“I’m gonna ask you again and I’m gonna ask you politely, Mister, how much is this potion bottle?” asked a young wizard, who forced smiling in order to control his anger which is obviously being tested. Baekhyun detest fraud. He hates injustice to the bone. If this shopkeeper gonna rip to somebody, it better be anybody but Baekhyun.

                The shopkeeper kept smiling, “It’s 20 Sil for one bottle, sir.”

                “I’m sure its not THAT expansive. I just bought it last week!” Baekhyun raised his tone while slamming the counter, making all the customers of the shop turn their head to his way, wondering on the commotion made by the young wizard.

On that morning, Baekhyun just finished mixing his newly made potion that took 4 months to finish. He was proud of himself and wanted to brag to his best-magician-friend, only to realize he doesn’t have any potion bottle to fill with. Initially, he planned to go to the usual potion shop in his town, but then he found a new and nearer general shop that sells various items, including wizard stuffs. He decided to go into that shop with an ecstatic mood only to be crushed by the shopkeeper with a higher priced potion bottle than usual.

                Suddenly, with a hushed tone, an owl-like eyed wizard behind Baekhyun scold him, “Baekhyun, don’t shout. It’s embarrassing.” Baekhyun turned around and happy to find his mother-like friend frowning. Kyungsoo is that best-magician-friend. He has been with Baekhyun since they first met each other as an apprentice of different master wizard. Kyungsoo was learning the way of Earth magic and Baekhyun’s was Light. As Baekhyun is a bit reckless, Kyungsoon can’t help worrying about his friend always.

                “Kyungsoo-ya, this guy is ripping me off! He is selling the bottle for 20 Sil each. It’s always 8 Sil, and it will be forever 8 Sil. And why aren’t you calling me hyung? I’m your hyung, remember?” Baekhyun turned back to the shopkeeper, ignoring his shorter friend and folded his hand to his chest and looked higher to the shopkeeper, “Listen to me, Mr.Shopkeeper. You think you can fool me? I’m a wizard. I buy this bottle, all the time. I know the price of this thing like the back of my heels-“

                “Hands,” Kyungsoo corrected. Rolling his eyes.

                “Right. Hands. If you think you can fool ME, you are wrong!”

                The shopkeeper dug his ear with his finger and gave a mocking laugh “Look kid, if you’re not buying anything then, you can leave.” Then he shooed Baekhyun out. Baekhyun was taken aback by the shopkeeper’s bad attitude. How can a shopkeeper be like that? Annoyed by this whole situation, Baekhyun stomped his way out, furious while cursing with a set of profanities that he can come up with.

                Naturally, Kyungsoo followed, but then he went back in after he felt strange aura around the shop. He looked around and found it strange that the customers are still buying things even though the price of the items are really high.

                “What are you looking at kid? Aren’t you here to buy anything?” the rude shopkeeper asked, but this time, his facial expression is a bit stiff.

                 Is he nervous? Kyungsoo thought. “No, thank you. I’ll take my leave,” Kyungsoo then went out.

                “Did you just went back in and buy something from this ty store?” Baekhyun asked. Looking at his friend with a judging look.

                 Kyungsoo sigh, “No. I didn’t buying anything. I just went back in because I got this weird feeling”

                 Kyungsoo with a weird feeling means there’s magic or charms with Earth element involved. Only an Earth wizard or a really experienced wizard can sense an Earth magic or charms. In this case, Kyungsoo must be sensing an Earth charm since if somebody uses Earth magic, it can be seen easily because of the elaborate and destructive nature of it. “They must be using those charms again right? The one where it attracts people?”

                 “Lotus charm… I think. It must be an upgraded one though, because usually it only make people stay at the place that is being charmed. Look,” Kyungsoo gestured to the entrance of the store. “All the people who come out from the store buys at least an item. It must be an expansive cha---WAIT Baekhyun! Where are you going?” Kyungsoo hold his friend’s arm. Preventing Baekhyun from what he always do and get in trouble with.

                  Fuming with anger, Baekhyun look back at his friend, “what do you think I’m going to do? I’m gonna punch that bastard’s face for his crime!” Out of all negative thing in this world, Baekhyun hates injustice. He has his fair share of injustice to be so angered even the slightest thing “How dare they taint the use of magic by using this charm to gain money? Magic is supposed to help people, not to use it against people!”

                  “I know that, but it’s not safe to just barge in there. God knows how many guards they have. It’s a pretty big store here. Let me talk to him, okay? Let’s just go,” Kyungsoo drag Baekhyun away from the store.

                 “No Soo. It’ll be a long process. How many people are going to be cheated then? Let me g-,“ Baekhyun was knocked out by Kyungsoo’s sleeping powder. There is nothing harder than to convince Baekhyun from turning a blind eye to a crime even if it means its killing his friend.

                 “Okay now, how am I going to drag you all the way home?” Kyungsoo sighed. Why do I always have to deal with this unnecessary problems?

_____________________________________________________________

                What’s that smell? So delicious. Is that-?! “Soo’s special soup!” Baekhyun woke up to the smell of his favorite soup cooked by his friend. Baekhyun went to his house’s kitchen table in his small hut situated by the lake near the town. There are one big pot full with Kyungsoo’s beef soup with some vegetables which is also known as ‘Soo’s special soup’. There is also a letter beside the soup. Baekhyun was about to read the letter, he remembered, “Wait, I was in town. Buying bottle….. No. I did not get my bottle. It was expansive. Stupid shop..…Yes! That damned shop! I was going to teach a lesson to that shopkeeper, but how--?” Baekhyun can’t remember the rest, so he decided to read Kyungsoo’s letter

Dear, Baekhyun hyung. I’m really sorry I had to charm you with Buttersleep.

I had to. You are going to get yourself killed someday if don’t change your attitude.

I’m going to tell him about that store, so don’t worry about it, okay?

It’s going to be fine.

I made that soup when you are asleep so, reheat it before you eat if it’s cold.

Forgive me,

Kyungsoo

                “Humph. So now only you use hyung to me,” Baekhyun drop the letter on the table and start reheating the soup. Then he search some bread to eat it but there is only a really small portion of it left by the mouse that lives in Baekhyun’s house who ate it a bit day by day. Baekhyun wasn’t angry though. He will never be angry to the animals, especially the helpless ones. “Hey, I know you’re out there, little one. You can have the rest of it. I’ll just get Jong’s”

                Baekhyun took the pot of soup, wore his oversized cape and went to his neighbour’s house who is a peasant who also sells herbs for potion making. Jongdae has been Baekhyun’s neighbour ever since Baekhyun lives there. They knew each other long enough to just barge into each other’s house and ‘borrow’ whatever they needed, as long as they put a note to notify the owner.

                After a few minutes of walking, Baekhyun saw the house with lights in it. Jongdae is at home. Baekhyun knocked the door a few times and then turn the doorknob. It’s locked. “Jongdae. Open the door. It’s me.” Silence. “Jongdae. It’s Baekhyun. Open the ing door. I know you’re in there” Silence follows again. He is ignoring me. “Is this about the missing fresh cucumbers that you picked last time? I swear it’s not me Dae. I would never steal it. You know I don’t eat cucumbers. I can’t even stand the smell. They are worse than worms!” Silence again. If this doesn’t work, then “I brought Soo’s special soup for dinner”

                The door opens revealing a smiling Jongdae, “why didn’t you say so earlier?” Jongdae took the pot of soup from his guests and gestured him to get in. Baekhyun rolled his eyes for his friend’s action “That particular batch of cucumber’s seed are expansive, you know? It tastes really good. I thought I would make good money out of it,” Jongdae complained as he set the table for dinner.

                As Baekhyun help Jongdae set the table, he couldn’t help but stare at his neighbor’s curly hair which seems to be curlier as the day goes by. Is it curlier than last time?

                “What? Don’t stare. Don’t judge. I like it curled up like this. I don’t even say anything the last time you dyed your hair pink”

                “It was a dare, Jongdae”

_____________________________________________________________

                “My ball of light in the dark night. Bless me till dawn till I can see the sun,” Baekhyun casts a spell to make a levitating light ball to light up his path. After their short dinner which consists of insulting each other and info exchanging about town and life, Baekhyun decided to go home to have an early night after a long day.

                The walk through the forest was eerily quiet. There is no sound of crickets or the owl hooting. Baekhyun thought he was just tired, but as he was nearing his house, Baekhyun stopped dead in his tracks. He was shocked to see three buffed man standing in front of his house. Each of them hold either a club or a sword, Baekhyun can’t see them clearly due to the dark. His house was trashed. His small crops destroyed.

                “Who are they?” Baekhyun thought to himself as he crouched under the bushes to spy on them.

                 “Are you sure this is his house? It’s been hours,” the tallest out of the three asked.

                 “Yeah. I asked around. People at the tavern knows him. He’s a light wizard,” the one with longest hair replied.

                 “Damn wizard!  Always causing trouble,” the tallest spat.

                 “Soon, not anymore,” the only one who holds a club smiled. “Ahhhh, I can’t wait to beat the out of him. Maybe we should just kill him?” Then, all of them snickers, making Baekhyun shiver.

                  As they continue discussing on how to beat or kill Baekhyun, the house door opens. Revealing a purple haired girl with a pointy hat. A witch. “Guys, let’s just track him. I’m bored of waiting”

                  “You can do that?” asked the guy with the longest hair.

                  The witch scoffed, offended. “Watch” She pulled a chalk from her back pocket and start drawing runes in front of Baekhyun’s house. After she finished drawing, she sprinkle salt and some dark coloured powder.

                  “Better run now,” Baekhyun started to turn and squat walking away from his house, but his steps halt as he heard something

                  “CIT!”

                  “Awwww, poor little mouse. It’s going to be okay, I won’t make you suffer that long,” the witch pulled out her knife.

                   You don’t have to be a genius to figure out what the witch is going to do. The thought of the mouse being killed because of him makes his blood boiled. He was not going to let anybody or anything to die because of him. Too many people died for his sake already. Baekhyun stood up from the ground and take a deep breath to scream, “N-“

                    “Yah, Baekhyun-ah! You left your pot!” Jongdae screamed from a distance. He was smiling while flailing the pot to make himself visible through the darkness.  

                    Baekhyun gaped. “Stupid er. Can’t he just wait tomorrow?”

                    “Wait, do you hear that?” the witch stopped her movement.

                    Baekhyun squatted again “, we’re doomed!” If it’s just him, Baekhyun wouldn’t think twice to fight them back, but theres Jongdae. He can fight, but, Baekhyun don’t want drag Jongdae into his own mess and being targeted by this group of unknown people who might be more dangerous than he think. Without waiting any second, Baekhyun ran towards Jongdae and grabbed his hand. “Jongdae, RUN!”

                     “Eh?  Wh-what?” Jongdae half ran and almost fall, because he was practically being dragged by Baekhyun in confused state.

                     “THERE! CATCH BOTH OF THEM!!” the witch ordered all the buff guys.

                     “Oh my GOD, what the Hell????” Jongdae finally running fast after seeing three buff guys running after them. “What did you do Baek? Did you finally kill somebody?!”

                “WHAT? What do you mean by finally?! I did not kill anyone!”

                “You always make that weird potion and it smells disgusting. It bound to kill somebody one day”

                “DAE”

                “What?!”

                “They are gaining on us. Just shut up and run!”

A/N : Hello guys~! I hope you liked this chapter. More to come~!