Minho left his shoes under a bush just before the edge of the forest. He didn't care if they weren't there at the end of the summer, they just had to be gone so that his parents wouldn't find them under any circumstances. The leaves and branches were already calling him to come home.

He wiggled his toes and gently placed one bare foot after the other on the cool earth. The freedom of finally being free of the tight shoes was indescribable. For the next few weeks he would memorize this feeling in detail. He would soak up the air and remember every scent so that he could evoke it again and again. With a small box in his hands, he stepped into the forest.

Taemin stood on tiptoes and had his fingers crossed behind his back. His pale skin shone like the moon itself in the glistening light of his wings. The leaves around his body were bathed in a rich green and his hair waved gently in the wind. It was like a dream. That image of Taemin waiting for him and welcoming him with a smile.

"I missed you." Breathed Taemin through his full lips.

Minho stopped just a few steps in front of the fairy. His gaze slid from his flushed cheeks down to his long, bare legs. He swallowed. Too much he would have liked to his soft skin there again and touch him all over. But he didn't want to rush things, they now had the whole summer to get closer again. He wanted to savor every moment to its fullest.

"I have something for you here." Minho said and opened the box.

Taemin came fluttering towards him and with shining eyes he looked inside.

"They are from our driveway and I collected all the ones I could find on the way here."

It was the middle of summer, but some leaves had found their way from their Mother Tree to the ground or the asphalt. Most of them were still green, but there was only a hint of life left in them. Gingerly, Taemin reached into the fallen leaves and gently them with his fingers.

"Don't worry." Smiled he at Minho. "They will be all right here."

Taemin turned and with graceful movements, as if he weighed nothing, he fluttered into the forest and spread the leaves. He took his time in doing so. Before lowering a leaf to the ground, he whispered something to it and a glitter enveloped the leaf as it slowly floated down in its swings.

Minho watched as Taemin breathed new life into the green and wondered how he could ever forget Taemin. Was it the curse of growing up? If so, he never wanted to grow old. He was happy with Taemin, he was accepted by him for who he was. Taemin did not take him to a doctor to give him pills he did not understand. All Taemin wanted was to spend time with him. No one else wanted that. Not his mother, not his brother and not his father.

When Taemin had given all the leaves a new home, he slowly slid down to Minho. The black-haired boy stretched out his hand to Taemin and was rewarded with the fairy's gentle touch. Taemin slid to the ground and Minho nestled the smaller body close to his.  

"How did you become like this?" whispered Minho.

Taemin slid his hands over Minho's chest and lifted his head. With crossed eyebrows, he looked at the human.

"You didn't have wings when we were children." He laughed softly.

"Oh." Taemin smiled and his cheeks took on a shade of pink. "I don't know. I guess the world just turns kids into adults and the kids who don't want that become like me."

"Can I do that too? Can I also become this magical, this enchanting?"

"Minho you...you will go again and then you will age..."

"I will stay here...at least for now. For the summer, I will stay with you."

"You'll stay with me?" Taemin's eyes grew wide and sparkling.

Minho nodded and before he could realize what was happening Taemin's wings flapped rapidly, creating a plethora of glitter while his arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Minho closed his eyes and returned the embrace. Never had anyone been so happy to spend time with him.

Minho stopped. Taemin, not letting go of the human's hand, turned to him. Minho's gaze slid in confusion between Taemin and the food that was nicely placed on the dense grass. Berries, nuts and mushrooms lay beautifully draped in all their colorful glory.

"You didn't know I was staying."

"My friends helped me." The fairy replied with a mischievous smile.

Minho looked around. The trees stood as they always did when they entered this patch of earth. But how could he have missed all this, Taemin had shown him the first time they met again. In the trees, pairs of eyes lurked on them - no, on him. He had been so absorbed by Taemin that he hadn't noticed that the animals and insects were watching his every move.

And of course they did. What was Taemi