~What If~

Prolong

I remember when I had first met them, they both had been so different but similar at the same time one who was always smiling while the other always frowning.

I remember the brown eyes which had looked at me with softness or the grey ones with firmness. I had fallen for both of them, I called myself crazy back then. Who could fall for two people at the same time? 

But then again, I had been crazy back then. 

It was a hot afternoon the day my Da-ge had told me to do Saber Practice, I had ran to his office walking in to whine about making me practice. 

That was when I had noticed the stranger who sat opposite to my brother, he was wearing white robes. I instantly knew he was not from our clan, then my gaze had moved to his forehead which had a forehead ribbon on it.

I felt my eyes widen, that could only mean one thing he was from the Gusu Lan clan. I saw as he turned his head, his brown eyes meeting mine. They instantly warmed as a smile bloomed on his beautiful face.

“Young Master Nie.” He greeted me, I felt my heart skip a beat his voice was so soft.

I felt my mouth hang open, my eyes blinking slowly trying to process the man in front of me.

“Huaisang! What are you doing here?” I heard my Da-ge yell, I snapped out of my trance. I looked at my brother who looked very angry, then it hit me that he was having an official meeting which I interrupted. I felt the color leaving my face, as he scowls at me.

“I-i’m sorry Da-ge,” I say, hanging my head low. 

“You better b-” He starts.

“It’s alright, you weren’t interrupting anything important.” I hear the soft voice say. I look up at the man. He turns to Da-ge calming him down, “No need to get angry Mingjue he didn’t know, that’s not his fault.” My brother looks at him, before letting out a sigh.

“If you say so.” He mutters.

I look at my brother in shock, he never agreed to someone so easily. Who was this man? I thought to myself, as if he could hear my thoughts he introduced himself.

“Oh, I am sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Lan Huan, courtesy name Lan Xichen. Some people call me Zewujun as well.”

“I-i’m Huaisang…I-i mean Nie Huaisang” I whisper, I felt my cheeks flare up. Why was I stuttering all of a sudden!? 

I hear my Da-ge scoff, “What’s with the stuttering?” 

I snap my head in his direction, “Da-ge!!” I whine, a pout forming on my lips.

I hear a laugh, I look at Lan Xichen his head was thrown back as his shoulders shook. Even his laugh was soft and beautiful.

He finishes laughing looking at me, and he smiles. I felt my cheeks flare up again, how can someone smile so much?

He had been very different from the people who I had met in my life, he was the first to smile at me, and listen to what I had to say. The first to listen to me whining without complaints, the first to encourage me that I can do it and that I wasn't as weak as I put myself up to be.

“I can’t do this!” I whined, setting down my brush.

“Of course, you can do it Huaisang.” I heard the soft voice say, I turn to look at Second brother he smiles at me.

“But it’s hard! I’m not smart enough!” I let out a huff.

“ I know you can do it Huaisang, you are much smarter than you think.” He gets up from his seat making his way to me.