Kettle : a metal or plastic container with a lid, used for boiling water

Words : 1092

Taemin lived with his mother in the woods, where the magical creature still lingered around, where not much of human knew their existence.

Taemin knew that he was different– half human half fairy– from the sparkly dust at the tips of his fingers. His mother always taught him to help the creatures with it but he still didn’t know why or how. His mother never explained.

Every evening his house would fill with the sound of whistling kettle, few minutes later his house would be surrounded by injured creatures or fairies or anything that asked for tea. Taemin at this time would take his almond tea inside his room and pouted because he hated the idea of sharing his mother’s love.

Taemin took it badly when his mother passed away. The house somewhat darkened and in the evening it became too silent. Taemin could hear the entire forest crying because the whistle wasn’t heard anymore.

Now he would find foods every morning, lunch time, and dinner time; Taemin was sure it was from the creatures that his mother took care of. Taemin made sure he left a note when he put the wooden baskets in front of his door.

One day someone knocked his door. It wasn’t the dinner time so he wasn’t sure who came to his house because no human could see his spell bounded house. Taemin with his puffy eyes staggered towards the door and found a squirrel looking at him.

“Why can’t I hear the whistle?”

Taemin’s heart sunk again as he was reminded by his late mother.

“She’s gone,” Taemin sobbed.

Every day from then, the squirrel always came and brought Taemin a flower. Sometimes he barged in and insisted to stay until Taemin fell asleep, or to provide a good laugh for Taemin. Taemin felt less lonely with the squirrel’s accompaniment.

“If I brought you almond, would you make me a glass of almond tea?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

The squirrel didn’t give up though. He brought a mouthful almond every seven days and every time he showed it to Taemin, Taemin would say no because he didn’t know exactly how. Only Taemin’s mom knew how to make it sophisticatedly.

“I brought you flower, tea leaves and almonds. Can you make me a cup of almond tea?”

“How many times do I have to tell you I can’t?!”

“You can.”

“No, I can’t! It won’t taste the same!”

“But, Taemin–”

“Out!”

Weeks turned into months and the squirrel never came back. He felt so lonely. Maybe he was being too harsh towards the squirrel, it had been accompanying him for these past months and yet he never asked anything but to make him an almond tea, now he regretted it.

One evening Taemin awaken by a whistling kettle coming from his kitchen. He thought he must be dreaming because his mother was gone and no one ever dared to barge into his house– well except the squirrel. He stood up almost immediately and opened his door. Instead a squirrel, he saw a human with light brown hair, tall height and broad shoulders boiling water in his house.

“Who are you?” Taemin approached the culprit who mess his kitchen.

“Oh you awake Taemin-ah?”

Taemin looked at the human closer and it was the squirrel, he was sure of that because it was the exact big brown orbs and his teeth resembled it.

“You– What are you doing here?” Taemin growled. “Squirrel.”

“Minho, my name. I’ve told you so many times. I’m trying to make an almond tea for you.”

“Get out!”

“No.”

“I said get out!” He pushed the taller but he didn’t move a bit.

Then he felt arms wrapping his body, tightly.

“It’s been a while, Taemin... Your hair got longer.”

Taemin stopped moving as he felt fingers carded his long hair, soon he gave up into the embrace. It had been a long time since someone held him this close, last time was before his mother’s death which was 11 months ago.

Now, his only friend was back. Taemin crumbled in that hug, he sobbed hardly while clutching the shirt. All these pass 2 months were frustratingly lonely without his company.

“Thank you, Taemin.”

Taemin looked up right few seconds after he felt a pair of soft lips planted on his crown.

“For what?”

“Healing me.”

Taemin was confused.

“I probably have to tell you that I’m a shape shifter and this is my real form.”

“You’re not a squirrel?”

“No. I’m injured and unable to change back then but you heal me even if the effect is very slow. I thought that coming back here to make you an almond tea will do, since I got my form back.”

“I heal you? How?”

“The sparkly dust from the tips of your finger.”

“It’s just a dust.”

“To you, but for me a medicine.”

“I never dust you. It doesn’t sprinkle much either. Is it even a magic?”

“It is magic. And I believe it fell when you made me some hot milk or when you touched me– I’m not sure, but definitely because of your dust.”

“Ah... so the reason you stay all these time because of my dust?” Taemin pulled away and had a mixed feeling. “Now you came to thank me and leave? If so, you can go now.”

“No.”

Taemin wanted to go to his room but he somewhat needed to hear a reason.

“I want to accompany you. I came because I wanted to stay.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s less lonely with you.”

There was weird warmth in his chest and sparkles softly poured from the tips of his fingers. Minho held the hands and gathered the dust.

“You need this magic too.”

He saw Minho pouring it into the boiled water before he brewed it with tea and almond extract.

“Taste it. I heard this is how you make it.”

Taemin took a sip and his eyes rounded, it tasted pretty similar to his mother’s tea.

“It’s how your magic taste like. I’m sure a little happiness within you would make it taste better. Soon you will help the forest, just like what your mother did.”

“But-”

“Wouldn’t it be great doing it every evening together, Tae?”

Taemin stunned. “Together?”

Minho nodded as he held Taemin’s hand and ran his thumb gently over the knuckles; unknowingly Taemin felt so much better now.

Knock knock. Taemin turned around and saw a bird hanging on the window.

“The kettle... It’s whistling... Are you really going to heal us like the old days?”

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Happy May 2nd! So what I'm trying to write here is Taemin actually doesn't know that he has magic in him, his mother never tells him. The reason why his mother gives him almond tea every day is to increase his ability in producing sparks since he's half fairy half human. His mother is a healer fairy. And Minho kinda like him, he wants to help Taemin to find his identity as a healer fairy.

I hope you enjoy this piece!

hugs,

aqcelnicorus :D