Right side.

Left side.

Right again.

Youngjae couldn't stop to turn and turn again in his bed, never finding sleep. He couldn't think straight, because of the same scene repeating in his head. He tried to think about something else, but suddenly everything seemed to be connected to the blonde boy. Youngjae thought it was like hiccup, to stop it you have to drink your head upside down or to try to remember what you ate at your last lunch. But Youngjae didn't even know if he had eaten nor how he got back to his house. It was like he had out just after feeling the other lips on his, he even asked his father if it was Daehyun who brought him back, but his father told him that he got home alone, lost in his thought, his fingers on his lips. Thinking about it, Youngjae lift up his hand and rested his thumb where Daehyun's pulpy lips had been... It was an endless loop.

So he tried to think what he would eat the day after, the day after...the day after...the Dae after... Youngjae threw what served him of blanket over his head and his left side (again). That bastard had just stole his first kiss !! Youngjae had treasured it, he had wanted to save it for his marriage... all his plans... disappearing in a second. He didn't even asked Youngjae if it was his first, he had just...KISSED HIM!! Youngjae had just *ng been kissed by a boy ! He will have to spend his whole life to confess for that sin, maybe he will have to convert himself into a priest. Good bye little family, housewife and kids. Youngjae's future had became nothing within that short second.

After he spent more time mourning on his miserable life, he started to curse the cause of his woes : Jung Dae Hyun. He may be a priest son but he wasn't wise at all ! Not that he thought Daehyun to be an angel -maybe he thought it one time because Daehyun was that beautiful- but not to be such a jerk... a beautiful jerk... who kissed well... very well. Youngjae his lips thinking back at the moment he had opened his eyes shocked. He had saw the jerk's face so near from his -of course, they were kissing- the priest's boy had his eyes closed. Youngjae had wanted to punch him, but instead he had closed his eyes and stayed still....because it was his first kiss and he -somehow- had liked the feeling.

He blushed and he became hot. Really hot. He was so hot under the sun. His body was burning. Youngjae watched around him and he noticed he was in the fields, sitting next Jongup on the road.

“Welcome to Earth !” The guard boy mocked.

“Huh? Why am I here ?” A moment ago Youngjae was in his bed and now...what ?

“It's the same question we asked you when you started following us, but you didn't answered and wouldn't stop. So we let you giggling like a crazy girl by yourself.

– Giggling ? … I ! I wasn't giggling !! I...I was thinking !!

– Yeah we saw that...I don't know what you were thinking about but-

– Stop ! Don't say it !

– Okay...

– Jongup...” he didn't knew why but what Youngjae just heard make his blood curdling.

“What ?

– I want to go home.

– Wh-Can't you wait ?

– No.

– Well, I'm sorry but I can't walk you home now. I have to wait until the end of the workday.

– I'll leave by myself then.

– YOUNGJAE!!”

The peasant boy ran toward the city, but the road was too dangerous so Jongup tried to stop him, he ran after his friend. Fortunately he was faster than the peasant boy and he managed to clad him on the ground. “You fool !! Don't leave by yourself !!

– Jongup...I...I really can't stay here ! I have to go back inside the city !

– Why yo-” Jongup was interrupted by a wolf's cry and Youngjae suddenly became stronger because of the fear and he pushed him away. Why was his friend like this ? He never really been afraid of wolves before...was it because of the bite ? Did it traumatized him that much ? Jongup couldn't understand, it could have been worst like the wolf to carve him up. The guard boy knew his friend was aware of it, so why... Youngjae kept running and he was about to exit the fields when he felt something hurting the back of his head, and then, nothing.

He woke up leaning at the kid's house at the fountain place. He was leaning on a bed the kids had constructed by themselves, someone refreshing his burning forehead with a wet tissue. He opened slowly his eyes and saw it was the boy he had least wanted to see who was taking care of him. “My father hadn't other choices or he would have exited the fields and being out of our reach.

– Mm...It must have been a big trauma...”

Youngjae recognized Jongup and Yongguk's voices, Daehyun was listening to them and then he turned to him. “Oh! You're wake up!” When he burst it they all gathered around him. “Are you okay ?” He put his hand on Youngjae's cheek who slapped his warm hand away and pushed him. “You!! Don't approach me !! You !! ERT!!” Daehyun chuckled at the insult.

“I think he's fine.” Jongup laughed and they all went back to their affair, all except the mother Himchan.

“ert ?” He mumble threatening so only the two concerned heard him. They turned to him, slowly, scared. “Why ert ?” He asked Youngjae who blushed as soon as his words left his mouth.

“F-for nothing !”

Himchan watched very closely the next actions : Youngjae pouted, it made Daehyun chuckle and ruffle his hair. Then Youngjae blushed even more watching the other side of the blonde boy. Himchan frowned and so Youngjae did. Why his heart was beating that fast ? ...there was no way he could...he couldn't...never ! He got up and suddenly -he didn't know why, but- he had the urge to go talk with the girls.

Daehyun observed the shy boy walking toward a group of girls and laughed for himself at how obvious the peasant boy was, he didn't understand his own feelings and Daehyun didn't want to explain him. It amused him to watch the boy that lost and confused, fighting against what he was becoming. So Daehyun thought it was fine to not tell him everything yet and to enjoy this situation a little more. He made eye contact with Himchan who warned him in one glare to not even put a finger on his little protégé. If only he knew, Daehyun would be dead... The blonde boy watched away gulping hard, hoping he would never have to deal with the elder boy. That's when he saw the mage outside. Sitting on his barrel.

It gave him an idea and he hoped everything wouldn't turn bad...

He walked toward Youngjae and joined the group of girl. He remembered Youngjae had always a margin of one or two ahead of it in his pockets. He approached him really near and he felt the younger freezing when he had his body glued to the back of the younger. He smirked to himself. He'd like to play with the peasant boy but he would do it later as he had something else he wanted to do for the moment. He slipped his arms around the boy who didn't dare to move. Youngjae turned his head to watch who was daring to touch him this way. He was about to punch that person when he recognized him to be his first kiss robber. Of course, who else could be doing this...

“What are you doing ?” He avoid eye contact with the girls in front of him, who were giggling seeing the two boys that near. The wish to see two hot boys together is a sin which exists since the dawn of time and which was not about to vanish any time soon. Daehyun let his right hand fall in the pocket of the younger, grabbing what he was searching. Youngjae whined a bit feeling the other hand so near from his -.

“Can you give me this one too ?” Youngjae was interrupted in his thoughts by the question. He watched the blonde boy who had - much to his regret – removed his hand from his pocket, and he watched the amulet in the so big and warm hand in front his face.

“Huh ?” The peasant boy had still hard time to focus on their conversation, his mind always slipping out of his control each time he would meet the priest boy's eyes.

“Please ?

– Oh...okay.” Youngjae blushed a little thinking the priest boy must really like him. After analyzing everything : he wanted them to be more than friends, he kissed him and now he wanted another one of his wristband.

“Means now it's mine and I do what I want with ?” What he wanted with...No. Youngjae wasn't about to let his thoughts wander any more.

“I believe it's the meaning of giving.” The peasant regained his composure and Daehyun smirked. The boy was really trying hard to escape him but the blonde boy would never let him run away. Now they've done their pact, Youngjae was his and he was Youngjae's.

“Thanks, I'll pay you back your kindness sweetheart.” Bingo. In one sentence we lost Youngjae forever now. The girls giggled even more blushing along with the peasant boy.

“D-don't say stuff like that!” He complained eyeing the girls and trying to remove Daehyun's arms from his shoulders.

“You're so cute together!” The girl Youngjae had tried to seduce told him.

“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ?” He blushed even more and a bit of fume was evaporating from his body.

“You heard what she said ?” Daehyun told him with the lowest voice he could do, “she said we looked cute together.” The blonde boy ended his sentence talking in Youngjae's ear, warming his already burning ear with his hot breath.

“I-I HEARD WHAT SHE SAID YOU DUMB!!” Youngjae moved his head the farthest he could from the boy's pulpy lips which had brushed his lobe.

“Youngjae always been shy whenever someone showed him too much affection.” The girl explained to the priest boy.

“Really ?” They started talking about the said boy as if he wasn't here or didn't understand what they were saying.

“Can you two stop talking nonsense ? It's stupid ! And you !! Leave me !!” He finally succeeded in removing Daehyun's arms from him but the other was still glued to him.

“Oh no, I'm not about to leave you. Never.” He blew in Youngjae's ear so only him could hear him. The peasant boy turned his face to him shocked, and before he could retort anything, the blonde boy blew on his lips, reviving Youngjae's memory he had tried to forget.

“YOU!” The younger pushed the elder with all his strength and Daehyun let himself being pushed away laughing. He knew Youngjae had a little like to his laugh and he winked to him when the boy stopped pushing him hearing his light laugh. Daehyun walked away toward the exit, he knew Youngjae was still watching him, burning hole in the back of his head at the moment, as he was trying to convince himself that what he was feeling at the right moment was nothing. So it's with a big smirk that Daehyun left the kids' house. To tease the peasant boy had became his new favorite hobby.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING ?!!” Youngjae burst to the blonde boy from the house's garden. He had watched Daehyun walking to the mage, and had burst outside when he had saw the last one giving the wristband to the boy on his barrel.

“I'm offering him a wristband, because he's the only one who don't have one.” Daehyun turned to Youngjae who was followed by all the kids. For the first time of MATO CITY, they all gathered around the mage boy, not too near of course.

“Don't you know the use of it ?

– I know...” Daehyun wasn't about to end his sentence, he knew it had pained the peasant boy that he offered something he had given him, that's why he didn't want to tell it. He was sure Youngjae was aware of it and if he told him, it would only pained the boy. He didn't want to pain him more he already was. Daehyun could feel his friend's pain but couldn't refrain him now he had started. Why Youngjae didn't want to understand ?

Why Daehyun didn't want to understand ? He had seemed so comprehensive the day before when they had talked together. “YOU LIAR !!

– WHAT ?

– GO GET YOUR TONGUE BE CUT YOU LIAR !!

– AND CAN I KNOW WHAT I LIED ABOUT ?

– I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU ! WE'RE NOT BEST FRIEND ANY MORE !” Youngjae turned his back to the priest boy. No one around them dared to say a thing. The two now ex-best friends had flared up that fast, no one could have interfere to stop them.

“Youngjae...are you serious ?” Youngjae didn't answered and Daehyun felt dizzy and lost. It was impossible. Youngjae couldn't do that to him. Not after the Pact they've done, just a single ing day before. The priest frowned but needed to act fast, he couldn't loose his composure in front Youngjae's back. He needed to show him he was strong. Daehyun could overcome this breaking, and he will surely make the younger regret his words.

“FINE ! I FOUND ANOTHER LIKE A BROTHER-UNTIL-THE-DEATH-BEST-FRIEND !! AND HE'S IN ALL WAY BETTER THAN YOU !!” Youngjae scoffed and shot him dead glare. He didn't believe him, no one would become friend with that freak. This little scoff pissed off Daehyun. He didn't understand why all the kids were acting this way whereas Junhong had saved their lives. He had hoped they would finally accepted him, but nothing changed and he found himself stupid he had thought he could have change a population's mind. How he hated Youngjae's stubbornness !! He became offended each time they talked about magic, but more specifically, each time they talked about Junhong. If you talk to him I don't talk to you any more. Was he kid ?

Daehyun put his arm over Junhong's shoulder, who didn't give a about what was going on. He was fine with the kids to not accept him, all he just wanted was to a certain person to not hate him. Not even to like him but to not hate him. He hadn't exchanged a word with the said boy, he hadn't had the occasion to excuse himself. He had abused his trust. He stood up from his barrel and all the kids took a step backward when he did so. All except for Yongguk, Himchan and Jongup. He walked until he was facing Yongguk and it was at that time they all noticed how tall the mage was, which scared them even more. Junhong put a knee on the ground and lift up his hands opened, with the wristband on it, to Yongguk.

He waited a moment, thinking about what he should do and all the kids watched him expectantly. Finally, Yongguk sighed and took the mage's fingers to make him close his hands over the amulet. Junhong's heart beat fast feeling the elder's warm fingers, it was so much a contrast compared to his usual cold glares.

“Daehyun offered it to you. It's your now.” The mage look up amazed. Yongguk's voice had been so soft and he wondered if he wasn't dreaming. When their eyes met he watched away afraid Yongguk would be offended he watched him directly in his eyes. Junhong had never be that near to the other boy and for that long, when he was in his human form. He watched in front of him to only meet...the elder's crotch. He blushed hard as he perfectly knew how it was behind the cloth and he stood up awkwardly.

“You can't let him do that!

– Make him leave !”

Kids started complaining but Jongup, fed up with the whole situation, interrupted them. “He can't.” All the kids watched him wondering what he was talking about. Jongup had always been a bit weird, in his own world, and always saying strange things like that. “He saved Yongguk's sister's life if you have forgot...” There was a silence and Daehyun thought they would all understand...

“We saw what he can do!

– He's dangerous !

– I think Yongguk is more dangerous. We never saw him using his strength or anything else...what if Yongguk too had magic powers, and him to be more powerful than Junhong ?” Daehyun hoped his strategy would work but this was without counting the fact that he was talking to kids, to dumb kids. They all watched him shocked. “I don't see other reasons for Junhong to be afraid of Yongguk if not.

– What are you saying ?” Yongguk chuckled, he knew the mage was afraid of him -even if he didn't know why- but now he heard it from someone else mouth it really sounded stupid. To him. But all the kids stepped away from him and Yongguk watched them surprised they could believe something like that.

“What are you trying to do ?” They all started to get angry and Himchan -not supporting to see his best friend being pick on- walked to Daehyun to grab him by his collar. “Why are you making everyone apart ?” He burst into the blonde boy's face.

“That's not it ! I try to make you understand what the king said !

– What ?

– ...if he really was that dangerous I don't think the King would let him stay here. Are you dumb ?”

They all stayed silent, no one could contest what they heard the King said, they just wanted to forget it. It wasn't the King who was living with the mage, but no one could say it. No one could contest the King.

“The King said he was aware of Junhong's nature and existence since the start ! So, No ! I don't want everyone to break apart but to stuck together. All of us ! ALL !” All the kids were watching him and Daehyun met Junhong's eyes before he met Youngjae's ones. “ !! OPEN YOUR EYES !! CAN'T YOU SEE HE-

– Daehyun.” The blonde boy was interrupted by the mage. It surprised everyone and mostly Yongguk. Junhong did have a kid face but his voice seemed so mature. He could feel in his voice tone that the young boy knew everything, like a wise old man who know the meaning of the world and the existence of things. It was the first time they heard his voice. He walked to Daehyun and Himchan and separated the two boys. It was only when he turn back that Yongguk could notice his eyes had changed colors. It had became a bit blue, same color as the sky when there no clouds but still it's not blue nor completely white. Daehyun and the mage watched each other in their eyes and silent was reigning on the crowd of kids.

“BUT I !! I'M NOT OKAY WITH THAT !!” Daehyun burst suddenly and Yongguk understood they were having secret conversations. He knew the mage could do this after his sister had told him everything. She had been so afraid the others would hate so she had stayed closed in his room. The priest boy left running right after he had burst to the mage, without a glance to Youngjae. The peasant boy watched the blonde boy running aware, a pinch on his heart. Why was he hurt like this ? It wasn't his fault, was it ? It was Daehyun's one who had offered his present to another person. Youngjae had nothing to reproach himself. So why was he feeling so bad ?

After his eyes came back to their original color, the mage bowed to Yongguk and left after Daehyun. He exchanged an eye contact with the peasant boy who, if he had could, would have kill him with his dead glare. Junhong sighed inwardly. He wished he could have prevent this to happen. He cursed to himself to not have been by Daehyun's side when he did his 'Pact', it only had succeeded in hurting the two boys...and this was only the start of Youngjae's suffering and there was nothing he could do about it. After all, Youngjae's path had been traced since the start ; and he as a mage hadn't the right to change it. Only thing he could do, was to be by Youngjae's side when he will have to face it.

After the mage left, Yongguk dismissed all the kids, only remaining at the place the little group of friends. Himchan, Jongup and Yongguk approached the peasant boy who had stayed still, watching toward the direction Daehyun had left by.

“Youngjae...” Himchan put a hand on his shoulder, searching something to cheer him up. Then, without turning his face to him, Youngjae tell out what was on his mind at the right instant.

“How did he knew what the King said ? … he wasn't there ...” he turned slowly to his elder.

“I think his father or the mage told him. And even, everybody kept talking about it the whole day. You know how a chatterbox Daehyun is...

– Yeah...you're right...I think...I think I need to rest...”

Himchan watched his lifeless friend leaving.

“I swear I'll kill him.

– Himchan...you can't, they like each other very much...just they don't know how to handle it...

– Guk...it's not the same as us.

– It is Chan. It is. Weren't we the same at first ?”

3781 words