Prologue

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They had been born practically at the same place, something that was really rare for beings like them. One day, in the middle of spring, the child had opened his round eyes and saw a smiling face in front of him. He was laying on a heap of roots and looked a bit lost. As he straightened up, sitting on his and rubbing his eyes swollen with sleep, a myriad of small buttercup flowers bloomed around him.

He heard a happy laugh and looked again at the person in front of him, a young boy with a very small nose and pouty lips.

"Finally, you're here! I've been waiting for you for a while."

He had hair an incredibly bright color; it wasn't green, it wasn't blue, it was right in between, and it framed his thin, oval face, cascading down his shoulders.

"I'm Kibum," he said with his singing voice.

The newly awaken boy leaned towards him and parted his lips, but made no sound. He frowned, opened his mouth again a few times before he managed to produce some noise.

"I don't know who I am," he finally whispered.

"Oh I know that," Kibum answered with another laugh. He rolled back, falling into the small pond behind him.

The other boy gasped and rushed to the shore, looking at the water with worry. But Kibum was swimming like a fish, and came back to him in an instant.

"You're Jongin," he blurted.

The youngest one blinked, looking around to make sure Kibum was still speaking to him. But they were alone here. 'Jongin'. It sounded a bit strange, but alright.

"How do you know?" he asked with a pout.

"The trees told me," Kibum said, like it couldn't have been anything else.

He leaned on the shore, his legs still paddling the warm water, and watched curiously as Jongin chew on his plump lips, once again taking his new environment into sight, looking a bit shy.

There was a large and high waterfall behind Kibum. The water made a steady and smooth sound as it rejoined with the round pond. All around were trees, beautifully blooming. From where he was sitting, Jongin could see very small rivulets, leaving to multiples ways. Behind him, stood a magnificent tree, whose roots were forming intriguing patterns.

"Come with me."

Jongin looked at Kibum again and frowned. The other hadn't moved from the water and was holding out his hand to him with a reassuring smile.

"But I don't know how to swim."

Kibum burst in another laughter and stopped only when he realized Jongin had curled up against the roots, embarrassed.

"I'll teach you. You cannot learn if you don't try. I promise I won't let go of you."

Jongin pondered for a moment, before he made a movement towards Kibum. Only then did he look at his own hand, stretched forward. He was surprised to see his own fingers, and wrist, and arm. He was all dark. That was odd. Kibum had a quite pale face. Jongin had just assumed he looked like him. But when their fingers touched, Jongin yelped and took his hand back. His nails and fingers brightened, changing colors suddenly.

"What's happening to me?" he cried, alarmed.

Kibum was still smiling, but came out of the water and sat in front of him again. It seemed Jongin was far too scared to trust him so easily.

"It's okay. You just need a little bit of water to bloom."

"To bloom?" Jongin repeated, confused.

Kibum took Jongin's hand in his, and the youngest's eyes grew big when he saw small droplets of water going up along his arm, making his skin take a nice caramel-like color.

"You are a child of earth," Kibum told him in his most gentle voice, "and of the sun. There are wood and flowers in you. So yes, you need water to bloom."

Jongin looked at him in awe, slowly nodding. A smile peeked up on his face as water was running on all his body.

"And you are made of water?"

Kibum rolled on the ground again.

"Yes. And wind. A lot of wind!" he chuckled again, but stopped when he saw Jongin's eyes change colors.

They went from a deep black to a soft brown. There were sparkles of gold and green in them. His hair brightened a bit as well into a light hazelnut color and finally, all changes were done.

"Now, do you want to play a game?" Kibum asked, excited. "Please say yes. I've been waiting so long. I was very lonely you know..."

A sudden gust of wind made him straighten in his sitting position as his hair was flowing everywhere. He put it back correctly on his head while glaring at the sky.

"Ooh, don't be like that," he said to no one in particular, before coughing and looking back at Jongin. "Okay, I wasn't totally lonely. But still. I want to play with you."

Jongin was staring at the sky, trying to see to whom exactly Kibum had been speaking to. But he couldn't see a thing. Then there was Kibum's smile again.

"Can you see them?"

Jongin shook his head, disappointed.

"They are fairies."

And as soon as Kibum said the word, little creatures appeared, making Jongin jump on his spot. There were four of them, tiny as his hands, fluttering next to Jongin as they all introduced themselves to him, calling him things like "adorable" and "cute". But he couldn't understand what they were telling him. It still didn't keep him from holding out his hand to them, caressing their wings and poking on their faces with curiosity.

It took him few days, with Kibum's help, to be able to speak the language of fairies. Then those fairies helped him talk to squirrels and bunnies. He was delighted every time he managed to learn and use something new.

He learned to swim with Kibum, and to name all kind of trees and flowers.

Then, one day, as they had both grew old enough, they were allowed out of the small cocoon of their pond and clearing. The branches, roots and foliage moved, showing a small sheltered way that they were both eager to run through. And they discovered the tremendous forest that was their real home.

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