†•†•†•†•†•†•†

Jonghyun always knew he was different. Ever since he was a child – ever since he could differentiate what’s wrong and right, he knew he wasn’t the same as other village’s kids. Elders shunned him out whenever he went to run some errand for his mother while other kids called him abomination, weird and disgraceful – a cursed child.

His father wasn’t different from the villagers. Jonghyun could remember that one time he came home crying because some children were throwing rotten eggs at him, and all his father did was scoffed at him and told him he deserved more than rotten eggs thrown at him. A little Jonghyun, who only started to yearn for his father’s love, had his heart broken at the age five, and it was under the warmth of his mother’s embrace that he was able to sleep through the night.

It was then he started questioning his mother, on why people hated him so much. Did he do something wrong to the villagers that the only thing he received from them were hatred and disgust?

“No my baby. Remember my words for decades to come, that you are special. Those villagers can’t help but envy you for something they will never get to have. Whatever they say, whatever your father say – never listen to them. Only listen to my voice, okay my sweet Jonghyunnie?”

His mother cooed, cradling the little Jonghyun in her thin arms and Jonghyun hummed sleepily, finding peace and comfort in her warm embrace. He snuggled into her arms as he started to doze off, unaware of the tears shed by his mother. A mother who also had her heart broken as she wiped away the tears streaking down on those lovely chubby cheeks.

When Jonghyun was at the age of eleven, his platinum white hair started to grow, so long until some of it obscured his sight. It was only then too, the once quiet house grew louder with cries and shouts and fights. He watched from his bedroom’s entrance as his mother fought with his father, the strain in her neck hardened as she screamed at his father. He didn’t what they were arguing about, but he was sure it’s about him. It was always about him.

His mother was furious when she saw the wounded mark across his face, and his swollen arms were the last straw as she marched towards his sleeping father and slapped the whole world out of him. The screams continued for another moment longer before his father stormed off, but not before he spat at him in disgust along the way.

He whimpered sadly, wiping his face off the liquid while his mother rushed over with a wet rag, wiping his face with so much love and affection that his heart ached a little. The small hand reached out too, to wipe his mother’s wet cheeks with his palm.

“Please don’t cry because of me, mommy,”

“Oh dear,” She cried, throwing away the rag and pulled him into her arms. Jonghyun wrapped his thin arms around her neck and buried his face into her shoulder. Her scent had always comforted him, and Jonghyun thought it would always stay that way.

His mother pulled back only to cradle his face with both hands, her tears already stopped falling but there’s traces of them in her warm gazes.

“Why do they hate me so much mommy?”

He asked with a tiny voice as he tried his best to hold himself back from crying in front of his mother. He had to be strong for her.

“Because you have something they don’t, my dear.”

“What is it? Can I throw it away? I don’t want it – they can have it, I don’t want to be special anymore mommy. I don’t want to get beaten up again,”

His mother was silent for a second, before she reached up to place a strong, yet determine kiss on his forehead.

“I’m so sorry my love, I’m so sorry you have to endure all those. I promise you that I’ll protect you from now on. No more pain for my sweet baby,”

Jonghyun hummed, little fingers playing with her hair.

“No more pain for you too?”

She smiled sadly at him and nodded, plastering a big joyful smile on Jonghyun’s face after a long while. She dug into her old worn out dress’s pocket, only to pull out a necklace. It was an aster necklace, and Jonghyun’s big eyes shined in adoration at the jewelry. They didn’t come from a well off family, thus to be able to have such necklace was a luxury for them. He watched as his mother clasped the necklace around his neck and hid it under his shirt, her hands tapping his chest for a good measure.

“Promise me that you will never, ever take this off,”

Jonghyun nodded seriously, his little hands fumbling for the pendant to admire at.

“But mommy, whose necklace is this?”

“It’s yours my dear,”

“Huh, it’s mine?”

Jonghyun squeaked in surprise and his mother chuckled fondly at him, nodding her hand and soon, her fingers joined his – caressing the pendant with such care.

“It’s yours from the moment you arrived in this world. But I took care of it for you because I was afraid someone might take before you’re able to have it.”

“But, who gave it to me?”

The smile on her mother remained the same as she took a seat on the dusty floor, Jonghyun following suit so that he could stayed close by her side.

“My dear, have you ever wonder about the color of your hair, and the Dark Forest that stretched out as far as it goes outside our village?”

“I didn’t know about my hair, but I did hear about the Dark Forest. The villagers warned me not to get too close to it. They said some nasty creatures are living and roaming inside it, that I would be eaten alive if I as much as try to enter.”

“My Jonghyunnie, what I’m about to tell you might change your life forever. I wish I can still protect you from this, but I’m afraid the time will slip by and you’ll be left with nothing to hold on.”

“What is it mommy?”

She took a deep breath, and he gripped the pendant in his hand a bit tighter. It was as if the necklace knew the truth was going to be unveiled to him before the pendant suddenly went cold in his warm hand. He suppressed the shiver it brought, eyes involuntarily closing on their own. It was then he saw it – blurry images of the Dark Forest, shining things flying everywhere, warm and joyful laughter over delicious meals, a house – no, rooms everywhere, stairs, and bright blue eyes staring straight at him – before he opened his eyes with loud gasp.

“Mommy,”

He panicked, hands grabbing his mother for support and his mother hushed him with her soothing voice.

“I know my dear, I know. It seems that my instinct was right all along. Tell me what happened?”

“I – I don’t know, the pendant suddenly went cold and I saw, I saw the Dark Forest and so many people eating and, and – mommy what is it? What’s happening to me?”

His mother smiled down at him, cradling and caressing his cheeks tenderly.

“It’s okay. You’re alright. You’ll be safe even if I’m not here to protect you anymore.”

“Mommy, what…”

“Several years back ago, long before you arrive, this village was being graced by the Guardians of the Dark Forest. The creatures who lives in it, isn’t nasty at all. In fact, they are all beautiful, kind, and empathic. The Guardians have been helping this village to prosper, that’s why the fruits and trees on this land never die.

It turns out that the reason why they have been helping us all along is because the Highest Guardian of the Dark Forest foresaw a vision. A vision where their soulmate is born here, will grow up here and it is here where the Highest Guardian will come to ask for their soulmate’s hand. The Guardians told the villagers that they will keep on helping this village to prosper, and in return we have to take care of the Highest Guardian’s soulmate until they are ready to meet.

But years and years passed, there’s no sign or clue that the soulmate has been chosen, or to be precise, arrive yet in this world. And because the villagers are already in comfort with all the luxury they have, they start to become greedy and also afraid. They are afraid that this blessing will stop once the Highest Guardian come down for their soulmate. Until one day, one of the elders voiced out that if they can somehow hide the presence of this soulmate from the Guardians, they will continue to receive the Guardians’ blessing and they won’t have to worry about draught and raining seasons anymore.”

His mother paused and Jonghyun looked down his lap, his platinum white hair once again obscuring his view.

“And this continue, until you, my precious baby, came. There’s no way normal human being will naturally have a white hair, as white as the forest’s snow, and once they see you, they were once again reminded of the Highest Guardian’s vision.”

“I’m…the soulmate? That is why…they hate me?”

His mother nodded with sad eyes, and it took Jonghyun a few more seconds before he shook his head rapidly.

“No mommy, no! No way I’m the soulmate, they have mistaken me for someone else! There’s no way someone wants…me.”

He mumbled the last words and his mother surprisingly laughed at him.

“My Jonghyunnie, have you seen yourself? You are quite a handsome boy for your age, and I can’t wait to see you once you already a grown up.”

Jonghyun blushed pink under his mother’s teasing and softly hit his mother’s arms.

“Then, this necklace…?”

“Is given to you on the night you were born.”

“The Guardians…came?”

He asked with shocked eyes and loud gasp.

“Yes, they visited me during the night, where they put all the villagers including your father to sleep. They placed the necklace in your basket, and thanked me for having you and for making their Highest Guardian happy.

Your beautiful white hair, your pale skin, your red lips – are all the signs that you are the Highest Guardian’s soulmate.”

His mother finished and Jonghyun blinked at his mother in awe and surprise. He didn’t know if he should be happy or not with this new knowledge. After all, it was because of his white hair that he was being shunned out by the villager. They also went as far as relocating their house to a land furthest from the village and the Dark Forest.

“What’s wrong Jonghyunnie?”

He pouted and looked up at his mother, so many questions running around his little head.

“Is this a good news for me mommy?”

The woman smiled and poked his nose playfully, pulling whines and whimpers from the small child.

“It is my dear. Because at least I know that you will remain safe with the Guardians, which they will take care of you once I’m no longer around.”

His heart ached at the last words, like someone pulling a string on his heart and he shook his head to bash away the bad thoughts. He couldn’t even think how he could live without his mother, and he never wanted to go there.

“But mommy, when the Guardian will come for me?”

His mother sighed and she turned to look at their window, gaze searching for the Dark Forest as if she could gain some answers from it.

“I don’t know my dear, but I’m sure when the time is right, they will come here to see you.”

†•†•†•†•†•†•†

“Jonghyun, food is ready!”

The young man snapped out from his daydream, body jerking in surprise as he pulled his gaze away from the Dark Forest. It seemed so long since he started learning about the soulmate thing, and he wondered why the memory would came up now. Playing with his lower lip absentmindedly, he looked up again, letting himself drown in that pitch black. He tried his best to search for anything – any single thing that proved the forest was alive, and sighed when his effort went futile.

He took a step away from the window and turned around completely, eyes softening when he saw his mother was filling the table with so many delicious foods.

“What’s the occasion?”

He teased as he stepped closer, bringing a frown on his mother’s face. The elder playfully hit his head with a ladle and Jonghyun laughed, taking the ladle from her hand and started to help stirring the mushroom soup.

“I’ve always cook a lot for you, you know,”

She retorted and he laughed some more, only to have the laughter died when his mother coughed again. The force of the cough was so strong that it had her doubling over. A screeching sound of a wooden chair being pushed back echoed in the house and in no time, Jonghyun was already by her side. Their height was difference now, he was so much taller than his mother as he gently caressed her back in attempt to soothe some of her pain.

“We need a healer mom,”

He whispered as he sat her down on the chair, the coughing continued to the point it had her clenching at her chest and brought tears to her eyes. Jonghyun frowned some more, eyes started to glaze with tears at the thought of him unable to do anything to alleviate her pain.

“I’m okay,”

She gasped a word of comfort and Jonghyun reached up to wipe the tears off her wrinkle skin, a piece of his heart started to crack.

“No, you know you’re not mom. Please, let me out to find you a healer. I know this village has one,”

He begged and his mother took a deep breath, seeming to calm herself down as the cough finally died down. She turned to look at him, who was on his knees on the floor and ran her fingers through his whiter hair.

“You know why I can’t let you out, my baby,”

He knew. Of course he knew, because there’s no way he could forget how the villagers were trying to kill him but at the same time trying to make it look as if he had an accident. He remembered being strapped to bed for weeks, with no one to attend to his wounds except for his mother. His eyes went down as the memory came up, how his only desire when he came out from the house was to take some fresh air, and maybe watched how the morning market went from afar resulted in wounds and blood on his back.

He knew he wasn’t allowed anywhere in the village except in the confined of his own house, but he wasn’t going to stay still and watched his mother’s health got worse as time passed by.

“Mom, please, I’ll be extra careful, I know where the healer house is—”

“What, you wanna get out from the house?” Another strong voice cut him off and he stood up, body freezing in fear and defense as his father entered the kitchen. “Be my guest eh, and do me favor will ya? Please don’t come back this time,”

The old man sneered as he sat down and started eating with no cares in the world.

“Don’t listen to him my dear. I’m okay, I’ll be fine as the winter passes. Okay?”

His mother hushed, and it was only because of his mother’s pleading gaze that he nodded his head slowly, unsure but still a nod nevertheless.

“Well, bad news boy, listen to me right now. Get out from my face! Seeing you makes me want to throw up,”

The old man grumbled and he turned around on instant, going into his room, locking it and once he was sure he was safe from him, he let out a deep breath and fell on his knees. His hands were trembling in fear as he tried to shake out the images of him being beaten half dead by his father, over and over again. His cries and screams went unheard by the neighbors, his mother was out to the morning market and somehow, in that darkness, the only light he saw was the aster necklace around his neck.

Choking on his tears, he scrambled for the bed and curled himself into a ball, body heaving with his sobs as he wondered if it was better for him to disappear from the world. He wanted this pain to stop, for the nightmare turned into a pleasant one, but he didn’t know if he could ever grasp that dream. He was cursed with no one to love except his mother and he was so, so lonely.

†•†•†•†•†•†•†

Months passed, and he watched in silence sorrow as her mother got worse and worse. He once tried begging his father for a healer and he found himself curling into a ball on the floor as the old man beat him to his heart content. It was on a one rainy night, after the Guardians had blessed them with fruitful spring that his mother’s condition worsened. His father was out for gambling as Jonghyun scrambled for his mother, who was now strapped to the bed for weeks already.

The cough had her doubling over in pain, and the grip her fingers had on his arm was so tight to the point it draw blood from his skin. Jonghyun gasped at the blood on his mother’s palm, and it was then he outright cried, eyes and cheeks wet with tears at the nightmare soon to come.

“Mom, please, please let me out to find you a healer! I can’t, I can’t be without you mom, I have no one except you! Please mom, please!”

He begged and sobbed, his tears wetting his pale cheeks and once the grip his mother had on him loosened, he stood up and ran. For the first time in years, he stepped out from the house, the heavy rain soaking him to the bones but his eyes were strong and determined as he walked towards the healer’s house.

He knocked on the wooden door so hard it hurt his knuckles, but all of the pain passed by when the door was opened up from the inside. The yellow light from its living room hurt his eyes a bit, but his eyes focused again on the moody man standing in front of him. The healer narrowed his eyes before they widened in surprise at his presence.

“You! What are you doing here?!”

He roared, pushing at his chest with a force that knocked him on the ground. Jonghyun didn’t let the treatment deterred him as his scrambled for his knees to beg.

“Sir, please help me sir! My mother is dying and she need your help! Please sir!”

The healer scoffed and spat to the ground in disgust.

“You’ll have to kill me first before you get me to treat your mother! Plus, if I do help you, what will I get in return? Nothing! Nothing except the fact that I give you another reason to live, which is the opposite of what the villagers and I want.”

He sneered and made to turn around before Jonghyun’s hands on his legs stopped him.

“Please sir, I beg you.” He sobbed, the cold rain slid down his cheeks together with his warm tears. “I’ll do anything for you, I will – I will, anything for you sir,”

Something seemed to click in the healer’s mind as he turned around with an ugly grin at Jonghyun’s offer.

“Anything…you said?”

Jonghyun bobbed his head up and down, eyes shining with a bit of hope at the reply.

“Then, will you give me your life? A life for a life. In exchange of your mother’s life, you’ll give us your death.”

His eyes widened in fear and shock, before the white haired man sobbed again. A roar of lightning shook the entire village – the light was so blinding that for one second, all he could see was white – before it left the town in darkness again, leaving a buzzing echo as if it could mirror the young man’s heartbreak.

“Okay,” He whispered out, fingers curling into fists. “Okay, you can have my death, if you save my mother.”

The grin on the healer’s face widened, his eyes glinting with joy as he sneered the next word.

“It’s a deal then.”

†•†•†•†•†•†•†

 The run back to his home was harder as the rain fell heavier but he didn’t stop for a second, even when his lung was screaming for rest. He pushed the door open once he arrived, legs walking towards his mother’s room before they were halted in surprise. Jonghyun could feel his body went rigid and cold at the sight of his unmoving mother, before a new fresh tears came out again to wet his cheeks.

“Mom? Mom!”

He cried out, kneeling by her bed and shook her weak body, hands cradling her pale face.

“Mom? Mom please, the healer is here! Please mom, hang in there,” He sobbed, turning to the frozen healer with a rage he never knew he was capable of. “Heal her! You promise me you will heal her, so do it!”

He screamed, knocking some sense into the healer’s head before the old man moved forward. But instead of opening his medicine box and started examined her, he stood there frozen still, one hand reaching out tentatively to try and feel some beat at her wrist. The healer gasped as he pulled away, taking one step back and shaking his head when Jonghyun looked up at him for answer.

“We are too late,”

He mumbled, and another lightning roared so loud in the sky that it was almost deafening.

“What…?”

Jonghyun asked before he turned back to his lifeless mother. His lovely mother, his beautiful and kind mother, who offered him love when everyone turned their backs on him. His only companion in this world was here no longer. There’s no one to wipe his tears anymore, no one to laugh at his cheesy jokes or cooked him warm soup during the hard, cold days. She was here no more, and she went away alone, with no Jonghyun by her side.

His heart clenched painfully tight at the thought of his mother looking for him at the end of her life, but he wasn’t there for her. It hurts, it hurts so much to the point he was unable to shed tears anymore. He was left staring at his mother, lost at words and love before the reality finally sunk in. The pain shot up his heart like fire. He cringed. It exploded in his head with a blinding whiteness. It made him dizzy. It made him reeled. The pain was like needles that had been dipped in alcohol had been jammed through his skin, like someone just ripped out his heart from his body.

He was too deep in his own anguish to care for the healer anymore. It was only natural for him not to notice when the healer pulled out a knife from his medicine box, raising it up higher than his head before he jammed it down.

Only to be thrown away and crashed against the hard, cold walls. The breaking of the bones even echoed loudly despite the sound of the pitter patter of the rain outside overweighing any voices and sounds made.

The healer’s scream woke Jonghyun up from his stupor as he turned around, eyes widened and mouth left opened at the new presence in the room. Jonghyun’s hands started to tremble in fear and he instinctively reached out for his necklace for comfort. It was only then he noticed his pendant was glowing in faint blue, and was cold to his warm touch but he gripped it in his palm all the same.

There, standing at the entrance of the room, stood three young guys, all dressed in silky white robes but with different color of embroidery sewn so beautifully that it was impossible the dresses were made by human. The one standing in the middle had a gold embroidery all over his robes, such a stark contrast to a snow white robes. And the gold wasn’t too pale nor too bright – but it was enough to shine on the watching eyes, enough for him to tell that this guy was more powerful than the other two.

The others held the same color of embroidery on their silky white robes, a Persian red. The embroidery were only sewn along the edge of their hoodies, which fell low enough to hide their faces. The big sleeves fell below their fingertips, exposing nothing to him. Jonghyun was so entranced with their beauty that he found himself speechless, unable to utter even a coherent words to these strangers.

It was the healer who broke the silence of the night with a shaking voice.

“W-who are you? What do you want?!”

The strangers outright ignored the healer’s question, and Jonghyun watched with careful eyes as the guy in the middle took a step forward – another step, another step – and he continued until he was standing right in front of the whiter haired man. When the man kneeled down in front of him, Jonghyun was forced to scoot back out of curiosity and fear, still not trusting himself to speak.

The stranger’s sleeve move to pull back the hood that covered his face, only to reveal a beauty that Jonghyun couldn’t compare to anything in this world. No, beauty didn’t fit him – this ethereal being. He was enticing – with his cherry blossom hair that moved even with the slightest movement, giving away on how smooth it would feel if Jonghyun were to run his fingers through his hair. He was enthralling, his blue eyes staring deep into him and – and they were filled with a longing that Jonghyun yearned to sooth, because such sadness clouding those beautiful eyes was so wrong and had no such place in this ugly world.

He was alluring, with his red lips smiling at him like he deserved to be loved and treated with such respect.

“Jonghyunnie?”

He blinked, a bit taken aback at the smooth voice calling out for his name. The stranger kept his smile on his face even though Jonghyun was nothing but a silent human. Jonghyun tilted his head a bit to the right as he stared into the deep blue eyes. The images that clouded his eyes weren’t unfamiliar, was welcomed even, and Jonghyun let himself drawn into the ocean as more images and scenes start filling his head.

He saw the forest, such a beautiful, mystery forest that glowed in the darkness of the night. The moon was up in the sky, and yet the forest light up like buzzing city, little lights flying everywhere and laughter and joyful screams filled his hearing sense. He saw more beautiful creatures enjoying the food at the middle of the forest, and some children running around and into their houses that was built inside the huge tree. Straight ahead was the biggest tree he ever seen that houses so many rooms, with staircases that led him up and higher, until he could see the whole forest stretching out below him.

A presence came standing beside him, his chuckles were filled with childlike joy and Jonghyun turned to look at him, his own eyes were clouded with love he never thought he would have.

Jinki.

Jonghyun gasped, in a deep breath as he was brought back to his room, in the village with the healers still screaming at them. His grey eyes shined with unshed tears as he fell forward, only to be caught by the stranger and was brought into his safe arms. His fingers found a purchase on the smooth silky robes before he looked up.

“Jinki,”

He whimpered, and Jinki’s smile widened at the recognition.

“I’m here my love, you’re safe now.”

At the smooth voice, Jonghyun found himself crying again as he nuzzled into Jinki’s warm embrace, arms wounding around Jinki’s neck to pull himself closer. The taller man leaned down to wrap his arm around Jonghyun’s small waist, inhaling the scent he had been yearning for decades.

“What took you so long,”

Jonghyun sobbed and Jinki places tiny kisses of apologies on his hair, his strong arms securing Jonghyun tightly.

“I’m sorry my love, I’m so sorry. But I can only come when the Calling rings, and you don’t know how much I pray for the Calling to come earlier. But I’m here now, I’m here Jonghyunnie,”

The white haired man sobbed against Jinki’s chest, he didn’t even know why he was crying. He didn’t know who Jinki was, but he could feel how his presence made his life complete, like his other half was here, like his missing piece finally click onto its place. There’s so many questions he wanted to ask, but he was tired, exhausted even that he couldn’t do anything other than crying.

“Jinki, my mom,”

He sobbed and Jinki hushed him, tilting his head a bit to kiss his temple.

“I know my love, and I’ll see to it. The other Guardians will help to conduct a proper burial for your beloved mother. She did so well, she held on so strong. I believed she is happier right now.”

Jonghyun pressed his wet eyes against Jinki’s silky robes, wanting nothing more than to just fall asleep so that he could forget this heartbreaking event.

“What is this nonsense?! Who are you?!”

The healers roared, and Jinki stood up tall, bringing Jonghyun with him, still secured against his chest.

“Taemin, Minho,”

The other two Guardians who stood still nodded at the call of their names before they pulled back their hoodies, revealing their beautiful faces.

“Yes Jinki,”

“Help me to properly bury Jonghyun’s mother. She deserves a place in the Dark Forest, and it’s there she shall lie.”

“Wait…you are the Guardians?”

The healer exclaimed, the fear was gone on instant as he grinned with happiness. He limped forward towards Jinki, and Jonghyun whimpered at the movement, curling himself small in Jinki’s strong arms.

“I’ll have to ask you to stop right there. You seems to scare my Jonghyun, and I don’t want that,”

Jinki warned, his gold irises shined dangerously and the healer was frozen on the spot.

“Jinki, it seems like the villagers haven’t been treating your soulmate right.”

Minho concluded as he looked around in curiosity. The Highest Guardian’s soulmate lived a sorrowful life, and Minho’s heart was breaking at the thought of Jonghyun crying himself to sleep every single night. Jinki hummed while Taemin scoffed, the youngest Guardian walking towards the healer with hateful eyes.

“You’re the healer of the town?”

Taemin asked, his voice even though was smooth and silky, was sharp and threatening to Jonghyun’s ears.

“Yes my Lord,” The healer answered with awed in his voice, probably amazed at the prospect of him being able to actually talk with the Guardian. Taemin hummed and raised up his right hand, staring daggers into the healer’s eyes as the heavy rain outside slowed down until it fully stopped.

Taemin turned around to face the Highest Guardian and Jinki nodded solemnly. He nudged Jonghyun with his nose with tender and affection, and once the grey eyes were locked onto his, Jinki smiled and caressed the wet cheeks with his knuckles.

“Will you come home with me, my sweet love?”

The corner of Jonghyun’s lips lifted up slightly and he hummed in content.

“Okay. Let’s go back home,”

He said softly and was rewarded with a kiss on his forehead. Jinki looked to the front again, letting Jonghyun hid himself in the cocoon of his arms.

“Let’s go,”

He said with a finality in his voice, and both Taemin and Minho straightened up in response. When they started to walk out from the house, the healer followed suit, hope and joy still filled his eyes.

“W-Wait, my Lords. Will you grace me with your presence at my home? I have some tasty sweet fruits for you to enjoy,”

Jinki and Minho ignored him as they continued to walk out from the house, only Taemin was left to respond to such a low offer.

“You doesn’t deserve my blessing, and you sure as hell doesn’t deserve Jinki’s.”

When the youngest Guardian walked out, he noticed most of the villagers already started to gather outside of Jonghyun’s house, some of them even bow to the earth at their presence. He joined Jinki and Minho, and watched affectionately as Jinki tried to calm down his soulmate.

“It’s okay love. I’m here.”

The Highest Guardian hushed his soulmate but when Jinki turned back to look at Taemin and Minho and other villagers, his gold irises shined once again, but this time they were more dangerous and were heavier with threats that he forced Minho and Taemin to look down, while the villagers fell to their knees under his gaze.

“Taemin, finish this for me,”

And with that, Jinki disappeared from the villager’s eyes, bringing Jonghyun with him and only leaving white, mystery mist in its awake. Taemin watched as Jinki went, nodding his head into Minho’s direction when the other Guardian disappeared into Jonghyun’s house. He turned to face the villagers, his irises glowing violet.

“For years, we have bestow your land with blessing, so that all fruits you plant will grow. We’ve blessed this village so it will never go through draught or raining seasons, with a hope that the soulmate of our Highest Guardian grow up happily. We gave you so many blessings, but in return you give us pain and sadness.”

There’s a murmur of panic buzzing within the villagers and Taemin let them be. Let them feel the fear of hurting Jinki, their Highest Guardian, and showed to them the consequences of betraying their promise. He put on his hood back, hiding his face from the villager’s eyes and stood in silence, almost frozen still.

“I, the Guardian of the Dark Forest, shall stop gracing this land with the Guardians’ blessings. The earth on this land shall be dry until the Highest Guardian said otherwise, no rain will befall this village, all the fruits will become rotten once they were picked, and the villagers shall experience the sorrow and the sadness they have inflicted upon the Highest Guardian’s soulmate. Until the Highest Guardian grace this land with his presence again, this land shall be cursed for years to come.”

The violet irises started to shine brighter and brighter, to the point they were temporarily blinded by the light as it enveloped the whole village before the darkness fell upon it again. The moon was gone from the dark sky, so did Taemin and other Guardian, leaving the villagers crying over their fates.

†•†•†•†•†•†•†