Hyungwon jumped, filling his panicked lungs with air as he landed.

“You’ll never catch me!” he screamed back at his assailant.

Changkyun tried to reach the top of the bookcase where Hyungwon had landed. He huffed and glared at the frog, “Stop being a baby and just drink it!”

“That turd-green, foul-smelling concoction isn’t going anywhere near me!” Hyungwon spat back from the high ground, taking full advantage of the apprentice’s short stature.

Changkyun placed his hands on his hips and let out an exhausted sigh. Hyungwon had been evading him for nearly twenty minutes now and he had reached his limit. “I didn’t want to do this, but you leave me no choice,” the wizard said as his fingers glowed blue.

“What th-”

Before Hyungwon could finish, he was encompassed in the same light, his whole form turning blue and tingling with sparks of energy.

It took him two seconds to process that Changkyun had just zapped him, and another two seconds to realize that he was floating five feet off the ground and towards the boy.

“Open wide,” Changkyun asked, but he wasn’t going to wait for Hyungwon to follow orders this time. The apprentice forcibly held the frog’s mouth open as he shoved the potion down his throat.

Hyungwon squirmed as he felt the cool sludge crawl down his insides, his tongue numbed with the tang of magic. Unlike the spell that Changkyun used earlier, the potion clung to him. It was like pin pricks all over his body, pinching and pulling until he morphed into a predestined form.

When it finally stopped, he opened his eyes and looked into Changkyun’s floor length mirror.

Hyungwon blinked twice, hoping to clear whatever misconception he might have because in front of him stood a small, fluffy monstrosity.

“A dog?! So I’m stuck as a dog now?!” Hyungwon barked. He knew the potion was supposed to transform him, but Changkyun had failed to mention what he’d become.

“I never said-” Changkyun tried to in Hyungwon’s rant but got cut off.

“Are you sure you’re even a proper wizard?! Why a dog of all thing!?”

“Because it’s the perfect choice-” The apprentice tried to speak again but Hyungwon wouldn’t let him.

“If you can transform me with a potion why don’t you just make me a person again,” Hyungwon growled, too blinded by his rage to realize he’d crossed a line.

That was it. Changkyun was done waiting for Hyungwon to finish his rant. The wizard had spent too long planning things out and making this potion for Hyungwon only for the former frog to outright disrespect him like this.

“Because dogs are cute and friendly – plus Minhyuk hyung loves them, so you’re likely to get that kiss without having to say anything. But more importantly, you’re forgetting you’re already under magical strain. If I tried to make you too big you could explode. Stop acting like I don’t know what I’m doing!” The wizard panted as he finished what he had to say in one breath.

The stunned dog prince only stared up at Changkyun. No one, not even his parents, had ever raised their voice at him. Hyungwon suddenly felt like laughing. Everything about this situation was ridiculous.

Just days ago, he was a prince being fawned over by his subjects and now he was a dog being lectured by some wizard’s apprentice. What he found oddest though was the fact he actually wanted to apologize to Changkyun, but was too prideful and angry to even try to.

Not saying a word in reply to Changkyun was probably the best apology that Hyungwon could give.

Somehow it seemed like the wizard understood. “We’d better get going. Like I mentioned, this potion’s effects are temporary.”

Hyungwon stood in attention with his tail wagging behind him. He expected Changkyun to walk past him and open to door, not scoop him up into his arms.

The prince tried not to yelp at the sudden movement. He was still not used to being hoisted off the ground and having no control over his balance. But there was something oddly reassuring about being held by Changkyun. It was clear to anyone with eyes that Changkyun wasn’t the sturdiest man out there, yet somehow when Changkyun held him, Hyungwon felt so safe that he burrowed into the crevasse of Changkyun’s arm.

He’d never felt this attached to Changkyun before and there was clearly no explanation for why.

Maybe it was the magic? Maybe it was his new dog instincts? Maybe it was both?

Hyungwon had been lost in his thoughts when he felt Changkyun stop. As he pulled his head from the crease in Changkyun’s arms, Hyungwon’s senses were overwhelmed.

Instantly, his nose picked up the sweet scent of flowers and freshly cut grass. He could hear the sound of Prince Minhyuk's laughter mixing with noise of the bubbling fountain. Everything felt so crisp and so fresh that Hyungwon unconsciously moved his whole form as far out as he could to sneak a peek.

Past the pillars was a courtyard. At the opposite where he and Changkyun stood was a fountain protruding from a walled off section of the yard. Hidden by the blossoming trees which surrounded the fountain were two small archways leading to the back of the palace grounds. It seemed that the fields beyond the wall connected to the courtyard filling it with vibrant trimmed grass. However, there was a singular stone pathway lined with bushes of roses that cut through the grass, leading straight to the fountain.

On one of the benches adjacent to the fountain, Prince Minhyuk sat, making faces at whoever was sitting next to him.

Hyungwon felt his heart stir as he watched the prince laugh and smile. The idea of kissing him wasn't so bad.

"This is Minhyuk-hyung's favorite place in the palace." The jarring sound of Changkyun's deep voice pulled him from his