The magic happened on a windy day in autumn. The trees gave in to the power of nature and were whirling their branches around. Animals tried to find shelter, scared of getting attacked by random things flying around. It was the kind of day people used as an excuse to avoid going outside.

People, however, was a quite general term and just because it was the smartest decision to enjoy the warmth and comfortableness of home it didn't mean everyone was ready to follow that suggestion.

 

There was a woman pressing their own flesh and blood to her own body in hope to keep both of them warm and protected. Her son was only a few months old, obviously too young to survive on his own, and desperately in need of medicine.

The mother spent hours staring outside the window, walking up and down the living room- praying for the storm to calm down.

With each minute it seemed like young Sungyeol's coughing got stronger, his cheeks redder and his forehead warmer.
He was young, too young to die and too loved to not risk anything for the sake of him getting better.

So his mom made the decision that would both change their lives forever.

The moment she stepped outside she knew it was going to be tough but she was more than determined to make the impossible happen.

 

With her all she tried to protect her only son, stepping aside whenever something heavy got carried by the wind in immediate reach. Sungyeol cried- whether it was in pain or fright, one couldn't tell. The only sound heard was the baby's gut-wrenching screams and the blowing wind. A situation that indeed seemed hopeless.

 

The sky darkened, the surroundings adapted to dark colors. It got harder to recognize things and the young woman knew she was lost.

Frustration build up within herself, a weak scream escaping her lips hinting at the fear she felt. She tried to suppress the tears that threatened to escape her eyes- knowing that Sungyeol had shed enough for the both of them.

Sungyeol, the little boy who hadn't been able to enjoy the beauty of life for long so far, went silent not too long ago- his breathing becoming slower and quieter, his heartbeat only like a small whisper within his chest.
It seemed like fate was decided.

 

The young woman whose eyes turned lifeless slumped down, not minding the dirt that welcomed the warmth of a human being.

More time passed and the wind turned ice cold causing goosebumps to break out on the fragile skin that was slightly exposed of the mother with her child.

She was unable to feel. Too tired to think.

Sungyeol had lost all warmth that was once kept inside his small body- his face started to become paler, his limps heavier- the little fighter was close to losing the hardest battle of his short life.

 

Desperate whispers of her child's name escaped the mother through gritted teeth, seemingly shaken in hopelessness and despair. Her voice gently getting carried away by the wind- sharing the pain with the creatures safely hidden.

 

Miracles didn't exist- it was well known- a miracle was an unusual or wonderful event caused by the power of God; God.

How to believe in something almighty when a child- not even able to walk or eat on his own- was fated to die.

But maybe they did. Maybe.

 

Maybe the appearance of a woman – face covered in wrinkles with a nose big and proud – was some kind of miracle. But maybe it wasn't.

 

“Who are you?” the voice of the young woman was only a whisper, shortly interrupted by chattering of her teeth due to the unbearable cold.

The older woman, dressed in a long black robe, smiled- not a friendly one; it was more of a smirk.
“My dear, I heard your cries- your desperateness. Let's say the trees told me your story- whispering small begs in my ear, asking me to be of help.”

 

“Please-” the voice sounded more confident this time, louder, stronger “Please save my son! He's sick!”

The young woman coughed- the last spark of life escaping . Her grip on Sungyeol tightened, nonetheless. Everything related to her being seemed irrelevant and of no importance- the only thing that mattered was Sungyeol and the infinite love she felt towards him.

 

A hum resounded, the newly appeared figure seemingly lost in thoughts. “I can save your son- on one condition!”

 

“Anything.”

 

“I want your heart.” The laugh filling up the air was evil, dark and mainly hideous. It was ugly to an average human's ear but it was the last chance to the young mother's.

With a last kiss on top of Sungyeol's forehead and a breathy 'I love you' she bid her last goodbye- promising herself to watch over her son's growth from above the clouds- and accepting the fate of handing over her most treasured possession- the place where she kept the love for her son.

 

It was the night where a life ended but another one got saved. It was the night where Sungyeol lived but his mother had to die.

 

–

 

Years passed and Sungyeol grew up to a handsome young man with a heart of gold. He was known for his kindness and his manners- well liked and welcomed wherever he went.

The only thing Sungyeol was missing was his family.

 

He didn't know much about his past as most parts were a blur to him. Sungyeol wasn't like others- his first memories weren't of his family, his parents lovingly smiling down at him. Instead it was the furniture of a foster home that got engraved into his mind- the smell of his old yet somewhat comfortable bed; the faces of the children he had to share a room with; the taste of poor yet filling meals. Sungyeol grew up without having a legit home.

The only thing he was the owner of were a few clothes that were gifted to him as well as his own thoughts and question that nobody had ever found a reply to.

 

Whenever Sungyeol asked about his past he had received the same reply.

“Sungyeol dear, we're sorry but we don't know much more than you do. We found you in front of our door- your skin was pale and your small fingers ice cold but you were alive. It was a miracle to us all as there had been a really bad storm going on. Nobody had dared to leave the house but yet you were there- alive and with a smile so bright on your face. We took you in but never got to find out about your family. Believe us, we did try- but there weren't any clues. We wish we could tell you more but we sadly can't.”

 

Sungyeol didn't want to believe it at first- everyone had a story, everyone but himself. It was frustrating, irritating and confusing but over the years Sungyeol came to learn that it had been nothing but the truth.

With every inch he grew taller and every year added to his age he became more responsible and started taking matters into his own hands.

All he found out had been- nothing, absolutely nothing. It seemed to match with the things the head of the foster home had told him; there simply were no clues.
It was like Sungyeol didn't have a family left in this world and it made his heart break a little.

 

Sungyeol was fine on his own, he really was, he had gotten used to be on his own over the past years yet the feeling of something missing wouldn't leave. He felt incomplete and empty at times.

Sungyeol had always been a fighter- someone who stood up for himself and his dreams.

He did well in school and tried his best to get a job as quickly as possible to be able to move out and to enjoy the luxury of one's own home.

Sungyeol didn't want to depend on others- he didn't want to be surrounded by things that weren't his own- he finally wanted to be able to call something 'his'.

 

He had reached his goal, he managed to make his dream become reality.

But he still wasn't happy.

Sungyeol had a job- it didn't pay well but it was enough; he had a small apartment- it wasn't big but it had its charm; he got greeted by people on the streets- but they still weren't his friends.

Sungyeol was able to call 'things' his own but his true self desired to be able to call a person 'his'.

 

Sungyeol realized that it had never been objects he desired but contact with real people; Sungyeol wanted to be loved.

To be fair- the people living at the foster home respected him fairly and treated him nicely- occasionally he was lucky enough to experience something as affection but it still wasn't enough.

Sungyeol knew about love, he had heard enough about it to be able to tell that he had never experienced love before.

Based on tales he learned about different types of love- realizing that the love of a mother seemed to be the most outstanding one.

Sure, the special bond between two human beings seemed incredibly outstanding as well yet the fact a mother often chose her own child over her partner's fate seemed to be proof enough that there would be nothing more special than the love of a mother.

But Sungyeol couldn't tell.

He wasn't sure.

If his mother loved him dearly- then how did he end up at the foster home? How did he end up getting placed in front of a house occupied by strangers alone?

Sungyeol didn't know but he wanted to find out.

 

He was determined to find out; there was nothing he craved for more- it was what kept Sungyeol alive.

His every day life seemed dull but it was not bad per se. It was something he was proud of- something he had achieved on his own.

Sungyeol was a fighter and he made sure that his hard work would pay off in the end. If there was something the young, tall man didn't like it was to fail.

 

But so far his research had been everything but successful- Sungyeol was failing and it was getting to him.
The useful cheerful and happy man- always having a content smile on his face- started to fade away; become only a distant memory.

Sungyeol didn't know what it was that triggered it- what it was that suddenly affected him so much.

He had lived all his life with this feeling of something not fitting together; something missing- but he had never felt this desperate before.

He didn't know if it was because he had moved out and started a life of his own- or if it was because he simply had grown tired of fighting.

But he knew that something was wrong and that he had to fix it.

 

With new found strength and determination he decided to start over. Sungyeol wouldn't give up- he would find the answers to his questions but he never suspected he was to find love along the way.

 

 

–

 

“Myungsoo, you're doing it all wrong! Don't add- Myungsoo!”

 

But it was too late- the raven haired male had already thrown the last ingredient into the big black cauldron causing the potion to boil over and to dirty the floor they were standing on.

 

Myungsoo's face turned into a guilty one right away, trying to escape the crime scene secretly.

 

“Son, you stay here and clean the mess. Do you hear me?”

 

The young male got stopped in their tracks and turned around, shoulders hanging lowly.

 

“Yes mother.” His voice was barely a whisper, guilt more than evident.

 

“What have I done in my past life to deserve a son like you? Nothing you do is right! You haven't got a clue what I've sacrificed for you and what do you do to thank me? Absolutely nothing! You should be ashamed of yourself, Myungsoo! I raised you better than this, did I not? You're an embarrassment to me- this is why you're not allowed to leave this house at all times. You're nothing without me, son, remember that. And now- clean up and go to your room. I can't stand looking at your face any longer.”

 

The old witch's face was stern- voicing her words without any kind of emotion. And even tho Myungsoo was more than used to it, it hurt. Every word was like a needle getting pinned to his heart.

His heart that was so sensible and pure, that was beating strong and proud- his heart that was hidden under a huge scar on his chest.

Knowing there had been no option besides obeying, the raven haired male quickly got down on his knees to clean up the mess he had created.

His mother had tried teaching him brewing potions and all kinds of things related to magic for years now but it always ended in chaos. It just wasn't meant to be but his mother was too proud to see- not wanting to openly admit that her son wasn't like her.

But he wasn't.

He had never been.

 

After finally being satisfied with the cleanness of the floor, Myungsoo got up again to finally hide in his room- the place he felt the safest where he was no longer watched by cold eyes filled with nothing that resembled life.

Myungsoo wasn't happy about admitting it but he detested his mother. He tried to fight these nasty kind of feelings but he couldn't help it any longer- anger built up within the pit of his stomach as he balled his hands into fists and clenched his teeth.

 

He wanted to be free- he was so sick of this; sick of getting treated like a slave instead of a son. At moments like these Myungsoo wished he was at least a little talented when it came to magic- he wanted nothing more than to create a potion that was able to turn him invisible.

Myungsoo wanted nothing more than to be gone; than to get rid of his family that consisted of his mother alone.

 

Myungsoo wanted to explore the world, make friends- experience new things. There were so many things he had read about yet had never gotten the chance to see with his own eyes.

Myungsoo was hurting and his mother did nothing to prevent him from getting more hurt.

 

Tears welled up in his eyes as he kept thinking about all the wrongs the said woman had done in the past years- what he had to go through.

He didn't do anything to deserve this kind of treatment- he was more than aware of that yet he still doubted himself.

Losing his strength in his legs, his body dropped to the cold floor while tears continued running down his face.

Being alive hurt. It hurt so much.

 

–

 

With an exhausted sigh Sungyeol let himself fall on a chair placed in his favorite bar- never having been more in need of a drink.

It had been a hard day and his bones as well as his head were hurting.

 

Work had been rough these days and with dedicating every free minute of his time to research Sungyeol reached the point of total exhaustion.

 

A cold beer was placed right in front of the brunette guy and he accepted it with a smile and a small thank you- drowning the cold liquid right away. A satisfied sigh escaped his dry lips and for once he felt completely relaxed. It was nice to be on a break for once and Sungyeol decided he would do it more often from now on.

 

Time passed and he watched people come and go. Most of the faces were unknown to him- he still didn't know many people as he had moved to this area of the city not too long ago.

He liked listening to the conversations people shared- trying to catch up on some gossip about the people living there.

There were people trying to approach him but Sungyeol kindly declined every offer to a shared drink as he preferred to be alone that night.
He wanted to focus on his thoughts and the people's talk- secretly hoping to catch up on something related to his past.

Sungyeol was more than aware that he was being ridiculous but he couldn't help himself. He didn't have much in the world so he was willing to hold on tightly to every clue given.

 

Sungyeol's eyelids started falling shut and he figured that it was a sign for him to leave. After paying his bill he threw over his coat and prepared to leave when words were spoken that caught Sungyeol's attention.

Frozen in his tracks he stayed and continued listening.

 

“Are you certain that that was what you heard?”
“Yeah I'm telling you- my friend experienced it, he was there!”
“But witches don't exist- whatever you've heard- it must be wrong. Maybe your friend was too drunk or had spent too much time with watching Dramas and fairy tales.”
The men seated at the back of the pub were talking in hushed voices but Sungyeol still managed to grab everything.

“I promise what my friend said was true! He's been there- he actually talked to her. She asked for a lot of money but she could reply to all questions my friend asked. That witch had actually turned my friend's life into something better.”
“Impossible.”
“It's hard to believe but still true. I'm actually not allowed to tell you this but I thought it was fair for you to-”
The voices died down when one of the men noticed Sungyeol standing in the middle of the room staring at them.

Sungyeol offered a small smile- the feeling of getting caught evident- and escaped quickly.

 

While walking home he couldn't get rid of the feeling that his life was about to get changed.

If it was related to the things he overheard at the bar- he wasn't sure. Yet.

 

 

–

 

Sungyeol had spent the following days with research- this time focused on 'witches' and 'magic', however.

There was something fascinating to that matter but Sungyeol couldn't quite explain as to why exactly.

The only thing he was certain of was that he was doing the right thing- that this was right; it was something he was supposed to do. If he wanted to find out more he had to go more into details.

 

He read all kind of stories- about spells, potions and the history of witches and the way they were treated in previous years.

In the end it all sounded like myths but Sungyeol wanted to believe in them nonetheless.

 

But no matter how many books he read- it still wasn't 'it'. Heck, he didn't even know what he was looking for but so far everything had been wrong or not really wrong but just not right, either.

Sungyeol was confused and frustration started building up at the bottom of his stomach once again.

 

Maybe he should just give up- maybe he was slowly going crazy even daring to dream his family's disappearance being related to magic in any way.

Thinking things through Sungyeol let out a laugh realizing what exactly he was trying to archive at this moment.

He needed to stop this- needed to return to focusing on work and to start over. It wasn't the past that was important but the future.

 

With a shook of his head he closed the book in front of him, getting up to put it back. He then escaped the library without turning back- completely giving up on the things that had been occupying his mind.

 

 

–

 

Myungsoo watched as raindrops were turning the ground into a darker shade of gray. It looked nice- the sound of rain always calming his emotions.

If the heaven cried he didn't feel the need to cry as well- it was enough to watch the rain. He liked it.

 

“Myungsoo!” His mother's voice resounded and his forehead turned into a frown. Not again.

 

Knowing he had no other choice he turned away from the window and escaped his room, ready to face another possible scolding.

 

“Yes mother?”

 

The raven haired male's eyes were tired, the dark shadows under his eyes making him appear older than he originally was.

 

His mother scoffed at the emotionless tone her son was using on her but she didn't voice it out loud. Instead she stated something that turned Myungsoo's eyes a tad livelier again.

 

“I ran out of ingredients that I'm in need of so I'll be out for a few hours. I just want you to behave and to not break anything. Try to be good for ones I'm getting sick of having to punish your sorry . Is that clear?”

 

Myungsoo only nodded not feeling the need to response with actual words.

 

“Good.”

 

The witch seemed pleased as she made her way to the door, already starting to mumble the spell that would make it impossible for Myungsoo to leave.

He hated it- being caught like that, being treated like a dog. Myungsoo was a human being and he wanted to get treated like exactly that.

 

Myungsoo knew he had to come up with something fast to make the impossible possible. His mother was on the last word- close to perfecting the spell- when a loud sneeze escaped Myungsoo's throat causing his mother to turn to him with a judging glance.

“Don't get sick! I don't want to bother getting you healthy again.” Those were the last words she said before leaving the small house that was located in the middle of a forest.

 

A smile spread across Myungsoo's face as hope filled his brown orbs. If his plan had worked he'd be able to leave right about-

 

-now.

 

 

–

 

Sungyeol's life returned back to normal- without any special occurrences. He continued working hard to earn the money he needed to keep himself alive.

His days consisted of nothing but work and spending the rest of the time at his apartment.

Going out was nothing Sungyeol was in the mood for- the former wish to have people to lean and depend on turned into the wish to be isolated forever.

He was tired- so tired.

 

Nothing made sense and instead of being motivated to continue digging up his past he just felt ridiculous for even having dared to start.

He should have accepted his fate sooner instead of coming to ridiculous conclusions. Sungyeol felt like he had lost himself over the past weeks and it was nothing he was proud of.

What was he living for? He didn't know anymore. His reason to smile? He didn't have that anymore. The life turned into a boring shade- losing all its colors and excitement.

Life was boring.

 

Not wanting to drown in self pity any longer, he got up from his couch in hope to find something eatable in the kitchen that could satisfy his growling stomach.

He realized that luck wasn't on his side, however, when the only thing he found was an old banana that had gone to waste.
It was time for him to go grocery shopping.

 

Sungyeol quickly put on his shoes as well as his coat wanting to return to the warmth of his own home as soon as possible.

His favorite store was luckily not too far away so he managed to get there within less than ten minutes.

It wasn't hard for him to pick what to buy as he always settled on the same things- keeping his diet dull and boring yet affordable.

 

He paid quickly and wanted nothing more to get home to finally be able to heat up the food he had just bought.

Life seemed to have other plans for him, though- he stopped walking abruptly the moment he spotted a young dark haired male huddled in a back road.

The other man looked so out of place that Sungyeol's heart clenched.

 

Not knowing what to do next, he just stayed and stared taking in the beauty of the man that seemed to be about the same age he himself was.

 

 

–

 

The opening of the door was the most freeing and overwhelming sound Myungsoo had ever heard in his entire life. The feeling of freedom slowly spreading through his chest, mixing together with the adrenaline rushing through his veins.

The first meters were like a blur, the pure intensity of excitement too much to handle and blinding his senses from taking in anything regarding his surroundings.
He was free.

The raven haired male had no idea where he was heading, but he didn't care. It felt right.

He had trust his feet were leading him into the right decision. As a matter of fact, no place would be able to even compare to the house he grew up in.

The air filling his lungs, the smell he breathed in was like a medicine for his soul, healing and soothing the pain that had grown over the years of him growing up.

He didn't know the exact amount of time of him wandering around, but it felt like a blink of an eye compared to the time he was kept in his own definition of prison, suffering and slowly falling apart.

 

The moment the contours of a small city started appearing at the horizon, Myungsoo's breath got stuck in his throat, realization slowly sinking in of the things ahead, eventually awaiting him.

The fear that dared to nibble at his conscience quickly wearing off as he remembered what exactly his mother had put him through.

No matter how often he had gotten scolded, he had confidence in himself and he knew he wasn't a good for nothing. He had no talent when it came to magic but he had always believed the reason for that being the difference between himself and the woman he had called mother over the past years.

Myungsoo was kind, shy for sure, but he had the heart at the right spot.
Myungsoo hadn't encountered a lot of people to this very point but every client his mother had over as a guest treated him nicely, a smile that spread warmness on their lips. The had thanked Myungsoo for the things he had been doing for them to feel more at ease, more comfortable at a place that was feared by many.

'Witches' weren't meant to exist, even Myungsoo, a boy who grew up with a witch as a mother, knew.

 

With confidence in his steps, he dared to minimize the distance between his current position and his new future.

He was ready, he had reached the legal age not too long- he would be able to make it.

 

The smile on Myungsoo's face, radiating nothing but pure naivety, however, faded the moment he tried approaching people.

It wasn't like they weren't nice but it wasn't like they were, either.

Every store or hostel he decided to enter, he got welcomed warmly at the first second. Not shortly after, already having muttered he had no papers to show or money to spend, the friendliness of the person he was facing fell apart.
It was his way of learning that some people had nothing but money on their mind, not even wanting to entrust a young and healthy boy with easy tasks to help out and let him earn some coins that would guarantee his survival.

 

The sky started darkening, referring to the end of the day, and Myungsoo sank down with a sight. The ground was cold and he made sure to tug at his black robe to become more comfortable and to forget the wind that was tracing along his skin, causing goosebumps to appear.

 

Myungsoo was too young, too trusting, too kind. Never had he faced the real world before, never had he have to handle his life on his own.

He detested his mother, yes, but at least she made sure he didn't starve and had a roof to live under.

Another sigh escaped his full lips as his thoughts were spinning through his hand, desperately trying to come up with possible solutions.

His legs were tired, hurting from the marsh. His eyelids were heavy, occasionally closing when it became too much of a burden to keep them open.

Hope left his body slowly, and so did his previous feelings of freedom and happiness.

 

 

–

 

Sungyeol continued taking in the beauty of the man, getting irritated by the lack of movements he noticed. He figured the other was sleeping which caused his nose to wrinkle up.

Why would anyone sleep at this time of the day on the streets? Especially with the cold wind magically finding its way through all layers of clothes, making sure to steal a piece of every human being's body temperature.

 

With worried hands, Sungyeol started poking the raven haired boys' shoulder, hoping for it to be enough to wake up the sleepy head. And it worked.

 

The person Sungyeol was facing and could only be described as insanely attractive, started stirring awake, lazily rubbing the sleep out of his eyes that had the color of a brown as warm as a bonfire.

 

Sungyeol couldn't help but smile, the boy being blessed with a cuteness that seemed to be natural.

 

“Who are you?” The boy, who seemed to have finally woken up fully, widened his eyes- giving off a childish yet adorable aura.

 

“Lee Sungyeol is what they call me, and you would be?” Sungyeol, who still couldn't suppress the smile on his face, now looked at the raven haired male with hopeful eyes, expecting a reply.

 

“Myungsoo, I'm Myungsoo.” His voice appeared unsure, a whisper even. Sungyeol couldn't help but think that it was a beautiful name to a beautiful person.

 

“And what brings you here exactly, Myungsoo?”

 

Myungsoo seemed to struggle with something, his eyes temporally closing as being in thoughts deeply. It didn't take him long, however, until he finally opened his lips to spill his story.

And once the young man started talking, it appeared as nothing was able to stop him. He was in a flow, his emotions being mirrored in his handsome face as he was talking.

Myungsoo spoke in a deep yet soothing voice, hurt evident in his voice as he was revealing the secrets deeply hidden in his heart.

Not being able to control his own actions, Sungyeol had reached out to take Myungsoo's hand into his own- as a sign of protection and safety.

His hand was small, pretty even and reflected the past the younger male was talking about. Sungyeol noticed small scars- apparently reminding evidences of the many times Myungsoo had to cope with picking up broken fragments- of what exactly, he didn't reveal.

 

Sungyeol learned a lot about Myungsoo at that time- and not only about Myungsoo but about himself, as well. He learned Myungsoo had no family he would be able to return to. He learned that the thing he originally had ached for the most, was something too terrible to face to others.

He also learned that one touch of another human being could send sparks through his body and that he wanted to be responsible for another life besides his own.

 

It was the moment when Sungyeol realized that he didn't want to be the one being loved, but wanted to be the one loving instead.

Forgotten was the misery he had been drowning in only hours ago as he felt that his life was about to change to the better and the reason for that being none other than the person in front of him.

 

–

 

When Myungsoo opened his eyes, he felt like he got blinded. As cliche as it might sound, he was sure the person appearing into his view wasn't worthy of being called a 'human being'- he was something beyond that.

The word 'human' indirectly included adjectives such as flawless and lacking- but him, the person Myungsoo was seeing, appeared to be anything but human. For a second he considered having died on the streets and having entered heaven as logical consequence.

 

It was only later, when he started to return to his senses, that he took in the situation he had gotten himself into.

Not only was he talking to a complete stranger, who he had mistaken for a legit angel at first glimpse, but also was he revealing everything about himself- everything but the fact that his mother was a witch, fearing it would scare away the man who introduced himself as Sungyeol.

 

Myungsoo swallowed thickly, being a little overextended with everything that was happening within a short period of time.

Only now he felt the warmth encircling his hand- Sungyeol's body warmth being the cause of it.

Myungsoo's cheeks, that were immediately taking on a light shade of pink, grew warm and the raven haired male tried to avoid eye contact voicing his next words.

“I'm really sorry, Sungyeol. I didn't mean to bore you with my life story. I'm- I'm really sorry, I think I should go.”

With a heavy heart he withdrew his hand, missing the strangely familiar touch of the other man right away. It seemed weird how someone he barely met seemed to have a closer connection to him than he was ever able to build up with his mother over the past years.

 

He had gotten back to his feet, knocking off the dust that had gathered on his pants and robe, before turning away to head to another unknown direction.

 

“Where exactly do you think you're heading off to?” A strange feeling of relief spread through his body, as he felt Sungyeol's hand coming in touch with his body once again, holding him back.

 

“I.. I don't know?!” Myungsoo didn't want to sound unsure, he wanted to appear strong and confident- yet he failed. How was he able to man up when he had no direct reply to the question asked?

 

“How about you follow me?”

Myungsoo's back was still faced to Sungyeol but only by hearing his voice, he knew the other was smiling. Why, however, he didn't know.

 

“To where?”

“My place.”

“What about your family?”

 

A sigh- a sad one, Myungsoo realized.

 

“I don't have a family, Myungsoo. I'm like you- only different.” He heard Sungyeol laugh at what he himself uttered. “But I live alone- it's not big, it's nothing special but it's warm. So what do you say?”

 

Too fast, the raven haired young man replied too fast- hopelessness forcing him to give in, agreeing and eventually following Sungyeol to wherever his apartment was located.

 

–

 

With a smile on his face, Sungyeol watched the man in front of him munching happily on his food, his face all crunched up into dimples.

Sungyeol was certain his facial muscles should be sore by now, hurting even, due to the amount of times they were scrunching up into a smile.

He had never been the type to smile a lot, genuinely at least, but everything changed the moment Myungsoo had stepped into his life.

 

It had been a month since he started sharing an apartment with the younger male and only then he had realized how lonely he had truly been before, Myungsoo taking up a part of his heart within the shortest period of time.

 

As expected, it had started awkwardly- Myungsoo seemingly shy and not knowing what he was allowed to do. It had taken a lot of talking – Sungyeol revealing his own past, which was a first – for Myungsoo to become comfortable, to feel more at ease and to finally be able to say that he had found a new home for good.

They grew closer quickly, learning about each other's habits and personalities bit by bit, day by day. It felt nice having someone close by whose company one actually enjoyed and eventually started seeking for.

 

Sungyeol never minded the hours he spent working before, but now they appeared too long as it only meant time he spent apart from Myungsoo.

 

The both of them had tried to find Myungsoo a job as well but as Myungsoo was lacking some basic educational aspects his mother had never bothered to convey, Sungyeol decided to teach the other before they would go out job hunting again.

Myungsoo felt uncomfortable at first, not wanting to burden Sungyeol any further but as Myungsoo was the one taking care of the household, cleaning and cooking, Sungyeol managed to convince him into believing that it was his way of repaying his 'debts'.

 

Sungyeol was sure he had found someone he could call his 'little brother' but he soon learned that that wasn't quite the right description regarding the feelings that started building up within the pit of his stomach.

He didn't pay too much attention to the sparks he was feeling at first, tried to ignore the change of his heartbeat every time Myungsoo snuggled into his side, gave him a back hug or showed his affection in another way.

No matter how shy Myungsoo appeared to be at first, he soon turned into a ball of sunshine clinging onto Sungyeol at every possible chance, claiming he was cold and in need of warmth even tho spring had gotten replaced by summer over the past weeks.

Myungsoo was a weird one but Sungyeol didn't want him to change in any way. Because he was perfect, perfect the way he was.

 

“Why are you staring at me? Do I have something on my face?”

Sungyeol snapped out of his trance, realizing that Myungsoo had noticed him checking out the younger intensely.

“I was just thinking, Myung. Don't be bothered.”

Sungyeol then only winked, successfully making Myungsoo giggle and forgetting the question he had previously asked.

Nothing was more important to Myungsoo than eating anyway- especially when it was a treat bought from the bakery right next to their apartment.

 

–

 

Myungsoo rose up from his sleep, sweat evident on his forehead. His breathing was fastened, his mouth widened and his heart sped up. A nightmare.

Myungsoo never had nightmares with Sungyeol in reach but he had them when he was gone. The young man tried to not fall asleep when he was left alone in the apartment, fearing for the nightmares to threaten him, but it was boring without Sungyeol around and after trying to solve the nth math problem, he couldn't help but to drift off to sleep.

The nightmare that kept haunting him was the same, every single time. It was his mother- her face appearing older than he had ever seen before, her voice weak yet scary while whispering the words that would keep repeating into Myungsoo's head until Sungyeol would announce his arrival after successfully having finished his work for the day.

“I will come and get you, Myungsoo. Wait for me, Son. I will come and get you.”

 

Silent tears escaped the chocolate brown eyes of the raven haired male as he was trying to get his breathing back under his control.

He was happy- he had never been happier before. Heck, he had never been aware a human being was even capable of being this happy.

Sungyeol had become his pillar of support, his hero, his everything.

Whenever he was able to throw his arms around the others frame he felt safe, at home. Breathing in the scent of the other calmed him down like nothing else- comforted him like nothing had ever before.

Losing Sungyeol would mean losing himself and he promised himself he would do everything to not let that happen, ever.

 

He loved Sungyeol.

 

Myungsoo was naive, he didn't know what it meant to have strong feelings for someone else. He didn't know what it meant to be loved or how to love.

It took him days, weeks even to figure out the reason for his strange behavior, a behavior he never had to deal with before. The familiarity he felt every time he touched Sungyeol, the way his heart sped up every time he saw Sungyeol, the way he missed and longed for the presence of the other every time he wasn't there, the way he desired Sungyeol.

 

The answer was love, it had been love all along.

 

Sungyeol was the one who taught him what 'love' meant. Sungyeol taught him everything important he needed in life.

 

Sungyeol was his happiness. And he wanted to become Sungyeol's.

 

–

 

Their first kiss was shy, awkward, weird but beautiful. Exactly how a first kiss was supposed to be. They both were inexperienced but confident in their feelings for one another.

None of them had confessed, none of them knew how it eventually had come to their first kiss but both of them were more than aware that they had no regrets.

The feeling of each other's lips pressed against each other, slowly moving, tasting each other was something magical and made them forget about everything, everything but their unsteady heartbeat within their chests.

 

As they couldn't say who leaned in first, the couldn't say who was the one ending the kiss- deciding it was a mutual decision for the sake of their lungs that were being in need of air that was previously out.

They didn't say a word, only smiled at each other and knew that a new chapter in their lives was about to start. A chapter in which they were meant to finally find the kind of happiness they had sought for all their past years of living.

 

–

 

Time continued passing by and Myungsoo and Sungyeol were happy together, they truly were.

Yet, Sungyeol soon realized that there was something bothering Myungsoo. Something he refused to talk about, even if it was Sungyeol asking the unanswered questions.

 

It was then that Sungyeol decided to take Myungsoo out to the bar that he occasionally had stopped by before having met the younger boy.

He wanted the raven haired male to loosen up, to forget about his worries and to simply enjoy each others company outside their shared apartment.

Myungsoo eventually agreed to Sungyeol's plan and together they sat down at the counter of the bar, burning their throats with the soothing taste of alcohol.

 

Myungsoo slowly started loosing up, his muscles obviously relaxing as he was leaning into Sungyeol's side, giggling happily as he whispering sweet nothings into the other's ears. Sungyeol tried to keep the other steady, fully enjoying the behavior of the man he was able to call 'his'.

 

'His'- Sungyeol's dream had finally come true. He didn't have to find out about his family, he had found his family and his family was none other than Myungsoo.

 

It was then that Sungyeol realized that Myungsoo had stiffened within his hold, seemingly concentrated on something that wasn't Sungyeol.

Myungsoo's head was directed to the corner of the bar and as Sungyeol followed his gaze he recognized a bunch of men sitting at a round table, casually chatting while drowning beer after beer. After putting more focus on recognizing the men's faces, he realized they were the men that had previously caught him eavesdropping the last time he paid a visit to this bar.

Curiously, Sungyeol looked back to Myungsoo's face and judging by his concentrated facial expression he figured he was trying to catch what the men were whispering.

So Sungyeol tried as well- closing his eyes to put more focus on his hearing abilities.

The only words he was able to catch, however, were the words 'witch', 'death' and 'destroyed'. Not knowing how to put the heard words together, he opened his eyes again only to see a smile on Myungsoo's face that was more radiant than the rays of the sun.

 

Before Sungyeol was able to ask what the meaning of this was, Myungsoo pressed a quick kiss on Sungyeol's lips, whispering the words “I am free.”

Sungyeol wanted to question further but he wasn't able to utter any words as Myungsoo slug his arm around Sungyeol's neck, diving in to capture Sungyeol's lips once again into a kiss that was full of passion and love.

Sungyeol was unable to do anything but to kiss back with just as much passion, if not even more.

 

–

 

Sungyeol's and Myungsoo's relationship grew even closer from that point on. It wasn't long after when they allowed to give each other their everything, promising to stay together forever.

 

Their relationship wasn't perfect, they had secrets, things they didn't talk about but they trusted one another nontheless.

Sungyeol never found out why there was a scar blooming on Myungsoo's chest. Myungsoo never found out what Sungyeol did to convince the owner of the bakery to let Myungsoo work there.

 

Myungsoo never found out what exactly had happened to his mother, and why she never came to look for him. He also never found out the reason why he had never been allowed to leave the house while growing up.

 

Sungyeol never found out that magic was real. He also never learned anything about his family.

 

Life had its secrets and it was good that way, making it more exciting and real.

 

Some things weren't destined to be told, they were simple meant to happen.

 

And the love story of Sungyeol and Myungsoo was definitely something created by destiny, allowing two human beings that had nothing to receive what they deserved- which was everything.

 

The End.