Yixing inhaled a huge amount of oxygen prior breathing it out heavily; he had his shoulders down and his face looked expressionless. The reason was not because of his wounds, which had already seemed like a little scratch by now—thanks to Baekhyun’s elixir optima. He was like that, of course, because of his new crush comrade's demeanor, who was none other than Suho.

His Suho was pacing back and forth, biting his thumb nail ever since his beloved little brother—as he called Kai so—had gone from his sight entering the forest. And Yixing couldn’t help anything, but sat down on the ground, staring at a gorgeous jumpy Suho. He swore that Suho’s grand total footsteps were enough to reach the moon.

“Suho, please calm down and sit down here with me. Nothing bad will happen to your brother.” That was Yixing had been saying to him for the past 15 minutes. “Maybe, if he lucky enough, he would only lost several ounce of flesh and still alive.” He mentally stated, not having even the faintest idea on how crazy Suho can go if he told him about the forest’s fact.

Yixing, to be sure, was not a Prince who knew nothing; he really had knowledge of reading situation. And to know the condition of the location where they were resting right now didn’t troubled him. He had observed Baekhyun, that crazy-merchant-but-damn-he-owns-the-pass card; how he chose to build his tent on the edge of the forest, obviously avoiding entering the canopy; how he lit up a big bonfire at tent just to prevent wild animals coming closer, and how he brought a little dagger anywhere. And nothing from those facts he had noticed that he liked, because they only brought him to one conclusion—

The forest was dangerous.

So, despite of the fact that Suho’s ears apparently deaf, Yixing still had a good intention to remind him to take a rest, telling him that it would be better to preserve his energy, which he had not completely recovered, even if it meant that he needed to tell a lie to the pale man about his brother’s condition.

But what Yixing got form him in return of his nice purpose?

Nothing.

Suho, being an unusually exaggerating man he was, replied Yixing with various childish answers, starting from a normal statement of worries like, “What if Kai bumps into a beast and torn in piece?”, Until a statement that even didn’t have to be spoken like, “Kai gets hungry easily and he doesn’t bring a snack.” Like seriously, who would think to have a snack in this kind of situation?

Even if Suho was nicely handsome in Yixing’s eyes, you couldn’t tell how hard he tried to keep back the urge for not banging his head onto the nearest tree because of Suho’s epic come back. Yixing was now 100% sure where Kai’s spoiled nature was coming from. And Suho was the one who took responsibility in turning him like that.

Speaking of Kai, obviously that brat little kid was the boy whom Suho would willingly expense his life for. Even though Yixing was sometimes mind absently, it didn’t mean that he was stupid. He noticed the way Suho treating Kai and on how gently the younger boy’s eyes when they were looking at Suho’s smile; they were not kind of actions a brothers usually did and he was curious to death on what kind of relationship they actually had.

So the principal question which bothered him the whole time was—

“What is Kai to you actually, Suho?” Yixing blurted out—and the next thing he did was slapping his own mouth shut for stopping his tongue from inconsequent working. He had no idea where his guts were coming from to ask such a personal question; either he caught Kyungsoo’s sharp-tongue nature or he was just jealous.  But since human nature couldn’t be transmitted so yeah, he was—

“Don’t get me wrong, there is no way that I’m jealous to you, Suho.”

Oh a denial Yixing. As his brain might be created for babbling and escaping people’s question, of course Yixing had 1001 ways to save his face.

But anyway, Yixing’s strange statement finally caught Suho’s attention, and for the first time in history, Suho stopped his pace and turned to him, furrowing eyebrows and mouthing something he barely heard but it nearly sounded like what?. Yixing stood up and made his way toward a flabbergasted Suho.

“Err—You’re not going to tell me that Kai is your brother, right? Even my myopic father would know easily that you are not sibling. Your face is obviously different with him. Supposing, if Kai was the coffee then you would be the milk—” Yixing paused, seemingly realized that he was babbling again. “—delicious milk if I might add.” And then a slapping mouth action was happened again.

Really, this cute Suho had already made his brain out of service. He didn’t know that Suho’s smile had a great effect on him, like corrupting his speaking ability. Well, about the face similarity was so true. It’s obvious after all that Suho had no reason to extend his pretense. He gave Yixing a small nod, implicitly admitting at the other’s statement.  

“So why do you look so worried? He is not your family after all.” Yixing said nonchalantly, and it could be seen clearly that Suho didn’t like on what he had just said, judging by how his eyebrows furrowing.

“What kind of question is that? Even if he is not my brother, Kai is still my friend. Don’t you worry about Kyungsoo?”

“I do.” Yixing replied quickly. “I’m worried about him. You don’t know how close he is with me.” And his answer was only made Suho scrunched his nose in disbelief.

“But you don't look worried, like I do”

“That’s because I trust him.”

Suho was taken aback. Something in Yixing’s words made his heart clenched a bit. He could’ve said a lot of reasons why he worried a lot about Kai as excuses of his exaggerating worries. But speaking honest, far away in his deepest heart, Yixing was right; he was like that because he couldn’t give Kai his trust.

Yixing stole a glance at Suho again, and found him hung his head in thoughtful way. Yixing observed his face profile secretly. Even though Suho was not smiling, he was still looking good: his scrunching nose and that pouting lip were looked beautiful.  

“Do you have special feeling to him?” And once again, a stupid question rolled out from his mouth unintentionally. Yixing kicked his inwardly. He had promised to restrain himself from asking too personal kind of question yet somehow totally failed. And he blamed it all on his brain for working improperly whenever he was dazzled by Suho.

“I beg your pardon?” Suho turned to him, asking for confirmation and Yixing was panic.

Sometimes, to be freed from a troublesome moment, we could choose one from the two following options: runaway or tell the truth. According to Yixing’s dictionary, there was no such a thing as runaway in his life, yet this time was too early to confess it to Suho. So, as a great and brave man he was, he proudly preferred the third option.

“What?” Yixing shrugged, playing dumb.

“I’m sure that you’ve asked me something.”

“I didn’t say anything. You must be misheard.” Yixing replied, a little too quickly for a person who told the honest. Suho came up closer to Yixing with squinting eyes.

“I clearly heard you said something about me, Kai, and relationship between Kai and I. Are you suspecting me something?”

Crap! Yixing mentally cursed; he never liked when his personal feeling get exposed. “You’re just being delusional Suho, that’s all. Maybe you just exhausted from your endless walking just now.”

“Don’t over thinking, Yixing. Whatever you’re thinking about me, the answer is no. Just—no. We’re not criminals and we’re not fugitives. I swear we are not.” Suho crossed fingers.

“What were you saying? I didn’t think you’re a fugitive.”

“...”

“AAAAACCCCKKKK!!”

Suddenly screaming voice, which so resembled Kyungsoo’s and Kai’s voice, was echoed from inside the forest. Suho abruptly brought all of his concern to the forest, and without saying anything, his feet made their way to go to the scene. But when he was about to step ahead, a strong hand restrained his wrist.

“Don’t go.” Yixing shook his head when Suho was staring at him with a pure panic all over his face. He didn’t say anything yet his eyes seemed like screaming my brother is in danger. Yixing understood the anxiety, but he still grabbed Suho's wrist tightly.

“Let me go."

“Suho, if you get in there, it means I will follow you. And if they manage to come back here without finding us around, they would get in the forest once again to search us, and that’s only turning everything become more complicated than what we have deal with right now.”

"But what if that thief—” Suho was about to escape from the other’s grip, but Yixing tightened his grip around his wrist and pulled Suho closer to him, narrowing the gap between their face.

“The thief clan never hurt anyone once they got what they want.” His statement made Suho silenced for a while as Yixing sounded so commanding. “You know it better than anyone that Kai is a hunter. He was the one who beaten those Fretzels alone, did you forget? And Baekhyun, he may seems weak, but he knows how to protect himself otherwise he would’ve die since his first year of being a merchant.”

“But—”

“And Kyungsoo is a good swordsman that I’ve ever met.” Yixing added.

“He’s merely a boy!”

“Who? Kai?” Yixing asked him back in mocking manner. “A person who has saved me from the Fretzels? Who bravely entered the forest for catching the thief? Who leave you here to make sure you safe?”

Suho run out of words at this moment. He was looking nothing at the ground, noticeably still searching for other reasons which somehow he couldn’t find.

“He is not a boy anymore, don’t treat him like a kid.” Yixing softened his voice while patting Suho by the shoulder. “Give him a chance to grow up and you’ll be surprised on how fast he matures.” With that, Suho directly turned to him as if what he had just said was something scary. “Aww, come on, don’t stare at me like that—you are freaking me out.” Yixing ruffled Suho’s red wavy hair, trying to distract him, but silently liked on how smooth his hair was, moving swiftly beneath his fingers.

Suho didn’t bother to push Yixing’s hand away from his head. He said nothing, just looking away and snorting. Yixing knew that Suho was hiding something, but he preferred not to ask it at this moment; he would patiently wait until Suho’s mood bright up again, prior digging out the deepest secret out of him.

“Hey, come over here.” Yixing patted the ground beside him after sitting down. A wide smirk plastered on his face as he knew the way to get Suho’s smile back. “I have a good story.”

***

In the middle of the South forest

“AAAAAAAACCCKKKK!!!!”

Both Kyungsoo and Kai screamed at the top of their lungs, to the point that their blaring voice dispersed all the perching birds. Kai turned white, and Kyungsoo became black—kidding, he was still white. Okay it’s not important I know. The point was that they were freaking out.

“Thtop it!” That boy ordered sourly, and both Kai and Kyungsoo closed their mouth shut, stopping themselves from the unmanly screaming. With a frown, that boy stepped forward into the light, so his full appearance could be seen by the other boys. “Why were you thcreaming? I’m not a ghotht.”

Kyungsoo blinked after hearing the statement, but his eyes were still popping out in full horror, while Kai poked his head out from Kyungsoo’s back.

“I-I-I-If you’re not a ghost, so what are you?” Kai stuttered, hands still clutching Kyungsoo’s white robe unintentionally.

“Human.” That boy gave him the answer in a millisecond.

“P-proof it then!” Kai demanded quickly.

“Proof what?”

“That you’re not a ghost!!”

“Of courthe I am not!” That boy half-yelled; his voice clearly sounded offended. “Ith there a ghotht in a thuper handthome face like me?” He made a cute pose by putting a fist next to his cheek and shaking it up-down.

That’s it.

There was not such a thing like a narcissistic ghost existed in this world.

This boy was totally a human. Positive.

Instantly, Kyungsoo and Kai, who was hugging for each other’s embrace, were silenced and looking into each other eyes—before hastily pulling apart from that shameful hug. Kyungsoo hid his blushing face; he could not imagine how if his swordsmen fellows knew that Kyungsoo—the royal guardian of Prince Yixing—hugged a man because fear of ghosts. Even thinking about that was enough to make him wanted to bury his head on the ground.

Baekhyun? They had been forgetting him a while ago. That sleeping beauty was still peacefully sprawling on the ground, maybe waiting for someone who brave enough to kissing helping him out. But Kai seemed didn’t care; his attention was fully occupied to the boy who claimed himself was not a ghost. Indeed that boy was not a ghost; it’s just Kai’s excessive reaction.

Kai took several steps closer to the boy. His eyes shifted up and down when examining the boy’s figure in his presence. Right after that, he hurriedly looked at himself, then looked at the boy, and then examined himself again.

All he could see on that boy were the soft blond hair that combined well with flawless skin,  a pair of friendly eyes in crescent shaped, tiny cute lips, and slim figure wrapped in a beautiful long cloak made from ivory color feather and white fur; while Kai only had bird nest hair and filthy clothes on his body. For certain reasons, Kai felt self conscious. It didn’t mean that he was ugly; Kai had a good-looking appearance as well, but that boy was—prettier than him.

And he hated to admit it. Kai narrowed his eyes and puffed out his cheeks in jealousy, before bringing his hand to the boy’s head and—

“Ouch! Why did you pull out my hair?” The boy yelled in pain, rubbing the spot that hurt on his head.

“I thought your blond hair were fake.”

“You could’ve asked me.” That boy pouted at his hair loss.

“Well, I don’t like you.” Kai shrugged childishly. “Anyway, your clothes look weird. Why are you wearing furry clothes?” Kai insulted him, but caressed the other’s boy furry cloak in amusement.

Receiving a signal that Kai was back into his immature state, Kyungsoo only rolled his eyes and turned around; he was too lazy to take part in a foolish fighting of adults with kindergarten’s mental age. Kyungsoo came up to Baekhyun, pulled him up by slipping one arm on the back of his neck, and patted his cheeks to wake him up.

“Don’t you dare lay a hand over me, thtranger” He slapped Kai’s hand away from his clothes, feeling uncomfortable with a touchy Kai. “—and my name ith not you, I’m Sehun. Just tho you know, the place where I live ith very cold; we could die if we don't wear these. Your clotheth are even weirder than me. Too much clotheth that haven’t thewed yet—like wearing a blanket.” The boy named Sehun stuck his tongue out as he threw a dirty look to Kai.

“Yah—my name is not stranger. I’m Jong—I mean, Kai.”

“Jongkai, huh? What a weird name.”

“Not Jongkai. Kai. KAI!! Ugh!”

“Ugly perthon with a weird name in a weird outfit; tho much different with a handthome boy like me.”

“Don’t insult my clothes. You have no idea how convenient these clothes are in the dessert. It’s our personal shield once we got a sand storm. Huh—how could you don’t know something basic like that. Do you live in a mountain?”

“I am. I am living in a mountain—hmm—North mountain.” Sehun answered innocently. Kai found himself a little bit stunned at the answer and felt his mood suddenly changed as if nothing had happened before. It was the first time for him to meet someone coming from a mountain, and he somewhat curious about it. Kai was wondering where the location of North Mountain was. He put his hand over his eye, using it as a eye-shield, and looked around, seeking for a certain direction that he believed it was the North.

“That one?” Kai mindlessly pointed at a hill on the East.

Sehun shook his head. “Nope, North mountain ith over there.” He confidently brought his index finger to point at a mountain on the South.

“Okay, stop it! I can’t take it anymore. Is there no geography class in your kingdom?” Kyungsoo finally decided to finish that stupid conversation, failing in restraining himself for not mocking at the two boys who didn’t know which was which. How could a people who didn’t know his own home direction exist in this world? He thought.

“Geography? As in a science to interpret a map and wind direction?” Kai turned to Kyungsoo, tilting his chin. “Of course we have, but it’s so boring.” Kai added innocently and Sehun nodded eagerly at Kai’s statement. Kyungsoo was inwardly faced palming. Fortunately Baekhyun’s head was laying on his lap right now or he could’ve smacked those boys for being so dumb.

“Kai, he comes from North, it means the snowy mountain. It’s over there.” Kyungsoo pointed a mountain with a white peak, and Kai looked at the direction while mouthing a long ‘o’.

“He ith right! That ith my home. Omo—am I that famouth?” Sehun squealed, cupping both of his cheeks cutely. And Kyungsoo didn’t miss the cute lisp tucked in Sehun’s words.

“REALLY?! DO YOU LIVE IN THE NORTH MOUNTAIN?!” After hearing that Sehun came from the North, Baekhyun, who had been fainting like a dead man, out of the blue rose up from the grave, eyes rounding perfectly with a startled facial expression. Sehun hesitantly nodded, a little bit afraid of another weird man who was marching up toward him. In a record time, a sly smirk could be seen on Baekhyun’s face as he mumbled, “What a lucky day.”

“Why did you just wake up now, Baekhyun? I would like to remind you that you have passed out—that I thought you were dead.” Kyungsoo dryly said with great murderer aura emitting from behind him.

Baekhyun froze.

Everybody silenced, all eyes on him.

“Aha ha ha ha! T-that was, how is it saying—” His laughing and mumbling mixed up into one as he scratched his head, not knowing what he had to state. “Let say, it’s kind of my habit to pass out in a dangerous moment. You know, play dead. It works. I often become a target of robbery. But, anywaaaay—” Baekhyun quickly draped his arm over Sehun’s shoulder, avoiding Kyungsoo’s deathly glare.

“What are you doing down here, kid? Wizard never goes down the mountain.” Baekhyun smirked, eyes looking straight through Sehun’s eyes; his voice sounded thick and manly, indicating that he was being serious here. Sehun somehow couldn’t take his eyes away from Baekhyun.

“I-I never mention that I’m a wizard. How do you know? Omo—am I that famouth?” Sehun’s grinning was now wider than ever.

“Actually not you, but your clan is.” Baekhyun grinned slyly, hands rubbing together in anticipation. “So—you’re a wizard, right? Good. Hmm—I heard that wizard clan has a lot of spells. Is that true?”

Sehun, who still didn’t realize the main intention behind the question, gave him a little nod. “True.”

“That’s marvelou—I mean-yeah cool.” Baekhyun beamed, but his genuine greedy smile was rapidly covered by him clearing his throat. “Okay, I’ll say it straight away; do you know some spells for—doubling money?”

A moment of silence engulfed them.

Sehun blinked once. Twice.  

“Hmm—I think I know.” That innocent wizard nodded once again, failing to recall that there was a particular wizard decree for not helping human’s dirty jobs.

“Perfect!” Baekhyun clasped his hands before reaching out to Sehun’s wrist. “Now come with me to my tent, there are plenty jobs waiting for you—” Baekhyun was about to drag Sehun with him, but the other boy was unmoved from the place where he was standing.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” The merchant asked.

“Hmm, I think I should get thomething ath a return. Take and give.”

“Ho ho ho ho, what a smart boy. I like you already. Don’t worry sweety. This Baekhyunnie has a lot of snacks and candies. And you can have them as much as you want if you follow me to my tent. How does it sounds?”

Sehun grinned contentedly at the offering. “Thounds nice to me. That will do.” They shook hands in agreement; with that Sehun officially joined in the guild.

“Wait—what are you talking about? It will be a crime if you do that. Geez, Baek  you’re like a pedo.” Kyungsoo tweaked Baekhyun’s ear, dragging him away from Sehun. “We have enough with the thief clan. We don’t need another unknown clan to make our journey horrible.” Kyungsoo said sarcastically in front of Sehun, not even bother if he heard it.

“So what should I do?” Baekhyun asked, hands on hips.

“Leave him alone and we get back to our tent.”

“Excuse you. Since when the tent is ours, it’s mine. MINE.” The merchant said while patting his chest. “And I won’t leave this boy here. He is my ace card.” Baekhyun raised his voice tone and pulled Sehun closer to him.

“Hey, you are the one who agreed about sharing all the things together. We are officially a guild now. I dare you to forget about it, then I swear to God I'll get you drown alive in a fish pond. And I swear—” Kyungsoo was glad fully to continue his swearing, but he had to cancel it as Kai tugged his arm’s sleeve.

“Kyungsoo, we need to go back. The dawn has come. I promised my brother to come back as soon as possible. Yixing also must be worried for us—And I’m starting hungry, it’s nearly my breakfast time.” Kai pouted while rubbing his growling stomach.

No matter how childish he was, Kai got the point this time. The forest was no longer dark; a slight string of sunlight was starting to shine over their path. Chasing a thief and meeting a wizard incident made Kyungsoo forgot that he had left Yixing alone with Suho, a person who could be categorized as his Kingdom enemy. More over he had Kai tugging his arm sleeve endlessly while saying ‘come on, come on’ like a broken recorder; of course he had no choice except went back to the tent. With that, Kai and Kyungsoo turned around and walked away.

Baekhyun was panic as there was no the slightest intention from the other boys to take Sehun with them, while Baekhyun was too afraid to be with Sehun alone. The wizard had an aversion to humans; everyone knew that. As Baekhyun didn’t want to end up being changed into any disgusting animals like a frog or a worm without having no one as a witness, he needed Kai and Kyungsoo to protect him.

“Yah! Our conversation is not over. Where are you going?” Baekhyun called them out as Kai and Kyungsoo just casually walked away without giving Sehun and Baekhyun a second look.

“Back to your tent.” Kyungsoo replied dryly from afar and kept walking.

“But how about this Sehun boy?” He asked again. This time Kai and Kyungsoo paused their step and turned to Baekhyun.

“Leave him.” Both of them replied in unison and then walked again.

“But his leg hurts!” Baekhyun made another excuse, yet they didn’t care at all. “He can’t walk—we must help him.” The merchant yelled again.

“Hey, why did you say that? My feet are fine—Ouch!” Sehun couldn’t finish his words as Baekhyun suddenly kicked his leg harshly, and the poor boy only could wince in pain. “What did I do to you?! Why did you kick—Ouch!” And Baekhyun kicked him again; harder this time—and Sehun was sprawling helplessly in no time.

“Kai! H-help me—Sob” Sehun made a whining voice while clutching and rubbing his new-hurted leg.

“See?” Baekhyun shrugged nonchalantly as if nothing happened when Kai and Kyungsoo turned to him.

“Baekhyun, you’re really something.” Kai muttered. He squated in front of  Sehun and tapped his own shoulder. “Hey, you. Ride on my back.  I’ll help you out.”

Sehun tried to stand up before finally collapse on to Kai’s back. The wizard’s body weight was not a burden for Kai; to him Sehun was so light. Kyungsoo walked along with Kai as he secretly stole a glance to Sehun. The young wizard was sleeping on Kai’s back; he seemed so tired. Kyungsoo was wondering; what Sehun did in the middle of forest?

And the main question was, how could he come here alone?

***

[A/N]: Hi readers! It's been a while. I'm so busy like a prime minister right now, so yeah this story has been a little bit forgotten. I decided to split up this chapter into two parts because it's too long, and now I'm working on the second part. Anywaay thanks for reading, subscribing, or leaving comment ^^.