Work Text
"Jihoonie!"Jihoon narrowed his eyes suspiciously as the other magus, with a dramatic swish of his robes, sat on the chair in front of Jihoon. It's almost theatrical, and the billowing of his robes didn't stop even when he already looked comfortable. Jeonghan must have enchanted his clothes to follow the direction of the west wind, just to make him look more mystical than he already was. "Hyung," Jihoon said with trained patience. "What's up?"It's almost lunch time, and Jihoon really didn't really like having anyone over during the only break he had the whole day."Just came to check up on you!" Jeonghan smiled too innocently at him as he leaned on the table to look at what Jihoon was doing. Jihoon snapped his book shut immediately. "You know, with your deadline and all."Jihoon shrugged, determined not to show his nerves. Not now that he'd almost finished his research and calculations for a new brew. One that he was expecting to work. (Not that all others before didn't. Jihoon just never found out if they did.) "I don't back away from bets," Jihoon said with a challenging smile.That made Jeonghan grin wider. It almost made him look sinister that if Jihoon didn't know better, he would have doubted the angel blood that the older magus had in his veins. But Jihoon did know better, and he knew that Jeonghan loved his bets and he loved winning bets. All the more reason Jihoon was not going to walk away from this one. "Great!" Jeonghan cheered as the owner of the seat he'd taken approached them."Hyung!" Soonyoung cried and pounced to hug Jeonghan. "Why do I never see you anymore?"Jeonghan pinched Soonyoung's cheeks before standing up, his robes flowing behind him. "Kind of busy. With the stunt Jisoo and I pulled with Seungcheol, and Seungcheol still nursing his broken heart."Soonyoung laughed at that. "Try poison next time," he suggested.Jeonghan looked over to Jihoon and Jihoon slipped the papers he was working on between the pages of the book he already closed. "I'll keep that in mind," Jeonghan said and winked at the younger ones before snapping his fingers and disappearing.Soonyoung swooned. "Jeonghan hyung is so cool!"Jihoon snorted. "So cool I'd throw him in an active volcano.""Do you think he really has wings? He could just fly out.""His wings that one time was an illusion," Jihoon said, packing his things to make way for the food the pixies would be delivering in a few minutes. "I think Jisoo and Seungcheol hyung had a hand in making it look believable because one magus couldn't possibly keep up an illusion as powerful as that for more than a few minutes."Soonyoung nodded as he took his seat. "You really took the time to research about that, huh?""It's the one thing I'm good at," Jihoon muttered.That was a lie, and the two knew that, but Soonyoung didn't seem like he heard what Jihoon said, because he'd be making a long list of things Jihoon was good at if he did. Lee Jihoon, 3rd year magus excelled in all their subjects, and the one thing he had trouble on was potions brewing. To be accurate, Jihoon was only good at potions brewing, compared to all his other subjects where he was excellent. Not that it mattered because Soonyoung was better than him in everything anyway. But Jihoon didn't need reminding."You didn't bring food today?"Jihoon froze from stabbing the plate of chicken wings that was just delivered to their table by tiny floating lights. He glanced up to see Soonyoung shrug."I mean, I understand if you didn't want to cook lunch anymore because of Wonwoo," Soonyoung muttered shyly and continued with renewed confidence. "But I managed to convince him that you were not trying to poison me… so I hoped I could taste what you cook if you did today, or some other day."Jihoon tried on a laugh he hoped didn't sound like he was choking. He choked anyway. "Your cat thought I was trying to poison you?""Right?" Soonyoung grinned as a plate of burger appeared in front of him. "I don't know what got into him either."Jihoon ditched his fork and used his hands to eat the chicken wings, if only to stop himself from shaking.He was trying to poison Kwon Soonyoung. Had been for the past month. And Kwon Soonyoung should've long been dead if he didn't have that stupid familiar of a cat that kept ruining Jihoon's poison before Soonyoung could even bring it to his mouth.Soonyoung, endearingly stupid Soonyoung, hadn't suspected anything and was always looking forward to the lunch Jihoon prepared for them, while his cat took one glance at Jihoon's food and immediately knew. The cat always made sure to stare Jihoon down before barfing on the food, not only neutralizing the poison (damn cats and their antidotal saliva) but also ruining the lunch Jihoon took time to cook.Wonwoo, Soonyoung's black cat, hopped on the table gracefully, receiving a glare from Jihoon and a pet of affection from his owner."We were just talking about you," Soonyoung told him, scratching the back of his ear. "How naughty you'd been for always ruining Jihoonie's food. See, he's even eating pixie lunch today."Wonwoo purred, pleased at this, and even turned his emerald eyes to look at Jihoon with that smug expression of his, if cats were capable of doing so, anyway."You ever going to cook again?" Soonyoung asked when Wonwoo slid away from the table, satisfied that Jihoon wasn't going to pull any tricks today."I don't know. Jeonghan hyung dared me to do this project…"Soonyoung narrowed his eyes, immediately understanding the implication of Jihoon's words. "You know better than respond to a Yoon bet, Jihoonie."Jihoon scrunched his nose at the nickname. Soonyoung really did think they were best of friends even though Jihoon always tried to keep him away. Soonyoung didn't seem to get the message when Jihoon purposefully enrolled in classes he knew Soonyoung won't take for the whole semester to avoid him, and made sure he ate lunch with Jihoon every single day to make up for it. Jihoon would have given up trying to push Soonyoung away with the other magus' persistence, (hence their lunches) if not for the Yoon bet.
Kill Kwon Soonyoung through poison.
"I know," Jihoon huffed, stuffing his mouth with more chicken. "You know how I get super competitive sometimes.""All the time, you mean."Jihoon glared at Soonyoung who only laughed at his face."The point is, I don't think I can cook anything with the project occupying me. Next week maybe?""Whenever is fine," Soonyoung tried to put up a nonchalant front, but Jihoon can see the underlying eagerness in his next words. "But if you do, can I have a taste?"Jihoon supposed he should feel guilty. After all, Soonyoung didn't know he was looking forward to the next dish Jihoon was going to kill him with.He didn't."Of course." Jihoon hoped his grin didn't look menacing. "You'll be the first.""You'll be telling me what this bet is about? Maybe I can help you."You're helping me plenty, Jihoon didn't say and only shook his head. "You'll find out soon enough." The poison took longer to brew than Jihoon expected, the boiling time of mermaid tears under the sun took two more days than Jihoon's original estimate. But no matter, Jihoon thought as he scribbled on his notes this particular lunch time, finally studying for more important subjects, and not the poison he's been slaving over the past days. The brew was completed. And Jihoon knew it was just perfect.He had been looking for something that could mask the poison scent that might have been alerting Wonwoo of Jihoon's intentions to kill Soonyoung from the very beginning. Jihoon had tried a number of other ingredients before this: essence of a 4 leaf clover, a nip of hippocampus eggs, a cloud's silver lining and the ever reliable chocolate M&Ms, but everything else still had Wonwoo running from wherever the hell he came from to save Soonyoung.(It's funny, though, to watch Soonyoung scold Wonwoo every time it happened, abundantly apologizing to Jihoon for his cat's behavior, as if Jihoon had not just tried to take his life.)Jihoon, in his genius, used cat food this time. The one Soonyoung tried to get him to taste one time because he swore it tasted like human food. After one lick, Jihoon choked the dying-in-laughter Soonyoung who was too proud of himself for getting Jihoon to do something stupid. It didn't taste bad at all, Soonyoung licking Jihoon's spoon clean afterwards. Jihoon just hated it when Soonyoung got his way with anything.Jihoon just hated Soonyoung in general.So. The cookies he baked had the right amount of cat food that didn't destroy its texture, chewiness and overall taste, but just enough that Wonwoo would think it's something tasty rather than something that could kill his owner with one bite.Jihoon could barely keep his grin when Soonyoung plopped down beside him."I hate spells," Soonyoung muttered, laying his wand on the table like it hurt him.Jihoon raised a brow. "You're usually cheery about spells," he said. "What happened?""You know that movie with those kids who are dependent on wand magic and wave around their wands shouting their spells to attack…""… Harry Potter?""That one! We were asked to make a movie review of it!" Soonyoung yelled, raising his wand. "Don't you think it's stupid that their magic is dependent on a wand, and once you're disarmed you're completely defenseless? And they shout their spells! Can't you just block the spell with your own after it's spoken? Go ahead and announce to the world what you're going to attack me with. Let's see if that Potter kid would win against Kwon Soonyoung." Soonyoung made a forceful swishing gesture with his hand, his brows furrowed in concentration and somewhere behind Jihoon, something exploded.Jihoon sighed, not even bothering to look anymore and continued to read his notes. He did see the pixies, the tiny lights floating around the cafeteria that one could mistake as fireflies, all went to their table to attack Soonyoung with tickles. Soonyoung was a laughing fit on the floor when it was over and the burning scent from the explosion was gone."You really just had to do that, didn't you?" Jihoon spared Soonyoung glance to give him a tired look before returning his gaze to his notes.Soonyoung grinned as he climbed back on his chair. "I like showing off."From the corner of his eye, Jihoon saw the exact moment Soonyoung's eyes flitted on the platter of cookies in front of them."You have cookies," Soonyoung said, smile creeping on his face.Jihoon only hummed as if unbothered, then looked at Soonyoung with rehearsed surprise. "Ah, yeah. Baked them this morning. Help yourself.""The Yoon bet is over?""Not really. It's my break of sorts. That bet was driving me nuts.""It's a Yoon bet," Soonyoung said when he reached for a cookie, and Jihoon had to consciously stop himself from pushing the cookie right inside the other boy's mouth. "When are people not driven mad because of it?""The last one was fun, though," Jihoon said, trying hard not to stare at the cookie Soonyoung was inspecting."You mean the one where Jeonghan hyung killed Seungcheol hyung?""Jisoo hyung killed Seungcheol hyung."Jihoon mentally chided himself as the cookie paused just as Soonyoung was about to take a bite. "Jisoo hyung did? Wow, that is cool. Which meant Jeonghan hyung lost?"The cookie was hovering near Soonyoung's mouth and Jihoon instructed himself to breathe in and breathe out to calm himself down. Breathe in. Breathe out. Happy thoughts, Jihoon. Happy thoughts."So Jeonghan hyung had to perform the necromancy ritual and brought Seungcheol hyung back to life? I heard it took, what? 5 days? For them to locate Seungcheol hyung's soul?"Jihoon knew the exact story with Jeonghan ranting to him one whole day about the bet he lost and all the preparation he had to do for necromancy and how pissed he was at it, and how even more pissed he was when Seungcheol was upset at him when he got resurrected…It was a fun bet because the whole school knew about it except Seungcheol himself.Jihoon would have been upset too, if he found out his boyfriends only had been extra sweet to him for a week because they were trying to beat each other into killing him. But! Jihoon as himself wasn't too upset about it. It only happened because Seungcheol was so stupid and weak for the other two magi he didn't even realize what was happening until Jisoo had a stake plunged into his heart, his healing and protection runes rendered useless.It took 3 days to locate Seungcheol's soul, 1 day to apologize to dead-Seungcheol about the little fun Jeonghan and Jisoo had, and another day to perform the necromancy ritual.Seungcheol was back alive with a literal broken heart and would have to wait a few more months for his heart to completely heal, Jisoo and Jeonghan fawning over him in the meantime.Jihoon would relay the story to Soonyoung in complete detail some other day. Not today. Not when Soonyoung was waving the deadly cookie in the air as he told Jihoon the version of the story he heard."Are you excited for Necromancy? We'll be taking it next year!" Soonyoung was saying.Jihoon had to shake himself out of his distraction, the cookie still uneaten in Soonyoung's hand. "Yeah, no. Not really. Not into the whole killing and bringing back to life ordeal.""It does sounds tedious," Soonyoung nodded in understanding. "To think that Jeonghan hyung is already expert at it. No wonder he never had to take it anymore. I wonder how long I would be dead if I got killed.""Guess we'll find out soon," Jihoon grumbled, eyeing the cookie carefully."Be my partner?" Soonyoung asked suddenly, cookie set aside as he looked at Jihoon with sincere eyes, it was enough to make Jihoon focus on something else other than the poison. "Let's take necromancy together next year. We don't even have classes together this semester."Jihoon pretended to think about it."Come on," Soonyoung leaned over the table to look for Jihoon's eyes. "I miss you around class, you know.""No one else close enough to beating you up in spells?" Jihoon quipped, although he had to admit he was flattered with Soonyoung's words.Soonyoung laughed. "You never beat me in spells."Jihoon frowned, the warm feeling in chest disappearing as quickly as it came. He didn't need reminding."You have that I really wish I could kill you glare on again," Soonyoung chuckled, reaching over to pinch Jihoon's cheek, while Jihoon spluttered."I don't have a, a… whatever glare you're talking about." Jihoon slapped Soonyoung's hand away from him."Of course you don't!" Soonyoung cried, which translated as You totally do. Jihoon stuck his tongue out at him."Think about it, though," Soonyoung said when Jihoon closed his books to make way for lunch. "When we're necromancy partners, you get to kill me for real.""That's supposed to encourage me to be partners with you?" Jihoon laughed. It was tempting.Soonyoung only wiggled his eyebrows in answer. He opened his mouth, the cookie close to his lips when Jihoon heard it. That distinct meow.Oh no.Wonwoo was on the table in front of Soonyoung, appearing seemingly out of nowhere.Soonyoung glared at the cat, covering the cookie with his other hand as if to protect it from his pet. "What? Remember what we talked about?"Wonwoo meowed a high pitch sound, as if complaining."Paw," Soonyoung commanded, extending his fingers to Wonwoo who obliged begrudgingly and disappeared in a flutter of smoke as black as the cat's fur. Soonyoung glanced up at Jihoon with satisfied smirk, taking in Jihoon's surprise."Did you just transport a live animal? Which we are only supposed to learn next year? Which is incredibly hard to perfect??" Jihoon gaped, not even bothering to hide the fact that he's impressed."I'm always one step ahead, Jihoonie," Soonyoung winked at him, and Jihoon could only hum in half-agreement, half-amusement as he finally, finally took a bite.Soonyoung laughed Jihoon's obvious anticipation. "I'll give you my review once I swallow it," Soonyoung told him.Once you swallow it, you only have 10 seconds left to live, Jihoon thought but Soonyoung didn't need to know that."It's chewier than I expected," Soonyoung said, chewing so slowly it was excruciating torture for Jihoon. "Tastes better than I expected actually."Jihoon eyed him. "What were you expecting?""Well," Soonyoung swallowed and Jihoon felt his lip twitch as he began counting down in his head. "Wonwoo was so convinced you were going to poison me, but I told him I'd probably die because of your cooking than because of a poison."Soonyoung cackled, not bothering to shield himself when Jihoon took another cookie from the pile and threw it at Soonyoung."Excuse me, I cook better than you," Jihoon said."You do," Soonyoung smiled a little too softly Jihoon almost lost the count he had in his head.But he regained his concentration quickly and realized he was counting to already a minute. How was the poison still not kicking when Soonyoung already finished one whole cookie? That should be enough to knock him out instantly."What?" Soonyoung asked, suddenly self-conscious. "Why are you staring?""Are you…" Jihoon couldn't help it. "Are you feeling anything?""I'm definitely feeling another cookie. Can I have another cookie?" Soonyoung asked, reaching for another one and immediately taking another bite. "These are really good cookies."Jihoon pursed his lips, forcing himself to sound pleased, or at the very least not disappointed. "Thanks."That's when Jihoon noticed Soonyoung's ears turning red. Then it's his whole face."You're still staring," Soonyoung told him, and he's suddenly in Jihoon's space before Jihoon can breathe. "It's not nice to stare, Jihoonie." His tone of voice was low, as if it's meant to be a secret only the two of them should hear. Which was peculiar because there's nothing very secret about what Soonyoung just said.Jihoon's first instinct was to push him away, uncomfortable at their proximity, but he pressed a hand on Soonyoung's forehead."You're burning up," he frowned. That wasn't supposed to happen."Aw, Jihoonie. Are you worried?""What are you feeling?" he asked, trying to ignore Soonyoung's intense gaze on him and instead backed away to reach for his bag and busied himself with looking for his water bottle."I'm feeling you're too far away," Soonyoung answered, and Jihoon jumped when he found Soonyoung even closer to him when he turned to supposedly hand the feverish boy some water. "Thanks," Soonyoung whispered, fingers lingering on Jihoon's before taking a small sip, not taking his eyes off Jihoon. "You're glowing. Did you have the lights enchanted around you?""Why would I waste time enchanting lights…" Jihoon shook his head, not even bothering to answer Soonyoung's absurd question."I don’t know. The lights look good on you, though." Jihoon swatted Soonyoung's hands when they an another attempt to reach for him.Jihoon was still frowning, trying to think about what he could have done wrong. Which part of the formula he missed. What ingredient was too much or too little."You don't have to be worried," Soonyoung told him, misinterpreting Jihoon's silence as concern. "I'm fine. I'm not even feeling the least bit lightheaded.""Yeah," Jihoon tried to school his features into neutrality. "But I think we still have to get you to the healer's wing. You can't go to your afternoon classes with a fever like that, Soonyoung."Soonyoung perked up at that. "Will you be taking care of me, then? Will you… will you be with me the whole afternoon?"Jihoon's frown was back, and he pushed Soonyoung's hands away. "What is up with you?""I don't know," Soonyoung said and Jihoon knew he was telling the truth by the way his hands stopped. "I just… wanted to spend more time with you I think. I really really miss you.""We have lunch every…" That made Jihoon pause, his thoughts filling with dread at the realization. Sudden onset high grade fever with delirium, and instinct to establish physical contact. Jihoon knew of just one potion that had that exact specific side effects.The way Soonyoung was looking at him was enough confirmation. Soonyoung could never even look at him for longer than 10 seconds before that failed poison."Fine," Jihoon said and Soonyoung visibly buzzed at the word. "I'll take care of you, but only for one afternoon.""Great!" Soonyoung reached for him, and Jihoon made no attempt to stop him anymore, knowing there was absolutely nothing he could do if Soonyoung was in love with him.Well, Soonyoung wasn't in love with him in the truest form of being in love since brews can only do so much. Jihoon only sighed as he dragged Soonyoung by the arm to the healer's wing, wondering what stupid mistake could have lead this kind of situation.Jihoon had a calculation mishap, that's for sure. Soonyoung ate his cookie and didn't die. Instead, he was all clingy and handsy with Jihoon and there was only one possible explanation: Jihoon accidentally made a love potion.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"What do you know about love potions?""Uh… someone making them is probably the most stupid person in the world-"Thanks, Jihoon thought miserably. It was one thing knowing you're the most stupid person in the world, and another thing to be called the most stupid person in the world, but Soonyoung kept talking."-because they're really hard to make. Takes a lot of patience and expertise. Basically, if you've successfully made one, you're a potions master. Except no one really likes love potions. Side effects are weird. And it's cheating the feelings of someone else. Why?"Jihoon paused. That could be some consolation: he could be an accidental potions master for accidentally creating a love potion. Except it didn't sit right with him since he made a love potion, a brew which was looked down upon by the general magic population. Love potions were for those weak desperate souls who seek and crave attention like a lifeline. Jihoon wasn't a weak desperate soul nor did he crave any kind of attention."This is going to sound crazy," Jihoon started instead, choosing his words carefully, deciding it was best if he trusted Soonyoung a little more. "But I think I accidentally made a love potion and gave it to you."Soonyoung blinked before narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Jihoon then at their intertwined fingers as they walked back to their dorms. "Is this why I'm getting all tingly and excited that you're holding my hand?" Soonyoung asked."Possibly," Jihoon muttered, ignoring the way his cheeks feel warm."But the healers said it was an allergic reaction," Soonyoung offered."That's possible, too," Jihoon agreed. "But you know the cardinal signs of love potion effects."Soonyoung nodded and counted them on his free hand. "Abrupt onset high grade fever, delirium, and increased desire for physical touch," his voice faltered as he realized, dropping his hand at the third finger.They were silent for a while, their footsteps echoing through the empty halls of their dormitories in broad daylight. They got a free pass for the afternoon after the healers took a look at Soonyoung and gave him a vial of serum for his allergic reaction. His fever was a bit better after his first dose, but he still wouldn't let go of Jihoon's hand, so it's really probably not an allergy.On the bright side, the two were allowed to go home and skip another day of class until Soonyoung got well although it came with specific instructions from the healer with knowing eyes for Jihoon to take care of his boyfriend.Soonyoung was the one who corrected him but it was hard convincing the healer or anyone else otherwise when their hands were linked tightly together."Mind telling me why you made a love potion?" Soonyoung asked Jihoon, tone almost too controlled that Jihoon was sure he was trying to mask his hurt with nonchalance."It was an accident, I swear," Jihoon said, closing his eyes in frustration before opening them again with a sigh. "They were just cookies. I saw this tutorial online on how to make them, so I thought why not try. Except I switched some ingredients for the others I didn't have… I don't know, it kind of just happened."Soonyoung didn't need to know that he switched some of the ingredients for the formula of a poison that was supposed to kill him, not make him fall in love."Good thing I was the one who got the cookies first, then," Soonyoung said after a while. "Can you imagine if someone else fell in love with you?"Jihoon could feel his ears and neck go warm at Soonyoung's words. The implication that Soonyoung was in love with him even if it was only because of a potion was making the butterflies panic in Jihoon's tummy."I'll make an antidote," Jihoon decided. "I'll try to see if I can look for ingredients for one, and just…" he sighed, squeezing Soonyoung's hand. "I'm sorry I got you into this mess, Soonyoung." Jihoon surprised himself that he meant what he said.Despite the fact that he hated Soonyoung's guts, Jihoon wouldn't wish even for his worst enemies to experience the effects of a love potion. They mess with a person's mind and heart, the chemical imbalance causing a forced feeling of love and admiration directed to the brewer. And if there was something worse than death, it would be falling in love with someone just because they forced you to.Soonyoung bumped his shoulder and when Jihoon looked up, his eyes were soft. "Don't be so down. My feelings might be messed up right now but I know we're best friends. We'll get through this."Jihoon wanted to tell him that they were not best friends, they were just friends. Maybe acquaintances. Rivals would probably be the most accurate word to describe them. But Soonyoung's gaze was so sincere and genuine that Jihoon couldn't bring himself to contradict him."You'll just have to tolerate me being all over you for a while," Soonyoung added cheekily and before Jihoon could ask what he meant, Soonyoung pulled him closer so his arm was resting on Jihoon's shoulders.Jihoon glared at him and pinched his side, making Soonyoung flinch then laugh, but didn't let him go."You know the fast way to make a love potion's effects wear off, right?" Soonyoung asked him, his smile bright.Jihoon huffed. Those who knew a few things about love potions knew, of course. He hated that he knew. He hated it more that Soonyoung knew. And that they were going to live like this for a while, with Soonyoung's arm over Jihoon's.Effects of love potions wear off more quickly if both parties would indulged in physical touches, so as to quench the desire of the one affected. Which basically means Jihoon would be holding Soonyoung's hand more often from now on… at the very least.
The half-life of a love potion with average potency is about 1 week when which its effect would decrease but not totally diminish.
Jihoon groaned and closed the latest book he borrowed about love potions. He might have had read all of the few books about the subject in the library the past day, but only learning minimal information about the infamous concoction. He had been earning some looks from their librarian who thankfully didn't say anything.A week. It's going to take a week for a love potion of average potency to wear off. Jihoon still didn't even know what kind of love potion he made. He didn't know how potent the love potion was so he wasn't even sure if it will wear off in a week. Which sucks because his kill deadline was in 10 days. Now he had to take care of Soonyoung for a week then kill him.What kind of situation did he get himself into?Fortunately, his love potion shouldn't take a week for its effects to subside. An average love potion would take a long time to brew, perhaps one that's accidentally made would only contain a bit of its potential. It's evident, too, with how Soonyoung was acting already normally after 3 days.Jihoon took a look at the fingers intertwined with his at the moment and sighed. Okay, so Soonyoung might not be acting that normally yet.Or at all.(The worst part of it, maybe, was Jihoon was beginning to get used to Soonyoung being all over him.)Jihoon tried (and failed) drawing an Ignore Sigil in the thin space between him and Soonyoung so that most of their friends won't comment on how they were basically inseparable. Thankfully, even with his half-drawn seal, people didn't take a second look at the two of them even when Soonyoung sometimes walked Jihoon to his classes, and sat in some of them when he had free period. It also helped that Soonyoung only held Jihoon('s anything: his hand, his arm, his shoulder, and that one time with his thigh but Jihoon turned his hand into a frog's for an hour so Soonyoung didn't try again after) when he was sure no one was looking.Jihoon let him most of the time, and even initiated the skinship when he felt Soonyoung was hesitating. If it would speed up Soonyoung's love potion process, Jihoon was going to go for it. Even at the expense of his pride (Jihoon thought the loud beating of his heart was his pride)."I'm going to get addicted to you," Soonyoung told him during lunch the other day when Jihoon got tired of Soonyoung glancing at his hand so he laced their fingers together just to get him to stop."Haze," Jihoon reminded him but didn't look up from his book, his hand and face already warm with Soonyoung. That seemed to encourage the other magus who dragged his chair closer to him and rested his head on Jihoon's shoulder. Jihoon froze for a second before he calmed himself enough to use their connected hands to poke Soonyoung's cheek."What?""Nothing," Jihoon whispered, (he's going to have to die first before admitting to anyone that he found Soonyoung endearing), going back to his reading.Wonwoo had been watching them curiously the whole time. Jihoon expected the overprotective cat to throw a fit with his master acting strangely, but Wonwoo had been eerily… supportive. Food made by Jihoon were eaten untouched by the cat, and the furry animal would even bump his head on Jihoon's hand from time to time, that Jihoon had to indulge him with some pets and scratches. Wonwoo would purr under his caress before returning his attention to Soonyoung and then disappearing for the rest of the day. Their alchemy professor smiled smugly when she saw Soonyoung in her class, knowing Soonyoung wasn't even taking alchemy that semester."What's the brightest student of this year doing sleeping in this class, Mr. Lee?" Professor Cho made herself comfortable in the seat in front of Jihoon who was still busy with his cauldron a few minutes after the class ended. Soonyoung was sleeping with his head on the table pillowed by one of Jihoon's books, his soft snores now more prominent with the classroom empty.Jihoon wasn't surprised the Ignore Sigil didn't work on their professor, other than the fact that it was half-drawn, sigils don't affect magi who were more powerful than the seal bearer, but he was flustered all the same."Uh…"How much trouble would Jihoon be in if their professors found out that he brewed a love potion?"I heard he got sick a few days ago. Still taking care of him?"Jihoon reddened at that statement. Just how many people actually found out about Soonyoung's allergic reaction? And how many people were actually concerned about it?"Yes," was the only thing Jihoon could say. Maybe it would get the professor to shut up."I see," she said, her smile growing soft. "Glad that you two are talking again."That made Jihoon pause from crushing his belladona root with his pestle. "I'm sorry?""You guys seemed really close last year, and seeing you separate from each other this year was concerning. I thought you got into a fight because Soonyoung confessed or something," she laughed.Jihoon blinked.
What?
"Sorry," Professor Cho said, although she didn't sound sorry at all with how she was smiling. "But you two are our favorite students, obviously, so we tend to keep an eye on the both of you. It's always fun watching the two of you silently compete with each other in class.""It's not a competition," Jihoon muttered, pounding his roots a little too forcefully. "Soonyoung's always better anyway.""I imagine he is, considering the amount of time he spends in the library and training dungeons every night." Her eyes twinkled at Jihoon's change of expression. "He doesn't tell you, does he? He's not effortlessly powerful as you think he is, Jihoon. He just likes it when he gets a reaction out of you. He likes you more than you think."Jihoon unintentionally made a choking sound he masked as a cough from the fumes of the root and waved hand in front of his face to waft them away. Belladona didn't have fumes so the professor raised a brow at him. He cleared his throat. "He doesn’t…"The professor drew a rune with her pointer finger on Jihoon's table, blank ink flowing gracefully where the finger met wood. The movement was quick but accurate, and when the rune was completed, the table turned transparent, revealing Soonyoung and Jihoon's linked hands underneath.Jihoon blushed. He was so focused on making the antidote and talking to his professor, he didn't even notice Soonyoung reaching for him in the middle of it. The worse part? He didn't even notice intertwining his own fingers with Soonyoung's. He probably did it out of reflex, from all the times they've been doing it the past days.The professor was gracious enough not to say anything else when she swiped the rune with the side of her hand, and the table was back in its original color. She was smiling when she looked at Jihoon. "It's our little secret," she said and winked.She retraced Jihoon's Ignore sigil with a version of her own as a form of apology for snooping around Jihoon's private life, making the seal more powerful, and then she left the two to their devices. Soonyoung woke up a while later when Jihoon's belladona antidote was burning and they were forced to evacuate the alchemy lab.They had dinner with ramen in Jihoon's room later, their books scattered on the table when Jeonghan joined them. The first thing Jeonghan noticed was the supposedly invisible sigil hanging on the air between Soonyoung and Jihoon."It doesn't look like your insignia," Jeonghan noted, as he slurped on his ramen.Soonyoung looked confused glancing between him and Jihoon, trying to find out what Jeonghan was talking about."Professor Cho from alchemy drew it," Jihoon said."Drew what?" Soonyoung asked."What's it for?""It's for you to ignore. It's an Ignore Sigil for a reason."Jeonghan gave him a stare, finally looking up from his ramen, then pointing a finger at the space between Soonyoung and Jihoon, at the exact spot where the sigil was. The sigil, supposedly invisible to anyone but the seal bearer, turned opaque to a lifeless black.Jihoon's jaw dropped at the casual disarming of the seal that took him two hours to learn. As if it wasn't enough, Jeonghan didn't drop his hand, the edges of darkened character of the sigil began to glow orange until the whole seal burned and was incinerated."It's gone now," Jeonghan said, going back to his food. "What's it for again?"Soonyoung was just as shocked as Jihoon was. "Did… Did Jeonghan hyung just destroy a Level 4 Sigil?""Level 5," Jeonghan corrected him, his words muffled by the soup. "What was I supposed to ignore? A sigil like that is used for undercover spy missions. Are you two doing something weird?" Jeonghan's eyes ran up and down the younger magi in front of him that Jihoon felt embarrassed under his scrutiny. "You don't look like you're hiding secrets or anything." Jeonghan frowned."It was nothing," Jihoon pressed. "I was just practicing my sigils."Jeonghan's stare felt like he could see right through Jihoon. "It would take an hour to draw a simple sigil and it exhausts mental reserves of a beginner. I'm surprised you actually finished drawing one.""Professor Cho helped."Jeonghan stared at him some more before sighing, resigned. "Whatever you say, Jihoon. Anyway, I'm here to ask for updates about our deadline, Jihoonie," he hinted sweetly.Jihoon trained his features to exhibit no emotions even though his insides were humming with panic. He was aware of Soonyoung looking at him, his mind brewing with ideas of what deadline Jeonghan was talking about.His kill deadline.In 10 days, if Jihoon won't be able to kill Soonyoung, Jeonghan would kill Jihoon instead, and then raise him back to life. It's this absurd game he had with Jisoo to see which one of them could kill more people before the end of the school year. His loss with the stunt with Seungcheol definitely took a blow on Jeonghan's pride if he's pressuring Jihoon like this."No updates for now, hyung. I have a more pressing matter," Jihoon said curtly.Jeonghan didn't look happy, but he only shrugged. "You need help with that pressing matter? I can offer you free services for this one."That was tempting. Yoon Jeonghan was the brightest magus in this generation, a fact that was often overlooked with how much Jeonghan seemed to laze and play around, but it's always apparent when he took his job seriously, like disarming a Level 5 Sigil, for one. He rarely offered free help for anyone these days. He used to before he and Jisoo began their stupid murder race, but at the moment, if Jeonghan offered you something, it would mean he was asking for your life as payment. Literally.Jihoon was about to answer that yes, he needed Jeonghan's assistance if it would mean a faster way of acquiring a love potion antidote when Soonyoung spoke. "We're fine, hyung. I'm sorry for hoarding Jihoonie to myself for a while, but he's all yours after this week."Jihoon turned to glare at Soonyoung who only looked back at him with a stare of the same intensity. It was unnerving how readable Soonyoung was all of a sudden, that Jihoon understood why he declined Jeonghan's offer. He still didn't trust Jeonghan would offer something without asking for anything in return. If not now, he would definitely get back to them in the future.When Jihoon turned to Jeonghan, the older magus was shaking his head. "It's fine. You're not even hoarding him or anything. I'm actually glad you two are hanging out again. I missed seeing you two together."Jihoon felt lightheaded at the familiarity of that statement."I'm glad, too," Soonyoung whispered. Jihoon was sure Jeonghan didn't even hear him."Just don't forget out little deal, Jihoonie!" Jeonghan claimed as he ruffled the younger magus's hair and walked out of the room.Jihoon sighed."You're really not going to tell me what's going on with that Yoon bet?" Soonyoung asked."Unimportant as of the moment," Jihoon muttered, taking their bowls of ramen from the table to place in the sink. "I need to take care of your antidote fir- Soonyoung!" Jihoon flinched, almost dropping the bowls on the sink when he felt Soonyoung snake his arms around his waist. "Please let go of me," he whimpered."Why?"A shiver ran Jihoon's spine when felt Soonyoung's breath on his neck when he whispered the question. He forced his voice not to quiver when he spoke. "Because I need to wash these before we go study again."The breaths left his neck warm and even in their absence, Jihoon could feel his skin tingling. He felt Soonyoung press his cheek against the back of his head, a compromise, probably, of not holding Jihoon while he worked."Soonyoung?""Yeah?""Are we… were we really close before?""That's a weird question." Soonyoung hefted himself to sit on the counter to watch Jihoon wash while they spoke. "What do you mean?""Well," Jihoon took his time foaming the soap on the sponge. Really, he could just enchant the dishes to wash themselves, but he wanted to move to take his mind off a lot of things today. "People kept mentioning that we used to hang out all the time before.""We did, though?" Soonyoung tilted his head. "Unless I made all that up in a dream."That joke should have made Jihoon laugh, but he was hyperfocused on the dishes and his questions, he couldn't properly multitask at the moment."I mean, the only reason we couldn't hang out anymore was because you insisted on taking advanced classes this semester," Soonyoung chuckled. "You're way too competitive for your own good, Jihoonie.""Yeah right," Jihoon scoffed, finally working on the bowls. "As if you haven't been staying up late in the library and the dungeons yourself."When Soonyoung didn't answer, Jihoon looked at him to find him a wild shade of red it surprised a laugh out of Jihoon. "Who told you that? Junhui? Minghao? Wonwoo?""What? Do I speak cat? Why do you keep mentioning cat names at me?""I am… genuinely surprised you don’t," Soonyoung muttered slowly. "I only know a bit to understand maybe 50% of what Wonwoo talks about… So you mean all this time you never really understood what Wonwoo kept meow-ing about when we have lunch together?"Jihoon dropped his sponge to face Soonyoung, letting the enchantment in his head take over, all interested and amused at how Soonyoung couldn’t even meet his gaze. "What does Wonwoo meow about?""Right now? He never shuts up about how he likes you more than he likes me," Soonyoung said with obvious displeasure."Well. I am really likable," Jihoon grinned and Soonyoung only glared at him. Jihoon chose to ignore how Soonyoung looked coiled into himself, his muscles taut and his fingers twitching, and laughed instead. "I can't believe you never told me you spoke cat!""You looked like a cat so I had to assume," Soonyoung scrunched his face, reaching over to dip his finger over the foaming sink behind Jihoon and poking Jihoon's nose with a bubble of soap."You did not just," Jihoon warned him playfully."What are you going to do abou- HEY!" Soonyoung was enveloped in a huge bubble which lifted him from his seat before he could finish his sentence."I was unprepared! That's so unfair, Jihoon-ah!" Soonyoung said as he tried to bounce from inside the bubble, the touch of the floor popping the bubble to release him. More bubbles appeared from where Jihoon stood, enveloping Soonyoung into a white foamy mess. "Jihoon, what the heck?"Jihoon was a giggling mess as he watched Soonyoung get attacked by the bubbles, forming different kinds of shapes all over him. First there was a Santa beard, next a shark fin/hair, then the bubbles were forming different kinds of outfits too. Jihoon's favorite was Cinderella's gown even when the bubbles overflowed and spilled on his floor.Jihoon realized too late that he left himself defenseless with all the laughing, he was already inside a bubble in his next breath, his first spell fired back at him. Jihoon was more graceful than Soonyoung, laying on the bubble comfortably, uncaring that he was being carried away off the floor."Oh you're not escaping me that easily."The next thing he knew, Soonyoung was inside his bubble, his hair wet from the flurry of soap Jihoon attacked him with a while ago. Jihoon sat up crossed legged to face him, and he was grinning when he wiped Soonyoung's eyes with his palms, the remaining foam on his face disappearing with the spellcaster's command."See, I can beat you in spells when I want to," Jihoon told him, vaguely aware that they're trapped in some sort of space they made for themselves. It was… peaceful, Jihoon thought. Almost romantic.Soonyoung rolled his eyes. "Sure you can. Took me a fortnight to learn the spells you were casting back in first year. I never let you catch up from there, though, didn't I?"Jihoon stuck his tongue out at him and didn't say anything else.Soonyoung raised his hand tentatively, as if asking for Jihoon's permission, and when Jihoon continued to stare at him, he held his cheek, thumb caressing the skin so softly, Jihoon could melt at the touch."I only get your attention when I'm better than you," Soonyoung whispered, his lips with a ghost of a smile."Oh? Am I really that much of a challenge, Kwon?"If Jihoon wasn't focused on Soonyoung's eyes, (he kept getting distracted with the way Soonyoung's fringe would get stuck on his forehead when he's sweaty, or wondering what Soonyoung's cheeks would feel like when he would poke it) Jihoon wouldn't have noticed how Soonyoung's gaze travelled down to his lips before flitting back to his eyes too quickly."Maybe I just like you too much," Soonyoung breathed.Jihoon could almost feel the want emanating from Soonyoung. Jihoon would allow it, too, basked in this moment, in their own little space, with the haze of adrenaline. Jihoon would allow Soonyoung to kiss him right then."This would've been romantic if it weren't for the love potion talking," Jihoon laughed, and Soonyoung quickly dropped his hand, his eyes wide at what Jihoon said.Jihoon's hands reached up to hold Soonyoung's face. "This is going to sound stupid but I guess I'm grateful, too, that the stupid potion got us back to spending time together like this."Soonyoung raised a brow which looked funny with Jihoon squishing his cheeks. "I thought you were trying to push me away.""Didn't work though," Jihoon shrugged, although a bit concerned that Soonyoung knew he had been trying to push him away. "Maybe I'll have to stop pushing you away after this week."Soonyoung hummed, and Jihoon was about to let go of him when Soonyoung's hands held his in place."I'm really confused right now," Soonyoung said after a while."You've been holding yourself back the whole day."Soonyoung smirked. "I'm flattered that you notice these little things about me Jihoonie."Jihoon didn't tell him that it was disconcerting to watch his expressions change even minutely as decisions fly by in his head more so today than before. Jihoon knew Soonyoung was trying to fight the effects of the potion as much as he could, stopping himself from reaching for Jihoon all the time, hesitating when he was anywhere Jihoon even when Jihoon knew Soonyoung wanted to. Needed to, he corrected his thought.Jihoon's words to Soonyoung before still rang true: he hated that he had to put Soonyoung through this kind of situation."If you're asking if you can kiss me, you can go ahead."Soonyoung glared at him although Jihoon doubted it held malice. "That's exactly why I'm holding myself back, genius. I don't want…" Soonyoung shook his head before continuing. "I want…"The bubble popped. Jihoon yelped as he fell, barely registering Soonyoung trying to reach for him. He cursed Soonyoung in Aramaic for forgetting about his spell before shielding them as they dropped.They ended up lying beside each other on the then-wet now-dry, still soap-filled floor, cushioned by the air Jihoon conjured that eased their drop."What did you just call me in a dead language?" Soonyoung asked in genuine curiosity, turning his head to face Jihoon."A hamster.""Ah," Soonyoung said, returning his gaze to the ceiling. "Acceptable.""You're straining," Jihoon noticed, still staring at Soonyoung."You're being unhelpful for existing.""I told you it's fine."Soonyoung was quick. He'd always been fast even in combat, but Jihoon forgot how fast considering they haven't been in combat together for a while. Soonyung was already hovering on top of Jihoon before he could take his next breath, and Jihoon could only grin at him."Am I so irresistible to you, Soonyoung?" he said, his hand reaching up to cup Soonyoung's cheek."You've always been irresistible to me.""Haze," Jihoon told him pointedly, referring to Soonyoung's love potion haze that was making him say garbage, but he couldn't deny the hammering inside his chest as if something was demanding escape from its prison. Jihoon realized stupidly that he had a pumping organ inside his ribcage.Soonyoung was still staring at him, biting his lip, straining."Soonyoung," Jihoon said softly. "It's okay, I swear. Like you said, we're best friends. We'll get through this, but you got to let me help you.""This is you helping me?" Soonyoung let out a laugh, but it was weak, humor gone from him."You want me to pull you down?" Jihoon raised a brow."I…" Soonyoung swallowed, before shaking his head, and his next breath, he was taking with Jihoon's.Now Jihoon was feeling both their hearts in the thinness of their robes separating their bodies, and it was as if the two were racing against each other. Jihoon had half the mind to applaud Soonyoung for holding his weight that he wasn't crushing Jihoon too much. All that was second to the fact that was glaring to Jihoon at the moment, that he'd always, always wondered what Soonyoung's lips tasted like.As he lost himself in his thoughts of Soonyoung's lips on his, him breathing with Soonyoung together, his tongue on Soonyoung's, he realized he just called Soonyoung his best friend. It was an admission of some sort. An acknowledgement of something Jihoon didn't want to experience lest it would destroy him.When Jihoon opened his eyes, Soonyoung's was still closed, breathing in the moment of them together like this. Jihoon patted Soonyoung's cheek, his hand never left it, and he lightly pushed him as he pulled himself up so they were sitting facing each other.Soonyoung's eyes snapped open, shock evident, and an apology was just leaving his lips, Jihoon assumed it would be an apology as it would be an obvious Soonyoung thing to do, but he didn't get to hear it because Jihoon was swallowing his next words with another kiss.The question was forming in Jihoon's mind just as he was reaching for Soonyoung again, and Soonyoung was reaching for him, too. It was a haze, Jihoon thought. He wondered in his haze, tasting Soonyoung's lips before he felt them.
Can love potion be transferred though kissing?
No.Jihoon got his answer in the morning when he was up and about, healthy without a fever, no deliriums, and absolutely no desire to stay close to Soonyoung that day. Fortunately, Soonyoung had dance training that afternoon, and although he offered for Jihoon to watch, the younger magus declined in favor of having to do more research.Jihoon's form of research was knocking loudly at Jeonghan's door as soon as Soonyoung left his room. It should be unsurprising that it took a while for the part-angel to answer. It was a Saturday. Jeonghan was still probably asleep."Hyung, I need... Oh, hey, I'm sorry I- WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?"Jihoon's emotions went on a rollercoaster ride as he evaluated Jeonghan and then his room. Jeonghan's blond hair was dishelved to the point that Jihoon could swear the tips were singed, and the bags under his eyes popped out against his pale complexion. He looked like he had gone through hell and Jihoon felt awful that he had to disturb some precious resting time.Until Jihoon noticed that he was half naked, and that Jisoo was also half naked lying by the couch. His embarrassment quickly turned to horror when he saw the summoning circle on the floor with stains that eerily looked like dried blood decorating its center."We tried summoning a Black Demon last night and only finished about an hour ago," Jeonghan groaned in explanation. "Seungcheol wanted one for his sword for combat finals in exchange for that stupid bet...""You could die for summoning a minor demon and you tried summoning a Black Demon?!! Are you insane?!" Jihoon put as much distance as he could from the dangerous looking summoning circle, laying himself flat on the wall and not taking another step inside the room."Don't worry," Jisoo said from the couch, looking as horrible as Jeonghan did, beckoning him to enter. "Ritual's done. Ashuramaru was a pain to bargain with, but he actually agreed-""WHAT you actually got a Black Demon summoned and bound on a sword??"Jeonghan grinned as his head popped out of a shirt that was too big on him. Seungcheol's most likely. "Impressive, right?" Jeonghan made Jisoo scoot on the couch so all three of them can have room to sit together. Jihoon tucked his legs under himself, still unable to look at the summoning circle on the floor.Jeonghan rolled his eyes at Jihoon's reaction as he threw another shirt at Jisoo's direction. "Relax. It's harmless now. It's not like we had to sacrifice a virgin for this one.""Well, we tried-""That's not the point," Jeonghan waved Jisoo's statement away, and turned to Jihoon who was feeling smaller than ever with the two dangerous magi on his either side. "I'm guessing you need help with something."Jihoon chewed on his lip, concentrating on his own predicament. "It's about the bet."Jisoo sat up so suddenly, Jihoon jumped in surprise. "The Soonyoung bet! How's the poison going?"Jihoon squirmed as two pairs of eyes bore holes on his head. "Something went wrong with the formula or the calculation, I don't know. But something did happen…" He held his breath before continuing. "I accidentally gave Soonyoung a love potion."Jeonghan was silent for a while, and when Jihoon looked up at him, he could see surprise painting his face."So you mean… Soonyoung is in love with you… right now?" Jeonghan asked.Jihoon was getting tired of his face heating up the whole week but it seemed like a consistent theme for him. Jeonghan took that as the answer he was looking for, but he looked like he didn't believe it."He wasn't all over you last night, though? And," Jeonghan sighed in annoyance. "Jisoo, can you please put the shirt on. I can't think straight with you being distracting."Jihoon winced. "Can you guys be disgustingly in love some other time?""Where was I?" Jeonghan asked when Jisoo worked on the shirt that was also too big on him. "Oh yeah. I was with you guys last night and he wasn't handsy. He wasn't even ogling at you or anything." Jeonghan blinked when he realized something. "Is this what the Ignore Sigil was about? You had a half-drawn seal three days ago and it was not powerful enough to do anything so the Level 5 last night was surprising."Jihoon squeaked. His sigil didn't do anything after all? But people didn’t notice anyway…"How long was he under?""Four days," Jihoon muttered."Huh. He should be experiencing the worst effects by now and he looked normal yesterday.""And I'm classmates with Soonyoung in Astrology, and nothing seemed different about him. He should be in a haze, you know."Jihoon frowned. "He was in a haze last night, that much I can say. I think he's trying to fight the potion effects since he knows I don't like getting touched...""Hm," the two sang at the same time it almost seemed rehearsed. They shared a look before resuming their interrogation."Has he been doing anything out of the ordinary lately?" Jisoo asked."Besides the hand-holding… Well, he's been walking me to some of my classes. He stays over for dinner, and sometimes he would sleep over in my room," Jihoon enumerated.Jisoo scratched his head. "That's... what he's been doing last year though, when you guys were classmates in everything. So it's not really out of the ordinary.""Maybe Soonyoung's always been in love with you?" Jeonghan offered.Jihoon rolled his eyes. "Not helping, hyung."Jeonghan pinched his cheek, naturally finding Jihoon's response cute, before they constructed their plan of action.Jeonghan wanted to see the calculations of his supposed poison as a start. Jihoon couldn't project his notes because of a hiding spell he used to protect them so he was kicked out of the room to retrieve them. Jeonghan even told him to take a bite out of a cookie when he mentioned he still had some left.When Jihoon looked at him horrified, Jeonghan was unimpressed. "What are you going to do? Fall in love with yourself? We need to know the plasma concentration of the love potion to know how long the effect will last. That's your main concern, right?"Jihoon huffed knowing Jeonghan was right and walked back to his room in obedience. He found the cookies first and placed the jar on the kitchen table while he looked for his notes."You're home."Jihoon gasped in surprised, dropping his notebooks, and turned to find Soonyoung peering over his shoulder.Chewing a cookie.Panic bubbled inside him so quickly he slapped the cookie out of Soonyoung's hand before he can take another bite."Hey! That was a good cookie!" Soonyoung complained."It's also the love potion cookie, you idiot!" Jihoon yelled, and his fear was confirmed when he strode to the table to find the jar opened. "Now you have a double dose of the love potion and we still don't have an antidote." Jihoon groaned, watching Soonyoung turn red again, familiar from the first time he ate Jihoon's cookie. Jihoon rubbed his temples. "Knock next time.""Door was open," Soonyoung tilted his head to the door Jihoon forgot to shut.Jihoon sighed as he sat down. He hung his head back with his eyes closed."Hey," Soonyoung said, nudging Jihoon's cheek with a finger. Jihoon could feel his presence hovering beside him, and he can't really think straight with the way his heart was hammering wildly in his chest, remembering how Soonyoung was kissing him so carefully last night. "I'm sorry."Jihoon opened his eyes and found that he was staring directly into Soonyoung's. He swallowed his surprise and instead straightened and took a cookie from the jar."What are you doing?" Soonyoung asked worriedly, taking his wrist."It's not like I would fall in love with myself, Soonyoung," Jihoon said, echoing Jeonghan's words. "I think I just really need a cookie right now."Soonyoung let him go but still watched warily as a helped himself with a bite. Jihoon was impressed with how chewy the cookie was, the taste of the cat food lingering only a little maybe because Jihoon knew it was there. He stared at Soonyoung as he swallowed, wanting the worried lines on the other magus' brows to go away.That's when the room started to sway."Soon…" he slurred, reaching for Soonyoung who rushed to catch him as he lost the strength to hold himself upright. He could barely make out Soonyoung's outline as the lights pulsed in his vision. He thought Soonyoung must be yelling his name, but he couldn't really hear him, not when he could feel life seep out of him.10 seconds, he remembered just as everything went black. 10 seconds was quick. It was a merciful quick painless death.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jihoon didn't know how the transition between life and death worked but he knew he was dead the moment he opened his eyes. Maybe it's the way the colors looked paler, or how his whole body felt lead-heavy and how his movements slowed like he was moving through jelly. A few blinks of his eyes, though, and his body (or the absence thereof) adjusted to death, the colors bleeding to life, and his movements normalizing.He was standing in the middle of the empty cafeteria of the school,Or not empty. Oh wait, PLEASE STOP Oof-He realized quickly he's not alone when he saw a younger magus jogging towards him, too focused on the book she was reading to notice him. When Jihoon braced himself for the impact, the magus didn't stop and continued on, rushing through him like his body was made of air. Jihoon choked and checked himself if he was still intact (he was) before turning to the direction the magus went, unbothered that she just went past a ghost and didn't even notice."You'll get used to it."Jihoon jumped at the voice. It was a confusing jump, because Jihoon continued hovering in the air without dropping as if gravity had a glitch and malfunctioned. Jihoon thought he didn't mind getting used to floating, though. The people passing through him part, not so much.He looked for the source of the voice and found another boy hanging on the ceiling. Hanging may sound a bit freaky. Maybe perched, more like he was sitting on the ceiling looking like an upside-down human-shaped chandelier, smiling at Jihoon, trying his best to look friendly."I'm sorry," Jihoon tried, surprised that his voice can still work perfectly in death. "Are you a ghost, too?""Oh, no. I'm very much alive." The other boy made a swimming motion with his arms so that he floated downwards until his upside down eyes met Jihoon's. "So alive. I have nine, you see."Jihoon blinked, unnerved at the slits on the other boy's eyes where his pupils should have been. Then Jihoon realized, taking in the familiar color of the boy's silver hair and rose-gray eyes. "Junhui?""BINGO!" Junhui, the human cat that's very much alive talking to dead Jihoon, smiled brightly at the recognition, spreading his arms wide as started swimming-floating around Jihoon. Jihoon tried following him, turning his body to keep Junhui in his view, but stopped after the first round, turning dizzy as a consequence of being in an invisible Junhui washing machine."But," Jihoon started when Junhui stopped swimming-floating around him. "You're a cat."Junhui righted himself, setting himself beside Jihoon, and Jihoon first noticed how tall cat-human Junhui was. Jihoon hated that fact immediately. "I am," Junhui confirmed. "This is my spirit form. You know how cats have nine lives? We can use one of our lives to roam around as spirits. Which I think is very convenient. Thank the realms I'm a cat."Jihoon pinched the bridge of his nose. It's only been a few minutes meeting cat-human-spirit Junhui and he's already having a headache. And he was dead. Dead people shouldn't feel headaches anymore.Jihoon relaxed, realizing taking a breath wasn't necessary anymore considering he was dead, and evaluated his situation. The last thing he remembered was taking a bite from his cookie.He groaned.He was right. The cookie was a perfect (and delicious) poison, but somewhere along the way, something went wrong and Soonyoung didn't die despite eating the cookie which turned out to be a love potion, which lead them to spending time with each other and making out (NOT THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT, SHUT UP, DEAD BRAIN). But when Jihoon ate the cookie, it's poison again and killed him in 10 seconds flat."You okay?" Junhui hovered closer to Jihoon. "I know you're dead, but you don't seem okay for a dead person.""Uh…" Jihoon honestly didn't know where to start.Where was his body? Did they store him right? Was he protected? He could get possessed by spirits wanting a host, was he going to be okay? How long had he been dead? How long were they searching for him? Was anyone even looking for him? Who's going to perform his necromancy ritual? Is he ever going to be alive again?So many questions, and yet, Jihoon concerned himself with something else. "You're Wonwoo's friend, right?"At the sound of Wonwoo's name, Junhui perked up that Jihoon can almost see his cat ears twitching with interest. "I am," Junhui grinned too brightly."Do…" He forced the rest of his question out of his mouth. "… you know what Wonwoo's master is on about?""You mean Soonyoung!" Junhui bounced and remained floated in the higher space. "Soonyoung asked Wonwoo to ask me to look for you."Jihoon felt himself drop to the floor suddenly, gravity's maintenance time seemingly over."More like Soonyoung asked Wonwoo to look for you, but Wonwoo wasn't sure if Soonyoung would do something stupid so he went to keep an eye on Soonyoung and asked me to look for you instead."Jihoon scratched his head.Of course. Of course Soonyoung would be the one bringing him back to life, of course that would happen. Not only because he was the last person to see Jihoon alive, but because Soonyoung was just that kind of person: a stupid best friend Jihoon would never admit he was grateful to have. He wouldn't even try to ask for Jeonghan or Jisoo's help, knowing those two would ask for something in return. Or maybe Soonyoung would ask for the troublesome two's help and would be willing to do anything in return because he's that kind of stupid.Jihoon eyed Junhui, and the cat spirit looked back at him with a funny smile on his face. "Do you know where he is?""Last time I checked he was looking for Jeonghan and Jisoo."Jihoon let his face drop on his hand. Why, oh why, was Soonyoung so predictable?"You just know him too well," Junhui told him that Jihoon looked up suddenly. "No, I don't have mindreading powers. You just said that out loud."Jihoon blinked. "I didn't.""You did.""I'm sure I didn't.""Okay? So maybe, I do have some mindreading powers."Jihoon sighed, resigned that he was about to trust this cat-human-spirit who wasn't even sure what he was capable of. "Lead the way."Junhui's smile brightened a dangerous level, but Jihoon realized that he was only literally glowing, his transformation taking place. It didn't take long, the familiar silver cat stretching by Jihoon's feet in the next second, before walking to the direction of the door.Junhui lead him out of the cafeteria into a hallway Jihoon didn't use or recognize, and only then did Jihoon realize they passed through a tunnel underground. The scent of the earth, and the passageways leading to anywhere and wherever guarded by doors forged with powerful protective seals welcomed him like a long forgotten friend.On regular days, the torches hanging on walls would light up one by one to guide Jihoon where he needed to go. Dead Jihoon probably wasn't as important as alive Jihoon as the torches remained unlit and the hall dark. Fortunately, dead Jihoon didn't seem to need the light, because even in the darkness, his eyesight remained clear.So clear in fact that if he focused hard enough, he can see past walls. Past some of them were the training dungeons where magi can practice spells and combat without fear of destruction because of the protective space. Magi like Soonyoung, for example."Hey, is this…""Training dungeons," Junhui meowed in response. Jihoon heard the meow, but he also heard Junhui's human voice speaking to him in answer. "Soonyoung's usual study place, yes. He spends heck of a long time training here.""Hmm…""Meow," cat Junhui agreed as if he knew what Jihoon was thinking about.Jihoon wasn't sure what he was thinking about. People (and cats) knew that Soonyoung studied too hard for his subjects just so he could top Jihoon and in the process get Jihoon's attention. Jihoon still wasn't sure how to feel about that, too.Maybe it was the poison or being dead addling his brain, because something that seemed close to flattery and something else fluttered in the pit of his stomach. Why was he so important that Soonyoung had to spend time underground just to get his attention?"Oh, everyone knows Soonyoung has a big fat crush on you," Junhui meowed.Jihoon tripped. He was dead, and he was floating a foot off the ground, and he tripped at what Junhui said.Junhui purred as if pleased at the reaction he got."Soonyoung… has a love potion in his system," Jihoon explained as he sat up from where he fell."I heard." Junhui licked his paw. "But even before that, Soonyoung was all heart eyes at you and you never even noticed."Jihoon can't believe he's actually thanking the realms that he was already dead, else he would be reddening at what a cat was talking about.And the cat kept talking. "Wonwoo thought you were making poison." Jihoon groaned. How knowledgeable were these cats? "Soonyoung convinced him you were making a love potion and had nothing to worry about…""What?""What?" Junhui looked up from his paw."Soonyoung knew I was making a love potion?"Junhui stared at him for a bit as if in thought. "I guess? I mean, Jeonghan told him you were making a love potion.""Jeonghan-hyung what?""Yeah. Wonwoo and Soonyoung always have this argument. Wonwoo's like Jihoon cooking and offering you food is weird and Soonyoung is like You're being weird and Wonwoo is like I'm pretty sure the food is poisoned and Soonyoung is like I'm 100% sure they're not and Wonwoo is like Grrrr and Soonyoung is like It's love potion, Wonwoo and Wonwoo is like-""Stop.""What?" The look Jun gave him was either a challenge or a bluff, and Jihoon couldn't properly decide which one he should lean towards. Jihoon wasn't even sure if the cat was telling the truth. They stared at each other for a few more seconds, Jihoon gauging whether or not it was a good idea to listen to what the cat had to say, before looking away, doubting himself.He sighed. Nothing was making sense. If he was going to get information, he had to get it from the right source. "Can you just lead me to where Soonyoung is, please?"Junhui made a motion that looked like a shrug before trudging down the hall again. It was fairly easy to find out where Soonyoung was. He would be where Jeonghan and Jisoo were. And it was easier to locate Jeonghan and Jisoo. Just listen closely for a hint of mischief and a random explosion somewhere around the campus, or where trouble was, basically, there they would be.It's not an explosion this time, though. It was a crowd gathering in the middle of the day in the open space near the lake.Students and supernatural beings alike crowded around the small lake, and Jihoon could already make out the swirl of black energy in the middle of the spectacle even from the distance."That's a demon," Jihoon thought out loud, already hating the implications of that fact.Jun transformed back to his spirit form so he could float and see better above the heads of the students wanting to watch as well. "From what I gathered," Junhui said, looking back to check if Jihoon was catching up to him, and found that he was right the first time. Jihoon was already used to passing through people as he glided in the air to follow Junhui. "Seungcheol challenged Jeonghan to combat to practice for his finals, and somehow everyone heard about it, and then they had to have a stage for it…""I don’t care for those idiots and their stupid adventures. We need to find Soonyoung," Jihoon growled. He associated his irritability with being dead. He liked being alive very much, and being dead hindered him from doing what alive people did: killing Yoon Jeonghan for one. Kissing Kwon Soonyoung second.Jihoon paused in shock, surprising himself from his thought and waiting for Junhui's mindreading to get the better of him and look at him with a knowing smile again. But Junhui only nodded, seeming to understand the intensity of Jihoon's emotions by his tone, maybe the number of minds of read in the vicinity interfering with his power. The sudden flash of bright light from the lake then caught his attention, though, and Junhui rushed to get a closer look.A cat will be a cat, then, Jihoon thought with annoyance as he followed his guide.When the light subsided and Junhui and Jihoon were nearing the edge of the lake, they could finally make out Seungcheol standing on a boat, a sharp-looking sword the color of midnight and nightmares on his right hand, his head tilted back to stare at Jeonghan floating far above the middle of the lake.Not floating, that's what ghosts and spirits did. Jeonghan was part-angel. He was flying.Two pairs of pristine white wings that spanned almost the diameter of the whole lake sprouted behind Jeonghan, shining brightly as if this was the first time they were used, maybe they were, and they made sure they had everyone's attention. They flapped behind Jeonghan with fervor, the force creating small waves to ripple alive on the lake, and Seungcheol's tiny boat flitted where it floated."YAH YOU HAVE REAL WINGS?" Seungcheol screamed, pointing his sword at Jeonghan in accusation. "WHY DID WE HAVE TO MAKE YOU ILLUSIONS THAT ONE TIME??""You and Jisoo won't study for illusions otherwise!" Jeonghan yelled back, his voice roaring over the sound of the flapping of his wings, his arms crossed over his chest.Seungcheol crouched then jumped, the strength of his demon carrying him above the clouds that everyone had to crane their necks and shield their eyes from the sun to look for him. Jeonghan remained unbothered, flying stagnant where he was, checking his nails.Seungcheol yelled as he fell, sword poised above his head to strike down Jeonghan below him. But Jeonghan only tilted himself to the left a bit, and Seungcheol missed his attack, his blow hitting the lake instead. The lake exploded into walls of white water, and everyone screamed as water splashed towards the surrounding audience.There was a swoosh, the sound of the water hitting an invisible force, locking it inside the area of the lake. When mist cleared and everyone realized they remained dry, a complaint was heard above the tension of danger, "I AM NOT GOING TO CLEAN UP YOUR MESS, YOU TWO."Jisoo's voice.Jihoon confirmed it was Jisoo's voice when Jeonghan and Seungcheol both muttered some apologies before continuing their battle again.Jihoon willed himself to float higher to get a better vantage point to look for Jisoo, because that might be where Soonyoung was, but he miscalculated his ascent because he bumped into Jisoo's force field. Or at least he thought he did. He looked up and saw a very human looking not-force field glaring at him.The glare was unnerving. This guy had slits for pupils in his eyes, too. Bright emerald eyes."Wonwoo?"Wonwoo, the other cat-human-spirit, raised his first in attempt to punch Jihoon. Jihoon braced himself, offering a shoulder even though he knew the punch would run through him anyway, but it did him good, Wonwoo's knuckles connecting with his muscle. Jihoon felt no pain, but still he staggered a bit backwards, and that seemed to satisfy Wonwoo, retracting his fist.This is the cat Soonyoung said that likes me? Jihoon wondered."Soonyoung lied," the cat said and Jihoon stared at him for a while. Can all cats read minds? "That's for Soonyoung's attempted murder."Jihoon rolled his eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm the one who died.""You tried killing Soonyoung 13 times!""You ruined my poison 12 times," Jihoon corrected him. "Some of those ingredients were expensive! I had to bargain for them from the dark realms and-"Wonwoo narrowed his eyes, and Jihoon shut his mouth in a flash. He almost revealed that he'd broken what little rules their school had. Which was uncharacteristic of him. He was usually able to keep his secrets from anyone. Being dead was doing weird things to him."Soonyoung told me you were making a love potion," Wonwoo told him when Jihoon stayed silent. "He told me all those 13 brews were all love potions and guess who was the idiot who believed him the 13th time."The crowd cheered around them. Jihoon had a glimpse of black lightning and a flutter of feathers from the corner of his eye, and somewhere around him a squeal that sounded like Junhui erupted with the rest of the crowd. Still not enough commotion to draw his attention from his conversation with Wonwoo."I told him he was stupid because you were obviously hell-bent on killing him." Wonwoo crossed his arms and legs, appearing to sit on an invisible chair a few feet above the ground. Jihoon almost smiled. Smart cat. "So imagine my surprise when I met a Soonyoung who claimed he was in love with you when he would deny it over and over in the past."Jihoon's smile faltered.
What?
"Then I heard from Soonyoung a few days later that you died from eating the same cookie that you fed him, and I realized I was right the first time. They weren't love potion cookies, they were poison from the very beginning. Luckily, they just had a different effect on Soonyoung, probably why he didn't die."A zap and a disappointed groan from the crowd."I like it better when I thought I was wrong." Wonwoo frowned at him. "I thought maybe you liked Soonyoung back so you had the love potion made to help him realize that he was in fact in love with you so you guys can get over it and date already.""I don't-" Jihoon cleared his throat, the first reaction he can come up with the whole conversation. "Love potions are the worst kinds of potions. No one in the right mind would make them."Wonwoo nodded. "That's what I thought at first, too," he huffed. "And I was right. Of course you're smart enough to know that love potions are the worst. Of course you wanted to kill Soonyoung because he was in love with you. Killing him would make him realize you didn't like him back so he would stop clinging to you every ti-""Soonyoung's not in love with me."Wonwoo stared at him, evaluating his answer that Jihoon thought back to second guess himself. Except he can't find any reason why in the all realms would Soonyoung be in love with him."Okay? Why kill him then?"Jihoon fidgeted under Wonwoo's gaze. Where Junhui was playful and teasing, Wonwoo was genuine and curious. The kind of genuineness that made one want to be honest."He's distracting," Jihoon muttered. The crowd cheered at the same time he delivered his answer, and he hoped Wonwoo didn't catch what he said. "He's my rival in class," Jihoon said when the cheering died down and Wonwoo could hear a more appropriate answer. "He's annoying."Wonwoo scrunched his nose. "That's not a strong enough murder intent.""Yoon Jeonghan was pretty convincing," Jihoon added.Wonwoo mouthed a huge Ah, and nodded as if that explained everything.Water sloshed and splashed around them. A sudden harsh whistle of wind, a crack of thunder, the sudden darkness and the gasps of the crowd told them the fight was beginning to get serious. Then there was a sound of glass crashing, and Jihoon turned quickly to find an hourglass appear from thin air to cage Jeonghan and Seungcheol. The brewing storm cloud that hovered above the lake dissipated, and Jihoon whistled at the tremendous show of spellcasting that was definitely Jisoo's. (Probably why Seungcheol thought it better to challenge Jeonghan instead of him.)Jeonghan looked especially uncomfortable with his large wings folded and fluttering against the glass that did not relent, and Seungcheol uselessly hacked against the other end of the unbreakable contraption with his demon sword."HONG JISOO!" both of them cried at the same time."Alright kids, show time is over," Jisoo's voice came from the crowd. "Disperse!" As soon as he said the last word, the hour glass disappeared, gaining a collective groan from the audience.Junhui suddenly flew in between Jihoon and Wonwoo. "What a fight! Quite a fight, don't you think, Wonwoo?"Wonwoo just stared at him. "I told you to look for Jihoon.""And I found him, see?" Junhui dove to reach Jihoon to make a point. "I did well.""And then you left him afterwards."Junhui pouted. "No Good job, Junhui?"Wonwoo sighed. "Good job, Junhui.""Yay!""Wonwoo."All three supernaturals froze from where they were floating.Jihoon heard the spell being casted, a whisper at the back of his mind even though he knew it wasn't spoken. They were taught in class to memorize the words of the spell from the language of another realm not knowing what they meant, but the spell translated itself to Jihoon like a gift. Another perk of being dead, he supposed.
Appear, friend.
Wonwoo's transformation was less dramatic than Junhui's. No glowing. Just a smoke that covered the spirit's form who disappeared and reappeared as the familiar black cat with bright emerald eyes.Soonyoung came into view with the crowd thinning, the other magi going about their own ways. He crouched down to pet Wonwoo who hopped into his arms."Any sign of Jihoon?"Wonwoo meowed. "Junhui found him."Soonyoung had a frown on his face when he nodded. "I guess not. We'll look harder."Jihoon blinked, confused, turning to Junhui. "I thought he can understand cat.""He…" Junhui floated to catch up to Soonyoung who began walking to the direction of the dormitories, Jihoon following afterwards. "He understands a few phrases.""You're an idiot," Wonwoo tried, which made Soonyoung laugh."I know. You always tell me that.""That being the one phrase he understands the best," Junhui pointed out.Jihoon can only shake his head in response, not trusting himself enough to say anything else. The sight of Soonyoung brought the warmth of hope inside him that he realized was already familiar from all the times he'd been spending with Soonyoung the past days. Jihoon had spent his Year 3 pushing Soonyoung away that he can't believe he's relieved, even glad that he's around Soonyoung that instant.Wow, Jihoon found himself thinking, surprised but at the same time not really anymore. I actually miss this idiot."Jihoon said he misses you," Wonwoo mewled, bopping his head against Soonyoung's bicep, and if Jihoon didn't know his hand would just pass through him, he would have already strangled Wonwoo.Soonyoung laughed again, though, and Jihoon took a breath he didn't need. Soonyoung probably didn't understand it anyway, he thought, until Soonyoung spoke. "I miss him, too."Jihoon would've dropped from where he was floating if his reflexes were not fast enough. Probably would've died a second time, too, if that was possible."He's literally floating behind you and he really wants to kill me right now," Wonwoo said, probably trying to figure out how much Soonyoung actually understood."I put a tracking spell on Jisoo hyung so we'll know where to find them. They'll know what to do."Wonwoo turned his head to Jihoon as if in apology that he couldn't get his master to attention, but Jihoon only shrugged. Soonyoung's understanding of cat was doubtful at best, but they can deal with that later. If Soonyoung had a plan, Jihoon would go with it. He can count on Soonyoung, that much he was sure of."Hey, Wonwoo, remember what you told me before?" Soonyoung asked when they were nearing the dormitories."That you're an idiot?""No," Soonyoung glared as his cat, fully understanding that phrase, before kneeling by the entrance of the dorms to set him down on the floor. "The one about Jihoon pushing me away."Wonwoo tilted his head thoughtfully. "That Jihoon was trying to kill you because you're annoying.""No," Soonyoung said with a sigh. "No. About me being in-""Soonyoung!"Jihoon didn’t realize he was leaning into Soonyoung's space until he jumped back in surprise at the sudden interruption of the conversation.Jisoo was jogging from the other end of the hall, waving a hand for Soonyoung to meet him halfway. Soonyoung looked dazed for a while, as if realizing what he was just talking about before his face brightened at the sight of Jisoo."Hyung! I was just about to go look for you."Soonyoung quickly offered Wonwoo his hand, and Wonwoo hung his head, giving his paw, before he disappeared into the smoke and transformed back to his spirit form. Jihoon knew it was a transportation spell, so he didn't question when Junhui clamped a hand on Wonwoo's arm to keep him in place.When Soonyoung reached him, Jisoo raised a hand for a high five, but he paused, turning his gaze to Jihoon. Then to Jun. Then to Wonwoo. Then to Soonyoung. Then back to Jihoon again.Jihoon often wondered about the extent of Jisoo's powers, being the one who summoned a Black Demon with Yoon Jeonghan, and now he learned it extended to the paranormal. Dangerous, Jihoon thought with a wave to Jisoo. Jeonghan, Jisoo and Seungcheol were dangerous."Hyung?" Soonyoung whirling around to see what Jisoo was looking at, and Jihoon froze when Soonyoung's gaze reached his. But Soonyoung's eyes kept searching, making no indication that he can see him or any of them.Soonyoung turned back to Jisoo, who looked at Jihoon again, a small grin forming on his face as if realizing the situation, before turning back to Soonyoung. "I thought I saw a ghost."I wouldn't worry about it," he added with a laugh at Soonyoung's troubled expression. "Sorry about cutting you off this morning. It's really hard to reign those two down when they're riled up." Jisoo's smile turned almost sheepish as he lead Soonyoung down the hall, the three supernaturals following behind."Are they okay, though? It was getting really serious a while ago," Soonyoung asked with genuine concern in his voice."I still have them inside a caging illusion to teach them a lesson. They were just playing but they still went overboard." Jisoo shook his head in both exasperation and endearment. "We never really finished the conversation a while ago. What's this about?""It's… uh, about the bet.""The Jihoon bet," Jisoo nodded in sympathy, or at least something else wrapped in the guise of sympathy.Jihoon stopped from where he was floating before zipping forward to look at the two having the conversation.Jeonghan made a bet with Soonyoung, too? And Soonyoung never told him?The corners of Jisoo's lips lifted at Jihoon's sudden rush, but Soonyoung didn't seem to notice."Jihoon successfully made a love potion," Soonyoung reported.Jihoon's head swam at the revelation. From the look on Wonwoo's face, he didn't know about this, either. Junhui was the only one who looked like he was enjoying a blockbuster film."Oh, so we lost, then?" Jisoo said, his lips on a thin line that looked like a repressed smile, giving Jihoon quick glance he almost missed. "No matter. Jeonghan honors his bets. He would love to work on the antidote. Lectures were getting boring, anyway.""You guys said Jeonghan-hyung asked him to make a love potion for someone he liked."What."Well… Jihoon made the potion… and he… uh…"
What…
"Soonyoung, did you know that ghosts manifest when they're in a state of heavy emotions? Like, I dunno, anger? Surprise? Confusion…"Soonyoung looked up from where he was fidgeting with the edge of his shirt to Jisoo who was staring at Jihoon. Jihoon blinked, the words sinking slowly into him when Soonyoung turned to him and jumped.Jihoon jumped back as well and looked at his hands, but found nothing different."What was that?!" Soonyoung cried, and clung on Jisoo's arm in fear. Jihoon saw Junhui and Wonwoo laughing behind them, and he felt himself smile. "Was that a ghost? IN MIDDAY???""Calm down, it's gone now." Jisoo shook his arm to get Soonyoung off, but Soonyoung only clung harder that he stopped. "Anyway, what about Jihoon?"At the question, Soonyoung straightened and unwrapped his hold from Jisoo's arm if only by a bit. "Well, something went wrong with the potion… it probably expired so… uh, when he ate a love potion cookie…""He ate a love potion cookie," Jisoo repeated, as if surprised, as if incredulous, as if he wasn't present when his boyfriend suggested it. Soonyoung only nodded like he agreed it was a stupid idea. Jihoon wanted to punch his face."He ate one… and he, sort of, died," Soonyoung whispered the last word, Jihoon didn't almost catch it.Jisoo's eyes grew wide as if he hadn't been staring at Jihoon's ghost for a while. "Jihoon… is dead?""Yeah," Soonyoung muttered. "So… I need help with the necromancy ritual… and I was wondering-""Okay."The surprise on Soonyoung's face was comical. "Okay?""Okay," Jisoo nodded. "What? You didn't think it was that easy to convince me?""I thought you would ask something in return," Soonyoung muttered. "To make things interesting or something."Jisoo laughed, then directed his smile at Jihoon. "This is very interesting, trust me. Did you know who received Jihoon's potion?"Soonyoung visibly flushed at the inquiry, which made his answer obvious, but Jisoo was kind enough (or evil enough?) to pretend he didn't notice. Soonyoung cleared his throat. "Unimportant as of the moment.""Sounds like something Jihoon would say," Jisoo said, not even hiding his amusement now."Hyung.""Soonyoung," Jisoo patted the hand still curled on his wrist. "You know you can't lie to me. And you've been lying to me ever since. Not just to me-""But you can't lie, too," Soonyoung challenged. "I feel like there's something else underlying this whole bet situation. Jihoon has been very secretive about his bet, too.""Don't you think that has anything with the recipient of his potion?" Jisoo wiggled his brows, but Soonyoung pressed despite the redness climbing his ears and neck."What was Jihoon's Yoon bet really about, hyung?"Jisoo merely shrugged. "It's a Yoon bet. You should ask Jeonghan about it."Soonyoung rolled his eyes. "I hate the fae."Jisoo only chuckled and placed an arm around Soonyoung as they walked towards the familiar dungeons. "You've never performed a necromancy ritual before?" Jisoo guessed as they entered one of the caves in the dungeons. It looked old but used, scribbles and glyphs in ink and blood still fresh on its walls. Floating fires lit the space a warm but eerie glow, and boxes, racks and shelves filled with books and artifacts made the cave almost homey if not lived in. Jihoon didn't have to think hard to guess who the last people to use this cave were.Soonyoung shook his head.The cats disappeared when they descended to the underground, Soonyoung's transportation spell probably working on Wonwoo, and Junhui didn't want to leave his friend behind although Jihoon was sure he very well wanted to find out what would happen next."But you've read about it?"Soonyoung busied his hands with pushing the boxes around, his expression suddenly shy. "Not really. I was planning on convincing Jihoon to be my partner in Necromancy so he can teach me about it."Jisoo groaned with exaggerated frustration, emerging from the box he was rummaging from with a black chalk Jihoon knew from their Rituals Theory lessons. "This never ending pushing and pulling and pining-""I don't pine-""-is getting so old and tiring, Soonyoung," Jisoo continued but he glanced up at Jihoon to check his expression. Jihoon only stared back at him with indifference, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of reacting. Jisoo's face was always the perfect description of calm and collected, but right now amusement was all over it, and Jihoon did not like the implication of that. "How long are you going to deny-""I'm not denying anything-""-before Jihoon is going to get taken away from you, hm?" Jisoo teased, nudging Soonyoung with an elbow as he walked by. He bent to reach the floor and started drawing as he spoke. "I mean, he could have already given the love potion to someone for all we know, and that someone could be looking for him worried sick…""I don't think so," Soonyoung muttered, sitting cross-legged by the wall of the cave to watch Jisoo, right beside where Jihoon sat as well."You don't think he's going to get taken away from you?""Wha- no, Jisoo-hyung…" Soonyoung whined, before taking a deep breath. He looked like he was one tease away from pulling his hair out. "If I just knew how to perform this ritual, I would have…"Jisoo was grinning as he moved around to make a decent-sized circle. "I'm just saying, Soonyoung. We've been having this conversation for months and you have not only been lying to me but to yourself."When Soonyoung refused to speak, Jihoon shifted his position so he could see him, but the other magus had his head tucked between his knees."Jihoon gave me the potion," came Soonyoung's muffled voice. "But you already knew that."Jisoo only hummed, seemingly focused on scribbling on the ground to finalize the circle and its appropriate inscriptions. When he stood up to stretch, Soonyoung raised his head, waiting for a comment."How was it?" Jisoo asked, his tone soft and devoid of teasing. "Being in love with Jihoon?"Jihoon tensed at the unexpected question."It's…" Jihoon realized he was holding an unnecessary breath when Soonyoung spoke. "Not as overwhelming as I thought. The potion, I mean. I don't think it was potent, because I read that love potions cloud rational thought and decision-making processes to the point of delirium. I was still rational and very conscious about everything…" Soonyoung's voice drifted when he found Jisoo giving him a stare. "What?""That's so technical," Jisoo complained."What did you want to hear? That I liked being in love with him?"Jisoo's expression instantly brightened, casting a sideward glance at Jihoon who ducked to cover his face. He wasn't sure what kind of face he was making because the situation was bizarre altogether. "Did you?""Sort of." The sentence was more a question than anything. "I mean, it didn't feel very different from before… Maybe I was giddy and fluttery because Jihoon was being considerate about everything. He kept letting me hold his hand, and would even hold mine sometimes. I tried keeping my feelings in check, but it kept getting worse as days went by that there was an incident when I couldn't keep my hands off him- Noooo, hyung! Nothing like that happened," Soonyoung hastily added when Jisoo's eyes grew large.Jisoo discreetly turned a questioning look at Jihoon who rolled his eyes. The perks of being dead, like not feeling the heat on his cheeks or the hammering of his heart, were beginning to prove beneficial for Jihoon. "I told you he was in a haze," he said."Jihoon said I was in a haze," Soonyoung echoed that Jihoon whipped his head back to check if Soonyoung could see him, but he was still looking at Jisoo. "But I read about haze, and it didn't feel like a haze. Besides, hazes usually mean the love potion was beginning to lose its effects. It didn't feel like that though." Soonyoung's tone kept getting lower and lower that Jisoo, and even Jihoon had to crane their necks to hear his words."Jihoon was only receptive to the whole situation because he wanted the love potion to wear off quickly." Soonyoung leaned back on the wall, resigned. "And there are other things..."Jisoo took a seat beside Soonyoung probably so he can have both boys in his line of sight."Wonwoo said Jihoon wanted to kill me so he brewed a poison." Soonyoung paused to check for Jisoo's reaction, but the faerie only nodded for him to continue, features never betraying any clue about the truth. Jihoon shook his head at Jisoo's expertise."I don't think that's true, though," Soonyoug went on. "Besides the fact that I did feel the effects of the love potion, Jeonghan-hyung knows I'm immune to all kinds of poison. If he wanted Jihoon to kill me, he would have made Jihoon do something else."Jihoon almost fell back on his seat at the revelation before he scooted close to Jisoo who didn't even flinch at his proximity with Jihoon's ghost. "Soonyoung's immune to poison?!" Jihoon hissed. "All those expensive dark realm ingredients?! For nothing?!"Jisoo ignored Jihoon and swayed as he gave that a thought. "Yoon bets are usually complicated. And Jeonghan usually sees the bigger picture and tries to piece things together…"When Soonyoung's face wrinkled in confusion, Jisoo continued. "That Yoon bet about killing Seungcheol… what do you know about it?""The one where you guys wanted to see who would kill Seungcheol faster?"Jisoo nodded like nothing about that sentence was out of ordinary. "Polyamorous relationships are… complicated to say the least, and Jeonghan and I were best friends first before we dated with Seungcheol."Jisoo paused to check if the two other magi were following him. "What do you know about souls in death, Soonyoung?""They're the purest form of the human," Soonyoung answered automatically. "So they can't lie, and even their thoughts and secrets are forced out of them, laid out in the open and can be heard by those around them."Jihoon made a pained sound that was inhuman even for him. Was that the reason why those cats can hear what I was thinking all the time? Does that mean the cats can't mindread after all?Jisoo choked, covering up for a snicker because of Jihoon's thoughts. Soonyoung moved to help him, but Jisoo waved him away."Let's just say," Jisoo started again, choosing his words. "That the three of us had trouble but Seungcheol wasn't talking, like he was pretending everything was okay even though everything was obviously not okay. And Jeonghan couldn't take that. So we made a bet.""You guys…" Soonyoung took that in slowly. "Killed Seungcheol hyung so he would be more honest with the two of you.""It sounds horrible when you put it that way, but that's a rough summary," Jisoo agreed. "We're okay now, though, if the childish display of power this morning wasn't enough proof for it. Anyway, my point is… Jeonghan doesn't just make bets because he feels like it. There's usually a reason for them."Jihoon leaned back, making sense of Jisoo's words. If Soonyoung was immune to poison, then whatever poison Jihoon made, he would've still lost the bet. Which meant Yoon Jeonghan cheated… or Yoon Jeonghan really wanted Jihoon to die. Why? So he would be a raw honest soul with no secret left to hide?"We should finish preparations," Jisoo said, and Jihoon suspected it was more to cut his train of thought than anything else. "You have Jihoon's dew?"Soonyoung reached behind his neck to unclasp a necklace Jihoon only noticed then for the first time. Tied to it was a tiny crystal, a dew from the morning mist, he recognized. The perfect most powerful protective spell for a body prepared for necromancy."Impressive," Jisoo marveled, turning the crystal over in his hands. "Beginners don't usually crystalize the dew. The spell is too intricate and exhausting.""Didn't want to take chances," Soonyoung muttered with a casual shrug.Jisoo's smile softened. "You must really like him.""Love potion effects," Soonyoung defended with red cheeks and red ears, but Jisoo only reached over to ruffle his hair."Keep telling yourself that."After Jisoo placed the crystal dew in the middle of the necromancy circle, he made his way out of the cave."Hyung?" Soonyoung asked uncertainly. "Where are you going?""I need to check on Seungcheol and Jeonghan," Jisoo replied, looking back. "They might have escaped the illusion by now, and there's a high chance they're continuing their battle in our room."Jihoon winced at the imagery."But- but what about…" Soonyoung gestured to the circle and their finished preparations."Jihoon knows what to do," Jisoo said as he waved, and against all odds, Jihoon felt his supposed unfeeling palms sweat. Jisoo winked at Jihoon, and the wink could mean a lot of things that Jihoon honestly didn't want to dwell on because he was smart enough not to trust the troublesome two (not again). But then again, everything had been snowballing to this ever since Jihoon accepted Jeonghan's terms in the bet.Before Soonyoung could ask what that meant, Jisoo was out of the cave. But not before a short spell was casted, another whisper of Appear, friend tickling the back of Jihoon's mind. When he turned, Soonyoung was gaping at him."How long have you been standing there?""The whole time," he shrugged in answer. "But let's not make a big deal out of- Soonyou-? What do you think you're doing?"Soonyoung rushed towards him, probably forgetting that Jihoon was a ghost, and had slipped and tripped through him, falling face first on the floor.Soonyoung groaned as he helped himself up, but when he sat up, pulling up his knees, he had a sheepish smile on his face. "Nothing, I just… I was worried about you. Very, if you didn't notice yet with everything." He made a wild motion with both of his hands to refer to the preparations he had going.Jihoon tried not to laugh. "Did you just try to hug a ghost?""I was relieved to see you, okay?" Soonyoung stuck his tongue out at him. "I looked all over for you!""All over is such a huge place and yet you still didn't find me," Jihoon teased, sitting cross-legged a few feet above the ground."To be fair, you can have secret safe places that I know nothing about."When Jihoon just looked at him, Soonyoung explained, "Souls after death appear in the place they feel safest. So I stayed waiting for you in your room for a while…" to which Jihoon mimed punching him and Soonyoung ducked with a laugh even though he knew Jihoon would barely graze him. "Then I tried the music room, and the potions room, then library. And the towers because of that instance back in Year 2-""Yeah. You beat me in Combat and I sulked for four hours," Jihoon finished for him with a frown, the memory resurfacing before him even though he didn't want to remember. Soonyoung grinned, proud of that moment. "The towers is definitely not a safe space."Soonyoung patted his knees as he stood to dust off the soil and soot that stuck on him in his fall. "So where did you appear?""I was with you since this morning at the lake," Jihoon said instead of answering, guessing it wasn't technically a lie if he avoided the question, and Soonyoung furrowed his brows. "Wonwoo had been trying to tell you but it seemed you can't understand cat as much as you said you could.""50%!" Soonyoung claimed."I'd say about 20," Jihoon told him and Soonyoung only shrugged. "Anyway, let's just get over this?"Jihoon explained that they needed three objects that would represent Jihoon as a whole to be able to resurrect him properly. Jihoon can't tell exactly what those three things were, he really didn't know what they were honestly, but he can tell Soonyoung if the circle deems them correct and then they can proceed with the incantation. Soonyoung asked if they had to go back to his room, Jihoon only said, "I think that's what the boxes are for…"Soonyoung walked towards one."What do you think?" Jihoon asked."I am thinking," Soonyoung grumbled, squatting beside the box. "Your guitar, probably?" Soonyoung reached a hand inside the box and when he pulled out, he was carrying Jihoon's guitar. Soonyoung stared between the guitar and the box in awe for a while, before looking up at Jihoon who was trying to keep an endeared smile off his face. Jihoon hoped Soonyoung was too distracted by the box to hear what he was thinking."Do still keep the music notebook you used to carry around back in Year 2?" Soonyoung asked.That took him by surprise. "You still remember that?""There's little I don't remember about you," Soonyoung said off-handedly, reaching for that notebook from the box and Jihoon's battle with that smile was immediately a lost cause. "What about the rare shell you found in Hunting class?" Soonyoung continued like this, mentioning things he thought were important to Jihoon and they appeared inside the box, summoned by a spell ingrained in it.To say Jihoon was impressed was an understatement. Although some of the things Soonyoung summoned seemed recalled off the top of his head, most of them held a lot of importance to Jihoon: his second wand, the one Seungcheol got him when the older magus broke his first one during a spellcasting duel which Jihoon won wandless; trinkets from Busan; a letter his parents wrote him when he felt homesick; his medals from competitions he won for both composition and combat; his astrology book, since Soonyoung knew Jihoon loved astrology (but he never found out that the only reason Jihoon even picked up the book was because Soonyoung kept raving about it back in Year 2… at least, not until today).Soonyoung looked up from the growing pile, hearing Jihoon's thoughts, and Jihoon glared at him, daring him to say something. Soonyoung only grinned, teasing, but said nothing else."I think that's enough," Jihoon interposed when Soonyoung was in the middle of another memory. It was dangerously flattering that Soonyoung knew so much about him."So we just use three from here?" Soonyoung asked, picking out random objects in the pile. "Any rules to that?"Jihoon shook his head. "The three things are arbitrary. No arrangements, no special placements. But they must be three things that would represent me as a whole.""So what? We do trial and error?""You want to kill me permanently?""What?"Jihoon huffed out a laugh, endeared at the real fear etched in Soonyoung's eyes which softened when he heard Jihoon's thoughts. "You were serious when you said wanted me to teach you in Necromancy, huh?" he asked instead."You heard that?""And a bunch of other things. Anyway, you have only three tries so choose carefully, please. I don't think I have to explain what permanently kill means."Soonyoung decided to keep quiet and took his time choosing. The guitar seemed like an obvious choice for him. He also took Jihoon's music notebook and one of the medals, and placed them all near the circle, then beckoned Jihoon to enter.Jihoon stepped inside the circle and walked towards the center, standing where the dew drop containing his body was. That's when he noticed Soonyoung making a commotion with the box, taking out weapons of all kinds from it, piling them up into a dangerous heap beside Jihoon's belongings."What are you doing?" Jihoon asked when Soonyoung unsheathed one of his favorite longswords and strapped a spear behind him."Just… you know, making sure," Soonyoung said, arranging his short ranged weapons: knives, daggers, shurikens, and a bunch of others, on the floor by their lengths and weights, then taking one of them, pairing it with the sword he held on his other hand. "This is the first time I'm doing a necromancy ritual…and, and I heard things might go bad…""You mean, you might animate me instead, summoning a rogue soul to possess my body. Or make me a zombie…"Soonyoung's chuckle was nervous that even when he was armed to the teeth, Jihoon could see him shake. "Or you know… the other one…""Or that you could accidentally summon a demon, you mean."Soonyoung gave him a smile that would have passed if he wasn't Jihoon.Jihoon glared at him.Soonyoung ignored him and walked around the circle to put the objects he chose in their proper placements, not dropping his weapons, aligning them with the glyphs and inscriptions Jisoo already made ready for them. When the last of the three objects, the notebook, touched the ground, Jihoon waited, then looked around him.Nothing happened."So…" Soonyoung wondered, looking fidgety even with his dagger and sword. "Do we wait or-"As if in answer, the cave shook with a low rumble like a giant rousing from a deep sleep. There was sudden crack accompanying a clap of thunder and a fissure split through the century-old silt and clay holding the ceiling of the cave together, and it opened to an endless expanse of darkness."It's wrong," Jihoon breathed, staring up at the fissure gaping above him.The darkness looked alive, tendrils of black smoke seeping through the crack, excitedly waiting for the life it would take next. It's the darkness that would swallow Jihoon up if they made two more mistakes. Jihoon was suddenly made aware of the implications of what being dead forever meant: the crack was both a welcome and a warning.He looked at Soonyoung who had his weapons raised and on the ready in case something came, as if he would pounce to attack whatever would come for Jihoon from the gap. But when his eyes sought Jihoon's, they were filled with so much fear.It made Jihoon weak. In all the good ways."Let's try again," he said when Soonyoung was about to speak. "We have two more tries.""Jihoon…""If Jeonghan and Jisoo hyung can do this over and over with different students they barely even know, we should be able to do this," Jihoon said firmly.That eased the quivering of Soonyoung's lips which in turn eased the dread in Jihoon's dead heart. "What? Because I'm your best friend?""I was going to say because you probably stalk the hell out of me because how else can you know all of that," Jihoon pointed to his things by the box. "But sure. You're my best friend, too."Soonyoung laughed, nervousness slowly ebbing away. "You never called me your best friend until that incident the other night."The Incident™ being, in Soonyoung's words: Soonyoung not able to take his hands off Jihoon. The night Jihoon gave him permission to kiss him. The night Jihoon kissed him back, and then kissed him again (and again) afterwards."Yeah, well," Jihoon said, floating towards where Soonyoung was standing near his belongings. "I never considered you my best friend until that night."Soonyoung kept the smile on his face, although Jihoon can tell the edges of his lips slightly thinned."It's more me, though. Pride issues and whatnot," Jihoon rambled, wanting Soonyoung's smile back to its normal thousand-watt capacity. "You know how people see this whole thing, us, as a rivalry, and you know how competitive I am in things so I took things too seriously. It's easier to compete with someone who's distant than with someone dear to me."A beat of silence."Did I just say that out loud?""Yep." Soonyoung nodded slowly, his eyes wide in disbelief.At least it worked, Jihoon thought, Soonyoung's lips tugging to a smile that's less than its usual wattage, a bit smaller, maybe unsure, but genuine. "You're a competitive monster, you know that?""That's not the first time I've been called that," Jihoon acknowledged.Soonyoung picked up Jihoon's wand from the pile, and replaced the notebook in the circle. "Maybe the music part's repetitive. Your guitar would probably represent that already. Then, the wand because you are a competitive monster."Jihoon crossed his arms, but he's more amused than anything. "I can accept that. What's the third one, then?"Soonyoung gazed at the circle for a while, contemplating before asking, curious, "What's your bet with Jeonghan-hyung about?"Before Jihoon can decide whether to tell Soonyoung right then, or try to delay, he can't lie anyway, Soonyoung spoke again."It wasn't a love potion, was it?"Jihoon stared at him."Jihoon?""No, it's not," Jihoon confirmed, his voice laced with something close to guilt. "It was poison."Soonyoung was unfazed. "So you actually agreed to Jeonghan-hyung's bet… not because you hated me?""Oh, I hated you. Hated that you're better than me in everything. Hated you enough that I wanted to kill you," Jihoon answered, words tumbling freely from him. The shock of hurt in Soonyoung's eyes prompted Jihoon to speak more which he should've known was a bad idea, really, but death was being weird to Jihoon for him to consider thinking before he speaking. "But it's more because I thought you were distracting that I can't concentrate on studying enough to beat you- aaaaaaand I keep saying things I shouldn't be saying." Jihoon closed his eyes in annoyance, but not before he saw a hint of Soonyoung suppressing another smile.When he opened his eyes, Soonyoung was nodding, as if what he said made sense, all grave and serious when he said, "I must have been so distracting if you want to kill me that bad.""Can we please bring me back to life so I can stop embarrassing myself?"Soonyoung chuckled, this time full and unreserved, the smile afterwards outshining the fear of being taken by the darkness for eternity. "I kind of like you uninhibited like this," he said."Your bet," Jihoon said, changing the topic, crossing his arms over himself defensively. "What about me making a love potion?""Jeonghan-hyung just said he asked you to make a love potion for someone you liked, and that I should help you.""And you agreed because you think I'm not capable?" Jihoon frowned, unable to stop the hurt that bled into his voice in the question."You want an honest answer?" Soonyoung asked, throwing his dagger a foot off the air, only to catch it by the hilt as it fell. Jihoon had half a mind to reprimand him to stop, but he focused on getting answers first."I think I deserve one.""I wanted to sabotage your love potion."Oh.That should have merited a million of other questions Jihoon could ask. The air was thick with tension and unacknowledged feelings from both of them, but Jihoon chose the easier route. As he always did. "You must have been so flattered that I gave you the potion, then."Soonyoung rolled his eyes, and Jihoon can almost hear him thinking As expected. "I was a safe choice. I was in the proximity, and a friend.""You already gave this a lot of thought," Jihoon noted.When Jihoon was sure he can't get anything out of Soonyoung if the lost look on Soonyoung's face counted for something, he asked, "How did you know?""How did I know what?""How did you know it wasn't love potion? When you manifested the cardinal symptoms?"Jihoon might as well enroll to another subject called Interpreting Kwon Soonyoung's Smiles because that's what he's been doing for the past hour. The smile this time was small, unsure. "I… might have done something stupid.""Nothing surprising about that."A pause."Soonyoung.""I might have…" Jihoon raised his brows to urge Soonyoung on. "Made an atypical love potion and gave some to Wonwoo…""Which was why… he liked me a few days ago?""Jeonghan-hyung told me to help you with your love potion hurdles," Soonyoung said the last part with air quotes, which looked difficult with a weapon on either hand but Soonyoung made it work. "So I had to do something about Wonwoo because he won't let anything get past him. He doesn't know I’m immune to poison, so he was doing a lovely pet's job…""Your lovely pet whom you gave a love potion. Okay. That makes sense," Jihoon hummed before turning serious. "You're stupid.""Thank you," Soonyoung grinned at him, taking that as a compliment. "I already gave him an antidote if that helps ease your suspicions about me being a bad pet owner."Jihoon blinked at him. "You…""Yes.""You made an antidote.""Yes.""And it worked?""You've met Wonwoo. What do you think?"Jihoon recalled Wonwoo's annoyance bordering anger when he met the cat. "It worked. Perfectly," Jihoon said, ignoring the glaring fact that Soonyoung was still better than him in potions brewing. "Wait- You made an antidote.""Yes." Another smile.Jihoon looked at him."Yes," Soonyoung dragged the word slowly. "I took it.""And?""You've met me. What do you think?"Jihoon stared at him, unable to decipher the ambiguity of that statement. "I think you're still the stupid competitive hamster you were when we first met."Soonyoung nodded, his cheeks bunching up. "Accurate enough.""That doesn't answer the question.""I think I have an idea on what the third item is," Soonyoung said suddenly, turning his back to Jihoon to reach for the box again."What?" Jihoon dropped from his floating so suddenly that he could swear he felt his feet thrum upon hitting solid ground."I said, I have an idea-""I heard what you said."Soonyoung turned slightly to give him an amused smile that pissed him off the most, before returning his attention to the box. "Okay."Jihoon frowned at the drop in conversation but decided not to press further. Soonyoung wasn't the only one withholding information. Jihoon still hadn't told him that he woke up in the cafeteria, and the only explanation Jihoon can think of was because that's the only place he and Soonyoung hung out in Year 3. Who would've thought that Lee Jihoon's safe place was anywhere near Kwon Soonyoung?"I can hear your thoughts, you know."Moron."I heard that, too."Jihoon sighed, walking back to his place in the middle of the necromancy circle, just to get everything over with. Then, he noticed Soonyoung still crouched by their summoning box, humming while placing back his weapons to wherever he got them.Jihoon shook his head.How was he forever endeared…Jihoon paused the thought but it was already too late.Drat.Soonyoung swooned, dropping his knives down the box one by one. "You keep thinking the sweetest things about me, Jihoonie."Jihoon should've registered that Soonyoung was teasing him, but once he started, he couldn't get himself to stop.Stars. Soonyoung was made of stars, Jihoon was sure. No one, human or otherwise, can be brilliant as Soonyoung then at that moment, brave under the pressure of darkness and death. Selfless and kind. Without any thought of himself or any other thing but to bring back one person to life."What's with these soft thoughts, Jihoon?" Soonyoung asked, finally turning fully to face Jihoon with a peculiar mix of softness and amusement in his face.Jihoon didn't even regret being honest with him that moment."Just… Thank you for doing this," he uttered, emphasizing heart and meaning in every word. "You didn't have to. You learned the protective spells, you risked asking for Jisoo-hyung's help, now you're risking your life performing a necromancy ritual for the first time…""You would do the same for me," Soonyoung said. His claim was steady, sure, that Jihoon, for all the weeks and months he'd been preaching hatred for the boy, believed what he said that moment.Had their situation switched, with Soonyoung dying instead of Jihoon, Jihoon would do the same. Hell, he would turn over darkness if they messed up the ritual, and destroy Hades to get Soonyoung back…"Alright, show off, you can stop now," Soonyoung laughed.Still, Jihoon continued, "But just not for that. Thanks for not giving up on me.""Hm?" Soonyoung stood up, one of his hands in a fist where he held the last item to complete the circle, and the other hand still on his dagger, as some form of safety blanket."You know I keep pushing you away, but you kept coming back anyway."Soonyoung tilted his head, the way he did when he was in deep thought, or maybe he was just trying to figure out how much of what Jihoon said was the truth.Which, again, made Jihoon want to elaborate. "You're annoyingly persistent even when I keep telling you I want my space to myself. I do enjoy spending time with you. I enjoyed it even when I tell you I don’t. Even when I tell you not to do it again tomorrow, I look forward to spending the next day with you. I guess I'm at fault because I just saw our friendship more as a rivalry than what it really was, and I'm grateful that you didn't hold that against me. You are my closest friend even when I don't treat that way, and you are the person, the only one in the world I can trust to resurrect me. So death is making me overshare-" Jihoon paused, taking in the cloud in Soonyoung's eyes, confusion, probably?"I'm no mindreader, Soonyoung." Jihoon shook his head. "It's already unfair that you can hear my every passing thought and I can't even hear a hint of yours."Soonyoung twirled the dagger by the hilt over the back of his hand, taking a deep breath before stepping closer to Jihoon and the empty placement where the last item should be."I told you I took the antidote," Soonyoung said. "I took it yesterday, right before I went back to your room after dance practice, before you died. I felt calmer when I did, so I thought it worked and then I thought of bragging to you and how pissed you would be when you find out that I made a brew that's better than yours-""Ha-ha, very funny.""And how cute you would've been after I tell you I've been messing with all the ones you've been making.""You what?""See? Cute."The remark threw him off so much, Jihoon can't even bark his usual I'm not cute retort, or dwell on the fact that Soonyoung sabotaged his antidotes. "I guess I wanted to prolong you being nice to me than normal." Soonyoung at least had the decency to look embarrassed, but the smile still held mischief. "But then The Incident happened-""The kiss," Jihoon corrected him, already tired of their euphemisms."The Incident," Soonyoung insisted. "Happened. And I knew I was going too far-""To be fair, I kissed you, too.""Unhelpful input."Jihoon rolled his eyes."I took the antidote the next day so I can properly apologize about the whole Incident-""The kiss.""Can you please stop interrupting me for one minute?"Jihoon clamped his mouth to prevent himself from commenting."Thank you," Soonyoung sighed. "When I went to your room, everything was back to normal. I didn't have the urge to kiss you every moment of the day anymore." Jihoon wondered if he'd be blushing fire red if he was alive then."But when you died, and you were calling my name… I watched you die, Jihoon. I watched life flicker out of your eyes like a switch. It wasn't a pretty sight." Soonyoung had his brows together, and he sounded like the whole event hurt him on a personal level.So Jihoon can't help trying to liven up the atmosphere. "Please tell me you didn't cry.""I did not.""Okay? Something worse, then.""You're annoying, have I told you that?"Jihoon grinned, glad that Soonyoung was at least not sad anymore. "Nope.""Well, you're annoying.""Is that going to be our code now?" Jihoon asked. "I kept telling you you're annoying from a while back."Soonyoung had his lips in a thin smile, and Jihoon counted that as a win. "Let's just get over this."Jihoon can't help but agree. He had only been dead for about a day, and being a little too honest was taking a toll on his soul.Soonyoung opened the fist he had been holding their whole conversation then relaxed the hand beside him. The fist wasn't hiding anything and all Soonyoung was holding now was his dagger.Jihoon blinked at him and his dagger, uncomprehending, until the circle glowed bright as if sensing close completion of the placements.Oh.Soonyoung flipped the dagger, this time with purpose, his hand not stretched to catch it anymore. It will stick, Jihoon thought. The dagger will stick in its placement on the circle. The ground below them hummed an expectant sound, and even the darkness hovering above Jihoon retracted the force it had been exerting to entice Jihoon to let go of the idea of life. The circle already deemed itself complete. Jihoon was going to be resurrected.It took him a bet with Yoon Jeonghan and dying to realize the reason why he was pushing Soonyoung away. Soonyoung, the reason why he's going to be resurrected. Soonyoung, the reason he's been working his hardest the past years. Soonyoung, the one who actually completed his circle, and completed his being.Jihoon realized that Soonyoung might not feel the same way he did. Or he hadn't realized it yet. Jisoo did say that Soonyoung had been lying to himself, and maybe he still was, but it was okay. He will satisfy himself with their friendship for now, and do their relationship properly this time. No more pushing Soonyoung away.Who knows? Jihoon would probably do better in his second life.Jihoon watched the dagger twirl on its axis as it slowly dropped, the protection spells of the necromancy circle passing judgment and permission for the last item to pass the barriers. Jihoon caught Soonyoung's eyes, and his beautiful, beautiful smile.He was forever grateful for this boy."Soonyoung. Thank-""I'm in love with you, Jihoon."The dagger landed.Silence.The silence stretched, none of them saying a word. They stared at each other for a while, both unsure what just happened, and what should happen.Soonyoung's eye twitched."Uh… I thought there was supposed to be a bright light whatever thing that would have made the whole confession dramatic-""You have to recite the incantation," Jihoon said blankly, feeling and unfeeling nothing and too much at the same time. He would have described the experience as his soul leaving his body, but he had no body at the moment, and his soul remained suspended in the air, watching Soonyoung fidget where he stood."Oh. Oh right.""Right," Jihoon repeated."This is so embarrassing," Soonyoung muttered, casting the incantation that should've appeared to him moments ago that he probably just noticed by now.This time Jihoon did laugh, watching Soonyoung glow red with the blush on his cheeks and the tips of his ears. He should lay it off on the poor boy, but he couldn't help it. Soonyoung was being too cute."I heard that," Soonyoung glared at him.Jihoon tried to steady his breath as the incantation was chanted in its final verse. "If it's any comfort," he said. "I'm in love with you, too."The incantation was done, and Jihoon didn't miss the shock and surprise on Soonyoung's face before the bright light he expected the first time engulfed Jihoon's soul and then entirety of the cave.Next thing Jihoon knew, he was holding a wand trained on Soonyoung's neck.Soonyoung raised both his hands in surprise, but Jihoon recognized the coil in his muscle in the way he held himself back."Kwon Soonyoung," Jihoon announced. "I challenge you to a duel.""Really?" Soonyoung didn't sound impressed. "You do know you're holding a broken wand."Jihoon blinked, glancing at the wand before returning his attention to Soonyoung. The split-second of hesitation was the only encouragement Soonyoung needed.The wand flew off Jihoon's hand, and his next breath had been taken away by the softest pair of lips he ever tasted.The kiss was more forward than The Incident, more sure now that Soonyoung had admitted his feelings out loud, without the clouds of potions and poisons and doubts and hesitation that both of them experienced. Still, it was soft and careful, almost like Soonyoung thought Jihoon would disappear like a dream.When Soonyoung pulled away, he pressed himself further into Jihoon that Jihoon had to carry his weight. Soonyoung rested his forehead on his shoulder, and Jihoon could hear his breaths coming rough and ragged, and he was sure that was not because of the kiss.His hands came instinctively to Soonyoung's nape and back to wrap him in what he can manage as an embrace with Soonyoung still limp on him."Hey," Jihoon murmured. "I guess I worried you too much, huh?""Please don't pull a stunt like that again," Soonyoung breathed onto Jihoon's robe, but he could very well had the words imprinted on Jihoon's bare skin with how he mouthed them. "I thought I would lose you."Soonyoung raised himself, but not too much that Jihoon still can't see his eyes, and Soonyoung's breath fanned on his cheeks, warming his whole body."You're warm," Jihoon muttered, his fingers still playing with the hair on back of Soonyoung's neck."Jihoon.""Yeah?""Promise me."Jihoon laughed. "So soft for me, Soonyoung.""Did I have to repeat myself?" Soonyoung asked."Hm?""I said I love you."Bright. The cave glowed bright akin to a spirit transforming to its physical counterpart. None of that happened real time but the bright boy in front of Jihoon held universes in his eyes that darkness had no room wherever he went.It's a shame Soonyoung can't hear his thoughts now, Jihoon thought. But at least, he was already brave enough to say them out loud."And I said I love you back."Soonyoung breathed a curse, holding Jihoon's face in his hands. "Is any of this real?"Jihoon rolled his eyes, pushing Soonyoung away, but Soonyoung ducked and held him, wrapping him in a loose embrace that Jihoon could escape if he wanted to."I can't live being this soft all the time, Soonyoung," Jihoon complained, but his arms go around Soonyoung anyway. "Jeonghan and Jisoo-hyung are going to freak when they-""When they find out?" Soonyoung finished for him, unburrowing himself from his safe place in Jihoon's neck. Jihoon would make a whole song about the brightness of he who was in front of him some other time. His mind was suddenly buzzing with too much information."I get it now… Those two… They played us!""OW!" Soonyoung flinched when Jihoon slapped his arm in excitement. "I mean, yeah, I sorta got that already. I don't die from your poison so you lose. No one's getting a love potion so I lose. Jeonghan-hyung both kill us, get honest… wait, they wanted us to confess to each other?""There's always more to this story," Jihoon whispered conspiratorially. "You're in this or not?""I feel like the better question I should be asking right now is 'Will you be my boyfriend', but maybe that can wait…?"Jihoon heard Soonyoung sigh when he didn't answer, but an idea already planted itself on his head, so he couldn't really hear anything else. "Jihoon, your competitive streak is showing…" Jeonghan was smiling too sweetly for comfort when he, Jisoo and Seungcheol joined Jihoon and Soonyoung in the cafeteria for dinner that evening."Soonyoung pulled off a necromancy ritual by himself!" Jeonghan squealed as he sat down. "That's really great for a first time.""Almost got it wrong," Soonyoung said as he pulled his chair closer to Jihoon to make room for the other three. Jisoo still had his amused smile, looking between Soonyoung and Jihoon, and Seungcheol looked like he was serving babysitter for his two boyfriends."Still, good job," Jisoo said. "Jihoon helped a lot, I'm guessing, but good job to the both of you.""So," Jeonghan started, and Jihoon knew it was going to be the beginning of a long interrogation. "What happened?""I wanted to ask you the same thing," Jihoon drawled as politely as he can, picking on the sandwich in front of him. "What's up with making bets with the two of us that are related but starkingly different? Hm?""If we're going to be really honest here," Jeonghan said, grabbing for Jihoon's sandwich which the younger magus pulled back to protect from Jeonghan's hands. Jeonghan managed to cut a small piece which he munched on as he spoke. "The plan really didn't work. Somehow, Soonyoung reacted differently to the poison Jihoon gave him…""Right, that's what Wonwoo said as well. Maybe it has something to do with being immune to poison," Soonyoung agreed.The trick with lying in the face of a faerie was to tell the truth tweaked in the best kind of package. Add in Maybes and Probablys in the sentence and it wouldn't be counted as a lie at all. Or reference the person who said the exact sentence.Jihoon hid his grin behind the glass of juice.The truth was barely any of it. They found out Soonyoung was allergic to mermaid tears which made him red and see a few hallucinations that they thought were manifestations of the love potion. And him being in love with Jihoon? Well, he had been in love with Jihoon. Always had been. So when he drank it which he thought was a love potion, he thought it worked when it didn't do anything to his system at all.Soonyoung was an idiot, at least that's what everyone on the table can agree with."So what happened when I left the two of you in the cave?" Jisoo asked."Well, we got the items wrong the first try," Jihoon said, biting on his sandwich as he spoke. "Soonyoung forgot to recite the incantation the second one, but then everything went smoothly after.""Nothing else happened?" Jeonghan pressed.Seungcheol looked like he just wanted to disappear into oblivion with how the two were acting.Soonyoung blinked. "What else should've happened?"Trick number 2: Ask a question back when you get asked."Are you two not… dating yet?" Jisoo asked.Jihoon did his best to give the two his surprised face then revert to an annoyed glare. "Was that part of your great plan? Was this the bets all about?"There was a sound of crashing glass, and in the middle of the table, a small hourglass ticked its last before exploding into a tiny million pieces of itself and disappearing."Alright time's up!" Seungcheol groaned. "Finally!"Both Jeonghan and Jisoo slumped back on their chairs."What? Did you two bet on something else again?" Jihoon asked, finishing the last bit of his sandwich."They bet you and Soonyoung would start dating after their whole shenanigan," Seungcheol explained with a smile on his face. "First time none of them won, too."The two younger magi did their best impression of confusion, shock and disappointment."Jeonghan bet Jihoon will ask Soonyoung out. Jisoo bet Soonyoung will ask you out," Seungcheol elaborated further. "Sorry they had to meddle with you lives, boys."Soonyoung was shaking his head to disagree with Seungcheol, but Jihoon could see the tips of ears getting red. They should have made a potion to mask Soonyoung's reactions. At least everyone else was too distracted to notice."This shouldn't have happened," Jeonghan muttered, his eyes blank."All the adjustments we did," Jisoo seconded."I don't want to hear any of this." Jihoon stood up. "I'm leaving. That's a good night to you, hyung-deul."Seungcheol gave him a salute.He turned to Soonyoung, who looked right up at him. And his breath was taken away.He felt dead again, but only because he felt himself floating off the ground, up, up, up. His soul being swept away by the wind and Soonyoung's soft gaze.Soonyoung stared at him with a bit of urgency, nodding slightly to remind Jihoon their original plan. Which was to just ask Soonyoung to go with him so they can leave together.Except Soonyoung brought the spontaneous out of Jihoon.And his lips looked really tempting.Which explained why he leaned down to kiss Soonyoung right in front of the three people they had been trying to fool in the first place.Jeonghan and Jisoo should be saying something, complaints probably that they had been fooled, or that their plans actually worked, and Seungcheol must have been calming them down, but Jihoon really couldn't hear anything besides the pounding of his own heart loud in his ears. Something he missed from when he was dead. Especially because Soonyoung usually caused it.When he pulled back, he could feel a smile split his face, and he saw Soonyoung mirroring him.The background noise of the three senior magi broke their trance, but before Jihoon could answer any question directed at them, Soonyoung took the hand framing his face, before standing up and pulling Jihoon to a run."Does this mean you're my boyfriend now?" Soonyoung asked in between breaths as they rounded corners until they reached outside the building.Jihoon laughed. Soonyoung smiled and looked back at him.He had never been so glad to be alive.