genius, a mechanical age, where man and machine worked together as one. At least, that was what the radio proclaimed. Lu Han dreamed of taking the skies, of soaring across cities and across continents. Surely, if there was a time to achieve dreams, it was now. But at the same time, he was terrified. He kept his drawings hidden in a compartment under the floorboards of his room, a contraption he had long since discovered as a child. It was a nagging self doubt that he couldn’t shake off, even in a world that could be lit by the night by wires. Machines could only go so far.
(But he continued to dream of a limitless existence. And as long as that remained, the blueprints grew and grew in number and detail.)
⌲
The City remained in sight all throughout Lu Han’s journey. He wasn’t particularly comfortable with the idea of traveling alone, but it felt easier with his destination in sight. The magpie enjoyed the fresh air, occasionally chirping when they passed by landmarks or open fields.
“You’re lucky you don’t have to walk,” Lu Han said, and she fluttered her wings in response.
He thought about it a little more as he walked before setting the cage down. He knelt down and unlocked the door, and the magpie chirped as he reached in and held out his finger for her to perch herself. She hopped onto it without hesitation and he lifted her out.
Lu Han petted her head gently, smiling a little sadly. “Go be free, okay? Find another nice magpie and spend some time with him.”
The magpie cocked her head to the side, curious. Lu Han shook his head and swung his hand up, the momentum enough for her to get the cue and she spread her wings, flying up. He watched as she soared around the sky, gracefully circling and spiralling through the air, and soon he heard her sing her song once more. He smiled as he watched her, listening to the clear notes ringing out in the morning air. He left the cage behind and picked up his bags, continuing on his journey to the City.
The magpie’s song stopped a couple seconds later, and Lu Han felt something on his shoulder. When he turned to look he saw the magpie perched on his shoulder and he blinked in amazement. She blinked back at him.
“What are you doing?” He asked. She chirped at him in response.
“You want to come with me?” Again, the magpie chirped.
“Listen to yourself, Lu Han, you’re talking to a bird,” he mumbled to himself. The magpie fluttered over and landed on his other shoulder, as if asking for his attention.
“The City’s pretty dangerous, you know. You could get hurt.”
The magpie chirped and cocked her head to the side, fluffing up her feathers as if sizing herself up. Lu Han laughed at the sight.
“Okay, okay, you can come with me. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though.”
He walked on a little more, waiting for her to take off again but she didn’t move. It amused him but he was also comforted by her presence, or rather, the knowledge that she didn’t mind remaining in his company.
“Maybe I should name you,” he said. The magpie watched him.
Lu Han bit his lip as he thought. He’d never really had a pet before, even if the magpie had lived in his home with him. She was always more of his grandfather’s pet, yet his grandfather had never named her either. He hadn’t thought that coming up with a name could be so hard.
“Well...you have black feathers so...Blackie? No, wait, you have white feathers too.” Lu Han frowned in thought. “Something black and white...how about Othello?” The magpie flapped her wings in protest and he quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding a faceful of feathers. “Okay, okay, not that name.”
He continued studying the bird as he walked. He realized the white feathers were only located on her wings, and they seemed to form a pool of white in the middle, as if someone had been painting her and made a brushstroke on either one of her wings. It was oddly familiar to him, something about the shape, the composition. He reached out and stroked her neck gently with his knuckle, and as her body curled against his touch he remembered.
“Yin,” he said, softly, like it was the name of an old friend he was meeting for the first time in a long time. “I’ll call you Yin.”
⌲
The City was loud, screaming and wailing with life. Lu Han had heard its’ low humming a couple miles off, but as he stepped onto the new pavement, his shadow swallowed up by that of the towering buildings, the thundering voice of the City was all he could hear. Footsteps, foreign accents, the whirring of automobiles -- Lu Han found himself having to stop along the streets every now and then in an attempt to orient himself, only to be jostled aside by impatient folk. He kept a hand close to Yin, petting her gently to calm her down. It was as if he had stepped into the belly of a machine, a new gear that seemed obsolete. Everywhere he looked, there were people, and they all seemed to be moving in different directions. But they all seemed to know where they were going. It was as harmonious as it was chaotic, to him, at least.
Yin remained on his shoulder despite the occasional squawk, and most people who passed by gave Lu Han an odd look, but he had figured as much. If they weren’t staring at Yin, then it was at his clothes, that were dull and dusty from the journey. Against the backdrop of the City, with its’ modern people dressed in electric hues, it was clear he was a complete outsider.
Lu Han bit his lip as he walked along the streets, searching for hostel signs or offers for a room where he might be able to stay. He wandered further and further to the heart of the City, and as the streets grew more and more crowded, he grew anxious. If there were this many people on the streets, how many would there be in the buildings? Surely it wasn’t possible for all of them to find a place by night time.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice a child run by, snatching his pouch off of his belt. Somehow, the soft jingling of coins caught his attention just as the boy was a couple metres ahead, and Lu Han’s eyes widened when he recognized the pouch in the boy’s grubby fingers. “HEY!” He yelled, sprinting after him.
The boy was quick, easily weaving through the crowd. Lu Han tried his best not to shove people aside too roughly, unable to navigate between them as easily as the boy did. From time to time he would yell, “Stop him!” But no one seemed to listen, or rather, no one seemed to be interested in helping him. The distance between them grew greater and greater, and soon enough, Lu Han lost sight of him.
Tired, Lu Han gradually slowed and stopped, panting. The pain of frustration creeped up on him as he found himself still looking, still searching for any sign of the boy. That was all the money he had. He frowned, feeling the tears prick at his eyes. But then he realized the lack of claws on his shoulders.
Panic gripped him for a moment when he’d thought he’d lost Yin, that she’d been grabbed by a greedy bird seller when he hadn’t been paying attention, but then a shadow passed overhead, and he looked up. Yin was circling somewhere ahead of him, and then she suddenly flew off again, as if she was…
Lu Han took off running again with renewed energy. He glanced up at Yin as he ran, following her. More people shouted at him as he pushed past them, but he didn’t care at this point. Yin led him towards West of the City, and he passed through backstreets to main roads to overhead bridges until he finally came to a small street, almost like an alleyway, dotted with what looked like shophouses, and the boy came into view. Yin fluttered down silently, resting on his shoulder, and he grinned and petted her head.
“Good girl,” he murmured, before looking at the boy again. It was definitely his pouch alright, still clutched in the boy’s hand, but now Lu Han realized there was a much taller person in front of him. The taller person looked like a boy, too, but his height disputed that completely.
“Xi-Chun, where are you going?” The stranger Lu Han also realized this newcomer was wearing an apron, a cloth in his hands.
The boy, Xi-Chun, immediately looked guilty and hid the pouch behind his back. “N-nowhere.”
The taller male raised an eyebrow. “Xi-Chun,” he repeated in a warning tone.
“Canlie-ge,” Xi-Chun pleaded in return.
Lu Han watched as the taller male--Canlie, was it? Sounds oddly foreign. held out his hand. Xi-Chun’s eyes widened and he bit his lip, quickly looking down, but Canlie held his posture. Slowly, but surely, Xi-Chun revealed the pouch in his hand before reaching out and dropping it into Canlie’s.
The weight of the coins seemed to surprise Canlie. “Xi-Chun, I told you not to steal anymore. Do you realize how much this is worth?” He said, shaking the pouch in his hand.
Xi-Chun shook his head solemnly, not looking up. Canlie sighed.
At this point, Lu Han found it in himself to step out onto the little street. Canlie looked up, and Lu Han figured he wouldn’t even have given him a second glance if it hadn’t been for Yin perched on his shoulder. Xi-Chun followed Canlie’s line of vision, and when he recognized Lu Han, he quickly glanced away.
“Um,” Lu Han said, feeling awkward under Canlie’s gaze as he pointed to the pouch, “that’s mine.”
Canlie blinked and then looked at the pouch in his hand. “Oh? This?” Lu Han nodded and he didn’t question any further before tossing it to Lu Han, who caught it.
“Sorry about that,” Canlie said, putting an arm around Xi-Chun’s shoulders and turning him to face Lu Han. The boy kept his head lowered. “It’s a bad habit of his we’re trying to make him kick. Say sorry, Xi-Chun,” he urged, gently shaking Xi-Chun’s shoulder.
“Sorry,” Xi-Chun mumbled, though it was so inaudible he could have been saying something else and Lu Han wouldn’t have been able to tell.
“Is he your brother?” Lu Han asked.
Canlie ruffled Xi-Chun’s hair. “Sort of. We’re not blood related but I’ve taken care of him long enough.”
Lu Han nodded. “I see.”
“Please,” Canlie said suddenly, gesturing to the doors behind him, and Lu Han realized it was the entrance to a shop. “Come in. You look tired.”
“Ah, thank you but...I need to find a place to stay. It’s going to be dark soon and I don’t think I’ve even covered the South side of the City.” Lu Han’s legs ached in protest as he adjusted his pack but he was more desperate for a bed than a temporary break.
Canlie’s eyes seemed to light up. “We have a room, actually!”
“You do?” Lu Han said, hopeful.
Canlie nodded. Beside him, Xi-Chun looked a little grumpy, but Canlie paid him no heed as he continued. “It’s not incredibly fancy, but it has a comfy bed and the necessities.”
Lu Han nodded almost immediately, having stopped listening at ‘comfy bed’. Canlie ushered him inside the shop, and Lu Han was greeted with the sound of someone humming and the smell of dumplings. It was a small establishment, with just enough room for about six customers, but there were only two people seated at present. It had been built such that the customers sat around a wooden frame, where the staff worked in the middle and prepared their food in front of them. Lu Han felt his stomach grumble as a basket of steaming dumplings was served to the customer nearest to him.
The present chef said something in a language that was unfamiliar to Lu Han. Canlie responded easily, clearly fluent in it, and Lu Han looked back and forth between them, curious. Canlie said something else, gesturing towards Lu Han, and the chef turned around.
“My name is..Jongdae,” he said, pointedly looking at Canlie, who rolled his eyes. He shook Lu Han’s hand, his eyes curling into half-moons.
“Jongdae,” Lu Han echoed, as he let go of the chef’s hand.
Jongdae grinned and then leaned in to mock-whisper, gesturing towards Canlie, “Did he tell you his name is Canlie?”
Lu Han nodded, giving Jongdae a curious look as the latter laughed softly.
“Canlie isn’t his name?”
Canlie unfolded his arms, walking over to the counter. “It’s my name when it’s translated-”
“So no, it isn’t.”
Canlie frowned, pointedly snatching a steamed bun from the tray in front of Jongdae. “It’s hot,” Jongdae said, just as Canlie popped the whole thing into his mouth. Lu Han held back a laugh as Canlie started coughing, fanning at his mouth as his eyes watered.
“Told you, Chanyeol” Jongdae said. Canlie glared.
“Chanyeol,” Lu Han repeated, trying out the syllables once more. His eyes widened in surprise when he understood. “You’re from the Eastlands?”
Jongdae nodded. Lu Han tried not to look too excited. He’d only ever heard of life beyond China in stories his grandfather told him, and those about the Eastlands always intrigued him the most. His grandfather told him stories about great heroes and terrible villains and magic that could be found in the most unlikely of places.
“What about you?” Jongdae asked. “You seem a long way from home.”
Lu Han fidgeted with the straps on his bag, remembering why he had come to the City in the first place. “Kind of. My home is a good distance from the City.”
“Oh?” Jongdae said, curious. “So why’d you come here?”
Lu Han bit his lip, searching for an answer when Chanyeol cut in. “Do you have to interrogate everyone who comes in?” He said, gently turning Lu Han towards the flight of stairs near the back of the shop. Lu Han shot Jongdae an apologetic smile before following Chanyeol, secretly relieved.
It was a short flight, but the stairs were steep, and Lu Han was careful as they made their way up. The second floor was a lot more cramped than the first, with just enough room for them to walk behind each other. Chanyeol led him down a corridor when a man came out from one of the others rooms, a crate in his arms. There was flour on his round cheeks but it was his eyes that made Lu Han stop when he glanced over, the way his gaze seemed so calculative and mysterious.
“Minseok-hyung!” Chanyeol greeted happily.
“Hello, Chanyeol,” Minseok said, and then asked something in the language of the Eastlands.
“Oh, this is Lu Han. He’s from outside the City,” Chanyeol said, switching back to Mandarin. “He’s taking the spare room.”
Minseok’s eyebrows raised. “Oh?”
Lu Han nodded.
Chanyeol said something else, and Minseok seemed to smirk before nodding. “Well, hope you don’t mind the smell of dumplings twenty-four seven, then,” he said. His speech was a little less accented than Chanyeol’s. Lu Han figured he’d already been in China for a good period of time.
He managed to squeeze past Lu Han in the minimal space, muttering apologies as their arms pressed up against each other’s. Lu Han found himself watching Minseok walk back down the hall before descending the stairs, disappearing out of sight.
“Bed’s not too bad,” he heard Chanyeol’s distant voice, and he quickly turned back around, following Chanyeol into the room. It was a small, square room, but Lu Han was pleased to find a desk in the corner. He set his bags down as Chanyeol opened the window, letting more light in. The beating of wings alerted him and Yin flew in, perching herself on the window ledge.
Chanyeol looked alarmed, but Lu Han stopped him before he could harm her or scare her away. “Sorry, I forgot to ask about pets,” he said, going over to the window. He petted Yin’s head, smiling affectionately at her.
“You know this bird?” Chanyeol said, incredulous.
“My grandfather gave her to me when I left,” Lu Han explained, voice growing soft. The mere thought of his grandfather was enough to prevent him from continuing his sentence. He remained silent, gently stroking Yin’s wings.
“It’s no problem,” Chanyeol replied. If he noticed the look in Lu Han’s eyes, he didn’t say anything about it.
“I’ll pay for her, if you want me to,” Lu Han said.
“What? No, no, not at all. It’s just a bird, anyway- Sorry, I didn’t mean it like-“
“It’s alright,” Lu Han stopped him, amused. He wasn’t used to this effect on people.
Chanyeol nodded. “And don’t worry about payment. It’s nothing much, really.” He gestured around the room. Yin flew in, happily landing on the bed before she began to hop around, head cocking now and then as if she was scrutinising the surroundings.
“It’s only fair.”
“Chanyeol-ah!” He heard Minseok yell from downstairs. Chanyeol straightened at attention.
“Sorry, I’ll speak to you later,” he said, before hurrying off. He closed the door behind him, leaving Lu Han and Yin alone.
Lu Han stayed quiet for a moment, listening. He could still hear the automobiles are they rumbled by below, and the faint sound of footsteps. From his bed, Yin chirped, and when he turned he saw her nestled on his pillow.
“You can’t sleep there,” he muttered, watching her close her eyes. He walked over to the bed and sat down, subconsciously slipping his hand into his pocket. He felt the piece of paper and pulled it out, smoothening it out with his fingers. The lines of the sketch of the dome seemed a little straighter than before.
⌲
The group of them ate dinner early, just before the rush hour crowd was due to come. Lu Han noticed that Minseok didn’t speak very much, merely glancing at the others from time to time, and smirking to himself whenever Jongdae made a snide remark about the way Chanyeol ate.
“So, why’d you come to the City?” Jongdae asked suddenly.
Lu Han looked up at him and hesitated. “I uh…” He bit his lip, poking at one of his dumplings. “Just jobs, you know,” he said finally, shrugging.
“Yeah? What are you looking into?” Chanyeol asked, his mouth full. Jongdae reached over and swatted him upside the head.
“Uhh..” Lu Han opened and closed his mouth like a fish. “Mech..anics, I guess.”
Minseok looked up, now interested. “Yeah? Oh, hey, Minseok-hyung, you like that kind of stuff, right?” Jongdae said. Lu Han looked at Minseok, raising his eyebrows.
“Kind of,” Minseok shrugged. Lu Han noted the pause in his voice.
“You must have heard of the Inventors’ Dome,” Chanyeol said, and then paused before continuing rather smugly, “Horribly inventive name.”
Lu Han noted the twitch in Jongdae’s hand as he held a fresh, steaming xiao long bao. “The Inventors’ Dome?” He echoed. He remembered the wobbly sketch in his pocket.
“It’s where all those fancy inventors go. With their fancy pocket watches and monocles. It’s the-”
“Greatest gathering of scientists in the New Age,” Minseok interrupted calmly. Lu Han looked up at him and he continued, not looking away. “Happens every two years or so. Inventors from all over the world come to the City to showcase their work. If they’re lucky, a good investor makes a deal with them and, well, the rest is history.”
“Told you he likes this kind of stuff,” Jongdae mumbled. Then, his eyes seemed to light up. “You could take Lu Han to the Dome after dinner, hyung! I’m sure he wouldn’t mind some sightseeing.”
“Uh, I-
“Only if you want,” Minseok said, and he looked at Lu Han in a way that made Lu Han feel obliged.
“I-I think it would be good,” he managed out. And Minseok smiled at him, forcing him to quickly look back down at his food. This was certainly not how he imagined his first night at the City to be, but he couldn’t say that he wasn’t enjoying it.
⌲
The buildings and streets seemed to glow at night. Lu Han walked beside Minseok, marvelling at how each window of the larger, more industrial styled buildings had their own light, layer upon layer of small illuminated squares lined the streets. The City felt like a different being at night, the bustling business people replaced by young partygoers who roamed under neon signs, spilling out onto the streets with linked arms and loud laughter. Lu Han could hear music, a pulsating energy from different buildings, sometimes side by side, as if each one was its’ own organic being.
Minseok led him through a series of streets, the buildings varying more and more in architecture as they went along. He didn’t speak much, but Lu Han could tell when Minseok cast glances at him as he stared at the city life. It made him a little more self-conscious, and he caught himself closing his mouth once or twice after letting it hang agape as he marvelled.
“Out of place, huh?” Minseok said, so softly that Lu Han was unsure if he was talking to him or not.
“It’s incredible,” Lu Han murmured. “Everything here.”
“You haven’t even seen the Dome yet,” Minseok grinned as they turned the corner.
Lu Han wanted to ask how spectacular it really was when he stopped, staring at the structure in front of him. It was, understatedly, enormous. From where they stood, the top of the Dome seemed to cut the moon. He found it hard to believe that the whole city could hide such a building, at least, that was how it seemed from his view on the way here. Three-quarters of the structure seemed to be made purely out of glass, and there was still light coming from within, causing the building to resemble a hill of gold, glittering.
It was already late, so there was only a handful of people around the Dome, but Lu Han saw workers putting up banners on the streetlights that lined the walkway leading up to it.
THE GREAT CONVENTION
COME SEE THE AMAZING STEAM POWERED ENGINE BY THE INGENIOUS KIM JUNMYEON
Lu Han noted the man’s face on the banner. He had extraordinarily pale skin and dark eyes, and his lips curled up into the slightest of smirks. The suit he wore looked tailor made, but the way he held his head was what made Lu Han figure he was clearly eons ahead when it came to the social ladder. Even though he was merely an image, he made Lu Han feel uneasy.
“Kim Junmyeon,” he said, reading out the name. It sounded Eastlandic. He was sure he’d heard the name somewhere before. Lu Han looked at Minseok, who, too, was looking at the banner. His expression was unreadable.
“Steam powered engine…”
“Hm?” He asked, wondering if he had heard Minseok correctly. Minseok shook his head.
“Come on, I’ll show you the inside.”
Lu Han blinked. “But it’s already closed…”
“Who said we were going inside?” Minseok said, the corners of his lips turning up as he lead the way. Lu Han glanced around wearily as they made their way up the path to the Dome, but the square was incredibly deserted, and the workers paid them no heed as they passed, as if the two of them didn’t exist.
He followed Minseok to the back of the building. Rose hedges formed a kind of labyrinth, and without warning Minseok took his hand, guiding him through easily. The further they went, the darker it got, to the point that Lu Han found himself relying solely on Minseok to know where to step next, and he gripped Minseok’s hand a little tighter.
Minseok stopped and Lu Han nearly bumped into his back. He let go of Lu Han’s hand, and for a moment Lu Han nearly panicked in the dark, but he heard the soft jingling of metal in a lock and then a creak as Minseok pushed a door open, dim light spilling forth.
“I didn’t know you had a key,” he murmured as Minseok led them inside and up a flight of stone steps.
He heard Minseok laugh softly. Lu Han looked up to find Minseok glancing over at him. “What?”
“Picking locks is a pretty useful skill,” he said, waving a piece of wire at him. Lu Han’s eyes widened.
“We’re trespassing?” He hissed.
“Well…not exactly. This is a public building.”
“You broke a lock!”
“I picked it. Besides, it’s not like we’re stealing anything. Just a quick look.”
Minseok’s calm attitude stunned Lu Han. They continued to ascend, until finally they came to an open space, and Lu Han found himself merely inches away from the Dome’s large glass bubble. He was tempted to reach out and touch its’ surface, but he feared he’d trigger some sort of alarm.
Beside him, Minseok took a step closer. He leaned forward slightly, like Lu Han, avoiding any contact with the glass surface. He gestured towards something he could see within the Dome. “Look.”
Lu Han bit his lip, but curiosity got the better of him and he carefully inched his way closer for a better view. The interior of the Dome seemed larger than the outside, the people who were moving around within looked miles away. Lu Han saw row after row of tables, strategically placed throughout the Dome’s hall, some much larger than others. The people walked around, placing slips of paper on the tables, occasionally conversing with each other and gesturing at different things.
“They’re setting up for the event,” he said to no one in particular. At the centre of the hall, he noted how four tables had been placed such that they formed a large square. That space, he presumed, was for the brand new steam powered engine the banners screamed about.
“Do you know him?” Lu Han asked, looking at Minseok.
“Who?”
“That man on the banner. Kim Junmyeon.”
Once again, Lu Han noted the stiffening in Minseok’s jaw. “No,” he said, with an air of finality. “I don’t.”
“But he’s from the Eastlands?”
Minseok nodded, looking back into the Dome. “He sailed over just two years ago. Became an overnight sensation, if you will.”
“Really?”
“He attended the event and presented his theories, and the crowd were all taken by his knowledge.” Minseok looked like he wanted to say more, but he closed his mouth, and Lu Han stopped prying.
“We should go,” he said, stepping back from the glass. Lu Han followed him back down the steps, back the way they came. The journey back was noticeably quieter.
⌲
Lu Han awoke just as the sun was rising. Yin was already up, hopping around the room, and Lu Han half-stumbled over to the window, opening it. The air that hit him was different than that of the countryside and he wrinkled his nose, taking time to adjust to it. Yin landed on the windowsill and he expected her to take off, but she seemed as wary of the City as he was, and instead looked up at him. Lu Han gave her a tired smile and petted her head. Outside, the City was still drowsy, with just the occasional cyclist or pedestrian going by, and the whole shop was silent and deserted. Lu Han opened his door carefully, checking that the others were all still asleep before going to his bag and retrieving his blueprints.
He had thought he’d done a good job, but after seeing the Dome, his work looked more or less like a childlike doodle. Biting his lip, Lu Han took out his pencil and a fresh blueprint, and began to draw his invention once more, from the interior to the exterior at all angles. He got so absorbed in his work that he failed to notice the time and when his door opened he jumped, hurriedly shoving his blueprints under the bed. When he spun back around he found Chanyeol standing at the door.
“Uhh, breakfast?”
“Why didn’t you knock?” Lu Han said, trying not to sound too flustered. He held out his arm and Yin chirped before flying over, resting on his arm. Chanyeol gave him a bewildered look at Lu Han brushed past him, hurriedly exiting the room. Too close, he thought to himself.
The first person he noticed when he came downstairs was Xi-Chun. The boy’s face was cleaner now, and he looked much more different from the dirt-stained pickpocket he was when Lu Han had first encountered him. There was other children in the shop, too, and Lu Han noticed they were surrounding Minseok, fascinated at something in his hand.
Yin tittered on his arm, drawing the attention of those who were in the shop. Lu Han blushed a little, quickly making his way to the nearest seat. He was probably going to shake off his aversion towards public attention sooner or later, but for now, he just wanted a quiet breakfast.
Minseok continued talking to the children in a hushed voice, and Lu Han watched as their eyes widened with every second of his story. He looked away, feeling foolishly envious. Everything he felt was probably just because Minseok was good looking, he reasoned. He’d experienced the same kind of feeling before in the compound.
As a child, he’d had a beautiful neighbour with silky hair and extraordinary light brown eyes, the lightest Lu Han had ever seen. They never spoke much, but for a long period of time, Lu Han felt as if they were the best of friends, as if he could understand the other with or without physical interaction. But as he got older and rumours about her spread he understood that all knowledge he believed himself to have was false. People couldn’t just connect and understand each other with a look. Things were so much more complicated than that.
“Cute, huh?” He heard Jongdae say and he jumped.
Jongdae grinned, pearly white teeth all showing. “Good morning, Lu Han.”
“I-I wasn’t..staring.”
“I was talking about the kids,” Jongdae said as he served Lu Han his breakfast, and then winked. Lu Han stared after him.
“City folk..” He mumbled, before digging into his food. Beside him, Yin chirped, but he couldn’t be sure if it was in agreement with him or with Jongdae.
⌲
Lu Han spent the rest of the afternoon in his room, meticulously planning and drawing his flying machine. The sound of the restaurant came in muffled through the door, louder at lunch hour, and from time to time Lu Han could hear Chanyeol and Jongdae shouting back and forth about orders over the din. Some part of him would hope to hear Minseok, but he would catch himself and push the thoughts aside. His apparent fascination with him was growing ridiculous. Most often than once, he would lose focus and start to spell out Minseok’s name on his blueprints, only to realise once he was halfway through, and he would hurriedly cancel it out or mask his mistake with another detail on the plane.
From time to time he would reach into his pocket and pull out the sketch, memorizing the lines of the dome. Submit your name and invention, his grandfather had said. He slipped out the shop after dinner, with the pretense that he was going for a walk. It was something he used to do everyday back at the Compounds anyway, and he couldn’t bring himself to change, even surrounded by the gigantic matchbox maze that was the City. On his way out, he passed by Minseok’s room. The door had been left ajar, and for a moment he paused, only to shake the thought out of his mind. Minseok probably didn’t like him very much, judging by the way things had turned out when they’d visited the Dome. Minseok’s hostility might have grown thinner, but it still remained, and Lu Han wasn’t sure if he had the guts to break the wall down. He was, after all, just a guest from the Compounds.
The sun had already set by the time he reached the Dome. There was an office with a small light on on the ground floor and he entered, but there was no one inside. In the centre of the room, on a table, lay a black box and a stack of forms, with a fountain pen. ‘REGISTRATION FOR INVENTORS’, was printed on the top of the forms in black letters. Lu Han looked around, but no one else seemed to be present. He picked up the pen and wrote his name and particulars in as neatly as he could, including the brief description of his invention where necessary. Then, he folded the form and slipped it into the box before leaving.
An odd feeling overcame him as he exited. As he reached the end of the path, the streelights began to turn on. Lu Han watched as they lit up, one by one, down the stretch leading up to the glass cap. He was surprised to see a man near the end of the path, his presence much clearer in the tungsten light. He was dressed in a suit and black tie, a cane in his hand. Something gold glinted in his hand.
Lu Han watched as he closed the pocket watch, keeping it back into his jacket. When he looked up at Lu Han he seemed to smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Lu Han shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, but he was unable to bring himself to walk away.
The man began walking towards him. He didn’t limp, so there wasn’t much of a use for the cane, but with each step he took he hit it against the cobblestone, creating an audible rhythm.
“Evening walk?” He said.
Lu Han glanced around, making sure there wasn’t anyone else present. “I…Yes.”
The man stopped a few metres in front of him. He tilted his head up toward the light and Lu Han’s eyes widened when he recognised him.
“You’re..”
Kim Junmyeon smiled at him. Lu Han froze.
“You’re an inventor, I’m guessing.”
“I…How..”
“I’ve been around inventors since I grew up,” he said, shaking his head. “My grandfather was one, my father was one, and, well,” he gestured to himself. “Besides, people don’t just take walks to the Dome.”
Lu Han swallowed, trying to regain his composure. “It’s beautiful at night, though.”
“Is that what you think?” He said, looking up at Lu Han. Lu Han wanted to shiver, but something was oddly familiar about the look he was giving him. “I’ll be sure to tell my father.”
“Your…father?”
“Built the Dome,” he said, looking back at the structure. “Built the whole City, actually- Well, designed would be the correct term…If only my brother would have helped.”
“Your brother?”
Junmyeon smiled, but didn’t elaborate. “Doesn’t matter. I came here to discuss other things.”
“You…wanted to speak to me? You…don’t even know who I am.”
“I know you’re an inventor from outside of the City. That’s good enough, in my work.” Lu Han watched as he rested on his cane. Something told him to run, to end the conversation now, but he was too curious. If Junmyeon really was the world-famous inventor Minseok had claimed he was, what would he want with Lu Han who, at least to his knowledge, was nobody?
“There are plenty of other inventors.”
“Indeed. So, why would I speak to you?”
Lu Han remained silent, feeling his jaw tense. Junmyeon started walking, circling him, like a vulture over its’ next meal.
“What makes you so special, hm? Aren’t you just another face in the crowd? Just a gear in the machine? Why on Earth would I speak to you?”
“Is this what you do to all the inventors?” Lu Han said, gritting his teeth.
“Perhaps,” Junmyeon said. He stopped in front of Lu Han. His smile would have been pleasant if not for his words.
“You don’t even know who I am.”
“You’re an obstacle,” Junmyeon said, pronouncing each syllable like poison in his mouth. “That’s what everyone is, really. Just obstacles.”
“Spoiled brat,” Lu Han remarked. Junmyeon smirked.
“I’ll see you at the convention,” he said, walking off. “That is, if your invention works.”
With each fading tap of his cane, Lu Han grew more and more furious. Who the hell did this Kim Junmyeon think he was? He turned and stormed off, now fuelled by determination and anger. His invention would work. He would see to it.
He turned back to look at the Dome, now quite a distance from it. Kim Junmyeon was already gone, and while the building was a lot smaller than it was up close, Lu Han couldn’t help but feel miniscule.
⌲
He returned to the shop late. Jongdae was busy clearing up, half the lights already turned off, the chairs already neatly kept. He looked up in surprise when Lu Han came in.
“Did you get lost?”
Lu Han shook his head, sitting down at the counter. Jongdae swatted at his hands with the dishcloth.
“Hey, hey. Not a bar.”
“Sorry,” Lu Han mumbled. Jongdae gave him an apologetic look.
“Homesick?”
Lu Han shook his head. Well, home was always at the back of his mind, but that wasn’t the worst of his worries right now. He’d have to build and test his machine out, he’d realised with a sinking feeling. There was no way around it. Junmyeon might have gotten away with mere theories on his first try, but Lu Han was alone in this battle. He didn’t have his father’s influence or the wealth of a few major banks. He needed all the help he could get, but he didn’t know where to start looking. Who could he trust? Who would listen to him about a flying machine, a machine that allowed man to conquer the skies, defying the laws of gravity?
“What’s bothering you, then?”
Lu Han bit his lip. Surely he could trust Jongdae. He might have a sharp tongue, but from what Lu Han had seen he was incredibly loyal. Still, he took a shaky breath before asking, “Who exactly is Kim Junmyeon?”
Jongdae seemed to freeze for a fraction of a second. “Oh, the inventor,” he said, trying to sound casual.
“Yes, but…who is he.”
Jongdae was quick to catch on. “Lu Han…you met him today, didn’t you?”
Lu Han stayed silent.
Jongdae bit his lip before gesturing for Lu Han to lean in. He sat at the counter across from him, lowering his voice. “Do not mess with him. He’s basically all your worst fears with the power and money to make your worst fears happen. One step off the line and..well, cutting your toes off would be merciful in his eyes.”
“The other day…when I went to the Dome with Minseok..He didn’t seem to like it when I asked him.”
“I…” Jongdae shook his head. “I can’t divulge everything. But, things have happened, Lu Han. Sad things. Bad blood.”
“But I don’t understand why-“
The stairs creaked and the both of them jumped. Minseok was standing there, practically a shadow in the dim light. Jongdae sighed, clutching at his chest. “Jeez, you scared me.”
“It’s late. Go to bed,” he said, voice grim. He disappeared up the stairs and Lu Han stayed quiet, listening to his footsteps fade.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Jongdae said before getting back to cleaning. Lu Han sighed and slipped off his chair, going upstairs.
Minseok’s door had been left ajar, and light spilled forth from it into the dark hallway. As Lu Han passed by, he caught a glimpse of the blue walls of Minseok’s room, and paused once more.
He could always just ask. It could be nothing, he figured. After all, Lu Han had already met Junmyeon, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Minseok found him incredibly unpleasant as well. But it wasn’t a displeasure he had seen on Minseok’s face that night. There was…a pain, too, if he remembered correctly, in Minseok’s eyes. Something deeper than a simple dislike. Not hate, though. Hate was too close to resentment. There was something more, and Lu Han couldn’t help but wonder what.
But something else caught his attention. From where he stood, he could see sketches on Minseok’s wall. What looked like gears and metal boxes and pistons and pulley systems…Their blueprints could have been identical, if not for the different handwriting. Lu Han tried not to jump to conclusions, but his heart started racing. If Minseok had enough knowledge and understanding of engines, he would be the perfect person to help Lu Han with the flying machine.
Just as he was about to knock, however, the light in his room went off. Right, it’s late, he remembered. Tomorrow, then, he told himself. He’d ask tomorrow.
⌲
Lu Han sent Yin off in the morning, an envelope attached to her foot. He’d written a reasonably long letter, detailing how he was doing so far, and the problems he faced with the convention, particularly Kim Junmyeon. He watched as Yin carried it off towards the Compound, hoping that his grandfather was well. He knew Yin would make her own way back, but as she got smaller and smaller, he couldn’t shake off the growing feeling of loneliness.
Jongdae was nowhere to be found when he made his way downstairs. Instead, Lu Han found Minseok at the counter, dressed in the chef’s uniform.
“You’re head chef today?” He asked, sitting down.
“Jongdae’s sick,” Minseok explained. Lu Han watched as he expertly folded up a dumpling. “And Chanyeol went out to get some more ingredients.”
His eyebrows raised. “You’re really good.”
Minseok smiled to himself. Lu Han felt a little lighter. “I’ve been practicing for a while.”
“So…why aren’t you head chef? I mean you’re the oldest, from what I know. And you seem to have enough experience.”
“Just…” Minseok shrugged. “It’s not my dream job. I do it mostly to help Jongdae and Chanyeol out. They took me in, like you.”
“Maybe I should help out, then…”
Minseok tilted his head at him. “Think you’re up for it?”
Lu Han pulled a face and got up, crossing over to the back of the counter. “It can’t be that hard.”
“Try to keep up, then,” Minseok said, taking another piece of dough. Lu Han followed as closely as he could, but as more and more customers piled in, his handiwork got a little more sloppy. By mid-afternoon he had gotten more flour on his face and in his hair than necessary, no thanks to Minseok, but his dumplings were in better shape than when he first began. Things got easier once Chanyeol came back, but Lu Han ended up helping through the day, right up till closing time.
He sighed as he served up his last order. “Here you go, ahjussi,” he said, carefully pronouncing the Eastlandic term Minseok had taught him. The elderly man gave him a kind smile before eating. For a moment, Lu Han thought of his grandfather. It would be cold soon. Perhaps, once he had earned enough money, he would try to convince his grandfather to move to the City.
Lu Han thought of his invention again. Minseok was just beside him, cleaning up. He had to try. He’d come this far, hadn’t he? Taking a deep breath, he reached out and tapped Minseok’s shoulder.
“Hey.”
“Hm?”
“I..I need a favour.”
“Shoot.”
“It’s…” He glanced up at the lone remaining customer before turning away, prompting Minseok to follow. “I have an invention.”
Minseok stayed quiet, so Lu Han continued carefully, “I need your help building it.”
Minseok bit his lip. “Lu Han I’m sorry..I can’t..I can’t help you.”
“Why not?” Lu Han frowned.
“It’s a long story,” Minseok shook his head. “But I can’t.”
“Is it because of Junmyeon?” Lu Han blurted out. Minseok froze as he turned away, and Lu Han knew that he had struck a chord. But then he remembered Junmyeon’s face, and how he, too, had been so intimidated at their meeting, and how humiliated he had felt afterward. No one deserved to feel that way, especially not Minseok.
“I…I noticed, the other day. But…we can’t let him win, Minseok. People can’t just buy their up to the top. That’s not the way the New Age is supposed to be. I..I get it if you’re scared of him..I met him the other day too and-“
“What?”
“I…met him. When I went for a walk yesterday-“
“Lu Han- oh jeez.” Minseok sighed, running a hand over his face.
“What is it?”
“Please tell me you didn’t accept anything from him.”
“…What?” Lu Han nearly scoffed. “No, of course not. Why would I-“
Minseok reached out, gripping his shoulders. The move startled Lu Han a little but he didn’t flinch. “Listen to me. Kim Junmyeon is the last person you want to trust and the last person you will ever see should you trust him. He’s challenging you, Lu Han. Don’t take it.”
The bell hanging over the door to the shop jingled as the old man left. Minseok collected the money from the table, locking it in the money box before making his way upstairs.
Lu Han followed him. “What makes you so sure?” He asked. It wasn’t meant to be hurtful, but as soon as he had said it, he felt as if he had shot an arrow at Minseok’s back.
Minseok stopped at the top of the flight. He turned around slowly, but it was too dark to make out his face.
“He’s my brother. Of course I know.”
And with that, he disappeared into his room, leaving Lu Han alone.
part 1 / part 2
For: chiharu
Pairing: Lu Han/Minseok
Rating: PG-13
Length: 13,600 words
Summary: Lu Han dreams of flying. (Inventors/Alternate History AU)
Author's Note: Dear recipient, I’m not sure if this was what you had in mind but I hope you like it? Also, huge thank you to p and l for putting up with my horrible last-minute things and crying and etc etc.
In the corner of Lu Han’s living room, in a cage, there lived a magpie.
“I paid a lot of money for it,” his grandfather had explained the day he brought it home. Lu Han was only six years old then, and he’d only ever seen paintings of magpies. He set it down by the window, overlooking the courtyard, and Lu Han had been mesmerized by its’ black and white feathers.
“Why did you buy it?” He had asked softly, in wonder.
“Magpies represent joy, celebration and happiness,” his grandfather had told him, a kind smile appearing on his weathered face.
“So now we’ll always be happy?” He’d looked up at his grandfather, eyes wide with curiosity. There was no reply, instead, his grandfather had chuckled softly and ruffled his hair.
The bird would sing for a brief period in the morning, just as the sun peaked into the compound. It wasn’t much of a melody, and Lu Han thought it sometimes resembled the sound of a clear stream, but he never grew weary of it. The bird would always face the window, only turning away when Lu Han or his grandfather interested it with pieces of fruit or vegetables.
There were times when, as Lu Han observed the bird, he’d feel the innate urge to reach out and pull its’ cage door open. Maybe not to set it free forever -- no, his grandfather would be furious at that -- but perhaps to just let it soar around the compound for a while, let it stretch its wings. Lu Han couldn’t help but feel as if the bird’s constant obsession with the outside world was a plea for him to let it go, but he never found the strength to release it, no matter how long he stood in front of the cage. Besides, with the magpie’s arrival, Lu Han had felt the atmosphere in the house liven, as if the bird really had brought all those things his grandfather had said it promised.
And so the bird remained, singing only at the dawn, its’ eyes fixed on the world beyond its’ cage.
⌲
By the time Lu Han was nineteen, the New City had been built. Most of his friends, the people he’d grown up with, left the compounds for the buildings that were said to touch the clouds. Rumour had it that whoever stood on the top of the highest one, the one they nicknamed the Skyscraper, would be able to reach out and catch a star with his bare hands. Lu Han would have been lying if he said he hadn’t been curious, but he couldn’t stand the thought of leaving his grandfather behind. His grandfather could hardly walk now, even with a cane, and his hands shook even when it was summer.
The magpie, now much older as well, sang softer and much less frequently. Lu Han had watched as its’ form slowly became drooped over its’ perch, as if it had grown tired to hold its’ head up. As the weather got colder, Lu Han shut the window its’ cage was by, for fear that it too would grow sick, but this only appeared to make it sadder as it stopped singing altogether. By the time winter arrived, most of the original inhabitants of the compound had left for the New City, and the ones who remained were either injured or too old for travel, with the exception of Lu Han.
One night, his grandfather came into his study, a heavy-looking pouch in hand. He dumped it onto Lu Han’s desk with a flourish. Lu Han heard the jingling of coins and he looked up, confused.
“Go,” he instructed, gesturing towards the pouch, “go to the New City.”
Lu Han was surprised. His grandfather had always been a man of tradition, and up until now he’d been under the impression that his grandfather was as unwilling to let him go as he was to leave.
“W-what?”
His grandfather tsked. “Such a young boy and you’re already losing your hearing? Go to the New City.”
Lu Han bit his lip, looking at the pouch. “Whose money is this?”
“Yours, now. Spend it wisely.” His grandfather shuffled over to the bed and shakily bent down, trying to reach for something. Lu Han stood up and quickly went to help him, but his grandfather swatted him away with a mutter of ‘I can do it’ before pulling out a large suitcase. It was dusty and seemed hardly used.
“But Grandpa I can’t leave you here-”
“Nonsense!” His grandfather interrupted, opening the case. He opened Lu Han’s drawers and rummaged through his things, pulling out clothes despite Lu Han’s protests. “I can take care of myself. I’m still young, you know.”
Lu Han watched as his grandfather hobbled over to the case and began putting the clothes in. “But I don’t want to leave!” He tried.
At this, his grandfather stopped, and for a moment Lu Han thought he had succeeded in persuading him until his grandfather turned and went to one of the posters of his bed. He balanced himself against it as he held out his cane and tapped one of the floorboards. There was the sound of a spring and squeak and click before the floorboard sprung up, revealing a compartment stuffed with rolls upon rolls of paper.
“I’ve seen your work,” his grandfather said, but his voice was much gentler and softer now. “You’ll find the opportunities you want in the New City. There’s a place there, a convention for inventors.” He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and held it out to Lu Han. There was an address on it, with a poorly drawn dome. “Find it and register your name, and then submit your invention. The world needs to see your work, Xiao Lu.”
Lu Han looked from the paper to the secret compartment, the darkness of the space within overcoming him with guilt. “I...I wanted to tell you but-”
“Lu-ah,” his grandfather shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips, “you can’t hide these kinds of things from me.” He tapped at the floorboard again with his cane and there was a different series of the clacking of gears and springs as the floorboard was pulled back into place, hiding the blueprints once more.
He let his grandfather pack the rest of his things away, feeling oddly helpless. Maybe the fear of the New City hadn’t really stemmed from the fact that he was leaving his grandfather behind.
⌲
As he made his way to the entrance of the compound, a part of Lu Han couldn’t help but feel like he was betraying something. Generations of the Lu family lived on the compound, his grandmother used to tell him when she was around. He felt like the world behind him dissipated with each step that he took.
When he finally reached the gate his grandfather called his name. He turned around, expecting him to be standing at the door, his hands over his cane, a small smile on his face, but instead he saw his grandfather hurrying towards him with the magpie’s cage in hand. It swung back and forth with the movement and the bird within chirped, hopping around as if elated at the change of scenery. Lu Han’s eyes widened in confusion.
“Grandpa-”
“Take her with you,” his grandfather said, handing the bird over. Lu Han looked at the magpie, who chirped happily at him, and then back at his grandfather. “She’s old, Xiao Lu,” his grandfather explained, smiling kindly. “Give her some adventure.”
“I’ll write to you,” Lu Han promised, holding onto the cage tightly. “I’ll write to you as often as I can.”
His grandfather nodded. “Now go, Lu Han. Your future awaits.”
And so, for the first time in his life, Lu Han stepped out of the compound.
⌲
Lu Han dreamt of flying.
He dreamt of being amongst clouds, of reaching out and feeling one against his skin. He could only imagine what a cloud felt like. As a child, he figured it felt like cotton, soft and fluffy, easily coming apart and drifting off with the wind. When he got older, of course, he learnt otherwise, but the knowledge failed to cap his craving for adventure in the skies.
Part of it, he figured, was to do with the bird. She sat in her cage all day, and Lu Han would watch her, waiting, for the moment when she stretched out her wings. The frequency of the moment grew less and less as time went by, but he always made sure he was present with his sketchbook, mapping out the lines of her feathers and the form of her wings before she settled back again.
It was the time of a new age of genius, a mechanical age, where man and machine worked together as one. At least, that was what the radio proclaimed. Lu Han dreamed of taking the skies, of soaring across cities and across continents. Surely, if there was a time to achieve dreams, it was now. But at the same time, he was terrified. He kept his drawings hidden in a compartment under the floorboards of his room, a contraption he had long since discovered as a child. It was a nagging self doubt that he couldn’t shake off, even in a world that could be lit by the night by wires. Machines could only go so far.
(But he continued to dream of a limitless existence. And as long as that remained, the blueprints grew and grew in number and detail.)
⌲
The City remained in sight all throughout Lu Han’s journey. He wasn’t particularly comfortable with the idea of traveling alone, but it felt easier with his destination in sight. The magpie enjoyed the fresh air, occasionally chirping when they passed by landmarks or open fields.
“You’re lucky you don’t have to walk,” Lu Han said, and she fluttered her wings in response.
He thought about it a little more as he walked before setting the cage down. He knelt down and unlocked the door, and the magpie chirped as he reached in and held out his finger for her to perch herself. She hopped onto it without hesitation and he lifted her out.
Lu Han petted her head gently, smiling a little sadly. “Go be free, okay? Find another nice magpie and spend some time with him.”
The magpie cocked her head to the side, curious. Lu Han shook his head and swung his hand up, the momentum enough for her to get the cue and she spread her wings, flying up. He watched as she soared around the sky, gracefully circling and spiralling through the air, and soon he heard her sing her song once more. He smiled as he watched her, listening to the clear notes ringing out in the morning air. He left the cage behind and picked up his bags, continuing on his journey to the City.
The magpie’s song stopped a couple seconds later, and Lu Han felt something on his shoulder. When he turned to look he saw the magpie perched on his shoulder and he blinked in amazement. She blinked back at him.
“What are you doing?” He asked. She chirped at him in response.
“You want to come with me?” Again, the magpie chirped.
“Listen to yourself, Lu Han, you’re talking to a bird,” he mumbled to himself. The magpie fluttered over and landed on his other shoulder, as if asking for his attention.
“The City’s pretty dangerous, you know. You could get hurt.”
The magpie chirped and cocked her head to the side, fluffing up her feathers as if sizing herself up. Lu Han laughed at the sight.
“Okay, okay, you can come with me. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though.”
He walked on a little more, waiting for her to take off again but she didn’t move. It amused him but he was also comforted by her presence, or rather, the knowledge that she didn’t mind remaining in his company.
“Maybe I should name you,” he said. The magpie watched him.
Lu Han bit his lip as he thought. He’d never really had a pet before, even if the magpie had lived in his home with him. She was always more of his grandfather’s pet, yet his grandfather had never named her either. He hadn’t thought that coming up with a name could be so hard.
“Well...you have black feathers so...Blackie? No, wait, you have white feathers too.” Lu Han frowned in thought. “Something black and white...how about Othello?” The magpie flapped her wings in protest and he quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding a faceful of feathers. “Okay, okay, not that name.”
He continued studying the bird as he walked. He realized the white feathers were only located on her wings, and they seemed to form a pool of white in the middle, as if someone had been painting her and made a brushstroke on either one of her wings. It was oddly familiar to him, something about the shape, the composition. He reached out and stroked her neck gently with his knuckle, and as her body curled against his touch he remembered.
“Yin,” he said, softly, like it was the name of an old friend he was meeting for the first time in a long time. “I’ll call you Yin.”
⌲
The City was loud, screaming and wailing with life. Lu Han had heard its’ low humming a couple miles off, but as he stepped onto the new pavement, his shadow swallowed up by that of the towering buildings, the thundering voice of the City was all he could hear. Footsteps, foreign accents, the whirring of automobiles -- Lu Han found himself having to stop along the streets every now and then in an attempt to orient himself, only to be jostled aside by impatient folk. He kept a hand close to Yin, petting her gently to calm her down. It was as if he had stepped into the belly of a machine, a new gear that seemed obsolete. Everywhere he looked, there were people, and they all seemed to be moving in different directions. But they all seemed to know where they were going. It was as harmonious as it was chaotic, to him, at least.
Yin remained on his shoulder despite the occasional squawk, and most people who passed by gave Lu Han an odd look, but he had figured as much. If they weren’t staring at Yin, then it was at his clothes, that were dull and dusty from the journey. Against the backdrop of the City, with its’ modern people dressed in electric hues, it was clear he was a complete outsider.
Lu Han bit his lip as he walked along the streets, searching for hostel signs or offers for a room where he might be able to stay. He wandered further and further to the heart of the City, and as the streets grew more and more crowded, he grew anxious. If there were this many people on the streets, how many would there be in the buildings? Surely it wasn’t possible for all of them to find a place by night time.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice a child run by, snatching his pouch off of his belt. Somehow, the soft jingling of coins caught his attention just as the boy was a couple metres ahead, and Lu Han’s eyes widened when he recognized the pouch in the boy’s grubby fingers. “HEY!” He yelled, sprinting after him.
The boy was quick, easily weaving through the crowd. Lu Han tried his best not to shove people aside too roughly, unable to navigate between them as easily as the boy did. From time to time he would yell, “Stop him!” But no one seemed to listen, or rather, no one seemed to be interested in helping him. The distance between them grew greater and greater, and soon enough, Lu Han lost sight of him.
Tired, Lu Han gradually slowed and stopped, panting. The pain of frustration creeped up on him as he found himself still looking, still searching for any sign of the boy. That was all the money he had. He frowned, feeling the tears prick at his eyes. But then he realized the lack of claws on his shoulders.
Panic gripped him for a moment when he’d thought he’d lost Yin, that she’d been grabbed by a greedy bird seller when he hadn’t been paying attention, but then a shadow passed overhead, and he looked up. Yin was circling somewhere ahead of him, and then she suddenly flew off again, as if she was…
Lu Han took off running again with renewed energy. He glanced up at Yin as he ran, following her. More people shouted at him as he pushed past them, but he didn’t care at this point. Yin led him towards West of the City, and he passed through backstreets to main roads to overhead bridges until he finally came to a small street, almost like an alleyway, dotted with what looked like shophouses, and the boy came into view. Yin fluttered down silently, resting on his shoulder, and he grinned and petted her head.
“Good girl,” he murmured, before looking at the boy again. It was definitely his pouch alright, still clutched in the boy’s hand, but now Lu Han realized there was a much taller person in front of him. The taller person looked like a boy, too, but his height disputed that completely.
“Xi-Chun, where are you going?” The stranger Lu Han also realized this newcomer was wearing an apron, a cloth in his hands.
The boy, Xi-Chun, immediately looked guilty and hid the pouch behind his back. “N-nowhere.”
The taller male raised an eyebrow. “Xi-Chun,” he repeated in a warning tone.
“Canlie-ge,” Xi-Chun pleaded in return.
Lu Han watched as the taller male--Canlie, was it? Sounds oddly foreign. held out his hand. Xi-Chun’s eyes widened and he bit his lip, quickly looking down, but Canlie held his posture. Slowly, but surely, Xi-Chun revealed the pouch in his hand before reaching out and dropping it into Canlie’s.
The weight of the coins seemed to surprise Canlie. “Xi-Chun, I told you not to steal anymore. Do you realize how much this is worth?” He said, shaking the pouch in his hand.
Xi-Chun shook his head solemnly, not looking up. Canlie sighed.
At this point, Lu Han found it in himself to step out onto the little street. Canlie looked up, and Lu Han figured he wouldn’t even have given him a second glance if it hadn’t been for Yin perched on his shoulder. Xi-Chun followed Canlie’s line of vision, and when he recognized Lu Han, he quickly glanced away.
“Um,” Lu Han said, feeling awkward under Canlie’s gaze as he pointed to the pouch, “that’s mine.”
Canlie blinked and then looked at the pouch in his hand. “Oh? This?” Lu Han nodded and he didn’t question any further before tossing it to Lu Han, who caught it.
“Sorry about that,” Canlie said, putting an arm around Xi-Chun’s shoulders and turning him to face Lu Han. The boy kept his head lowered. “It’s a bad habit of his we’re trying to make him kick. Say sorry, Xi-Chun,” he urged, gently shaking Xi-Chun’s shoulder.
“Sorry,” Xi-Chun mumbled, though it was so inaudible he could have been saying something else and Lu Han wouldn’t have been able to tell.
“Is he your brother?” Lu Han asked.
Canlie ruffled Xi-Chun’s hair. “Sort of. We’re not blood related but I’ve taken care of him long enough.”
Lu Han nodded. “I see.”
“Please,” Canlie said suddenly, gesturing to the doors behind him, and Lu Han realized it was the entrance to a shop. “Come in. You look tired.”
“Ah, thank you but...I need to find a place to stay. It’s going to be dark soon and I don’t think I’ve even covered the South side of the City.” Lu Han’s legs ached in protest as he adjusted his pack but he was more desperate for a bed than a temporary break.
Canlie’s eyes seemed to light up. “We have a room, actually!”
“You do?” Lu Han said, hopeful.
Canlie nodded. Beside him, Xi-Chun looked a little grumpy, but Canlie paid him no heed as he continued. “It’s not incredibly fancy, but it has a comfy bed and the necessities.”
Lu Han nodded almost immediately, having stopped listening at ‘comfy bed’. Canlie ushered him inside the shop, and Lu Han was greeted with the sound of someone humming and the smell of dumplings. It was a small establishment, with just enough room for about six customers, but there were only two people seated at present. It had been built such that the customers sat around a wooden frame, where the staff worked in the middle and prepared their food in front of them. Lu Han felt his stomach grumble as a basket of steaming dumplings was served to the customer nearest to him.
The present chef said something in a language that was unfamiliar to Lu Han. Canlie responded easily, clearly fluent in it, and Lu Han looked back and forth between them, curious. Canlie said something else, gesturing towards Lu Han, and the chef turned around.
“My name is..Jongdae,” he said, pointedly looking at Canlie, who rolled his eyes. He shook Lu Han’s hand, his eyes curling into half-moons.
“Jongdae,” Lu Han echoed, as he let go of the chef’s hand.
Jongdae grinned and then leaned in to mock-whisper, gesturing towards Canlie, “Did he tell you his name is Canlie?”
Lu Han nodded, giving Jongdae a curious look as the latter laughed softly.
“Canlie isn’t his name?”
Canlie unfolded his arms, walking over to the counter. “It’s my name when it’s translated-”
“So no, it isn’t.”
Canlie frowned, pointedly snatching a steamed bun from the tray in front of Jongdae. “It’s hot,” Jongdae said, just as Canlie popped the whole thing into his mouth. Lu Han held back a laugh as Canlie started coughing, fanning at his mouth as his eyes watered.
“Told you, Chanyeol” Jongdae said. Canlie glared.
“Chanyeol,” Lu Han repeated, trying out the syllables once more. His eyes widened in surprise when he understood. “You’re from the Eastlands?”
Jongdae nodded. Lu Han tried not to look too excited. He’d only ever heard of life beyond China in stories his grandfather told him, and those about the Eastlands always intrigued him the most. His grandfather told him stories about great heroes and terrible villains and magic that could be found in the most unlikely of places.
“What about you?” Jongdae asked. “You seem a long way from home.”
Lu Han fidgeted with the straps on his bag, remembering why he had come to the City in the first place. “Kind of. My home is a good distance from the City.”
“Oh?” Jongdae said, curious. “So why’d you come here?”
Lu Han bit his lip, searching for an answer when Chanyeol cut in. “Do you have to interrogate everyone who comes in?” He said, gently turning Lu Han towards the flight of stairs near the back of the shop. Lu Han shot Jongdae an apologetic smile before following Chanyeol, secretly relieved.
It was a short flight, but the stairs were steep, and Lu Han was careful as they made their way up. The second floor was a lot more cramped than the first, with just enough room for them to walk behind each other. Chanyeol led him down a corridor when a man came out from one of the others rooms, a crate in his arms. There was flour on his round cheeks but it was his eyes that made Lu Han stop when he glanced over, the way his gaze seemed so calculative and mysterious.
“Minseok-hyung!” Chanyeol greeted happily.
“Hello, Chanyeol,” Minseok said, and then asked something in the language of the Eastlands.
“Oh, this is Lu Han. He’s from outside the City,” Chanyeol said, switching back to Mandarin. “He’s taking the spare room.”
Minseok’s eyebrows raised. “Oh?”
Lu Han nodded.
Chanyeol said something else, and Minseok seemed to smirk before nodding. “Well, hope you don’t mind the smell of dumplings twenty-four seven, then,” he said. His speech was a little less accented than Chanyeol’s. Lu Han figured he’d already been in China for a good period of time.
He managed to squeeze past Lu Han in the minimal space, muttering apologies as their arms pressed up against each other’s. Lu Han found himself watching Minseok walk back down the hall before descending the stairs, disappearing out of sight.
“Bed’s not too bad,” he heard Chanyeol’s distant voice, and he quickly turned back around, following Chanyeol into the room. It was a small, square room, but Lu Han was pleased to find a desk in the corner. He set his bags down as Chanyeol opened the window, letting more light in. The beating of wings alerted him and Yin flew in, perching herself on the window ledge.
Chanyeol looked alarmed, but Lu Han stopped him before he could harm her or scare her away. “Sorry, I forgot to ask about pets,” he said, going over to the window. He petted Yin’s head, smiling affectionately at her.
“You know this bird?” Chanyeol said, incredulous.
“My grandfather gave her to me when I left,” Lu Han explained, voice growing soft. The mere thought of his grandfather was enough to prevent him from continuing his sentence. He remained silent, gently stroking Yin’s wings.
“It’s no problem,” Chanyeol replied. If he noticed the look in Lu Han’s eyes, he didn’t say anything about it.
“I’ll pay for her, if you want me to,” Lu Han said.
“What? No, no, not at all. It’s just a bird, anyway- Sorry, I didn’t mean it like-“
“It’s alright,” Lu Han stopped him, amused. He wasn’t used to this effect on people.
Chanyeol nodded. “And don’t worry about payment. It’s nothing much, really.” He gestured around the room. Yin flew in, happily landing on the bed before she began to hop around, head cocking now and then as if she was scrutinising the surroundings.
“It’s only fair.”
“Chanyeol-ah!” He heard Minseok yell from downstairs. Chanyeol straightened at attention.
“Sorry, I’ll speak to you later,” he said, before hurrying off. He closed the door behind him, leaving Lu Han and Yin alone.
Lu Han stayed quiet for a moment, listening. He could still hear the automobiles are they rumbled by below, and the faint sound of footsteps. From his bed, Yin chirped, and when he turned he saw her nestled on his pillow.
“You can’t sleep there,” he muttered, watching her close her eyes. He walked over to the bed and sat down, subconsciously slipping his hand into his pocket. He felt the piece of paper and pulled it out, smoothening it out with his fingers. The lines of the sketch of the dome seemed a little straighter than before.
⌲
The group of them ate dinner early, just before the rush hour crowd was due to come. Lu Han noticed that Minseok didn’t speak very much, merely glancing at the others from time to time, and smirking to himself whenever Jongdae made a snide remark about the way Chanyeol ate.
“So, why’d you come to the City?” Jongdae asked suddenly.
Lu Han looked up at him and hesitated. “I uh…” He bit his lip, poking at one of his dumplings. “Just jobs, you know,” he said finally, shrugging.
“Yeah? What are you looking into?” Chanyeol asked, his mouth full. Jongdae reached over and swatted him upside the head.
“Uhh..” Lu Han opened and closed his mouth like a fish. “Mech..anics, I guess.”
Minseok looked up, now interested. “Yeah? Oh, hey, Minseok-hyung, you like that kind of stuff, right?” Jongdae said. Lu Han looked at Minseok, raising his eyebrows.
“Kind of,” Minseok shrugged. Lu Han noted the pause in his voice.
“You must have heard of the Inventors’ Dome,” Chanyeol said, and then paused before continuing rather smugly, “Horribly inventive name.”
Lu Han noted the twitch in Jongdae’s hand as he held a fresh, steaming xiao long bao. “The Inventors’ Dome?” He echoed. He remembered the wobbly sketch in his pocket.
“It’s where all those fancy inventors go. With their fancy pocket watches and monocles. It’s the-”
“Greatest gathering of scientists in the New Age,” Minseok interrupted calmly. Lu Han looked up at him and he continued, not looking away. “Happens every two years or so. Inventors from all over the world come to the City to showcase their work. If they’re lucky, a good investor makes a deal with them and, well, the rest is history.”
“Told you he likes this kind of stuff,” Jongdae mumbled. Then, his eyes seemed to light up. “You could take Lu Han to the Dome after dinner, hyung! I’m sure he wouldn’t mind some sightseeing.”
“Uh, I-
“Only if you want,” Minseok said, and he looked at Lu Han in a way that made Lu Han feel obliged.
“I-I think it would be good,” he managed out. And Minseok smiled at him, forcing him to quickly look back down at his food. This was certainly not how he imagined his first night at the City to be, but he couldn’t say that he wasn’t enjoying it.
⌲
The buildings and streets seemed to glow at night. Lu Han walked beside Minseok, marvelling at how each window of the larger, more industrial styled buildings had their own light, layer upon layer of small illuminated squares lined the streets. The City felt like a different being at night, the bustling business people replaced by young partygoers who roamed under neon signs, spilling out onto the streets with linked arms and loud laughter. Lu Han could hear music, a pulsating energy from different buildings, sometimes side by side, as if each one was its’ own organic being.
Minseok led him through a series of streets, the buildings varying more and more in architecture as they went along. He didn’t speak much, but Lu Han could tell when Minseok cast glances at him as he stared at the city life. It made him a little more self-conscious, and he caught himself closing his mouth once or twice after letting it hang agape as he marvelled.
“Out of place, huh?” Minseok said, so softly that Lu Han was unsure if he was talking to him or not.
“It’s incredible,” Lu Han murmured. “Everything here.”
“You haven’t even seen the Dome yet,” Minseok grinned as they turned the corner.
Lu Han wanted to ask how spectacular it really was when he stopped, staring at the structure in front of him. It was, understatedly, enormous. From where they stood, the top of the Dome seemed to cut the moon. He found it hard to believe that the whole city could hide such a building, at least, that was how it seemed from his view on the way here. Three-quarters of the structure seemed to be made purely out of glass, and there was still light coming from within, causing the building to resemble a hill of gold, glittering.
It was already late, so there was only a handful of people around the Dome, but Lu Han saw workers putting up banners on the streetlights that lined the walkway leading up to it.
THE GREAT CONVENTION
COME SEE THE AMAZING STEAM POWERED ENGINE BY THE INGENIOUS KIM JUNMYEON
Lu Han noted the man’s face on the banner. He had extraordinarily pale skin and dark eyes, and his lips curled up into the slightest of smirks. The suit he wore looked tailor made, but the way he held his head was what made Lu Han figure he was clearly eons ahead when it came to the social ladder. Even though he was merely an image, he made Lu Han feel uneasy.
“Kim Junmyeon,” he said, reading out the name. It sounded Eastlandic. He was sure he’d heard the name somewhere before. Lu Han looked at Minseok, who, too, was looking at the banner. His expression was unreadable.
“Steam powered engine…”
“Hm?” He asked, wondering if he had heard Minseok correctly. Minseok shook his head.
“Come on, I’ll show you the inside.”
Lu Han blinked. “But it’s already closed…”
“Who said we were going inside?” Minseok said, the corners of his lips turning up as he lead the way. Lu Han glanced around wearily as they made their way up the path to the Dome, but the square was incredibly deserted, and the workers paid them no heed as they passed, as if the two of them didn’t exist.
He followed Minseok to the back of the building. Rose hedges formed a kind of labyrinth, and without warning Minseok took his hand, guiding him through easily. The further they went, the darker it got, to the point that Lu Han found himself relying solely on Minseok to know where to step next, and he gripped Minseok’s hand a little tighter.
Minseok stopped and Lu Han nearly bumped into his back. He let go of Lu Han’s hand, and for a moment Lu Han nearly panicked in the dark, but he heard the soft jingling of metal in a lock and then a creak as Minseok pushed a door open, dim light spilling forth.
“I didn’t know you had a key,” he murmured as Minseok led them inside and up a flight of stone steps.
He heard Minseok laugh softly. Lu Han looked up to find Minseok glancing over at him. “What?”
“Picking locks is a pretty useful skill,” he said, waving a piece of wire at him. Lu Han’s eyes widened.
“We’re trespassing?” He hissed.
“Well…not exactly. This is a public building.”
“You broke a lock!”
“I picked it. Besides, it’s not like we’re stealing anything. Just a quick look.”
Minseok’s calm attitude stunned Lu Han. They continued to ascend, until finally they came to an open space, and Lu Han found himself merely inches away from the Dome’s large glass bubble. He was tempted to reach out and touch its’ surface, but he feared he’d trigger some sort of alarm.
Beside him, Minseok took a step closer. He leaned forward slightly, like Lu Han, avoiding any contact with the glass surface. He gestured towards something he could see within the Dome. “Look.”
Lu Han bit his lip, but curiosity got the better of him and he carefully inched his way closer for a better view. The interior of the Dome seemed larger than the outside, the people who were moving around within looked miles away. Lu Han saw row after row of tables, strategically placed throughout the Dome’s hall, some much larger than others. The people walked around, placing slips of paper on the tables, occasionally conversing with each other and gesturing at different things.
“They’re setting up for the event,” he said to no one in particular. At the centre of the hall, he noted how four tables had been placed such that they formed a large square. That space, he presumed, was for the brand new steam powered engine the banners screamed about.
“Do you know him?” Lu Han asked, looking at Minseok.
“Who?”
“That man on the banner. Kim Junmyeon.”
Once again, Lu Han noted the stiffening in Minseok’s jaw. “No,” he said, with an air of finality. “I don’t.”
“But he’s from the Eastlands?”
Minseok nodded, looking back into the Dome. “He sailed over just two years ago. Became an overnight sensation, if you will.”
“Really?”
“He attended the event and presented his theories, and the crowd were all taken by his knowledge.” Minseok looked like he wanted to say more, but he closed his mouth, and Lu Han stopped prying.
“We should go,” he said, stepping back from the glass. Lu Han followed him back down the steps, back the way they came. The journey back was noticeably quieter.
⌲
Lu Han awoke just as the sun was rising. Yin was already up, hopping around the room, and Lu Han half-stumbled over to the window, opening it. The air that hit him was different than that of the countryside and he wrinkled his nose, taking time to adjust to it. Yin landed on the windowsill and he expected her to take off, but she seemed as wary of the City as he was, and instead looked up at him. Lu Han gave her a tired smile and petted her head. Outside, the City was still drowsy, with just the occasional cyclist or pedestrian going by, and the whole shop was silent and deserted. Lu Han opened his door carefully, checking that the others were all still asleep before going to his bag and retrieving his blueprints.
He had thought he’d done a good job, but after seeing the Dome, his work looked more or less like a childlike doodle. Biting his lip, Lu Han took out his pencil and a fresh blueprint, and began to draw his invention once more, from the interior to the exterior at all angles. He got so absorbed in his work that he failed to notice the time and when his door opened he jumped, hurriedly shoving his blueprints under the bed. When he spun back around he found Chanyeol standing at the door.
“Uhh, breakfast?”
“Why didn’t you knock?” Lu Han said, trying not to sound too flustered. He held out his arm and Yin chirped before flying over, resting on his arm. Chanyeol gave him a bewildered look at Lu Han brushed past him, hurriedly exiting the room. Too close, he thought to himself.
The first person he noticed when he came downstairs was Xi-Chun. The boy’s face was cleaner now, and he looked much more different from the dirt-stained pickpocket he was when Lu Han had first encountered him. There was other children in the shop, too, and Lu Han noticed they were surrounding Minseok, fascinated at something in his hand.
Yin tittered on his arm, drawing the attention of those who were in the shop. Lu Han blushed a little, quickly making his way to the nearest seat. He was probably going to shake off his aversion towards public attention sooner or later, but for now, he just wanted a quiet breakfast.
Minseok continued talking to the children in a hushed voice, and Lu Han watched as their eyes widened with every second of his story. He looked away, feeling foolishly envious. Everything he felt was probably just because Minseok was good looking, he reasoned. He’d experienced the same kind of feeling before in the compound.
As a child, he’d had a beautiful neighbour with silky hair and extraordinary light brown eyes, the lightest Lu Han had ever seen. They never spoke much, but for a long period of time, Lu Han felt as if they were the best of friends, as if he could understand the other with or without physical interaction. But as he got older and rumours about her spread he understood that all knowledge he believed himself to have was false. People couldn’t just connect and understand each other with a look. Things were so much more complicated than that.
“Cute, huh?” He heard Jongdae say and he jumped.
Jongdae grinned, pearly white teeth all showing. “Good morning, Lu Han.”
“I-I wasn’t..staring.”
“I was talking about the kids,” Jongdae said as he served Lu Han his breakfast, and then winked. Lu Han stared after him.
“City folk..” He mumbled, before digging into his food. Beside him, Yin chirped, but he couldn’t be sure if it was in agreement with him or with Jongdae.
⌲
Lu Han spent the rest of the afternoon in his room, meticulously planning and drawing his flying machine. The sound of the restaurant came in muffled through the door, louder at lunch hour, and from time to time Lu Han could hear Chanyeol and Jongdae shouting back and forth about orders over the din. Some part of him would hope to hear Minseok, but he would catch himself and push the thoughts aside. His apparent fascination with him was growing ridiculous. Most often than once, he would lose focus and start to spell out Minseok’s name on his blueprints, only to realise once he was halfway through, and he would hurriedly cancel it out or mask his mistake with another detail on the plane.
From time to time he would reach into his pocket and pull out the sketch, memorizing the lines of the dome. Submit your name and invention, his grandfather had said. He slipped out the shop after dinner, with the pretense that he was going for a walk. It was something he used to do everyday back at the Compounds anyway, and he couldn’t bring himself to change, even surrounded by the gigantic matchbox maze that was the City. On his way out, he passed by Minseok’s room. The door had been left ajar, and for a moment he paused, only to shake the thought out of his mind. Minseok probably didn’t like him very much, judging by the way things had turned out when they’d visited the Dome. Minseok’s hostility might have grown thinner, but it still remained, and Lu Han wasn’t sure if he had the guts to break the wall down. He was, after all, just a guest from the Compounds.
The sun had already set by the time he reached the Dome. There was an office with a small light on on the ground floor and he entered, but there was no one inside. In the centre of the room, on a table, lay a black box and a stack of forms, with a fountain pen. ‘REGISTRATION FOR INVENTORS’, was printed on the top of the forms in black letters. Lu Han looked around, but no one else seemed to be present. He picked up the pen and wrote his name and particulars in as neatly as he could, including the brief description of his invention where necessary. Then, he folded the form and slipped it into the box before leaving.
An odd feeling overcame him as he exited. As he reached the end of the path, the streelights began to turn on. Lu Han watched as they lit up, one by one, down the stretch leading up to the glass cap. He was surprised to see a man near the end of the path, his presence much clearer in the tungsten light. He was dressed in a suit and black tie, a cane in his hand. Something gold glinted in his hand.
Lu Han watched as he closed the pocket watch, keeping it back into his jacket. When he looked up at Lu Han he seemed to smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Lu Han shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, but he was unable to bring himself to walk away.
The man began walking towards him. He didn’t limp, so there wasn’t much of a use for the cane, but with each step he took he hit it against the cobblestone, creating an audible rhythm.
“Evening walk?” He said.
Lu Han glanced around, making sure there wasn’t anyone else present. “I…Yes.”
The man stopped a few metres in front of him. He tilted his head up toward the light and Lu Han’s eyes widened when he recognised him.
“You’re..”
Kim Junmyeon smiled at him. Lu Han froze.
“You’re an inventor, I’m guessing.”
“I…How..”
“I’ve been around inventors since I grew up,” he said, shaking his head. “My grandfather was one, my father was one, and, well,” he gestured to himself. “Besides, people don’t just take walks to the Dome.”
Lu Han swallowed, trying to regain his composure. “It’s beautiful at night, though.”
“Is that what you think?” He said, looking up at Lu Han. Lu Han wanted to shiver, but something was oddly familiar about the look he was giving him. “I’ll be sure to tell my father.”
“Your…father?”
“Built the Dome,” he said, looking back at the structure. “Built the whole City, actually- Well, designed would be the correct term…If only my brother would have helped.”
“Your brother?”
Junmyeon smiled, but didn’t elaborate. “Doesn’t matter. I came here to discuss other things.”
“You…wanted to speak to me? You…don’t even know who I am.”
“I know you’re an inventor from outside of the City. That’s good enough, in my work.” Lu Han watched as he rested on his cane. Something told him to run, to end the conversation now, but he was too curious. If Junmyeon really was the world-famous inventor Minseok had claimed he was, what would he want with Lu Han who, at least to his knowledge, was nobody?
“There are plenty of other inventors.”
“Indeed. So, why would I speak to you?”
Lu Han remained silent, feeling his jaw tense. Junmyeon started walking, circling him, like a vulture over its’ next meal.
“What makes you so special, hm? Aren’t you just another face in the crowd? Just a gear in the machine? Why on Earth would I speak to you?”
“Is this what you do to all the inventors?” Lu Han said, gritting his teeth.
“Perhaps,” Junmyeon said. He stopped in front of Lu Han. His smile would have been pleasant if not for his words.
“You don’t even know who I am.”
“You’re an obstacle,” Junmyeon said, pronouncing each syllable like poison in his mouth. “That’s what everyone is, really. Just obstacles.”
“Spoiled brat,” Lu Han remarked. Junmyeon smirked.
“I’ll see you at the convention,” he said, walking off. “That is, if your invention works.”
With each fading tap of his cane, Lu Han grew more and more furious. Who the hell did this Kim Junmyeon think he was? He turned and stormed off, now fuelled by determination and anger. His invention would work. He would see to it.
He turned back to look at the Dome, now quite a distance from it. Kim Junmyeon was already gone, and while the building was a lot smaller than it was up close, Lu Han couldn’t help but feel miniscule.
⌲
He returned to the shop late. Jongdae was busy clearing up, half the lights already turned off, the chairs already neatly kept. He looked up in surprise when Lu Han came in.
“Did you get lost?”
Lu Han shook his head, sitting down at the counter. Jongdae swatted at his hands with the dishcloth.
“Hey, hey. Not a bar.”
“Sorry,” Lu Han mumbled. Jongdae gave him an apologetic look.
“Homesick?”
Lu Han shook his head. Well, home was always at the back of his mind, but that wasn’t the worst of his worries right now. He’d have to build and test his machine out, he’d realised with a sinking feeling. There was no way around it. Junmyeon might have gotten away with mere theories on his first try, but Lu Han was alone in this battle. He didn’t have his father’s influence or the wealth of a few major banks. He needed all the help he could get, but he didn’t know where to start looking. Who could he trust? Who would listen to him about a flying machine, a machine that allowed man to conquer the skies, defying the laws of gravity?
“What’s bothering you, then?”
Lu Han bit his lip. Surely he could trust Jongdae. He might have a sharp tongue, but from what Lu Han had seen he was incredibly loyal. Still, he took a shaky breath before asking, “Who exactly is Kim Junmyeon?”
Jongdae seemed to freeze for a fraction of a second. “Oh, the inventor,” he said, trying to sound casual.
“Yes, but…who is he.”
Jongdae was quick to catch on. “Lu Han…you met him today, didn’t you?”
Lu Han stayed silent.
Jongdae bit his lip before gesturing for Lu Han to lean in. He sat at the counter across from him, lowering his voice. “Do not mess with him. He’s basically all your worst fears with the power and money to make your worst fears happen. One step off the line and..well, cutting your toes off would be merciful in his eyes.”
“The other day…when I went to the Dome with Minseok..He didn’t seem to like it when I asked him.”
“I…” Jongdae shook his head. “I can’t divulge everything. But, things have happened, Lu Han. Sad things. Bad blood.”
“But I don’t understand why-“
The stairs creaked and the both of them jumped. Minseok was standing there, practically a shadow in the dim light. Jongdae sighed, clutching at his chest. “Jeez, you scared me.”
“It’s late. Go to bed,” he said, voice grim. He disappeared up the stairs and Lu Han stayed quiet, listening to his footsteps fade.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Jongdae said before getting back to cleaning. Lu Han sighed and slipped off his chair, going upstairs.
Minseok’s door had been left ajar, and light spilled forth from it into the dark hallway. As Lu Han passed by, he caught a glimpse of the blue walls of Minseok’s room, and paused once more.
He could always just ask. It could be nothing, he figured. After all, Lu Han had already met Junmyeon, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Minseok found him incredibly unpleasant as well. But it wasn’t a displeasure he had seen on Minseok’s face that night. There was…a pain, too, if he remembered correctly, in Minseok’s eyes. Something deeper than a simple dislike. Not hate, though. Hate was too close to resentment. There was something more, and Lu Han couldn’t help but wonder what.
But something else caught his attention. From where he stood, he could see sketches on Minseok’s wall. What looked like gears and metal boxes and pistons and pulley systems…Their blueprints could have been identical, if not for the different handwriting. Lu Han tried not to jump to conclusions, but his heart started racing. If Minseok had enough knowledge and understanding of engines, he would be the perfect person to help Lu Han with the flying machine.
Just as he was about to knock, however, the light in his room went off. Right, it’s late, he remembered. Tomorrow, then, he told himself. He’d ask tomorrow.
⌲
Lu Han sent Yin off in the morning, an envelope attached to her foot. He’d written a reasonably long letter, detailing how he was doing so far, and the problems he faced with the convention, particularly Kim Junmyeon. He watched as Yin carried it off towards the Compound, hoping that his grandfather was well. He knew Yin would make her own way back, but as she got smaller and smaller, he couldn’t shake off the growing feeling of loneliness.
Jongdae was nowhere to be found when he made his way downstairs. Instead, Lu Han found Minseok at the counter, dressed in the chef’s uniform.
“You’re head chef today?” He asked, sitting down.
“Jongdae’s sick,” Minseok explained. Lu Han watched as he expertly folded up a dumpling. “And Chanyeol went out to get some more ingredients.”
His eyebrows raised. “You’re really good.”
Minseok smiled to himself. Lu Han felt a little lighter. “I’ve been practicing for a while.”
“So…why aren’t you head chef? I mean you’re the oldest, from what I know. And you seem to have enough experience.”
“Just…” Minseok shrugged. “It’s not my dream job. I do it mostly to help Jongdae and Chanyeol out. They took me in, like you.”
“Maybe I should help out, then…”
Minseok tilted his head at him. “Think you’re up for it?”
Lu Han pulled a face and got up, crossing over to the back of the counter. “It can’t be that hard.”
“Try to keep up, then,” Minseok said, taking another piece of dough. Lu Han followed as closely as he could, but as more and more customers piled in, his handiwork got a little more sloppy. By mid-afternoon he had gotten more flour on his face and in his hair than necessary, no thanks to Minseok, but his dumplings were in better shape than when he first began. Things got easier once Chanyeol came back, but Lu Han ended up helping through the day, right up till closing time.
He sighed as he served up his last order. “Here you go, ahjussi,” he said, carefully pronouncing the Eastlandic term Minseok had taught him. The elderly man gave him a kind smile before eating. For a moment, Lu Han thought of his grandfather. It would be cold soon. Perhaps, once he had earned enough money, he would try to convince his grandfather to move to the City.
Lu Han thought of his invention again. Minseok was just beside him, cleaning up. He had to try. He’d come this far, hadn’t he? Taking a deep breath, he reached out and tapped Minseok’s shoulder.
“Hey.”
“Hm?”
“I..I need a favour.”
“Shoot.”
“It’s…” He glanced up at the lone remaining customer before turning away, prompting Minseok to follow. “I have an invention.”
Minseok stayed quiet, so Lu Han continued carefully, “I need your help building it.”
Minseok bit his lip. “Lu Han I’m sorry..I can’t..I can’t help you.”
“Why not?” Lu Han frowned.
“It’s a long story,” Minseok shook his head. “But I can’t.”
“Is it because of Junmyeon?” Lu Han blurted out. Minseok froze as he turned away, and Lu Han knew that he had struck a chord. But then he remembered Junmyeon’s face, and how he, too, had been so intimidated at their meeting, and how humiliated he had felt afterward. No one deserved to feel that way, especially not Minseok.
“I…I noticed, the other day. But…we can’t let him win, Minseok. People can’t just buy their up to the top. That’s not the way the New Age is supposed to be. I..I get it if you’re scared of him..I met him the other day too and-“
“What?”
“I…met him. When I went for a walk yesterday-“
“Lu Han- oh jeez.” Minseok sighed, running a hand over his face.
“What is it?”
“Please tell me you didn’t accept anything from him.”
“…What?” Lu Han nearly scoffed. “No, of course not. Why would I-“
Minseok reached out, gripping his shoulders. The move startled Lu Han a little but he didn’t flinch. “Listen to me. Kim Junmyeon is the last person you want to trust and the last person you will ever see should you trust him. He’s challenging you, Lu Han. Don’t take it.”
The bell hanging over the door to the shop jingled as the old man left. Minseok collected the money from the table, locking it in the money box before making his way upstairs.
Lu Han followed him. “What makes you so sure?” He asked. It wasn’t meant to be hurtful, but as soon as he had said it, he felt as if he had shot an arrow at Minseok’s back.
Minseok stopped at the top of the flight. He turned around slowly, but it was too dark to make out his face.
“He’s my brother. Of course I know.”
And with that, he disappeared into his room, leaving Lu Han alone.
part 1 / part 2