Lived as a wizard never as amazing as it sound. But then even as a wizard, Myungsoo learned that magic can't make everything better or done. Just being a person that can love make it sometimes.

*

They met for the first time actually when they still young. Their fathers were friends and Myungsoo's father once invited his friend to their house when he heard that Sungyeol's father finally come home after a quest. Myungsoo remembered that Sungyeol he first met with was a skinny tall boy that shying away from other's eyes and hide behind his father figure. Myungsoo himself wasn't a boy that easily opened up to strangers, but this Sungyeol boy managed to make him curious. That they met eyes and while Sungyeol still shying away and turned his gaze to somewhere else, Myungsoo was struck to the two eyes that he barely saw for five seconds, or less. But he still managed to catch that pair of eyes. Shy but mesmerized him enough to the point that he locked his eyes to the other boy. He wanted to look at that eyes again and even though Sungyeol just gave him some shy glance, Myungsoo found himself not turned his attention to somewhere beside him.

His mother even slapped the back of his head because of his stare but it just make him caught a small sound of laugh from the other boy. And that made Myungsoo more in awe. He liked that laugh even though it's sounds so faint and shy. But when he looked at Sungyeol's face again, he saw that there's a faint beam on him. Myungsoo smiled and for a split second of hesitation, he can saw that Sungyeol smiled back at him too.

He never forget the smile. The smile that made him fell in love with the other boy.

*

They became friend for two years, until Sungyeol with his father must go again. Sungyeol's father, as a famous and skilful dark hunter, has another job quest waited him at the other countries and even though Myungsoo already begged his own father to ask his friend if he can let Sungyeol to live with Myungsoo's family, Sungyeol's father smiled but said no. That he's felt so thankful and grateful but then he must take Sungyeol too with him. And Myungsoo just can saw them left. Didn't know when he can meet with Sungyeol again. But after a year, there's a letter for Myungsoo. There's no sender name but Myungsoo believed that it's come from Sungyeol's father. Even though the letter itself made him confused. Because there's just two words on the letter. 'Save him.'

Being still a child, Myungsoo panicked and told his parents about the letter and his assumptions. And although it's no proof that the letter was from Sungyeol's father, his father still tried his best then to search his friend. That no long after, Myungsoo then found out that Sungyeol's father was killed on a quest and Sungyeol nowhere to find.

He remembered that he cried so much that night while clutched the letter to his chest. But then he swore with all his life that if he knew the dark creatures that killed Sungyeol's father and maybe Sungyeol too, he would be the one that killed it. And he fell asleep with the dried tears on his cheeks.

He remembered too that night he have a very weird dream about Sungyeol. About the boy that now looks different from the last time he saw him. More thin, more tall, but then lifeless. His hair seems longer than before but then Myungsoo can’t see his eyes. He saw that the other boy stood alone in front of a door. The door itself seems old enough and some parts of the door already become dust if being touched. But Sungyeol pushed the door and walked inside. Left Myungsoo then to be jolted awake and saw that it's already morning outside.

He didn't tell anybody about his dream. But then his dream not only stopped there.

*

His dream continued as he grew older. And the dream never be a pleasant one. Sometimes it's just showed him nothing, just black. Sometimes he saw a room with nothing inside, just a big wood coffin. He sometimes found a little movement from inside the coffin. And when he's awake, sometimes he thought that there's something inside the wood coffin. And he just feared that inside there's Sungyeol. And then his fear was answered. When he opened his eyes to his dream that night, he found himself stared at Sungyeol body that seems lied in something that made from wood. His eyes closed that made him looks like asleep. He heard some footsteps neared them and when Myungsoo turned his head, he found himself stared at his bedroom ceiling. He already awake.

*

Sometimes he found Sungyeol inside his dream awake too. He still inside the wood coffin and tried to break free. But there's no luck. He still trapped inside the coffin that looks like have some magic to seal him inside.

And little by little, along with his dream, Myungsoo have decided his future. Dream or not, he'll tried to find Sungyeol. To save him like what Sungyeol's father asked him through a nameless letter years ago. Maybe it seems stupid, he put all his future for something that maybe not even real. But he still believed that Sungyeol still outside there, alive, and maybe trapped, like his dream.

*

He stopped dreamed Sungyeol for a while, maybe he became busy with his wizarding school and stuffs, but when he dreamed him again, it's just still the same. Sungyeol, now older, still trapped inside the coffin. Sometimes he looks like asleep, sometimes he wake up with something like a lighter in his hand, looking inside his wood coffin with it's fire but he still cant break free from the coffin. That the magic that sealed him inside also become stronger and stronger.

Myungsoo once dreamed about someone outside the coffin, peeked inside to check Sungyeol that looks aware for his visitor and maybe also the one that sealed him inside. Myungsoo tried to see the visitor. But he never has the chance. He just can see that it's a man. From his hands, to his tall figure and short neat hair. But he never managed to catch a glimpse of his face.

When Myungsoo finally become a dark hunter, he vowed too that he'll found Sungyeol. No matter how long it'll takes.

*

Being a dark hunter actually very tiring. It's neverending quest jobs and also the dark creatures that almost all are very dangerous. But Myungsoo never complains, everytime he managed to catch or execute dark creatures, he just simply reminded him maybe he already killed the one that made Sungyeol's father died.

And after one year, much to his surprise, Sungyeol came to the town where he's now lived and then joined the dark hunter team. But then Sungyeol in front of him looks a little different from what he saw on his dreams.

His face and all his appearances maybe looks the same. But when Myungsoo looked at his eyes, he remembered that was the eyes he saw when he dreamed the other boy for the first time. That it's looks so lifeless and dull stared back at him.

*

Sungyeol seems remembered him but he never approached him, that once again Myungsoo being reminded like the first time they met with each other. But that time, Sungyeol just being shy, now he looks like avoided Myungsoo.

For a while, Myungsoo thought that it's maybe the other felt awkward, that it's over ten years for them to meet again, but then he finally can't hold it again. That Myungsoo wanted to talk with Sungyeol, asked him what happened after his father died, was his dream after all were true or not, and so much more. And after asked their leader to make him and Sungyeol go for a quest just the two of them, he ready to make the later looked at him and talked again. Like the past time.

*

Their journey went awkward and quiet. Sungyeol talked to him a little but still avoided his eyes. And after the first attack from some lycanthropes that ended up Sungyeol must sacrifice all his energy, Myungsoo finally snapped. He took the other boy and nursed him back until he can walk again but then Myungsoo confronted him.

And that day Sungyeol for the first time showed his emotions again to Myungsoo. He cried so hard and made Myungsoo must hold him even tighter and comforted him. That night, they become friends again.

*

Myungsoo once asked why Sungyeol never returned or gave him or his family some news, that he still alive. They can help him and let him live with them but Sungyeol just smiled gloomily at him.

"I become like this because of love," he stated it to Myungsoo.

"Love?"

"Yes. Father took me with him and said that he did it for me for the sake of love."

"I don't understand.."

"He bring me to her."

"Her?" Myungsoo asked again, wondered inside his head about what Sungyeol tried to tell him.

"Her, Myungsoo. My mother."

Myungsoo blinked, he can tell from Sungyeol's expression that it's maybe didn't went well. But then who is he? He never knew about Sungyeol's mother. He remembered that even his father didn't know who Sungyeol's mother was. Sungyeol's father never answered the question and Myungsoo's father then just shrugged it off, understanding that maybe his friend didn't want to talk about his love life.

"Maybe I can understand it," Myungsoo said slowly, slowly reached Sungyeol's hand, wanted to comfort him.

"No, you can’t. It's different, Myungsoo. I hate her." Sungyeol looked at him with depressed eyes but he didn't refuse Myungsoo's touch.

"I never understand why my father can love her."

"Well, love can come in different ways for everyone."

"You won't understand it, Myungsoo."

But Myungsoo smiled at Sungyeol, "Try me, Sungyeol."

And Sungyeol stared at him with pleaded eyes, and almost cried again there.

"You won't understand. Once you know about her, you will hate me too. Disgusted."

Myungsoo actually already hated Sungyeol in front of him, hated him that still so distant from him, assumed that he'll hate him so easy like that. He hated it. The assumptions, the thoughts that Sungyeol kept in his own mind.

So Myungsoo placed his fingers under Sungyeol's chin so he can looked at him again.

"You know what, Sungyeol? Like I said earlier. Try me."

*

Sungyeol didn't know what to do now. He left Myungsoo at night, when the later still sleeping and came to the old house again. He hated the house. But it's the only place that he knew just him that can enter. Slowly he pushed the door and welcomed by a familiar sight, an almost empty dusted room where in the corner, there's a big coffin lied on the dirty floor.

He walked to the coffin and checked for any movements, he knew that he's still inside. He put all his magic to seal him after all.

Slowly he opened the lid and stared inside. To meet eyes with someone that still lied inside the coffin. Eyes that looks the same like him, even their face to their appearances, it's the same. Sungyeol stared at his own self inside the coffin for a while.

"You can't get rid of me." His other self talked to him.

Sungyeol stared for a while but the he gave his other self a small smile that looks like a smirk.

"I do what I can, that's why you're here all the times. Even though I can't throw you away, I can lock you and you can't be me."

But his other self then laughed at him, "But you didn't know what I already did to him, dear."

Sungyeol furrowed his brows, "Him?"

"Your little friend. You know who. You can't hide for forever, Sungyeol. He knew about me."

"What?"

"After all, we share the same blood. No matter how hard you tried to get rid from her blood, it's still inside here, you know." His other self grinned.

Sungyeol gritted his teeth and his grip on the lid become more tighter.

"Her blood never be inside me. You are the one that have her blood. And you'll always inside this coffin, forever."

And Sungyeol slammed the lid, for a while he cant control his own breathe and made him to lean to the coffin. He stared at his own hands and then buried his face on his palms. What he already done? After he found out that his mother actually still alive, he become happy along with his father. But then when his father took him to see her, his happiness become something else. Disgust and disappointment.

Her mother wasn't a witch. She's a dark creature. And she's the one that killed his father because of her leader's order.

But she can't kill him. Even though she always angry and abused him mentally, she never killed him. But then one night, Sungyeol found his mother cried. Cried while laughed. He can saw some madness inside his mother but then he can felt the sadness and grief too. She saw him and she smiled to him. Even though Sungyeol didn't come closer like what she asked him that night at first.

"Please come here, my little dear." She begged at him and Sungyeol coming closer slowly after a while. He stood still in distant from his mother but it's enough for her.

"My dear, my little son." She repeated saying that to him, that she looked at him sadly but something else colored her eyes. Love.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I killed him. I love him. Everyday were a hell too for me. I already asked him to go away. But he come back with you. I almost already forget you, my little dear. But then he come back. With you that I must forget. You that actually must never be existed in my life," she cried harder and Sungyeol just can watch her. How her small body quivering along with her cries. But then her next request caught him surprised. She looked at his eyes again and grab his arms, her eyes pleaded him again.

"Please. Kill me. I wanted to see him again. Please, make me meet him again. Please. Please. Kill me.."

He, of course, tried to escape from his mother grip, refused her request, then make his mother really angry. She throw him to the wall and even attacked him. He remembered that he felt that he can't breathe that night. He tried to push his own mother from him but failed. He almost died there but he remembered that he became angry. Angry that he even didn't want this woman as his mother. Angry why he have her blood inside his veins. Angry why his father can fall in love with her. He can't understand it and it's becoming anger.

Sungyeol didn't remembered clearly what happened, it's just so blurred and fast. He just remembered that he heard his mother screamed and then she's not strangled him again. He then was the one that strangled her. But neared her death, she just stared at him. Two eyes that stared at him until it's become lifeless.

He ran away from her house that night. Started his own life now alone. But also disgusted with his own self.

*

"Have you been in love?" Myungsoo asked Sungyeol one day, after their second quest and it's just the two of them that still remained at the office.

"What love?" Sungyeol murmured to him, still trying to concentrate to his own journal about their second quest.

"You never been in love?"

"And once again, what love?"

Myungsoo sighed but then he just stared at Sungyeol that still trying to write down their experiences, about what dark creatures that they already met and how to handle them faster.

"Why you don't fall in love?"

"Why you ask?"

"Never met someone that makes you attracted to them?"

"Didn't want to."

"Why?"

"Why you care?"

Myungsoo pouted but then peeked to Sungyeol's journal.

"You didn't write about the were-hyena?"

Sungyeol flinched a little but he quickly closed his own journal and then turned his head.

"What do you want?"

Myungsoo just smiled at him innocently, "What? I didn't do anything. Continue your writing."

Sungyeol sighed but then opened his mouth, "I even felt scared to fall in love."

"Why?"

Sungyeol looked down to his shoes and played with his pen with his fingers.

"I don't know. I just didn't want to. Scared that if someone I love, know a little too much about me, they just flew away from me."

Sungyeol can feel that Myungsoo already lifted his chin again so he met eyes with him. It's just so usual for them to be like that, Myungsoo seems like always needed to look at his eyes.

"If they love you, they will understand you, not leave you, Sungyeol."

"I know," Sungyeol stated, remembered that his father even returned back to his mother, that he really love her that he didn't thinking twice to come back, "But sometimes I caught myself thinking, even though they understand me, what if.. if I do something bad to them?"

"Like what?" He can see curiosity inside Myungsoo's eyes, but then he can't stop his words.

"Like, maybe I didn't what they thinking about me. That I actually can hurt them, and then regretted it, but then hurt them again and again."

"And even if they still tried to understand?"

"I'll leave them. I didn't want to live like that."

Myungsoo didn't say anything for some moment but then when Sungyeol wondered what the other thinking right now, he asked another question to him.

"And if they chased you and begged you to love them back, no matter what you are?"

Sungyeol stunned for a while, what would he do if there's someone that really love him to the point like that? But then Sungyeol just can bite his lower lips, there'll be no one like that. Everyone will be disgusted at him if they knew the truth.

"There'll be nothing like that." He smiled at Myungsoo. He saw that Myungsoo stared at him quietly for a while before then sighed and turned his head from him. He also saw how the other then stood up and went away from him.

Sungyeol too, sighed and then looked down to his own journal. Remembered about Myungsoo's words that commented why he didn't write about a specific creature.

But then he heard some footsteps and when he turned his head, he can see Myungsoo already stood behind him. He wanted to ask what's wrong to him but when he opened his mouth, Myungsoo already leaned to him and kissed him.

Their lips actually barely touched but even through small touch like that, Sungyeol can felt his heart slowly betrayed him.

"I'll be like that, Sungyeol," he can felt Myungsoo's lips ghosted over his own and whispered that words to him. And when Myungsoo slowly moved back, their gazes still locked with each other.

"Because even if I still know nothing about yourself, about what that happened to you after you gone with your father, I still tried to find you. I dreamed about you, even though I didn't know that's real or not but it's just like a little assurance that you maybe still alive outside there. That it's give me hopes that I can meet you again."

"Myungsoo-"

"I love you."

*

"Sungyeol-"

Even when it's just him called his name, Sungyeol already on his heels and walked fast to another direction.

After that night when Myungsoo confessed at him, Sungyeol being in dilemma, torn between his half heart that wanted to love the other boy back but then the other half reminded him that Myungsoo knew nothing about him. That he would maybe hunted him and killed him if he knew what his mother was.

"I can't love him. He will either disgusted or regretted that he was love me back then."

*

Myungsoo stared at Sungyeol's back that now so often he saw them because the other refused and avoided to meet or look him face to face. He sighed and almost let out a frustrated scowl from his mouth. He didn't knew why Sungyeol have created this tall wall surrounded him and close himself in. But then he thought about his reactions that night. The two eyes that gazed back intently to him but looks torn in dilemma.

He sighed and closed his eyes. He didn't want to know about what Sungyeol have been hide from him, not until he's ready and told him. But then he got curious now about what that already happened to Sungyeol and why he looked so tensed if he talked about his mother.

And Myungsoo remembered to his own dream. About Sungyeol that grew up but locked inside a wooden coffin. What even that dreams mean to be?

*

That night Myungsoo dreamed about Sungyeol again. Sungyeol that still locked inside a coffin.

"You aren't him, right?" He found himself whispered those words to the Sungyeol in front of him that still lied down inside the coffin. That Sungyeol didn't answered, his eyes still remained closed but his lips smiled at him.

And then Myungsoo found himself now outside the coffin, in the empty abandoned room that looks so dark. There's storm outside the house and the lack of lights makes it's more hard to see. But then he can figured out something in the darkness. Someone are there. Myungsoo waited until maybe the visitor lighted something but then it's nothing. The visitor walked closer like he already knew the place by heart that he didn't need any light. But then when he's already beside the coffin, near Myungsoo that still sat down on the cold dirty floor, a lightning struck in the sky outside, but it's enough to brighten the room for a while, that Myungsoo now can see who's the visitor. And he saw Lee Sungyeol. Leaned down to the coffin where the other him lied down inside.

*

The next morning, when Sungyeol already give him his back and walked quickly to avoid him, Myungsoo already there to catch him up.

"I already know." He said to Sungyeol when he can cornered the other boy.

"About what?" It's seems emotionless but Myungsoo knew him better.

"I just know about a bit of that, actually. I still didn't know why."

"Myungsoo, listen-"

But Sungyeol's words were stopped when Myungsoo leaned to him, his hand pressed to the wall behind him, he just can stared at him.

"You can't run for forever, Sungyeol."

"I didn't-"

"I will wait until you can tell me by yourself. But please, don't run away again."

And Sungyeol looked at Myungsoo's eyes that looks like begged at him.

"Please." He can hear him whispered those before he kissed him again. Now not with just their lips barely touched but really kissed him that Sungyeol can felt himself slowly loosening his grip onto his belief too. That his heart slowly winning this dilemma inside him. That he wanted to love and to be loved.

*

Sungyeol visited his father house again, where he hide his other him inside. He looked at the coffin for a long time. Thinking about his own dilemma and then thinking about what already happened to him. That he made another him that have half his soul and blood from his mother side. He locked himself and sealed him for the other him safety too. That his mother blood maybe can be detected by any dark hunter. That it's makes him thinking again. If he already despised his mother why he can't let any dark hunter found the other himself? That he'll be fine without him actually. That he just a living doll that he created because of fear. Fear that someone would knew his secret and then all what he thought were his family would turned their back to him.

He let out a depressed sigh but then his eyes looked back to the coffin. It's still him inside. That no matter how hard he tried to despise him or locked him, he just come back again and again, to worry, to check, to become stronger that his seal can't be broke easily.

He slowly walked closer to the coffin and opened the lid. Met eyes again with the other himself inside.

"Come back again?" The other him sounds like surprised about his visit right now.

"You'll have what you want, actually."

"What?" He can see the confused face of him in front of him.

"Come out. It'll so painful."

Seems like finally understand what Sungyeol talked about, the other himself slowly sat down and then stood up. For a while they just stood face to face before Sungyeol closed his eyes.

*

Myungsoo felt himself become restless and a little jumpy but then it's Sungyeol fault. He disappeared almost for a week and Myungsoo almost insane because of that. He tried to search him but no luck, even his dream didn't help him at all right now. He still saw Sungyeol sleeping in the coffin. And just that.

"You'll dead if you fighting like that."

Myungsoo turned his head and almost instantly run to Sungyeol that waited him while dropped his hand after casted spells to kill a chamrosh (dark creature that looks like a giant bird with head and wings of bird but have body of dog). And Sungyeol smiled when Myungsoo hugged him tightly that maybe can break one or two bones from his ribs but then he just laughed.

"You're back!"

"And almost suspected you being killed by a chamrosh."

"I-"

"I know. I'm sorry. I just err- have finished some business."

Sungyeol still can't talk about it but when he saw Myungsoo smiled at him, he knew that he can talk about that later.

"Look, Myungsoo, I-"

But his words stopped again because Myungsoo kissed him again. And Sungyeol let his heart win. That his heart skipped a beat for the boy in front of him.

"I know. You can talk about it later. You aren't run away again, right?"

And Sungyeol smiled. He already win over his dilemma. That with this boy that seems like really love his eyes for nothing and even tried to break his walls that closed and protected him, he'll be okay. That maybe he can understand why his father fall in love with his mother that actually a were-hyena. Why his mother even though already killed his father actually really love him to her death. That his death actually her death too. That she's live long enough for Sungyeol, even though it's just makes her become insane in the progress. That's why she begged him to kill him. To make her happy that she can meet his father again.

"I love you." He heard the whisper again. And this time, he smiled.

"I love you too." He whispered back. Felt complete. And loved.

END