Every spell breaks at midnight, even fairy tales said so.

—

Choi Siwon was born in a dragon slayer family. His father Choi Minsoo had been known as a tough man, tall with beards and ponytail. Despite his scary appearance, the old man had a kind heart. His service was badly needed whenever a dragon attacked a village and he always went with one or two of his five sons. Even the King of Silla recognized his service and awarded the man with a knighthood medal. Mama Choi passed away a year after giving birth to the couple’s youngest son. Their five sons were Choi Dongwook, Choi Siwon, Choi Seunghyun, Choi Minho and Choi Junhong. It was hard for Minsoo to handle five boys but Siwon as the second oldest had been very helpful especially when dealing with cooking and cleaning up the house. Thus, his father rarely took him to dragon hunting because Siwon needed to take care of Minho and Junhong.

When Siwon was 17 years old, he told his father that he wanted to help him slay the beast. Minsoo sighed. It was a tough choice. Dongwook and Seunghyun had proven themselves tough enough in doing their jobs. They had never failed to kill a dragon. But then, he knew it was unfair if Siwon was not given the fair chance.

“Alright son, you can come with me next time. You and Seunghyun. Let Dongwook stays at home with your baby brothers,” the father said.

Nothing happened in the next six days and Siwon was furious. He could not deny his jealousy whenever he heard Seunghyun talked about his experience. His younger brother was as tall as him but it seemed Seunghyun was born as a dragon slayer. He was very well built, very skillful, very agile and even his stares alone could silence a barking dog. Siwon was washing the rice on the seventh day since he begged his father, when suddenly two men ran to their house while screaming: “Choi Minsoo-ssi, help! Help!”

Minsoo, who was working in his paddy field nearby their house with Dongwook and Seunghyun, paused and narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look of the coming men.

“Oh, Kim Minjoong-ssi, Yoon Jongshin-ssi … What’s wrong?”

“Dragon! People saw it flying in the next village. They said it was heading this way. Hurry. It already killed three people there,” Minjoong, the taller man from the two, told him.

Minsoo quickly headed back home, followed by his two sons. He turned to Dongwook and said: “I promised Siwon I would take him. So, you stay home and take care of Minho and Junhong.”

“Yes father,” the eldest of five replied. Junhong hugged his father’s waist.

“Go back home safe appa.” Minsoo leveled his eyes with his youngest son.

“Yes Junhong, appa will return home safe.” He then readied himself, grabbed his equipment and met Seunghyun and Siwon in front of their house. But before they could leave, Minho back hugged Siwon with tears flowing down his cheeks. “Hyung, stay please. I have a bad feeling.” Minsoo stared at Minho. He knew his 13-year-old son inherited his wife’s special talent. Minho might still be very young to understand all the signs that he saw in his dreams. But he believed Minho could foretell the future. Most of what he had seen in his dreams became reality. So when he heard Minho said that, he was hesitant.

“Siwon… Maybe…”

“No. Appa, you promised me!”

Minho hugged Siwon tighter.

“No! Don’t go, please… Appa, please…”

Minsoo looked at Siwon. But he only saw determination. He had no choice.

“Let’s go.” Dongwook had to grab Minho, who struggled to free himself while screaming Siwon’s name.

But his brother did not look back.  

—- 
Homes were burned down, people lied lifelessly and Siwon felt nauseous. It was his first experience and he stared at those dead bodies in horror. He had never thought before that a dragon could be as lethal as that.

They silently approached the remaining debris while searching for any signs of life. Siwon stopped at his track when he heard faint sobs from one of the destroyed houses. He approached the house while Seunghyun whispered: “Careful.”

He nodded.

He moved closer but then he was stunned.

A boy, probably a few years younger than him, sat on the floor, holding tight onto an older woman, probably his mother. The boy cried silently, sobbing while mumbling: “Eomma… Eomma…”

He was startled when he heard Siwon’s footstep. The boy widened his eyes, he stared at Siwon in fear and tried to move backwarda but it was hard as he still had his mother’s dead body on his lap.

“Don’t be afraid. My name is Siwon. Are you okay?”

The boy only nodded.

“Your mother?”

The boy nodded again.

“What’s your name?”

“Kyuhyun,” the boy said while wiping away his tears using his sleeves. His clothes were torn here and there exposing his pale skin.

Siwon was stunned with the boy’s appearance. Although he looked such a mess from the tragedy but Siwon could clearly see that the boy was not an ordinary villager. Besides his pale skin, the boy had wide doe eyes, brown curls that wrapped his chubby cheeks, pinkish plump lips and long neck.

Siwon gulped.

He had never seen a beauty like this. He felt like there were butterflies in his stomach. His heart drummed much faster and harder. But then he was brought to reality when he heard his father’s shout.

“Siwon, the dragon is coming… Run!”

Without thinking, Siwon quickly dragged Kyuhyun’s hand and fled the scene. He ignored the boy’s protest and struggle. What mattered now was their safety. He saw Seunghyun held his bow and arrow. He turned around and he saw the flying dragon. He passed Seunghyun and let go Kyuhyun’s hand.

“Stay behind that tree.” He had been trained well by his father. Even being inexperience, his brain could think fast. He also took his bow and put on an arrow, aiming at the dragon. He knew he had to aim at the beast’s chest. He saw Seunghyun’s arrow his the dragon’s chest but it still flew.

He knew it’s his turn. He tried his best shot.

Bingo!

It hit the spot right next to Seunghyun’s arrow. The dragon began to lose its balance and in a matter of seconds the beast fell down.

Seunghyun already searched for a safe place because a dragon was still dangerous even if it was already dying. They needed to behead the beast. But Siwon did not know that. He was too stunned with the fact that he shot down a dragon. He did not realize that the dragon was still conscious enough to pay back.

Before he knew it, its claw teared his chest and he fell down. The last thing he heard was the screams of his father, his brother… and Kyuhyun?  

---

Minho cried hard when he saw his father, brother and several strangers carried Siwon’s body back home.

“I told you hyung… I told you… You didn’t listen….” He then hit his father’s chest hard. “It’s your fault! It’s your fault!”

Minsoo could only hold his son tight.

“Yes… It’s appa’s fault. It’s my fault.” Both cried. Everybody else cried too, including the pale skinned boy.

“Who are you?” Junhong asked the boy.

“I’m Kyuhyun. Your brother saved me,” he replied, then wiped away his tears.

Everyone in the house looked at Siwon, whose breathe seemed very weak. The sun was about to set when they saw an elderly coming. He still looked handsome despite his gray hair.

Minsoo stood up to greet him.

“Welcome Lee Junggil seonsangnim… Please, I need your help.”

The elderly hugged Minsoo.

“Be strong Dongwook appa. Let’s hope for the best but prepare for the worst.”

Junggil sat next to the bed where Siwon’s body was laid. He held one of Siwon’s hands, his other hand began to check from the forehead to the eyes to the chest, which was covered with clothes that already been soaked in blood, to his abdomen. The elderly turned to Minsoo.

“I think we can still save your boy. What kind of dragon did you kill?”

Minsoo explained that it was a sky dragon. Junggil listened carefully before concluded.

“I think your son was cursed by the dragon through the wound. It’s not just physical. I can heal this with herbs. But there’s something else and I still have no idea what it is.”

They were all waiting while the old men put on some herbs he had made on Siwon’s chest. The handsome man looked like sleeping. Seunghyun approached him and whispered in his ears.

“Wake up hyung. You can make it, please.”

It’s already dark but there was no sign that Siwon would open up his eyes. Junggil sighed and scanned the room. His gaze stopped on Minho and Kyuhyun.

“Boy, please come here,” he motioned Minho to come closer.

Minho was hesitant but when his father nodded, he finally approached the shaman.

Junggil grabbed Minho’s right hand and touched his palm.

“Ah, Han Chaeyoung’s son… Let’s hope that your mother’s talent helps her son,” he mumbled. He then put Minho’s palm to Siwon’s chest. The boy was quiet at first but then his body shook. His eyes rolled back and he began to shout random words.

Minsoo went panic. Their brothers were stunned and scared. But then Minho was calm and they all sighed in relief.

“Tell me what you saw boy,” Junggil said softly. Minho looked confused. He started to get teary.

“I saw Siwon hyung stand up with nice clothes, it’s like he’s on his wedding. But I also saw darkness blanketed him. He must survived this midnight or… ”

Everyone stared at him.

“His bride was not a woman, but a man. That man.” Minho pointed his finger to Kyuhyun, who gasped in disbelief.

Junggil motioned Kyuhyun to come over. He also touched Kyuhyun’s hand but then stopped.

“Who are you?”

“Kyuhyun.”

“No. Tell me the truth. Who are you?”

“Kyuhyun.”

Junggil held Kyuhyun’s hand tight. He closed his eyes, he frowned, but then a small smile was pricked on his face. He opened his eyes.

“You are not a commoner. And you will heal him. But you have to do it before midnight.”

“But I’m not a shaman. I know nothing. I don’t know what to do,” Kyuhyun said. He was panic.

The elderly took a deep breath.

“You’ll find your way. I trust you.” Kyuhyun was confused. He felt like a prey among hungry hyenas.

“What if I fail? What if until midnight I still don’t know what to do? What should I do? They would kill me if this man dies.”

But then he heard a sob from Junhong. It was like looking at a mirror. He lost his mother and Siwon came to rescue him. Now it was his turn to save his savior. He came closer and sat next to the bed, staring at Siwon’s handsome face.

“What a perfection,” he thought while staring at the tanned skinned face with nice forehead, pointy nose, pretty chin and thin lips.

“Even at this state he still looks handsome and he’s just a villager, not a knight or a royal.” Kyuhyun began to put his right hand on Siwon’s chest, feeling the weak heart beat while mumbling inwardly: “I don’t know how I can help you. But I want to say thank you for saving my life. I want to pay you back. I wish you can wake up from your sleep before midnight. Your family needs you, your fellow villagers need you… I need you too. Strange, isn’t it that somehow we have a strong bond just from one meeting. Please wake up, for you, for me, for us.”

There was the sound of wooden bells, indicating it was about midnight. Siwon’s chest moved weaker and Kyuhyun had no idea what to do. He just leaned closer, narrowed his gap with Siwon’s face and started to brush his lips on the other. It’s warm. It’s wet. It’s enticing. It felt so right. And it felt intoxicating and addictive.

He pulled away but Siwon’s eyes were still closed. He kissed the other’s lips again, putting more pressure into the arch-shaped lips and suddenly he felt like he was being kissed back.

He pulled away.  

He stared at Siwon. The said man woke up. Everyone in the room cheered while Junggil patted his back repeatedly.

“I knew it.”

---

Villagers gathered in front of Minsoo’s house. It was a month after the incident. Siwon was back into a healthy young man. He looked more handsome than ever. His brothers and father were also ready.

It’s gonna be the family’s last day as commoners in that village. A group of soldiers got ready with the horse carriage, ready to bring Siwon and his family to the kingdom’s capital for his wedding.

Two weeks after Siwon was healed by Kyuhyun through the magic kiss, the royal soldiers came to the village. Apparently, they heard that the neighboring village had been attacked by the dragon and that Kyuhyun had been saved. Siwon’s family was shocked knowing that Kyuhyun was actually an ousted prince. He would be welcomed to the palace if he could find a man who truly and honestly loved him.

Siwon was about to step back. He could not love a prince. That was so wrong.

And his decision broke Kyuhyun’s heart.

The boy was disappointed and knew that he would never be able to return to the palace. It was Dongwook and Seunghyun who convinced Siwon that if he could tame a dragon, he could tame a royal family. It took three days for Siwon to coax Kyuhyun and win the younger’s heart back.

“I was stupid. But you’re a prince, how could I not freak out?”

“Indeed. You are stupid. How could you not see that I love you?”

Siwon grinned and kissed the prince. But before the kiss got more passionate, they heard giggles from Minho and Junhong.

They both smiled.

So, here they were. Already arrived at the palace. Every citizens in the kingdom was happy and eager to witness the marriage. Minsoo, Dongwook, Siwon and Seunghyun were sworn in as knights. The kingdom recognized their bravery for dragon slaying. Minho was put in a special school for shamanism. The king was impressed knowing the boy’s talent. While Junhong, well, he enjoyed being a little prince.

The newly-wed couple waved their hands to their citizens from the palace balcony.

When the people chanted: “Kiss! Kiss!” Siwon had no doubts at all to lock their lips.

Kyuhyun smiled after pulling away slightly. “My knight, my savior. Thank God, I broke the spell at midnight.”

Siwon grinned. “You’re my savior.”

And they kissed. And they lived happily ever after, and ending like those in fairytales, except this one true love never really ends.

---end---

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