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Doyoung was twenty-two when he saw the Glowing Boy for the first time that day, at the first day of the second month of the year.Doyoung went to the Sun Shrine that morning to burn the incense, like what he always did every morning as the grandson of the Sun God’s High-Priest. But that morning, he didn’t manage to do his obligation. After the second step he took passed the Sun Shrine’s gate, to the shrine’s garden, what Doyoung saw stopped all of his movements.It was the glowing boy who walked in light steps around the pond’s stepping stones, at the middle of the shrine’s garden. The glowing boy’s head hung down so he could watch his own steps, so he didn’t have to slipped and fall into the pond, nor didn’t he have to trip and fall to the garden’s grass. His blonde locks glowed, and somewhat looked more gold-like under the morning sun’s ray of light.Doyoung saw him hopped in small steps, following the song he hummed. There were gold lines at every edges of his all-white dress. A kimono and a hakama, Doyoung thought, as what his knowledge reminded him about the information from books he had read. The long-wide sleeve edges reached to half of his fingers, making him looked small. Jingling sounds that were heard every time the glowing boy hopped came from the anklet’s tiny bells around his right ankle.The boy was really glowing under the sun.What happened next froze Doyoung more to the ground as the glowing boy squealed when he saw a white rabbit hopped toward him. The glowing boy bent down to touch the long-eared animal. He almost reached it if only the white rabbit didn’t hop away from him.The glowing boy didn’t give up. He still had that glee on his bright face as he followed the rabbit. Until one moment, the glowing boy stopped his step. Doyoung blinked, and found that the glowing boy didn’t follow the white rabbit anymore for his gaze fell onto Doyoung. Doyoung saw how the glowing boy’s eyes got bigger when they locked to Doyoung’s ones, saw how the smile slowly disappeared from the bright face, and how it was replaced with a deep blush on his cheeks.Doing the first thing his mind told him, Doyoung raised his right hand, slowly waved at the glowing boy, and greeted him hesitatingly, “H… hi?”Doyoung gasped as the glowing boy startled before he turned his back on Doyoung. The glowing boy hopped, and suddenly, the sun’s light got brighter, making Doyoung had to use both of his hands to cover his sight from the blinding light.A moment later, Doyoung opened his eyes. The sun’s light intensity already returned to normal, and Doyoung lowered his hands. He looked around him, to any place his sight could reach all over the Sun Shrine’s garden and…The glowing boy was nowhere to be found…Ignoring his duty to burn the incense at the Sun Shrine that morning, Doyoung ran back home. He ran as fast as he could until he reached his house. He hurriedly opened the front door, and searched for his grandfather. Finding him in the kitchen, Doyoung didn’t even catch his breath as he started to talk, telling everything he saw at the Sun Shrine’s garden.Listening to every detail Doyoung told him, his grandfather chuckled and patted Doyoung’s head. “You’re lucky,” he said. “When the Sun Faerie let himself be seen, then consider your own self as lucky, my Child.”So, instead of a ‘glowing boy’, what Doyoung saw was… “The Sun… Faerie…?”His grandfather nodded. “Unlike the other faeries, Sun Faeries are rare. Not for the amount, but for the emergence. The one you saw earlier might be very shy if he disappeared just because he saw you saw him.” Doyoung blinked at that. “That’s why you saw him around the Sun Shrine, around his… ‘Home’, a place where he might felt comfortable the most.” His grandfather smiled. “He let himself be seen only to you.”“He let me see him, but he ran away after he knew I saw him?” Doyoung tried to comprehend the information he had just received.“Remember?” His grandfather touched Doyoung’s forehead lightly with his forefinger. “He’s very shy.”
+*+
Doyoung and the other Sun Tribe lived at the village that was positioned at the plateau. The other tribe called it ‘the village closest to the sun’. Doyoung monthly went to the other villages to buy or to sell things for living. All the while, he made friends with the villagers he visited. Like at the mountain slope, there’s Youngho from the Gaia Village who’s befriending an Earth Elf called Taeil.Doyoung several times listened to Taeil’s singing to the children at the village. Taeil’s voice helped the villagers to crop, and calming the earth when the earth tremor.From Gaia Village, Doyoung went far to the south. He went to the beach, where the Marine Village was always busy for the sea. Doyoung was about to sell the vegetables from his village, and to buy fishes when he saw Ten, the Ocean Faerie – or the ‘merman’ as they called him for his tail – jumped out of the sea, and dive back in with purposely splashed water toward a guy named Kun.“Ten!!” Kun yelled. “If only you don’t have THAT beautiful face on you, I might put you in a tube, you merman!”“Oh, I’ll wait for it!” Ten challenged him after his head emerged from the sea surface. “As if the village people won’t beat you down if you do that! Moreover, you had to swim as fast as I can to be able to catch me, Kun!” Ten laughed as he dived back into the sea, not without hitting his tail to the sea surface, and splashes the water to Kun, again.“TEN!!” Kun yelled again. Caught another sound from behind him, Kun turned around and yelled, again, “Stop laughing, Doyoung!!”At the other occasion, Doyoung went with his grandfather with their horse-drawn cart to the other side of the land, to another mountain, or a volcano to be exact. They needed one day to reach the place. But once they arrived, Doyoung’s grandfather would always pay a visit to the priest in the Flame Village, and Doyoung would pay a visit to a friend called Jaehyun.Jaehyun’s befriending a Fire Faerie called Taeyong. The red haired Fire Faerie always made sure that the lava inside the volcano would always rumbling at the right volume; won’t be too big to flowed out the crater, and won’t be too small to make the village turn cold.Taeyong became the villagers’ favourite when it came to a festival. Doyoung saw it once, when the villagers stood in a large circle around a large fireplace, they clapped to an upbeat song. Jaehyun and the other youngsters would dance on the ground, while Taeyong floated, danced above the fireplace, with tiny firecrackers popped around him at the night sky.The other uniqueness Doyoung found was in the Cave Village. The ‘cave’ name came not without reason. The ‘villagers’ lived in caves, had meetings in a larger cave, and work inside the ‘working cave’. As someone who came from village with much vividness around him, Doyoung needed to adjust his sight more to the minimum amount of light in the village.In that village, Doyoung talked mostly with a boy named Renjun. The boy might be four years younger than Doyoung, but even he could make Ten’s behaviour looked like a five-year old kid in Doyoung’s point of view.When Doyoung came to pay Renjun a visit in his cave that day, two pairs of eyes that glowed inside the cave shocked Doyoung. Doyoung ran out from the cave, and the two-pairs of eyes followed him. Only then he found out that a pair of eyes belonged to Renjun, and the other belonged to Winwin, the Shadow Sprite.Doyoung gripped his shirt in front of his chest, trying hard to calm himself down. Doyoung met them several times already but still couldn’t get used to the way Winwin floated behind Renjun.Winwin rarely smiled. But the way he acted around Doyoung somewhat very calming. Every time Doyoung ended his visit at Renjun’s cave, Winwin would always give Doyoung a tiny colourful stone he got from deep inside the mining cave. “A souvenir…” Winwin said with his calm deep voice.Some times in between his trip with his grandfather, they would take their two horses to one of their favourite villages. Doyoung paid attention to things around him, including his horses. They would always get much calmer every time Doyoung and his grandfather took a rest for the night at the Fauna Village.“Do! Young!” Jaemin greeted Doyoung’s horses as he ran toward the stallions and hugged them one by one. Yes, Jaemin had – arbitrarily – named Doyoung’s horses by... Doyoung’s name. “Your grandfather visits my uncle at the Shrine as usual?” Jaemin asked, and Doyoung nodded. “Good! Let’s take your horses to the lake. Jeno might be around there too. He’ll be so happy if he knows you here.”“What is he today?” Doyoung asked as he took a hold of one of his horse’s reins, while Jaemin took the other one. “The last time I visited this village, he bid me goodbye with a pair of fox ears on his head and his thick tail around your waist.”Jaemin swatted Doyoung’s arm by that information – with a blush on his face. “This morning he almost gave me a heart-attack when he suddenly appear from the ground with his claws bigger than his head,” Jaemin explained that made Doyoung turned his head too fast for his neck’s liking for he had to make sure that he didn’t hear it wrong. “Then I knew what is he when I saw a mole crawled beside him.” Jaemin covered his face and sighed. “Gods, I don’t know how I found it cute…”“Oh…” Doyoung responded shortly after several seconds trying to comprehend Jaemin’s explanation.As if to prove Jaemin’s story, a pile of soil appeared on the ground in front of them, making them – and Doyoung’s horses – stopped in their track. The top of the pile cracked open. From inside the pile, two moles crawled out and were followed by a man’s hand with large claws.“Hi, there, Hyung!” Jeno greeted, from inside the pile, as he waved his large claws toward Doyoung, before he could even came completely out from the pile.Doyoung and Jaemin exchanged glances, and sighed. Another uniqueness Doyoung found from a Beast Elf.After spending the night in the Fauna Village, Doyoung and his grandfather would continue their trip to the next stop. Two hours from their previous stop, Doyoung visited Mark in the Flora Village. The dominant colour in the village change depended on what flowers that bloomed in their own certain seasons. That moment, Transvaal Daisy flowers greeted Doyoung even before he and his grandfather reached the village’s front gate.“Hi, Hyung!” Haechan, the Flower Faerie welcomed him when Doyoung was talking to Mark that time. “Is Transvaal Daisy okay for the Sun Shrine this month?” he asked.“I don’t think the Sun God would mind it,” Doyoung answered with a smile and a nod.Done with their trade in the Flora Village, Doyoung and his grandfather headed to the other village that was positioned between a forest and river. The village was located between the upland and the lowland, and was situated between the lines of citrus trees and the raspberry vines. The village was…“Here we come to the most peculiar village on earth,” Doyoung mumbled to himself every time he compared the said village with the other ones.If the Flora Village got its dominant colour from the seasonal blooming flowers, then this Hue Village got its colourful colours from… everything. There won’t be similar colour for the houses’ roofs and the other structures. There even three colours minimum in each cloth if Doyoung paid more attention to the villagers’ clothes.And if you saw some thing similar to colourful ribbons floated in the air, it’s Chenle, the Tint Faerie.Chenle would float around, and almost always crashed himself to Jisung. For a moment Jisung would be so colourful – as if he just dived in a colourful paint – until Chenle pulled back the colours from Jisung’s wet hair, and clothes, cleaned it all from Jisung’s body. And both of them would run around the village, chasing one another.Doyoung always searched for new tablecloth in Hue Village for its best quality. Jisung protested the boring white colour Doyoung chose. He only stopped complaining Doyoung’s taste after Chenle told him that Doyoung was going to put the tablecloth for the altar in the Sun Shrine. With that, Jisung’s face got bright up as he told his mother to twine gold thread at every edges of the tablecloth.“Jisung’s right. Don’t you think a glimpse of gold thread on a white clothe like that would suits Sun Faerie very much?” Chenle commented with a giggle that made Doyoung’s face turned into many shade of red.After they’re done with their deal in the Hue Village, before they got back home to their own Sun Village, Doyoung and his grandfather would always went to the other side of the mountain, and stopped at the last village.The Breeze Village was sited at the middle height of the mountain, an hour distance below the Sun Village. Again, his grandfather would leave Doyoung for his meeting with the high-priest in the village, and Doyoung would meet his best friend.“Damn it!” Yukhei cursed, after Doyoung caught the fruit Yukhei threw at Doyoung’s head. “Ah, Dongs, you’re no fun!”“It’s ‘hyung’ to you, Yukhei.” Doyoung chuckled before he took a bite of the fruit in his hand. “Moreover, the same technique won’t work twice.”“And how many times I told you it’s dangerous, Yukhei darling?”The voice was heard like an echo among the pine trees around the Breeze Village. Two years ago, the first time Doyoung heard the voice; it sent Goosebumps to Doyoung’s whole body. But after Doyoung saw who the voice belonged to, Doyoung gradually got used to the Mist Faerie’s existence around him.He came like a smoke toward Yukhei. Doyoung could only see his figure if Jungwoo, the Mist Faerie, made a move; like when he caressed Yukhei’s hair, or like when he place a light kiss on Doyoung’s forehead just now – that was followed by a protest from Yukhei.“How’re you?”“Good as always, Jungwoo,” Doyoung answered. “I see that you and Yukhei are good too.”“Of course,” Jungwoo nodded between the fogs. “But, let me change the question then… how’re you, Doyoung? I mean you and the Sun Faerie?”With the question, Doyoung fell silent. It’s already two months after his first encounter with the Sun Faerie. “He’s… beautiful… as always… I guess.”Jungwoo chuckled. “I’m not asking things I’ve already knew, Doyoung.”“You… know the Sun Faerie?” Doyoung blinked.Jungwoo nodded. “You know? We, the faeries, elves, sprites, pixies… are all connected. So, yes, I know your Sun Faerie.”
YOUR Sun Faerie…
“Then you should know his condition better than I do know.”That time, Jungwoo shook his head. “Knowing him doesn’t mean we often meet, Doyoung.” The Mist Faerie floated around Doyoung. “I thought your grandfather acknowledged you already that the Sun Faerie is…”“…very shy. Yes. He told me that,” Doyoung finished Jungwoo’s words, as he nodded and lowered his gaze.Jungwoo touched Doyoung’s chin and slowly made Doyoung looked upward, looked back at Jungwoo’s face among the fogs. “I was only curious. But from your words, I can conclude that he hasn’t changed much.” Jungwoo smiled. “Be patient, okay? If he sees you as a good person, he’ll appear again before you. If he doesn’t, then you know you don’t have to wait for him anymore.”Doyoung cluck his tongue. “When can I decide that it’s the right time for me to stop waiting?” Doyoung saw Jungwoo shrugged. “See?” Doyoung raised both of his hands, showing a gesture he was giving up. “It excited me when I found out that I was good enough that he appear in front of me back then. But I don’t really know which part of me that’s good in his eyes, and which part of me he might dislike.”“Oh, no. Don’t hide it from him. Don’t act yourself up. Be yourself, and let him know you.” Jungwoo smiled. “I know it’s not pretty fair when we both know that he won’t let you know him more than you do now, isn’t it?” Jungwoo said that immediately Doyoung answered with a fast nod. “The choices are in your hand, Doyoung. Whether you want to see him again or not.”“WANT,” Doyoung answer fast.The smile on Jungwoo’s face got wider. “Then I think I know what will you going to do after this.”After Jungwoo pulled his hand away from Doyoung’s face, Doyoung lowered his gaze again, closed his eyes, and exhaled a long sigh. “I don’t even know his name yet…”
+*+
That night, five months after Doyoung first encounter with the Sun Faerie, Doyoung hadn’t seen him again. Doyoung lay on his back on his bed, and stared his room’s ceiling. He chuckled bitterly. “Why was it so easy to meet, to see, to talk, to interact with the other faeries, elves and sprite, but it’s so difficult to see my own tribe’s one?” Doyoung whispered to himself.His grandfather and the other faeries were not lying when they told him about the Sun Faerie’s acute shyness. “It’s pretty… weird,” Doyoung sighed. You can see the sun wherever you stood from it rose in the morning until it set in the evening. But you can even find a Shadow Sprite like Winwin in the darkest part of the cave faster – and easier – than finding the Sun Faerie in a broad daylight. Once again Doyoung sighed, “If he really wants to meet, we’ll meet…”With that thought, Doyoung closed his eyes and fell asleep.
+*+
Doyoung decided to learn then. Not much he got after all this time, be he’s doing it nonetheless. Seven months passed after his first encounter with the Sun Faerie. Though not much information he got about the sun Faerie, he kept learning anyway.“I’m not going to surprise him again,” Doyoung said to himself. “That was why the Sun Faerie turned away and ran, disappeared into the sunlight, wasn’t it? He was scared when he saw me, wasn’t he? He was pretty comfortable by himself when he’s humming his song… when he’s hopping—no, he was dancing that time, wasn’t he? He’s pretty comfortable when he was doing all of that, including when he was playing with the white rabbit—”
Ah…
Doyoung took a piece of paper, an ink, and started to write what the Sun Faerie liked and disliked from his opinion. “Don’t… scare… him…” Doyoung whispered as he wrote down the word on the paper, under the term ‘Dislike’. Doyoung then wrote ‘humming a song’, ‘dance’, and ‘rabbit’ under the word ‘Like’.After that, Doyoung chose to hide every time he saw the Sun Faerie appeared around the Sun Shrine. Doyoung saw the Sun Faerie looked around him, as if he was making sure that there’s nobody around. But that time, from his hiding spot, Doyoung saw the Sun Faerie’s head hung low, and he sighed. Doyoung frowned. He looked sad. Or…Disappointed?But his face got brighter when he saw the white rabbit hopped out of the bush toward his feet. The Sun Faeire hopped in glee, making the tiny bells around his anklet jingled.What he did after that froze Doyoung again in his hidings. The Sun Faerie lowered himself before he was completely lying flat on his stomach in front of the white rabbit. The Sun Faerie closed the distance between his face and the rabbit’s. “Tickles!” he squealed when the white rabbit touched its nose to the Sun Faeries’ nose.Doyoung forgot how to breathe.The sunlight seemed so bright that day.
+*+
Ten months after Doyoung first encounter with the Sun Faerie, and three months after Doyoung had started his observation, he went for his usual monthly trip with his grandfather. Whenever his friends asked him about the Sun Faerie, Doyoung would always change the topic to something else. But right now, he couldn’t just dodge the topic, and so he answered their questions about his current situation with the certain Sun Faerie.He got many responses.Ten the Ocean Faerie, Jaemin and Jeno at the Fauna Village, and Haechan the Flower Faerie laughed at him after they found out that Doyoung couldn’t even say anything after the “Hi?” that he managed to say at their very first encounter.Winwin and Renjun at the Cave Village, Jungwoo the Mist Faerie, and Jaehyun at the Flame Village patted his shoulder, or back, or head (for Jungwoo), when Doyoung said that he couldn’t even get near the Sun Faerie closer than the Sun Shrine’s garden width.Kun at the Marine Village, Yukhei at the Breeze Village, Youngho at the Gaia Village, and Taeyong the Fire Faerie swatted Doyoung’s shoulder, smacked his head, or punched his arm when Doyoung dare to tell them, “I ran away when I saw him saw me,” and followed by, “THAT HURTS!!”“When will he appear again?”To that question, Doyoung lowered his gaze and slowly shook his head. Chenle and Jisung at the Hue Village, Taeil the Earth Elf, and Mark at the Flora Village frowned at the answer Doyoung gave them. “You mean… you don’t know?” And to that question, Doyoung’s head hung even lower and covered his face with both of his hands. “Oh, Dear…” they commented in each of their village.
+*+
Returning to his home in Sun Village, after learning from his friends’ responses, Doyoung was really going to make sure of two things: The Sun Faerie emergence pattern, and his name. At least. With the determination, Doyoung resolved that after this, he’s not going to hide anymore. He was going to face the Sun Faerie, and – finally – talk.Found out that Doyoung didn’t have to wait any longer to do what he ought to do. That morning, suddenly Doyoung stopped his step again after he entered the Sun Shrine’s garden. He had to cover his eyes when the sunlight got too bright. A moment later, Doyoung opened his eyes while his hands still covering his eyes, to check that the sunlight already returned to its normal intensity. Doyoung lowered his hands, and there he saw him standing there, far in front of him...The Sun Faerie.At the same time, they looked at each other’s eyes. Doyoung gazed at him, and the Sun Faerie stared back with wide eyes, and blush on his cheeks. Was he always blushing?The Sun Faerie gasped, and Doyoung held his breath. When the Sun Faerie turned around fast, Doyoung blinked and he took action based on his instinct. ”No, w… wait! Please!” he called.It worked. The Sun Faerie stopped moving. At least, this time, he didn’t just jumped back into the blinding sunlight again and disappeared.“I… I’m Doyoung,” Doyoung introduced himself, even when the Sun Faerie hadn’t turned to face Doyoung again. “Can… can I… know… your name?” Doyoung asked.Slowly, the Sun Faerie turned around to face Doyoung. Doyoung could see the blush still lingered on his cheeks. The Sun Faerie held both of his hands close to his chest. That time, he looked so vulnerable in Doyoung’s opinion. Slowly he took a glance at Doyoung. As he caught Doyoung’s eyes were right staring at him, he shifted his glance away from Doyoung again.“My name…” he said almost like whisper. His voice was so soft. If only not for the tranquillity around the Sun Shrine’s garden that moment, Doyoung might couldn’t hear the Sun Faerie’s voice at all.“Yes…?” Doyoung assured him to go on.“My name is… Yu—”“Doyoung! You forgot about your breakfast, Child!”His grandfather’s voice from afar startled the Sun Faerie. He looked at Doyoung with his big wide round eyes again before he turned around. “No, wait!” Doyoung called right before the sunlight got brighter again. Doyoung covered his eyes, and the Sun Faerie disappeared again. Grumbling, Doyoung turned around to where his grandfather walked closer. “Grandpa, bad timing!” he protested, annoyed.“Oh? You’re having a date with the Sun Faerie?”“GRANDPAAA!!”
+*+
That day was exactly one year after Doyoun’g first encounter with the Sun Faerie named ‘Yu’, and five months after Doyoung started his observation, when Doyoung just got back from the Marine Village. The sun was already not as bright as it was starting to set.Doyoung was about to renew the incense stock in the Sun Shrine when he saw the Sun Faerie hopped around the pond with the exact same song. Doyoung stopped his steps and observed him from afar. Doyoung found it unusual for the Sun Faerie to appear at these hours. What is he doing—“What took him so long…?” the Sun Faerie murmured to himself.Doyoung blinked. Him? Who?As Doyoung’s mind was still contemplating about the Sun Faeries question, a rustling sound was heard from the forest direction at the back of the Sun Shrine. The Sun Faerie turned his head, and Doyoung’s gaze followed the direction. Both of them saw the same object: the white rabbit hopped into the forest.“Ah…” The Sun Faerie gasped before he jogged into the forest, following the white rabbit.Doyoung blinked. The dense forest won’t do any good to the Sun Faerie. It wasn’t so dark while there’s still sunlight, but the sunlight that shone among the leaves and branches won’t be enough to become the ‘door’ for the faerie if he needed to go home. Doyoung put his stuff at the shrine’s stair before he ran after the Sun Faerie. He followed the jingling sound that was coming from the Sun Faerie’s tiny bells on his right ankle.In the middle of the forest, Doyoung saw the Sun Faerie glowing among the shadow of the shady trees. He really loves the white rabbit, doesn’t he…? Doyoung thought as he saw the Sun Faerie walked carefully deeper into the forest, with his gaze directed to the ground around him.Doyoung heard the rustling sound again, and this time, it came from near him. Doyoung turned his head to his right, and found the white rabbit hopped out from between bushes near his feet. Doyoung fell silent for a moment before he bent down and reached for the white rabbit. Doyoung took the white rabbit safe in his arms before he stood back up, and returned his entire attention to the Sun Faerie.He almost called the Sun Faerie but stopped himself. Using a different approach to make the Sun Faerie realizing his existence, Doyoung stepped on a dry twig. The broken twig sound made the Sun Faerie turned around to Doyoung’s direction. He gasped. He turned away from Doyoung again but he yelped. Looking around him with wide eyes and a frown, he found that there’s not enough sunlight for him to hop in. He couldn’t go anywhere, he couldn’t escape.Of course he wants to disappear again… Doyoung sighed. “Excuse me,” Doyoung called, making the Sun Faerie turned his head toward Doyoung. “Are you looking for… him?” Doyoung asked as he showed the white rabbit in his arms.The Sun Faerie’s face got brighter when he saw the white rabbit. But the smile on his face disappeared again as fast as it appeared when he saw the white rabbit was in Doyoung’s hold.“Oh. Right.” Doyoung slowly knelt and let the white rabbit hopped off his arms. The white rabbit hopped toward the Sun Faerie and right at that moment, the glee returned to the Sun Faerie’s face. The Sun Faerie lowered himself and caught the white rabbit in his arms.“Yuu?” Doyoung called, and the Sun Faerie – with the white rabbit in his arms – turned his head and looked at Doyoung. “That’s… you name, right?” Doyoung asked that made the Sun Faerie frowned as he tilted his head. “I… I want to apologize when my grandpa suddenly called and his voice scared you that time.”“Oh…” he said with his soft voice before he nodded. He shifted his gaze away from Doyoung as he said, “Yu… ta.”“What…?” Doyoung blinked.“That’s… my name…” said the Sun Faerie. “Yuta…”“Oh!” A wide smile appeared on Doyoung face as he nodded. “Ok, then. Yuta,” Doyoung called, and a blush appeared again on the Sun Faeries’ cheeks.“I’m sorry too…” said the Sun Faerie suddenly.“For what?” That time, Doyoung was the one who tilted his head.“For always… running away from you…”Doyoung blinked before he smiled. “Well, I have to thank this forest then? I guess? For keeping you from running away from me again?”“It’s… it’s my father’s fault…!” He raised his voice a little suddenly, but still not loud enough for Doyoung’s opinion. And by ‘father’ he meant was the Sun God. “He… he always told me that you were sad…! That’s… that’s why I always came here to… to…” He suddenly changed his words. “And then I… I always saw you walking around the shrine… with not… a very… sad face…!” He bit his lip.“You… don’t like me being… not sad?” Doyoung frowned, confused.“No, it’s not that…!” Yuta hung his head low. “I… I was worried…”“You were… worried… because you thought I was sad?” Doyoung tried to confirm. The blush on Yuta’s cheeks got even redder. Then the realization hit Doyoung. “You’re actually… waiting for me? All of this time? At the shrine’s garden?” Doyoung’s question startled Yuta and made him hid his face behind the white rabbit in his arms. Doyoung smiled. “I’m sorry then. Again.”“What… what for?” Yuta asked, with his face still hidden behind the white rabbit.“For making you wait this long,” Doyoung answered as he walked closer to the Sun Faerie. “I’m sorry for making you wait this late.” Doyoung stopped at about two steps in front of Yuta and saw that Yuta’s height only reached his nose. “Yuta?” Doyoung called him.“Y… yes?” Yuta was startled – again – when he heard Doyoung’s voice was much closer than before. The blush on his face was getting even more contrast if that’s even possible.“I want to know more about you… if you let me…”“What…? I…” Right before Yuta could answer, Yuta looked around him.The shadow in the forest was getting more opaque from before. Yuta looked at every ray of sunlight that slipped through among the leaves and branches. The sun was setting and it was almost evening. If he’s any longer inside the forest, he won’t be able to get…“Do you want to go home?” Doyoung asked as he took one step closer toward the Sun Faerie. Yuta was hesitated, but after several seconds, he nodded. Doyoung then extended his hand toward Yuta and said, “I’ll take you out from the forest, to the sunlight, so you can go home.”Yuta gazed at Doyoung’s face before he looked at the hand that was extended to him. Slowly, Yuta shifted the white rabbit in his arm, and held it safe in his left arm. Then the Sun Faerie extended his right hand toward Doyoung extended one. When he almost touched Doyoung’s hand, he pulled back a little. Yuta bit his lip. But as the shadow around him was getting thicker, Yuta extended his hand again, and this time, he touched Doyoung hand.It caught Doyoung off guard. So warm… Doyoung thought. I’m currently holding the sun’s tiny fragment in my hand… Doyoung stare at Yuta’s eyes and smiled, keeping his hand safe in his hold. Pulling him softly, Doyoung gave sign to Yuta to follow him.“But…” Yuta started to talk as they walked. “My father… he’s not lying… about one thing…”“And what is that?” Doyoung turned his head to his counterpart.“My father said…” Yuta giggled, and for a moment, Doyoung forgot how to breathe. The Sun Faerie always looked brighter when he smiled, or even more when he giggled like this. “You look like a rabbit. Cute…”Doyoung opened his mouth and was about to protest. But when he saw the giggle and the blush on Yuta’s face, what was actually Doyoung going to protest about? He likes rabbit. He thought that I look like a rabbit. That means he likes—That moment, Doyoung felt his cheeks got warmer than its normal temperature.“Ah?” Yuta gasped suddenly, and Doyoung blinked. He saw Yuta looked something in front of them and Yuta’s eyes looked so sparkling that time. Doyoung followed his gaze direction, and before he realized it, Yuta let go of his hand, and jogged passed Doyoung.Doyoung saw Yuta stopped at the forest entrance. The bright smile Doyoung saw on Yuta’s face that moment amazed him even more. The sun hadn’t completely set. Yuta could still go home with the current amount of sunlight. And…He’s going to leave Doyoung again…Doyoung saw Yuta knelt on the ground, and slowly, he let the white rabbit hopped off his embrace. Doyoung stared at Yuta who was watching the white rabbit hopped away, maybe returned to his home, meeting back with his family, same thing with the one that Yuta would do after this.But even after the white rabbit disappeared from their visibility range, Yuta was still in his kneeling position. Then Doyoung saw him pulled off one of the bells from the anklet around his right ankle. There Yuta stood, and walked toward Doyoung. “Thank you…” Yuta said as he extended his hand, with the tiny bell on his palm. “For helping me return to the sunlight… and for trying so hard not to scare me… and for not giving up on me...”Doyoung saw the tiny bell on Yuta’s palm that was extended toward him. “That’s… for me?” Doyoung asked. Smiling, Yuta nodded. Doyoung slowly extended his hand, and letting Yuta put the bell onto his hand. “Thank you… but…”“Keep it until I visit you again…” Yuta said as the sunlight slowly got brighter, making Yuta’s appearance even more glowing. “I’ll bring you a proper present the next time I visit you again…” Yuta waved his hand before the sunlight got even brighter and Doyoung had to cover his eyes again.When Doyoung’s eyes were closed, something soft touched his right cheek. “And I’m so going not to let Jungwoo kiss my favourite human ever again…” Yuta’s voice whispered to his right ear. “Happy birthday… Doyoung…”After the sunlight returned to its normal intensity, Doyoung opened his eyes. Yuta was nowhere to be found. He’s already disappeared, he might have already home by now.Doyoung blinked before he lowered his gaze. As he was looking at the tiny bell on his hand, the words that were whispered to his ear just now, were repeated back again in Doyoung’s mind.Doyoung’s face went deep red. “Oh…” Doyoung sighed as he covered his deep-blushed face behind his hand that was not holding the bell. “My best birthday… ever.”  
____….++++****=fin=****++++...____

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The sun almost set when Yuta saw the black-haired young-man for the first time. Yuta, the Sun Faerie, peeped from behind the Shrine when he saw the black-haired young-man yelled at three kids. The kids startled, and suddenly stood from their previous squatted position. The kids then bowed, apologized, and ran away, leaving the black-haired young-man alone at the Sun Shrine’s garden.“Those kids…” The black-haired young-man mumbled. “If they didn’t bully each other, they would just bully you…”‘You’? Who is he talking to? Yuta thought. He watched as the young-man brought something in his arms. As the young-man turned around, Yuta’s gaze instantly fell to the fluffy white rabbit in the young-man’s arms. “Wah?!” Yuta squealed before he could even hold his own voice.The black-haired young-man turned his head, toward the source of the voice, and Yuta hurriedly hide again. Yuta tried to hold his breath, and waited, hoping that the young-man won’t bother to find him or do anything to search him.“I guess it’s just my imagination,” the young-man said.Yuta blinked. He peeped again and watched the black-haired young-man again. Yuta saw him smiled, and that moment, something popped inside Yuta’s heart. Yuta kept watching as the black-haired young-man caressed the rabbit’s white fur. “Don’t worry, Mr. Rabbit. You’ll be safe. As long as you wander around the Sun Shrine, I’ll make sure you’ll be safe here. And healthy. And happy!”Yuta bit his lip. The imaginary popping sound always heard every time Yuta saw the black-haired young-man smiled, chuckled, or laughed. Like when the black-haired young-man knelt, something popped again inside Yuta’s heart as he saw the black-haired young-man laughed when the white rabbit hopped off his arms. The imaginary sound then changed into a whining sound when Yuta watched the young-man stood, and walked away from the Sun Shrine’s garden.“Too bad, isn’t it?”Yuta yelped as he turned around. Behind him, he saw Luna, one of the Moon Faeries, his sister, grinning at him. Luna made a gesture with her lips, and there Yuta heard the popping sound. “Sis…!”“Yeah, me. Why?” Luna smirked.“I thought it was the sound of my heart popp—“ Yuta blushed. “Never mind.”“This is your first day here in this village, isn’t it? Dear Brother?” Luna patted Yuta’s shoulder. “I heard your father told mine that you didn’t direct the right amount of your father’s light to Marine Village. THAT village needs a lot of sunlight, and YOU made it cloudy almost every month.” Luna folded her arms as he sighed. “I guess that was why Uncle Sun assigned you to this village, replacing Hansol who’s now assigned to Cave Village.” Luna shook her head. “Both of you have the same level of shyness.”“N… No we don’t…!” Yuta stuttered. “I… I’m louder than Hansol-hyung…!”“‘Louder’ as in Hansol talks in whispers, and you replies with voice volume one point above whisper you mean?” Luna laughed out loud.“You’re too loud for a Moon Faerie yourself, Sis,” Yuta grumbled.“Anyway…” Luna patted Yuta’s shoulder. “The human you saw earlier, he’s this village’s High-Priest’s grandson.”Yuta blushed. “S… So…?!”“So it won’t be too hard for you to find his name later,” Luna winked. “Now shoo! Go home before you miss the sunlight,” Luna said as she smacked her brother’s butt.“Sis!” Yuta blushed even more, making Luna giggled. Yuta sighed. “I’m going home. Have a nice evening,” Yuta said as he waved his hand.“Say hi from me for Uncle and Aunty Sun!” Luna waved back.
+*+
Two months after, Yuta was hiding again at the same place, behind one of the Sun Shrine’s pillars. That day, he saw the High-Priest’s grandson didn’t come to the Sun Shrine alone. As he walked with a large bag in his hold, a tall young male walked beside him, with also a large bag in his hold.“Sun Shrine’s tranquility is really something,” said the tall young-man as he put the large bag at the shrine’s stair.“Thank you for helping me carrying all of these, Yukhei,” said the High-Priest’s grandson when he put his bag beside the other large bag.“No probs, Dongs,” the tall young-man called Yukhei said with a smile as he slapped patted the High-Priest’s grandson’s shoulder.‘Dongs?’ Yuta thought.“Ouch!” The High-Priest’s grandson rubbed his own shoulder. “Not ‘Dongs’! My name is Dongyoung!”‘Dongy—’ what? Yuta tried to repeat his name inside his head.“Too long, and too difficult to pronounce.” Yukhei shrugged. Yuta nodded, agreed. “Jungwoo called you ‘Doyoung’ too. So it won’t give any difference.”‘Doyoung’ then… Yuta thought as he smiled to the new found High-Priest’s grandson’s name. But then… Wait. Jungwoo? Isn’t he… Yuta frowned.“Hey, have I told you something about that Mist Faerie of yours? Jungwoo?” Doyoung stated and Yukhei frowned. “He’s like a ghost.” Doyoung got another slap and he grumbled.“You won’t say that if you know a Shadow Sprite named Winwin,” Yukhei said that made Yuta almost squealed, but he hold his voice down by covering his mouth with his hands.“Win—who?” Doyoung asked.“Forget about that.” Yukhei waved his hands. “Youngho-ge told me that you haven’t found your own faerie?”Yuta stiffened in his position.“Yeah… so?” Doyoung hesitated.“Well …” Yukhei scratched his head. “I’ve met the Shadow Sprite before. When I went to the Marine Village, all Kun-ge kept talking about was THAT Merman of his. Even Jisung has Chenle, the Tint Faerie, to look after him. Oh? Have you ever visited the Capital before?” Yukhei asked, and Doyoung shook his head. “You should visit Capital once in awhile. I’ll introduce you to YangYang, my cousin. There were these twin-Electro Faeries named XiaoJun and Hendery. Those two kept following YangYang everywhere he went and they kept talking and—” Yukhei blinked. Doyoung blinked. “What I’m trying to say is…” Yukhei made a gesture with his hands but he fell silent. Just when Doyoung opened his mouth, before he could even talk, Yukhei said, “You’re my best friend, I’ve known you for years, but your tribe is the only one I know without a faerie.”“It’s not even a life purpose to have a faerie to take care of your daily life, Yukhei.”“Well, yes. But…” Yukhei scratched his head. Again. “Don’t you ever wish to see one? One of your own tribe’s? Since yours is the rarest among all faeries exist.”Doyoung fell silent, and Yuta’s gaze fell. He looked at Doyoung once before turned around and left.
+*+
“You what?!” Luna almost yelled, when she sat at Yuta’s balcony at the Sun Kingdom, another two months later.“Sssh!” Yuta hurriedly covered his sister’s mouth with his hands. He turned his head to see his mother — the Sun Goddess — stared at them. Awkwardly Yuta smiled, his mother smiled, and returned to whatever she was doing previously. “Sorry…” Luna cleared her throat, and started to talk in whispers. “So, what were you trying to say is… you want to show yourself to that High-Priest’s grandson?” she asked.“Doyoung.” Yuta nodded.“Doyoung alright.” Luna sighed. “Which means, you’ve never showed yourself to him before?” Luna asked again, Yuta bit his lower lip, hesitated and nodded slowly. “Yuta, my baby-brother. It’s been months since the first time you saw that boy…! Why are you so hopeless…?!” Luna gritted her teeth to help her held her voice down.“I was just…!” Yuta tried to explain, but his words died away.Sighing, Luna moved to sit beside her brother. “You know what, dear? I kind of scared that you won’t even do anything until I visit you again… who knows when.” Luna patted her brother’s shoulder. “You’re beautiful. What are you afraid of?”Yuta’s gaze fell to his fingers on his lap. “I’m scared…” he said, and Luna frowned. “I’m afraid that he won’t like too many lights. He’s part of the Sun Tribe. He saw so much sunlight already. You do know why Dad’s kingdom was positioned so far from where humans live, don’t you, Sis? Dad’s light is so bright. And it’s not only Dad’s light. It’s not only about the light. Look.” Yuta gazed to his own clothes, the kimono and hakama he always wore. “We’re all in white. Isn’t it bright enough? Add it with our cases. All Sun Faeries can be so bright when they’re happy. When I’m happy…” Yuta bit his lip again. “I… I’m scared… he won’t like me…”Luna sighed again. “Dear? Have you ever heard him complaining about being a Sun Tribe?” Luna asked, and Yuta shook his head slowly. “Then I don’t see any problem here.”“What if he just didn’t say it out loud?”“Ask him then.”“I can’t just do that…!” Yuta gazed at her sister with wide eyes.“Why not?”“Because… I…” Yuta lowered his gaze to his lap again. “I…”“This Doyoung of yours, he has the habit of burning the incenses at the Sun Shrine every morning. I saw him doing that right before I went home every dawn.” Luna combed Yuta’s golden hair behind his ears. “If you’re really that scared to let other humans see you, you can go see him when he’s on his duty at the Sun Shrine at that hour. He always went to the Sun Shrine alone.”“What about that tall friend of his?”“Wong Yukhei, you mean?”“How come you know so many things, Sis…?!”“I call it the Power of Connection,” Luna winked. “No, you don’t have to worry about Yukhei. He’s from the Breeze Village and rarely came to the Sun Village.” She waved her hand before she held Yuta’s hand. “Just let Doyoung see you. Okay?” Luna smiled warmly.
+*+
That morning, Yuta took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly to calm his anxiety down. He watched as his mother sent the other Sun Faeries to each cities and villages to start their work of measuring and directing their father’s light. He watched as Hansol lowered himself so that the Sun Goddess could place a kiss on Hansol’s forehead before Hansol was sent in blinding sunlight to the Cave Village. There, Yuta walked closer to his mother, and let his mother cupped his face with both of her hands. “My lovely son. Before you go, your father wants to tell you something,” she smiled.“Right,” said the Sun God on his throne. “Son, you see this High-Priest? He has a grandson who lives with him, doesn’t he? The one who looks like a rabbit?”“Dear,” the Sun Goddess warned her husband.Hearing the person mentioned by his father, Yuta’s face lightened up. “Yes?” Yuta replied a little too excited, and the Sun Goddess smiled.“I saw him a bit sad today,” the Sun God said and Yuta gasped. “I’m afraid it might affect his duty at my shrine. Can you check him up?”“Of course, Father!” Yuta agreed without any second thought.“Well…” The Sun God raised the light intensity around Yuta. “Off you go then!”Yuta blinked. “Now? But Fa—”With that blinding light, Yuta was sent away from the kingdom. Right after Yuta disappeared from the room; the Sun Goddess turned her head to one of the pillars around the kingdom’s vault. There, she saw Luna showed herself after hiding from Yuta. “Is that enough?” the goddess asked her.“Yes!” Luna smiled as she bowed. “Thank you so much, Aunty,” she said before she looked to the Sun God. “And of course thank you so much to you too, Uncle.”
+
“—Ther!” Yuta didn’t even get the chance to finish his words when the sunlight intensity returned to normal around him, and he saw himself already stood at the shrine’s garden. He automatically looked around him to make sure that there’s no human around him to see him there. Yuta put his hand on his chest and exhaled a relieved sigh. “Dad should warn me first!” Yuta grumbled.Since there was no human around, Yuta could admire the Sun Shrine’s surroundings freely. The shrine was all-white with a glimpse of gold linings here and there. Yuta was standing on the shrine’s garden, and there was a pond right in the middle of it. “Oh! I’m always curious about this pond!” Yuta hopped to the pond and looked inside it. “Fishes!” he squealed. He saw one white fish, and followed anywhere the fish swam by walking around the pond. While he was following the fish, Yuta hummed his favorite song. Seconds after, he was no longer walking as he hopped, following the beat of the song. He looked at his own steps, so Yuta didn’t have to slipped, and fall into the pond, nor didn’t he have to trip and fall to the garden’s grass.Yuta hopped in small steps, making the bells that were adorning the anklet he wore at his right ankle jingled. Giggling as he watched the white fish swam, a warm light was radiating around him. What stopped Yuta was a rustling sound from bushes close to one of the Sun Shrine’s pillar. Yuta waited, and a white rabbit hopped out from the bush.The Sun Faerie smiled wide, when he saw the white rabbit. He then squealed when the white rabbit hopped toward him. Yuta bent down and reached out for the white rabbit’s long ear. His fingertips almost touched the white rabbit if only the long-eared animal didn’t hop away from him. Yuta didn’t give up. With the glee still on his bright face, the Sun Faerie followed where the white rabbit hopped to.Yuta directed his steps and his eyes to the white rabbit. As the long-eared animal hopped further from him, the Sun Faerie had to raise his gaze, and that moment, Yuta saw Doyoung, was standing there, and was facing him. His gaze was not directed to Yuta, but only until seconds after, Doyoung also raised his view and their gazes met. The Sun Faerie gasped; his smile suddenly left his face, and was replaced with a warm blush. It’s Doyoung…! Yuta screamed inside his head. Father was right. He really looks like a rabbit.Yuta blinked as he saw Doyoung raised his right hand. Yuta saw him waving his hand, and heard him said, “H… hi?”The voice startled Yuta, and doing the first thing his mind told him, Yuta turned around fast, closed his eyes, and summoned the sunlight. The sun’s light got brighter, and Yuta hopped into the blinding light.In a speed of light, right after Yuta opened his eyes, he was already in the middle of a bright white vault. He grabbed the cloth on his chest, trying to calm his raging heartbeat. “That was… fast,” said someone that made Yuta turned his head fast, and there he saw his sister stood near one of the white pillars around the Sun Kingdom’s vault. “So?” Luna walked closer to Yuta. “Did you guys talked?”“I… no?”“No?!” Luna startled.“I mean… yes?”“‘No’ or ‘yes’?”“He...” Yuta started. “He… said ‘hi’?” Yuta took a glance at his sister. Luna made a gesture to urge Yuta to keep going. “Yes.”“What do you mean with ‘yes’?! What he said after that?! What did you say in return?!” Luna asked. Yuta shook his head slowly. “You didn’t say anything?!”“I… ran… back home… just now?”Luna slapped her forehead. “For the love of your corona, Yuta!” Luna pushed his brother to the sunlight at the middle of the Vault, and Yuta returned to the Sun Village. Yuta’s heart beating frantically when he found out that he was already back in the Sun Shrine’s garden again. When he saw that there was no longer anyone around the Sun Shrine, Yuta exhaled.A relieved, and a disappointed sigh, at the same time. “I haven’t got the chance of knowing what made you sad, Doyoung…” Yuta whispered to himself.
+*+
Days after that, Yuta tried again. He would just face Doyoung whenever the male human might appear around the Sun Shrine. Just like that morning, Yuta leaned on one of the shrine’s white pillars, while waiting for Doyoung to come to light the incenses in the Sun Shrine.But he never came.Yuta waited for almost two hours, but Doyoung never showed up. Sighing, Yuta walked to the center of the garden, near the pond. There, he saw the white rabbit hopped out of the bush. Yuta squatted as he saw the white rabbit hopped to him. “Hi, there, Bunny…” The Sun Faerie smiled as he patted the white rabbit. “Where’s the lovely male human? You know? The one who always takes care of you? Did you know what saddened him?” Yuta asked, and the white rabbit moved his nose. There, Yuta blinked.
“Where’s the lovely male human?”

...”lovely”...
“Did I just say that…?” Yuta sighed as his cheeks got warmer.
+*+
Another two months after that, Yuta tried again. He hid behind one of the Sun Shrine’s pillars again when the kids came to the shrine to light the incenses. Yuta heard the kids talked, and that was when Yuta found out that Doyoung was on his other duty of providing the Sun Village’s needs.“I've asked Doyoung-hyung to bring us fruits from the Breeze Village!” said one of the kids. “From his departure days ago, I count that Doyoung-hyung will get back in two days. That time, we’ll get fruits from him!” said the kid and the other cheered.In two days? Yuta thought. He’s sad, but he still went to provide this village’s need… ah, what if I pick him up at the Breeze Village then?
+*+
Yuta then asked for permission to his father to visit Breeze Village the day after tomorrow. With Luna’s help, Yuta got the permission from the Sun God and Goddess. And so, two days after that, Yuta hopped into the sunlight, the one that directed to the Breeze Village.Yuta hid behind one of the pine trees around the village, and he watched how Jungwoo, the Mist Faerie, moved like a smoke toward the tall young-man named Wong Yukhei – as the information Luna provided him months ago. Jungwoo’s figure could only be seen among the mist when Jungwoo made a move; just like when the Mist Faerie caressed Yukhei’s hair, or like when he……placed a light kiss on Doyoung’s forehead.Yuta gasped. He bit his lip as he saw how Doyoung didn’t protest the gesture. Was Doyoung THAT close with the Mist Faerie? But the Mist Faerie was also THAT close with Yukhei. Trying to find out what was going on, Yuta tried to eavesdrop their conversation but to no avail.There Yuta lowered himself and sat on the grass. He leaned his back to the nearest pine tree, bent his knee, and hugged it. If he couldn’t just ask Doyoung about what were they talking about, then he’s going to ask Jungwoo later instead.Just when Yuta almost drifted to sleep, a soft breeze blew near his ear. Yuta flinched, and raised his head. There, he saw Jungwoo smiled at him. “Witnessing everything?” Jungwoo asked. Blushing, Yuta turned his head, to the spot where Doyoung and Jungwoo talked earlier. “He already left,” Jungwoo provided the information when Yuta didn’t find Doyoung everywhere.“Oh...” Yuta’s head hung low before he blinked and turned his head toward Jungwoo. “I… I didn’t try to listen to your conversation…!” Yuta defended himself.“No, of course you’re not, Hyung,” Jungwoo snorted. “I didn’t let the wind blow toward you so that you won’t hear us talking. ”“Eh, wae yo?!” Yuta whined. Hearing his own voice sounded too demanding, Yuta hurriedly covered his mouth with both of his hands.“Because it’s actually fun to see you being hopeless like this, Hyung.” Jungwoo winked.Yuta frowned. “You sounded like someone I know...”“Luna-noona and I DID talk a lot.. about you,” Jungwoo added fast, making Yuta blushed. “If you’re not going to show yourself in front of your favorite human, I’m going to tease Doyoung-hyung for all I like for the rest of your life for—”Hearing that, Yuta summoned the sunlight and jumped into the light as the intensity got brighter. After Yuta disappeared, again, Jungwoo giggled. “Luna-noona should know about this. I didn’t expect her plan would work cutely.”After using the sunlight as teleportation to the Sun Village, Yuta looked around the Sun Shrine, the garden, and the pond, trying to find Doyoung. Doyoung hadn’t arrived yet, so Yuta decided to wait. But after two hours of waiting, Yuta stopped searching. His head hung low, and he sighed.Just when he was about to turn and leave, a smile bloomed on Yuta’s face as he saw the white rabbit hopped out of the bush, and hopped toward him. Yuta hopped in glee, making the tiny bells around his anklet jingled. Yuta then lowered himself before he was completely lying flat on his stomach in front of the white rabbit. The Sun Faerie closed the distance between his face and the rabbit’s. “Tickles!” Yuta squealed when the white rabbit touched its nose to Yuta’s.“Hey, Mr. Bunny?” Yuta called, in a whisper. He was still lying flat on his stomach. He leaned his chin on his hands, and his feet swayed. “Is he that sad? Or... he just doesn’t like me?” Yuta asked, and the white rabbit moved his nose. “After I showed myself to him, he never came here anymore…”With that, Yuta exhaled a sad sigh.
+*+
Once in awhile, Yuta’s circle of faeries, elves, sprites, and pixies from every element gathered in their dimension and do or just talk about anything they wanted to do or say. That was the moment when, slowly, colorful ribbons floated in the air around Yuta. Yuta saw the floating ribbons, and smoothly, the colorful ribbons transformed into a human form, a Tint Faerie. “Hi, Hyung!” Chenle, the Tint Faerie greeted Yuta as he floated closer to Yuta and sat beside him. With a wide smile, he asked, “How are you?”“Good.” Yuta smiled back. “How are you, Chenle?”“Always good!” Chenle snapping his fingers, and colorful ashes popped in the air. “Hey, Hyung! How’s your cute black-haired male human then?” Chenle asked, still grinning. He saw how Yuta fell silent, and slowly his cheeks color turned into so many shades of red. Chenle chuckled. “Did you know that Doyoung-hyung bought a tablecloth for Sun Shrine’s altar?” Chenle asked and Yuta nodded. “Did you know that Doyoung-hyung chose the tablecloth colors based on you?” Chenle asked suddenly. “Jisung suggested Sun Faeries’ colors and Doyoung-hyung agreed immediately! So I just concluded that he like your colors!”Yuta turned his head, and stared at Chenle with wide eyes. Suddenly, at the lake near them, Ten, the Ocean Faerie, swam closer, and Taeyong, the Fire Faerie flew towards Yuta. “I heard something interesting,” Ten said as he grinned from inside the lake water.“What, what? Did Yukkuri finally found his favorite human?” Taeyong joined.‘Favorite human’…?! Yuta thought; panic, as his cheeks got even warmer.“Ten, Taeyong,” Taeil, the Earth Elf, warned. “Stop teasing around others.”Just when Ten and Taeyong covered their mouth, the twin-Electro Faeries – Hendery and XiaoJun – flew towards Yuta. “Oh, oh! Maybe this was what Yukhei talking about!” said Hendery while he was floating in the air.“You mean that Sun Tribe-guy’s faerie? It’s actually Yuta-ge?!” XiaoJun responded excitedly, Yuta just had to cover his face with both of his hands.“Too noisy…” Winwin, the Shadow Sprite, said with his calm deep voice, which made the others suddenly fell silent, and turned their heads toward him. Hendery and XiaoJun gulped, while Yuta abruptly rose from his seat, and ran toward Winwin.“My counterpart!” Yuta hugged him. In reciprocate, Winwin patted Yuta’s arm softly, and blushed.“Whoah,” Haechan, the Flower Faerie, tilted his head, watching how the Shadow Sprite – finally – showed a tiny bit of expression. “A Sun Faerie and a Shadow Sprite. Such a combination. Only around a Sun Faerie a Shadow Sprite could actually blush.”“I know right,” Jeno, the Beast Elves – that time with a pair of antelope’s horns on his head – agreed beside him. “I thought as a Shadow Sprite, Winwin-hyung could only have an aura of a bat around him.”“Anyway,” A wave of mist moved closer to Yuta and the other, and that was when Jungwoo materialized among Yuta and the others. “I think we can’t expect Yuta-hyung to do more. He’s too shy to even let himself be seen in front of his own favorite human.”“For real?!” Haechan almost yelled as he faced Yuta. “Hyung, have you ever talked with your human?” Haechan asked, and Yuta hesitatingly shook his head. Haechan sighed. “Now I feel sorry after laughing at Doyoung-hyung…” he uttered, and making Ten, Taeyong, Hendery and XiaoJun looked at each other. “Me too,” they said in unison.“Yuta.” Taeil patted Yuta’s thigh. “Before we mistaken anything, I want to know about how are you feeling about this… human of yours?”Yuta pulled his arms away from Winwin and let his hands fall onto his lap. As his head hung low, he sighed. “He’s so… kind. I bet Jeno would like him very much since Doyoung loves animal,” Yuta started, making Winwin patted his shoulder, and Jeno nodded. “Well, he’s kind, and...” Yuta shrugged. “I think he’s pretty caring… about everything... I admired it…” Yuta bit his lip, making Ten, Taeyong, Hendery, and XiaoJun aww-ing.“Then what’s stopping you?” Taeil asked again.“I didn’t stop. It’s just...” Yuta sighed. “Father said he’s sad. I’m just scared that… being so bright for a Sun Faerie, I might annoy him, and he just might get sadder… it seems that every time I wanted to show myself to him, he just didn’t want to see me...” he explained as he played with his fingers on his lap. “He was never there when I visited the Sun Shrine...”“You do know he visited other villages once in awhile, right, Hyung?” Chenle made sure.“Well, yes… but...”“He doesn’t hate you.” Winwin tapped Yuta’s shoulder. “He never complained anything related to you, and I don’t think he would dislike you either.”“Winwin-hyung is right,” Jeno agreed. “You’re his faerie after all.”“You heard them, Hyung,” Jungwoo said. “You don’t have the reason not to give him another chance, Hyung.”
…“Give him another chance…”
“Should I?” Yuta asked, and all his friends nodded. “Well… I’ll try again then…” The Sun Faerie exhaled, determined, and all his friends cheered.“Good luck, Hyung! You can do it, Yuta!”
+*+
So that morning, Yuta jumped into his father’s light and headed to Sun Shrine. The Sun Shrine, the pond, and the white rabbit were already imprinted in his mind that morning. But after the sunlight returned to its normal intensity, those were not the main thing that his sight caught. Yuta blinked, and there he saw him standing…Doyoung.At the same time, they looked at each other’s eyes. Yuta gazed at him, and the black haired male human stared back with wide eyes.Yuta gasped. This shouldn’t be the first thing I see this morning…! Yuta screamed inside his head as he turned around. Yuta was about to summon the sunlight when he heard it.“No, w… wait! Please!” Doyoung called, and Yuta stopped on his track. Doyoung’s voice was like a spell that stopped him from doing anything. “I… I’m Doyoung,” Doyoung introduced himself, even when Yuta hadn’t turned to face Doyoung. “Can… can I… know… your name?”It startled Yuta. He… wants to know… my name… he thought. Slowly, Yuta turned around to face Doyoung. With the warmth around his own cheeks, Yuta held both of his hands close to his chest. Yuta glanced at Doyoung, and he caught Doyoung’s eyes were staring right into his eyes. Yuta flinched and looked away from the intense gaze. “My name…” Yuta tried. He bit his lip after hearing his own small voice.“Yes…?”“My name is Yu—”“Doyoung! You forgot about your breakfast, Child!”Another human’s voice startled Yuta. He looked at Doyoung with wide eyes again before he turned around. That time, Yuta didn’t take the heed to Doyoung’s calling him. Yuta summoned the sunlight and the light around him got brighter. Yuta hurriedly hopped in, and returned to the Sun Kingdom. As expected, Luna was there, at the Sun Kingdom’s vault.“What is it this time?” Luna asked him, hands folded, eyes narrowing.“He suddenly appeared out of nowhere…!” Yuta reasoned.“The one who appeared out of nowhere is YOU.” Yuta pointed at Yuta’s nose. “Now get back there and face him!”“Nooo…!” Yuta hugged the closest pillar while Luna was trying to pull him back to the center of the vault. “Why are you always here anyway, Sis…?! Go back to Moon Kingdom…!”“Oh, now you’re shooing me away?! I’ll snatch that Doyoung away from you then!”“Go on try it…!”“With Jungwoo!”Yuta let go the pillar and hugged his sister instead. “No… not him… please…”Sighing, Luna patted Yuta’s head. “When will you change your habit for being too shy, Yuta?”“I… I’ll try…” Yuta broke the embrace and could only stare at his own foot. “I… I won’t run again after this…”“That’s my brother,” Luna smiled. “Oh, have I told you that it’ll be Doyoung’s birthday soon?” Luna asked, and she smiled even wider when she saw her brother fidgeting.
+*+
For the umpteenth time, Yuta appeared on the Sun Shrine’s garden again that afternoon. For Doyoung was away again for providing the Sun Village’s needs, Yuta decided that this time, he’s going to wait instead, again. There, he hopped onto the flat stones around the pond, and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, trying to calm his own anxiety, Yuta started to hum his favorite song.Yuta waited for almost two hours, and Doyoung still hadn’t arrived. “What took him so long…?” he murmured to himself. Just when Yuta was about to hum his song again, a rustling sound was heard from the forest direction at the back of the Sun Shrine. Yuta turned his head, and there he saw the white rabbit hopped into the forest. Yuta gasped. He then hopped off the flat stones around the pond, and jogged into the forest. Running to find the white rabbit, the bell around his anklet kept jingling. “Doyoung likes Mr. Bunny very much… I have to protect Mr. Bunny for Doyoung…” Yuta murmured to himself as he walked deeper to the forest.When Yuta was still focusing in finding the white rabbit, a sound of a broken twig stopped his movement. Yuta turned around, and he gasped again as he saw Doyoung was there, staring at him. He’s here…?! Oh, no… I’m not ready…! Yuta screamed in panic inside his head as he turned away again from Doyoung. “Ah…?!” Yuta yelped as he saw that there was not enough sunlight around him to hop in, and he nearly cried.“Excuse me,” Doyoung called, and Yuta automatically turned his head toward Doyoung. “Are you looking for… this?” Doyoung asked as he showed the white rabbit in his arms.Yuta gasped and smiled as he saw the white rabbit. But as he saw the white rabbit was still in Doyoung’s hold, Yuta hesitated.“Oh. Right,” Doyoung said before he knelt and let the white rabbit hopped off his arms.Yuta smiled as he saw the white rabbit then hopped toward him. Yuta lowered his position and knelt, so that he could catch the rabbit into his embrace.“Yuu?” Doyoung called, and Yuta raised his gaze, looking back at Doyoung. “That’s… your name, right?” Doyoung asked, and Yuta tilted his head. “I… I want to apologize when my grandpa suddenly called and his voice scared you that time.”“Oh…” Yuta answered before he nodded. He shifted his gaze away from Doyoung as he said, “Yu… Ta.”“What…?”“That’s… my name… Yuta,” Yuta repeated.“Oh!” Doyoung exclaimed. “Ok, then. Yuta,” Doyoung called, making Yuta blushed again.“I’m sorry too…” Yuta said then.“For what?”“For always… running away from you…”Doyoung smiled at that. There, they talked, finally. For the first time, finally, they had a proper conversation. Yuta even let Doyoung held his hand as Doyoung guided Yuta out from the forest, to a brighter place, with more sunlight for Yuta to come home. Doyoung didn’t even get mad when Yuta compared him to the white rabbit – the one he held in his arms that very moment – and it relieved Yuta so much. Though it was short – Yuta had to go back home before the sun completely set to let Yuta return to the Sun Kingdom – Yuta really treasured the moment.Yuta saw the sunlight much clearer after they walked out from the forest, and he let go of Doyoung’s hand. Yuta knelt on the ground and let the white rabbit hopped off his embrace. With Doyoung, they watched the white rabbit hopped away, and that was when her sister’s information returned into his mind.Yuta didn’t bring anything that he could give to Doyoung as a birthday gift. Why am I so stupid…? Yuta thought as he nearly cried. Then, while he was still in his kneeling position, Yuta caught the anklet around his right ankle. Without giving any second thought, Yuta untied and pulled off one of the bells from the anklet around his right ankle. There, he stood back up and walked toward Doyoung. “Thank you…” Yuta said as he extended his hand, with the tiny bell on his palm. “For helping me return to the sunlight… and for trying so hard not to scare me… and for not giving up on me”Doyoung saw the tiny bell on Yuta’s hand. “That’s… for me?” Doyoung asked. Smiling, Yuta nodded. Doyoung slowly extended his hand, and letting Yuta put the bell onto his hand. “Thank you… but…”“Keep it until I visit you again…” Yuta said as the sunlight got brighter around him. “I’ll bring you a proper present the next time I visit you again…” Yuta waved his hand before the sunlight got even brighter. There, Yuta saw how Doyoung – actually – always covering his eyes from the blinding light.Yuta bit his lower lip. Before he completely disappeared from that place, Yuta floated toward Doyoung. He gathered all of his courage as he put a light kiss on Doyoung’s right cheek. “I’m so going not to let Jungwoo kiss my favorite human ever again…” Yuta whispered to Doyoung’s right ear. “Happy birthday, Doyoung…”Right after that, Yuta closed both of his eyes, and let the sunlight brought him back home. After the light around him returned to its normal intensity, Yuta found himself already standing in the middle of the Sun Kingdom’s vault. There he met with his sister, again.Luna walked closer to Yuta. She noticed how Yuta’s hands were shaking, how Yuta bit his lip, and how red Yuta’s face that time. Luna extended both of her arms toward her brother as Yuta ran to her, and hugged her. “I’ve just embarrassed myself,” Yuta said. “I don’t think I can see him in the eyes ever again after this…”Luna laughed. “Oh, you’re so going to meet him again and I’ll make sure of that.” 
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