DYNASTY「kaixing」

王國

[ location: west side of Beijing ]

「my heaven is your hell」

 
   Kai ran as fast as he could through the foreign bricked street, brown leaves of fall swirling around his white and purple hanbok while he turned his head back towards the aggressor. He regretted taking off his rubber gatsin for his performance, just because he thought he could be more fluid with out the damn shoes.

The young dancer knew he should've changed out his clothing before entering the limits of the kingdom, he knew he should've tried to cover his foreign roots.

But it was too late now, it was too late to dye his hair black as he's already been spotted and he's too far from the safe haven. The policemen had their snake spears close to his back, waiting for the young to falter his steps as he ran along.

Kai fled his home for this, he thought with anger. Even if he was exiled from that fucking place. Village people turning along as the commotion followed into the village shops.

  "Tingzhi!" Stop. Stop to be killed? He thought. The first guard yelled out, swiping his staff towards the left in a cut motion hoping to catch the younger. Yet Kai could see he was nearing a dead end, holding his cup that now only held two pieces of silver cash in it while it rattled along for the ride. His eyes seemed like a cornered cat along with his posture, frantically looking for another exit.

Two guards fell back, letting the one with a snarl advance to Kai. He spoke in the foreign tongue, eyes trained to see what the next moves of the dance would be.

     "Touxiang!" Surrender. Surrender and be slaughtered seemed to be the perfect translation to the frantic Korean. People watched, peaking from their shops or around corners of alleys as they waited for the sword to be sliced across the honey like skin. He was so tan, he must've come from the kingdom of the south some wandered.

But Kai only had his change and his tongue with his wits. This was a situation he could only climb out of, the guard repeating his words once more.

"Now! Do it now!" Kai shook his head, tears starting to prick at his eyes. He wouldn't fall to his knees. He'd die standing up, a face twisted in defiance.

  But a figure stepped in front, he was tall and his voice was low. He spoke a word the younger didn't know the translation, his limited change of tongue could only get him so far. Yet the man has a stone face, a long robe of black with a gold dragon crawling along his billowing lose sleeves. He had now positioned himself between the boy and the guards. "Since when has dancing been a crime under the Zhang rule?" He asked, stepping forward and challenging the guard.

"He's of foreign decent! He is from another land not welcome here!" The guard spat, trying to pass the man of tall stature.

"Must I remind you who I am?" The man asked, grabbing the hilt just below where the blade started. The guard seemed to hate the answer, "and aren't you yourself from the land past the yellow river and among the hills?" The man let go, the guard swung his staff into its upright position, the un welcome look still on his face.

"Emperor Zhang did well letting you in our land." He growled. "Get out of my village."

But the guard looked right at Kai, a smile almost falling over his lips. "I'll Wait, for you will never have this lucky coincidence again," he spat towards the dancers feet as he retreated. "I'll kill you."

Kai was scared in the inside, not allowing his features show it till the men had retreated out of sight. His savior decided to turn, looking at the younger with a sizing eye. His black hair was pulled back into a pony tail, a sword sheathed in red to his side as he gave the younger only a small chuckle.

  "And where have you blown in from?"

Kai just had his mouth agape, was this man just going to have him for himself to kill? Kai couldn't take chances, people still entranced with the ongoing play amongst them.

"No tongue? Or not familiar of my language?" The man asked, stepping close as Kai backed wearily.

But the man must've seen the reason why the eyes looked the way they did, speaking slowly as he motioned to the place he must've appeared from. It seemed a place to go in and eat, the symbol of wu painted on the left panel of the red curtains.

"Have you eaten, young one? I don't mean harm." He spoke, urging Kai to come forward. "No one spills blood on my village. You are safe."  Safe

Kai was too hungry to argue, pushing forward his can that only had what would be a couple cents. The man looked in it curiously, peering in and a laugh billowing from his lips. "Just come in, funny one."

  Kai learned the man's name, Yi Fan, he also learned the tall man made a mean course of food.

When he came out of the kitchen with not only a new robe resting on his arm but four bowls with variety of foods on a tray in both hands Kai thought he fell in love. He scarfed it all down, the man just watching with amusement as he let another worker tend the customers around them.

"You eat as if you walked straight off a cattle ranch." Yifan chuckled, handing Kai the robe. "Your clothing will either get you killed or shunned in this village, I brought you this." Kai went to touch it, but Yifan pulled back. "Wipe your hands, little brat."

He did just as such, eager to rid himself of the dirty clothing. Yet the man had questions, along with his story to tell. Where in the Korean providence do you hail from? How did you make it here alive? Why the hell did you come here? What the hell do you do? Kai first gave his name, but he would not explain why he had to leave for it was a tale that may have Yifan himself may turn him out.

I'm a dancer, I came to dance, I hail from gyeongsang which is is south eastern Korea. Was all Kai spoke as he took a dumpling from Yi Fan's plate with a pair of chopstick, scarfing it down.

Yi Fan didn't even scold him, cocking his head to the side. Dance?

"Then show me."