Chapter 4

When The Sorcerer Got Attached to the Half Prince

It was the very next morning, two days before he could be finally freed from his task. Sorcerer Do scrunched up his face in annoyance, woken up by birds that were chirping with too much excitement. The first ray of sun had not even hit the sky yet, but moon had started to subside, soon would be replaced by the early morning of the nautical twilight.

He woke up a little too early, partly because the feathery annoying smucks, but mostly because it was in his nature to not be able to have a good rest until he perfectly solved his task. Sorcerer Do rubbed his knuckles onto his eyes to drive away his sleepiness, face as sour as verjuice.

"Stop being so bloody cheerful!" He hissed to no one.

Well, at least he could easily get the media to tweet about his solved task to the Sorcerers Worldwide Association; maybe he could borrow one of the annoying Bulbuls of Queen Key. He remembered that one time when he got so frustrated to find a bird, he decided to tweet through a harpy, an ugly winged bird-woman. It was not his fault that the head of sorcerers still got a harpy problem until now.

Sorcerer Do sighed. Straightening up on his bed, he slipped his hand inside the black sorcerer robe hanging on the wooden chair to find his crystal orb. He had found out the coordinate of the Cherry Underwood farmland, so it was not difficult for him to observe from a distance now. He only needed to go there one last time later, but of course, no more uncomfortable trip with the despicable prince. Not that his sane self was willing to do that at any cost, anyway.

"Ostende mihi (show me)," he whispered, lightly touching the cold surface of the crystal. A soft vibration was formed throughout his body, gathered toward his hand that was holding the orb. It shone brightly and brightened up the sorcerer's grouchy face. The light ceased away, replaced by the image of the farmland in the early morning.

It looked so peaceful. The woodland stood up so close to each other, eliminating the upcoming sunlight filtering through the leaves, branches bent gracefully by the wind.

He could feel a surge of energy formed within the woodland, getting bigger each time until it was ready to be released on the next 40 hours. Sorcerer Do smiled in content. His spell was working the way it should be.

It was still too early in the morning, but he couldn't get himself to go back to sleep, so he decided to take his time to freshen up. Queen Kibum had sent him an invitation to have a breakfast together in the dining hall, probably to discuss about the progress of his work.

Maybe he could have a little walk before heading his way to the dining hall.

***

Sorcerer Do was walking around aimlessly at the Sakura garden when he saw a too familiar figure, stretching his body carelessly whilst yawning so wide he could shove a galaxy inside. He was, to be politely said, lacking the outer covering. It seemed like the person had not taken the appropriate sanitary procedure judging from his state. The sorcerer scowled at the thought.

Prince Jongin, the very one who was committing public , flexed his biceps and patted them lovingly, displaying his firm tanned muscles for the world to see. He smiled proudly, posing some more weird poses before he released another yawn (without covering his mouth, the sorcerer must add), and rubbed his half opened eyes cutely. No, definitely not cute. Scratch cute. Not cute. Sorcerer Do's eyes widened in panic at his own thought.

Something else caught his attention; Prince Jongin, still yawning, ran his hands slightly below his waist underneath his trousers and scratched his upper bottom. He grinned in content. Sorcerer Do covered his eyes with his palms instantly, wailing miserably inside for having to witness the unpleasant scene.

He turned around fast, wanting to escape the obnoxious prince, but of course, as in the lame tales parents seemed to always feed their children with, he had to step over a twig.

Why always a twig, he cried.

Seemingly nature would always against him and his humble wish. Sorcerer Do could almost see the Jong prince's imaginary tail twitching and his ears perking up as he turned around to see his presence.

Prince Jongin's eyes lightened up brightly. Drawing back his lips and revealing his white teeth, he smiled blithesomely.

"Kyungie!"

Prince Jongin ran toward the sorcerer like a cheetah spotting its prey, which was frozen in fear. Sorcerer Do whined miserably. He turned around and ran for his life as he drowned in self-pity.

Of course, the sorcerer's small little steps were nothing compared to Prince Jongin's eager ones. Soon Sorcerer Do was wrapped inside the tight hug of the over-excited half prince. Sorcerer Do whimpered. He could feel the warm skin of the certain prince back hugging him.

Sorcerer Do could barely breathe. Prince Jongin's scent filling up his nostril as the man placed his head on his shoulder.

"Kyungie...” Prince Jongin whispered in a lower tone, sending shivers to all over the lithe one’s body.

"I miss you.” The prince stared at Sorcerer Do in adoration. Resting his head on the crook of Sorcerer Do's neck, he contendedly inhaled the pleasant scent.

"Ugh. Let go of me! Just get dressed will you?! Isn't banned here?!" Sorcerer Do bounced his shoulders to swat away the stubborn prince.

Prince Jongin let out a small laugh, not affected a bit by the refusal. He got closer, whispering playfully into the ticklish ear,

"No. But you should be banned, Kyungie," he murmured under his breath, his lips ghosting over the sensitive ear.

"W-Why, you're the one being improper," the sorcerer retorted back as quickly, swaying his head left and right to get rid of the certain prince who comfortably placed his head over his shoulder. To no avail, it just got Sorcerer Do feel more ticklish as the prince's soft hair sweeping over his sensitive neck.

Prince Jongin smiled, enjoying the cute whimpers and whines. Chuckling, he brushed his nose against the delicate neck. "Nobody told you to be this cute," he mumbled. He sighed in content. "You should be punished for your cudity."

"Cudity??" A piece of the sorcerer's soul died a little inside at hearing the overwhelming cheesiness. "That's not even a word!" He cried.

Sorcerer Do really could not stand the cheesy prince, and thus he did a thing that his calm and composed state usually prevented him from doing; he chanted a spell that had not been tested before.

"Custodi me a attachiamenta! (Keep me from the attachment)," Sorcerer Do yelled in desperation. He gasped as his energy was being away by the spell, since he was not carrying his sorcerer stick that usually became the energy source. Sorcerer Do had predicted that much; it was safe for him to use some energy to chant a harmless small spell.

The sorcerer felt the spell was covering over the two of them, draping them both in its thick aura before fading away. Sorcerer Do sighed, slightly exhausted but pleasantly relieved nonetheless. He freed himself from the still-in-his-shocking-state prince and started to further himself.

Sorcerer Do had just had his first step when he felt a strong force preventing him from moving away from Prince Jongin, snapping him back to be within the prince's embrace as if they were attached to an invisible rubber band. Grunting, he tried once again making an attempt to separate his body from the prince's, fighting back harder. He flinched in pain. The invisible force kept him attached to the prince even firmer. Sorcerer Do suddenly realized what was happening. His face turned as pale as the whitest snow.

"I forgot that the spell could be also translated into 'keep me with the attachment’," he wailed in horror.

"I should've chosen unbiased words, ugh I hate grammar!"

Sorcerer Do loathed himself. He couldn't believe he made a stupid mistake, and now he would be attached to the prince until he'd be strong enough to release the contra-spell.

Prince Jongin quickly grasped at what was happening. His lips slowly formed a silly grin, staring at the adorable creature in his embrace whimpered in displeasingly.

"Kyungie! I don't know that you want to be a part of me that badly!" He tightened his embrace in joyous, pressing his lips on  top of the smaller male's head blithesomely.

"I want to be apart from you...!" Sorcerer Do growled in exasperation.

"And please don't remind me about any grammatical error right now I could just-" His stomach made a loud gurgling noise before he could finish his sentence. The sorcerer's eyes widened in horror. A rosy scarlet spread over his cheeks, decorating his pale cheeks with tints of crimson red. He mumbled quickly under his breath that he had used up his energy to make the spell and that he was not hungry; his body was just reminding him to get something to fill up the energy, such as food.

Prince Jongin chuckled, rubbing the cute growling stomach, much to the owner's dismay,

"Now, now, Kyungie, let's go fill your empty tummy, I can hear the gurgley sound, you poor little thing," he cooed the sorcerer as he patted the soft stomach, skillfully avoiding the smaller one hands which were trying to swat him away.

"Having a breakfast without taking your morning bath first, how preposterous of you, are you sure that you're a crown prince and not a troll?" Sorcerer Do scolded the prince, busily trying to push away the naughty hands.

"Hm? Are you offering to have a bath together? I don't mind~" Prince Jongin whispered seductively, teasing the already suffused face. Sorcerer Do's eyes widened in horror. He shook his head repeatedly, thinking of the night terrors he would get if he ever saw the rest of Prince Jongin's half state. The prince chuckled at the sorcerer's cute, dramatic reaction.

"Now turn your back so we can face each other. Wrap your arms on my neck with your legs on my waist. That way we can go to the dining hall more efficiently," the prince adviced, as if it was the most reasonable solution he could come up with; to carry Sorcerer Do like he was a baby koala.

"No!"

Of course, the refusal came shortly after. Being carried like a koala was not really an honorable thing for a respectful sorcerer like Sorcerer Do. He would die in embarrassment if any of his colleagues found out about the matter.

"Okay then, we could just go like this, me back hugging you, and we could have our steps so slowly, one step at a time, inseparable, being attac-"

"Okay, Okay!" Sorcerer Do grumbled as he fought the magic force to separate himself for a second and turned his back to face the prince's chest. "Couldn't you just be attired first," he cried in forlorn.

Prince Jongin chuckled, welcoming small arms circling around his neck, short legs flailing hopelessly trying to climb his waist. The little sorcerer was just so adorable; Prince Jongin could never be bored of him. The prince playfully patted the cute bottom and then he grabbed it, ignoring the protest whines. Lifting the smaller one easily, he firmly held the cute legs on his sides.

"Now hold still, Kyungie, we will dash to the dining room real quick. Prince Jongin to the rescue!" The prince started to bolt his way, pretending to be oblivious to the one who was tightening his grip in panic, hugging him for his dear life.

"But not too faaast!!!"

"Wait! Didn't you just scratch your bottom with your hand? Ohmygods don't touch me!!" Sorcerer Do flailed around wildly, swatting away the unhygienic hand.

And so their lovely morning began.

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