Sungmin opened his eyes to the faint light coming from his window, the storm has passed and the birds were all chirping from the branch of the trees. White covered all grounds, almost removing the trace of early spring. The storm’s origin is still unknown, but he love it, all those beautiful snow blanketed on the patch of earth.

His thoughts may be a little hazy but as he blinked the coolness of the morning air, eyes straining a bit from the events last night. He had cried himself to sleep when he didn’t exactly know why he’s bawling his eyes out, his chest just aches for no exact reason at all.

Then his thoughts landed into a strange event. He bolted upright, steadying himself for a bit before storming to the door, he had a guest, an injured one and he just can’t believe he slept without knowing who that person is and if the old man had sent the stranger home.

He opened to a freshly smelling kitchen, breakfast of warm bread and steaming coffee were placed on the table, his gaze travelled the expanse of his small home when it landed near the fireplace, the bloodied blankets were gone replaced by thick unfamiliar ones, all propped to a lanky body still sleeping soundly.

He walked cautiously to the bundle to peer on the guest’s face, slight bruised with small cuts but all in all clean and presentable, long eye lashes, black mop of a hair plaid over his eyes.

“He’s fine.”

A raspy grunt startled Sungmin making him gasped as he turned around. “Grandpa! You startled me.”

The old man threw him a wary smile before shuffling his way to the table gesturing towards Sungmin to sit on the other side. The old man placed a porridge on the center of the table before sitting down beside Sungmin.

“How’s he?” the younger asked staring towards the injured man before getting his share of the porridge.

“As I said earlier, he’s fine, he’ll live though those wounds needed some serious stitching. That young man’s been through a lot, so it’s better if he rested here for a while.” The old man responded when Sungmin begun to choked on his own food.

“W-what? He’s staying here?!” the younger asked incredulously. “B-But I don’t know him Grandpa, what if he’s a bandit or a thief or something of the caliber?”

The old man shook his head. “He’s none of that kind, he’s far away from home and he has nowhere to go for sure so why don’t you offer a place for him to stay?”

Sungmin sank on his seat. “Grand pa, I barely knew the guy, in fact I didn’t knew him at all, and I can’t took in someone in this situation? I’m almost an outcast in this village, I can’t exactly keep him you know, and the villagers will make fun of him or bully him. Why don’t you let him stay in your library, the attic is comfortable enough to live in, if he really has nowhere to go, he can guard it at night.”

The old man stared at his food for a while contemplating with the situation, of course, Sungmin’s an outcast and had learnt to live in discreet, having another person to live with might be a huge turn for the younger man, sighing in defeat he took a sip from the porridge.

“Okay,” the older man replied in his raspy voice. “But not until he woke up, his injuries are quite deep moving him from here to the center of the village may be a bad idea, let him rest for a while.”

Sungmin nodded understanding the situation before going back to his food.

“About last night, I presume you already meet him before I drag him here?”

Sungmin sighed. “Yeah, he saved me from being run over by a berserk carriage.”

The older man snapped up to look at him. “Is it one of the villagers? I swear they’re going too far with all this nonsense.”

“I don’t think it’s intentional though, the driver seemed kinda daze and unfocused. “ Sungmin replied. “Now that I think about it, it felt weird, like someone’s watching through the whole event at that time but it might be the stranger, I don’t know.”

“Hmm.” The older man hummed. “but after the accident, did the driver turned towards you?”

“I don’t think so. Everything was blocked from my view when the stranger dragged me out of the way.”

There was a moment of silence as the two man contemplate of each other’s words and the current situation, broken only by the clinking of china as they both eat their breakfast.

“I have a bad feeling about things nowadays, so please do be careful Sungmin.” The old man said making the younger nodded in incomplete understanding, he turned around once again to see the injured man beside the fire place, he’s awfully familiar though and he felt little animosity from the man, but that doesn’t mean he could take him in, after all he’s scared of living with someone and being attached, he just can handle another goodbye, not anymore.

***

Pondering on the little things, Sungmin busied himself with books. He flipped through the pages absentmindedly when a soft tinkling of the library bell echoed the signal of a customer.

Still, unfazed from pondering thoughts about the guest he left at home, he had never thought someone would peered over his shoulders.

“That’s quite interesting?”

The customer’s breath tickled down the expanse of Sungmin’s neck and he gasped almost stumbling from the wooden stool to the floor.

“Careful!”

The visitor caught his arms and held him upright. He glanced at the man who’s smiling sweetly at him, eyes creasing to the widen grin. “Goodmorning, Sungmin…”

The man called was left stunned, not only by the overpowering presence but he just can’t keep his eyes off the other, white skin, pinkish lips, black hair and a very alluring scent, now that he had seen the customer from yesterday up close, heat shamelessly crept up his cheeks, making him stumble further before leaning to the books for support.

“Hey what’s wrong? Did I startle you that bad? I’m sorry…” he frowned and Sungmin mentally smacked himself.

“N-No. I’m fine.” He replied brushing off his clothes to make himself a least bit comfortable. Heart throbbing to his rib cage, he kept looking at the man in front of him and his effects on Sungmin had been gravely confusing. It shows to his stammering and his dropped defenses.

“That’s good then.” The man chuckled to his low husky voice that sort of tickle Sungmin’s inside. He had been feeling all sorts of reaction by simply meeting this man.

“W-what books do you like to borrow?” Sungmin asked diverting his view from the radiating guest, turning around to fix the pile of books beneath his feet that scattered when he stumbled.

“What’s good to read?” The man chuckled heartily. “…but before that… you don’t remember me?”

Sungmin looked up hesitantly and immediately look away. “Yeah I do. You’re the customer from yesterday?”

“Yes that’s me, but you don’t remember my name?” Jongwoon inquired playfully, making Sungmin flustered beyond reasons.

“J-Jongwoon? If I’m not mistaken?” The man replied still avoiding the other.

“Yeah that’s it.” Jongwoon smiled even brighter fidgeting from the other side of the counter as he studied Sungmin. “So Sungmin, what books are good?”

“What genre do you mostly read?” Sungmin replied finally composing himself.

“Hmm. I like action, fantasy would be good too, and romance.” The older said casually. “How bout you?”

“Fantasy, history and action.” Sungmin replied confidently. Of course, books are his forte so he can be quite self-assured if asked about it.

“No romance?” Jongwoon pried further with a playful pout. “Why’s that?”

Sungmin’s composed self begun to stumble to drumming heart beats. “I-I’m not used to those genres, I can’t enjoy it?” he said unsure.

“Hmm. That’s too bad. Why? Haven’t had a girlfriend before?” Jongwoon asked but frowned on the sad smile painted on Sungmin’s face. “Oh, is my questions too personal? “

Sungmin shook his head and maintained a straight face, before pulling a novel from one of the shelf and placing it on the counter. “No, I’m just not the type that girls would swoon over.” He said getting a log book from under the desk.

“Hmm. That’s hard to believe. If I’m a girl, I’d definitely go crazy over you.” Jongwoon said docking down to catch Sungmin’s field of vision that kept looking down to the book.

A blush crept to the younger’s face. No one had considered him good looking since he became a cast out on the village. He had not feel love or any romantic feelings towards anyone since almost everyone looked at him with disgust.

“I guess you’re not from here then.” Sungmin said nonchalantly. “I’m an outcast here, no one really pays attention to me. If they did, it’s not for the best intentions.”   

 A pregnant pause followed Sungmin’s statement, Jongwoon studying him while he signed the log book Sungmin handed him. The bell from the front door made a noise signaling another customer.

“Hey freak! Where’s the old man!” A tall ragged looking guy, flustered and obviously drunk, entered slamming a bottle of liquor on the counter spilling almost half of its contents.

Sungmin winced at the polished furniture, eyeing the man whom he recognized as the debt collector with a piercing gaze.

“He’s not here.” He answered spitefully. “If you’re done pestering, you can leave.”

“Shut the up kid! I’ll leave when I want to. Give me the compensation from last week’s rent or else I’ll increase the interest!”

“You always increase the interest mister, you’re unfair already. If you keep raising it no one would pay anymore. Get that into your skull.” Sungmin blurted out fuming.

The man raised the bottle attempting to whack Sungmin’s head with it. “Why you insolent-“

“Hey.”

The man’s hand came into abrupt stop when it was held by firm small hands. “That’s really not a good way to vent out your embarrassment.”

Jongwoon’s eyes caught the man’s unfocused blood shot ones. Holding firm the wrist of the drunk man.

“And who are you?!” The man sputtered incoherently. “Don’t meddle in other people’s busi-“

The man came to a halt when he stared directly into Jongwoon’s cold gaze, a glint of delight passed through the seppen’s eyes, a gaze of pure dark, pitless hole, waiting to in its prey.

Sungmin stared at the exchange of unfaltering gaze, unable to fully see why the drunkard backed away in alarm.

“!” the drunkard stumbled backwards as soon as Jongwoon removed his grip. “I-I’ll come back for my money, freak!” he cringed before storming pass the door.

Completely unaware of what had transpired. Sungmin stared with disbelief at the drunkard’s wake. Then transferred his gaze to Jongwoon who resumed in browsing the book he just borrowed.

“What did you do?” he asked leaning in to his customer. Jongwoon, on the other hand looked up with a smile.

“Nothing. You heard what I said right?” the elder smiled towards Sungmin who remained puzzled. “And you need to be gentler with your words, though what you said isn’t wrong, it’s still not good to seek out fights…”

Noticing that it’s because of his sharp tongue that Jongwoon needed to tell off the man he fidgeted a little before sighing heavily.

“Jongwoon?” he called and the other hummed to gave Sungmin an idea that he was listening.

“I-I just want to thank you.” The younger stammered shyly, blush creeping up once again on his cheeks.

Jongwoon saw his expression and smiled heartily. “No problem, It’s fine…” he said with a playful wink towards Sungmin that made the latter’s heart frantic.

Sungmin diverted his vision once again away from the cause of the continuous pounding of his chest when Jongwoon jumped from his seat startling him.

“That’s it!” the older exclaimed. “ As compensation for bringing me trouble, why don’t you show me around.”

“What?!” Sungmin exclaimed. “Didn’t you see how they treated me? You’ll probably be out-casted too.”

“And do you seriously think I care about them?” Jongwoon patted the other’s crown gently. “So what do you say? Wanna go out with me?”

***

 “Kyu…”

Whilst of brown hair stared from the other side of the fireplace, he may be invisible to other’s eyes but he’s sure, Kyuhyun will see him, if he just opened his eyes.

He hated that he can’t do anything, he hated that he was so powerless against the situations but he can’t interfere, this is Kyuhyun’s fight, not his.

“Donghae, what are you doing here?”

With fiery gold hair contrasting to the light torch on the fireplace, the solstice appear beside the seppen of early spring.

“It’s because Kami Ul sent Kyuhyun to this mission that he became human and he became mortal.” Donghae pouted trashing his arms here and there.

“Maybe it’s a drastic decision Hae Baby, Come on, we can’t stick around human’s you know.” Hyukjae sighed patting the seppen’s shoulder.

“But Hyuk, I want to stay with Kyuhyun at least someone would watch over him and-“

The tongues of fire from the fire place burst into new and bigger flames catching the seppen’s attention. He looked up to the solstice that seemed to wear such an undistinguishable expression.

“Solstice?” Donghae called and the fire calmed once more. Hyukjae shook his head and turned his gaze to the seppen who stood up to match his eye level.

“Do you like Kyuhyun that much? Staying here won’t do him good you know.” Hyukjae said as calm as he can, smiling gently towards Donghae who’s still obviously confused about the sudden outburst.

“Solstice…” Donghae started hesitantly trying to comprehend the man in front of him. “If you’re thinking that I like Kyu romantically you’re wrong huh?”

Hyukjae stared at Donghae surprised. Did the dense seppen finally noticed?

Yes, he had been harboring feelings for the certain seppen who happened to stumble on his garden one autumn. And the voice that marked their attachment or more like embossment to another being whispered like a tease on his ear.

The voice that echo over and over again in your ears the moment your eyes locked to that special being, the voice you will hear when at the first time your heart beat from all centuries you’ve been alive.

But you can never resist, you can never escape, because at that moment your heart will not belong to you anymore.

“Hae…” Hyukjae’s brows relaxed, this is it, have Donghae felt what he was feeling, the affection, the care…

Donghae laughed and place a hand on Hyukjae’s shoulder. “Don’t worry Hyuk, this will be our secret, I didn’t know you like Kyu? Hmm. Don’t worry I don’t like him like that huh??”

Hyukjae groaned and dropped to crouching, his hair in utter disappointment, muttering ‘this is really hopeless’ under his breath.

TBC

A/N: Hahaha sorry if the update has less Kyumin, I’ll make it up to you next time promiiisssseee…

As you can see, this update is a bit lengthy, well the reason is this fic is my 3^rd priority (I’m sorry) and I’m focusing right now to ‘Luck Stealer’ since the end is drawing near, for my old readers, you knew that I pushed back the updates of my other fics if one is finishing ^^ But, since there’ll slower updates of this fic, I’ll make the updates lengthy (not lower than 2000 words). This is for compensation of the lost time ^^ Again please continue supporting my fics.