“Dad!” Jongin yells, bounding down the stairs, rounding into the kitchen off to the left of the hall. “Uncle Chanyeol’s mumbling something about fairies again. He’s opening drawers and saying things like ‘Where’s the little critter hiding?’ I think he’s finally lost his mind.”

            Jongin’s dad Joonmyun turns from the stove frowning at his son as he rests a small ladle on the counter, covering his pot of stew in the process. They had come over to Chanyeol’s home for their Sunday weekly meal because Joonmyun promised their mother a few years ago that he would watch after Chanyeol now that they’re both getting older, which means his mom is also getting up in age. She’s always worried because Chanyeol’s been a bit eccentric right from the time she decided to adopt him and now that she’s getting older along with the failing health of their father she doesn’t have as much time to take care of Chanyeol.

           Chanyeol would argue that’s he’s quite capable of taking care of himself but he’s learned it’s best not to argue with his adoptive parents because they can be rather stubborn and they’ve always insisted on doing as much as possible for their children considering the amount of wealth they’ve gained over the years. They bought Chanyeol his home and continue to pay for most of his expenses, but he refuses to let them provide everything so he works part time as a coach at the local children’s center. He’s always had a way with kids; they just seem drawn to him. Well, Jongin is a bit of an exception; he’s always been immune to Chanyeol’s childlike qualities. Some would say that Jongin likes to think he’s an adult, likes to be logical and reasonable and, well, quite boring.

            “Jongin, you shouldn’t talk about your uncle that way.” Joonmyun folds his arms across his chest as he stares at his son. “He’s not crazy. He just has a very vivid imagination.”

            “Right?” Jongin says, rolling his eyes as he turns to open the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water. Closing the door then leaning against the stainless steel contraption, he asks, “Is it safe for him to be living here alone?”

            “Jongin! You’re being rude,” his father huffs. “Have you ever even listened to one of his stories? I mean, really listened.”

            Jongin shakes his head taking a sip of his water.

            “Then you should at least listen to one before you start passing judgment.” He smiles, quirking his lips to the side like he’s keeping a secret, eyes shining with the innocence of as child as he stares at his son. “You might find yourself enjoying them.”

            Jongin frowns. “I don’t think so,” he murmurs to himself, turning his head and allowing his eyes to linger on the dark blue granite island in the middle of the kitchen.

            Joonmyun shuffles to the opposite counter, lifting the lid on the rice cooker to check the contents. Without looking back at Jongin he says, “Son, you should ask him to tell you about the fairies.”

           Tilting his head back, Jongin groans, pivoting to leave the kitchen so he can get away from his father’s ridiculous attempts at being authoritative. Joonmyun’s always been kind of a pushover in his son’s eyes and any threat in his words always sounds laughable, but on occasion Jongin decides to humor his dad for the sake of wanting to be considered a good son. It could also be that Jongin knows if he’s a good son his dad will shell out extra cash if he asks him for it.

           “I’m serious Jongin.” Joonmyun replaces the lid. “Ask him to tell you a story and actually listen this time.”

           “Fine,” Jongin calls, hustling back up the stairs and dreading the time he’s about to waste listening to his crazy uncle tell him crazy stories. He’s at that rebellious preteen age where he’s starting to grow more independent but he’s not old enough to do much without his parents driving him around or at the very least giving him permission to hangout with his friends. He knows he can’t really avoid listening to his Uncle Chanyeol’s stories because Joonmyun is going to ask some ridiculously detailed question expecting Jongin to know the answer to prove that he actually listened. Joonmyun’s such a great father in that aspect; he always knows how to get Jongin to do as he’s told even if Joonmyun seems so easy going.

           As Jongin enters Chanyeol’s room, he finds his uncle sitting on the end of his bed, scowling at his lap lost in deep thought. The room itself is simply furnished with a queen-sized, four-poster bed, two dressers, a nightstand, a miniature daybed bench beneath the larger of the two windows, and a small chest all made from the same mahogany wood. The dressers are littered with knickknacks, lotions, books, and other such things people keep in their rooms. The walls are a pale green and the comforter and decorative pillows are a much darker green like the color of maple leaves in the spring. There are a few decorative accents on the walls that show pictures of forests and landscapes and Jongin doesn’t understand why his Uncle Chanyeol lives in the middle of a city when he loves nature so much.

           Jongin clears his throat, trying to get his attention and failing. “Uncle? You okay?” he finally asks after a minute of simply watching the man space out.

           Chanyeol’s eyes widen as he looks up. “Oh, Jongin. I didn’t see you come in.”

           “Yeah.” Jongin shuffles from one foot to the other, wringing the water bottle in his hands causing the plastic to squeak and crackle. “So, did you find him?”

           Chanyeol hums in question, eyebrows rising as he gazes at his nephew.

           “The fairy,” Jongin clarifies. “Did you find him?”

           Chanyeol grins broadly, glancing around the room with seeking eyes. “Not yet.” After one sweep of the room, he looks back at Jongin. “Did you know that fairies are great at playing hide and seek?”

           “Really?” Jongin sounds far from enthused, but his lack of interest doesn’t deter Chanyeol from continuing.

           “They’re masters at blending in. Sometimes they may even be hiding in plain sight and you would never know. That’s if only if they’re calm though.” Chanyeol jerks his head to look over his right shoulder as if he had heard something and was inspecting it. “I’m not so good at finding them anymore,” he says, frowning down at his lap. “They don’t really like coming here to see me either. You see, they’re afraid of most humans because humans have cruel intentions towards things they don’t understand.” He tips his head back, glancing up at the ceiling fan just above the end of his bed, inspecting it curiously.

           “But one still came today?” Jongin asks, not really wanting an answer but feeling like he should keep Chanyeol talking.

           “Two actually,” Chanyeol replies, cocking his head while still staring up at the ceiling. “They got frightened when they realized I had visitors. They recognized your father, but they don’t really know you, since you hardly come by.”

           Jongin furrows his brows. “Does that mean they’re hiding because of me?”

           Chanyeol nods, looking back at Jongin. “I tried to tell them you weren’t bad, but they’re very skittish you see and it takes a lot for them to trust people.”

           “And they trust you?” Jongin chokes back a laugh thinking it would be inappropriate do so at the moment because Chanyeol is being very serious right now, which isn’t something Jongin sees very often.

           “Of course,” Chanyeol answers with a smile. “They helped raise me when I was a child. I owe them my life, many times over.”

           “Was this while you were at the orphanage?” Jongin asks, just a bit curious as he shuffles back to sit on the light green cushioned daybed in front of the window facing the end of Chanyeol’s bed.

           “No, this was before I got to the orphanage.” He pauses, fiddling with his fingers in his lap. “It’s hard to remember sometimes. I don’t even know how I got to the orphanage; it was like I woke up one day and I was just…there.”

           “I remember dad telling me grandma and grandpa adopted you when you were nine, but no ever told me much more than that.” Jongin picks one leg up, tucking his foot behind his knee getting comfortable.

           Chanyeol smirks, staring at his nephew. “You never really asked, now did you?”

           Jongin shakes his head feeling a bit ashamed that he never showed much interest in his uncle. “Can you tell me now?”

           Suddenly, his uncle flops back on the bed, snatching a pillow away from the headboard and his teeth when he doesn’t find anything. Sitting up he watches his nephew curiously. “Do you really want to hear?”

           Jongin nods, finding that’s he’s not really against listening to Chanyeol tell him a story anymore.

           “Okay,” Chanyeol says. “I guess the best place to start is at the beginning, only I don’t know much about the beginning because I was too young to remember. I just know what the fairies told me. They were the ones that found me after all.”

           The sound of a crying child is completely out of place in the deep foliage of the autumn woods. The cries can be heard throughout the entire forest, echoing far into the distance as if pleading for someone, anyone to find its source. Two fairies, not far off, are startled by the out of place sound; both scared and intrigued by the noise.

           “Let’s go check it out,” the dark auburn haired fairy says, wings fluttering in excitement.

           “No,” the bright blonde replies, tugging at the other’s arm pulling him back down to the tree branch they are resting on. “Baekhyun, you know we should report it to the king so he can send searcher fairies out to inspect it.”

           “Luhan, the king probably already knows. That thing is like a siren; everyone in the kingdom should be able to hear it.” Baekhyun flits his wings in frustration as he detaches his twin from his arm. “Don’t you want to have a look before the officials get there. That cry sounds distinctly like a human and I’ve never seen one up close before.”

           The blonde shakes his head in disbelief. “How could you even suggest such a thing? You’re just asking for trouble.”

           “C’mon, Lulu. Stop being such a worrywart and live a little.” Baekhyun shoots off in the direction of the cries before his brother has a chance to react.

           For a moment, he hesitates before following Baekhyun. “Dad’s definitely going to bind our wings this time if he finds out,” Luhan yells, as he catches up with his brother.

           “Don’t worry,” Baekhyun chuckles, darting between the gold and orange leaves of trees going into hibernation. “You can tell dad you were just following to make sure I didn’t do anything stupid. He’ll believe you easy enough. You’re his favorite anyways.”

           “Don’t talk like that. He loves us both equally.” Luhan swerves close enough to nudge Baekhyun’s wing with his own.

           “Yeah right.” They split as Baekhyun ducks beneath a branch and Luhan swoops over it. “You’re the one he’s going to bequeath the throne to, not me.”

           “That’s only because I’m the responsible one. We both know you have better leadership qualities than I do. If only you would use that brain of yours…for…good…” Luhan trails off as the crying becomes a blaring wail. It’s loud enough to cause him discomfort, forcing him to flutter backwards, covering his ears with his hands.

           Baekhyun plugs his ears with his fingers, continuing his path forward until he’s hovering directly over the small child. The baby’s arms are outstretched, short chubby fingers splayed out in desperation. His cheeks are flushed from all of the crying, eyes dripping with tears as he squirms in his mossy bed. Despite the noise, Baekhyun drifts closer, flecks of fairy dust sprinkling onto the baby’s face causing him to blink rapidly, eyes slowly fixating on Baekhyun. Without preamble the baby bursts into laughter, giggling and reaching out for Baekhyun who can’t help staring at the child completely fascinated.

           Now that the wailing has stopped, Luhan floats to Baekhyun’s side unable to hide the grin stretching across his face as he watches the cute child laugh. “How did he get here?”

           “No idea,” Baekhyun says, fluttering closer before backing just out of the baby’s reach. “What do you think dad will do to him?”

           “No idea,” Luhan mimics.

           “Do you think dad will let us keep him?”

           Luhan squeaks in shock. “He’s not a pet, Baekhyun. How would we even take care of him?” Regardless of how gifted any of the fairies are they are still much smaller than the child, their heights barely equal to the length of the child’s arm.

           “We can figure it out.” Baekhyun drops down to rest on the child’s exposed stomach, amused by how squishy he is. His pink skin sinking beneath Baekhyun’s feet like sand on the shore when the waves displace it as they flow back and forth. “He’s just a helpless baby. We can’t let dad get rid of him. Don’t you think it could be useful to have a human on our side for once? If we raised him, he could help protect us.”

           “Dad would never agree to this,” Luhan protests.

           “He might,” Baekhyun says, sitting on the baby’s tummy. “If you were the one to ask him.”

           “No,” Luhan shakes his head as the sounds of searcher fairies and guards filter their way into the small clearing. “I can’t ask father…such…a…” He trails off as his vision whites out and he floats gently to the ground, peering into the future. An image of fairies fleeing from large beasts sears itself into Luhan’s mind followed by the image of a young boy with reddish brown curls. His visage is full of mischief as a smirk stretches across his cheeks and his round, brown eyes glitter with wild intent as he fends off the beasts.

           When Luhan finally comes to, he’s resting on a large maple tree branch with his head in Baekhyun’s lap. “How do you feel?” he asks, rubbing Luhan’s tousled hair.

           “Lightheaded.” Luhan slides a hand over his face before meeting eyes with his twin.

           “What did you see?”

           “We have to save him Baek. We need him.”

           “So you’re going to help me keep him.” Baekhyun’s wings flit excitedly.

           “Yeah,” Luhan says attempting to sit up. “For the sake of the kingdom, I’ll help you.”

           “Everyone knows the law!” the fairy king says to the council of fairies that have come together to make a decision on the sudden appearance of a human child. His large jagged wings flutter in annoyance as he stands in the center of the hallowed tree of the fairy kingdom on a raised pedestal, turning to face the assembly as he speaks. “Our constitution states that it is illegal to abduct a human. This change was made by our predecessors to protect our people. We all know the dangers of bringing a human into our world. They are known to be evil creatures that will turn on us and destroy our people. The elders know all too well the consequences of bringing humans here. We are still fighting off the remaining beasts that have settled in the Grieving Woods. Do I need to remind everyone of the fatal ages that left our kingdom full of ruin and death?”

           Murmurs erupt around the assembly as fear passes through the fairies on a wave of emotion because no one wants to relive the fatal years; the fairy race barely survived the first one. The king rises with a few flicks of his wings, holding his hand up to quiet the assembly. Once silence falls, he continues. “Anyone found abducting a human and bringing them into our world shall be banished for willingly bringing harm to our people. I have created a party of searchers to find the culprit. We cannot allow someone so careless to remain among our people.”

           The assembly roars in favor of the king’s words until an elder with curved, wilting wings to the king’s right raises his hand for attention. “What shall we do with the human your majesty?”

           The king drops back to his pedestal. “I do not know. There is no precedent for a case such as this. I do not wish to kill the child but I cannot allow him to join the beasts in the grieving woods.” He makes a circle looking at the assembly in turn. “I ask the council for your opinions on this matter.”

           “King Wu, why not simply send him back to his world?” a member of the assembly asks, thinking the solution should be quite obvious.

           The king shakes his head in response, his golden hair catching the afternoon rays of sun filtering through the tree. “Whoever brought the child to our world saturated him with our magic. We cannot send him home until the magic is expelled from his body.”

           “How long will that be, your majesty?” another member asks as the assembly buzzes with comments about this new bit of information.

           The king turns to face the direction the voice came from. “That, I also do not know. Nothing like this has ever happened before. I cannot explain why he absorbed the magic when there is no record of any other human doing so. I’ve spoken with the healing fairies to inspect the child in hopes of finding a solution.”

           “Then what are we supposed to do until then?” a fairy asks, sounding panicked and causing the assembly to break into a hum of anxiety and dread.

           “Council members, please!” King Wu raises his hands to gain attention but unease has spread through the fairies too quickly for it to be regained by such a simple gesture.

           As the hysteria reaches its peak and the noise of the assembly hits a reverberating roar within the hallowed tree, a small auburn haired fairy slowly descends from his hiding spot near the ceiling. His body radiates a blinding white light, which gradually grows brighter as he gets closer to the king’s pedestal. Everyone’s attention is drawn to him as he allows his light to dim before landing beside the king and giving him a slight bow. “Father, may I make a suggestion?”

           The king frowns before answering, “My son, you should not be here.”

           “Father,” he pleas. “I have a request that I would like to put forth to the assembly.”

           “Baekhyun, now is not the time,” King Wu whispers through tight lips.

           “Please, father. It has to do with the human child.” Baekhyun turns to face the assembly. “I request the assembly and the king to entrust the human child to me until it can be returned home. I will take full responsibility of the human while it remains in our kingdom. There is a chance that this child can be of assistance to our people.”

           “We cannot risk our people’s safety on a mere chance.” The king leans down to speak only to his son, forcing a bit of his persuasive powers into his words, hoping that he influences his son enough to leave. He doesn’t particularly like using his powers on other fairies, opting to only use them on other magical creatures because he likes his people to have the freedom to make decisions, but when the occasion calls for a bit of his persuasive skills, King Wu will use them. “We will not discuss this any further. You should be going home now.”

           “Father!” Luhan calls drifting through one of the holes in the side of the tree. “I too request that the assembly and you allow us to take charge of the child.”

           “Not you too, son. I cannot allow you two to put our kingdom in such a dangerous situation.” The king stands allowing himself to tower over his sons, emanating authority as he does so. “I must ask you both to leave.”

           Luhan looks down timidly as Baekhyun stares up in defiance. “Father, Luhan had a vision. He saw the child assisting our people in a time of great need.”

           “Is this true?” the king asks, now intrigued by his sons’ information. Resting a comforting hand on Luhan’s shoulder, he receives a small nod in reply. The king sighs, resting his other hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder while turning the both to face the assembly. “I must ask the fairy council and the elders to grant my sons their request. I will personally see to it that they take full responsibility for the human child while he remains in our world.”

           “Are you sure about this, your majesty?” the elder with the wilted wings asks. “I do not doubt the prince’s abilities, but this decision cannot be made lightly.”

           “If he has seen it, then it is true. I believe in him wholeheartedly.” The king speaks directly to the bench of elders. “I petition we cast a vote allowing the council to decide whether or not my sons are granted their request.”

           There is a murmur of agreement throughout the assembly as a whole and the same elder stands to dictate the voting process. After further discussion among the council members, hands are tallied and the twin princes are given custody of the human child. Baekhyun hugs Luhan while letting out a triumphant sigh of relief as the king ushers them out the hallowed tree to speak to them privately.

           “I trust that you two will take your duties seriously.”

           “Yes, father,” the twins say in unison, arms linked together as they look up at their father with glowing smiles.

           “You won’t regret this,” Baekhyun adds practically bouncing on his heels, wings twitching in delight.

           “Don’t worry father,” Luhan places his hand on the king’s arm for reassurance, having regained a bit of confidence now that his father isn’t using his intimidating king-like aura. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”

           King Wu isn’t sure whether Luhan is referring to the human child or Baekhyun.

           “So the two fairies that are here to visit were the one’s that found you as a baby?” Jongin asks leaning back against the windowsill and setting his water bottle on the lip.

           Chanyeol nods. “They just so happened to be the king’s twin sons; Baekhyun and Luhan.” Chanyeol holds up his hand examining it. “They’re not bigger than this,” he says, showing his hand to Jongin. “They’re extremely beautiful. Their bodies are covered with different designs that glow depending on their mood; you have to get real close to see them in detail.” Chanyeol thinks about how the designs on Baekhyun’s chest look like starbursts while Luhan’s are more circles and swirls, both beautifully enchanting. He also thinks of telling Jongin, but he knows how sensitive fairies can be about their looks and it’s not Chanyeol’s place to reveal something so personal to Jongin. If they want Jongin to know what they look like, then they will show him personally.

           Chanyeol lies back, rolling to the side of the bed and leaning over to peer under it still searching for his fairies. “Their wings are translucent and identical,” he says, thinking this bit of information is okay to divulge. “I guess you could say they are fraternal twins since they don’t really look alike, but their wings are exactly the same. I was always worried that I might break one when they would allow me to hold them.” He looks at Jongin very seriously. “It’s difficult to repair a broken wing, almost impossible and if a fairy can’t fly, then it’s difficult for them to protect themselves, even with their powers.”

           “That sounds a lot like the fairies in Peter Pan. Are you sure you just haven’t been watching a lot of Disney movies? A bunch of Tinker Bell movies have been coming out lately.” Jongin speaks skeptically as he picks at the fraying fabric of his jeans, making one of the distressed holes on his thigh even wider than it was when he bought them.

           Chanyeol lets out a hollow laugh, shaking his head as he slides across the bed to allow his legs to hang comfortably off the side rather than the end. He stares out of the smaller window to the right of his bed, taking in the view of beautiful autumn day. He’s always loved the way the sun sets the color changing leaves on fire, the way the wind makes the blaze of colors whip from side to side like flames. He thinks the small patch of trees in the courtyard outside his window is a blessing because he longs for the forests he grew up in. He looks back to Jongin. “You could say Barrie was close to being right, but Disney’s far off the mark when it comes to depicting real fairies. They’re selfish, mischievous, vindictive little creatures.”

           With a yelp, Chanyeol lunges off the bed rubbing his lower back while scowling at the spot he was once sitting in.

           Jongin jerks back in surprise, hitting the wall with his head while watching his uncle with concern. “What’s wrong with you?”

           “The little critter pinched me.” Chanyeol pulls up the back of his shirt and sure enough there is a small red welt.

           Upon further inspection by Jongin, two rows of indentions that look distinctively like teeth marks are found on the welt causing him to gasp. “These can’t really be teeth marks. Maybe a bug bit you or something.”

           “Must have been a really big bug,” Chanyeol counters, leaning against the window he was once staring out of. “I knew that last comment would piss you off, but I can’t help it if I’m telling the truth,” Chanyeol says to the room as a whole. “Fairies can’t really lie. They can deceive you or mislead you but that can’t flat out lie,” he explains to Jongin before speaking to the room again. “I know it was you Baekhyun. Luhan never bites me.”

           There’s a buzzing sound, like the rapid fluttering of wings coming from somewhere near the headboard. Jongin can’t help showing interest now as he searches for the source along with Chanyeol.

           “This can’t be real. Fairies don’t…”

                      Chanyeol’s quickly pinches Jongin on the arm. “Never, ever say anything like that. That’s one thing Barrie got right. Fairies need to be believed in for them to continue surviving. If you put that much doubt into a verbal statement, you could kill them on the spot.” He peers down at Jongin, towering over him easily and looking much more menacing than his nephew’s ever seen him. “I’ll never forgive you if you hurt one of them. They mean more to me than anything in this world. Do you understand?”

           Jongin finds his throat is suddenly extremely dry and even if it weren’t he wouldn’t be capable of giving Chanyeol a verbal answer, so he nods to prove his understanding. Their eyes lock for what seems like eternity before Chanyeol turns away and sits back on his bed leaving Jongin to nurse the painful spot on his arm and gulp dryly in fear.

           The humming sounds again only this time it’s two separate, frenzied rhythms as both hidden fairies try to comfort Chanyeol from a distance, still unwilling to show themselves in Jongin’s presence. His uncle doesn’t even look up to search for the sources as he fists the comforter at his sides, trying to expel the anger bubbling up within him. Maybe it’s because he was raised by the fairies or maybe it’s just who Chanyeol is, but he’s always had trouble expressing more than one emotion at a time, only able to live in extremes of being sad at one moment and then overjoyed the next. It was tough for his adoptive family to deal with, but that’s just how Chanyeol is, that’s how fairies are; they can’t express multiple emotions, finding the stress of it too much for their small bodies to handle.

           After a while, Jongin finds his voice enough to apologize. “I’m sorry, Uncle Chanyeol. I won’t do it again.” Jongin moves to sit beside his Uncle Chanyeol as if trying to placate him after his earlier blunder. The tension has grown too heavy for Jongin’s comfort level and he’s never really liked when people are upset around him, so he tries to cheer Chanyeol up by asking him about the fairy kingdom.

           “What was it like to live with the fairies?” Jongin isn’t sure if he’s really asking to make Chanyeol happy or if he’s truly interested in the stories now.

           “It’s beautiful. The forests are lovely. The trees, the flowers, the skies, the water, everything is so lush and fresh. I could drink from the stream and pick fresh berries or nuts for a snack. One of the ice fairies was nice enough to help me catch fish when I wanted meat and Baekhyun could manipulate the light enough to start a fire for me to cook it on.” Chanyeol grins, lopsided and baring teeth as he recalls life in the fairy world. “Do you know how the ice fairy caught the fish?”

           Jongin shakes his head, still trying to picture his uncle as a child cooking a fish over a fire because Chanyeol should definitely not be allowed around an open flame, especially not as a child.

           “He would freeze the water surrounding the fish and I could pick it out of the water like a large fish popsicle. Out of all the fairies, he still sticks in my mind because he would play with me when the other fairies were busy. On hot days he would keep me cool by making ice cubes or snow. The snow melted too fast to really make a difference, but he still tried and I liked watching him work his magic.” Chanyeol’s grin grows even wider to the point that his gums are showing. “His name is Minseok and he was one of the rare fairies that had six wings instead of four. I think he was very beautiful.”

           “Does he ever come to visit you?” Jongin thinks it would be cool to see a fairy perform magic, if such a thing really existed, which is a thought that’s still up for debate.

           “He has a few times, to accompany the princes when one of them can’t come. Only a few of the fairies that took care of me still visit. It’s been so long since I left their world and it’s so tiring for them to make the journey that it only makes sense they don’t come often, but I really miss seeing them all. I’m thankful that Baekhyun and Luhan still visit once a week.”

           “I’m sorry,” Jongin says, unsure of why he’s apologizing, but his uncle’s grin has faded and when Chanyeol’s not smiling it’s like the atmosphere in the room changes completely. “There must have been a lot of fairies that took care of you. That would be difficult considering their sizes and I don’t imagine you were the best baby in the world.”

           “I wasn’t,” Chanyeol agrees. “You know how they say it takes a village to raise a child?” Chanyeol grins as another memory emerges. “It took a large number of fairies to take care of me even though the princes were the one’s I was entrusted to. I don’t remember much of the early days but those that took care of me made sure they told me just how difficult I was in the beginning.” He laughs to himself, mind drifting back to the land of the fairies. “Apparently I cried a lot and I never liked being in the dark so Baekhyun acted as a night light most of the time. I grew up eating mostly fruits and nuts that the fairies brought me until I was big enough to get my own food. Sometimes they would bring delicious nectar from these large scarlet flowers that only grow in their kingdom. I can still remember the taste, sweet and thick like honey but so much more yummy.”

           Scooting back, Chanyeol turns to face Jongin while pulling one leg up onto the bed. “My first real memory is of flying. I was lying in a field of sunflowers that the fairies brought me to. They would occasionally take me outside when I wasn’t having fits or causing problems. I couldn’t have been more than three at the time, but I remember staring up at the tall green stalks of golden flowers with the pale blue sky as a backdrop and thinking everything was so beautiful.

           “Luhan and Baekhyun were there, along with a number of other attendants tasked with taking caring of me, and they all kept flying in and around the flowers restlessly, as if trying to keep me amused so that I wouldn’t fuss. Eventually, the princes rested atop a sunflower basking in the warm glow of the sun and it wasn’t until they were out of sight that I started fussing. I didn’t like it when I couldn’t see them.” Chanyeol shakes his head while holding in a silent chuckle and gazing down at the bed, then towards his dresser still absent-mindedly searching for his friends. “I remember seeing Luhan and Baekhyun pop their heads over the edge of the flower to check on me and I wanted so badly to get up to where they were that I didn’t realize I was hovering off the ground until they started pointing at me excitedly. I just kept going up and up until I broke through the canopy of flowers and into the open air. I eventually fell of course because I didn’t know how to control it.”

           Unconsciously Jongin starts leaning into Chanyeol as his story progresses, just a bit enthused with his uncle’s excitement at recalling his first memory.

           “That was the first time I flew and I may not remember the first time I walked, but I’m sure the reaction then was nothing compared to the way the fairies flittered around me. It was so unexpected and amazing,” Chanyeol concludes.

           “You actually flew?” Jongin stares at his uncle with a hint of distrust in his eyes because believing in fairies is one thing but actually thinking that he could fly is another.

           Chanyeol nods glancing out of the window. “It’s one of the things I miss the most. Nothing really compares to being able to ride the winds and soar through the sky admiring the land beneath you.” He pauses for a moment. “Did you know that flying is like a right of passage for fairies? They are so small when they’re born and they don’t receive their wings until they’ve experienced their seventh equinox. Even then they have to grow into them while gradually learning how to fly.”

           “Wait. Fairies aren’t born with their wings?”

           “No,” Chanyeol laughs. “They’re born like you and I were born, only much smaller, even smaller than your pinky. I guess you could say they’re like butterflies, without the cocoon. It’s much more magical the way a fairy gets his wings. It has something to do with the moonlight on the nights of the equinoxes, but I was never given an explanation because only fairies are allowed to know about that sort of deep magic.”

           “If you’re not allowed to know about the fairy magic, then how were you able to fly, especially if you didn’t have wings?” Jongin shifts to mirror his uncle’s sitting position by bringing one leg up and turning sideways. “You didn’t have wings did you?”

           “No, I didn’t have wings,” Chanyeol laughs. “And no one really understands how it happened, but I had fairy magic within me when I was brought to their world and because of that magic I was able to fly. I didn’t obtain any other powers like the fairies have, but being able to fly was enough for me.”

           “Well if you had fairy magic within you, then why can’t you fly now? And these powers you keep mentioning, what are they like? Is it like the nature fairies from the movies or what?”

           As Chanyeol watches Jongin fire out questions, he sees a tiny sparkle in his eyes, glittering almost like fairy dust and he knows that soon Jongin will fully believe in the fairies of his tales. “That’s a lot of questions for someone so skeptical,” Chanyeol teases.

           Jongin grins unable to deny his interest. “I guess you make them sound so real.”

           “That’s because they are, Jongin.” As Chanyeol speaks, a book drops from his dresser and they both turn in surprise to stare at the opposite side of the room. “You guys are picking that up later because I don’t intend on cleaning up after you.” There’s a tinkling noise in response to his words and Jongin can’t fight back his laughter.

           Once he calms, he faces his uncle. “Are you going to answer my questions then?”

           He shakes his head, grin curling over his mouth. “Starting with the fairy powers, some deal with nature but not all of them. Fairies aren’t in charge of the seasons like those childish movies suggest, at least not the ones I was living with.” He frowns before continuing with the next question. “I no longer have any fairy magic in me, so I can’t fly. I guess you could say it left me when I lost my innocence.”

           “How’d you lose your innocence?” Jongin asks, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

           “I don’t want to talk about it.” A shadow crosses Chanyeol’s face to add to his frown.

           “What did you do? Was it something, you know, dirty?” he twitches his eyebrows a few times to give his uncle a hint at what he’s thinking.

           Affronted, Chanyeol pushes his nephew back practically knocking him off the bed with the force of it. “Why are human children so erted? It has nothing to do with that sort of thing.” He stands from the bed and marches out of the room. “I’m going to check on dinner,” he announces.

           “Wait! Uncle Chanyeol, you have to finish telling me about the fairies. What about the one’s in the room?” He pulls himself up and off the bed, but just as he’s about to leave the room something pulls the hair just above his ear on the right side of his head hard, causing him to whirl around. Jongin sees nothing, but he still feels the sting on his scalp. Rubbing his head, he turns towards the door only to feel something pull the hair on his left side as well.

           Now rubbing both sides of his head, he hurries out his uncle’s room and down the stairs. “Uncle Chanyeol, you fairies are attacking me! They’re pulling my hair!” He makes his way into the kitchen with both hands still on his head only to find both his uncle and his father holding onto the island counter top, laughing like maniacs.

           Wiping the tears from his eyes, Chanyeol calms down enough to say, “It looks like you offended Luhan. He doesn’t like when people upset me. Just be glad it wasn’t Baekhyun this time; he would have done something worse than pulling your hair.”

           “C’mon son, it’s time for dinner. Chanyeol can tell you stories later.” Joonmyun gives his son that I-told-you-so smile before telling Jongin to wash up and set the table.

           Joonmyun’s heard most of Chanyeol’s stories, if not all of them and he knows all too well what it feels like to get into that world his brother talks so favorably about. He sometimes wishes he could see it in person and experience part of what Chanyeol experienced, but he knows that will never happen, knows he will never be able to see the fairy world that his brother grew up in. Even so, Joonmyun can’t help believing that this world is very real and so are the fairies within it and not simply something his brother’s vivid imagination came up with to make up for his lack of memory of this world during his childhood days.

           As they situate themselves at Chanyeol’s kitchen table, Joonmyun looks to his son with fondness while ladling stew into a bowl. “Son, have I ever told you about the first time I saw Chanyeol?”

           Jongin shakes his head taking the bowl full of stew his father offers him, placing it next to his rice bowl.

           “I was eleven at the time. My parents had told me how they met this boy, said they wanted to give me a little brother. I didn’t know what to expect when they brought him home.” He smiles over at Chanyeol offering him a bowl of stew as well. “He was this scrawny little kid with big eyes and big ears and unruly hair. He looked completely wild and acted like it too. He didn’t talk at all in the beginning, always climbing trees in the backyard or hiding in the bushes when my parents tried to get close to him. I can’t tell you how many times he hit us or bit us. I thought he was absolutely crazy, but my mom kept telling me to be nice to him, that he was just scared and needed a family to love him.”

           “So you thought he was crazy too?” Jongin says around a mouth full of rice.

           “Don’t talk with your mouth full,” his father chastises. “And yes, I did think he was crazy because he used to snarl at me and bite me when I got too close. I still have scars.”

           “I couldn’t help it,” Chanyeol argues. “I was scared of people.”

           “Why?” Jongin looks at his uncle with surprise.

           “At the time, I thought all people were monsters. In the fairy kingdom, humans were evil,” Chanyeol explains.

           “But you’re human too,” Jongin counters.

           “I was different. I was brought up by the fairies.”

           “But if there were other humans, why didn’t the fairies just let them take care of you? Wouldn’t it have been easier?” Jongin stares across the table at his uncle, food forgotten for the moment.

            “They needed me to stay good. They knew I would protect them so they took care of me, kept me from becoming a monster like the other humans.”

           “How did they know you would protect them and why were the other humans monsters?”

           Chanyeol stirs stew into his rice amused by his nephew’s curiosity. “Remember how I said the fairies had powers.” Jongin nods. “Well, Luhan has visions and he saw me saving the fairies. If it weren’t for the princes, I would have probably been left in the woods until the other humans found me.”

           “And the reason why the humans were monsters?”

           “I suppose it’s because they lost their humanity. I was too young to really understand it, but I guess the humans had been in the wild for so long that they had started reverting to their animalistic nature. They weren’t very smart, but they were strong and they were a danger to the fairy kingdom.”

           “Why? What’d they do? And how’d you save the fairies? Did you fight the human monsters things? You were just a kid right? I mean, you were only nine when you were adopted. How could a child protect a whole kingdom?” Jongin rambles absolutely enthralled with the idea of hearing about a battle.

           “Jongin,” Joonmyun chimes in with a laugh. “Stop asking so many question and eat your dinner before it gets cold. You can listen to more of Chanyeol’s stories after you eat.”

           “But I want to know,” Jongin whines getting caught up in the fantasy.

           “I know,” his father says, patting him on the shoulder. “I’d like to hear Chanyeol’s stories again too, but it’s time to eat.” Jongin opens his mouth to say something but Joonmyun shakes his head. “No arguing. Now eat.”

           Jongin huffs, shoving a chunk of beef from his stew in his mouth along with a large portion of rice, chewing furiously in annoyance at his father.

           Chanyeol hears a clatter off to the left, followed by a tinkling that catches the father and son’s attention as well. “If you’re so hungry, why don’t you just show yourselves? You know I don’t mind sharing my food.” There’s more tinkling. “I know I have company, but they’re my family. They’re not going to hurt you.” This time the tinkling sounds a little quieter. “Don’t tell me you’re shy. I’d believe that coming from Luhan, but not you Baekhyun.” It’s quiet for a few seconds before Chanyeol jumps in his seat, leaning down to rub his leg. “Now that was mean. I’m not saving you any fruit from the dessert and we’re having you’re favorite, strawberry parfaits.” The tinkling sounds doubled this time as if both are speaking. “I’m not listening,” Chanyeol says, shaking his head. “You’re not going to guilt trip me. No, no, no.” He plugs his ears while Joonmyun and Jongin watch the exchange.

           “You can have some of mine,” Jongin says, wondering if the fairies will accept it. “I save you a big strawberry.”

           The tinkling sounds, excited and frenzied. Chanyeol laughs. “He wants a dollop of whip cream as well.”

           Jongin grins. “Sure thing.”

           Chanyeol taps his spoon against his bowl. “Baekhyun, how do you plan on receiving the food if you’re not going to show yourself?” They all wait for an answer, but a response never comes. After a while they continue eating, the conversation lulling as they fill their mouths with the delicious food Joonmyun cooked.

           It isn’t until the table is cleared and Joonmyun serves dessert that something happens. Chanyeol feels a shift in the air behind him and then there’s something pulling at the back of his collar. A tiny hand curls into his hair before a small head bravely peeks over Chanyeol’s shoulder. Only Chanyeol knows and he remains still while Baekhyun musters up enough courage to make his presence known. Baekhyun climbs up further, eyes fixed on Jongin’s desert with desire. He speaks in his tinkling voice, which draws the other’s attention causing them to stare amazedly.

           “Wow,” Jongin breaths out, spoon full of cream hanging in midair halfway to his mouth as he leans forward entranced. Baekhyun shies away, hiding his face in Chanyeol’s curls. “He’s so tiny.”

           Baekhyun peeks over at Jongin, mouth moving rapidly as the sound of bells fills the air. Chanyeol stifles a laugh before shushing Baekhyun by waving a hand at him. “He says he’s not tiny, that he’s actually tall for being a fairy. He doesn’t like when people talk about his size.” Baekhyun speaks again, patting Chanyeol’s shoulder eagerly. “He wants me to remind you about his strawberry and whip cream.”

           “Oh!” Jongin jumps up, running over to one of the cabinets to pull out a saucer. He grabs a few of the left over strawberries, making sure to choose the best ones. Then he moves to the refrigerator, taking out the whip cream and scooping a hefty dollop of cream onto the plate before putting the cream away and returning to the table, setting the plate in the middle of the table like an offering.

           Baekhyun eyes the plate, climbing onto Chanyeol’s shoulder, clutching his ear to steady himself. His wings flutter, tickling the nape of Chanyeol’s neck, but Chanyeol doesn’t flinch away aware that it might startle Baekhyun. He nervously glances up at Jongin then over at Joonmyun before flitting his wings and drifting down to the table just in front of Chanyeol.

           “Baekhyun?” Joonmyun says softly, leaning forward resting against his arm on the table.

           The small fairy ducks behind Chanyeol’s dessert bowl, wings curling down shyly. Chanyeol nudges him with a finger, tipping his head down with a smile. “Go ahead.”

           Baekhyun bites his tiny lip, gripping Chanyeol’s finger by hooking his arm around it. He steps around the bowl, moving closer to the center of the table tugging Chanyeol’s hand along with him. Chanyeol assists by lifting it up and following along. When Baekhyun reaches his dessert offering, he flattens Chanyeol’s hand on the table palm side up before taking a seat on his pointer finger.

           When Chanyeol sees Baekhyun’s plan he laughs, attempting to pull his finger away only to have the fairy fall back, clutching onto his large hand like his life depended on it. The other’s watch in amusement, laughing as Chanyeol surrenders his hand up as a seat.

           Now that Baekhyun’s no longer in hiding, the father and son finally get a good view of him. His dark auburn hair stands in a windswept mess on his head. His torso is bare, littered with those starburst designs that Chanyeol had told them about. They’re glowing a dull yellow and Chanyeol knows it’s a sign that Baekhyun’s nervous. His wings are also curled around his sides, a method he uses to comfort himself. He’s clad in a simple pair of brown pants that cling snugly to his legs all the way down to his ankles where his bare, pink feet peek out.

           Once Baekhyun’s comfortable he pulls a strawberry off of the saucer before him, nibbling at the tip of it happily, eyes widely watching Joonmyun and Jongin.

           “He’s beautiful,” Joonmyun says. “I know you’ve described him to me a thousand times, but he’s much more beautiful than I imagined.”

           Baekhyun’s starbursts slowly turn pink as he hides his face behind his fruit.

           “I can’t believe he’s really real. I’m not imagining this am I?” Jongin asks incredulously. “Uncle Chanyeol’s crazy didn’t rub off on me did it?”

           Joonmyun shakes his head dazedly. “I never thought I would actually see him. I’m surprised he actually came out. I just…it’s nice to finally meet you Baekhyun.” Joonmyun slowly extends his hand, fingers splaying out next the saucer in the middle of the table. He curls his fingers, leaving only his pointer extended not in an attempt to touch Baekhyun but as a gesture of greeting.

           Baekhyun stiffens before he understands and extends his tiny hand touching it to the tip of Joonmyun’s finger, shaking it a bit. He then says something, looking to Chanyeol for a translation. “He says it’s nice to meet you too.” Baekhyun speaks again. “He wants to thank you for taking care of me.”

           Joonmyun grins, pulling his hand back slowly. “It can be a lot of work sometimes, but what can I say, I like the guy. I don’t think I could have asked for a better brother.”

           Baekhyun grins, teeth shining brightly as he looks at Joonmyun fondly. There’s a humming sound and Baekhyun’s wings perk up as he looks towards the kitchen. He says something, starting up a conversation with his hidden brother. Eventually he puts his strawberry down, darting away in a blur.

“Luhan’s scared,” Chanyeol explains.

           After some time, Baekhyun makes his way back to the table, dragging a very resistant Luhan along with him. When they land, the new fairy runs away from Baekhyun only to fall beside Chanyeol’s resting hand, hugging his thumb desperately and burying his face against it. Much like Baekhyun, Luhan’s torso is bare but instead of pants he’s wearing a pair of tight green shorts. His feet are also bare, tiny toes curled up against the tablecloth nervously.

           “Lulu,” Chanyeol coos, using a finger on his other hand to pet lightly at the fairy’s bright blonde head. He moves his hand up slightly, lifting Luhan easily. The tiny fairy shakes his head, wings visibly shaking as they droop down his back as the swirls on his skin glow a dismal gray. Chanyeol cups his right hand beneath his left, lifting them both up to his face. “Lulu, it’s okay. No one’s going to hurt you. I’m here. I’ll protect you.” His voice is low, tone deep as he whispers words of safety and encouragement. “Lulu, will you look at me?”

           The fairy shakes his head; eyes squeezed shut as he presses his face into Chanyeol’s finger stubbornly.

           “I’ll give you a juicy strawberry.”

           He shakes his head again.

           “How about peaches. I have a few peaches in the kitchen. I’ll cut one up for you just the way you like.”

           The fairy stills a bit, wings twitching as he thinks.

           “I know they’re your favorite. We can go in the kitchen and get them together, then we can come back to visit my family when you’re ready. How’s that sound?”

            Luhan nods, face hidden and arms still wrapped tightly around Chanyeol’s thumb.

           Chanyeol looks to his family, then to Baekhyun. “Will you be fine in here by yourself while I take care of Lulu?”

           Baekhyun nods, mouth and arms full of strawberry.

           “I’ll be back in a bit,” he says, standing slowly, keeping his hands cupped safely together while he retreats to the kitchen.

           The three at the table sit quietly, nibbling on their desserts while observing each other. Baekhyun smiles, cheeks puffed out as he scoops cream into his mouth with his hand.

           “Do you like sweets?” Jongin asks.

           Baekhyun nods happily, taking another bite out of his strawberry. He’s making good progress on the piece considering how small his mouth is. They fall silent again. Joonmyun and Jongin are too shocked at actually seeing the fairies that they can’t really form questions and it doesn’t matter because it’s not like they can understand Baekhyun without Chanyeol in the room. It’s okay though because the silence is a comfortable one as they acclimate to each other’s presence. Baekhyun’s starbursts eventually turn a vibrant, calming blue color; the sight mesmerizing the two guys before him.

           Chanyeol eventually makes his way back towards the table, one hand cupped to hold Luhan while the other carries a plate of peach cubes. Chanyeol sits down, placing the plate before him, keeping his cupped hand close as he lays it on the table. Luhan’s sitting cross-legged in his palm, hands resting against Chanyeol’s at his sides. His little chest is rising rapidly while his swirls glow a bright peachy color. He’s embarrassed by the two sets of eyes watching him. Chanyeol offers him a peach cube to comfort him, giving him something to occupy himself with so that he feels less obligated to do or say anything.

           “Guys, this is Luhan; Baekhyun’s brother. He’s a little shy, so try not to be too loud or make any sudden movements.” Chanyeol pops a peach cube in his mouth before returning to his parfait.

           His family gives Luhan identical kind, encouraging smiles. Baekhyun flits over to him, his dainty feet dancing across the table. He sits beside Luhan, nudging him with his shoulder playfully. Luhan sticks his tongue out in annoyance as Baekhyun takes another bite of his strawberry.

           “Uncle Chanyeol,” Jongin says, his eyes never leaving the twin fairies. “Can you tell us more of your story now?”