“A wizard?” Baekhyun wondered, his eyes almost gleaming.

Jongdae nodded. Although maybe wizard wasn’t the right wording, Chanyeol didn’t have a magic wand that granted spells. But the man did spend some time stirring things in an old cauldron, reciting and reading books in a language Jongdae had no idea what it was, doing odd rituals, celebrating seasonal festivals, and much more.

“What kind of weirdos are you dating, Jongdae?” Minseok asked.

“Hey!” Jongdae said. “So, he’s passionate about his hobbies, what’s wrong with that?”

“A hobby is liking to collect anime figures as Yixing does. What you describe sounds like some kind of… Don’t tell us you got involved too? Did he try to bring you into it?”

Jongdae rolled his eyes. “No, Minseok! He didn’t. I once found him doing a ritual to the moon, and he told me about it. He’s just interested in old mythology and folklore and all that jazz. He’s not crazy, okay? He wasn’t trying to ‘bring me’ into anything. Chanyeol was a sweet, wonderful and caring boyfriend. And man, wasn’t he hot?”

“Why did you break up with him then?” Baekhyun asked.

“Well, he ended up becoming the new music theory professor at our university last year. So, it was against the rules dating him.”

“But wouldn’t he mind seeing you again?” Junmyeon wondered.

“No, it’s fine! We broke up on good terms. We wished each other happy birthday and Merry Christmas… I wonder how he’s doing recently,” Jongdae said, caressing his chin. “Anyway, should we pay him a visit?” he asked once he stopped daydreaming.

Minseok, Baekhyun, and Yixing stared unsurely at Junmyeon. There wasn’t any harm in trying. This might as well be their only chance to turn Yixing back to normal.

“Let’s go there.”

Baekhyun and Yixing smiled at the same time. Minseok shook his head.

Jongdae drove them to Chanyeol’s house. He lived in a two-story house in a suburban district. It was to be expected, after all, Chanyeol was eight years older than them (except for the current Yixing). Standing on the stairs in the front door, Jongdae rang the doorbell. A tall man with wavy chestnut hair, round glasses, and wearing a black track-suit received them.

“Jongdae,” Chanyeol said, showing him a blinding smile, “It’s been so long! What are you doing here? Dressed as a… Gudetama?” He chuckled, it was a deep laugh. When he noticed the other three men and the baby standing there, Chanyeol asked, “Who are they?”

Jongdae gave him a coquettish grin. “Aren’t you aging backward, Park Chanyeol? Tell me your secret. Just look at you, as handsome as always.”

“Oh, you’re flattering me,” Chanyeol said and actually blushed at that cheap trick of Jongdae.

A bit of flirting later and introductions of the other guys, Chanyeol let them come inside his house so they could explain their visit. They sat down in the living room while Chanyeol went to bring some tea and his homemade raisin cookies. Everyone’s attention got caught on the blowing trophies display. It was quite the collection. That was another one of Chanyeol’s hobbies, had Jongdae said. There were also guitars hanging on the walls and a piano near the french windows that faced the backyard. Seeing this living room, one might not suspect about Chanyeol’s ‘wizarding’ hobby.

Everyone drank tea and ate the raisin cookies while they explained why they had barged into his house on this quiet Sunday afternoon. Chanyeol wasn’t a skeptic regarding everything he heard, no matter how crazy it might have sounded to others. He had nodded and listened attentively to the explanations, even asked questions about it.

“Do you think you can help us?” Jongdae asked once everything was said.

Chanyeol looked pensive while he stared at baby Yixing. “You said this was one of Mrs. Kwon’s potions, right?”

“Yeah,” Baekhyun confirmed.

“You do not want to mess with Mrs. Kwon,” Chanyeol mumbled.

Junmyeon huffed. He sure knew now.

Chanyeol asked to see Yixing up close. Baekhyun sat Yixing on the coffee table, while Yixing chewed on one cookie. His little eyebrows were furrowed, almost evaluating Chanyeol back.

“I think he might be under an aging incantation, one of the common secondary effects of wrong potion intake. His body has aged backward but he’s still here with us,” Chanyeol said, ruffling Yixing’s hair and making the baby chuckle.

“What do you mean?” Jongdae asked.

“That he might have the body of a baby and therefore has to behave like one, but his mind is still intact, it’s the same. He can understand us. Right, Yixing?”

At that, baby Yixing nodded while everyone but Chanyeol gasped.

“I knew it, he’s trapped in there,” Junmyeon said while looking worriedly at Yixing.

“Impossible,” Minseok chimed in. “That might have been pure luck. At this age, babies can nod and shake their heads. They’re learning to communicate. Isn’t that true Baekhyun?”

“Eh, that’s true but there’s only one way to find out.” Baekhyun leaned closer to exchange glances with Yixing. “Yixing,” he began, “Do you think Jongdae tricked Yitian into giving him his number?”

Everyone stared at baby Yixing, who instantly nodded yes. Baekhyun and Junmyeon let out a laugh.

“He agrees. You can understand us, Xing-Xing!” Baekhyun exclaimed.

Jongdae scoffed and turned Yixing to face his way. “Yixing, do you think Baekhyun will ever get laid again?”

Yixing thought about it for a few seconds before clearly shrugging his shoulders. Again, Junmyeon laughed while Jongdae grinned.

“Yeah, he really does, Baek,” Jongdae said.

“Okay, let’s see here,” Minseok spoke this time. “Yixing, when is your birthday?”

“He can’t talk yet, he’s not gonna answer you, dummy,” Baekhyun said.

“If his mind is still there he must know how to talk, doesn’t he?”

“But you heard what Professor Park said, his body is the one of a one-year-old baby. He hasn’t learned how to talk clearly yet, but they can still think. Of course-”

Yixing let out an impatient scream, gathering everyone’s attention. With everyone’s eyes on him, his little chubby fingers made a motion, first showing ten and later seven fingers.

“October seventh!” Jongdae shouted. “Guys, if we don’t manage to change him back, then he could be our genius baby. Just imagine how shocked the world would be. Yixing the-”

“Jongdae!” Minseok, Baekhyun, and Junmyeon said in unison.

“Don’t even think that. We’re changing Yixing back… Right, Professor Park?” Junmyeon asked.

Chanyeol pushed his frames back while he nodded. “Oh, yes. Every love potion has an antidote. We just need to know the ingredients of the original potion and use the opposites one. And you’re lucky, I’m quite good at tracing potion’s ingredients. Do you have it with you?”

“No, it’s at home. But we can-” Junmyeon was interrupted by Minseok.

“Actually, to avoid more trouble, I threw it down the sink this morning. Sorry.”

Baekhyun, Jongdae, Junmyeon and even baby Yixing face-palmed themselves at the same time, sighing. How were they going to solve the case now? Wait until the witch came back and somehow buy another one? How great!

Unexpectedly, Chanyeol stood up from the couch and ran toward the hallway. Moments later he returned holding a big leather book. His eyes firmly stared at it while he flipped through the pages. It was written in strange gothic letters, definitely not a comprehensible language. “Here!” Chanyeol said, “We can try an aging potion. This is great. I have all the right ingredients, and… Oh.”

“What?” everyone asked, seeing how Chanyeol’s grin disappeared.

“Well, apparently it’s much trickier than any other potion I’ve ever made. It requires extreme accuracy of the amount of each ingredient to reach the desired age. Otherwise, if I have one ingredient too much or too little, Yixing could get younger or older than what I expected.”

“How old?” Baekhyun asked.

“As far as his body can take it.”

“And young?”

“As far back as to the smallest origin.”

“And what’s that?” Jongdae asked this time.

“A zygote… A fertilized cell.”

“You’re saying he could die either way?” Minseok said and couldn’t help the quiver in his voice.

Chanyeol nodded. Yixing let out a shriek, shaking his little head.

“That’s a possibility. But…”

“Then we’re not risking Yixing’s life,” Junmyeon said firmly. He preferred to keep Yixing as a baby and let him age again than to gamble his life. Anything involving the risk of death should be disregarded immediately.

Yixing’s eyes stared at Junmyeon. They were filled with dread and worry, but Junmyeon reached his hand forward and held one of the tiny baby hands in his. He could feel Yixing grabbing his fingers. And Junmyeon did his best to try to comfort him. “I’m sorry, Xing, but this is for the best,” Junmyeon muttered in disappointment. In response, Yixing nodded, smiling meekly and let out another baby noise as if saying he understood it.

Baekhyun stood up and picked up Yixing from the table, along with the diaper bag from the floor. “I guess this means we should go.”

Junmyeon followed suit and was ready to thank Chanyeol for his help when the taller man dropped the book on the floor and ran to the hallway yet again. In the meantime, Minseok took the liberty to put away the cups, plates, spoons, and teapot, leaving the coffee table clean and tidy (as he always did when he visited someone). The group walked to the hall to put on their shoes. Just as Jongdae was ready to shout for Chanyeol, the tall man appeared again.

“Guys!” Chanyeol gasped for air, “I-I got it.”

“What?” Jongdae said.

“An age-switch potion! We can swap his age back to twenty-three.”

Chanyeol began explaining this new incantation’s effect. Apparently, if two subjects drank the age-switch potion at the same time, they would exchange their ages. It didn’t require any utterly exact amount of ingredients, but it did need a drop of blood from the two involved.

“Then, if I give a drop of my blood, Yixing will turn back to normal?” Junmyeon asked, his hope resurfacing.

“Not exactly. That means you’ll become a baby instead, while Yixing ages forward again.”

“So, we’re back to square one,” Minseok said, sighing.

“Not so fast, Min. I’ve always thought I’ll live longer than you guys. And diapers and being fed again doesn’t sound all that bad,” Jongdae commented.

“We’re not turning you into a baby, Jongdae,” Baekhyun said, Yixing nodding along.

“But what else are we-”

“We can use any other living being’s blood. Although they age differently than us, we just need to find one whose age equals twenty-three in human years. I have an invasion of geckos in my garden, result of a ritual offering gone wrong, it’s a long story. The point is, it might be a gamble, but maybe one of them could work.”

“No, there’s no need. We can use T-rex!” Jongdae had thought fast and said it. “Yixing has a pet lizard, a bearded dragon. He’s seven years old.”

After doing some quick math in his head, Chanyeol exclaimed, “That equals twenty-one in human years! He’ll be two years younger, but that’s something, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Jongdae said with a grin, looking up to meet Chanyeol’s eyes while they high-fived each other, but ended up holding hands. When their spellbound eyes finally looked away from one another, realizing that the rest had been staring at them, Chanyeol cleared his throat and talked again.

“That means we’ll have to transfers the age T-rex has lived to Yixing and Yixing’s age to T-rex. So, T-rex is going to be around… Five months old. Is that okay?”

“I don’t think Yixing would mind if T-rex stays around a little longer, right Xing?” Junmyeon said.

Baby Yixing grinned and clapped before shaking his head.

“I’ll go and bring T-rex,” Minseok suggested. Jongdae tossed at him Yixing’s apartment keys before he left.

“Great!” Chanyeol said, “Then you guys come in again. Let’s get ready to make this potion.” When everyone had taken off their shoes, he said, “Follow me to the backyard, just watch out for the geckos. I’ve been looking for a spell to drive them away but haven’t had much luck yet.”

Junmyeon thought he had seen the strangest things thanks to Baekhyun’s and Yixing’s slight eccentricity, but boy wasn’t he wrong. While he and Baekhyun (and baby Yixing who had fallen asleep in Baekhyun’s lap) sat on the porch swing, they saw how Jongdae and Chanyeol assembled everything together. Jongdae seemed to be familiar with the whole routine, given that Chanyeol didn’t say many instructions.

Chanyeol’s backyard had a variety of plants, bushes, and flowers. Amid the green nature weren’t only small geckos crawling here and there, but there was also a stone wood fire pit and a stone table in which they had put all the ingredients. Chanyeol lit a fire and set a cauldron on a stand. He poured water on it. Then, he read his book while he and Jongdae used mortars and pestles to smash some leaves, flower petals, and other things Baekhyun and Junmyeon had no idea what they were. One by one, they threw in the smashed ingredients on the cauldron, along with other mysterious colored liquids and stuff. The color of the smoke had changed every time they had put in something new until only a green smoke stemmed from the cauldron, which caught both Junmyeon’s and Baekhyun’s attention. Chanyeol used a big spoon to stir everything up.

Minseok arrived shortly after Chanyeol had said they needed to wait for the potion to boil a couple of hours. He had brought T-rex in a container. Yixing had woken up by then from his nap and had giggled and smiled happily at seeing the pet lizard.

In the meantime, Chanyeol suggested they started making dinner. By the time the potion would be done, it would be late at night. Although they had felt they were overstepping Chanyeol’s hospitality (except Jongdae who said it was totally fine), eventually they all agreed to it. Chanyeol took out his grill and said why not have a barbecue? The cauldron needed to be frequently stirred, so it was helpful to be in the garden. Minseok took the task of preparing rice, drinks, and salads in the kitchen while the others stayed outside.

Baekhyun and Yixing explored the garden. Junmyeon and Jongdae stayed near the grill, looking after the food.

“Is it just me, or does Chanyeol look hot while stirring that cauldron?” Jongdae asked, looking at the tall man standing in the yard.

“Didn’t you just get Yitian’s number?”

“A man’s gotta have options. Besides, seeing Chanyeol today has brought back fond memories…” Jongdae sighed.

Just when Junmyeon was about to answer, a crying child caught his attention. He looked to the side and saw Baekhyun carrying a crying Yixing in his arms.

“What happened?” Junmyeon asked concerned.

“He was chasing a gecko but fell and scratched his face on the rose bushes,” Baekhyun explained, “There, there, Xing-Xing, it’ll pass,” he cooed.

Junmyeon took a closer look and indeed, there were some scratches on Yixing’s cheeks, not too deep, but enough to cause him pain. His sheep onesie was all dirtied, undoubtedly not as white as this morning.

“Oon,” Yixing made a perceptible sound amid his hiccups. His cries had stopped, but his flushed cheeks and teary eyes were still there.

“What?” Baekhyun said.

“Ooon,” Yixing said again.

“Ooon? What’s what?” Jongdae wondered.

“I think he’s saying-”

“Juuun!” Yixing said at last.

“Oh! He said your name. He wants to go with you,” Baekhyun said and held Yixing toward Junmyeon.

Junmyeon was unsure at first, not quite having experience dealing with children prior, but seeing how Yixing held out his arms toward him and that he had said his name, Junmyeon gave up. After tossing the cooking tweezers to Jongdae, he carried Yixing in his arms, giving him a hug.

“It’s okay, Yixing. We’re gonna change you back, you’ll see,” he told the little baby while patting his hair.

Yixing faintly nodded.

Eventually, the day went forward, and the night arrived. The group shared their meal sitting on the porch swing or the steps while they waited for the potion to keep boiling. The green smoke shone in the middle of the lawn, but Chanyeol also had solar-powered yard lights that lightened the rest of the area.

Chanyeol, who was also a board game enthusiast, brought forward his collection after dinner. That was how they spent the waiting time, playing board games and sharing one or another story. Yixing had fallen asleep again after Baekhyun had bathed him and now was only clad in a diaper, covered with a cozy blanket. But Baekhyun didn’t mind having Yixing sleeping in his arms, and actually considered the baby to be his lucky charm since he had been on a winning streak (for the first time ever).

Until finally, after having boiled the required five hours, Chanyeol announced it was ready. Yixing wasn’t pleased to be woken up, but he calmed down after hearing it was time.

“You guys go bring T-rex,” Chanyeol said to Jongdae and Minseok, “And you’ll need to lose the diapers. But you can use my robe to cover yourself when your body goes back to normal.”

Yixing nodded at that. Baekhyun took the robe with him and Yixing into the living room. The robe seemed to be Harry Potter themed most likely part of a costume, but it did cover the whole body. Baekhyun had to keep a hand around Yixing so it wouldn’t fall off.

They gathered around the stone table in the yard. Jongdae held T-rex in his hands, Minseok stood next to him. Chanyeol poured the boiling potion into two smaller cauldrons the size of his hand.

“We have to pour their blood at the same time, and they’ll have to drink it at the same time.”

“Isn’t that boiling hot? They’re going to burn themselves!” Junmyeon said.

“No, the moment their blood mixes with the potion, the smoke will turn blue along with the potion, and it’ll be cold.”

Junmyeon was unsure of it but decided to trust him and nodded nonetheless.

Chanyeol handed Jongdae a surgeon’s knife and a pipette, instructing him and Minseok to hold T-rex above the small cauldron and only make one tiny incision on him. Yixing let out a noise of complaint at that, worrying about his pet lizard. But Minseok and Jongdae reassured him they won’t harm him too much.

Then, Chanyeol went to stand in front of Yixing, who was sitting on the stone table. “I’m gonna prick your finger with this needle, okay Yixing?”

Yixing had never been a fan of needles, Junmyeon knew. So, he tried to comfort him and patted his little back. He smiled at the baby. Yixing looked up at him and returned the gesture, his mini dimples showing. Chanyeol folded the robe’s sleeves until Yixing’s little hand appeared. Chanyeol grabbed the little hand and put it above the other cauldron.

When everyone was ready into position, Chanyeol started the counting. “One. Two. Three!”

Junmyeon gasped as his eyes saw how the small cauldrons actually turned blue at the same time, the smoke a blue colored fog now.

Chanyeol took his pipette and suctioned some of the liquid. This potion had a sapphire blue color like a gemstone. Chanyeol poured some drops into his hand, and no, he didn’t burn himself. He smiled. “The potion making was a success.”

Baekhyun clapped. Baby Yixing let out a happy laugh. Jongdae grinned. Minseok was putting a bandage against T-rex’s cut but seemed pleased. And Junmyeon found himself smiling and feeling hopeful that his Yixing would finally return.

“It’s better if you’re sitting down during the metamorphosis,” Chanyeol said.

Baekhyun helped Yixing sit on the grass. Chanyeol filled the pipette again, telling Jongdae to fill his too. One drop, that’s all they needed to drink.

“Your bones and muscles are going to expand, so your body will grow. I’m not gonna lie, it stood it’ll be painful, really painful, but it won’t last more than ten seconds. Are you ready?”

Determinedly, baby Yixing nodded. He opened his mouth so Chanyeol could use the pipette to drip into the potion.

Minseok held T-rex’s jaw open, and Jongdae held their pipette on top.

Junmyeon felt his heart almost jump out of his chest while he saw Chanyeol making the countdown again.

One.

Two.

Three.

A white light shone from Yixing and T-rex. It was so strong everyone had to close their eyes. He could hear Yixing’s voice screaming in pain. Junmyeon counted the seconds in his head. Eight. That was how long it took for the lights to die out and nothing could be heard.

When Junmyeon opened his eyes again, he saw a body lying on the grass. He instantly went there… And yes, it was Yixing’s old body! The same height, the same hair, the same facial structures, although the scratches hadn’t been completely removed. Unbelievable, it had worked. Junmyeon smiled so widely his cheeks almost hurt. His hand ran through Yixing’s silky hair while his other hand held Yixing’s own hand. He leaned forward to give him a kiss on the cheek. “You’re back, my old Yixing,” he whispered.

Chanyeol kneeled next to Yixing’s body and felt his wrist. “His pulse is normal. We should wake him up to see how he’s feeling.”

Junmyeon nodded. He couldn’t wait until he could hear that beautiful voice of Yixing, that laugh. And he wouldn’t waste time anymore. He’ll tell Yixing all his feelings. Let him know how much he loved him and never wanted to lose him again.

Chanyeol started shaking Yixing’s body and calling his name, but he wouldn’t wake up. In the end, he grabbed a water bottle and threw water on his face. Yixing’s eyes immediately opened while he gasped loudly for air.

“Yixing? How are you?” Junmyeon asked, squeezing his hand.

Yixing looked at Junmyeon for one second before staring everywhere with open eyes. He didn’t say anything but withdrew his hand from Junmyeon’s grasp.

“Yixing?” Chanyeol tried this time.

Again, Yixing remained quiet. But he clumsily turned to lay on his belly. He struggled but managed to free his hands out the robe. Then, Yixing tried to stand on all fours but ended up falling down and hitting the grass.

“Yixing?!” Junmyeon said, drawing closer to him. But all he got in response was a screech.

Yixing continued trying to stand on all fours until he managed. Slowly, he crawled around and sniffed the grass, looking around the backyard and some of the geckos.

“What the hell happened? Why is he acting like that?” Junmyeon turned around.

Chanyeol stared wide-eyed at Yixing.

“He’s acting like a… Lizard,” Jongdae muttered.

Baekhyun gasped. “Could it be-”

“No, no, no,” Chanyeol spoke at last, “That wasn’t supposed to happen.” He went for his book and read carefully again and again.

But as Junmyeon looked at Yixing crawling on the lawn, he agreed with Jongdae’s observation. Yixing was behaving like a freaking lizard. Crawling on all fours. Looking around. Exchanging glances with some of the geckos. Sometimes Yixing had stopped on the same position, not moving one bit, and stared into oblivion.

“Oh, damn it,” Chanyeol cursed. His expression was troubled as he looked at Yixing.

“What happened?” Jongdae asked.

“It’s the pages. They were stuck together. I missed the final command. If the potion isn’t taken during the full moon, their minds will follow the swap too.”

And sure enough, when everyone looked at the starry night sky, not a single trace of the moon could be seen.

“So, you’re saying that...” Jongdae trailed off.

“Yes, not only have T-rex and Yixing swap ages,” Chanyeol sighed, looking down, “But also bodies.”

“Holy moly,” Minseok said, “Yixing!” He held forward the sleeping bearded dragon for everyone to see.

Junmyeon covered his face with his hands and let out a frustrated groan.

Told you, it'd be silly lol. Get ready for the anti-climatic ending.