Poor Mù Yēn never thought his life could be so tragic in such a funny way.
To save himself and live freely, he had run away from his mother and father… only to get stuck between terrifyingly strong creatures. Now, he regretted not studying well enough back in school.
He could still picture it: the classroom windows rattling in the summer wind, his teacher pacing with chalk dust on his sleeve. He had slacked off, dozing at the desk, thinking he would never need to know about yao beyond the pretty songs they sang. He remembered whispering to a classmate, "What's the worst they could do, sing me to death?"
Now he knew. They could do much, much worse.
He only remembered the basics — that yokai were born dancers and singers, strong yet sensitive, drawn easily to music.
But the deeper parts — biology, psychology, history, the frightening truths about spiritual bonds and fatal temptations? He had skipped all of that. He was too pure to read those And now, here he was, trembling on the back of his pet bird , paying the price..no , " going " to pay price.
He could only silently pray that no yokai would swoop down to devour him. Sometimes he even wished he could become ugly, hideous even, so that yokai would avoid him.
"Hào, I'm going to jump from Yàn Yàn's back into the lake if you dare to call one!"
Mù Yēn's voice cracked, half shriek, half threat. He gripped Yàn Yàn's feathers so tightly his knuckles went white.
Hàoyǔ only chuckled, his cheeks red with excitement so sharp it almost hurt his jaw. He bit his lip to keep from bursting into laughter, but his eyes sparkled wickedly. Poor boy could barely contain himself.
He knew too well — Mù Yēn would never actually jump, never kill himself like that.
So he didn't stop. He guided Yàn Yàn lower, straight toward the woods, his smirk stretching wide.
"Yes yes, brother… you can try."
"Hàoyǔ!"
Mù Yēn snapped again, his voice climbing higher in desperation.
Hàoyǔ turned to him dramatically, head tilted as though he was bone-tired of life itself.
"Yes?~"
"Then I'll cut my own wrist and die right here, right now, if you don't stop your torture on me!"
Mù Yēn yanked out a knife, holding it up like a final act of rebellion. His hands trembled, but his face was deadly serious.
Hàoyǔ only yawned, eyes half-lidded, bored to death. He knew better. Empty threats.
Yàn Yàn gave a distressed cry as if begging them both to stop. Then, with one powerful flap, the knife slipped from Mù Yēn's grasp and spun downward through the air.
"M–my knife!! That was my favorite too!! My teacher gave it to me!! Yàn Yàn, why did you drop it?!"
Mù Yēn stretched his hand desperately toward the falling blade, his golden eyes wide. His palm closed on nothing but empty air. He slumped back, face twitching, a vein bulging on his forehead. His cheeks puffed out like an angry rice cake.
Hàoyǔ's shoulders shook as he bit his lip harder. He couldn't hold back much longer.
"Easy, easy~ I'll tell your teacher to give you another. It's just a knife."
"No! That was for being Good Student of the Year!"
"You're acting more childish than me right now… and instead of worrying about your knife, maybe you should start worrying about your virginity~"
Hàoyǔ burst into laughter mid-sentence, clutching his stomach, nearly falling off Yàn Yàn's back.
"Shut up, Hàoyǔ!! You don't have a single drop of shame! At least give me back my guqin!! And if you don't find my knife, I'll pull your beautiful hair out strand by strand and make you bald!!"
Mù Yēn's pout deepened. His golden eyes glared with burning fury, his whole face red as fire.
He stomped childishly, and roots cracked from the soil below, twisting toward Hàoyǔ.
But the roots were weak, brittle. His powers were pathetic without his wings. Hàoyǔ dodged easily, slicing through them with a flick of his hand.
"How rude~ hurting your own hero brother."
"You're not a hero, you're a villain!"
Hàoyǔ smirked, all teeth.
"Ah, perfect spot. Let's call your 'future mate' and fly to your unknown destination~"
"N–no!!"
They landed in a vast field of red roses, stretching like a sea of blood under the night sky. The blossoms swayed in the breeze, their fragrance thick enough to choke. It was breathtakingly romantic, the kind of scenery that begged for confessions and kisses.
Exactly the kind of "bare under moonlight" setting Hàoyǔ loved to mock.
Above them, bird-shaped shadows crossed the sky — powerful special grade yao in avian form. Their wings glittered faintly in the moonlight as they circled lazily, like predators biding their time.
Mù Yēn gulped hard. His robe collar slipped loose, sweat soaking his chest. His pulse hammered so violently he thought his heart might tear itself free.
He turned to his brother, lips trembling, cheeks flushed pink. His golden eyes glistened with desperation. He shook his head furiously, over and over, like a child refusing bitter medicine.
And Hàoyǔ thought: Why is my big brother so cute and funny without even trying?
"Tsk tsk~ Don't worry, brother. Once they choose you, they'll never betray you. You fear betrayal too much, don't you?~ They'll give you their love… and their body… only to you."
Hàoyǔ's grin widened. He bit his lip like he had just tasted something sour, then clapped his hands dramatically. He snapped his fingers and pointed straight at Mù Yēn.
"And if their spiritual energy matches yours…"
Mù Yēn froze, golden eyes widening. He ducked his head back, heart pounding, looking like a deer cornered by a hunter.
"Then you'll gain the one thing Father struggled for years to give you. You'll get your wings back!"
Hàoyǔ beamed, basking in his brilliance.
Mù Yēn slapped his hand away with a huff.
"I'd rather die alone like a wingless insect than do that! No thanks — give me back my guqin, kindly!"
"Too late!!"
Hàoyǔ spread his stance wide, his grin feral. One hand held the guqin, the other lifted like a conductor commanding an orchestra.
"Here we go!!"
"NOOOOO!!"
Mù Yēn lunged, clutching his sleeve. But Hàoyǔ had shifted fully into his human form — tall, heavy, immovable. Mù Yēn dangled helplessly, gasping in horror.
Yàn Yàn screeched, wings thrashing, swooping to catch him before he fell.
And then — Hàoyǔ's voice rang out, echoing across the roses:
"DEAR BIRDIES, LISTEN TO ME!! I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL GIFT FOR YOU!!"
The circling yaos shrieked in response, voices sharp as blades. Wings folded, shadows dropped, descending lower and lower.
Mù Yēn's knees buckled. He clutched at his collar, chest heaving. His golden eyes widened in pure terror. His lips trembled, voice breaking into a whisper meant only for himself:
"I'm dead… I'm actually dead…"
And Hàoyǔ?
He only grinned wider, savoring every second.