The guards arrived at the castle and they told the Queen that they failed to find the person that she asked about. The Queen became angry and she punished the guards mercilessly. The guards begged for her forgiveness but the Queen only laughed and killed them.

“They’re so useless!!”

The Queen went to her bedroom and the broken magic mirror still scattered messily on the floor. She raised her hand towards the broken pieces and the magic flew from her fingers and suddenly that shattered glass floated in the air and made into a whole round mirror again. The mirror hung on the wall in front of her again. She called the spirit that once lived in the magic mirror and she snapped at the spirit when it began to speak.

My Queen

“TELL ME! TELL ME WHERE EXACTLY HE LIVES!”

The spirit laughed, I told you, he lives in the forbidden forest. Did your guards can’t find him?

“Do not laugh at me!”

Well, my Queen. Why don’t you go there yourself?

Then the Queen got an idea, she smiled wickedly, “Oh! Yes! How can I not think about that earlier!” the Queen began pacing in her room and thinking about what should she do to get rid of the young boy.

But I know that you will fail to kill him. i told you, he will be the one who could destroy you in the end, my Queen.

The Queen ignored the spirit, “Hmm… you said that he is the fairest?”

Yes my Queen, he is the fairest in the world. He is not only has a beautiful face but also has a beautiful heart and attitude.

“Then I will make him look ugly, so he no longer the fairest in the world!”

The spirit only laughed, You still can’t be-

“Oh shut up!” she shut the mirror with her magic and the spirit gone. She smiled evilly and went to her secret room. She began to make a poison red apple with her magic and when Hongbin ate it, Hongbin would look like an old man. But she couldn’t go there with her appearance as a Queen. She had to disguise herself as an old peddler. She laughed evilly and went to the forbidden forest that night.

Taekwoon walked Hongbin back to the forest. Taekwoon insisted to walk him to his home to make sure that Hongbin safely back home. But Hongbin quickly refused him and told him that he would be alright. He didn’t want his hyung and Hakyeon found out that he went out without their knowing, or they would never allow him to go out ever again and imprisoned him in his room. He didn’t want that to be happen, he still wanted to go out and…. Secretly meeting Taekwoon of course.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright? Look, it’s already dark and.. and I don’t want something bad happen to you”

“It’s fine. My house is near here and I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me, Taekwoon-ah..” Hongbin smiled softly and it made Taekwoon’s heart fluttered. Taekwoon caressed his face and smiled back to him.

“You’re so beautiful Hongbin-ah.. so beautiful”

Hongbin’s heart did a flip flop and Hongbin was about to swoon. “Aah.. stop calling me beautiful.”

This entire day Taekwoon kept calling him beautiful, even when they were walking in the market Taekwoon kept glancing towards him and smiled sheepishly and muttering “beautiful” to him.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” asked Taekwoon again as he cupped Hongbin’s face and Hongbin laughed. Hongbin put his hands over Taekwoon’s and smiled softly.

“Yes… I’ll be alright. Just don’t worry about me too much”

Taekwoon sighed, “Fine then. I will stay here and watch you until you’re out of my sight”

Hongbin nodded and they pulled away, but Taekwoon still held Hongbin’s fingertips as Hongbin walked away. They smiled to one another and bid their goodbyes. Hongbin started to walk towards his house and then Taekwoon called.

“Can we meet again tomorrow morning?”

Hongbin turned around and a wide smile on his face as he nodded vigorously. Taekwoon smiled and chuckled, “Well.. we’ll see again tomorrow.. in this same place?”

Hongbin nodded again and beamed at him. Taekwoon nodded and gestured him to continue walked home. Taekwoon watched him gone and sighed. A brown rabbit approached him and Taekwoon smiled. he crouched down and rubbed its fluffy ear.

“I think I’m in love with him.” Taekwoon smiled at the rabbit as the rabbit sniffed at his hands. Taekwoon laughed, “What should I do? I can’t help this feeling. Should I confess to him tomorrow?” the rabbit his hands and Taekwoon laughed, “I take that as a yes!”

Hongbin quietly sneaked in to his room and his room looked dark. He hopped off from the window and smiled as he turned around.

“Are you having fun?”

Hongbin gasped and suddenly the room was bright and Hakyeon sat on his bed while Jaehwan stood near the lamp. They glared to Hongbin and Hongbin looked down as he stood nervously.

“Um.. I.. I can explain..”

“Yeah, sure. Explain to us now” said Hakyeon who now stood before him with his arms folded and with his judging look.

Hongbin opened his mouth but only to close it again. he did that for nth time until Hakyeon sighed.

“Why Hongbin? Why you didn’t listen to your hyung!” asked Hakyeon as he tried to calm himself too. Hongbin didn’t answer him, he only looked down and felt guilty.

“I’m so sorry hyung..” whispered Hongbin.

“Do you know how dangerous life is out there? We don’t want something bad happen to you, we’re worried about you Hongbin-ah” said Hakyeon.

“Do you know how stress your brother was?” Hongbin nervously glanced towards his hyung who hadn’t say a word since he arrived.

“Hongbin? I’m so disappoint at you. You could just wait for me and I can take you whenever you want to go. Not without our permission like this!”

“I’m so sorry..” Hongbin whispered and he wanted to cry at that moment. He made his hyungs worried and felt so guilty.

Hakyeon sighed and he noticed the tears escaped from Hongbin’s eyes. Jaehwan noticed that too and he walked towards Hongbin and hugged him.

“I’m so worried Beannie… I thought… I thought… Just please.. never leave the house without our permission ever again. Promise?”

Hongbin nodded, “I promise hyung.. I’m sorry..”

Hakyeon hugged them both and murmured “It’s okay” to Hongbin.

The next morning, Hakyeon and Jaehwan had to go somewhere and they had to leave Hongbin alone at home. They thought it was for the best because their house was the safest place for Hongbin to hide. Hakyeon told Hongbin to keep his promise to not go out from the house and not letting anyone to come in to their house. Hongbin promised them and Hakyeon and Jaehwan trusted him.

After he done his breakfast, Hongbin went back to his room and sighed.

“I’m sorry Taekwoon, I can’t see you today. I’m so sorry..”

Then a bird came and pecked on his window, Hongbin quickly opened his window to let the bird in. The bird sat on his shoulder and chirped into his ear. Hongbin sighed and told the bird that he wanted to go to see Taekwoon but he couldn’t because he wasn’t allowed to go out.

“Can you tell him that I can’t meet him? or accompany him maybe?”

The bird flew around his head and chirped happily before it fled away. Hongbin closed his window again and watched the bird gone.

Taekwoon was playing with the rabbits and he fed them with some vegetables which he had bought earlier. He smiled happily as he watched other animals started to join them. The birds chirped as they ate some crackers on the ground while he fed the deer with some fruits. Taekwoon was so happy feeding them while he waited for Hongbin to come.

But it already afternoon and Taekwoon became worried. Hongbin still hadn’t show up and Taekwoon got up. He debated with himself whether he should look for his house or not. Taekwoon sighed frustrated and he decided to look for Hongbin’s house.

Hongbin was reading and deep in his imagination. He read one of his favorite fantasy books. Although he had finished reading it, but he loved to read it over and over again. Suddenly there was a knock on the front door and Hongbin startled.  

“Excuse me, young man. I’m offering something delicious for you” said someone from outside. Hongbin walked towards the door and opened it.

A young man with a warm smile greeted him, he had his basket on his arm and it contained full of delicious looking red apples. Hongbin smiled back.

“Ah.. They’re true, you’re so beautiful, pretty boy” the male laughed and Hongbin smiled sheepishly.

“Umm. Thanks”

“Aah look at your face, looks so smooth and beautiful, oh! even your cheeks pink, and your red lips… ah you’re so perfect! It’s true! You’re the most beautiful thing on the earth.” The peddler crooked a smile and inched closer.

Hongbin smiled politely.

“Young boy, are you not.. letting me in?”

Hongbin remembered about what his hyungs had said, “Aah.. I’m sorry, uh, sir. But, I’m not allowed to let any stranger in” he said with apologetic smile.

“Well. Fine then. How about you buy some of my delicious red apples?” the peddler smiled brightly showing his yellow teeth. But Hongbin politely smiled to him and shook his head.

“I’m sorry sir.. but.. my brother just bought some yesterday”

“Aaah.. really? Well.. maybe you can just take one from me?” He offered the most red apple to Hongbin and held it for him.

Hongbin hesitated at first, he didn’t want to hurt the peddler feelings but he also didn’t have money with him. The peddler knew what in Hongbin’s mind so he offered the apple to him and smiled, “It’s free for the pretty boy like you”

Hongbin’s eyes went large and shocked, “F-free?”

“Yes”

Hongbin smiled widely and he took the apple from the peddler’s hands, “Oh, thank you so much sir. I hope someone will buy all of your apples, they all look delicious though”

The peddler laughed, “Yes, yes, thank you my dear.. so, I will go to the village to offer my apples to them. You know, you should eat it now because it still fresh and delicious. Goodbye pretty boy, have a nice day” then the peddler gone.

“Goodbye sir, have a nice day too.. and thank you!!”

Hongbin closed the door and leaned against it. He admired the delicious red apple, it was really red, and Hongbin already drooled just by seeing it. Hongbin bit the apple and chewed it between his teeth. He made his way to sit back to the sofa. And then he took another bite, another bite, until he finished it all. He smiled as he felt full and continued reading his book.

Taekwoon had been looking for Hongbin’s house but didn’t find any house or building in the forest. But then he saw a figure, a man figure. Taekwoon quickly ran after him.

“Hey, pardon me sir..”

The peddler stopped and slowly turned around. He –the Queen- shocked when he saw Taekwoon here.

Taekwoon smiled politely, “Uh, do you perhaps.. see any building in this forest?”

The peddler arched his eyebrow, “Umm, I’m sorry.. but no. I don’t see any. I come from another village and about to go the market to sell my apples sir.” He smiled to Taekwoon and could see a disappointment on Taekwoon’s face.

“Oh.. okey then. I’m sorry for interrupt you, thanks”

The peddler smiled before he gone.

Taekwoon sighed and decided to go back to his uncle’s house. Maybe Hongbin was busy, he thought.

Hongbin finished his book and decided to take a bath. But before he took a bath, he stood in front of his mirror. He hummed to a happy song but when he looked up to see his reflection, a loud scream escaped from his mouth. Hongbin screamed hysterically and he grabbed his mirror and threw it to the floor. The mirror scattered on the floor and Hongbin took a step back and hiding under his blanket. He began to crying hysterically and kept saying “no no no. it’s not me”. Hongbin couldn’t believe what he had just seen, he even didn’t recognize his reflection on the mirror.  His hair turned into grey and his face wrinkled like an old man and his lips no longer red and plump but it turned pale and dry, he looked so horrible, he looked so ugly. He glanced at his hands and his body and he screamed harder. He turned into an ugly old man.

“NOOOO!!!!! NOOO!!! IT CAN’T BE!!!” Hongbin cried harder and he didn’t want to face anyone with his face like this. 

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