A/N: Wanted to wait a couple more days to post this chapter but I couldn't wait any longer! Remember the hints I gave you lovelies at the end of the previous chapter? Well...i've decided to put off those until the next chapter. No worries! I do have a reason for that. Anyways, thank you for all your comments! I really appreciate it. Hope you guys will enjoy this chapter. Do let me know your thoughts of this chapter through your comments! ^^

After countless slaps and pokes to his babysitter’s/caretaker’s cheek and eyes (i.e. the five-year-old simply refused to be addressed as a baby). A certain red-haired penguin boy was all decked out in his thick woolen winter coat and cute snow boots, all ready to set off on an adventure (aka. exploring the local marketplace called The Rhine).

Hell. This was wrong. If there was a scale of wrongness from one to ten, exposing Kyungsoo to the outside world would smash the scale to shame with a freaking huge- hundred out of ten. Exposing the Avatar, unprotected and still in his early age, was the ultimate of all wrongness.

Indeed. Jae-In knew of the Do family’s deepest darkest secret. The one concerning Kyungsoo’s identity as the Avatar. Madam Do made sure that he knew of what he was getting into when he first begged her for the job.

2 years ago.

To say he was scared initially would be a massive understatement. Petrified would probably run it close to his initial reaction. How can one not be scared out of their wits if they were told that they would be meeting the Child of Death himself. Having lived long enough (16 years to be exact), Jae-In knew of the many legends floating around with regards to the evil that was associated with the Avatar. And even though many knew of the heroics of the former Great Avatar Rei, he was only one good cycle out the countless evil before him. Who knew which side the latest reincarnation of the Avatar will stand on? With the good that is the citizens of the seven nations? Or worse, will he pledge his allegiance to the evil lord Zökr (and thus forming the surely indestructible partnership of all evil), definitely spelling the doom of all of humanity.

But, once he caught sight of the adorable boy that was Kyungsoo, he knew he was sold. The little penguin had both his arms and legs in a tight wrap around his left leg, peeking upwards at him with those huge oval eyes, proclaiming to the world that he was his hyung and he will protect him and no one was to touch him except for said penguin...even going so far as to hiss at everyone that dared to set foot within a 3-feet radius of his precious hyung. I mean, come on… how is this beloved darling not harmless? Never did he envisioned the death child to be this ball of adorable fluff. And if not for the barely visible tattoos on the said ball of fluff, he would have shot down everyone who dared proclaim Kyungsoo as the Avatar for they would have been telling him the greatest lie. It was there and then when Jae-In officially took on the role of Kyungsoo’s babysitter/caretaker. Also, Jae-In had a single mother and younger baby brother to feed as well, taking on the responsibility of raising the family upon the death of his father during the great battle decades ago.

Present day.

“Your mother is going to kill me little squirt” Jae-In sighed as he wrapped a thick cream-colored scarf around the younger’s neck, and in doing so covering up the last of those tattoos.

“It’s ok hyung. I’ll protect you!” Ah…those famous words.

“You know I can never say no to you little squirt.” Jae-In said as he straightened up from his bent position in front of the small boy and cursed the grey skies. “Damn you telepathic powers.”

After many impatient “hurry ups!” and persistent tugging from the overexcited kid on his outstretched arm, the duo finally made their way pass the great steel gates at the front of the mansion. As they made their way to the loud noises coming from what was presumably the busy marketplace, Kyungsoo’s eyes grew bigger and bigger, taking in this world new world laid out in front of the glory that was his entire 2ft body.

It was only when they ventured deeper into town and encountered more and more people that Jae-In noticed the growing discomfort of the younger. With small palms plastered to the sides of his head, “it’s too loud hyung” Kyungsoo whined, his precious mind not being able to keep up the noisy thoughts of the people around him.

“Ssshh…sshsh. It’s ok little squirt… it’s ok. Shut them out, I know you can do it. Come on do it for hyung. Calm your mind darling. Hear no one but me ok little one? Ssshh… it’s going to be fine,” Jae-In was quick to comfort the small boy.

After a few moments of standing idle and (in the elder’s case) crouched in the busy passageway of the marketplace, Jae-In saw the look of discomfort slowing dissolving as the younger fought to calm and silent his mind, and finally with the smoothening of his thick brows, he knew that the latter was going to be just fine.

“I’m ok now hyung,” Kyungsoo beamed up at Jae-In.

With a gentle tug on his arm, the boy was back to being his curious and over-enthusiastic self, dragging with all the might he could muster to force the elder to all corners of the market, exploring every nook and cranny his huge eyes could set their sight on.

They chanced upon a small stall selling antiques and Jae-In bought Kyungsoo a unique necklace that had caught his eyes. A memorabilia- to celebrate his first outing to town. The necklace was a silver triangle charm with a cloud of (odd) circles and swirls enclosed in the center.

“The mark of a shadow-bender my dear ones,” the old woman tending the stall told them. “It signifies to have strength and inner power even in the darkest hours, the symbol of the great Shadow Nation we live in. 

“What’s a shadow-bender?” Kyungsoo made to ask.

“Ah~ I can help answer that,” Jae-In interrupted. “Thank you Madam”. The two boys bowed to the woman and left the stall.

“Follow me little squirt… I’ll bring you someplace.”

After trekking through the ankle-deep snow on the streets of the Shadow Nation’s capital with minor complaints from a Kyungsoo who was starting to tire from his hours exploring every stall in the marketplace, the duo arrived in front of the entrance of a compound with high walls stretching beyond the vision of a currently awed boy.

The Academy of the Shadow-benders.

“What is an a-acade-emyy hyung?” Kyungsoo asked as the two sauntered into the compound.

“It’s a school little squirt. For special people like you and I.” Jae-In started to explain further upon seeing the look of utter confusion currently masking the face of the younger. “You know how some people like us have special powers and some others don’t?”

Kyungsoo nodded and exclaimed. “Y-yes. Mother said they are Magic men!”

“Not M