Kai looked down on the sleeping figure on the bed as he stood beside it. He wasn't thinking about anything in particular, just how Kyungsoo troubled looked in his sleep. It wasn't deep, but there was a faded frown across his forehead as he body curled into a fetal position. He then knelt down beside the bed and stretched out a hand to the pale skin of the other's cheek, touching it lightly.

It was icy cold, even though the night was warm. His blood should have been warm, but instead it was cold. "I hope you're not having bad dreams..." he murmured softly as he scanned Kyungsoo's face. It was strange, that Kyungsoo's presence around him would make him feel alive. His presence should not have even affected him. But now, Kai found it difficult to leave Kyungsoo alone. 

The other's presence was addictive. No matter how much he didn't want to go too close to Kyungsoo, he still became closer to him. Now looking at Kyungsoo, Kai wondered in a saddened silence if his choice had been correct. He wondered if he should have listened to the others. He wondered if there was really no redemption to life. 

He then moved his hand upward and slowly began Kyungsoo's hair. His hand seemed like a stark contrast to the other's midnight black hair. Suddenly, Kyungsoo darted his hand out and grabbed his arm. "Kyungri... Don't go..." A tear ran down the side of his cheek and Kai caught the tear on his other hand. "Don't leave..."

Seeing Kyungsoo in this state made Kai feel a sudden drop his the pits of his stomach. Was it sadness? The grip on his arm loosened a few moments later as the male slipped back into sleep. Yet another tear made its way slowly down his cheek. Looking at the tear, Kai then looked back at the tear drop on his palm. It reflected the minimal moonlight which shone through the window at the other end, making it seem like a diamond, or something precious.

Jongin, do you know why you shouldn't cry?

Why?

It's because tears have memories. The more you cry, the more you'll forget. You don't want to forget me, do you?

"Don't cry, Kyungsoo," he said softly as he the other's hair. His heart then fell as he thought about his plans. But he wasn't going to leave forever. "Don't forget your sister." And me. He then took the crumpled piece of paper from the floor and hesitated, but placed it in Kyungsoo's palm with a certain forcefulness. 

As Kai closed the other's fingers around the paper, he felt a sudden reluctance to let go. "I'll come back," he told the sleeping figure. Kyungsoo turned to his side, and Kai's hand slipped away from his as if it were an answer. 

A soft chitter of birdsong came from the window and Kai turned towards it. A canary perched on the frame and chittered again after catching his attention. It's time to go, Nightingale. Taking in a deep breath, he stood up with a lingering sadness within him as he smoothened his robes. "Go first, my friend. Tell the council that I'm coming."

But what about the lightning spirit? He will for sure make it difficult for you later. If you don't arrive soon-

Kai looked away from Kyungsoo before looking at the yellow canary and said with tiredness, "I'll handle Chen myself. He's not the only one with questions. Go now."

------

It seemed too quiet in the morning when Kyungsoo woke up with a headache. Then the silence was broken by the rustling of paper on his bed. Still half asleep and troubled, he fumbled around the bed for the source of the the sound. Soon, his hand hit the hard surface of a piece of paper and he brought it in front of his face drearily.

I'll be gone for the day. Start working on the paintings for Chanyeol's music school. 
-Kai

It took Kyungsoo a minute to let the words sink into his brain, then he leaned back against the wall to proccess the information. Kai was gone. , he thought immediately. He then cast a quick look at the cage on the stand, but it was empty. There simply was no sign of the bird, or the boy. Kyungsoo groaned inwardly as he fell back into the comforts of his blankets.

"It's not like he not coming back, " he reasoned with himself beneath the sheets. He thought about that for a moment before screaming in a muffled manner as he pressed his face deeper against the blankets like a spoilt child refusing to listen to his mother. A wave of pain shot through his head and he cursed, "." That was when he knew he was in a very bad state of mind.

Kyungsoo sat up straight in a fast move and he got another strike of pain to his head and eyes in return. His mood then began it's decension from it's already deteriorated state from the night before to being extremely irritable. Firstly, it was Sehun getting close to Kai. Secondly, it was how Kai downright declined the ride back on the bicycle and turned into a bird instead. Thirdly, it was the dreams-

He gritted his teeth together, to both calm himself down and neutralize the throbbing pain. As if the morning's current happenings weren't enough, loud music began blasting from outside. Of all songs- That damned-

Kyungsoo growled and stormed out of the room from his bed without hesitation. The music literally rang in his eyes the moment he entered the living room and Sehun was sitting on the sofa eating bread. Kyungsoo stood at the hallway and glared at the boy, "Stop. It. Right. Now." He stood rooted to the ground for about a minute before Sehun noticed his presence.

"Oh. Good morning," he told Kyungsoo before directing his attention back onto his laptop. Kyungsoo tried not to flare up and repeated his words, "Stop it. Now." "You mean, this song? Hey Up and Down's a nice one," the other replied nonchalantly and Kyungsoo desperately wanted to let out a scream. "By the way, your mum wants you to drop by Aunt Wen to collect flowers."

"For what?"

For the first time that morning, Sehun looked at Kyungsoo with a serious face. He then said with a sudden soft voice, "You should know." When the realisation dawned on Kyungsoo, he swore he was going mad.

A few minutes later, Kyungsoo had rode out on his bicycle on the streets to the florist. As he pedalled, his mind kept running through his dreams and conversation with Jongdae like a broken record. With every second that passed, his headache seemed to heighten but he kept thinking. Last night's dreams weren't the usual of the room which he had grown accustomed to, instead it was an unmistakable younger Kai running around in the forest with an older woman chasing him.

Kyungsoo supposed she was his mother as they shared the similar hazel-nut coloured hair and dark eyes. He knew the woman had told Kai something about tears as they sat down beside a pond to rest, but he could not remember the conversation. Then the dream shifted into the familiar high school compounds where Kyungri was standing.

Another burning pain shook him back into reality as he swerved to avoid a lamp post. "Watch your way kid!" an old uncle shouted at him from one of the shops lining the street. Kyungsoo wanted to apologise but the words couldn't seem to come out of his throat. The image of Kyungri touching his face kept imprinting itself on his mind, making him lose concentration on cycling easily. With the intense headache, Kyungsoo really felt faint and thought he was going out of his mind.

A moment later, he wondered where Kai was. Who on Earth did he have to meet? Was he okay? He even had friends? Then Kyungsoo realised how insecure he was without Kai by his side. It felt like a major part of his cosmos had fallen out and it would be almost to patch up the constellation. He spent so much of the time immersed in his thoughts that the ride to the florist seemed shorter than usual.

The shop was at the end of the street so Kyungsoo parked his bicycle against the lamp post at the corner before stumbling into the entrance. A familiar lulling song filled his ears as he made his way towards the counter. Strangely, he could feel some of his pain lifting the more he listened.

Sure enough, Aunt Wen was humming the lullaby-like song as she arranged roses into a bouquet behind the counter. "Hello Auntie," he greeted as with as much smile as he could manage. Aunt Wen looked up and stopped humming her song. She then broke into a warm smile and said, "Oh hello dear! I haven't seen you for a long time."

"I was pretty busy with projects and other things. Sorry Aunty," Kyungsoo apologised truthfully as he scanned the shop. The shop had a naturally calming environment, with Forget-Me-Nots hanging form the ceiling with other vine plants, then the variety of flowers decorating the walls in racks. The one thing Kyungsoo loved about the racks and flowers was that the flowers were really planted in the soil in the racks, providing a uber comforting and natural feel. 

The lady just smiled and said, "It's okay. What are you here for today?" Kyungsoo then looked back at Aunt Wen and explained, "My mother had ordered flowers from you." "Ah yes," she agreed, "Just let me tie.. this... Done. Follow me. I've prepared a special bouquet for you." With that, she placed the beribboned bouquet of roses on the desk and walked to the backof the shop.

Excitement bubbled through Kyungsoo as he followed Aunt Wen to the back door. She unlocked it and Kyungsoo went through after her. Memories of him running around with his sister through Aunt Wen's green house filled his mind as he stepped onto the grass. The glass ceiling spread majestically high above some pine trees and a scent of a thousand flowers wafted through the air.

Kyungsoo smiled and sighed as he walked through the field of flowers. The flowers grew in an orderly mess around the greenhouse, looking as if the rainbow had slept on the flowers and left some of its color behind. "I miss this place," he said softly, walking over to the three tiered fountain in the middle of it all. Sitting on the edge of it, he looked down at the koi fish swimming in the clear water in a fusion of warm orange and yellow. Birds tweeted from high above and butterflies hovered over the flowers, making the whole scene feel magical.

He watched Aunt Wen open a wooden shed near the fountain and come up with a heavily wrapped bouquet. When she walked over to him, Kyungsoo could already smell the blooms. From afar, he thought they were extremely large poppies, but when she put it out for Kyungsoo to take, he realised they were beautiful red, white and pink blooms with forget-me-nots complementing them.

As he stared at the roses, his vision suddenly blurred and his breath hitched accidentally. Aunt Wen put a gentle hand on his back and said, "Roses were her favourite flowers." "Beauty come with a price," Kyungsoo murmured in a daze, repeating his sister's motto. After a period of time, he thought the price of their paintings must have been her death, no matter how bizarre it sounded.

Kyungsoo took in a deep breath and held the bouquet against his chest. After a moment of contemplation, he turned to Aunt Wen with a half smile, "Aunty, you're the person I feel closest to. Can I-I ask you for some help?" 

Seconds later, Kyungsoo found himself sitting on a lawn chair beneath a towering tree, drinking tea Aunt Wen had insisted on brewing after knowing about his headache. He said slowly after taking a sip, "I feel like I'm slowly going crazy." The tea tasted like herbs and berries mixed together, a very unlikely mix, but it still managed to pass off well.

Aunt Wen tapped her slender fingers on the table top and replied, "How?" Kyungsoo then looked up at her and noticed for the first time, how much her always keen eyes were so similar to Kai's. Her face was still youthful, making her look younger than her actual age. "Firstly, it's... about Sehun," Kyungsoo said comprehensively as he took another sip, this time longer. "I just can't seem to forgive him."

"My dear, you don't know what the child has been through."

Kyungsoo sighed, "That's what my mother told me too. But what has he been through? I don't understand, Aunty." She chuckled and ruffled his hair affectionately, "Look at you. An adult and bothered by childhood mishaps." He pouted and put down the cup, "I know! I really can't stand it. I just can't, you know, forget it."

"It isn't good to dwell on the past. You must start living again, Kyungsoo," Aunt Wen smiled and answered. The more he stared at her, the more uncanny the similarites between her and Kai were becoming. Ignoring his perceptions which might have been muddled, Kyungsoo nodded his head, "I'll try." By the time he had drained the cup, his headache had vanished.

Aunt Wen then sat back on her chair before asking kindly, "Is there anything else?" "Yes there is," he immediately said, then faltering. He thought for a moment and continued in an unsure tone, "Do you believe in magic?" A light shone in the lady's eyes when she heard the question. She questioned curiously, "Why do you ask, my dear?"

Because I have a full fleged bird boy living with me who can transform into eagles and talk to birds, Kyungsoo thought sourly but he replied, "I want to make sure I'm not going mad. I've been... seeing things." To his surprise, Aunt Wen just laughed gently and leaned forward, "People see things all the time. It just depends on whether they notice it or not."

Kyungsoo stared at Aunt Wen in confusion when he heard her answer. She then continued patiently, "There is magic in the world, Kyungsoo. Love is the greatest of them all. Secondly is friendship. Thirdly, there are dreams. Nothing can be stronger than these three."

Dreams.

"Can you explain more about the dreams, Aunty?"

"Dreams can take you to places you've never been to. Dreams can show you the past, present and future. Dreams can show you your heart's deepest wishes. But some people cannot dream until someone comes into their lives. It's just like a light being thrown into a dark room. Then there are people who cannot dream in color. A sad thing I must say. This may by subjective, but some people think that living in their dreams can be dangerous, but some people think that dreams will give them hope in their real life. Lastly, in dreams you may just meet your life partner. There's magic at work, Kyungsoo."

A normal and sane person would have coughed and smiled and excused himself but Kyungsoo just felt as if Aunt Wen had stabbed into the chinks of his imaginary armour. He sat on his seat, staring at Aunt Wen in disbelief. He then asked while trying not to stutter, "How do you know all these?"

"I know, Kyungsoo. I just know."

"Oh and last thing to add. Dreams can also reveal secrets. They can unravel any mystery for anyone. Everyone has secrets, even if you're immortal. So be patient, things will become clear over time."

She knows more than I thought she willl know, Kyungsoo thought as he quickly unlocked the door. Once inside the house, he quickly placed the bouquet on the dining table and dashed into his room with the book in his hand. Aunt Wen had given him the book for more information and he had gladly accepted it. Without hesitation, he sat down at his painting desk and hurriedly flipped open the book to it's first page.

"Magic Between Worlds," he read softly to himself as he turned the page.

People have begun disscussing about magic eons ago. The ancient people thought that magic came from Nature itself, for it was able to cause powerful storms, dry spells and the enormity of the flora and fauna. People worshipped the moon, the sun and scarificed to appease Mother Nature. The Great Mother was seen as an untamed deity, so many feared her and her minions.

From there, there were also many legends telling of Nature spirits, each controlling a certain aspect of Nature. It has also been hypothesized that the Greek gods were main companions of Mother Nature, each representing Her main powers. It was told that the magic was passed down, from person to person, generation to generation. The magic of Nature could be given through bloodline, passed down by the holder to the next in an elaborate ceremony when the latter had come of age. The Nature spirit to be if not by bloodline, had to have a strong repentence for their past life and will to live in order to gain Mother Nature's sympathy to live another life as a protector of Nature.

Of course, there had to be a price to having power. The person who had the magic had to be dead, then risen by magic to be a Nature spirit. There was too much leverage given if a living person had magic, for human intellect and magic could never co-exist well. 

Kyungsoo put down the book and stared at the half finished painting on his desk, trying to contain himself. 

"My name is not Jongin!"

His mortal name when he made a mistake.

"Are you sure that thing won't get us killed?"

His death.

Kai was human once. Why was he hiding everything? Why was he trying to help him when he doesn't want to be a mortal? 

A/N:

I really hope this chapter can clear up questions.
I realised that I just dumped a whole lot of questions in your brains in the last chapter
so please forgive me for that!
And don't worry, everything will make sense in the end.
(There will be a happy ending, though not without ups and downs.)