If there is a palace in the kingdom, then there are also the busy streets where there are common folk making a living while simultaneously funding the palace because of all the taxes and regulations. Some of them are even deemed unnecessary by the people of Fujian, but none of them dared to speak ill of the emperor. They know he's not the one behind everything, anyway; the funds were looked over by none other than the royal adviser himself, Yixing. It goes without question that whoever is in charge of funds and money either is, or will be, a very greedy person.

Yixing already is, and always has been.

Growing up in a family that served the royal family for decades was something he always resented; no matter what, he would always be below the royal family. His father had been the adviser before him, and his grandfather before that. None of them complained, but Yixing couldn't stand it. Even if the royal family currently only consisted of the young emperor Yifan and his stubborn brat of a younger brother, Luhan. The fact irked him to such an extent that even during his training to be the next royal adviser, he already knew for sure that no matter what he simply had to overthrow the emperor, and make himself the ruler of the kingdom instead.

Whatever it takes, he told himself the day before he was appointed adviser to Yifan, do whatever it takes to make sure that crown is yours some day. 

The goal took him down a dark path; he explored the myths and the legends of the kingdom, reading dusty books in the library until he figured he could get one of his own helpers to do it for him. Namely, Chen, his only right-hand man actually, who did the job really well, and ended up discovering the legend about the Cave of Wonder.

“It said in the book,” Chen had said dutifully, an ever present mischievous smile on his face. “That whoever has the Jade Tiger, this… diamond in the rough person, can locate the cave. Inside is some kinda lamp with a genie, or something.”

Yixing had yet to find the Jade Tiger; till then, he spent each day with a calm expression on his face, serving the royal family, waiting for the perfect time to strike.

In the busy streets of Fujian, there were merchants who sold fruits, bread, and jewelry.

There was also a certain boy by the name of Sehun who would steal said fruits, bread, and jewelry.

“Come back here, thief!”

Sehun dodged an incoming cart, jumped across a few barrels, and landed on his feet all in a span of 8 seconds; he didn’t have to glance back to know he probably had 10 of the street guards running after him. What else is new, anyway? He would always outrun them, since he was younger, lighter, and faster after all. The chase has always been his favourite part of stealing.

“Come on, guys, it’s just an apple!” He called out behind him as he ducked under some lady carrying a basket of bread- quickly swiping one out of the basket before the lady could notice, as well. “And maybe this loaf of bread, but guys, really, relax.”

Cue more angry yelling.

Sehun doesn’t remember when he started stealing; as far as he was concerned, he had always grown up without parents, with only his older brother Suho around. Suho worked odd jobs around the city, jobs that the younger boy just couldn’t stand to do. They were boring. Meanwhile, stealing was a trade he learned from the other street kids he grew up with. Stealing was fun. It had a thrill to it. Plus, he was really good at it.

He heard the guards tumble past the barrels he so swiftly avoided, barely muttering an “excuse me” to the people they pushed out of the way. 

"Bit rude, don't you think?" 

“Street rat! Don’t think you’re getting away this time!” 

Sehun almost stopped to laugh at that, instead he took the liberty of flashing a grin to the guards trying to catch up behind him, as he began to easily run backwards, “I steal only what I can’t afford, and that’s everything, and I’m not sorry!”

One duck, one jump ahead, and finally, one quick turn to the left and once again, Sehun had managed to escape the guards with all his limbs still intact and his loot still with him. He tossed the apple in the air and caught it with the same hand, almost like a celebratory move. The street guards were too big and buff to even consider squeezing into the narrow pathways between the walls of the Fujian buildings. Luckily, Sehun was just the right amount of slim that slipping through these cracks were easy as pie to him.

All cracks led to the same, dusty and dark alleyway. Sehun knew the route by heart.

He emerged a few minutes later to a wider expanse of land, with pretty much nothing in sight except the stone walls and stone floors. Unless you looked closely, it was easy to miss the ladder tucked neatly into a crevice. Sehun took it out and climbed up, over the wall, higher up an abandoned building. 

The roof used to be empty; that was until a few years back, when Suho and Sehun discovered the place and instantly, Sehun fell in love. The roof top had the perfect view of the palace, with its marble towers, lined in gold. The good life, Sehun had said. Now, the roof was filled with various pieces of cloth hanging on top to serve as some kind of shade. There were two thin mattresses on the floor, a makeshift table made from a few planks of wood, and a few knick-knacks Sehun got from his trips to the street. 

It was nothing much, but it was home.

This is up because I spent some time last night finishing this up instead of falling asleep. I regret nothing. I'm personally in love with the song One Jump Ahead so it kinda gets a cameo, plus the lyrics.

Chapter three is also in the works, and if I get it done by today, then it should be up by tomorrow~
(But generally it takes me a while to finish chapters, and finish fics...)

Thanks to everybody who subscribed so far! :D