“Uncle, wake up!” 

“Huh?”

“Cmon! Cmon! We don’t have that many time!” 

“Who are you...?” - Niell’s eyes opened slowly only to face a cheerful young kid - “Sungmin...? No... wait... It can’t be—“ 

“Who cares! Just follow me! Come with me!” 

(What is this place? Where are we? Is that kid really Sungmin? Wasn’t he like four...?) 

“Uncle! Over here!” 

“Excuse me... where are we going?” 

“I want to show you something!” 

“Show me what exactly?” - Niell felt weird. His steps were firm yet he felt like walking on clouds - “Whats going on? What is this place?” 

“I want you to meet my friends!” - the kid chirped with a huge smile 

“I already know them” - Niell replied automatically 

“Uh hum” - The blue haired kid shook his head - “Not Like I do!” 

Before Niell could ask the kid again, the boy vanished right in front of his eyes. 

“Sungmin? Where did you go now? Weren’t you going to show me...” - Niell stopped walking when he came across something that looked like a big mirror - “Something...? What on—“ 

It fell like traveling at full speed. It made him dizzy. The fairy was skilled enough in magic to detect traits of it when added to objects, however, the enchanted mirror took him by surprise. 

(What the...?) 

Niell got scared the first time someone walked through him. He didn’t feel anything. But people seemed to be unable to hear him nor feel his presence. He was like a ghost. 

“Yeah yeah... I already told you that I watered your stupid plant while you were out” 

“Well, my friend doesn’t seem to think the same!” - A boy with hairs green as grass exclaimed - “She says she is thirsty! How can you be so mean to her?” 

“Her?” - The other boy replied from the shadows - “Did you lose your mind already? It’s a plant” 

“It’s my friend” - The green haired boy held a pot that had a beautiful flower - “Please don’t torture my friend” 

“Whatever” - The other voice scoffed - “By the way, why are you alone? Where is that rotten brat of Donghae? Playing with pidgeons again? I swear that if he comes back with another stray dog I will—“ 

“He is helping Yesung with the horses. You know he is good at it” 

“I know” - The older boy finally showed himself as he walked out of the shadows - “Both of you are crazy. However, if we want to keep living here, I would restrain myself from letting other know about my secret. We already have enough with these hair colours” 

“It’s easy for you to say that, Heechul” - another voice echoed - “Stop giving Eunhyuk a hard time and come help me get some flour! Those muffins won’t bake themselves!” 

“Why don’t you ask the kids to help you? They are probably getting in troubles while we speak” - Heechul rolled his eyes - “Ryeowook! Kyuhyun! You better not be defying fate again!” 

Two little kids ran to the tall boy and jumped on him. 

“We are good!” - the boy’s hair was so red it could complete with tomatoes 

“Why won’t you trust us?” - Purple curls covered the tallest kid’s eyes 

“I think you need a haircut” 

“Kids, come inside... you are gonna get sick again” - A pink haired young man walked to them - “It looks like is going to rain” 

“We don’t care if starts raining” - The purple haired kid giggled - “We always find an umbrella when we need it!” 

“They are right” - Eunhyuk lamented - “Somehow these two always manage to find an umbrella” 

Niell was just standing there. Frozen. Those boys were obviously the Merry kids... but older. Way older. He tried to reach the door of the weird place they got into but the door was locked. 

(Do I need a key?)

Then he felt that awkward feeling of something invisible pulling him away. 

(Wait! I have so many questions!) 

[][][]]][][[]][]]][]][][][][] [][][]]][][[]][]]][]][][][][] [][][]]][][[]][]]][]][][][][]

Niell woke up abruptly. Cold sweat ran on his body. He tried to get his breathing on track when a little kid got on his lap. 

“Ha?” - Niell could barely emit any sound at the moment - “Berry merry” 

The red haired kid just blinked several times like adjusting to light. 

“What are you doing here?” - Niell regained some color - “Arent you supposed to be with the other kids?” 

“Di’ ya fin’ it?” - The kid managed to say 

“Uh? I beg your pardon but I still can’t understand what you say most of the time” 

“U zai’ u nee’ it” - The kid insisted - “key” 

It took a lot of effort to the fairy to translate. 

“Yeah, I need it” - Niell nodded - “And no, I haven’t found it yet” 

The kid tilted his head in a cute way and then showed the fairy his tiny hand. 

“How did you...?” - Niell observed the shiny object on the toddler’s hand- “Where?” 

The kid just shrank his shoulders. 

“Here you are!” - King Liu was cheerful as always - “Your friends are truly worried, Ryeowook” 

“Papa! Don’ leave me behin’ !!” - Sungmin crawled on Niell’s bed - “I wanna play too!” 

“We were not playing hide n seek, my boy” - King Liu found cute how Sungmin would get jealous whenever he chose to pay attention to something that wasn’t him - “I’m sorry, Niell. What a way to wake up” 

“N-no... it’s fine” - Niell sighed - “I just... We need to talk” 

+=+=+= +=+=+ +=+=+= +=+=+ +=+=+= +=+=+ +=+=+= +=+=+

“A dream?” 

“I wouldn’t call it a dream” - Niell closed his eyes - “Everything was so... realistic” 

“Could you describe the place?” 

“I could try drawing it” - Niell offered 

King Liu’s face was enough to confirm his fears. 

“That place actually exists, right?” - Niell pointed at the house he just drew 

“N-no not exactly” - King Liu covered his mouth - “But it will” 

“What do you mean?” 

“That’s the place where Merry boys lived” - King Kiu bit his lips - “Right now, if we go there we would only find some ruins. In the future I lived in, they had restored the place and it was just like the one you saw in your ‘dream’ “ 

“So it wasn’t a dream” - Niell could feel his head pounding - “At least not a normal one” 

“Why would you see that?” 

(I want you to meet my friends!) 

“I want you to meet my friends” - Niell remembered- “The way I do... Sungmin— well, a boy that looked like Sungmin told me that” 

“That’s... strange” 

“To make it worse” - Niell dropped a little silver key on the desk - “Ryeowook gave me what it looks like a key. I get chills just thinking that this thing is related to the dream I had” 

“This key is not from the castle” - King Liu inspected the object - “Where would he get it?” 

(We always find an umbrella!) 

“Niell?” - King Liu worried when Niell shut his eyes tightly 

“I just need some air” - Niell exhaled annoyed - “Do you mind me taking the key with me?” 

“Of course not... after all... you were the one that dreamt about it” 

“Sure” - Niell tried to fake a smile. It just didn’t work. 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Hey hay hair! I remember King Liu and the big fairy asked you to be away from needles!” 

“Just a minute” - Yesung narrowed his eyes - “Ryeowook’s friend is needing a stitch or two” 

“Well, I’m guessing he is already alive” - Heechul teased - “What could possibly go wrong?” 

“Where is Teuk? I seriously don’t like when is only you here” - Niell sat under a tree as he glanced at Heechul- “Don’t get me wrong, but you are a little troublemaker” 

“Only a little?” - Yesung couldn’t avoid laughing 

“How is the search going?” 

“Here we go” - Niell cursed his fate as Heechul folded his arms and turned his attention to him - “Nothing yet. Stop asking me for it... I will let you know if we get a clue about—-“ 

“You are wasting time!” - Heechul complained - “Hangeng is out there! You promised us you would find him!” 

“I know! I know! But it takes time, Kiddo!” - Niell 

“But we don’t have that many time” - Heechul insisted - “Our friend is out there being tortured if alive!” 

“You are right” - Niell wondered why the kid reminded of him sometimes - “Such a stubborn boy” 

“Where are you going?!” - Heechul followed annoyed - “I’m not done yet!” 

“I’m going back to city. Actually, I’m going back to the place where everything started” 

“The orphanage” - Heechul nodded in understanding- “Uhm then you could use some help, don’t you?” 

“If you come with me, I can’t promise I can protect you” - Niell wanted the boy to go away - “It could be dangerous” 

“Cool” - Heechul shrank his shoulders - “I guess I’m in” 

“What? Wait no” 

###############################################

What could be worse than being stuck with a kid? Answer was easy: being stuck with two kids. 

“Don’t worry I won’t lose him” - Heechul giggled as Ryeowook held his hand - “He said he wanted to come too” 

“This is not a play date” - Niell grunted - “You were not supposed to be here” 

“Look, I know you don’t like kids” - Heechul sighed - “And you probably don’t feel comfortable looking at us but Hangeng is our friend and we thought—“ 

“I don’t hate kids” - Niell admitted quietly while he removed  dust using the tip of his finger - “In fact, there was a moment when I wished to have my own” 

“You don’t look like the type of guy who gets involved in such sentimental garbage” - Heechul teased 

“Sometimes when you really love someone you wish for the impossible to happen” - Niell kept searching around the old place - “Sometimes you don’t even care about consequences” 

“Are you talking about me and Hangeng’s search?” - Heechul rolled his eyes - “I already told you we are family. You just can’t give up on your family” 

“And that’s exactly why you guys shouldn’t be here” - Niell blurted out - “You still have family to take care of, Heechul. All those Merry kids are your family” 

Heechul only rolled his eyes. Niell and him were always disagreeing. He was still a child in the eyes of the fairy and therefore his opinion was taken as so. 

“Read me!” - Ryeowook ran to Heechul hugging what it seemed to be a book - “Pwease!” 

“Oh... you found them” - Heechul smiled pleased - “I used to read this to you, right?” 

“Uhum” - Ryeowook was excited 

“Kids, we are going” - Niell announced - “It’s getting dark outside” 

“I guess we can take it us” - Heechul winked to the little boy and smiled sweetly - “But Mr fairy just can’t know” 

“Heechul!” 

“Promise me you won’t tell him” - Heechul whispered to the red haired Merry 

“Pwomise” - Ryeowook agreed 

*******************************************************************

“I’m getting tired of your games, boy” - Niell didn’t bat an eyelash this time - “I don’t know what you want, I don’t know who you are nor where you come from...” 

“You need to meet my friends” - The kid insisted - “All of them!” 

“This is the third time this week” - Niell shook his head - “It seems like whenever I fall asleep you are here waiting for me” 

“I’m Sungmin” - The kid tilted his head - “Dont you recognize me?” 

“You cannot be Sungmin” - Niell wasn’t even bothered - “My nephew is out there probably singing nonsense while you and I are stuck here” 

“I want you to know the truth” 

“That’s what I want myself!” - Niell finally lost patience - “But you are not helpful! You only show me those crazy dreams and then I wake up being more confused than ever” 

“You need to be patient” - The kid seemed worried - “The truth... you don’t want it” 

“I know I won’t like it” - Niell agreed with that - “But I need to know in order to help” 

The kid offered a hand. Niell held it. In a few moments, all their surroundings changed. 

“Where are we?” - Niell tried 

“You already know that” 

“Alright, why the Merry house?” - Niell sighed - “You keep showing me this place but... it doesn’t exist yet” 

“But they do” - The young boy smiled softly- “The merries” 

“I don’t understand” - Niell was so frustrated 

“In the future, Kangin, Kibum and Hangeng didn’t live here” - The boy explained - “never wondered what happened to them?” 

“They died” - Niell said coldly - “I have no proof but your face says it all” 

“Sometimes death is not that bad” - The blue haired boy said sadly - “There are things that are worse than dying” 

“What happened to them?” 

“He is alive” - The boy twisted his lips - “You know who I am talking about” 

For the first time Niell woke up of the weird dream without feeling confused or scared. 

He was crying as he felt guilty. It was his fault. After all that time... it was his fault. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Again! Again!” - the kids chirped as Heechul finished ‘reading’ the story 

“What a performance” - Leeteuk laughed - “You are such a great storyteller” 

“Well” - Heechul smiled proudly - “It Cant be helped. That’s what you call natural talent” 

“I still don’t get how you can read this...” - Leeteuk sighed - “You are amazing! I have been taking reading lessons everyday yet I can’t figure out a single word” 

“You can’t read it...?” - Heechul never thought of it before, but the book was certainly different from any other books he read before 

“Even when we were in the orphanage our caretakers avoided that book” - Kangin remembered- “No one seemed to know where did it come from” 

“Probably a donation” - Yesung yawned - “We didnt receive many of those but someone must have left it there for us” 

“Cool” - Kangin giggled - “Maybe is something only a few people can read! We are lucky to have Heechul on our side” 

“Only a few people...?” - Heechul’s eyes widened - “Thats it! I know what my magic is!” 

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“Were you crying?” - King Liu grew concerned when Niell showed up in the throne room with puffy eyes - “Whats wrong?” 

“It’s my fault” - Niell sobbed - “I couldn’t do it then! And now we are paying the price!” 

“Niell! There you  are!” - The two older Merry boys ran at full speed holding a book 

“We need to show you something!” - Leeteuk pointed at the book Heechul tried to open - “See?!” 

“What...” - King Liu wasn’t sure of what to say - “I have no clue about it, I’m so sorry” 

“That’s it! Nobody can read this but me!” - Heechul chirped - “Thats my magic!” 

“Sorry to end your expectations” - Niell took a better look of the book - “But that is just a fairytale. It’s not magic” 

“Wait, you can read it?” - King Liu was as shocked as the kids 

“Of course I can” - Niell scoffed - “Who are you taking me for? I’m the king fairy. Ancient languages are nothing to me” 

“So... I’m not special” - Heechul pouted 

“Not exactly” - Niell shook his head - “I said it wasn’t ‘ magic’ but you are indeed special. Not many people can read a language they haven’t been taught before” 

“So... I’m special but this is not my magic” - Heechul said flustered - “And we still have no clue about Hangeng’s whereabouts! This week is the worst!” 

Heechul hit the book Niell was holding. If fell and opened in a particular page. 

“What on...?” 

“Sorry! Sorry! I’m working on my bad temper! I swear I am!” - Heechul apologized right away - “I swear I was just mad...” 

“Yeah, sure” - Both adults had their eyes fixed on book - “You may go” 

“S-sure” - Leeteuk held Heechul’s hand and ran away before the adults decided a punishment. The kid knew his friend deserved one and disappearing from their sight felt like the best option. 

“Niell” - King Liu held the book while fairy floated next to him- “This picture...” 

“It’s exactly the same as their house” - Niell gulped down anxiously- “How come there is a picture of their house here if it haven’t been built yet?” 

“I don’t know” 

“The key... The house was locked in my dreams” - Niell started to see a pattern- “Maybe it is connected somehow” 

“But how would Ryeowook find a key of a place is not... real?”  

•*•*•* •*•*•* •*•*•* •*•*•* •*•*•* •*•*•* •*•*•* •*•*•* •*•*•* •*•*•*

“Ah! There you are!” - The young and nice man approached his son - “Oh no! Seems like you were naughty again! Who told you it was fine to doodle on the walls?” 

“It’s a forest” - The kid explained with a huge smile on his face - “there is a big tree and fairies” 

“You know? Dad met a fairy a few weeks ago” - The nice man smiled softly

“Would you tell me that story?” - The kid rubbed his tired eyes 

“If you promise to be good and go to bed, Siwon”  

“I saw those places” - Siwon pointed at his drawings on the walls - “in my dreams” 

“I have never seen a house like that before” - the former knight teased 

=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=

Niell tried to focus and remember all things that kid showed him during those weird dreams. He soon ran into the conclusion he had underestimated Sungmin’s magic. It was way more complicated than just ‘healing’ magic. 

They had a lot of clues compared to before but they just felt even more confused. The book, the key, the dreams... the merries. Why were they so special? It wasn’t only because of fairy blood. There was something else. 

Niell got the chills just thinking about it. If their enemies were the ones he was  thinking of, then they must be prepared for the future. 

“Ding dong is in twoubez” - Sungmin yawned softly

“Who?” - Niell focused on the boy next to him - “Who is in troubles Min? Who?” 

“Ding dong... a mewy like us” - Sungmin smiled a bit before getting way to sleepy to talk 

“Niell” - King Liu was knocking the door - “Its urgent. I need to go out” 

“At this time?” - Niell glanced at the window. The sky was too dark as night fell on Merryland - “Whats so important?” 

“A young boy got missing in a town next to the mountains” - King Liu explained - “We are going to search for him” 

“Do you remember anything about this incident in the future you lived in?” - Niell grew suspicious 

“We never found him. I was hoping this time it would be different” 

“Ding dong is in troubles” - Niell repeated calmly  

“Close enough. Shindong, actually” - King Liu corrected - “Thats the boy’s name” 

“We need to find him. He is a Merry” 

“How are you so sure?” - King Liu couldn’t stop the king fairy 

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 Author comment :

Long time since I updated this story. And as always, confusing as f****. At least Siwon and Shindong were already introduced. For the next few chapters the story will center in saving Shindong and solving part of the mystery that surrounds Merry boys. 

To take into account in case you don’t want to re read the previous chapters: 

1. Niell is the king fairy. He often neglected his duty when harsh measures were needed. For example, he often refused to kill and used his magic for helping humans even when forbidden. He was friends with many humans in the past. He has mentioned a loved one but haven’t spoken too much about it. He is related to prince Sungmin by blood. 

2. The Merry kids are mixed blood between humans and fairies. Apparently, only female fairies can conceive these special kids in exchange of their life. Even if a human male is needed for reproduction, we don’t know anything about the parents of the Merry kids. At least not for now. 

Niell mentioned that some people discovered the kids special powers and basically farmed them. They would “produce” them as weapons to use in wars. 

It was said they all died during the war. However, new ones have started appearing meaning that someone must have continued the experiments. Currently, the Older ones are Leeteuk and Heechul. 

3. The magic of the merries is a whole mystery. While some have abilities that are easy to spot, most of them are hard to tell. King Liu and Niell have been struggling to find out about them. 

Trivia: at least two magic abilities have been hinted in this chapter. Can you figure out which boys and what there magic is? Also, feel free to comment about what magic you expect each boy to have! ^-^ 

Have a nice YEAR (kidding, I want to update before Dec 31)