Prompt #38: No spring skips its turn

[100xoverfest]

Prompt: #38
Title: No spring skips its turn
Genre: Fantasy/Alternate Universe
Rating: G
Side Pairings: -
Warning/s: -
Season: Spring
Summary: Kris returns to China for a short vacation. He's never been to his homeland ever since they immigrated to Canada when he was a kid. Upon arriving, he encounters a child named Junmyeon who keeps on calling him Yifan for some reason. Junmyeon claims that he's been waiting for his return for so long.
A/N (Author's Note): Title from a quote by Hal Borland: "No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn."
Apologizing for inconsistencies and such, I'm not one to have betas orz
Lao lao is grandma. Xiangqi is a Chinese chess. -gege is an honorific for an older brother. Do free to leave feedback if there's a factual error that I missed. :)

Kris has basically no memories of living in his homeland. He was merely four years old when they moved overseas, and since then he has lived as Kris Wu. He has no recollection of being Li Jiaheng, or Xiao Li, as the old folks of the small village preferred to call him. They’ve just come from a two-day trip from Canada and he couldn’t wait to get aboard the next plane that will bring him back.

 

He checks his phone again. Still in 2G network coverage. He grumbles underneath his breath.

 

“Kris,” the condescending tone of his mother immediately follows. Nothing ever escapes her hearing. They are settling in their room, a small four-walled dwelling made of timber. “I know you really didn’t want to come here, but can you at least fake a little enthusiasm with our relatives?

We haven’t seen them for so long.”

 

“I don’t even know them, Mom.”

 

“That’s why you have to do your part and get to know them. They want to talk to you but you show this unapproachable aura of yours. You can’t keep that up for two weeks, can you?”

 

“Who knows?” Kris answers nonchalantly. He really couldn’t care any less. “I think I’ll go out and

look around.”

 

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. Do enjoy the the view.” His mom heaves a sigh. She sounds fed up, really, Kris had been complaining about the trip even before they left Canada. “Be back before dinner.”

 

Kris grabs his phone and heads outside. Maybe there’s better reception somewhere out there.

 

Being a recent emperor of the most thriving kingdom in China is not an easy task.

The last Emperor, his father, has just passed away due to old age over a month ago in the middle of winter and Yifan is left with the task to make sure that every corner of his country is still running seamlessly. With the threats of wars along the borders, he sometimes thinks he’ll grow bald sooner than his father did during his time. The magistrates his father left him are all able, yet somehow, he feels that things aren’t going smoothly as he has imagined.

The door to his room opens and he hears a set of familiar footsteps. He looks up from the map he’s been staring at for many minutes and is not disappointed at the change of view.

“Your Highness,” Junmyeon’s blue robes spread fluidly on the floor as he bows before him. “It’s past your dinner. The attendants said you still haven’t touched the meals they’ve delivered. Is there something wrong?”

“I’ve failed to notice the time,” Yifan walks towards Junmyeon who is still hunched before him, holding him by his shoulders. “Stand up. How many times do I have to tell you that there needs be no formality between the two of us?”

“You’ll never know who’s around. I’m still just a royal adviser,” Junmyeon lets himself be pulled up, patting his robes clean. “Besides, I still can’t quite get used to calling you by your name.”

“It’s because you don’t say it enough,” Yifan cups Junmyeon’s face and brings their forehead together, “Maybe if I hear it from you, I’d have the appetite to eat.”

“You know I won’t be here all the time to convince you to eat, Yifan.”

“You’re with me now,” Yifan laughs and proceeds to plant a kiss on Junmyeon’s forehead. “You said my name.”

“Go eat.”

“Eat with me.”

“Do I have a choice?”

“We have to spend lots of time together as much as we can, right?”

The smile in Junmyeon’s face dims a bit.

“I’m eating with you, then.”

 

Not even the highest hills of the cherry blossom village could get Kris a good connection with his phone. For some reason, it now had no service at all. He has always thought that higher places meant higher signals. Apparently, it did not work in this certain part of China.

Nevertheless, he doesn’t feel like going back yet and faking smiles with his relatives. If only his mother didn’t raise him knowing Mandarin, he could make an excuse of not understanding them. He opens his music player and lets it play in loudspeaker. His favorite playlist makes him feel less of a foreigner in his own native land.

He settles on the foot of a nearby cherry blossom tree and closes his eyes for a moment, thinking of home.

 

Spring was his favorite season; not because of the peach-colored blossoms that painted the air everytime it arrived, but because of a certain promise he held dear in his heart.

 

Kris’ eyes shoots up at the sudden cold that wrapped around his wrists. It is as if the touch of winter in yuletide. When he looks at his wrist, he finds a set of fingers wrapped around it. Its owner is a young boy whom he has never seen before.

 

The boy seems to have noticed that he has woken up, and he promptly removes his fingers around his wrist. His puffy cheeks flush at being caught.

 

“Who are you?” Kris asks in English, thoroughly taken aback by the sudden appearance of the boy. He furrows his eyebrows in reply, obviously unfamiliar with the language. Kris switches tongues, and this time, asks in Mandarin, “Who are you?”

 

“Ah. I’m Junmyeon,” he smiles then, his face alike that of cherubs: bright and innocent, “I thought you were dead.”

 

“I was just sleeping,” Kris reaches for his phone which is still playing and pauses the music. It’s almost quarter to six. He should probably head back now. “Do you live in the village, too? Let’s head back together. Your parents must be looking for you.”

 

“You don’t need to worry about me, Yifan.”

 

Kris frowns at the name. “Yifan who?”

 

“You!” Junmyeon points at him, still smiling, “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time!”

 

“Uh, I don’t think I remember you. Or that you would have already been around when I lived here.”

 

Junmyeon only lets out a soft laugh. “Where were you?” he asks, completely ignoring Kris’ earlier statement.

 

“Huh,” Kris can’t decide if he should humor Junmyeon, but how would talking to a kid harm him, though? Besides, he looks kind and innocent anyway, if he ignores the fact that he just appeared out of nowhere. “My mother and I came here from Canada for a vacation.”

 

“Canada?” Junmyeon cranes his neck to the side. The word comes out of his lips weirdly. “How’s it like in Canada?”

 

“It’s nice there, I guess. The people are good and welcoming. The weather is either cold or colder.”

 

“Are there cherry blossoms, too?”

 

“Not everywhere, but there’s a park in our city where there are a lot of cherry blossoms.”

 

“Do you look at them a lot?”

 

“When it’s spring, yeah.” It’s been a tradition of his to view the cherry blossoms every year. It is always a majestic sight. It’s one of the reasons why he loved spring in their city, and why he was very adamant about the whole trip to China on his favorite season. “I watch the flowers bloom every year.”

 

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Junmyeon smiles widely then, as if it’s the first time he actually liked what Kris said. “I’m glad to hear that, Yifan.”

 

“It’s Kris,” he corrects him this time, feeling weirded out by the name Junmyeon keeps on calling him with. “Not Yifan.”

 

“It’s not a bad name, but I still like Yifan more.”

 

“Huh,” Kris scratches the back of his head. “Thanks? You know what, I’m…gonna have to go now…Junmyeon. And so should you. Your folks would be looking for you by now.”

 

To his surprise, Junmyeon just settles on sitting next to the cherry blossom facing the sunset. “I’m staying for a a while. See you around, Yifan.”

 

Kris doubts he’d want to have a second encounter with this child.

 

 

“How much of our past lives can you remember?”

“All eleven of them.”

Underneath the heavy blankets and silk curtains, Yifan clings to Junmyeon, wrapping his arms around his bare body, planting yet another kiss on the other man’s nape. It’s like this everytime the cycle repeats: they live and inevitably meet, yet it’s only Junmyeon who keeps the memories.

Junmyeon in this life isn’t originally a citizen of the kingdom. He was a prisoner of war at age thirteen. Together with a few others, they were brought to the Imperial City all the way from the northern borders. Yifan was around the same age, watching the bare-clothed prisoners walked into the city walls all grimy and worn out.

Junmyeon stood out from that crowd for one reason: it was because Junmyeon was already looking at him. His clear brown eyes immediately found his, and at that moment, Yifan became intrigued. It took many years, but he was able to pull Junmyeon out from the prison and slowly supported him into being now his royal adviser. One could only imagine the amount of opposition Yifan had to face for his decision. He regrets none of it however, for in the process, he was able to learn about their past lives. And consequently, he was able to fall in love with Junmyeon all over again in the spring of his ascension.

“Which life was your favorite then?”

Junmyeon ponders for a moment, turning around to face Yifan. “The very first one. I was a village doctor, you were a voyager who needed my help.”

“Why?”

“Because in that life, I first met and loved you. And in that life, we’ve come to realize that we’ll be together whichever life we might end up in,” Junmyeon lets out a wistful laugh, “It’s too bad you keep on forgetting all these lives.”

“There’s a good thing to that, though.”

“And what that might be?”

“When you’ve decided to love me since our first life, I get to fall in love with you again and again instead, every single time.”

 

 

 

Kris comes back in time for dinner. It passes by smoothly, and somehow, he is able to loosen up to this relatives. They actually aren’t as bad as he initially thought. He particularly adores his youngest cousin named Liu. She is the first one to actually joyfully engage him in a conversation, and she tells him all these things that she did that day and the past week.

 

“She’s very talkative, isn’t she?” his grandmother laughs when Liu finally takes a break from speaking to eat her already half-warm meal.

 

“It’s adorable,” Kris answers honestly, “Liu is a very energetic child.”

 

“That’s true. Sometimes I feel like she’s making a friend out of everyone in the village.”

 

“Yeah, I play with everyone,” Liu adds with still a mouthful of food.

 

“Liu. What did I say about speaking when your mouth is full?” His aunt reprimands her.

 

She only smiles innocently.

 

“So,” his aunt turns to Kris now, “Did you like the cherry blossoms?”

 

“I did. It’s quite different with the ones in Vancouver.”

 

“Why, of course,” his grandmother laughs, “The original will always be better than a copy.”

 

“Lao lao, I didn’t say I didn’t like the ones back home. It’s just that they hold different charms. I can love them both, and I do love them both. No one’s a lesser version of the other.”

 

There’s a brief silence that follows Kris’ statement. He looks around and finds everyone looking at him weirdly.

 

“Did…I say something wrong?”

 

“Not at all,” his grandmother assures him, “It’s actually quite wise for young man like you.”

 

“I don’t know, I’ve just always felt that way.”

 

“As you should.”

 

 

“Which version of me was your favorite?” Yifan asks Junmyeon out of nowhere. They were playing a game of xiangqi and somehow, the question popped into Yifan’s mind.

“What do you mean?”

“Out of the eleven lives that we’ve had so far, which of my versions did you love the most?”

Junmyeon gives him the look.

“What? It’s a valid question.”

“It’s a silly question.”

“And why is that?”

“Your different lives held different charms, all of those I loved truly. No one’s a lesser version of the other.”

 

 

A week passed before Kris returns to the spot where he first encountered Junmyeon. To be honest, it holds the best view of the whole village but he didn’t return immediately thinking that he might encounter Junmyeon again.

 

Seeing the lone cherry blossom tree from the foot of the hill, the spot seems to be empty. Kris hikes to the top, optimistic of being able to enjoy an alone time for once.

 

Yet, upon reaching it, he is almost disappointed to see that Junmyeon is lying down the bed of soft grass with his arms and legs spread wide. It reminds him of how he himself plays during winter on the snow and how he loves making snow angels.

 

Even if he wanted to go away and run, Junmyeon has already noticed him and he turns to his direction.

 

“Yifan!” His smile is so bright. “You’re here again!”

 

“And so are you,” Kris notes. “I told you, my name is Kris.”

 

“I’ve heard. But I’ll still call you Yifan.”

 

“What’s your deal anyway? Why do you insist on calling me Yifan?”

 

Junmyeon sits up then, looking at him in a more serious way. “Do you believe in reincarnation?”

 

It’s an odd question to ask. But Yifan keeps in mind that Junmyeon is a child. Children have wild imagination.

 

“Are you saying I’m one?” he asks, entertaining the topic. He sits next to him. “That I was a Yifan before?”

 

It’s Junmyeon’s turn to look surprised at him. He’s probably wondering why he seems so eager now to talk. Nevertheless, he nods.

 

“How?”

 

“If I tell you, will you promise not to run?”

 

Despite himself, Kris finds himself quite interested. “Try me.”

 

 

It was spring when Yifan first laid eyes on Junmyeon. For some reason, it was also spring nine years after when he realized that he’s fallen for his closest friend.

“It’s a part of the cycle,” Junmyeon explains to him one time that they are browsing through the library on geography and war tactics. “Spring, that is.”

“How so?”

“We always met when the cherry blossoms are just about to bloom. We fall in love within the same season, as well. Every single lifetime.”

“Spring is for new beginnings,” Yifan says, recalling a line that he read from the poetry book the other day, “But for us, it seems like a miracle granted by the heavens to let us continue from where we left off from our last life together.”

Instead of the usual smile Junmyeon gives him, what comes out of his lips is only a bitter laugh.

“I wouldn’t call it that.”

“Why?”

“All we have is spring.”

Yifan reaches for his hand. They are cold beneath his touch.

“And what happens when spring ends?”

 

 

Kris tries to make sense in his mind a total of twelve lives, of twelve versions of himself. Junmyeon recounts them all from when he was a voyager named Zhao, until to when he was the emperor named Yifan.

 

“Let me get this straight,” Kris runs a hand through his hair in confusion, “So the two of us gets reincarnated and we always meet during spring.”

 

“Right.”

 

“And in our every life, we are drawn to one another?”

 

“Exactly.”

 

At first, Kris wanted to put off Junmyeon’s story as completely made-up, but the way Junmyeon laid out his narrative was so perfectly detailed that it even made the hairs on his nape stand up. This story of reincarnation is too elaborate for a child to make up out of nowhere. Junmyeon does sound too mature for his age most of the time.

 

“I don’t expect you to believe me. You never do. At first, I mean. You eventually believe me, but then that needed time.”

 

“What’s different in this life then?” Kris asks, still bothered by the fact that in his past lives, he had loved this person before him. Personally, Kris doesn’t get too interested in anyone. Sure, he finds people attractive, but he never looked for more. “Why are you a kid?”

 

Junmyeon just smiles again. “You should go back. Your folks must be waiting?”

 

“And you?”

 

“I’ll stay for a while,” he raises his hand to wave goodbye, “See you.”

 

 

The brush has been hovering for quite a while now over the blank paper, its black ink falling in droplets. Yifan finds himself at a loss. The threats of war intensified in the north. An informant has told them of a planned attack on the Capital.

Junmyeon has been standing behind him now for a long time as well. Having enough of Yifan’s predicament, he softly takes the brush away from him to which Yifan almost retaliates.

“You have to clear your mind first,” Junmyeon tells him, almost in a reprimanding tone. He puts his hands over Yifan’s tensed shoulders and massages it. “You can’t think. It’s cluttered inside that mind of yours. You won’t be able to arrive with a solution if you’re like that. Breathe. Calm your heart down.”

Yifan does what he is told, willing his racing heart to settle. He hasn’t even realized that his heart is beating that fast already. After a while, he relaxes and leans his head on Junmyeon. They look at each other’s eyes and smile. Yifan holds Junmyeon’s hands then, weaving their fingers together.

"No matter what life we end up in, you never change, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're always looking out for me when I feel like it should be the other way around."

"I don't think it's a matter of personal choice, Yifan, it's just what I'm supposed to do. I'm your guardian, through and through."

Others have described Junmyeon as fragile, the magistrates have called him incompetent, but what they don't realize is that beneath his soft ethereal features lies a mind of a genius carrying with him almost a dozen lifetime's worth of wisdom.

"So what do I do now?" Yifan asks.

"Don't move the troops in the North, and have your Capital Guards strengthen their rounds along the city walls. I'm not saying you cannot trust the Minister of Defense, but remember that he is the one that is most against you. It doesn't feel right that he's telling you to do something that will weaken the defenses of the city and he country. In fact, this kind of message, I believe it is best that you send someone you completely trust to deliver it personally."

"I can't send you out there on your own."

Junmyeon's serious face flushes and breaks into an amused smile. "Silly, I was thinking of Xiumin."

"You know you're the only one I would trust with my life."

"I know that already. However, that's actually a good idea."

"What is?"

"I go to the North myself."

Yifan's eyes widen at the thought of Junmyeon venturing outside the palace. "Junmyeon, you know I was kidding. That plan is dangerous. You're no knight, unlike Xiumin."

"I could bring Xiumin with me. Yifan, please, this is for the kingdom. I'm doing this for you, as well. If we are able to settle the defense on the North successfully, the soldiers there will have your back. The northern army is a powerful weapon of the kingdom. You won't have to worry about the magistrates if the soldiers themselves support you wholeheartedly."

“But,” Yifan’s eyes wander to the cherry blossom tree located in his personal garden. Only a few flowers remain, and all of it is almost green. “Spring is about to end.”

Junmyeon's face darkens for a small moment, but it quickly disappears that Yifan thought he has only imagined it.

“I’ll be back this time.”

“How sure are you?”

“We’ve been together for ten springs now. This life must be different from the others.”

Yifan smiles. He can be at peace knowing that Junmyeon will still return. This is the longest life they’ve spent together even if he’s only been able to realize his feelings for him recently.

“It’s settled then. I’ll send Xiumin with you along with other Palace Guards. When you return, we’re going to deal with the magistrates.”

“I think I’m going to enjoy that.”

“That’s why you should promise to return.”

“I already told you. I will, I promise.”

 

 

 

“And what happens when spring ends?”

 

“So do we.”

 

 

Upon returning to the house, Kris sees Liu playing outside. Her mom is sitting by the door, engrossed in reading a novel. Recalling what Liu said the other time, he approaches her.

 

“Liu!”

 

“Li-gege!” Liu runs to him and hugs him around his waist. “Did you go to the hill again?”

 

“Yeah, I did,” he ruffles her hair playfully, “By the way, didn’t you say you play with all of the kids in the village?”

 

Liu nods eagerly. “All of them are my friends!”

 

“Do you know someone by the name of Junmyeon?”

 

“I don’t know any Junmyeon,” Liu pouts, “Where did you see him?”

 

“Junmyeon?” It’s his aunt this time, putting down the book upon hearing the conversation. “By that, are you referring to Kim Junmyeon?”

 

“Yes. Do you know him?”

 

“Of course, I do. Every adult in this village knows of him. I’m actually surprised that you know about him. He should have been around your age by now.”

 

Should have been? Kris doesn’t miss the change in tense. “Why? What happened?”

 

“Junmyeon’s the sweetest child we knew. He always loved to go to that hill with a single cherry blossom on top. One night, he got the most terrible fortune and met an accident on his way there.” A cold feeling suddenly settles on Kris. “He’s been gone for a long time now.”

 

 

Yifan is brooding by his garden that afternoon, gazing up at the cherry blossom tree. A lone flower sits among the green leaves. It’s the last day of spring. He's never had a peaceful sleep ever since Junmyeon left for the northern borders. He has prayed night and day for his safe journey and return. The gods favor the royal family, he's learned from his many years of education. He could only wish that it is true.

“Your Highness,” his attendant’s voice pulls him out of his reverie, “Captain Xiumin’s troop has arrived.”

Yifan is on his feet at once, his robes flowing behind him as he quickly heads to the throne room. The moment he arrives, a strange and foreboding feeling hung on the air.

Everyone is kneeled before the throne, and Yifan notices the stains of blood on their clothes and the wounds on their skins. His heart skips a beat.

“Junmyeon.” His eyes wander, seeing no sign of Junmyeon. His eyes land on Xiumin instead who’s staring back at him, eyes all red and puffy. Yifan feels his fears coming to life. “Where is Junmyeon?”

“Your Highness, there was an ambush waiting for us when we were to return. We wouldn’t have made it back if.…Junmyeon didn’t stay behind.” Xiumin’s voice is almost breaking, “Junmyeon saved us.”

Yifan wants to scream. He wants to pull out the nearest sword and slash everything within his reach. Junmyeon promised to return. Why isn’t he there, then? Why is he not beside him, smiling and making him feel better? Yifan supposes he should cry, but all he has is a hollow feeling in his chest.

He tries to find his voice, and when he does, it comes out sorrowful and trembling. “What was the last thing that he said?”

“He promises to return in a different spring.”

 

 

“You’re already dead.”

 

Kris returns the very next day, and as he expected, Junmyeon is just seated next to the cherry blossom tree.

 

“So the secret is out,” he holds up a cherry blossom and looks at it adoringly, “It took you some time, though.”

 

Junmyeon doesn’t move from his place. Somehow, he looks even more ethereal today.

 

“Have you been waiting here the whole time ever since you died?”

 

“I can’t go to the afterlife until we’ve met.”

 

“And now that we have, what happens next?”

 

“I wait for this spring to end. I’ll be able to cross by then.”

 

“Why is it only spring?”

 

“It’s a curse, this reincarnation. You once thought it’s a miracle granted by the heavens, but it’s actually a curse set to us in our very first life. The curse to keep meeting each other in different lives during spring and to fall in love every time, only for one to die by the end of the blooming season.”

 

“We didn’t fall in love in this lifetime, though.” Kris smiles apologetically. “I’m sorry about that.”

 

“If you haven’t moved to Canada, we would have met earlier. I knew about you, though. I was friends with your cousins, and I saw your pictures when you were child. I instantly knew it was you.” Junmyeon throws the flower up in the air and the blowing wind takes it away, “Nevertheless, I have no regrets. I thought I was never going to see you even once. I'm just thankful I get to see you.”

 

“We’re returning soon.”

 

For once, Junmyeon’s smile seems to fade. He looks at Kris and there is sadness in his clear brown eyes, sadness that has lasted for many centuries and would remain for many more to come.

 

“Will you promise not to forget me when you go back there?”

 

“I don’t think it’ll be easy to forget a ghost who’s supposed to be my soulmate,” Kris laughs softly, “I’ll always think of you when I look at the cherry blossoms.”

 

Junmyeon smiles warmly. “Thank you.”

 

 

“You remind me of cherry blossoms.” 

 

“How so? Is it because I smell just as good?”

 

He laughs.

 

"I must admit that did not cross my mind, but I could add it.”

 

“Then what is your reason for being reminded by cherry blossoms, then?”

 

“You’re just as beautiful, just as soft,” Yifan closed the distance between them and captured Junmyeon’s lips on his own. When they broke apart, he kept their lips a breath apart. “And I know that you’ll be back every time spring comes knocking on my doors.”