It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry for the wait~

I'm not used to this new format of AFF, especially the Chapter editing. /sighs

Remember, Kaisoo Day is on Monday, Jan. 13th, 2014! ^_^

(Kyungsoo's Birthday - Sunday, Jan. 12th

Kai's Birthday - Tuesday, Jan. 14th)

Aunt Suzy and Jongin sat on the porch that night after dinner. Side by side, they sat on Jongin's wicker rocking-chairs, sipping their green tea with three scoops of honey ("You're teasing me now, aren't you?" Suzy playfully said, earning a sheepish grin from the latter.) and gazing at the stars. Despite the warm gray sweatshirt and slim blue jeans he wore, the night-wind blew coolly against his face. Suzy, in her sunset-orange, sleeveless dress that went down to her knees, inch-high matching-orange heels, and assortment of silver or blue jewelry, looked comfortable.

Suzy stared intently at a certain star, the creaking of her chair breaking the clam silence. "Jongin, I want to tell you a story my mother told me when I was little. We were sitting out in the backyard, lying on a picnic blanket at night" creak creak "I was sitting in her lap, and she told me to look at the stars. She said, "Taehee, that's where the dead are. When your grandparents died, their souls rose up into space and became light for the future. They stand there, watching over us. Remember that, my daughter.'" creak creak "Your father should be up there, too. Watching with joy, sadness, regret. . ." She turned to Jongin. "When I die, you will be alone. The family's last desecendants are you and me. I can't have children. I'm too old," she joked, "so no one's sending a glance my way. But you, you're young and handsome and skillful." creak creak "Your father, before he sculpted her, he invited me over. I still remember what you said to me. 'Aunt Sujee,' you said, 'Someday I'll get married and have children and name them after you so that you can see them everyday.' Do you remember that?" she asked.

Jongin shook his head, but a small memory emerged, though in bits and pieces. "Kind of. I remember seeing you at our dinner table," he answered.

She sighed. "Jongin, I'm not saying you should get hitched right away, but remember. 'Kyungsoo' is a piece of magic rock. His magic will wither and he will disappear. I want to prepare you with that much."

"If you're afraid I'll get attached to him, why are you giving him to me?" Jongin asked quietly.

"Because," she whispered. "You're miserable. He'll give you warmth and kindness, but eventually you'll have to have your own without him. He's going to help you be happy."

"Why rock? Why marble? Why until winter?" he questioned, a hint of a confused emotion laced in each word.

She laughed. "You ask a lot, don't you?" She took another sip of tea, and said, "Long ago, Greek myth tells of a man named Pygmalion. He was a talented sculptor like you, but he couldn't find a wife. He thought they wre evil and cold-hearted, and he longed for a kind woman that wouldn't give him an unhappy marriage like the others in the village. Pygmalion spent weeks and later months sculpting a woman. Every second he looked at her, he fell more hopelessly in love with her. Finally, he finished, and held her cold, stone hand. Pygmalion cried at his unrequited love and was heartbroken. A few days later, a festival for Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, was taking place in the village for a week. From the first day to the last night, Pygmalion kneeled at the shrine to the goddess and begged for his statue to come to life. Each day and night, he made many offerings and prayers. On the last night, he lay there and wept. Aphrodite, taking pity on his kind soul and undoubted faith in her, obliged. When Pygmalion returned to his modest home the next day, he immediately glanced at his statue, but noticed it wasn't the lifeless gray anymore. Hesitantly, he touched her arm, and it was warm. The woman blinked, and smiled. Overwhelmed with happiness, he bowed and gave thanks to Aphrodite. Pygmalion and the woman, named Galatea, got married and had a very prosperous marriage."

"And that," she continued, "is the same magic rock. Veneris, it's called, meaning 'Aphrodite's.' I was going to sell it at a market, but you seemed like a better cause.

She stood up. "It's getting late. You must be the only one home tonight, or else the magic won't work. I sprinkled magic powder around your house, and hopefully it'll work so that no one comes in."

Jongin led her inside, firmly shutting the door behind him. He found her in front of the marble art.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," she mumbled, and turned to Jongin. "You should probably put a bathrobe or something around him. He'll come to life in whatever form he's in, and that includes clothes."

Jongin made a mental note and they said goodbye at the front door.

"Aunt Suzy?"

"Yes, Jongin?"

"Thank you."

Suzy smiled. "I'll call tomorrow to see how it went. Good luck!"

Jongin stepped back inside his house and studied his masterpiece, carefully putting his blue bathrobe on the shoulders of him.

"Kyungsoo," he whispered.

He grabbed a blanket and lay in front of the statue. He pulled off his sweatshirt, revealing an old black wifebeater underneath. He changed into a pair of black-and-white sports-sweats.

Jongin looked up one more time to memorize Kyungsoo's face. His eyes, his cheeks, his nose. . . They were all perfect.

He smiled. "Good night, Kyungsoo."

The next day, the sun glared down upon Jongin's eyelids, and irritably woke him up early.

He sat up grumpily and surveyed the room. A beat-down black loveseat on the side, scattered pieces of marble, a hodgepodge of clothes and blankets to his right, empty wrappers and cans loitering about, and a human-like man standing on the stone base in the center of his living room.

Amazed, Jongin stood up, albeit messily. His sweats hung loosely at his hips, but high enough not to reveal anything innappropriate, and one of the shoulder-straps fell off and dangled against his tan shoulder. But that didn't matter.

Because Kyungsoo looked alive.

But he wasn't moving.

The leaf, though a pale green now, lay teasingly at the feet of the statue, as if saying, 'You did something wrong~' and the statue's body stood unmoving.

Panicking, he stumbled around, searching for his cell phone, but he realized that he didn't know Aunt Suzy's number.

Jongin sat at the base exasperated, seeking any clue that it was breathing, but to no avail.

Dejected, he leaned forward and clutched his hand. So warm. . . he thought.

Suddenly, the head moved and faced Jongin. Then it broke into a grin.

"Hi."

Jongin threw his arms around him, causing the bathrobe to fall to the floor with an ignored whump. A few tears fell from his eyes onto Kyungsoo's pale shoulder.

"You're alive."

"My name is Kyungsoo?" he asked.

Jongin nodded cheerfully, digging around in his closet for anything that would probably fit him.

"And your name?"

Jongin turned to meet his eyes. "I'm Jongin."

He smiled again, and Jongin's heart fluttered. "Did you sculpt me?"

Jongin nodded again. "Yeah," he replied, and finally found a white t-shirt, a pair of sweats, a large beige sweater, and a pair of socks with cute expressions on them.

Kyungsoo accepted them gratefully. "Thanks!" Then he proceeded to strip right there in front of Jongin, pulling off the bathrobe to reveal his slim, pale chest.

"W-What are you doing?" Jongin asked, blushing, averting his gaze.

He innocently looked up. ". . . changing? You made me. You made my everything, meaning you saw my everything. I have nothing to be ashamed about."

"Well, I didn't carve out that much. You can change here, and I'll leave. Meet me downstairs when you're down."

Flusterd, Jongin fled from the room, shutting the bedroom door.

But not before taking one last peek at Kyungsoo's defined collarbones.

I did good. . . he thought.

He's perfect. . .

Jongin smiled.

Kyungsoo hurried changed clothes, and remembered Jongin's warm arms around his body, the joy etched in his face, his cute embarrassment. . .

I'm so lucky. . . he thought.

He's perfect. . .

Kyungsoo smiled.

Outside the bedroom, the fern at the end of the hall shuddered.

And the first leaf fell.

Hey, sorry to burst your bubble, but there are two chapters left. 

I hope to update "Mine (Part 4)" by April-ish, if not earlier. Then update "Muse (Part 5 - FINAL)" definitely by August.

There'll be a 6^th chapter, too, but it's basically me audaciously advertising my other stories. I anticipate a few people reading it, but you don't have to if you don't want to.

*There might be a bonus chapter? Possibly ? Possibly fluff or angst? I haven't decided yet. It won't be finalized until after "Muse."

I'm apologize in advance if this story fell short of your expectations. Honestly, I disappointed myself as well. I wanted to make it more angsty, but I guess I bit off more than I could chew, because I was comparing myself to "Anterograde Tomorrow" and "10080". (I'm such a loser. . . NO ONE CAN BEAT THEM.) But I tried my best, and I hope you all can appreciate that too.

Please read my other stories and comment!

My Other Stories:

Baekhyun, the Baekyeol Fanfic Writer

Making Mistakes

On the Other Side of the Fence

Seduction

Buddies *new*