Taekwoon, or Leo, the name he was known notoriously by as a beast on the Quidditch field, a seventh year Slytherin, and perhaps, the most popular among the students of his year. He was the object of desire and lust of the majority of the girls in Hogwarts, a slim yet muscular frame, paired with immense height and good looks, the guy with dark hair was simply smart and mysterious. He never spoke much, not even to his teammates, and preferred to work alone, but that did nothing to deter his popularity. His lack of reaction or display of any apparent emotion drew others in as much as humour in a conversation would. It only made the girls fall in love with him more, in a platonic and – most of the times – silly way. 

To be completely honest, he was sick of high-pitched squealing whenever he walked around, and tired of the notes or confectionary that piled in his locker every morning, which of course, he had never taken the liberty of clearing out.

Jaehwan, or Ken, the nickname associated with many of the pranks that went around in Hogwarts, a fifth year Hufflepuff, and perhaps, one of the most coveted underground jokesters in his level. With his easygoing and fun-loving personality, he got along well with the popular crowd, but chose to lie low such that his antics could be pulled without much of a fuss. Recognition came with a huge burden, whether he was sneaking a whoopee cushion into a professor's office or pouring glue into a keyhole. Of course, he would cover his tracks up pretty well, and his intelligence was not to waste, enabling him to get away scot-free on most occasions. He was proud of his eyes that were often glimmering with the promise of endless fun and adventure, the windows to his soul filled with a book of pranks that he had committed to heart. Lee Jaehwan was an engaging individual, captivating too, thriving neatly in his environment even without the fame of Leo.

And, of course, maybe it was expected that Jaehwan fell for Taekwoon. The younger male watched the Slytherin almost always, walking through the empty halls after practice, the face covered with sweat and the tired expression that made Jaehwan simply wish to take care of any muscular pain of the other, like the muggles did, without any magic. 
 

But someone like Taekwoon would never look at a fifth year Hufflepuff, right? He had resigned himself to a fate of admiring Taekwoon from a distance, and he wasn't about to muster any courage to confess. He was a little disappointed when Taekwoon showed lack of awareness at his presence, something he was not quite accustomed to in his boisterous group of friends, but slowly became used to it over time. He acknowledged the gap between himself and Taekwoon, and had pretty much given up on the notion of being in a relationship with the older male. Jaehwan was just ...Jaehwan, no one really special enough to match up to Slytherin's champion Quidditch player and the gem of the entire school.

Jung Taekwoon was decidedly good at Quidditch. After all, it was all he survived for at Hogwarts, through period after period of Divination and assigned Muggle Studies, the final hour of training in the sport every evening. He had barely joined the team, having stuck to his preference of muggle soccer earlier on, which he often honed his skill in by departing early from the dinner table and sneaking to the empty Quidditch field, the sparkling lights of the institution illuminating the dewy grass. Once in the team, he had been given a nickname, one that represented ferocity and passion, an emblem of the King of the Earth: the lion. Leo. He enjoyed Quidditch immensely, his natural flair for muscle coordination shining fully through competitions and intense games. Almost, almost as good as his Gryffindor senior Harry Potter had been. Slytherin had not been producing excellent sportsmen for a while now, and it was a pleasant surprise for Leo's appearance to bring about a winning streak. He wouldn't hesitate to whomp a wizard or two in midair, and the thrill of chasing the 150-point winged ball on a soaring broom, the wind whistling in his ears, often made him excited beyond himself. And that was very unexpected, for he was not one to show emotions. Dodging some edgy defenders easily, he was able to get somewhat closer to the golden sphere, and with his trained eye, he could spot it, fluttering enticingly next to a burly Hufflepuff wizard who cocked an eyebrow at him and smirked as his fingers closed around the ball. Taekwoon was accustomed to cockiness, and he was about to show the male how his name did not come in vain. "Leo, homeboy, come over and get it," the latter said tauntingly, mockingly, and Taekwoon shot him a deceptively calm smile, remaining silent. Then he dove.

The crowd gasped as Leo, the renowned Slytherin champion in Quidditch, took a left swerve downwards, looking like he completely missed the enemy. The Hufflepuff wizard was by now, gloating with pride, "What's the matter, baby lion? You scared? Get the ball, it's right here," Taekwoon flew in silence, circling the boy a few more times to get him to let his guard down, before shooting up abruptly mid-twirl, taking the opponent by complete surprise. Letting out a choked sound of fear, the defender fought hard to keep his broom in check as Taekwoon attacked from below, forcing his attention away from the Snitch. Grappling with the wooden stick and compelling it to work under his orders, the male's fingers went loose around the sphere and it went tumbling, tumbling down, as the crowd watched in trepidation and anxiety. The golden object fell, spiraling downwards into the nothingness of the ground, and all eyes were on it, breaths held apprehensively. "Here it goes," the commentary began, "one, two, thr-"

Straight into Taekwoon's waiting hand. The crowd exploded into cheers and jeers, Slytherin was a smiley lot, some girls even tearing up at the sight of their hero saving the ball. Hufflepuff was a sea of sighs and flippant faces. Who could expect to win against Slytherin with a strong card like Leo on their side? Even Gryffindor, which was known as the best Quidditch team, could not hold its stand against the tall, lean boy. It quickly became apparent that Taekwoon had won, and as he strolled to the main building amidst the roaring crowd, removing his bothersome outer robe, he let his eyes roam around and land on a jumping figure in the rather despondent Hufflepuff community. "Yes!" The smaller male seemed to be screaming in exhilaration, "Leo won!" Now that had caught his attention. He was seated in the Year 5 row of Hufflepuff, in the middle of rather popular individuals Taekwoon had heard a thing or two about before, his brown hair curled carelessly down and brushed aside with what seemed to be a swift job with a comb, an angled jaw, defined onyx eyes that exuded a playful glow, a tiny mouth and a very, very, extraordinarily large nose. Still, the boy was rather charming to say the least, and his toned frame was wrapped with a plain button-down shirt. Why he was cheering for a Slytherin rival was still a pending mystery, but it hadn't taken long for the boy to realise Taekwoon was staring at him with a bemused expression, and his jaw dropped. Leo, looking at him fully? "Ken! Sit down!" hissed one of the professors unkindly, and the surprised male quickly took his seat, his eyes never breaking contact with Taekwoon's until the older male was approached by his teammates and left to change into more comfortable clothing.

Taekwoon had never liked following the huge mass of students filing out of Hogwarts to make the trip to Hogsmeade monthly, for it meant either a stampede around him, or his admirers stalking him on every step he took. Thankfully, Honeydukes seemingly took up a more important place than him in the hearts of every wizard or witch, and replenishing the fast depleting candy store was deemed essential. Besides, he knew his buddies would get something back for him whether or not he asked. He roamed around the empty halls of the silent Hogwarts, relishing in the fact that he had seemed to be the only one that had remained behind. As he turned the corner, he noticed that the door to the drawing room was slightly ajar. He frowned. Who was in there? Taekwoon leaned in, angling his body so he could peek into the room. His brain registered recognition upon seeing the lanky boy in the middle of the room, painting using an easel with earphones on, connected to a nearby radio. It was the same male that had rejoiced over a Slytherin win in the Quidditch Cup, even though he was in Hufflepuff. It was quite unfortunate and rather embarrassing that the door Taekwoon had placed his weight on began to shift and creak, making him stumble and fight to regain his balance. Before he knew it, he was a heap of messy limbs on the carpeted floor, with a very very surprised Ken, Taekwoon thinks that was his name, looking at him, gaping like a goldfish. 

After a long, long time, long enough to be unnecessarily awkward, Ken stands up and offers a hand to Taekwoon, which he takes gratefully. He nods once, twice, and musters a "sorry" in a voice that is equivalent to a kitten mewl, and Ken laughs, throatily. Taekwoon thinks the sound of the boy's laughter is nice, like the low tinkling of bronze bells. "Leo, right?" The other male says as Taekwoon brushes the dust off his pants. God knew how long the carpets had not been cleaned. "...You can call me Taekwoon." He doesn't know why he said that, he had always preferred for teachers or friends to call him Leo. It made him seem more fierce, more unapproachable, but his real name felt like it would fit well in Ken's voice. "Alright then, Taekwoon. I'm Ken." Taekwoon frowns a little at his response, "Real name." The younger boy blinks a few times, like he didn't understand what had just been said, but responds anyway. "Oh. It's Jaehwan." A silence promptly hung around the room once Taekwoon hadn't made an effort to continue the conversation. Instead, he strolls over to the easel, and takes in what Jaehwan has been painting. It was a simple drawing of the fat cat curled up and sleeping on the windowsill, the sunlight hitting its light brown back and casting brilliant patterns of light on the white walls around the room. "You're good at this," he says quietly, moving to stand behind the easel as Jaehwan takes his place and turns up the radio. He had been listening to a jazzy piano piece, one that Taekwoon remembers hearing from his Muggle Music class. "Thank you," murmurs Jaehwan as he picks up the brush, dabs it carelessly in the cup of water next to him, and makes a few . Taekwoon watches him as he paints, brows furrowed in concentration, tongue sticking out a little, and decides that Jaehwan is indeed, cute. In an effort to create conversation, Jaehwan says, out of the blue, that he is thirsty, and promptly picks up a cup situated on the easel, wanting to drink from it. Taekwoon barely had time to warn him before he had taken a large swig and spluttered it out. That cup had contained water used to wash his brush, and looking at the distasteful look that had spread across Jaehwan's face, Taekwoon could not help but chuckle, a soft sound, and he was immediately embarrassed, looking down and trying to contain his muffled laughter, before looking back up with the same expressionless face. Jaehwan was in the midst of frantically unwrapping a pink coconut ice, trying to get rid of the bitter taste of acrylic in water, on it desperately, and the sight of it tickled Taekwoon all over again. 

"Tch, stop laughing!" yelled Jaehwan jokingly, and Taekwoon smiled at him. "You are hilarious," he pronounces each word slowly, making Jaehwan's cheeks burn with shame. "Have a chocolate frog," Jaehwan clears his throat awkwardly, pushing the sweet in his palm towards the older male. "Chocolate frog?" Taekwoon exclaims breathily, "How did you know I like chocolate frogs?" Jaehwan looks incredulously at him, "You do? I didn't know that. Take it then." Chocolate frogs were perhaps the cheapest and most common sweet available at Honeydukes, and no one would have guessed that the Jung Taekwoon secretly loved them. No one in his myriad of admirers had ever offered him a chocolate frog before either, instead choosing the more expensive selection of wrapped caramels or liquorice that Taekwoon had never really liked the taste of. He was rather amazed at the younger boy, it did seem like Jaehwan was indeed different. And intriguing. "I like the pink coconut ice," Jaehwan adds, chewing at the confectionary in his mouth. Taekwoon nods, and spends the afternoon listening to relaxing pieces on the radio, watching Jaehwan paint, occasionally speaking a little, and he thinks that the Hufflepuff male is quite the opposite of many others at the school. Lee Jaehwan is really something extraordinary, Taekwoon thinks, watching the latter flit around the room busily, hanging the painting up to dry, washing the brushes, and clearing up his workspace. And then everyone had started to file in, having returned from Honeydukes with bags of treats, and Taekwoon smiles at the younger male twice before Jaehwan is dragged away by some friends with the lure of two large packets of coconut ice. 

More than interesting.

The next day, Taekwoon opens his locker reluctantly, planning out his slow death from digging through heaps of confession letters and love notes to look for a long-lost Herbology textbook and finds something quite astonishing inside. A lone chocolate frog, and a large canvas folded into a small quarter. He thinks he has an accurate guess of who the sender is, and he grins, slightly, opening the folded cloth to reveal a piece of art that takes his breath away. It's a portrait of himself basking in the sunlight, leaning over the top of the easel in the viewpoint of Jaehwan himself, beautifully colored in. He looks down at his feet and tries to ascertain this weird fluttering feeling inside him, before recalling that Jaehwan does, in fact, like pink coconut ice. He puts the canvas carefully into his bag, and slinks off to the new stationery store to buy three pencils he remembers were missing from the younger male's art set before class had started. Burgundy, vermillion and a deep navy blue, he recalls, silently thanking his keen eye for observation. He sneaks three pieces of coconut ice from his secret stash and writes a single word, "Taekwoon" on a small shred of paper, preparing to put it into Jaehwan's locker, before he deadpans. He has no idea what the Hufflepuff male's locker number is. Mentally cursing himself, he resorted to trying to follow the smaller boy around for the entire day, trying to ascertain the location of his storage cabinet. Finally, evening rolls about, and Taekwoon, wiping his sweaty face against a towel after an exhilarating competition, bumps into Jaehwan in the hallway. Digging around his pocket, he shyly hands the bundle over to Jaehwan, who stared at him with wide incredulous eyes and took it gratefully after a while, disbelievingly. "Your locker number?" He asks, softly, not meeting the latter's eyes. The fluttering sensation is back, accompanied by a slight burning, like he wishes to touch Jaehwan, but he restrains himself. "Oh, three hundred and ninety-eight!" He hears Jaehwan reply, a wide grin etched on his little face, and Taekwoon thinks there is some sort of a glow surrounding Jaehwan, almost like a little child, a carefree seagull, a beautiful butterfly. He smiles back, and almost chuckles out loud when he finds more chocolate frogs and a small handcrafted golden snitch in his locker over the next few days. Of course, he made sure to deliver three neat squares of pink coconut ice and a little gift that he thinks the smaller male would like each time in return, placed atop the mount of books in locker three hundred and ninety-eight. 

They grow closer, and learn things far more interesting about each other. Taekwoon realises that Jaehwan himself is not too bad at sports himself, especially in muggle basketball, and they spend lazy afternoons shooting hoops and lying on the grass, rolling around like little children. Taekwoon still doesn't talk as much, but it doesn't matter, because Jaehwan fills the air with corny jokes and soft whispers, and he enjoys listening to the latter's voice, soft and soothing. Jaehwan also sings really well, likes two and a half cubes of sugar in his tea, enjoys drawing with a pencil way more than painting, and likes listening to jazzy music. He lets Jaehwan fall asleep on his shoulder after a long day of haggling with professors, and learns that he quite likes the warm weight of the younger boy's head resting on his rack. There is still the floaty feeling inside him, akin to a million butterflies taking flight whenever he touches Jaehwan, which makes him slightly jittery around the Hufflepuff boy, but he thinks it might not be so bad after all. Evenings turn into secret midnight meetings as well, a routine they've slipped into, after one invitation Jaehwan had extended to Taekwoon to watch the stars together. They sit together on the dewy lawn, watching the dark veil of the night blend in with the countless sparkling celestial bodies. Even if it was foggy, the pale sheen of the moonlight through the cold mist made both of them feel warm and fuzzy. It felt like they were being encompassed in some sort of magic, thin and fragile, yet unexplainably blissful, Taekwoon thinks, as he gazes at the brightest star next to him, named Lee Jaehwan. The way his eyes lit up at an exciting discovery, innocent and childlike, the way he gaped at the constellations far above them. Taekwoon felt like he was drifting on a cloud, weightless and purely happy, around Jaehwan. Taekwoon had never experienced such a boiling pot of emotions before, this desire to protect someone so deeply, fiercely. And when Jaehwan leaks for the first time in front of him, utterly stressed out and breaking down from the burden of his upcoming O.W.L. (Ordinary Wizarding Level), Taekwoon, being a man of action, wipes the tears from his cheeks by placing his lips gently on the latter's. He can taste the younger boy's tears on his mouth, slightly salty, as he moves hesitantly, something in him unfurling out and reaching for Jaehwan. The younger boy tastes like paradise, sweet and tangy, like the coconut ice he loves so much, and Taekwoon feels dizzy, light-headed, like he's never felt before. It seemed like Jaehwan was taking a lot of his firsts, not that he minded, at all. And he thinks he has come to love Jaehwan, in the same silly way many others had fallen for him. Stealthy kisses, long embraces and cuddling were part of this tenderness that had sprouted between them, and Taekwoon realises that emotions are perhaps not such a bad thing after all.

"I see you have been doing well at school, Leo," the letter he receives from his father is nothing short of cold and abrupt. He mentally scoffs at the fact that even Jaehwan calls him Taekwoon, but not his own father. The rest of it is mostly sarcastic jabs at his failing Alchemy and a long, drawn-out lecture, but he arrives at the last page and he inhales sharply. "I have found a girl for you to marry once you graduate. Her name is Sojin, and she is 4 years your senior, but she is an established witch in her field of muggle music, and a true Slytherin. She is also extremely pleasing aesthetically, and I think you will like her. Additionally, my sources tell me that you have been drawing close to a particular Year 5 Hufflepuff by the name of Ken. I have put him in my watchlist. You will marry Sojin, or I will be unsure of how the future looks like for your little boy toy." Indeed, his father knew his personality and his weak links. He knew that Taekwoon would put up a fight, disgrace the family, and shame his potential wife, so he was going to skewer Jaehwan up, and whether or not the younger male would be roasted over a spitfire was entirely up to Taekwoon. 

Jaehwan's life is of utmost importance to Taekwoon, and the prospect of having his father lock him in a basement and make him listen to Jaehwan's agonizing screams as the Cruciatus curse is cast over and over on his skinny frame would be far more painful than having his father slay him. He thinks he would not survive knowing the fact that Jaehwan could possibly die at the hands of his cold-blooded father, so he takes preventive measures. Changing his routes, no longer speaking with the younger male, stopping their nightly meetings, they were all part of the plan, and although by the end of the third day Taekwoon feels like he's going crazy without the feel of Jaehwan's fingers on his skin, he convinces himself that it's worth the exchange of the Hufflepuff male's safety. 

The annual Christmas Feast arrived at Hogwarts' doorstep. Jaehwan hadn't seen Taekwoon in a long, long time, mostly because they were both so busy with examinations and especially for Taekwoon, rigorous training schedules for next year's Quidditch Cup. He may have been superior in every aspect, but an excellent athlete without practice would still be a failure on the field. It provided a great chance for them to catch up with each other, since their nightly meetings had stopped, both being too tired and too much in need of sleep to drag themselves up for a conversation. Jaehwan had waited for Taekwoon for one night, out on the field, watching the stars alone. It wasn't half as fun as when he lay under the blanket of the night with his other half, but he soon realised that Taekwoon was probably far too exhausted to speak to him, and so as not to burden the older boy, he never did that again. It never occurred to him that a small candle flame in the Slytherin dormitory was burning through the whole night, as Taekwoon stood silently by the window, watching Jaehwan curl up in the cold, fighting with himself to not bolt downstairs with an extra jacket and a warm embrace. 

He couldn't.

He also finds that he can't reject Jaehwan, no matter how grave the situation turns out to be. He smiles at Jaehwan way too much over dinner, responding to the younger male's playful grins, and chuckles silently to himself, and the next day, he gets another angry berating letter from his father, again threatening to punish Jaehwan in ways unimaginable, but he can't take it seriously with the younger boy sneaking up on him and putting chocolate frogs in his locker. He tries to spend more time with Jaehwan instead, mortally afraid of what bomb his father might drop. The final warning came when Cha Hakyeon, Jaehwan's substitute lantern oil monitor, went on duty covering for him and returned with shaking legs, almost half demented, murmuring about dark shapes and flashes of pain whilst walking the corridors and a "second Voldemort", an apparent cloaked figure bellowing what seemed to be a loud sentence of "Stay away from my son" repeated over and over again. Taekwoon knew that all of this had been meant for Jaehwan, and it could have been the younger male admitted into the infirmary for a good three weeks to heal from the trauma. He, who was normally fearless and bold, was trembling inside. He needed to take action, and fast. He would have to get Jaehwan to leave him before the Christmas break.

Taekwoon grips the glass of apple cider in between his fingers carelessly, weaving through the partying witches and wizards, who, to his distaste, were dancing to Christmas carols blasted through the loudspeakers. He was going to go ahead with his plan tonight, to make Jaehwan give up on him, in turn securing the boy's life. Taekwoon just needed a girl and a fake stage. He selected a Gryffindor witch from his year that didn't look too bad, but he was equally disgusted for she proved to be the most shallow girl he had ever taken the initiative to speak to, other than his mother. He tried his best to flirt with her, biting back sarcastic replies, his tongue itching to respond in epic burns. "This dress was so tight, but I wore it because I think it flattered my figure. I should have slipped into something more comfortable," she whined for what seemed like the thirtieth time that night, and Taekwoon rolled his eyes so hard he was positive he was going to strain an optic nerve. Yeah, like a coma.

He sees Jaehwan entering the hall from the corner of his eye, and he leans in further, positioning his head nearer to the girl who is almost hyperventilating. Jaehwan is excited, jumping around a little like a little kid, and the sight of that is enough to make Taekwoon almost forget about his mission at hand. A few more seconds of smooth talking in this position, and Jaehwan spots them.

Taekwoon didn't have enough processing time before the girl grabbed his head and smushed their lips together, just before he saw the smile on Jaehwan's face disappear completely. She tasted like ash and dead fish. He tried struggling and pulling away almost instantaneously, he glared at her. The moment he had lifted his head and spotted the look on Jaehwan's face, Taekwoon regretted it all. It was one that far exceeded any degree of despondency or resignation, one that cried out something really off in the inner depths of the younger boy's heart. And how ironically, Jaehwan had a blank expression on, one that Taekwoon was all too familiar with, one that he donned everyday on himself. Taekwoon was thrown into something completely unknown, and he was panicking, the bile rising in his throat. Jaehwan was perfectly still, standing straight in the crowd that had gathered, staring at the scene that just unfolded in front of his eyes, just like the deep night, mysterious and unreadable. Taekwoon knew, he had just hurt him in the deepest way possible, and with a jerk, he realised that he had never before seen Jaehwan like this. So lifeless, without the glowing radiance of a child that the younger male seemed to possess wherever he went, the light that Taekwoon had fallen head over heels for. This light had never ever left Jaehwan before, and it scared Taekwoon how it had been suddenly extinguished, for it was something the smaller boy possessed even deeply asleep. How many nights had Taekwoon sat awake watching Jaehwan sleep, the soft hair atop his head softly as the latter drifted off to sleep on his thigh, under the myriad of stars in the night sky, so peacefully and so comfortingly. Before he had known it, the presence of Jaehwan had become increasingly important, and he had been slow to recognize the fact that he possibly could not and would not survive without Jaehwan's light. Now, it was irreversibly lost to him, just like a glowing lantern in the dark woods suddenly snuffed out, robbing him of a direction in life, making him feel lost and completely disorientated. The worst of all, he had destroyed it by his own hands.

Jaehwan laughed to himself, mentally chiding himself for being gullible and naive. Stupid, stupid me, he whispered over and over again in his mind. Everything he had witnessed was enough to make him want to tear his heart out and let it bleed slowly to death. How could he have believed that Leo, the Jung Taekwoon, would fall in love with a plain boy like him? The Year Seven Slytherin was pretty much the most sought after male in the entire school, yet he had chosen a Year Five Hufflepuff that did not even stand out much, just another person standing in his sea of admirers. He hated himself, despised himself for desperately believing in every little touch, every little kiss that took place between them, when to Taekwoon, they must have been nothing. He felt his heart crack and melt into the pavement below him, and he didn't know how to react. He knew Taekwoon's eyes had landed on him, probably gauging his reaction, but he didn't know what to do. Shouldn't he have expected it? The moments they had spent together seemed so surreal, yet it must have all been part of a plan devised to make Taekwoon pass his time more easily. He was a mere puppet, pulled on the strings controlled by the older boy, existing for nothing but entertainment. The person he had fallen in love with was someone way above him. He smiles sadly to himself, sighing deeply. Perhaps it was time for him to face up to reality. Taekwoon had never loved him, and probably would never. It was time for him to give it up. He turned, and maneuvered his way through the crowd slowly, away from Taekwoon, leaving the boy he had loved so deeply behind.

Taekwoon looked on at Jaehwan's retreating back. Almost as if he were walking out of his life, his steps were sombre, heavy, and Taekwoon gave chase, weaving through the masses, following the trail that his Jaehwan had taken. He couldn't breathe, his heart in his throat, and a sour feeling was churning in his gut. He kept running, and he stood at the end of the corridor, where Jaehwan had stopped in front of his locker. Opening it gently, he commenced tearing a piece of artwork clearly meant for Taekwoon, and tilting it to get a better grip, he unintentionally let Taekwoon see part of it. It was a painting of the both of them, under the night sky, the first time Taekwoon had kissed him. The stars were painted most immaculately, each in a dipped golden silvery paint, shining subtly in the dark shadows of the hallway, the music from the main hall echoing softly. The packet of chocolate frogs had been smashed on the floor, lying open, the little amphibians broken beyond repair. And then Taekwoon had heard the little noises coming from Jaehwan's throat as his hands slowed down in the tearing motion, guttural and heartbroken cries. He feels his heart pulsing with an unknown ache with each sound, and he steps forward, whispering a soft "Jaehwan", locking his arms around the waist of the smaller male. "Don't." A single word, between sniffles, makes Taekwoon's grip go tighter.  They stand in silence, Taekwoon inhaling the younger male's scent from the crook of his neck and closing his eyes. He wants this to last forever, but Jaehwan grabs both of his hands, and whirls around such that his back faced Taekwoon, shutting him off. "If you love me, let me go," he whispers in such a broken tone that almost makes Taekwoon reach for him again, but Jaehwan leans up and kisses him, moving his lips tentatively, and it's so sudden that the older boy feels his knees go weak and he barely has strength to chase after Jaehwan when he abruptly bolts off into the darkness of the night in the middle of the bittersweet farewell kiss. Instead, he squats down, picking up the torn pieces of the painting, tucking them safely into his pocket like a treasured gem, and keeps the packet of chocolate frogs, biting into one. The confectionary is sweet, but all he can feel is pain and something akin to acid spreading in his bones as he rocks back and forth on his heels, tucking his legs near to his face like a hurt porcupine. Jaehwan's gone.

Hogwarts breaks for the customary end of the year Christmas holidays, and all the students return home. Jaehwan was no exception. In fact, he had taken the earliest train at an unearthly hour of 3:25 am to get away from the school as soon as possible. He wanted, needed to forget about a certainly dark-haired male that would probably be staying over at Hogwarts as he did every holiday season. He was exhausted from all the emotions swirling in him, and confused beyond belief. All he needed was to collapse on a bed and sleep all his worries away. Exactly what he prepared to do once he had given his parents hugs, exchanged the necessary conversations, taken a hot bath and plugged in his earphones, listening to a soft lullaby. However, just as he was about to drift off into sleep, a gentle scratching was heard on his window, and he stood up, spying an owl with a scroll between its claws. The white owl with brown star-like specks on its back was most definitely Taekwoon's, and Taekwoon had named it Ken jokingly. Jaehwan knew, the owl was one of Taekwoon's closest companions, and it was cared for immensely by the older male, who loved animals. He sighed, letting the owl in, it absentmindedly as it practically purred, luxuriating in the tender touch and nuzzling its cheek on Jaehwan's arm. He knew, the scroll contained a letter from Taekwoon, but he didn't feel like he was ready to read it. He wasn't ready for a fresh round of tears and possibly heartbreak, for he was tired, extremely so. He gave the bird some water and grains, letting it clasp the note between its talons, and sent it off into the bright morning sun as he lay down to rest, and went into a dreamless sleep with an empty soul. 

Maybe, Jaehwan would wait for a week, and try to forget about the other boy. If he couldn't, it wouldn't be too late to respond on the seventh day, would it?

Jung Taekwoon put on his large cloak and blended into the shadow of the night as he walked out the gate of Hogwarts, disapparating outside of the school grounds, for it was forbidden and dangerous to do it in Hogwarts itself. A whirl of black swirls around him, and he arrives at his destination. A tall tower he should be calling home, a dungeon to be precise, enveloped in dark mist, hovers menacingly over him, and he shudders internally at the fact that he would have to call this place his home once his father passes on. A large and low voice growls through the brass doorknocker, a lion's head. "Come in, you dimwit of a son." He rolls his eyes, places his palm on the lion, and the gates swing open. It was time to visit his father anyway, however much he may have disliked it, he needed to share his new discovery. He takes his time on purpose, watching the bushes of black roses that curled in an unruly manner through the entire garden, the mist rising and falling ominously. Typical of his father's residence. When he reaches the main hall, Taekwoon spies his father, sitting on his throne of snakes. The reptiles slither around, hissing coldly at the new visitor. The man with silvery grey hair looks none too pleased at his son's arrival, spitting, "I told you not to come home without a valid reason," Taekwoon raises an eyebrow in mock amusement. "Hello to you, too, Dad," The man leans forward in his seat with a murderous glare similar to that of his son's. Genes.  "Cut the crap, sonny boy," he smiles, eerily so. "I'm not going to marry Sojin," Taekwoon says in a flat tone, devoid of emotion, and doesn't flinch even when his father leans in closer so that his warm breath landed on his cheeks. The snakes, too, uncoiled and reached out. Real Slytherin pride, Taekwoon scoffs and rolls his eyes at his father's next sentence, "And you're really, really not scared that your Ken's head will roll, are you," 

But personalities mutate through generations, and the son always bites back harder than the father. Jung Taekwoon had an ace card up his sleeve, and he was going to be merciless.

"You think it is unknown to the world, but the real reason you want me to marry Sojin is because you are ing her mother." Taekwoon continues, deceptively calmly, pacing round the circular hall, "You have been doing so ever since Mother died, but adultery is punishable by law and you would lose your position in the Ministry. Since you could not do the deed safely in a public room in case of rife gossip and dared not bring her back here for fear of servants witnessing it, you decided to use your son as a pawn. Marrying Sojin meant that her mother would move in as well, and you would be able to get laid without worries, am I right or right, Dad?" The older man bit back a gasp of astonishment and horror, watching his smirking son, "You-" "How about we make a deal, Dad. You call off the marriage with Sojin, allowing me to be with Jaehwan, and you keep your authority. If a single strand of hair on Jaehwan gets hurt by your doing, I'll make sure you're locked up in Azkaban with the first degree of your crime." Taekwoon stated confidently, watching as the man on the throne grew red with rage and the snakes moved around in a haywire clump, mimicking the internal turmoil raging inside their owner. "I have never had such a son!" He screams, quaking with anger, ready to explode, as Taekwoon turned to leave, his face still a blank card, unreadable, but it was clear that he had won this battle. "My pleasure," he whispers in a deathly quiet voice as he slinks out of the door, leaving his father to stew in his misery and lividity. As he leaves the dungeon, the brass lion spits out a harsh "Deal", and Taekwoon knew he had his father in check. Allowing himself a satisfied smirk, he rode the wind as he disapparated back to Hogwarts.

Taekwoon had tried sending Jaehwan an owl, multiple times even, but the younger male had never acknowledged receipt. The scroll would be returned to Taekwoon, grasped firmly in the owl's talons, unopened in the neat roll he had sent it out with the bird early in the morning, full of hope. It had been his sixth attempt and he was about to give up. He knew what he had done made him seem like an immature young child, but he needed Jaehwan to at least know the reason behind it before deciding whether or not to break whatever they had between them off, and not leave the precious relationship that had melted the layer of frost off Taekwoon's emotionally cold winter dangling on uncertain terrain. He didn't want to risk Jaehwan thinking that he had never loved him, and that what they had built together was just entertainment for himself or something shallower. He knew it was different, definitely, surely, for it wasn't often he would come across something human (or wizard) that would make his heart beat faster. He was used to acting on impulse, and not on whatever his heart told him to, both of which methods would not have worked in this situation. He had no rash, in-the-moment decision to make, unlike the time he had decided to place his lips on Jaehwan's and had acted purely on instinct, without thinking, without contemplating. On the other hand, he had completely no idea what to do with his feelings either, caught up in a roaring tide in which he was unsure of his bearings, tossed up and down in unknown waters, uncertain if he even had even strength to ride it. All he knew was that he really, really loved Jaehwan. He re-rolled the letter, fed the owl, and lay on his bed, watching the stars from his window, wondering if he could transform into a butterfly, covering the miles between himself and Jaehwan, and land on the boy's smooth skin. Anything to feel the silkiness of his jaw, or his arm. And Taekwoon prayed, hard, that the younger male would find it in his heart to read the letter, even if it meant his own heart would have to be broken. 

Maybe he had prayed fervently enough, and the gods had answered his pleadings.

On Day Seven, instead of the parchment, Taekwoon finds a chocolate frog in the owl's grasp, wrapped in layers of brown newspaper, and a small note enclosed as well. The little square of notebook paper is stained with little drops of moisture, and there is nothing on it except for three words, "I miss you," and a small sketch of a tall, thin boy mounted on a broom, chasing after a Snitch, that looks a whole lot like Taekwoon. Tears he hasn't felt in years well up in his eyes, and he mouths a "I love you too, silly boy," as he reaches for his secret stash of pink coconut ice that he knows Jaehwan will positively adore, packaging them nicely. When it's time to write a note, he finds his fingers trembling, and the drops of crystalline dew fall from his eyes far too easily. He thinks he understands how Jaehwan felt as he was penning down the letter, and he goes for a simple "I love you" with a poorly drawn stick figure of Jaehwan sketching the day Taekwoon found him, while everyone was at Honeydukes. Their first meeting.

He sends the owl off, and lies down on his bed, letting water slide out of his eyes as he thinks of Jaehwan, the little boy with the fluffy hair and kind heart, the dorky prankster who hid the most sensitive heart under layers of locked zones, areas only Taekwoon has managed to trespass into, that he has grown to adore, and he smiles. He decides that he cannot live without Jaehwan in his life, his father's orders be damned. He was going to be with Jaehwan no matter what, and he was going to protect the younger boy from everything. Since when had he felt happy after following his father's harsh instructions? He was going to let go, and love. For the first time in his life, Jung Taekwoon thinks he can't wait for classes to start at Hogwarts. 

"Thank you for deciding to keep me, even when your father told you to cast me aside."

"My father doesn't know love. I am a connoisseur of beautiful things, and you, Lee Jaehwan, are one."

The End

Word Count; 7213