Gun

Champion

Nervousness had never been an affliction the leader of K and K had been plagued with before.

He was infamously cool. Calm. Collected. A leader. The Boss. The Gun God. All of the above - at least, he had been until Tong Nian had exploded into his life like a shooting star, blinding him in the process and shattering his stoic facade. However, ironically enough, Han Shangyan didn't ever want his eyes to adjust. Not now he had witnessed true, all encompassing beauty. Not now he had found the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. The usually unruffled Han Shangyan couldn't lie; he was on edge as he carried Nian Nian towards the bridal suite, towards the moment that would anchor their relationship once and for all. This was one encounter he didn't have a strategy for, and he worried he was woefully unprepared - he felt like the odds were stacked against him, and he could only hope his natural ability would take over when he reached the playing field.

Shangyan had never in his wildest dreams expected to feel this way about another person - not that his dreams were all that extravagant, of course. He was a simple man with a simple goal and even in his early days, he was used to exercising a quiet control over all aspects of his life. His emotions were no different. Why would they be? He was the master of the poker face; if stoic had a human counterpart, it would be him. People only saw what he allowed them to see; the tough, black clad, fearless leader who could carry the weight of the world with little to no effort. No need for anyone but himself to know of the turmoil swirling inside - the only person he could rely on was himself, this was cold, hard fact that had been proven time and time again. Shangyan had firmly believed that he didn't need a relationship - after all, he was almost thirty years old, his ship had surely sailed. It was too late for him. The K and K makeshift patriarch didn't need romance to complete his life - he had zero dating experience and certainly no time anyway, how could he be expected to woo a woman? Han Shangyan was destined to be alone; this he had long accepted.

It didn't matter what his Grandpa insisted or how often he scolded him like a hapless child: the harangued leader had enough on his plate anyway, the last thing he needed was a girl. He was Little Han to his grandpa but Old Han to his team, father of none but acting as such. Little Bai, One, Ninety Seven, G Shuai, Demo, even Little Mi and Solo - they were his boys and he was obligated to take good care of them. They were bratty, demanding and exhausting at times and although he wouldn't admit it openly aloud, he loved them deeply. Probably more than they believed him capable of. They weren't related by blood but by the bonds of brotherhood - he knew he was harsh on them but they respected and admired him regardless. He had their best interests at heart and they knew him better than he cared to admit. This was all the affection he had needed. Or so he had thought. It hadn't been long until he had met his Little Squid and his world had tilted on it's axis, never to be the same again.

Tong Nian - no, no, Han Nian he corrected internally  - well, he couldn't quite verbalise what he felt for this girl. Was there even sufficient words in the Chinese language for such complete and total adoration? His tiny girl was everything he had never known he wanted but he wanted her now nonetheless. Wanted her in a way he had never before wanted a woman. His Nian Nian was so many things; beautiful, smart, loyal to a fault - overall, she was far too good for him. He knew it and her parents certainly knew it and yet she still wanted him and no other. Han Shangyan wasn't sure how he had snagged such a wonderful woman but now he had her, he was holding on tightly with both hands and never letting go. He was absolutely nothing compared to her; he was older, less educated, terrible at romance and unable to sweet talk her when she most needed it. Nonetheless, she still wanted him and he was above questioning it any longer.

Through all their ups and downs, his Little Squid had remained true to only him and had stayed faithfully by his side, never once wavering and never so much as looking at another man. Loyalty meant a great deal to the leader of K and K, as any of his team members could testify and he hadn't exactly treated Nian Nian the best in their early days. For this, although she seemed to have completely forgiven him for past mistakes, he actually hated himself a little; she was his princess and she deserved to be treated as such. She had given him chance after chance, redemption when he needed it most and for this, he was incredibly grateful. For her, he was eternally thankful. Shangyan hadn't been looking for love and yet she had given her heart to him anyway; completely, authentically and from what she told him repeatedly, from the very second she had laid eyes on him. Han Shangyan felt like he had been blessed, as though Lady Luck had finally decided to smile on him after so many years of hardship. He could recall, clear as day, the first cold night he had met her - he couldn't have possibly known it, but she was the key to his future happiness. It was the first time he had felt the ghost of butterflies awakening in his stomach. The first time his long dormant heart had fluttered unwillingly in his chest. The first time he had acknowledged that maybe having a girlfriend wouldn't be completely terrible after all.