“Help. I think I’ve just murdered someone.”

 

◊◊◊

 

He is standing in front of the school gates. Wandering eyes searching for a certain petite figure. Whoops there he is. He can only make out the top of the guy’s head, but Lu Han can recognize that jet black hair anywhere. Of course.

“Hey, Kyungsoo!” Lu Han chirps cheerfully.

Kyungsoo groans when he sees him but Lu Han’s adoration clouded mind process it as the sound of felicity.

“Can I walk you to your classroom?” Lu Han asks but he already fall into step beside the younger.

“I don’t think I have any say in that,” Kyungsoo grunts. His beautiful and rich voice ringing in Lu Han ears.

“Your voice is so nice,” the captain of school soccer team compliments. “I think your singing voice must be so heavenly.”

“Haha,” Kyungsoo laughs drily.

They arrive at smaller guy’s class. Lu Han makes a grand gesture, motioning the younger to get inside. “Have a nice day,” he says.

Kyungsoo stares at him blankly for a moment. “You too,” the junior replies crisply before walking toward his desk.

Lu Han is going to have a very nice day.

 

◊◊◊

 

 Lu Han swears that he didn’t mean to stalk Kyungsoo. But the apple of his eye is just there and looking wonderful as always—Lu Han just couldn’t help himself. He stands quietly in a corner, watching Kyungsoo crouches down in the secluded garden at the back of their school. He’s swooning at the sight of Kyungsoo’s solemn face.

Do Kyungsoo is a mixture of quiet, quirkiness, and snide remarks. Oh, and please add some adorableness that makes like 95% of his essence. The second year student has been known as ‘that one loner’ for he doesn’t seem to have any friend and loves to wander on their school ground alone. Actually, the petite guy wouldn’t attract the soccer team captain’s attention had he not witnessed another side of Kyungsoo on one special occasion.

It was a summer afternoon. The weather was hot and very humid, his soccer uniform stuck disgustingly on his body from the excessive sweat.  Lu Han couldn’t wait to get home and drowned himself in the cold shower. He was daydreaming about the coolness of air conditioner in his home against his skin when he heard a loud bang accompanied by an equally cry. He saw a little girl sitting on the curb of the empty road, holding her bleeding elbow. Her fallen bicycle lying not too far from her crying figure.

Lu Han moved to get to her but a small figure beat him. He was stunned on his spot when he recognized the guy as his junior, Do Kyungsoo. The usually grumpy male didn’t strike him as someone who did such a prosocial behavior. But there was him, trying to clean the girl’s wound with clean water from the bottle and his own handkerchief. A heart-shaped smile that adorned his face made Lu Han’s heart beating rigorously. Lu Han couldn’t hear their conversation from the distance, but it seemed like Kyungsoo had tried to cheer the young girl because she had stopped crying and was laughing instead.

Once the wound had been cleaned thoroughly, Kyungsoo gently pulled the girl to stand up. He checked the little girl’s leg and looked satisfied when he had not found any major injury. Together, Kyungsoo walked away hand in hand with the girl. His other hand guided her broken bike. Lu Han watched the scene unfolded before him, mesmerized.

Ever since then, Lu Han had been whipped by Do Kyungsoo.

Everyone (mostly his best friend, Minseok) says that it’s a lost cause because the guy keeps rejecting his advance. Lu Han prefers to be hopeful and say that all those attempts will pay off later. He’s merely prospering Kyungsoo’s feeling toward him by his nonstop ‘love attacks’ (Minseok calls it terrorizing). Right now, he’s content just watching the younger even if from afar.

 

◊◊◊

 

Among all the things in this world, Kyungsoo loves singing and gardening the most. Both of them sound like normal hobbies—though gardening is tad bit odd for someone his age—to normal people. But Kyungsoo doesn’t belong to the normal crowd. Not with all the magic that’s coursing through his veins.

Kyungsoo isn’t a mythical creature (though it’s possible for one to come from such lineage; like his cousin, for example). Technically, he is a wizard. But calling someone like him a ‘wizard’ or ‘witch’ is degrading in any way—at least for people from his own kind. People who are able to perform magic prefer the term ‘prodigium’. It makes them sound more suave than they actually are.

Prodigiums all over the world live among mortals, filling every gap that is available for them, molding their lives together. You can’t tell whether someone is a prodigium because they don’t show off their powers so openly. They are living mundane lives; working normal jobs or studying in regular schools.

Kyungsoo studies in a school where there is no prodigium other than him around. He feels too awkward to mingle with his ‘normal’ school mates. Truthfully, there is a school not far from his house which its attendants mostly come from prodigium families. His cousins go there, but his mother is adamant that Kyungsoo studies in the best school of the district. He can’t complain, really, because the school provides him with a vast library and competent teachers.

But what Kyungsoo loves the most from his school is its gardens. His favorite one is situated in a secluded corner of their school. When Kyungsoo found the place, the garden was mostly abandoned—the flowers were wilting and the soil that held the flowers was dry from the lack of water. But now the garden is in its best condition. Thanks to Kyungsoo’s ultimate care—and some of his magic, of course.

Right now, Kyungsoo is crouching in between all his lovely flower buds. His babies always give him pleasant feeling. They are his sanctuary when he feels lonely—which is bound to happen when most of his schoolmates ignore him. But there’s this guy—this irritatingly persistent but a very charming guy—who somehow seems to take interest in him.

The reason why Lu Han, the soccer varsity captain, smothering him with unwanted (but actually wanted?) attention still escapes the young prodigium. The senior comes to talk to him (Lu Han’s fans’ shrieks accompany in the background) almost on daily basis. He even puts upon himself to bring him treats in every visit. At first Kyungsoo was curious of the other’s real intention; he couldn’t help himself, he’s been receiving mockery and isolation. But after months of interacting with the elder, Kyungsoo just can’t believe that the dumb but endearing guy will have underlying purpose on approaching him. How can those big puppy-like brown orbs hold lies?

He has to admit that getting attention from someone like Lu Han feels nice. Kyungsoo knows, though, that he can’t revel himself in it. There’s nothing good comes from a relationship between prodigium and mortal.

Kyungsoo focuses back on his babies because they are more important than his pathetic love(less) life. Hm, his flowers aren’t in full bloom yet. If only Kyungsoo can make them grow faster—haha, who is he kidding? Of course he can.

And Kyungsoo starts chanting.

Cresce, cresce, cresce,  flores mei

Vere non est adire licet

Cresce, cresce, cresce,  flores mei

Venite melle,

Et folia tua florida

His smile grows wider when the buds begin to bloom. Violet, red, pink, and white adorning the garden—giving it more life. Kyungsoo is about to chant the charm once again when he hears a loud shriek. He snaps his head to the sound’s direction and freeze. Lu Han is standing at the corner; his eyes are wide open and his mouth agapes.

.

Lu Han backs away from him. “I—I—” he stammers.

Kyungsoo raises his dainty hand toward Lu Han, power accumulating on the tip of his fingers. “Somnus,” Kyungsoo murmurs.

Lu Han falls backward with a loud thud while Kyungsoo staggers on his feet. Kyungsoo feels dizzy, so drunk with the ‘magic rush’. It seems like he’s unleashed too much energy for a mere sleeping spell. With a frown etches on his face, he totters over to the unconscious figure.

His breath hitches when he takes in his senior’s condition. The poor guy looks so damn pale. Thin layer of perspiration starts forming on his forehead. Kyungsoo can barely make the rise and fall of the guy’s chest.

With trembling hand, Kyungsoo fishes for the phone in his pocket and dials his cousin’s number. Luckily, Chanyeol answers him in no time.

“What’s up Kyung—”

“Help,” Kyungsoo says, frantically. “I think I’ve just murdered someone.”

He gives Chanyeol the gist of the situation rapidly, eyes never leaving Lu Han’s face. His cousin promises to get there soon. Kyungsoo ends the call and slumps onto the ground near Lu Han’s head. He is weak and nauseous but he can’t stop worrying over the brunette’s well-being.

“Dammit,” Kyungsoo curses his pathetic magic prowess.

Chanyeol comes in the scene approximately ten minutes later with his giant boyfriend, Yifan.

“Can you make more theatrical appearance than this?” Kyungsoo blurts when Yifan lands (yeah, lands, because he’s ing flying), carrying Chanyeol in his arms bridal style.

His cousin stumbles from his boyfriend’s cradle ungracefully and shoot him a look. “You don’t sass people who are going to save your .” Chanyeol’s eyes fall to Lu Han’s limp body. “Wow, you did kill someone.”

“Shut up and check on him.”

Chanyeol crouches down and runs a hand over Lu Han’s torso, not quiet touching him. “He’s fine, nothing critical. Just weak.” He then turns to Kyungsoo. “What did you do?”

“Sleeping spell went overboard.” Kyungsoo groans and buries his head in between his thighs, feeling his nausea worsens. “I feel like .”

“You look like too,” Yifan chimes in.

“Shut up, Fannie.”

“Why did you have to put him into sleep?” Chanyeol asks curiously.

“He saw me performing magic,” Kyungsoo replies silently.

“You’re doomed.”

“I know.”

“Actually,” Yifan says, “there isn’t specific part in The Covenant that prohibits us from telling a mortal about prodigiums. He’s a threat if only he reveals our true existence to the mortal society in large scale.”

“We still have to bring him to Auntie to modify his memory,” Chanyeol states.

“My mom is out town and I’d rather she not knowing about this.” Kyungsoo stares at Lu Han’s sleeping face. Damn, the guy still looks divine even when he’s sleeping with his mouth wide open. “Besides, I don’t think he will blabber.”

Chanyeol raises an eyebrow. “And you’re sure about that because—?”

“Because—he’s always nice to me.” Heat is creeping up on his face. “He’s a nice guy. I believe him.”

“Ah—I see.” Kyungsoo doesn’t like the mischievous glint in Chanyeol’s eyes. “We’ll have to bring him to your house, anyway. I think he can use some of your mother’s tonic to regain a bit energy. You can talk to him after he wakes up.”

Ha, he can’t wait.

 

◊◊◊

 

He feels like he’s been run over by a car. Or garbage truck, Lu Han can’t really decide (though judging from his luck it’s most likely the latter). His head hurts so much and his entire body feels weak. He can barely open his eyes because they are so damn heavy.

“Oh.” A deep and foreign voice grazing his ears. “I think he’s awake.”

Something liquid and warm is poured down his throat—it tastes a bit like licorice. After swallowing down the liquid, weird tingling sparks spread all over his body. Lu Han feels more energized all of sudden. He can finally open his eyes with ease. Thank god that the lighting is dim so his eyes can adjust fine. He is in the middle of a cozy living room, sprawling across a soft couch. He doesn’t recognize the room.

Lu Han catches movement from his periphery and he snaps his head at the direction. Two tall strangers around his age are looking at him with interest. Startled, he sits down too fast—and regretting his brash decision right away because his head begins to spin.

“Kyungsoo,” the guy with wild red hair calls. “Your loverboy is awake.”

Kyungsoo?

His junior comes into his vision. Kyungsoo walks to him reluctantly—biting his lower lip and clenching his fists. Seeing Kyungsoo’s apprehension sends unwanted memory back to his muddled brain. Right. Flowers. Grow. Singing. Kyungsoo.

Lu Han is ready to faint again but the other gangly guy catches him before he fall back to the couch. The Red Hair walks to him, holding a cup in his hand. He sits down beside Lu Han and forces him to drink the content of the cup.

“Hmmmmpppphhhhh—” Lu Han whimpers, the same licorice-flavored liquid flowing down his throat. Are they trying to poison me? Lu Han thinks in horror. But he feels those sparks again and his head magically stops twirling.

“You don’t have to manhandle him like that, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo nags.

The Red Hair, Chanyeol, rolls his eyes. “Yeah, because he’ll voluntarily drink the tonic.”

“What is that?” Lu Han asks, voice trembling.

“Vigentia Potion,” the guy who’s supporting Lu Han’s shoulders answers. “Our version of your ‘energy drink’.”

“Potion? ‘Our’?”

“You’ll handle this Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol stands up and pulls the other guy with him (luckily, Lu Han can already support himself). “Fannie and I have a party to attend.”

“What? Can’t you stay?” Kyungsoo pouts. Despite the terrible situation he finds himself in, Lu Han can help but thinks the sight as adorable. Damn his inner Kyungsoo’s fanboy.

“No, can’t do. This is one of the biggest parties this year.” Chanyeol turns to Lu Han and grins widely. “I’m Park Chanyeol and this is my boyfriend, Wu Yifan. It’s really nice to meet you though you’re snoring most of the time.”

Yifan pats Lu Han’s shoulder. “See you next time, Dude.”

“Wait, Yeol! Fan!” Kyungsoo tries to run after the couple, but Chanyeol and Yifan move so fast Lu Han thinks they might be flying. Until he realizes that it’s true, their feet aren’t exactly touching the ground. The brunette’s mouth gaping wide.

After the spectacular leave, Kyungsoo shifts his attention back to him. “Ugh—” Kyungsoo sighs heavily and sits on the coffee table near the couch, careful to maintain his posture unthreatening.

“Did they just—fly?” Lu Han asks dumbly.

“They did.”

“Kyungsoo—” Lu Han pinches his nosebridge then continues, “are you a witch?”

“No, I’m not.” Kyungsoo laughs.

Lu Han exhales in relief. So Kyungsoo isn’t a witch and there must be a logical explanation for the ‘things’ he had witnessed earlier. There must be a newly developed fertilizer that helps the flowers growing that fast. Chanyeol and Yifan probably wear shoes with transparent heels (explains their height) so they look like flying. Yes. It must be like that. Lu Han’s life rebuilds itself to its balance.

Kyungsoo clears his throat. “I mean, ‘witch’ is for female while male witch goes with ‘wizard’ or ‘warlock’.” he giggles, nervously. “Well, but those are for the old times. We rarely use the word ‘witch’ or ‘wizard’ to describe ourselves anymore. We use the term ‘prodigium’.”

The freshly built resolve crumbles once again. “So, so, you’re not a—a human?”

“I’m a human,” Kyungsoo assures. “It’s just that I can fly things with my hand movements and I can grow flowers abnormally fast. But other than that I’m one hundred percent human.”

“My head hurts.” The brunette slumps back into the couch.

Kyungsoo looks concern. “I know this is a lot to take in.”

“It feels like when I found out that Santa isn’t real,” Lu Han mumbles. He then snaps his head at Kyungsoo. “Or is he actually exists?”

“Hm, no, I don’t think so.” Kyungsoo tilts his head, thinking. “But mythical creatures like dragon, phoenix, and unicorn do exist. Oh, and giant too! Though their numbers aren’t as many as they used to be. I mean—” The younger stops blabbering. He must have notice that he’s deflating even more because of the explanation.

Lu Han breathes in and out through his nose. Cautiously, Kyungsoo places a hand on his arm and begins patting it gently.

“Do you want some tea? Or honey milk? Or anything?” Kyungsoo offers.

“Will you make a cup of tea appear from the thin air with your magic thingy?” Lu Han tries to joke. He sincerely hopes that Kyungsoo won’t actually do that.

“Nah.” Kyungsoo shakes his head, simpering. “We have teapot for a reason.”

 

◊◊◊

 

After the initial bewilderment, Lu Han seems to take the news surprisingly well. He sits by the dining table and throws some questions regarding the prodigium society while Kyungsoo making tea for the two of them. Kyungsoo finds himself happily indulging the elder’s curiosity.

“So can you fly like Chanyeol and Yifan?” Lu Han asks.

“I can’t,” Kyungsoo replies while pouring hot water into the mugs. “I’m not really a competent prodigium to cast such complex spell. Besides, it has something to do with their lineages.”

“Their lineages?”

“Chanyeol is a phoenix descendant from his father’s side so the guy has some phoenix characters in him, although they aren’t that apparent. He can barely lit a cigarette with his flame and can’t stay afloat in the air more than minutes. Yifan, though, has a strong affiliation to his dragon lineage. He can fly and has dragon special senses, but he can’t cast a spell to save himself.”

Kyungsoo brings the mugs to the table. Lu Han creases his forehead, clearly trying to digest the newfound information. He serves the tea in front of the guy silently and waits for the other’s internal turbulence to subside.

“You can drink your tea now before it’s gone cold?” Kyungsoo suggests.

The other looks up. “Right, thanks.” Lu Han sips his tea. “It’s nice.”

“Thank you.” Kyungsoo is hesitant before asking, “Does your head still hurt?”

Lu Han smiles slightly. “It’s getting better.”

“I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo apologizes whole-heartedly. “The spell was only meant to lull you into sleep without any side effect. But I’m not always in full control of my power so it went a little overboard. I’m still practicing up until now.”

“That’s fine. Though I hope you won’t knock me out again in the future.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

It seems like the elder has something to say to him. Kyungsoo decides to give the guy time. They spend the next minutes enjoying their Darjeeling tea.

“Actually, I’m just wondering—” Lu Han contemplates for awhile. “Can you really tell all your world’s secrets to me?”

Kyungsoo purses his lips. “There’s this treaty for us prodigiums called The Covenant. It contains the rules we have to comply. But truthfully there’s no rule that forbid us from telling about well, us, to the mortals we trust on keeping it secret. Relationship between mortal and prodigium is not unheard of. I mean—” Kyungsoo quickly adds because he sees Lu Han lights up from this. He doesn’t want to give him false hope because—if Kyungsoo doesn’t read too much in between the lines—this senior is having a crush on him, isn’t he? “It isn’t encouraged, but yeah, you get the point.”

“What happen when someone breaks The—The Covenant?”

“We have a community council in each district,” Kyungsoo says. “They take care of delinquents in their own areas and clean up the mess.”

“So, do I have to watch behind my back for the council?”

Kyungsoo smiles. “No, not if you promise you won’t tell any of, these, to the others. Not to your friends, your family, or anybody. If you do, the council might have to erase this part of your memory.”

“Okay.” Lu Han gulps down and nods. He then stares at him with determined look. “I won’t tell anybody about any of these. You can put your faith in me, Do Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo wants to laugh at the lameness but he contains himself. “Drink up your tea and I’ll send you home.”

“With your magic?” Lu Han questions. “Or your broomstick?”

“I have a car,” Kyungsoo tells him. “Well, it’s actually my mother’s.”

“Where’s your mother?” Lu Han looks around.

“She’s out town, working.”

Lu Han practically bounces from excitement. “Where does she work? Ministry of Magic? Potion Industry?”

The younger shoots his senior with withering look. “She’s an accountant.”

“Oh.”

 

◊◊◊

 

Lu Han had thought that him knowing Kyungsoo’s secret means he will get along with the second year student. Turns out that he is incredibly wrong. Other than nods of acknowledgement when they meet in the school hallways, he gets no sort of sign from the shorter male that they are now sharing a big secret together. In fact, Lu Han is positive that Kyungsoo avoids him. He often visits that hidden garden at the back of their school to find the prodigium only to find it empty.

“You’re hopeless,” Minseok says.

Lu Han rolls his body against the cold floor of his bedroom, feeling more miserable than ever. He and Minseok suppose to be studying for the upcoming midterm. But how can Lu Han calculate the acceleration of a 3 kilograms bar sliding down an inclined plane when he’s having heartbreak?

“I wonder why we are still friends,” Minseok deadpans when Lu Han conveys this reason to him.

“He’s so close, yet so far—” Lu Han wails.

Minseok rolls his eyes over his physics problem sheet. “Why don’t you just—corner him or something? It seems like something you’ll do.”

“Minseok!” Lu Han exclaims, clutching a hand on his chest. “Years knowing you and I never thought of you as a genius.”

“I am genius. Hey, wait—” Minseok calls when he sees Lu Han putting on his bomber jacket. “You aren’t really going to do it right now, are you?”

“Yep!” Lu Han pulls up the zipper of his jacket and grins.

“Man, we have a physics exam tomorrow,” Minseok reminds him. “Our future lies on our physics score.”

“That’s a lie our parents often say, I didn’t know you’re this naive Minnie.” Lu Han opens his bedroom door. “Ciao. Don’t wait for me.”

“Han!” But Lu Han already closes the door.

He’s skipping on his way to Kyungsoo’s house, gloats at the prospect of seeing Do Kyungsoo soon. The younger’s house only a few blocks away from his so he decides to walk there.

Inside, he is pondering possible questions to ask to the petite. But, well, Lu Han is never good with preparation. He always leaves thing the way it should be and tries to embrace whatever is the outcome. He just prays that he won’t mess up as much with this. He’d rather having Kyungsoo than not having him.

He arrives in front of Kyungsoo’s doorstep in record time. Lu Han is going to ring the doorbell when the door swings open, revealing Kyungsoo in his adorableness. Compared to Lu Han’s jacket and sweatpants, Kyungsoo looks like he’s going to attend a formal event. He’s wearing a tailored grey suit. His black hair is styled carefully on his head.

“Sunbae?” Kyungsoo frowns at him. Lu Han has a feeling that his appearance is unexpected, and more than that: unwanted. “What are you doing here?”

A bit taken aback by Kyungsoo’s not-so-welcoming stance, Lu Han is at lost for words. “We, um, we hardly hanging out at school,” Lu Han stammers. “So I thought that, um, maybe I can hang out with you here?”

Kyungsoo stares at him for a moment before stating coldly, “I think you should go.”

“Wh—”

“Good evening.” A small woman suddenly appears from behind Kyungsoo. “Who’s this, Honey?”

Lu Han beats Kyungsoo to answer the woman’s question. “I’m Lu Han, Kyungsoo’s senior at school.”

The woman’s face lights up. “Ah, you’re that senior of his? And you’re coming here because—”

“I want to hang out with Kyungsoo,” Lu Han says. “But I guess you guys are busy at the moment. So, I should just get home.”

“No, no!” The woman comes to him and holds his elbow. “It’s just a family dinner. You may join us, Lu Han. Kyungsoo’s friend is always welcomed here.”

“Mom!” Kyungsoo warns.

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Kyungsoo’s mom smiles to Lu Han. The brunette can see so much resemblance between the mother and son. “Come in.”

Kyungsoo’s mother guides him to the house with her son following close behind. Lu Han keeps sneaking a glance to Kyungsoo who looks displeased with this sudden development. But the younger’s mom seems so happy to see him, Lu Han can’t bring himself to decline her invitation. He’s wondering, though, whether Kyungsoo has told her that Lu Han knows their family’s secret.

He is brought to the dining room. The table is already surrounded by people that Lu Han suspects as Kyungsoo’s big family. He recognizes Chanyeol who’s sitting beside a man who looks so much like him. The guy’s eyes widen when he sees Lu Han, but Chanyeol smiles at him nonetheless.

“Who is this?” an old woman, probably Kyungsoo’s grandmother, asks when Lu Han enters the room.

“This is Lu Han,” Kyungsoo’s mother introduces him to the family. “He’s Kyungsoo’s friend. From school. And he’s going to join us for dinner.” She presses at ‘from school’ heavily and Lu Han understands that Kyungsoo hasn’t told her.

“Great!” Kyungsoo’s grandmother deadpans. “A mortal in betw—”

“Mother!” Kyungsoo’s mother sends a sharp look to the old woman. “Okay, let me introduce you to the family. That’s Kyungsoo’s grandmother but you already know that. Um, the red-haired guy there is Chanyeol—”

“We’ve met!” Chanyeol chirps.

“Really?” she frowns at them. “Oh well, those are Chanyeol’s parents, Chansung and my sister Kyungah. And then that young guy over there—” Kyungsoo’s mother points at another young boy who looks timid and unconfident despite the fact that he’s quiet alluring with well-built body and gorgeous face features, “that’s Jongin and his parents Jonghwa and Sora.”

“Nice to meet you.” Lu Han bows awkwardly.

“Let’s start the dinner!” Kyungsoo looks so distressed; Lu Han wants to wrap him with his arms.

“You’re in for the madness,” Chanyeol coos teasingly when Lu Han takes the seat beside him. It doesn’t help Lu Han’s nerves.

The brunette scans the crowd once again. Everyone is wearing formal attires, it makes Lu Han feels so out of place (as if being the only mortal among all these prodigiums isn’t queer enough). He is petrified when he sees that Kyungsoo’s grandmother’s eyes are on him.

“So, Li Hun, right?” she rasps.

“It’s Lu Han, Ma’am.” Lu Han gulps at the intense stare.

“Yu Hen.” Kyungsoo’s grandmother waves her dainty hand dismissively. “What a wonderful choice of wardrobe you got there.”

“Lu Han didn’t know that we’re having family dinner today,” Kyungsoo’s mother replies with a cheerful but edgy tone. “He looks fine to me anyway. Don’t you think so, Kyungsoo?”

Lu Han turns to Kyungsoo who looks flustered. “Um, yeah—” the guy mumbles uncomfortably before slurping his minestrone soup.

Kyungsoo’s mother seems somehow satisfied. She then urges Lu Han to taste her soup. Lu Han gladly complies.

 

◊◊◊

 

“How close are you with each other?” Kyungsoo’s grandmother inquires. Kyungsoo is certain that the she won’t let this topic slides. She isn’t too fond of mortals.

“We aren’t exactly close,” Kyungsoo answers before Lu Han can open his mouth and worsens the situation. “We just talk to each other sometimes.”

“That’s a relief,” his grandmother says. “Up until now I still don’t understand why you enrolled Kyungsoo to that school instead to Chanyeol and Jongin’s school, Kyunghee. Kyungsoo will easily make friends with his own kind there.”

“Kyungsoo’s school is the best in this district and I have no regret sending him there.” Kyungsoo can feel the tension in the air. He just hopes that his mother won’t break out, not when Lu Han is in there with them. He glances at the brunette who’s calmly downing his soup, but Kyungsoo can see that his shoulders tense. Why Lu Han has to choose today to come to him? Kyungsoo wants to cry.

“If I have half of Kyungsoo’s brain I will go to his school, Grandmama,” Chanyeol says. “But I’m not, so I don’t.”

“And Jongin prefers school that is closer to home,” Aunt Sora chimes too.

“Still—” Grandmama heaves a dramatic sigh. “Don’t you think that Kyungsoo will be less—well, sheltered—if he goes to school with more, eh, equal peers?”

“I’m right here, Grandmama,” Kyungsoo grits his teeth. He loves his grandmother, but sometimes she can get a bit overbearing. “And I make friend with Lu Han-sunbae, don’t I?” Lu Han looks up at him and grins. Kyungsoo’s heart thumps fast at the sight.

“Yeah, with someone different than you,” Grandmama says. “We all know well how unreliable people who are different from us.”

“I demand you to stop right there, Mother!” Kyungsoo’s mother stands up from her seat. All the trace of smile’s gone from her face. “We’re having a guest right now and you’re making him uncomfortable.”

“Good, maybe this can chase him away.” Grandmama also stands up. “Like how we chased away that stupid and cowardice man.”

The table begins to rattle. The heavy chandelier over their heads is swinging dangerously. Their windows bang open and shut again.

“Uh-oh,” Jongin whimpers.

“Mom!” Kyungsoo tries to call his mother but to no avail.

“Don’t you dare to continue,” his mother warns Grandmama, her eyes already glowing gold.

“Why can’t I continue? I can say that you and Kyungsoo are better off without him!” Grandmama brings her palm to the table—the poor thing is shaking violently by then, some of the utensils falling down the floor—her eyes are glowing too. “We’re all better without mortals.”

“Kyunghee, Mother, calm down,” Uncle Jonghwa tries to soothe the two fuming women.

“Mother.” Aunt Kyungah also rises from her seat. “There is a mortal in between us!”

“Don’t worry he already knows.” Kyungsoo snaps his head at Chanyeol who seems to realize his own slip. “I mean—”

“What is this?” Uncle Chansung demands. He looks back and forth between Chanyeol, Lu Han, and him. “He already knows about us and you didn’t tell the council about it?”

“Dad—”

“I’m not going to tell others about this,” Lu Han promises; his voice sounds so tiny.

It only takes a moment of him staring at the brunette frightened figure before something in him snaps. Kyungsoo jumps from his chair and pound his fists on to the table. The dining room is spinning so fast from the blast of his uncontrollable power. Glass shattered, pictures fall from their hanging on the wall, and most of the dinner already scattered over. Everyone is gripping the edge of the table like a lifeline. They are calling for Kyungsoo but his mind is too clouded with fury to notice.

“Kyungsoo!” Kyungsoo hears Lu Han’s weak voice from the side, and just like that, everything stops.

“Damnit, Soo!” Chanyeol grunts from his seat. He looks like he is about to puke.

Kyungsoo walks over to Lu Han pulls his shaking body out of his seat. He then drags the older guy to his front door.

“I think you should leave.” Kyungsoo’s voice wavers from holding his cry. Damn his magic. Damn his weak self-control. He must have scared this guy off.

“Kyungsoo—”

Kyungsoo opens the door and push Lu Han out. “I’m sorry,” he whispers before slamming the door in front of Lu Han’s stricken face.

The black-haired guy finally lets tears dampen his face. He sobs and runs to the stairs that will bring him to his room.

“Kyungsoo!” His mother follows him to the stairs. “Let’s just invite him for another dinner. I want to make amend for the things happened back then.”

“Why do we have to?” Kyungsoo asks, sharply. His eyes are glistening. “I don’t think he will come back after this.”

“Honey—”

“I want to be alone!” Kyungsoo stomps to his room and closes the door with the flick of his fingers.

Kyungsoo is moping on his bed all night. His entire house is shaking from his magic—like it’s having its personal earthquake—until he finally falls asleep from exhaustion.

 

◊◊◊

 

“Dude, I don’t know what’s going on but being with you starts to frustrate me,” Minseok says to lifeless Lu Han. “I’m probably going to start avoiding you after this.”

“Go on then,” Lu Han replies weakly.

“Seriously!” Minseok rolls his eyes. “The two weeks midterm is finally over. We can finally play Winning Eleven till morning!”

“I’m not in the mood.”

“Why are you so mopey lately?” Minseok asks. “Does this has something to do with that cute junior?”

“Of course this has something to do with that ball of fluffiness that is Do Kyungsoo,” Lu Han wails.

“Dude, keep your voice down,” Minseok reminds him.

Lu Han doesn’t give a single whether he’s ruining his soccer team captain image. “He slammed the door on my face.”

“What?” Minseok’s eyes narrow. “What did you do to him?”

“More like he did something to me then slamming the door right in front of me.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Everything doesn’t make sense!” Lu Han spits.

“Good afternoon,” a familiar voice greets them. Lu Han turns to see Kyungsoo’s mother standing near the school gates. She looks like a normal business woman, not a prodigium with glowing eyes who can shake the earth.

“Good afternoon.” Lu Han bows his head. Minseok eyes them curiously.

“Can I have some words with you, Lu Han?” she asks politely.

“Yeah, sure.” Lu Han doesn’t know what she’s going to say. Is she going to modify his memory so he will forget the entire ordeal? Lu Han sincerely hopes not. “You can go first,” Lu Han tells Minseok before following Kyungsoo’s mother.

The small woman brings him to this little coffee shop not far from school. She says that the high schooler can order anything because she’ll pay.

“First, I really want to say that it’s not Kyungsoo’s fault that I know about the prodigiums,” Lu Han rambles before Kyungsoo’s mother can speak. “And I don’t plan on telling anybody about it, so the council doesn’t need to worry.”

“Luckily Chanyeol’s father is one of the council member and he already talked to the council about you,” she explains. “They decided that you can be trusted.”

Lu Han releases a breath he’s been holding. Finally, he can go out without anxiously watch for his back.

“I’d like to apologize for what happen back then,” Kyungsoo’s mother says after the waiter places their order on their table. “I’m truly sorry if I scared you.”

“It’s fine,” Lu Han murmurs awkwardly.

“And I’m sorry about what my mother said about mortals,” she continues. “She doesn’t really like mortals. Not after Kyungsoo’s father left us when I’m still pregnant.”

This is new information for him. “Why did he left?” Lu Han blurts. “Wait, I’m sorry I—”

“Let’s just say that when we were dating he didn’t know that I’m a prodigium,” she chuckles. “And when he finally found out, he wasn’t, um, very ecstatic about it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, no, no.” She shakes her head vigorously. “I’m not telling you this to make you pitying us. I just want to explain the reason why my family isn’t so fond of mortals. And also the reason why Kyungsoo keeps his distance with everyone at school. He isn’t shy or afraid or necessarily hates mortals. He just wants to protect himself.”

That’s sad, Lu Han thinks. Now Lu Han can finally understand why Kyungsoo is so chatty when he’s at home with his cousins and becomes quiet and stealthy when he’s at school.

“You know, Lu Han, Kyungsoo often tells me about this senior that keeps budging him.” Lu Han perks up at this. “He said that this senior is very persistent and pretends to be dumb whenever he outrightly rejects him.”

“Ah, yes.” Lu Han scratches the back of his neck sheepishly. He tends to be shameless most of the times.

“I’m not reprimanding you, don’t worry.” Kyungsoo’s mother laughs pleasantly. “I just want to tell you that whenever he tells me about you he is so giddy. I think he’s enjoying your attention even if he acts like he doesn’t.”

“Does he?” Lu Han is afraid to be hopeful, but he can’t help it.

Kyungsoo’s mother nods and leans toward him. “I hope you won’t give up on him despite all of this. It’s not easy to get him out of his shell, you know. Kyungsoo rarely makes a friend, not even with the other prodigiums. He only has Chanyeol or Jongin or Yifan. But now he has another person who cares about him and he’s too reluctant to reach out, I hope you’re going to reach for him instead.”

“I’ll think it over,” Lu Han finally says after a while.

“Take your time,” she responds. “I know this is hard.”

“Thank you for telling me about, this.”

“I’m glad to share,” she says. “The moment I saw you I just know that you care about my son. I think you’ll treat him well. That’s all that Kyungsoo needs.”

Lu Han refuses Kyungsoo’s mother offer to drive him home. He thinks he needs time to be alone and thinking, which is so unlikely him. But although Lu Han said that he’ll think everything over, he already knows what he’s going to do. He won’t let Do Kyungsoo slip away from him.

 

◊◊◊

 

Kyungsoo loves his garden, a lot. But even his babies can’t light up his dampened spirit. It’s been more than two weeks since the ‘incident’ but Kyungsoo hasn’t stopped sulking since then. Some nights the ground of his house still shaking because Kyungsoo’s internal turmoil triggers his magic. His mother has to repeatedly knock on his door and talk him out until he calms down.

Chanyeol, Yifan, and Jongin (sometimes with Jongin’s pseudo-boyfriend, Sehun) try to coax him into going out with them but it’s futile. Kyungsoo will always going straight to the garden at the back of his house after school, plucking out the wild weed or watering it. His garden has never been this vibrant, but the owner is in his gloomiest moment.

Kyungsoo knows that he make everyone worries for him. But hey, he is merely an emotional teenager experiencing his first kind of heartbreak. Nobody can blame him.

“Kyungsoo!” He hears his mother call for him.

“What?” Kyungsoo shouts back, his deft hands still moving to root up the weed from his garden ground.

“You have a guest.”

It must be either Chanyeol or Yifan or Jongin. “Just send him here!” Kyungsoo replies.

He can sense the visitor stepping on his backyard and walk until he’s right behind squatting Kyungsoo. But strangely, Chanyeol or Yifan or Jongin doesn’t burst into annoying rant like always.

“What are you do—?” Kyungsoo turns around and words catch on his throat.

“I just want to see you,” Lu Han says solemnly as Kyungsoo slowly stands up.

Oh boy. The earth around them starts to tremble.

“Oops—okay.” Lu Han chuckles, chuckles, because Kyungsoo accidentally create a mini quake.

“I’m—I’m sorry.” Kyungsoo wills his power to chill out a bit. “I’m trying to control it.”

“Take your time,” Lu Han says while trying to keep his balance.

Kyungsoo attempts to do the relaxation his mother had taught him. His breathing becomes more even after some while and his fists begin to unclench. Finally, the ground stops vibrating.

“Sorry about that,” Kyungsoo mumbles shyly.

“Don’t worry.” The brunette shakes his head, grinning. “In fact it’s kind of cool.”

Kyungsoo shoots him an incredulous look. “It’s creepy.”

“Creepily cool.” Lu Han shrugs.

“Why are you here?” Kyungsoo asks curiously. “I thought that I already scared you off the last time.”

“Little magic doesn’t frighten me.” Lu Han crosses his arms over his chest.

“Oh yeah?” Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow. “You haven’t seen the worst of it.”

“I’d look forward to it,” Lu Han challenges back. His eyebrows shoot up to his hairline, it’s ridiculous.

“You won’t stay for more than a day.”

Lu Han rolls his eyes. “Please, I’ve been chasing you for about a year nonstop despite you keep on rejecting me. There’s nothing I can’t handle. Not even your flimsy magic.”

Kyungsoo feels his power bubbling up. “You call my magic ‘flimsy’?”

The next thing he knows is Lu Han striding to him, closing the distance between them. The elder’s hands come up to cup his face. He caresses Kyungsoo’s cheeks with his thumbs. Kyungsoo feels like he’s going to pass out from the proximity. Especially because he can sense Lu Han’s breath from this close. The minty scent blows him away.

“Your eyes turn gold whenever you do magic,” Lu Han whispers in awe. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s a prodigium thingy,” Kyungsoo whimpers.

“Beautiful,” Lu Han repeats.

You are more beautiful, Kyungsoo screams inwardly. The earth is shaking again.

“Hey, hey,” Lu Han coos softly. “Calm down.”

Kyungsoo thinks he will never calm down if this mortal insists to be around him. But at the same time he’s relief because this dumb guy still wants to be with him.

 

◊◊◊

 

“Han, wait!” Minseok runs after Lu Han who’s jogging to get to school entrance.

“What?” Kyungsoo is waiting for him for their dat—no, not date—outing.

“We’re having practice today,” Minseok reminds him.

Lu Han halts his step and stare at his best friend horrifiedly. “! I forget!”

“You’re the one who arranged our practice schedule and you forget?”

“I promised Kyungsoo that I’ll bring him to this ramyeon shop.” Lu Han can see Kyungsoo from where he’s standing. The younger is waiting silently near the entrance, his head bowed down and his shoulders hunched. He doesn’t want to disappoint him. Not when it takes a lot from him to get Kyungsoo open up.

“You can’t just—wait.” Minseok’s eyes bulge. “Kyungsoo as in Do Kyungsoo, that junior who keeps rejecting you for the past year?”

“Say no more about the rejection part.”

“Wow.” Minseok shakes his head disbelievingly. “Persistence does get you somewhere, doesn’t it?”

Lu Han just simpers. “I’m just going to tell Kyungsoo about this, okay? Wait for me in the court.” And he runs to Kyungsoo.

“Hey, Sunbae,” Kyungsoo greets when he sees Lu Han approaching him.

“Kyungsoo, forgive me,” Lu Han says. “I forgot that I have a soccer practice today.”

Lu Han watches Kyungsoo’s face fall. “Um, that’s fine. We can go another day.” Kyungsoo pouts a little and damn, Do Kyungsoo is so damn cute it hurts Lu Han’s manliness. The little guy is already walking away when Lu Han yanks him back.

“It means that you have to wait for me to finish the practice, Silly.” Lu Han pinches Kyungsoo’s cheek. “Our date is still on.” He clears his throat and corrects himself, “I mean, outing.”

“I don’t mind to call it a date,” Kyungsoo says, and then he frowns when something come across his mind. “Unless you don’t want to call it that?”

“What? No! I’d love to have a date with you!” Lu Han quickly exclaims. “Though I don’t think you’ll appreciate a stinky and sweaty soccer guy for a date.”

“I llike stinky and sweaty soccer guy,” Kyungsoo mutters under his breath, like he doesn’t want to be heard. But Lu Han hears him anyway. And it sends his heart soaring to the sky.

Together, they walk to the court. Lu Han tells Kyungsoo to sit at the front bleachers but the younger promptly heading to the back instead. Well, it’s better than not coming at all, Lu Han thinks as he watches Kyungsoo going to the straight to seat at the corner back..

“Han-oppa!” Soojung, a second year, calls for him. She waves at Lu Han, her mini cheerleader-skirts sway against her hips.

“Oh, hey, Soojung!” Lu Han waves back.

“Oppa, we have some new moves to show you today,” Soojung says excitedly.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Lu Han answers politely. He nods at her and her fellow cheerleaders before running into the field.

Something weird happens in the middle of practice. Lu Han wasn’t aware of it at first, but some of his teammates have stopped playing to look at the cheerleader squad and he follows their line of sight. It seems like the wind has taken a special liking of the girls today because it keeps gushing to their direction, flapping the thin material of their skirts and messing their long hair. Everytime they try to create a perfect pyramid their formation crumbles, leaving them confused and frustrated.

Lu Han’s gaze flies to Kyungsoo who’s watching the squad with puffed cheeks. The younger sits too far but Lu Han knows that his eyes are currently gleaming magical gold.

“What happened back there?” Lu Han demands when he’s meeting Kyungsoo at the bleacher after the practice is over. He can still hear Soojung and her friends whining about stupid wind and flagging pyramid bottom in the background.

A ghost of smirk, a wicked one, playing on Kyungsoo’s lips. “Nothing.”

Lu Han just knows that he won’t mess up with Kyungsoo anytime soon. Or ever.

 

◊◊◊

 

“I don’t really understand this, Hyung.” Kyungsoo shows his homework to Lu Han.

His senior takes a one look on the sheet before rattling about light speed and relativity. Kyungsoo observes the guy talking in amusement, not a single word from Lu Han lands on his mind. Lu Han can be so smart at times, teaching him with exact subjects that he’s struggling with, thought most of the times his boyfriend is just plain clueless.

Wait, boyfriend?

Kyungsoo feels warmth and tiny bit of possessiveness surging in his body. Can he say that Lu Han is his boyfriend? Kyungsoo really wants to tell the whole world that Lu Han is his. So that annoying girl like Soojung will stop flirting with the said soccer player. Kyungsoo admits that he played little trick back then when watching Lu Han’s practice. He can’t help it, really. Not when he saw Soojung fluttering her long lashes at Lu Han and talking cutely at him. His irritation increased when he caught Soojung and her friends talking down about him. He decided then that the girls can use some lesson. Wow, he is quiet scary.

“Hey!” Lu Han flicks Kyungsoo’s forehead. “I didn’t waste my breath just be ignored.”

“I’m sorry, Sunbae.”

“I told you to call me Hannie-hyung!”

“Hannie-hyung.” The smile Lu Han gives him is blinding and Kyungsoo beams back.

Their reverie is broken when Chanyeol and Jongin barges in the room. Chanyeol gives both of them once over before rolling his eyes.

“When Auntie Kyunghee said that you guys are studying I thought I’ll find you with hands in each other’s pants,” Chanyeol says. “It turns out that you are actually studying. What a nerd couple.”

“Shut up, Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo knows that his face is as red as steamed shrimp right now. And he is certain that Lu Han’s is too.

“Whatever. We have a party to attend!”

“We?” Kyungsoo repeats.

“Yes, we!” Chanyeol is prancing right now; flames begin to flick around his palms. “Come on guy, it’s Kris’ party! His parents are out town and he has the whole mansion for himself tonight.”

“Who’s Kris?” Lu Han asks.

“Kris is Yifan’s rapper name,” Chanyeol answers.

“Oh, so is he a rapper?”

“Of course not, Dummy. He can’t rap for though he keeps telling himself that he can,” Chanyeol guffaws. “I just love to indulge him like that. Other than in bed, I mean. Anyway, you should dress up right now. The party has already started an hour ago.”

“I don’t want to go,” Kyungsoo states.

“I don’t want to go too,” Jongin interjects.

“Of course you want to go, Jonginnie.” Chanyeol ruffles his younger cousin’s dark locks. “Your Sehunnie is going to be there.”

“I don’t care,” Jongin mumbles, but he’s blushing heavily.

“Come on!” Chanyeol groans then turns to Lu Han. “Come on, Lu Han. Don’t you want to experience prodigiums party for once in your life?”

“Hannie-hyung doesn’t—”

“I’m in,” Lu Han says.

Kyungsoo gapes at the brunette.

“What?” Lu Han smirks at him. “It will be fun, Soo!”

Sometimes Kyungsoo wonders about Lu Han’s sanity.

 

◊◊◊

 

Prodigiums party turns out be almost no different than mortals one. Almost, if you think that snack platters flying across the room and seeing colorful liquid in cauldrons (some of them sending sparks into the air) are weird enough. Lu Han is looking down at one of the cauldrons’ content but Kyungsoo pulls him away from the table.

“Do not sniff anything! Do not eat or drink anything! At least not until I tell you that you can.”

Lu Han smiles at Kyungsoo’s worried expression. “It’s fine,” Lu Han assures the doe-eyed male. “You don’t need to be so tense. I just want to know more about your world.”

Kyungsoo gives him this soft look that send his head reeling. “There’s a lot of things can get wrong with young prodigiums assembling together. Chanyeol’s school isn’t known as school for delinquents for nothing.” Kyungsoo exhales. “And I don’t really get along with other prodigiums except my cousins and Yifan so this isn’t exactly my world.”

“Then what do I have to do to be in your world?” Lu Han takes a step forward to the younger.

“I don’t know—” Kyungsoo drawls, dainty hands holding Lu Han’s elbows. “Gardening with me, maybe?”

“If you want me to.”

“Stop being gross to each other!” Chanyeol booms from the other side of the room. Both of them turns to Chanyeol’s direction. The red-haired male is perching on one of the high stool with Yifan standing in between his legs.

Kyungsoo snaps his fingers and Lu Han hears Chanyeol shriek when the stool is gone from under him. Fortunately, Yifan strong arms catch his boyfriend in time before his hitting the floor.

“Yah! Do Kyungsoo!”

Kyungsoo just cackles—his eyes are glowing with magic and glee—and he drags Lu Han out the room.

They spot Jongin in another room, standing awkwardly in between the other prodigiums. It seems like he’s trying so hard to blend into the wall he’s leaning on. Some girls and guys are trying to talk to him but Jongin is looking like a deer caught in headlight. It seems like Jongin thinks he’s being cornered by thugs instead of being flirted at.

“I think I need to save Jongin. Or not,” Kyungsoo adds when a lanky guy with a major stoic face coming up beside Jongin and chase the people around him away by his intimidating presence. Jongin immediately melts into the guy’s side. “Well, I guess Sehun has done the saving.”

“Jongin is quiet good looking,” Lu Han comments as Kyungsoo guide him outside. “I don’t know why he’s carrying himself like that.”

“Well, Aunt Sora is a part siren so no wonder that Jongin is charming,” Kyungsoo says. “I guess all the attention kind of scares him so he’s growing up shy. His friend—other than me, Chanyeol, and Yifan—is only that Sehun kid. I guess Jongin has a crush on him.”

“Hm,” Lu Han hums contemplatively.

“What?” Kyungsoo stares at him questioningly.

“I wonder if attention scares you too.”

The corner of Kyungsoo’s mouth quirks up. “I enjoy attention from certain people. Sometimes.”

“You do?”

“Uh-huh.”

Lu Han takes Kyungsoo’s hand in his. They decide to settle in the empty foyer, sitting side by side with Lu Han still holding the younger’s hand. The party uproar from inside can still be heard, but Lu Han can focus about another more important here. Like watching Kyungsoo; every single detail of him. Lu Han admires the moles that dotting Kyungsoo’s pale neck. The prodigium’s black hair looks so fluffy and Lu Han wants to run his hand through it. Kyungsoo grins to the night sky; his mouth’s forming that characteristical heart-shaped smile. Lu Han has always wondered the feeling of having that luscious lips pressed against his.

“I want to kiss you,” Lu Han blurts. Damn his brain-to-mouth filter.

Kyungsoo looks startled by the sudden confession, his saucer eyes widen even more. “Sorry?”

Lu Han knows there’s no way to back out from this so he swallows down his embarrassment and say, “I think I want to kiss you.”

Kyungsoo’s response catch him off guard. “Go ahead,” he murmurs softly.

That’s all it takes for Lu Han to press a slow tentative kiss on Kyungsoo lips. It turns out that Kyungsoo’s lips taste more wonderful than in his imagination. It’s like having chocolate chip cookies, banana milk, McNuggets, and all the other good things in the world combined. Lu Han wants to savor it for the rest of his life.

Lu Han jerks back when he hear a faint pop against his left ear. He looks up and realizes that they are surrounded by mini blasting fireworks. Lu Han turns to Kyungsoo who looks sheepish.

“Sorry, can’t help—” But Lu Han already kisses him again, in a more vigorous manner this time. The brunette thinks he can get use to dating a prodigium.

 

◊◊◊

 

Dating a mortal, Lu Han specifically, feels like riding an old wooden roller coaster that runs too fast. It is a bad analogy, but it explains Kyungsoo’s excitement and uncertainty so well. Days with the elder are full of surprise; literal surprise. Like that one time Lu Han gave him a start when he suddenly poke Kyungsoo’s shoulder and whisper a cliché ‘Boo!’ against his ear in a quiet alley where they promised to meet. Kyungsoo had instinctively casted a protection spell around him, throwing Lu Han a good 2 meters and land him painfully on his . Kyungsoo still rolls his eyes at his boyfriend’s fatuity until now.

But this guy also able to make butterflies fluttering in his stomach with his kisses and cheesy words. Lu Han can also somehow hush down his temper. Which is stirred up quiet often.

Lu Han and him is visiting this tteokbokkie stall the elder keeps gushing about. The line is long but they almost make it to the seller when some random guy appear and cut in line before them.

“Excuse me,” Lu Han says to the guy. “You have to queue up.”

The guy turns to both of them in agitation. “It’s only me, it won’t make any difference. Don’t be such a .” Kyungsoo hears the guy mumbles under his breath, “Two stupid fairy looking guys.”

Kyungsoo wants to smack the rude guy straight on the face. He feels the electricity of his magic gathering in his fingertips—ready to blow up just anytime. But then a hand bigger than his own holding him gently. Kyungsoo looks up to see Lu Han smiling down gently at him—the lines around his eyes prominent. The younger hasn’t blushed this much since he accidentally farted in McDonald’s.

“It’s okay, Soo,” Lu Han whispers to him.

Kyungsoo opens up his mouth to protest. “But—”

“It’s fine,” Lu Han insists. But then he stops and seemingly thoughtful. “Um, can you spice up his tteokbokkie a little bit? It will surely give him some lesson.”

Kyungsoo laughs. He sees the seller lady serving the guy his tteokbokkie. Kyungsoo flicks a hand to the guy’s package and says, “Done.”

They share mischievous grins while waiting for their order.

“So—” Lu Han starts hesitantly. They are already on their way back home. “The guys are asking me to bring you in our regular outing.”

“The guys?” Kyungsoo stops munching his fish cake. He knows very well who ‘the guys’ are. Since they are official, Kyungsoo hasn’t been interacting with any of Lu Han’s friend except Kim Minseok. Minseok is nice and polite, but he isn’t sure about the other members of soccer varsity.

“I mean we don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Lu Han quickly says.

But Lu Han has done so many things for him. The poor guy even had endured thirty minutes phone call from his Grandmama, interrogating Lu Han about his intentions of dating Kyungsoo. Not to mention that his mortal boyfriend willingly spends ample of time hanging out with him, Chanyeol, Jongin, Yifan, and Sehun (imagine the chaos!). Kyungsoo sometimes thinks that he doesn’t deserve Lu Han. He’s the person with magic, but he hardly does anything to make the brunette happy.

“I’ll go,” Kyungsoo decides.

“What?” Lu Han stops walking.

“I said I’ll go.”

Lu Han beams at him and pull Kyungsoo for a kiss that taste a lot like spicy tteokbokkie sauce. But the wizard thinks that it’s how happiness tastes like.

 

◊◊◊

 

Lu Han has a half mind to drag Kyungsoo out of the diner when he sees the entire cheerleader squad in there with his teammates. He knows very well that Kyungsoo isn’t a big fan of those girls. But the younger only purses his lips and tighten his grip on Lu Han’s hand, while walking confidently to the group.

“Han! Kyungsoo!” Minseok stands up and offer them each a fist bump (Kyungsoo replies clumsily) before pulling the couple to sit beside him.

“So it’s true that you’re dating him,” Minho says once they’re settled.

“I do.” Lu Han sends what he hope as a piercing stare to the guy, daring him to comment further. Minho just raises his hands in surrender and begins asking some questions to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo mingles just fine with his friends, albeit a little reserve at first. It seems like his teammates find his boyfriend endearing because his shyness. But when the topic about gardening comes up (Lu Han isn’t sure how do they get there), Kyungsoo is shining and giving advices on how plucking out the weeds effectively or what kind of flowers to plant in certain season. His friends surprisingly listen to Kyungsoo’s passionate explanation attentively. Lu Han can finally breathe in ease. But he lets his guard down too fast.

“You’re quiet chatty when you’re not at school, Kyungsoo,” Sunyoung says as the waiter bringing them their orders.

“Ugh, yeah,” Kyungsoo mumbles.

“Who the hell orders hot tea?” Soojung scrunches up her nose.

“It’s me.” Kyungsoo grabs the mug.

“Sure, Grandpa.” Soojung sips her strawberry milkshake in exaggerated manner. “The milkshake here’s is so good it makes you knees shake. Well, your loss.”

“Kyungsoo is lactose intolerant,” Lu Han tells her. “He can’t consume too much dairy products.”

“Aw—” Suji coos. “That’s sad. But at least you don’t have to worry about eating too much pizza and having your belly outgrows your old clothes.”

“Speaking of clothes—” Minah eyes Kyungsoo up and down. “Is it just me or do you really love black? I mean, are you trying a Goth look?”

“Because that’s a total fail.” Comes Jinri stage whisper and the girls giggling obnoxiously.

Lu Han opens his mouth but Kyungsoo catch his hand in his. The brunette looks at his boyfriend who wears a tight smile on his lips. Kyungsoo’s other hand is clutching tightly on the edge of his seat. Lu Han knows that Kyungsoo is trying to restrain himself.

“All my clothes are black like my soul,” Kyungsoo tries to joke, but his tone is clip.

“We can give you advice on fashion,” Jinri offers rather mockingly. “We know a lot about it. We learn from the experts.”

“Yeah, you guys remember Yoona-unnie?” The girls nod excitedly. Oh boy.

“She is Han-oppa’s ex-girlfriend, by the way.” Soojung’s eyes crinkle when she explains this to silent Kyungsoo. “She’s our role model. Always dresses up so well and so smart too.”

“I wonder why you broke up with her, Oppa,” Minah croons. “She’s such a great girl.”

“Yoona is great but we’re too different.” Lu Han pulls Kyungsoo’s stiff body closer to him. “Beside I have this wonderful guy with me now. And I think Kyungsoo is more suitable for me.”

“Cheese!” The guys tease while the girls squeal; except for Jinri, Soojung, and Minah who seem disgruntled.

Lu Han looks down to the petite male beside him who for once doesn’t complain or speak at all about of his cheesiness. He sighs deeply, knowing that he has to make amend for his friends’ behavior. The rest of the night running rather smoothly, except for a few bumps here and there (courtesy to the girls’ big mouths).

“I’m sorry for what happened back then, okay?” Lu Han murmurs to Kyungsoo as they wait for Dongwoon and Minseok paying their bills at the diner exit. “Please don’t let them get in your mind.”

“It’s fine,” Kyungsoo replies shortly.

“Babe—”

“What does Han-oppa see in him?” They hear Soojung’s voice.

“I think he’s just being charitable as always.” Minah snorts.

Lu Han is going to walk over to the girls and ask what their problem is but he’s bounded to where he’s standing. He shifts his gaze to Kyungsoo whose eyes already turning prodigium gold. The guy is biting his lower lip and balling his fists. This isn’t going to be good.

“Kyungsoo,” Lu Han warns but the younger ignores him.

“Or maybe—” Jinri adds in suggestive tone, “he’s being hocus pocus-ed by the freak. Judging from his appearance he looks like someone who loves doing voodoo and .”

“Ugh, creepy—” Soojung and Minah giggles.

“Anyway, I’m sure they aren’t going to last—” There’s a loud explosion accompanied by shrill screams.

“Help! Help! Help!” Soojung, Jinri, and Minah choruses in ultimate horror.

Kyungsoo slips out the diner in haste just as the binding spell he puts on Lu Han broken. The screams are getting louder and now added by his friends’ panic voice. Lu Han doesn’t want to know what happens because they definitely deserve whatever is that. So he chases after the black-haired male.

Outside, he spots Kyungsoo who’s storming off in angry strides. He’s lucky that Kyungsoo has shorter legs than his so he catches up soon.

“Wait, Soo!” Lu Han pulls Kyungsoo to stop and turn around to face him. He doesn’t expect to see Kyungsoo’s cheeks wet from unshed tears. The salty water keeps rolling down his milky white skin.

“Let me go,” Kyungsoo croaks out.

“I don’t want to.” He’s holding Kyungsoo’s tighter but there’s a flash and Lu Han has to let go of his grip because his hands are burning.

Kyungsoo continues to walk away down the deserted alley. Lu Han follows him.

“It’s always going to be like this,” Kyungsoo shouts into the night air. A lightning strikes in the sky above them. “Prodigium and mortal aren’t meant to be together! Our worlds aren’t exactly fit. We don’t fit with each other!”

“We are fit to each other!” Lu Han shouts back. “If only you stop being whiny and stop listening to what the others say—”

Kyungsoo glares back at him and the next thing he knows water is pouring down heavily on him. Lu Han looks up to see a cloud shadowing him, rewarding him generously with personal rain. Lu Han moves away but the cloud insists on following his step.

“Is this really necessary?” Lu Han barks to Kyungsoo’s retreating back. The guy doesn’t answer and continue walking so Lu Han jogs after him.

“They are right! I’m a creep!”

“You’re not a creep, Kyungsoo.”

“You’re going to leave me sooner or later because you can’t handle this madness that comes with me,” Kyungsoo says brokenly. “You’re going to leave because I frighten you with my scary power. Just like how my father left because he’s afraid of me and my family.”

“Soo—”

“It’s not going to work out, Han!” Kyungsoo suddenly stops and face him. His eyes already swollen red from crying at this rate. “Let’s just break up.”

“I don’t want to,” Lu Han stubbornly counters. He’s probably crying right now but he wouldn’t know because massive water droplets keep falling on him.

Kyungsoo steps forward and the rain stops. He tiptoes and give him a kiss that distinctly taste like goodbye before breaking off into full sprint, leaving a stunned and drenched Lu Han.

 

◊◊◊

 

Lu Han has to stay in bed for days after that because of major fever. The fever makes him weak, but not as horrible as his heartbreak weakens him. Lu Han kind of loses his appetite too. His mother is worried because lately he already stops eating after finishing a rice bowl, while he usually eats three.

Minseok visits him in the second day bringing him a package of tteokbokkie (which Lu Han wolfs down reluctantly) and news about Soojung, Minah, and Jinri who just got off from hospital and also forced into bed rest like Lu Han. He says that it was a severe case of bugs’ bites. How the insects suddenly appeared in the diner that night, nobody knows.

Lu Han almost purrs in delight at hearing the news but Minseok next question throw him off kilter, “How is it with you and Kyungsoo?”

Lu Han wails.

 

◊◊◊

 

“Are you going to stop glooming now?” his mother asks as she puts a plate of scrambled eggs in front of him.

“I’m not glooming.” Kyungsoo pouts.

“Kyungsoo—” she sighs tiredly.

The small guy just shrugs and starts to eat his food. His mother gives up and leaves him after some while, carefully avoiding a big root that somehow planted near the kitchen door. His house is acting weird lately, and Kyungsoo thinks he can be held accountable for it.

The teenage prodigium fishes for his phone in the pocket and looking at the screen: Kyungsoo still puts the picture of him and Lu Han together, making ugly faces. He heaves. The urge to call the brunette is too hard to resist but he already ended the things between him. That doesn’t mean he can’t be worried about the older guy’s well-being, though. Especially since Kyungsoo hasn’t get any glimpse of him at school.

Is he sick? Kyungsoo thinks.

Kyungsoo heaves again, watching another set of growing ivy circling itself on the fridge.

 

◊◊◊

 

Lu Han is surprised to say the least when he’s going out for the first time in three days and spots Chanyeol leaning against his beat up VW in front of his house. The gangly guy waves at him and smiles toothily. Lu Han saunters over the taller guy.

“What’s up, man?” Chanyeol offers him a high five, which Lu Han returns with a weak smile.

“Never worse.”

“Ouch.” Chanyeol grimaces sympathetically.

“What are you doing here?” Lu Han asks.

“I just want to talk to you.” Chanyeol creates small flames with his fingers. “You know bro-talk and all.”

“How is Kyungsoo?” Lu Han shoots without pretense.

Chanyeol smiles serenely. “He’s no better than you, worse in fact. Poor Aunt Kyunghee can hardly sleep because Kyungsoo rocks the whole house.”

“Why is he like that?” Lu Han scoffs. “He’s the one who’s breaking up with me.”

The red-haired guy sighs. “You know very well that breaking up with you is not what he wants.”

“I no longer know what he wants.” Lu Han slumps against Chanyeol’s car. “I’m tired, Yeol, to always be the one who’s trying in this relationship.”

“Don’t you think that Kyungsoo is trying too?” Chanyeol responds. “He tries to get past his own insecurities by dating you. He has a lot of doubts about relationship because of things with his father. Kyungsoo for once trying to be hopeful; that maybe you and him can work out.”

Lu Han shakes his head. “But it’s me who always do the chasing.”

Chanyeol pats his shoulder good-naturedly. “I think that’s one of the most precious qualities that Kyungsoo sees in you. It’s your persistence that’s getting you close to him in the first place, isn’t it? It’s your persistence that’s making him open up to you. That’s why you two are compatible.”

“Do you think so?”

“I do.” The tall prodigium nods.

Lu Han can no longer deny his longing for the certain doe-eyed male. “I want to see him,” he whispers.

Chanyeol grins so widely. “Come on.” He pushes Lu Han inside his car. “Let’s free Auntie Kyunghee from sleepless nights.”

 

◊◊◊

 

Kyungsoo already knows who’s banging rigorously on his door even before Lu Han’s much yearned voice fill his ears.

“Do Kyungsoo!” Lu Han shouts over the wooden barrier. “Come out! We need to talk!”

He rolls his eyes. This guy is uber stubborn.

“We have nothing to talk about.” Although Kyungsoo wants to have a long conversation with him and curl up against the other’s broad chest until morning come. But he can’t. “Go away!”

“Stop being a little and come out!” Lu Han is trying to pull at the door handle but it’s futile. Kyungsoo already locked it earlier with his magic. “Okay, whatever, I’m going to talk and you’ll hear me out.”

“I don’t want to!”

Of course Lu Han pays no heed to what he said.

“I want to tell you that I’m not scared of you and I don’t think I’ll ever will. Heck, how can I fear such a ball of fluffiness like you?” Kyungsoo snorts at this but tears already well up in his eyes. “Do you know how do I fall for you in the first place? I saw you helping a girl who’s falling from her bike. I only knew you as an antisocial Do Kyungsoo who never smiles, but that time you smiled so genuinely to the little girl that she even stopped crying. I can never control my stupid heartbeat whenever I see you since that.”

Kyungsoo walks to the door. He presses his ear against the wood, can’t help but want to hear more.

“Months of chasing after you to no avail and then I found out that you’re a witch.”

“Prodigium,” Kyungsoo corrects.

“Prodigium, whatever.” Kyungsoo can hear Lu Han grinning, probably happy because he knows he’s listening to him. “I’m suddenly getting dragged into this unknown territory full of colorful explosions and shaking grounds. It supposed to frighten me, but it only excites me and makes me falling for you harder.”

“I don’t believe you.” Though hope is searing inside him.

“You may choose not to. But Kyungsoo—” He hears the elder exhales deeply from the other side of the door. “I don’t care that you blow up fireworks on my ears when we are kissing. I don’t care that you create a mini raincloud for me when you’re mad at me. I don’t care that you can make a thunderstorm or even a tornado. You already made a tornado inside my heart even before I know you’re actually capable of making it. So please—”

Okay, Lu Han is giving him more feelings than he can handle at time. Kyungsoo wrenches the door open and a second later he is already in Lu Han’s arms. Right where he belongs to.

“I can never promise you a happily ever after about us because even between mortals relationship is never easy,” Lu Han murmurs against his temple. “But I’m going to hold onto you so tight until all your insecurities go away and you believe that I won’t leave you for what you are.”

Kyungsoo feels like bursting. He tightens his hold on Lu Han’s waists and presses his ear on the guy’s chest, where he can hear his heart beating frantically.

“Thank you for keep coming back.” Kyungsoo whispers finally.

Lu Han loosens his grip on him and pulls back. Boy, he looks dolorous. Dark circles adorning small area under his eyes. Kyungsoo reaches out to touch them.

“You look horrible.” Kyungsoo smoothes down his thumbs against the circles.

“So do you.” The elder leans down to peck on his lips. Lu Han’s gaze then shifted to their surroundings. “It’s like a scene in Jumanji here. I feel like standing in the middle of rain forest.”

“I love to grow things,” the prodigium says with a faint smile. As if on cue, a small hydrangea bush emerges from the ground near their feet.

“Is it only limited to plants? Can’t you grow anything else?”

“We’ll see.”

  

◊◊◊

 

Dating someone who’s able to set your pants on fire (like, for real) is thrilling but also fun. Moreover so when the said boyfriend looks like a tame and cute angel, though Kyungsoo is anything but tame. The brunette learns that Kyungsoo is very territorial about his possessions, like Lu Han for example. He will pout and sulk when a girl or guy violating Lu Han’s personal space by leaning in too close or touching him more than what’s appropriate. Strange and ridiculous things often happen to those people. Lu Han can only sigh and roll his eyes when it does.

“She’s getting rather touchy with you,” Kyungsoo states, his full lips jutting out in annoyance. In the background, Minah is trying to block the wind that playing with the hem of her skirts. “I don’t like it.”

“Baby—” Lu Han pleads.

“Hmph,” Kyungsoo huffs. But the dark color of his eyes slowly disappears into gold and Lu Han knows that Minah’s punishment is over.

“Thank you.”

Kyungsoo huffs again. Lu Han wants to squeal because Kyungsoo’s jealousy side is so endearing. And those delicious pouty lips, hm, Lu Han wants to kiss them until they are swelling even more. But then he remembers that he can do that.

The younger whimpers when Lu Han swoops down to catch his lips in messy kiss. He tries to push Lu Han away but he keeps failing. In the end he just resigns to the kiss, even complies when Lu Han’s tongue begging to explore his cavern.

“I really really like you,” Lu Han says when they separate. “Love you even.”

Kyungsoo glares at him and Lu Han is knocked off his feet by an invisible force. He’s a bit disoriented from the fall. Kyungsoo crouches down so they are eye level.

“I love you too but that doesn’t mean I’m no longer mad.” Kyungsoo straightens up and says, “You have to make amend.” And he unceremoniously walks away.

Lu Han chuckles and gets up to tackle his boyfriend in a backhug. He’ll enjoy this relationship in the long run. Absolutely.

 

---

A/N:

This is like a self-indulgent fic for my birthday. I finally wrote Hansoo. Mission accomplished.

Comments appreciated.