Jaemin rolled over and grabbed his phone. The time was almost 11am and his head ached with the remains of too much vodka and too much crying. He still couldn’t believe yesterday had gone so wrong. He suddenly became very aware of someone else in the bed with him and he sat up in shock. The glowing ball of light, the tiny bad tempered little creature, the beautiful faerie. 

 

It wasn’t a dream?

 

He sat up and stared at the faerie sleeping next to him. How could this be true. Then he remembered the falling star shooting across the sky as his heart died a thousand deaths outside the arts building last night.

 

 

“I wish Jeno loved me in the way I want him to. The way I love him. I wish his heart was mine.”

 

 

Had this creature of magic and mystery really been sent to help him?

 

He stared at his sleeping face. He was beautiful. He was everything Jeno wasn’t. Jeno’s jaw was strong and his profile masculine and sharp. The sleeping fae had a face that was delicate and refined and he was painted in a much softer kind of beauty. His face had an intrinsic elegance about it. Jeno’s head was covered in a thick shock of black hair, lustrous and rich, shining like molten steel in the sun. The sleeping man beside him had fine locks of orange sunshine that seemed caught right between gold and bronze.

 

And when he sat up and blinked at Jaemin with a small smile Jaemin held his breath. Jeno’s smile was addictive and made his eyes disappear into tiny crescent moons. The fae has a smile that was the opposite, like softly breaking dawn and, to Jaemin’s curious delight, a few slightly crooked teeth.

 

When his dark doe eyes blinked at Jaemin he lost himself in them for just a second.

 

“I’m hungry.” Renjun said as he stared back. “Do you have food?” “I don’t know,” Jaemin replied, “Can you eat human food?” Renjun shrugged and climbed out of the bed. Jaemin saw that he had slept in the clothes he arrived in. The pants were some sort of coarse white linen and his shirt was a soft sky blue. They looked like normal clothes unless you looked really closely and you could see subtle imperfections that gave away their otherworldly origins. Jaemin decided they suited Renjun very well and with his soft gold hair and his sweet face he could probably pass for any other arts student around the campus. Besides the ears. They weren’t passable at all.

 

“I like to go out for breakfast but I guess we’ll have to find something to eat here...” Jaemin swung his legs off the bed and walked out the room with Renjun close behind him. “What do you like to eat?”

 

“Berries.” Renjun said and Jaemin opened his refrigerator, rummaging through the vegetable drawer, coming up with half a punnet of strawberries and a little bag of blueberries. “Here.” He handed them to Renjun who just stared. “What are these?” “Berries.” Jaemin laughed. “Strawberries and blueberries.” Renjun opened the punnet and closely inspected a tiny red berry. “Why are human berries so small?” Jaemin laughed loudly and it was the first time Renjun had seen him look happy. “They aren’t small Renjun. You’re just big now.” Renjun blushed with embarrassment.

 

“Yeah well I knew that.” He scowled rudely and shoved three strawberries into his mouth at once. Jaemin laughed again as he stared at Renjuns cheeks puffed full of berry. 

 

Renjun stared at the beautiful laughing boy as he chewed his fruit. He was so pretty Renjun thought he could easily pass for one of the fae. Definitely beautiful enough to be a faerie or possibly even an angel. “You’re very beautiful.” Renjun said as he swallowed the berries and wiped his mouth with his hand. “Why doesn’t your soulmate accept you?”

 

Jaemin’s eyes took on a faraway quality as he turned away from Renjun. “I don’t know,” he said softly. “I can’t believe I was so wrong. I really thought that he would return my feelings.” He turned back to see Renjun jamming a whole handful of blueberries in his mouth. “I guess I just really don’t know him at all. I know it’s hard to come out, even though things are slowly changing in society, and I’m a guy and he’s a guy. But I really thought that wouldn’t matter to him.” 

 

Renjun frowned as berry juice ran down his chin. “That makes no sense. Love is love. He either loves you or he doesn’t.” He shoved the last two strawberries, leaves and all, into his mouth and spoke while he chewed. “I’ll help you find out if he does.”

 

Jaemin searched the refrigerator for milk but found none. He really wanted to go out for coffee. Jaemin was a coffee addict and couldn’t face the day, even a Saturday, without a double shot. “Renjun you want to get out of here? See more of the human world than my dorm?” Renjun nodded with shining eyes as he put the rest of the blueberries in his mouth.

 

Jaemin went to his closet and searched for something suitable and found a dark blue beret. “Perfect!” He said with triumph and turned back around to find Renjun standing right behind him. “Do you want to wash up? Shower or something?” Renjun shook his head. “No thanks I bathed this week already.”

 

Jaemin sighed. “Well I want to wash up. Wait here and don’t touch anything.” He grabbed his towel and headed into the bathroom. He closed the door, ran the water, and stripped his gross sweatpants and tshirt off onto the floor. He just stepped under the water when the door flew open and Renjun was staring at him. “Why do you have a waterfall inside your home?” The faerie asked before eyeing Jaemin’s ness curiously. “Why aren’t you washing your clothes?”

 

Jaemin grabbed a washcloth and tried to cover himself from Renjuns curious eyes. “Renjun could you wait outside please?” He asked and Renjun frowned. “Why? It’s nice in here, it’s warm and smells like roses, can’t I stay and talk to you?” Jaemin shook his head as he tried to hide himself on the steam and Renjun noticed his embarrassment turned around. “Fine.” He walked out and Jaemin washed himself quicker than he ever had before.

 

When he was dried and dressed he found Renjun inspecting his bookshelf. “You have a lot of books.” Jaemin smiled. The faerie didn’t know what a shower was but he knew books. For some reason Jaemin this funny. “I love books. I love to read and paint and play piano.” Renjun liked all of this and smiled his gentle breathtaking smile at Jaemin. “I’d like to see you do all those things.”

 

 

Once Jaemin had pulled the beret down to cover Renun’s ears he led the fae from his dorm. Renjun stared open mouthed at everything, from the carpet to the old faded art prints on the walls, to the staircase that wound its way down to the ground floor. “Your treehouse is wonderful!” His eyes shone with delight at everything he saw. “You don’t even have to climb! You just run straight down!” 

 

Renjun took off downstairs at a speed that made Jaemin cringe as he watched him almost knock into a group of boys. He apologised as he made his way past them for his new friend being so rude and by the time he reached the bottom Renjun was standing at the door with his hands pressed against the glass. “I can see straight through it....” he mumbled as he pressed his nose and cheek against the glass door before turning to Jaemin with his eyes full of wonder. “But how do we get out?” Jaemin laughed. “Just pull...” He said and reached for the door handle and Renjun gasped in amazement. “So clever...” but as soon as the door was open and he saw the wide green expanse of grass he was off and running through the University gardens.

 

“Renjun wait!” Jaemin called out before realising he’d have to chase him. He caught up to the faerie running lightly across the grass and grabbed him by the shirt. Renjun stopped suddenly making Jaemin lose his balance and they both tumbled onto the grass below them.

 

“That was fun!” Renjuns eyes sparkled as he rolled over towards Jaemin sending his precariously perched beret tumbling loose. He smiled and realised he hadn’t felt grumpy all morning. How could he, out here in this strange human world, with bright sun and warm grass and the beautiful boy beside him? He leaned over and reached out to pick a blade of grass from Jaemin’s soft pink hair and was rewarded with a stunning smile from the other.

 

I’m really doing it, he thought, I think I’m helping him.

 

 

Renjun jumped up and grabbed Jaemin by the hand, pulling him to his feet, grinning as he heard music coming from the theatre across the garden. It was faint but sweet as the notes traveled across the warm winter afternoon and Renjun pulled Jaemin closer and swung him around. “What are you doing?” Jaemin giggled as Renjun swung them faster and faster, swinging their arms and moving his feet, his movements wild and unselfconscious and free. “I’m dancing!” Renjun said, “Dance with me Jaemin.” “People are looking...” Jaemin whispered but he let Renjun draw him closer and gave in to his movements until they both had to stop and gasp for breath.

 

Renjun’s delight at Jaemin’s flushed cheeks was well hidden as they began to walk towards the cafe again. Renjun spotted a flower bed and took off towards it making Jaemin run again. When he caught up to him he found Renjun, daisies and roses ignored, gathering a tiny handful of dandelions from the edge of the garden bed.

 

“They’re my favourites!” He exclaimed as he saw Jaemin catch up to him. His face turned sad as he remembered why. “I was abandoned inside a dandelion.” He said quietly as he stared at the little post in his hands. “My family didn’t want me, I was left behind by my clan, I was shown pity and compassion by the Prince.” He sighed as he began to tuck the dandelions into Jaemin’s wild pink locks and placed a few into his own golden hair.

 

“Maybe it wasn’t that they didn’t want you,” Jaemin said as he stood in the sun and let the otherworldly creature wind yellow dandelions in his hair. “Maybe they knew you were special and they couldn’t give you what you needed? Maybe they couldn’t love you in the way you deserved?” Jaemin took Renjuns hands in his and squeezed them tight. “Maybe leaving you was an act of love.”

 

Renjun felt a warm feeling flood his body as Jaemin held his hands and stared into his eyes. What if Jaemin was right. He felt warm and tingly all over and suddenly he saw Jaemin’s deep brown eyes widen in wonder. “The dandelions...” Jaemin murmured with his eyes wide as saucers and Renjun looked up to see the dandelions he wove for Jaemin’s crown ripen from yellow to white and begin to float away.

 

“Wow!” Renjun exclaimed as a cloud of white dandelion fuzz surrounded them in the gentle breeze. “I’ve never done that before!” He smiled at Jaemin’s surprised look as he felt his magic wax and wane. “Magic is strange here in the human world.”

 

“Come on. Let’s get coffee!” Jaemin said as he shook himself out of his quiet reverie. He bent down and picked up the beret from where it had fallen and pulled it back down over Renjuns ears, knocking another burst of dandelion fuzz loose from his hair. Renjun began to run ahead but Jaemin quickly reached out and tangled their hands together before the faerie could escape. “Slow down!” He said as he squeezed his hand tight. “You don’t even know the way.”

 

 

 

 

Renjun’s eyes sparkled at the sound of the little bells over the door of the cafe. He looked like he might break out into another dance any second but Jaemin held his hand tight and pulled him over to a spare table. “Wait here.” He pushed Renjun gently into a chair and went to the counter alone. He ordered his extra large iced Americano with extra shots and looked for something that would suit the faerie. He scanned the menu and finally something caught his eye. “And an iced herbal tea please. Large.” He checked the flavours before deciding again. “Hibiscus and strawberry please.” “Sugar?” The barista asked and Jaemin nodded. “Double sugar. Actually, can I have that with honey instead of sugar please?”

 

 

 

After the drinks were placed in front of them Renjun took Jaemin’s hands in his again. “Tell me about him.” He sipped his drink and his eyes almost bugged out of his head. “Jaemin you got me a flower drink! Delicious!”

 

He at the straw while Jaemin spoke rapidly. Of his love for Jeno, their close friendship, their bond he thought was unbreakable. He spoke of Jeno’s kind and playful nature, their common love of all things artistic, the glow in his eyes when he smiled. “He’s my soulmate Renjun, I just know it, I think he’s just scared.”

 

The bells rang over the door and suddenly Jaemin went pale. “It’s him. He’s here...” he hissed quietly but Renjun looked around anyway. “. He’s with a girl.” Jaemin ducked his head down and tried to disappear into oblivion but Renjun craned his neck and looked straight over at them.

 

“They’re coming over here,” Renjun said right before noisily at his drink and frowning when he got brain freeze. “.” Jaemin swore under his breath again right before they stood next to their table.

 

“Hi Jeno.” Jaemin tried to act natural. He looked over at the girl and immediately recognised her. She was Kim Yerim, short and cute, a talented dancer and a year above them. “Hi Nana. This is Yerim.” She held her hand out towards Jaemin and he shook it gently. “Just call me Yeri. Everyone else does.” Jaemin nodded. “Hi. Ah, this is Renjun, he’s new.” Jeno held his hand out and Renjun just stared at it curiously before smiling a beautiful bright smile at the other man. “Hi Jeno. I’ve heard a lot about you, you’re Jaemin’s best friend right?” He batted thick eyelashes at the other man before reaching out and Jaemin’s hand he could see shaking on the table. “Ah, yeah, that’s me. Nana’s best friend.”

 

“What’s a Nana?” Renjun asked. Jeno didn’t hear him. He was too fixated on Renjun’s long delicate fingers tracing circles on the back of Jaemin’s softly trembling hand.

 

“How do you two know each other?” Jeno asked and Jaemin looked awkward. “We met in class.” “What class?” Jeno frowned. “Ah... dance class...” Jaemin stammered out. “Renjun’s new. He’s, ah, not from around here...”

 

“Renjun, that’s an unusual name, where are you from?” Jeno’s mood was going downhill quickly as he stared at Renjun staring at Jaemin. “Come on Jeno, lets order and get our own table, we’re interrupting their date. Right?” Yeri smiled cutely and took Jeno by the hand but he couldn’t look away. “Date?” He asked and a slow smile dawned across Jaemin’s face. “Yeah... our date... unless you’d like to join us?” “No thank you,” Yeri smiled politely, “but thanks for asking. I’ll see you around the dance studios I guess.”

 

 

“Jaemin. What’s a date?” Renjun asked after the other two left to find a table of their own. “It’s an outing you take someone on when you like them.” Jaemin smiled and Renjun smiled back. “This is a nice date. Can I have another strawberry flower water?” “Of course.” Jaemin lost himself in Renjun’s sweet smile and in that moment he barely even registered the man staring at them from the other side of the cafe.

 

“Jeno seems kind and good hearted.” Renjun said as he noisily on his second iced tea. “I can feel it within him. His aura is warm and friendly, and a little scared Jaemin. What could he be scared of?” Jaemin sighed. “It’s scary, you know, two boys.... you know...” Renjun’s frown indicated he did not at all know. “Boys or girls, what’s the difference? Love is love.” Renjun said and at his straw again. “Can I taste yours?” He asked Jaemin who passed his cup over and squealed with laughter when Renjun spat the coffee all over the table. “That tastes like burnt pine cones!” Renjun laughed loudly, the sound joyful and melodic, loud and light enough to carry through the whole cafe. The kind of laugh that made you unable to resist laughing along.

 

 

 

Despite Yeri’s best efforts to make conversation Jeno’s eyes never left the happy pair on the other side of the cafe. He watched them talk and laugh, he watched Jaemin’s face light up with a serene glow, he smirked when Renjun tried Jaemin’s coffee and spat it everywhere. And that laugh, that magical laugh, it surrounded them and filled the cafe with a joy and a lightness that was palpable. It was like magic in the air.

 

The boy seated with his best friend was spellbinding.

 

 

“Jeno... Jeno...” he had no idea how long Yeri had been trying to get his attention. “Sorry, What?” He snapped back to reality when she tapped him on the arm. “Do you want another coffee?” She asked. He looked over at her empty cup and frowned apologetically. This was turning into a ty date. 

 

“You haven’t stopped staring at them,” Yeri said softly as she watched Jeno’s eyes wander back to the other table, “didn’t you know he was dating someone?” Jeno sighed. “No. He wasn’t, at least he wasn’t yesterday, and where did that guy come from anyway?” Yeri sighed. “So that all happened last night then?” Her cheeks flushed pink and she giggled cutely. “A Valentine’s Day confession. How romantic!” She sighed and twirled the straw in her empty cup. “Jaemin seems sweet, I wonder who confessed? If it was him I know it would have been cute and very hard to resist.”

 

Jeno scowled into his barely touched coffee. He had been over the events of last night a million times. His hands began to shake as he realised how badly he had messed up.

 

He’d been so afraid. Afraid to be something out of the ordinary. Afraid of being different, of being looked at differently or judged, of being talked about or being ridiculed.

 

Afraid of being extraordinary.

 

Afraid of being in love.

 

 

Jeno was a young man desperately afraid of his feelings and it had led him to hurt the one person who meant everything to him. 

 

 

“I guess this is my confession Jeno. I think I’m in love with you.” 

 

Jaemin’s bravery had him stunned. His bravery and his honesty and his pure gentle heart. The quiet and sincere awkwardness of his simple rose adorned confession.

 

 

 

“I’m in love with you.”

 

Jeno loved him too. He loved Jaemin with every single breath, every beat of his heart, every star in the dark sky that hung over him while his beauty put them all to shame. 

 

He loved him so much it made his heart hammer against his chest and his stomach flip with butterflies every time they were together.

 

But Jeno was a coward. What would people say? How would they react? How would the world deal with the pure and authentic and innocent love of two boys who lived for nothing and no one but each other.

 

Instead of sharing his worries and his fears Jeno panicked.

 

The broken petals on the concrete reflected a messy image of Jeno’s frightened heart. “I.. I c-can’t do this Jaemin…” Jeno stuttered out in shock as he began to shake. “I’m sorry. I just don’t feel the same way.” 

 

I do. I do feel the same way. I love you so much Jaemin. What I don’t feel is brave, or strong, or  courageous.

 

“I’m sorry Nana. I just don’t.”

 

I could never be as bold or as confident as you Nana. I’m so sorry. I’m weak and inadequate, fragile and flawed, and I don’t deserve your love.

 

My hands aren’t worthy of holding your heart because it’s as delicate as I am.

 

 

 

Tears filled his eyes as he quickly blinked them away. He turned to see Yeri looking at him strangely. “Are you okay?” She asked and he shrugged. “I guess I’m not feeling well. I’m sorry Yeri. I shouldn’t have called this morning and asked you out.”

 

Yeri giggled a little. “Well, to be honest Jeno, I was surprised you did. I mean, it was a while ago when we exchanged numbers, and......” 

 

He stared at her as she took a deep breath. 

 

“We, I mean all the girls, we just kind of figured you were gay. You and Jaemin just seemed so close, and so happy when you were together, it’s like you two live in your own little world.” She frowned as she examined her empty coffee cup. “I’m flattered you asked me here and you’re very sweet but you’re kind of still staring at them.”

 

“No I’m not.” Jeno turned his body a little away from the two boys still laughing on the other side of the cafe.

 

“Whatever you say.” Yeri smiled at him. “Are you going to Mark’s party tonight?” Jeno shrugged. He wasn’t usually a party kind of guy but he felt wholly and utterly miserable and getting drunk off Mark Lee’s alcohol might make him feel a little better. Even just numb would be preferable.

 

The little bells rang again and the magical laughter that had filled the room was suddenly silent. When Jeno stoke a covert glance he wasn’t surprised to see the other two were gone.

 

 

 

 

 

As they walked across the grassy gardens again Jaemin held tight to Renjun’s hand. The faerie had a limited attention span when food wasn’t involved and Jaemin didn’t have the energy to chase him across the lawn again. “Jaemin!” Renjun pulled him by the hand over to the garden bed and plucked a single dandelion. “Watch...” He said softly as he closed his hands around the golden yellow petals and closed his eyes tight. When he opened them he opened his hands revealing a bright yellow butterfly beating its wings in its place. “My magic is getting stronger!” He closed his hands around the butterfly again and this time he opened them to reveal two.

 

“I can feel it. I don’t know if it’s the human world, or if it’s something else, or maybe even if it’s you.” Renjun’s bright smile rivalled the sun as he grinned happily at Jaemin. “My magic is getting stronger and more powerful and it feels amazing!”

 

They watched the two butterflies flutter off into the air before Renjun slipped his hand back inside Jaemin’s as they walked.

 

 

 

 

“Hey Renjun!” Jaemin called out from the kitchen where he was washing the faerie a big bowl of fruit for his dinner. “Want to go to a party tonight?”

 

“Party?” A gilded head of hair poked around the corner with curiosity. “I love parties. Cakes and games and dancing!” Jaemin chuckled. “This will be a bit different from the parties you’re used to. But Jeno will be there and maybe we can work out how you’re going to help me.”

 

Help Jaemin....

 

 

Renjun had been having such a wonderful time he kind of forgot he was supposed to be helping him. “I’ll go to this human party.” Renjun smiled. He had to find a way to help Jaemin. He was running out of time.

 

 

 

 

 

“These trousers feel weird.” Renjun frowned as Jaemin helped him into a pair of his skinny jeans. “Yeah but they look great!” Jaemin eyes the faerie’s figure from all angles. He’d lent him the jeans, light blue with rips, and a white tank top to wear on top with a light blue button up over it left hanging open. “I might have some old Converse here that don’t fit me...” Jaemin rummaged through his cupboards before finding a beat up pair of dark blue Chucks and handing them to the faerie.

 

“Star shoes? Thank you Jaemin!” Renjun kicked off his soft doeskin faerie boots and went to pull the sneakers onto his feet before Jaemin stopped him and handed him a pair of white socks. He pulled the socks on and laced the high top sneakers onto his feet and did a little dance when he jumped up. “I love them! Shoes with stars! How wonderful!”  He threw his arms around Jaemin who flushed with embarrassment at the sudden and unselfconscious affection from the beautiful boy. “You can keep them,” he whispered into the golden stands of Renjun’s hair.