One
 

 

Sweat runs down his forehead and to his neck as he searches for the last ingredient his mother ordered him to buy from the town’s market. The weather today is scorching hot. Every person behind the stalls are either fanning themselves or wiping off their sweaty bodies. Kyungsoo has no problem with the weather; to him it’s actually nice. The problem is the amount of people in the market today. And everybody knows why. There is going to be another war near their area. There are rumors stating the war will start a in a couple of days. A lot of citizens were forced to leave, including him and his mother.

 

This is their fourth time moving. This makes Kyungsoo depressed because they just stayed here for six months and he just gain many friends here. He enjoyed this town. The people here are nice and full of life.

 

While he makes a way through the crowd, a little girl fell on her knees from playing and scratches them. From her torn and ragged clothing she must be a street child. She sits and examines her bleeding and cries when she curiously poked it. It looks very bad. It’s covered with dirt, it will get infected. He worries and watches the wailing child.

 

Kyungsoo has weak spots for children, especially if they are crying. He walks towards the little girl and kneel in front of her. “Hello.” He greets gently. “I saw you hurt yourself.” He points at the bleeding knees.  The girl nods and sniffs.

 

“Come with me.” He said and holds out his hand. The little girl only looks at his hand. “Do you want to see magic?”

 

In her eyes, joy and wonder sparks and finally holds his hand. Kyungsoo showed her his sweetest smile and walk with her hand in hand. They walked far away from the market and ended up in a lonely alleyway. Kyungsoo checks his surrounding first, making sure there is no one else in sight.

 

“What is your name?” he asks in a gentle way.

 

She looks down and kept one fidgeting “Hani.”

 

“What type of magic do like the most?” he asked and kneels again to meet with her brown orbs. She tilts her and thinks for a while.

 

“Wind! When I reached my awakening age I want to have wind powers!” she exclaims happily and spouts how amazing it is to have that kind of power.

 

“Mister, what kind of magic can you do?” she asks. Kyungsoo pressed his index finger onto his lips.

 

“If Hani wants to know then promise you will tell no one. Even to the soldiers!” Kyungsoo almost laughs when the child visibly gulps and looking nervous before she nods.

 

“Okay.” He placed his hands on her knees. “This might feel weird.” He warns the little girl.

 

He can feel his magic connecting to young girl and branching out on every part her body. When he is truly sure that it is done, he concentrates on her knees. Again, he can feel his magic moving toward her knees, bending it to his will and sewing her damage skin. He smiles and removes his hand along with his magic from the girl.

 

“Done.” He announces and stands up. The little girl looks at him with a very confused expression then checks on her knees. She gasps when she saw no scratches from her knees.

 

“My knees are healed.” she jumps up and down and walks around. “That’s your magic mister?!”

 

She gives Kyungsoo her big smile. “Thank you!”

 

He chuckles and pats her head one last time. “No problem kiddo.”

 

“When I grow up I wish to have magic just like yours!” she said with excitement in her voice. Instead of replying to her he just keeps quiet.

 

Don’t wish for that.

 

“Don’t tell anyone.” He said. “I better get going now. Be careful next time, Hani.” He waves goodbye the child waves back then left him.

 

You won’t like this magic, Hani. Kyungsoo snickered. I never thought it is magic, to me it is a dreadful curse.

 

He sighs and continues looking for the seeds his mother told him. Unknowingly, a pair of mysterious dark eyes follows him from a far.

 

///

 

 

“Oh sweetie! What took long?” his mother’s voice echoes in their small house. He places his shoes to the sides and went only a few steps he is in the kitchen. His mother greets him with wide open arms and checks on him. “Are you alright?”

 

“I’m fine, mother. The market is so packed of people that I can move.” Kyungsoo did not tell her about healing another child. He knows his mother will scold him and drive him insane with her long speech. He places the knitted bamboo fiber bag on the table. “Here is the pack of mango seeds.”

 

He sits on the chair and watches his mother grab the seeds puts it inside the pockets of her long skirt. “What are those for?” he asks.

 

“I want to plant these in our next home. I’m thinking of making mango pies for you and the new neighbors.” She smiles happily and sits right beside her son. Kyungsoo lips for a thin line and slumps his shoulders. Again, a new home. He frowns. His mother sees him sadden from what she just said and holds his hand.

 

“Sweetie, I know you like staying here but—“

 

“I know, I know. The war is going to be held near this town.” He grumbles. “When are we going to leave?”

 

“Tomorrow sweetie.” She gently pats Kyungsoo head and smiles warmly at him, making him somewhat calm. “Don’t be sad, they say being sad shortens your life.” She teases and earning a short chuckle. “Start packing your things honey.”

 

Kyungsoo nods stiffly at her and excuses himself. He goes straight to his room, and one by one folds all the hanging shirts and slacks. He owns a few clothes only and after a couple of minutes he finishes and moves onto his books on the shelf.

 

“Do you need help?” he turns and sees his mother leaning on the doorframe. She sits on the bed and reached for the bags underneath his bed. She points at the folded clothes and says. “I’ll put these in.”

 

“Thank you.” he smiles at her and grabs a couple of books before sitting on the bed with her. He notices her fingertips red and slightly swollen. She burnt herself. He grabs her hands, making his mother stop. He gently brushes his thumb on the swelling area and closes her hands together.

 

“Sweetie you don’t have to heal me.” She protest but it’s too late. Her son’s hands clasps to hers and once again uses his magic. He can feel his fingertips burning, flesh bloating and swelling. Kyungsoo slowly retracts his hand and stare at his mother’s healed fingertips. He smiles at his work, feeling very satisfied and proud. Kyungsoo looks at his red fingers and feels his magic reacting to it.

 

“When did you burn yourself?” he asks and tries to ignore the pain.

 

“Yesterday, I was cooking dinner and accidentally touched the hot pot. I didn’t want to hurt you, I know you’ll immediately heal me and yesterday were laying instruments with little Seojun and Seoeun.” She explains. Kyungsoo understands and stare at his healing fingers. It is not swollen like before just red. The pain also subsides.

 

“Mother, it is okay.” He showed her his healed fingertips. “See! No more!”

 

“Amazing.” She comments and pets Kyungsoo on his head. “You’re magic is gift.”

 

Kyungsoo tenses and looks away. Yes, it is true that his amazing but he doesn’t think it as a gift. A burden. He can’t use his power in use. His mother won’t allow him because she feared that the officials in war might use him to heal soldiers and overwork him until his magic drains. Magic is like a lake, big and small. If the lake is dried out it disappears. The magic user dies if he drains out all of it. In order to save the lake before it disappears completely, it must refill or wait for rain to come and gain water. The magic user must wait for his or her magic to be restored.

 

“Mother, why did you think it is a gift?” He asks her.

 

“I know you think of it as a curse because you can’t use it freely and help with the society. But to us, your father and I think of it as a gift, before he dies he told me to keep reminding you that it isn’t a curse.” She swallows and eyes getting teary. His father died from cancer. Kyungsoo was still a child when his father was diagnosed. He remembers begging for his mother to let him heal him but his father declined it and dies. “I know I won’t live for long, I won’t know if you are safe or not. Our souls might not go in peace if you are hurt but your powers will help you and perhaps protect you from harm.”

 

She cups Kyungsoo’s cheek. “That is why we think of it as a gift.”

 

“I feel useless.” He mutters and looks her directly to her eye. She smiles despite the tears I her eyes.

 

“You are not, sweetie. Not having powers doesn’t mean you are useless. Your the opposite! You always help me with everything. Please never thing you are useless.” She kissed Kyungsoo on the forehead.

 

“Okay, mother.” He replies and they go back to packing his things as they share stories with each other.

 

///

 

The moon took its place back in the sky. Kyungsoo stares out of his open window and wonders what future is ahead of him. When his mother’s time comes what will happen to him? Will he be all alone, no one to rely to, to talk about his magic or no one to love to? Maybe someone will discover him? For now, the future is a blur to him. He wishes to have the power to see future instead of this.

 

He turns to his bed, getting ready to get good sleep when he sees a shadow looming. He quickly spins and sees a man with hooded cape and knife. He was about to scream for help when the man lounge at him and knife pointed at him. He somewhat dodges it and push the attacker away from him.

 

Kyungsoo staggers backwards and hisses out pain. He quickly placed his hand on his cheek and gasp when his finger touched something wet. He checks his wet fingers and whimpers seeing it stain with red. His cheek is bleeding badly. He pressed his hand on the bleeding cheek, hiding it from his attacker.

 

This is bad. He bit his lips when his magic immediately reacts from the huge cut he got. He can feel the cut skin slowly closing and pain disappearing. I have to escape.

 

Hand still on his cheek, he runs past his attacker but only to be knockout by a strong force. He fell on floor flat and groans in pain. He is a wind user. And also a powerful one. The magic in him is too much that he can feel it leaking out his body. The man smirks and approach Kyungsoo, he used his wind to keep prisoner in place.

 

I can’t move.

 

The man grabbed his hand that is covering his now healed cheek and tries to pry it off. Kyungsoo fights back but the man above him is too strong and successfully removed his hand. Oh no.

 

“It’s gone.” The attacker smirks and stands up. “I finally found you.”

 

Finally?  The pressure on him disappears and the man grabbed his wrist and forcefully stands him up. Kyungsoo wince at the man’s brute action and glares at him warily.

 

“I need you to come with me.” The man says with a lace of dominance and determination in his voice. Kyungsoo scoffs and tries to remove the wrists but then hand around his wrist only tightens.

 

“Do you think after what you just did to me a while ago, I’ll listen to you?!” he screams at him. “Let me go!”

 

“Feisty.” His attacker throws him on the stone wall, knocking the air out of him and uses his wind magic to pin him down.  “Calm down. Your mother is sleeping. We don’t want her to wake her.”

 

That stopped Kyungsoo and stare at the man with rage. Is she in danger too? “Don’t you dare harm her.” He growls.

 

“I won’t so don’t worry.” the man sat on his bed. “It is you who I want.”

 

Shivers crept down his spine and fear finally settled in him. “W-What do you want from me?” then tries to make a distance between his attacker.

 

The man laughs hysterically and sits on his bed. “What were you thinking huh? You have such a dirty mind.” The man stops laughing and pulls out his serious face, making Kyungsoo even more nervous. “Like what I said before, I want you to help me.”

 

“With what?” Kyungsoo asks.

 

“I want you to heal our king from a life threatening illness.” The man says. The revelation completely surprise Kyungsoo. He didn’t know the King is sick. Nobody does. The last time he heard news about the king was a year ago when he was announce to be the new king after the funeral of the previous king.

 

“Is there no medicine for his sickness?” Kyungsoo asks and gulps. The man grumbles and shakes his head in disapproval.

 

“His illness is unknown. The best doctors in our kingdom did everything they can but nothing worked.” Sadness flashes on his attacker’s facial expression and sigh deeply. “We have to get there as fast as we can before his time runs out. He is the only one who can stop these wars.”

 

He stands up and looks down at him. “Let’s have a deal.” He crossed his arms.  “A war is coming near here right?”

 

Kyungsoo nods.

 

“How about I order my men to take your mother to a safe and secured place and protect her twenty four- seven while we go to the prince?” Kyungsoo thinks. If he accepts his deal, his mother will be safe, way from the constant war?

 

“Why can my mother come with us?” he asks and eyes the man from head to toe. He can’t see the upper half of his face, the man is wearing his hood on and the darkness of the night helps him his identity hidden. The man isn’t buff but tall and lean.

 

“The queen from another kingdom knew the King’s condition. They are trying to invade this land. The king is the only one who can stop her. She knows I’m looking for something or someone that can threaten her.” The man explains.  “There are a huge number of men under her hold on their way here as we speak. That is why it’s not a good idea to bring your mother with us.”

 

“How about me?! I’m not safe with you!” Kyungsoo hisses and tries to escape the invisible barrier.

 

“I’ll protect you. Trust me.” His voice is full of confidence and determination but Kyungsoo can only hear arrogance.

 

“Why should I trust you?” Kyungsoo retorts. The man hums and snaps his fingers, releasing him from the magic. Kyungsoo falls on the floor and cautiously stands on his wobbling legs, his eyes never leaving on the man.

 

“Because I’m a nice guy,” he paused and looks at him. “And all the lives of the innocent citizens living in this kingdom are literally in your hands.”

 

 

 

 Kyungsoo bites his lips. “Are you sure the King can stop these wars?” he asks one last time. The man looks right into his eyes and nods firmly.

 

“I am definitely sure. I bet my entire life that he’ll win this.” He said with a deeply and smooth voice. The caped man takes a few steps towards him to be near enough and holds out his hand. “Deal?”

 

If he agrees to this the King might be saved and his mother will be safe. How about Kyungsoo? If he heals the king, which means the illness will transfer to him. It’s an unknown illness; his body might able to take it. He might die. The king is a very powerful man, maybe that’s how the Excellency was able to survive. If he does die, his sacrifice will be worth it.  And a lot of lives will be saved, including his mother.

 

And lastly the purposes for his powers, where he can finally use powers for something big and very important, not just heal scratches and cuts. He holds the man’s hand and surprised to how warm it feels against his and shakes it. “It’s a deal.”

 

The man finally removes his hood with the other hand. The man has a beautiful tanned skin, his eyes are almond-shaped, his orbs are black as the infinite night sky, his hair his like a raven’s wings, dark and feathery and lips are pink and tender just like the plums his mother used to grow. The man is good looking. Kyungsoo can’t help but feel slightly jealous despite the situation he is in.

 

“I’m Kai.” Kai said smiles dazzling at him. “It’s nice to finally meet you Do Kyungsoo.”

 

A/N: Hi guys! Thank you for subscribing to this~! It made me happy! More answer will be revealed in the next chapter so please anticipate it hahaha! Thank you for reading! ^^