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A thin trail of wildflowers penetrates into a cozy teenage room through an open window. The smell of apple pie comes from the kitchen. The thin curtains sway in the wind, creating the illusion that someone is behind them. Children's wallpaper with bears is torn in places, under the bed, favorite toy cars are gathering dust in boxes, which were assembled a long time ago, but no one could bring themselves to give them to the neighboring children - they are memorable things. On the shelves, adventure literature, Stephen King's horror stories, a couple of thick encyclopedias, textbooks, and a collectible Superman figurine are lined up one after another. The boy recently wanted to read a book that he had put off for a very long time, but the letters began to jump before his eyes, and he did not have the strength to hold the book, so he had to put it back under the pillow. On the slightly dusty table, colored pencils are scattered, and an unfinished self-portrait of a boy with fading eyes.A pale boy snores on the bed, with shadows under his eyes, he cannot sleep, but it is also difficult for him to open his lead-filled eyes. In a borderline state, he hears the sound of a working TV from the first floor - dad is watching some show. And from the street comes the ringing and cheerful laughter of boys chasing a shabby, almost falling apart soccer ball. They run fast, break their knees, but still get up and run further to score another goal. Their gates are homemade, but they don't care because even such entertainment brings them joy. Girls play hide and seek and their ringing laughter spreads throughout the neighborhood when they find each other. Older boys who previously did not recognize the opposite sex suddenly gather around flirtatiously twirling their long hair around their fingers of the girls and try to invite them to school dances, which used to seem boring and meaningless, but now it is an excellent reason to try kissing for the first time.The boy finally manages to fall asleep, but he is awakened from his sleep by a whisper that asks him to wake up quickly. The boy with dark-brown wavy hair opens his eyes, leans on the bed, and looks around, trying to see who just spoke, but there is no one in the room. It is already deep night outside the window, only the rays of the pale-blue disc of the moon creep into the dark room, there is no one else here. He sits on the edge of the bed and listens to the sounds from the street - suddenly someone is talking there, and it seemed to him through a dream. The shadow of long bony fingers touches his ankle, causing him to squeal, jump up on his feet, and run towards the open door. An unknown force makes it slam shut in front of his nose, and cold palms press against his mouth, whispering in his ear to behave quietly.The young man's eyes widen in fear, his body covered in sticky sweat and beginning to tremble. He tries to be quiet and do as he's told, but who are they to come into someone else's home and give orders? He bites the uninvited guest's finger, steps on their foot, runs to the bed and grabs a pillow to hit them with, but when he turns around, he sees no one there. His hair stands on end at the back of his neck from the thought that he must be going crazy. He feels a dull pain as if his head is about to split open, ringing in his ears, and as if the ground is slipping from under his feet.
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Choi Beomgyu is eighteen years old and from Busan. Tomorrow he was supposed to come of age, but now he lies on a wooden and dirty floor, afraid to open his eyes and afraid of what his kidnappers want to do with him. His head is pounding. He read somewhere that people can go blind from a blow to the head. He opens his dark, golden-tinged eyes abruptly, only out of fear of going blind, and leans against the wall, looking around. Everything starts to swim before his eyes because of the pain in his head, and tears stream down his face. He hears a squeak nearby and sees two rats sniffing at him. Bomgyu panics, screams and presses himself against the cold wall, scaring away the gray rodents that jump between the bars. Coming to his senses a little, the young man looks around the room he is in. Water drips from above, the wooden floors have rotted and turned green, there is old straw and two bowls in the corner, one of which contains muddy and unpleasant-smelling water and gnawed dry bones. But it also smells absolutely disgusting here: damp straw, mold and something rotten. And it's also cold here.Beomgyu tries not to panic. He examines every detail to cling to something. There are only bare walls here, bars right in front of him and a lock so that the young man can get out of the cell. There is another cell opposite, but it seems empty to him. He approaches the lock on his haunches and shakes it. The rats run away with a squeak along the corridor between the cells. Because of someone's movement in the cell opposite, Bomgyu flinches, but does not back away, trying to look closely. His brain tells him to stay calm — if that person is under lock and key, then he cannot pose a danger to the young man.The young man sees tousled dark hair, sleepy eyes of a very young guy. A half-smile blooms on his candy lips when he sees the brunette. He crawls on his knees to the bars and holds onto them tightly, examining Bomgyu from head to toe with interest and disbelief. Bomgyu glances at his quirky neighbor in the cell.— Hello, — he says in a low, hoarse voice, — what's your name?— I'm Beomgyu .— Beautiful name, — the young man smiles charmingly, baring his gums, and his eyes turn into small triangles. — And I'm Yoongi. Nice to meet you.Yoongi reaches his hand through the bars. Beomgyu also reaches out, but they don't reach each other, only touching fingertips, but that's enough for the latter. He can't help but smile. He exudes positive emotions and attractive charisma. He is completely soaked in them.— What is this place? — Beomgyu asks.The boy opposite immediately darkens at the question, ruffling his hair even more. Beomgyu bites his lip — it's scary.— We're on a ship, — cheerful notes are replaced by anxiety. — On a pirate ship. — Bomgyu can't believe it — just yesterday he was in his room, and today he's here. His thoughts became even more anxious when he tried to remember what his room and the house he lived in looked like — apparently he was hit so hard. — I've lost count of how long I've been here, — Yoongi says with a completely dejected voice. —There were ten of us, — he looks around at the neighboring cells. Beomgyu does the same, imagining that there were also locked up people there, — but I'm the only one left.An unpleasant sticky chill licked Beomgyu's bare ankles, shivers ran down his spine. He didn't want to hear the answer as to where the others could have gone, but he had to know what awaited him.— And where did they go?Yoongi looks at the frightened face opposite with sadness and doesn't say anything. The sound of chains rattling somewhere above makes Yoongi start shaking with fear and back away, pressing himself against the wall and covering his head with his hands. Beomgyu feels uneasy seeing the trembling boy, whose anxiety reaches him in waves, and his heart pounds with fear. He grips the bars tighter, stands up to get a better look at what's causing Yoongi's fear. A wooden hatch opens from above and Beomgyu freezes, his gaze fixed on the spot. He swallows thick saliva when he sees a foot descending, followed by a wooden stick attached to the knee instead of a second foot. He wants to curl up like the other boy, but Beomgyu wants to satisfy his curiosity; he wants to know where he is, what they want to do with him, and why they need him.The man who descends immediately fixates his gaze on the handsome dark-haired youth, licks his lower lip disgustingly, and smiles like a madman. His yellow rotten teeth rub against each other as if they're about to break apart or fall out of his mouth. His eyes run chaotically over the face and then the slender body. Beomgyu hears the sound of keys jingling in the pirate's front pocket of dirty pants. He approaches closer. Beomgyu doesn't budge an inch.— Too skinny, — he says with a creaky voice. Bomgyu wrinkles his nose at the foul smell from his mouth. — But it's okay, — he grins, — we can cook you in soup and gnaw on your bones.Beomgyu feels like he's scalded with boiling water. He widens his eyes, stares blankly at the huddled neighbor in the cell and now understands where the others have gone. This boy has seen what happened to the others and was waiting for his turn. A white veil appears before his eyes, and a buzz fills his head. He recoils, almost falls, and looks at the insane pirate.It's not just cold here, it's a chilling cold. Beomgyu looks at the bones in the bowl and can't believe they could belong to a human. Those who are here must have eaten something until they were eaten themselves... Nausea rises in his throat. Due to the boy's reaction, the stinking pirate laughs, shouts with joy, and hits the bars with his wooden leg like a five-year-old, happy with a new toy. Beomgyu thinks he's about to lose his mind. Suddenly the pirate falls silent, turns around, and looks straight into the pale-faced youth's eyes. His hair sticks to his forehead from the soul-chilling fear and seems to look darker through the translucent skin.— And you, — he licks his lips. — I personally will roast you on a spit. So juicy and plump like a piglet, — the pirate jumps and claps his hands as if he were five years old and happy with a new toy. — I can't wait to cut your beautiful flesh with a knife like a true gentleman. I usually eat with my hands, but I won't hesitate to use a fork for you.Beomgyu squints and refuses to believe in reality. He feels how tightly his pajamas with the letter "S" on his chest stick to his body, flies buzzing before his eyes. He barely stands on his feet, as if they turned into jelly. He finds the strength to take a step forward, grab the pirate by the collar with force, pressing him against the bars. He bends his arm around his disgusting neck and squeezes with all his might. With his other hand, he gropes for the hefty bunch of keys in the pocket and pulls them out.The pirate grunts, unlocks his hands from behind his back, and tries to reach the confident boy, spitting saliva in all directions. With his wooden leg, he steps heavily on Beomgyu's foot, causing him to cry out in pain and loosen his grip. This is enough for the pirate to turn around and grab the boy by the chest. In Beomgyu's eyes, sparks of adrenaline burn, while in the pirate's eyes, there is madness. He looks confusedly at the bunch of keys in the boy's hands. He tries to reach for the boy's face with his teeth, pulling him harder by the chest, while the boy tries to distance himself from him, breathing heavily due to the foul smell from his mouth. Trembling fingers, Bomgyu finds one of the keys and thrusts it into the pirate's left eye. Immediately, he pulls it out and looks in horror at what he has done: the pirate screams, holding his hand over his bleeding eye. He curses with refined obscenities and threatens to kill and disembowel the boy personally as soon as possible.Beomgyu looks at the bloody key in his trembling hand and throws it on the floor sharply. He didn't expect this from himself. He raises his head when he hears a noise from above and sees two more pirates descending. They look confusedly at the screaming pirate with a bloody face, then at the "newcomer," and then at the bloody bunch of keys at his feet. One of them, with green eyes, sneers, while the other approaches the cursing pirate.In the poisonous green eyes of the first one, there is no less madness than in the eyes of the screaming pirate. He takes out his bunch of keys, finds the right one, and opens Beomgyu’s cell. Without hesitation for a second, he roughly grabs the boy by the hair and pulls him along. He takes out a knife with a sharp blade from his scabbard and thrusts it into the boy's throat. Beomgyu has no choice but to follow him.After the wooden hatch closes, Yoongi stands up, wipes away his tears, and admires the courage of his temporary neighbor.The bright sun disk blinds his eyes, and the waves rock the huge ship. Under other circumstances, Bomgyu would have admired the vessel, shouted "cast off!" and admired the waves of the boundless ocean, but now they are aiming guns with bayonets, swords, and daggers at him. His knees shake, his mouth is dry, and his tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth. There is nowhere to run: around the ocean and pirates. Beomgyu counts thirteen and all of them are as scary, dirty, and insane as demons dancing in their eyes.— I want to kill the boy! — screams the pirate with a bloody face.— If you touch me, you'll lose your second eye, — Beomgyu hisses.He has as much courage as he has fear right now. His thoughts are slower than his tongue, which he sometimes can't control. He hates himself at this moment for his long tongue — after all, they can kill him here and now, but he doesn't regret anything. In the end, they will become their lunch, and there is no point in fighting.The pirates, as one, step aside when a pirate comes out of the main command post. Beomgyu immediately understands that this is the captain. But what surprised the boy was that the captain looked younger than all the others, had a pleasant appearance, unlike the others, his caramel-colored eyes radiated confidence, and his only flaw was an ugly red scar on his cheek in the shape of a shell, but it's better not to look into his eyes. He is involved in eating people. His shiny and dark hair is hidden under a tricorn hat. His full lips are stretched into a crooked smile. His left hand is missing, and in its place is a polished and shining hook in the sun. He confidently strides towards the boy, touching his chin with the hook, forcing him to look him straight in the eye.— It would be a shame to eat such a beautiful boy, — he says with a melodic and honeyed voice. With his fox-like squint, he examines every millimeter on Choi's face. — You deprived my man of an eye, — he says sternly, with curiosity in his eyes.The hook descends lower, to the soft skin under the chin. He lightly presses the sharp tip of the hook against the tender flesh, but this is enough for the crimson liquid to trickle down in a thin stream along the neck. Beomgyu freezes, he is even afraid to take a breath so that the hook does not tear the fabric harder.The smell of blood immediately makes the pirates go wild. They start sniffing and licking their lips like hungry predators who haven't been fed in a long time. The ship's captain lowers his hook, his gaze instantly turning cold, causing Beomgyu to break out in goosebumps as if he were hit by a winter wind. He takes a few steps back. The pirates, thinking this is a signal, rush towards the pale young boy like a pack of dogs off their leash. A lump forms in his throat, squeezing him tight and making it hard to breathe. He wants to suffocate. He just doesn't want to see everything the other prisoners on the ship have seen.Hungry and wild eyes lick the fair-skinned boy, who raises his head to the sky to take one last look at it. Let them tear him apart now, but he can't take his eyes off the sky: it's too beautiful, airy, and he wants to touch it and feel its refreshing coolness. The boy's lips curl into a smile. He's already losing his mind — for a second he thought he saw an angel — they must sense it and come early.Two pirates carry him, one of whom threatened to kill him personally, and the other with venomous green eyes leads him to the kitchen where a large pot of water is boiling and on the table are already cleaned and diced vegetables. Everything inside Beomgyu is shaking. He doesn't even notice the salty crystals rolling down from his eyes to his dry lips, slightly stinging them due to fear and shock. The green-eyed pirate throws the vegetables into the pot while the first one drags the boy to the table. In his head, the boy wonders if they will cook him whole or cut him into pieces? The world around him turns upside down, reality blurs from tears when the first pirate leans over the table, firmly pressing the boy's head with both hands, his weight pressing down on him so that he doesn't struggle. Beomgyu still resists. He doesn't want to die such a horrible way. The boy sobs, begging to be released, not to be killed, but he hears only a disgusting laugh. He treasures the sticky fear when a huge cleaver appears over his head.He feels like a helpless lamb.Beomgyu closes his eyes, preparing for pain. The pirate with the knife swings it. Nothing happens. Beomgyu doesn't understand why nothing is happening, why he's still alive? He opens his eyes and they stop piling on him. The boy turns his head and sees two pirates staring at one point above his head. He lifts his head. The cleaver freezes in the air, surrounded by a silver-blue glow. He becomes even more scared when the cleaver is directed towards the pirates. The green-eyed one manages to dodge, while the blade cuts through the other's skull. The brunette crawls under the table to avoid becoming a victim of kitchen utensils.The second pirate falls to the ground, followed by the knife. The boy can't believe his eyes, sirens are wailing in his head, ordering him to run anywhere, but run, but his body doesn't listen at all. It stiffens and refuses to obey reason. He hears screams and shouts from the deck. It's the sounds of battle. Beomgyu barely manages to crawl out of hiding, grabs the bloodied cleaver and rushes out of the cabin. The bright sun blinds him as he steps onto the deck. Blinking, he witnesses a bloody and unimaginable scene. Emotions replace each other. His eyes widen.Wounded pirates are running around the deck, defending themselves against creatures unknown to Beomgyu. They look like humans, but they have transparent wings on their backs, like dragonflies, and their skin sparkles in the sun with a multitude of glitter. Their facial features and ear tips are pointed, and the same silver-blue glow surrounds them as it did around the cleaver that Beomgyu is holding. Their faces are distorted with a grimace of anger as they ruthlessly pierce the pirates with harpoons, leaving none of them alive. Their faces are covered in drops of blood. Beomgyu doesn't feel fear looking at them, on the contrary, he feels calmer and more serene.He notices his new acquaintance, Yoongi, carrying one of the creatures in his arms as they fly out of the hatch. The creature holds onto his neck tightly and smiles happily, looking into his face. In response, the creature looks at him tenderly, holding him tighter, and they soar up into the sky and fly off in an unknown direction.Beomgyu is lifted up by someone. The young man only manages to groan in surprise and drops his cleaver. They rise, the ship becoming smaller and smaller. Beomgyu's breath catches at such a height. He looks up at the person holding him and gazes into their face. They look young, perhaps not much younger than Beomgyu himself, with sharp cheekbones that could cut, bright sunlight reflecting off their large, dark eyes, and light pink hair that has been slightly sunburned but softening their appearance. They flutter in the wind, revealing a high, smooth forehead. Beomgyu feels calmer when the ship is far behind them. It seems they have saved him from those vile pirates.Beomgyu holds onto the boy tighter to avoid falling from such a great height into the ocean and wants to look at his wings, but he doesn't notice anything behind him, only a small glow around them. So he's not like the others, he must be human. But how can they fly? So many questions swirl on the tip of his tongue, he wants to ask the silent boy, but during all this time, he hasn't even looked at Choi.While they were flying, Beomgyu managed to get a little tired. His neck was swollen, his arms hurt from the strong grip, and his lower back ached from the uncomfortable position. He tried not to fidget so as not to cause discomfort to his savior. The young man understood that it was much harder for him: he was carrying not a small child, but almost an adult, flying and remaining vigilant at the same time.Beomgyu sees other creatures diving into a dense white cloud ahead, then him too. They spent less than a second inside the cloud. The place they came out of was picturesque and unusual, causing Beomgyu's jaw to almost drop. It was an island with a sandy beach, sunny but not as hot as it was on the ship, there were jungles, but they consisted not only of palm trees but also other trees that usually do not grow in warm climates. These were broad-leaved trees, firs and pines. The residents gathered on the sandy shore, waving and joyfully exclaiming to the arrivals who returned unharmed.Finally, they landed on the warm sand, which pleasantly caressed Beomgyu's feet.— Thank you for saving me, — Bomgyu addressed the boy with pink hair.He only pursed his lips and nodded reservedly, not even looking at Choi. The boy reached out to introduce himself, but Beomgyu just turned around and went to check out Beomgyu's new acquaintance. He opened his arms wide and hugged the brunette, smiling broadly. Beomgyu turned towards the sea. He widened his eyes when he saw someone with a fish tail jump high over the water and dive back in. A mermaid? Beomgyu looked again at the calm surface of the sea to see it again, but no one else was performing such tricks. Beomgyu looked around the island, nodding to the friendly inhabitants, and noticed a strange feature in each of them: they were all young. Too young. Some looked as old as Taehyun, some younger, little ones walked hand in hand with older ones. He scrutinized every face and didn't notice a single adult or elderly person. And there were only boys here.Strange thoughts hit him in the back of his head, making his heart heavy. He still wants to go home. He doesn't even have anyone to ask about this place. He looks back at his savior and Jungi, but they are already gone. Beomgyu stands in the middle of the beach, not knowing what will happen to him next.
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Under the warm rays of the sun, Beomgyu shudders at the approaching cold in his mind. He is almost paralyzed in place as he realizes that he hardly remembers anything from before he woke up on the ship. It's like he woke up from a dream, the remnants of which were still floating in his memory but slipping away like water through his fingers. He tries to piece together fragments of his memories: "My name is Choi Beomgyu, I'm from Daegu. I woke up on a pirate ship and met Jungkook. I was almost eaten, but saved by winged creatures. Now I'm on an island with children." But what happened before that? How did he get on the ship?Someone's hand lands on Beomgyu's shoulder. He jumps in surprise, exclaiming and turning around. He seems to have scared the person who scared him. They gasp and clutch their chest, holding out their other hand and bending in half.— S-s-sorry for scaring you, — the person stutters and soon exhales in relief, straightening up and smiling friendly.Behind him, Beomgyu notices a pair of transparent pink wings sparkling in the sun. His skin glows, shimmering under the sunlight. He had a slightly elongated face, pointed ears, and long, sharp nails on his fingers that looked more like torture tools. In his hand, he held a large and sharp harpoon with which he had recently pierced pirates. In this creature, Beomgyu recognized the one Jungkook flew away with from the ship. Looking at his face, one could say that he was an ordinary person: dark brown, almost black eyes and hair the color of ripe cherries.Beomgyu waves it off and says everything is fine. The creature coughs and begins to speak more confidently:— So, my name is Hobi and I'll be the one you can ask any questions to for a while until your fairy is ready.— Fairy? — Beomgyu asks again and receives a nod. — So, are you also a fairy? — Hobi nods with a bright smile on his face. Beomgyu seems to be blinded by it. — And what happened to my fairy?— He'll tell you himself, I think, — Hobi scratches his head. — What's your name? — he asks cautiously, as if afraid that the guy might not know his own name.— Choi Beomgyu, — the guy says somewhat uncertainly.— Oh, wonderful! — Hobi gets excited. — You know your name, and that's the most important thing.Hobi takes the guy by the hand and drags him towards the shore, then turns him towards the island. He points with his palm to a small wooden house, the roof of which is made of reeds dried over time.— You'll be living there, — Hobi's smile doesn't fade. — There will be other kids living there too, — his smile slowly fades from his face due to recent events. — Right now, we have plenty of space, — he then sighs deeply, puts on his smile again, and points to a large round thatched roof. — We have weekend evenings there.Of course, Beomgyu was interested in the fairy's story, but why does he feel a nagging pain in his stomach because he wants to go home? He doesn't want to live here, even though it's incredibly picturesque, everyone is kind to each other, but his soul longs to get off this island.— Oh, Soobin! — The fairy exclaims, turning towards the ocean and waving his free hand.Beomgyu turns to the one Hobie waved to and opens his mouth in amazement, examining the unusual creature. Seeing how Beomgyu was enchanted by him, Hobie explained that this is a triton and they should be careful with them - one word from them and you will become their slave for eternity, so they wear an amulet around their neck to control their nature. The triton drew attention with his incredible beauty. Especially with his long pearly hair, sharp ears, piercing and confident gaze, and the irises of his eyes were the color of ocean depths, mercilessly dragging pirate ships to the bottom. He had small plump lips, behind which were sharp teeth capable of tearing human flesh without much effort. The purple scaly tail, shimmering with mother-of-pearl, sparkled in the sun and in the mysterious glow of moonlight. Beomgyu noticed the trident in his webbed hands, the weapon with which tritons and mermaids protected the island and its inhabitants.Soobin just nodded at them and dived back into the calm waters, as if he had never been there a minute ago.— Hobie, — Beomgyu, almost hypnotized, stared at the spot where the triton had just disappeared, — what is this place? Where are we?— Oh, buddy, we're on an island where you'll never grow up. You'll remain a pimply and snotty boy forever, — Hobi laughs at his own joke, then abruptly stops, watching as the stranger's golden-tinged eyes darken with impending fear and panic.— What are you talking about?He can't be serious, can he? Hobi just pats the young man sympathetically on the back and tells him he has to find out everything for himself. Beomgyu starts stamping his feet and asking him to explain everything, but Hobi stays silent, as if he's holding his tongue, only looking at him sympathetically. Hysteria overtakes Beomgyu.— How do I get home? — wiping away tears, Beomgyu asks, looking at the fairy imploringly; he just wants him to explain how to escape from here and end up where it was good.— Now this is your home, — Hobi answers, looking guilty at Choi.Beomgyu couldn't believe his ears. There must be some way out of here. He rushes off into the jungle. The trees scratch his face and the back of his hands, he steps on thorns, leaving small drops of blood on the leaf-covered ground and soft moss. What Hobi came up with simply cannot be true. They can't keep him by force on this island. What are they better than those pirates who lock up children in cells and then eat them? What if he faces the same fate here?His chest tightens from lack of oxygen due to his fast running, and Beomgyu stops to catch his breath. He sits on a moss-covered branch, wiping away the tears that flow incessantly. Scrapes on his face sting from the salty tears, the back of his hands burn, with small blood beads forming on them, and there are still a couple of thorns left in his feet that dug deeper with every step. Beomgyu takes them out with trembling hands and presses hard on the wounds with his fingers to stop the bleeding.Beomgyu looks around and tilts his head upwards, looking at the sky, and screams, releasing the accumulated stress of the day. Birds fly away from the treetops, leaving Beomgyu completely alone. It's a pity that he can't fly away with them, getting rid of the dull ache and anxiety and the fact that his memory is playing a cruel joke on him. He wipes away tears with dirty hands, realizing that he doesn't know where to go and he's lost. He lost his landmark and doesn't even know how to get back to the beach, to his new captors.He turns around, hearing the crack of branches. He thought he saw the burnt pink hair of the boy who saved him. He blinked and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands from the remnants of tears to get a better look, but he didn't see anyone anymore. He snorts and decides he must have imagined it.Turning back around, the young man screams and falls on his back, frightened by the person towering over him. A boy stands before him, looking down at the lying young man emotionlessly. He only rolls his eyes and offers him his hand.— Why do you sneak up and scare me? — Beomgyu hisses, shaking the stranger's strong hand.— You're the loudest person I've ever met, — the boy says in the same annoyed tone, lifting Beomgyu off the ground. He heard the scream and thought someone was in danger, but it turned out to be the runaway from Hobi. — You look terrible.— Oh, sorry, I didn't have time to dress up, — Beomgyu retorts, crossing his arms over his chest.The boy ignores the tone of Beomgyu's question and asks him to follow him. Beomgyu doesn't trust this sneaking boy, but he carries him on his back and saves him from certain death. Beomgyu trudges behind the boy, wincing with every step from the unpleasant stinging pain in his feet. He surveys the area and notices that they are no longer in the dense pine forest, but where broad-leaved forests whisper and birds sing serenades to each other. He sees a crystal-clear lake nearby, next to an old and tall elm tree, which emanates coolness and freshness from afar.— Undress and dive into the water, — the boy throws, not looking at Beomgyu, pushing off the ground and landing on a tree.Beomgyu only now notices that there is a little house hidden behind thick branches. The boy returns with folded clothes in his hands and leaves them on the shore of the lake, then flies back to the tree, hiding inside the house.— Did no one teach you how to talk, kid? — Beomgyu grumbles to himself, taking off his dirty pajamas.He looks at the letter "S" on the top of his pajamas and frowns, trying to remember what it could mean. "My name is Choi Beomgyu, I'm from Daegu," he repeats. There are no such letters in either his name or the name of the city. Throwing his pajamas on the shore, he touches the tip of his big toe to the water and shudders from the cold. The water is icy. He sinks into the water up to his waist, screaming from the sensation that hundreds of small needles are piercing his skin, then climbs up to his shoulders and starts rubbing his hands under water from blood that hasn't dried yet. Beomgyu dives into the lake. Suddenly he feels warmer, the water seems to have heated up to a comfortable temperature in just a few seconds. He resurfaces and the water becomes cold again. He dives again and feels that the water is getting warmer again, resurfaces again and it's cold again.— These are illusions, — the boy's voice comes from above, watching Beomgyu sincerely perplexed. — The water seems only cold, but in reality, it is quite warm.— Why do you need these tricks? — Beomgyu lies on his back and looks at the boy watching him from a thick branch, dangling his legs.— To keep curious kids from swimming in my lake, — the boy stands up and balances on the branch.— But you brought me here yourself, — Beomgyu doesn't understand, feeling his leg cramping up.— Look at your hands, — Beomgyu scrutinizes his palms diligently, trying to catch something, but only furrows his brows, not understanding what's wrong with his hands. The boy rolls his eyes from the branch. — Look at the back of your hands.Beomgyu frowns again, examining the back of his hands. Nothing unusual. Hands like hands, as they should be for all people. Smooth skin, too long and thin fingers, and short nails. But... But they were scratched just a few minutes ago. He looks at them again with disbelief, raises his legs to look if the wounds on his feet disappeared too, and they are also not there. He exclaims with joy and starts laughing loudly.— I'm Taehyun, — the voice comes from above, then the boy descends, picked up by the wind, to the ground. — You'd better get out now, otherwise your legs will cramp up. I'll throw you to your house.Beomgyu agrees to leave since the pulling pain in his muscles is pointless. Strangely, this boy from above began to inspire trust. He emanated tranquility. At first glance, he seemed indifferent. Beomgyu shivers all over when he comes out of the lake, but he is immediately blown by warm air. He thanks Taehyun for his "trick" and puts on the clothes given to him by the boy. They are clean and soft to the touch. They were cotton shorts, a lace blouse, and a beige light fabric cape on top. It was a strange outfit, but it looked good. Taehyun himself was dressed in a white and loose shirt with a small neckline tucked into wide pants. He was also barefoot, just like Beomgyu.Taking a small glass bottle out of his pocket and opening it, Taehyun sprinkles glitter onto his hand before blowing it onto Beomgyu's face. Caught off guard, Beomgyu closes his eyes and starts coughing as the particles get into his nose and mouth. He feels a foreign hand on his shoulder, then the ground disappears from under his feet. At first, he thinks he's passed out again, but the wind is blowing through his hair and the hand is still there. Blinking, he opens his eyes and his heart almost stops at the breathtaking view. He's soaring over the jungle, seeing almost the entire island, the endless ocean, mermaids and tritons swimming in the distance, and fairies fluttering around the beach. He looks at Taehyun, who's calm and collected, not even a muscle twitching on his face. How can he be so emotionless when he's flying so high up? And when he sees the world that fits in the palm of his hand and becomes so tiny!Panic sets in as Taehyung lets go and Beomgyu starts falling slowly down.— Just keep your balance! — Taehyun advises him.— Well, you could... help, you know, — Beomgyu gasps in fear.— I can't. I'm too tired for today, — he replies, closing his eyes and resting his head on his hands.Beomgyu turns red with anger. He's not falling anymore, so he should be able to fly like this sadist. Suddenly, he stops but doesn't fall down, instead hovering in the air, carried by the wind. His body feels lighter. He pushes off with his fingertips from a tree leaf and assumes a horizontal position, spreading his arms out and slowly flying over the forest that ends and becomes a beach. He lands smoothly on the warm sand and immediately falls on his butt, feeling his legs shaking from the strain.— Congratulations on your first flight, — the pink-haired guy offers his hand, but Beomgyu slaps it away, not wanting help from someone who's been teasing him.— Get lost, — he mutters and stands up without assistance.On wobbly legs, he moves towards his "home" and goes inside. The familiar smell makes his heart flutter and his brain pulse, urging him to remember something, but Beomgyu forgets what he's supposed to recall. The room smells of wildflowers and sweet apple pie. A big white rabbit lies on a small bed, looking painfully familiar. There are books on the shelves and a figurine of a man with the letter "S" on his chest. Beomgyu doesn't know who he is, but he's sure this person was important to him, someone he might have looked up to. He lies down on the bed and hugs the rabbit tightly, inhaling the nostalgic scent and sobbing from the renewed longing for a place that reminds him of this room.
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— How are you?A soft palm covers someone else's and gently strokes it, showing support and affection. The fairy shakes her wavy bangs off her eyes, raises her glassy gaze to the worried eyes in front of her, lowers her head, and her shoulders start shaking from quiet crying. The young man hugs the fairy, allowing her to cry on his clothes, and gently strokes her back. It's so obvious that it's miserable, bitter, and unbearable - there was no need to ask.— I don't see the point anymore...— Shh, Kai, we'll think of something, please, just don't cry, — he hears loud sobs on his shoulder.— You don't need to comfort me, Taehyun, — Kai looks at the guilt-ridden young man with reddened eyes. — And please, don't look at me like that.— How?— With pity.Taehyun lowers his gaze to the thin linen carpet with geometric figures. He can't look any other way. And he won't be able to ever again. Kai turns around. His skin is flawless, as always, but there was one "small" but. The red deep stripes in the middle of his shoulder blades left by claws became a reminder that they needed to protect themselves better.— Pity won't help me get my wings back, Taehyun, — fragile shoulders shake again. After a few seconds of heavy silence, felt physically, Kai continues. — We'll miss you, Taehyun, but we respect your choice.Taehyun swallows a lump in his throat with pain, looking at the stranger's back and, not wanting to hurt them more with his concern, leaves the fairy house and descends to the ground. His eyes are flickering with the fire from the beach campfire, sparks of which fly high into the sky, sprinkled with billions of starry lights. Or are those the sparks of his primal anger towards the one who took away the wings of his beloved friend?
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Something ticklish and feather-like was being trailed across his peacefully sleeping face, but it seemed highly unlikely. It was difficult to determine through his sleep. The serene face began to twitch from the irritating touches on his skin. Then something wet and cold started poking at his soft, rosy cheek. The young man barely opened his heavy eyelids to see who was so desperately trying to wake him up, and was met with two eyes of malachite color, with large black pupils squinting at him. At first, Beomgyu was startled by the unexpected encounter with a cat's face that was too close to his own, but then he smiled slightly, petting the soft, white fur with dark patches on its back and head. He realized that it was his face being lightly touched by whiskers, not a feather.— How did you end up here? — the young man sleepily asked, and the cat began to purr and rub its wet nose against his. Beomgyu chuckled at the feline gesture and rubbed his nose in response. — Or did you cat-girl?— Yes, it's her, — came the reply.Beomgyu was caught off guard by the adorable purring cat. He swallowed loudly, propping himself up on his elbows, and looked past the plush rabbit at Yoongi, who sat behind a desk, examining an adventure book with a worn-out cover taken from the shelf.— You have a nice room, — he said, closing the book and putting it back in its place. Noticing Beomgyu's confusion, he slapped his forehead – Beomgyu still didn't fully understand what was happening, and Yoongi needed to explain how he ended up in his room. — I'm your neighbor, and my room is upstairs. Bobby and I came down here to wake you up and invite you outside.Beomgyu looked at his new attire, then shifted his gaze to the still squinting and slowly blinking cat, and then to the boy with triangular eyes smiling at him. It finally dawned on him that this wasn't a dream, and he was indeed on the island where nobody grows up. He sighed heavily, glancing back at Bobby, giving her a faint smile, and got out of bed, struggling to lift his still heavy body after the nap. Beomgyu only just noticed two wreaths made of wildflowers on the table next to Yoongi, one of which Yoongi had put on his own head, and the other on the young man. His lips stretched into a content smile, revealing his gums, which made him resemble a cat. Beomgyu arched an eyebrow:— Is this necessary?— Not really, but I wanted to make them, and one for you too, — his eyes sparkled as he spoke, as if he admired it. — You showed unprecedented bravery by standing up for me, and I wanted to thank you for that.Beomgyu's stomach churned from today's memories and what Yoongi might have experienced on the ship, so he gratefully smiled and brushed aside the hair falling over the boy's eyes. Yoongi blushed slightly and smiled back. They walked outside together, where it was already dark, and the island residents had gathered by the ocean, sitting around a large bonfire and casually chatting with each other. Yoongi sat down next to Hobi, resting his head on his shoulder and intertwining their fingers, staring at the bright red flames moving lazily and slowly in a graceful dance. Beomgyu had noticed earlier, on the ship, that these two had a special bond between them. Perhaps it was tender and affectionate. He met the dark eyes of the fairy, nodded at him, and quickly looked away, feeling awkward about his escape.The young man sat on the sand away from everyone else. His face and body were warmed by the fire, while the night air licked his back and neck, cool and damp. He looked up at the sky, filled with so many stars that he wouldn't have enough life to count them all, and the moon was so huge and bright that it illuminated the silhouettes of mermaids and tritons sitting on the rocky shore, swimming not far away, singing with their enchanting and crystal-clear voices. Something trembled in the area of his heart, causing him to momentarily feel melancholy and shiver from their singing. Beomgyu wanted to curl up and hide from everything he had experienced, from his own thoughts and the overwhelming sadness that had engulfed him. Beomgyu didn't know if it was related to the mermaid song or his own feelings, but he knew for sure that he felt sad and empty inside, as if he were an incomplete cup. He needed meaning, without the feeling of a growing hole in his chest. He decided to approach his new acquaintances so they could tell him a little bit about this place, but from now on he would ask casually, so it wouldn't turn out like earlier.He sat down next to Hobi, who smiled brightly at him and illuminated everything around him again. Yoongi also turned his attention to his new neighbor.— What are your plans for tomorrow? — he asked quietly, grabbing a stick and poking it into the fire, causing amber sparks to fly high into the sky.— I think Taehyun will take you to the lake and tell you everything, or you can go with Yoongi to another part of the island and do some work, — Hobi enthusiastically explained. — But you better go with Taehyun first, otherwise what you'll see will shock you.— Really? What's so shocking about it? — Beomgyu asked anxiously, waiting to hear the answer.— At first, it's wild, but then you get used to it, — Hobi shrugged and looked at Yoongi in confusion as he poked him in the side. — You just have to plant a boat... Ow, Yoongi! That hurt!— Taehyun! — Yoongi waved his hands, getting the young man's attention.Passing by, Taehyun looked fierce and thoughtful, not immediately realizing that someone had addressed him. He blinked, coming back to earth from his thoughts after talking with Kai, and looked at the boys sitting on the shore. Beomgyu turned to him and met his eyes, opening his mouth in surprise. For a moment, it seemed to him that fiery sparks were splashing in them. Taehyun immediately lowered his eyes and walked towards them. Beomgyu looked at him closely, trying to see into his eyes, but when Taehyun approached, they became ordinary and only reflected the heat of the bonfire. "Maybe it was just my imagination? — Beomgyu thought, glancing at the young man standing next to him.— I have an idea! — Yoongi exclaimed, mainly addressing Taehyun, but the others heard him too and looked at the young man with interest, sharpening their ears. — We have a newcomer. This is Beomgyu! — Beomgyu's mouth went dry from such attention. The others started shouting greetings and waving their hands. Beomgyu just awkwardly smiled and wanted to disappear into the ground. — Guys, don't embarrass him, — Yoongi chuckled, noticing the neighbor's embarrassment and his bewildered gaze wandering among unfamiliar faces. — Sorry, Beomgyu, but I think you'll have to be in the spotlight a little longer. So, I suggest we go under the canopy and arrange a test for Beomgyu, — Yoongi winked at the frozen Beomgyu, who seemed to be holding his breath from such interest.Beomgyu only heard Taehyun chuckle, everyone shouted at once: "Yes!" and started getting up from their seats. Overwhelmed, happy boys grabbed Beomgyu's hands. In surprise, his wreath even fell off his head and remained lying on the cool sand. Taehyun picked it up and followed the noisy crowd. Beomgyu looked around for Yoongi, whom he had gotten so angry with earlier, and Hobi, hoping that he could save him, but when he saw them, he realized that no one would stand up for him because these two were too absorbed in themselves, arguing about something. Hobi pointed to the place they were going during the day and said that they spend their weekends there, but what they do there remains a mystery to him. After all, on this island, there is nothing but magic, not even music to dance to.Inside the canopy, it was decorated with warm-colored garlands, field flowers stood in vases on the table, and on the stage-like platform, there was a huge boulder. At first, Beomgyu didn't understand why there was a huge stone in such a place, but as he approached, he noticed a painted hilt of a sword with a sparkling emerald just below the handle. Beomgyu thought it was a joke when they brought him straight to the sword. Young people surrounded him and started shouting, "Come on, come on!"— Um..., — the youn g man said uncertainly, — and what do you want me to do?— We want you to pull out the sword!— Yes!— Pull out the sword! — the command echoed from all sides to Beomgyu.So this is how they entertain themselves? Fun (no). The young man smirked at his thoughts. He touched the cold metal, and everyone froze in anticipation. Beomgyu looked around. Maybe this was really a joke? He met the gaze of someone with big, dark eyes, filled with genuine interest, and he looked too serious for it to be a joke. In his hands, Beomgyu noticed his wreath and touched his hair — he hadn't even noticed when he lost it. He tensed his hand to pull the sword out of the stone and was ready to sink into the ground from this surreal situation. He gripped the hilt of the sword with his other hand and pulled it towards him, not exerting much effort.Under the canopy, it became too quiet. The wind stopped rustling the trees, and the ocean seemed frozen — the sound of waves crashing against the shore was no longer audible — even the mermaids had stopped singing with their bell-like voices. Beomgyu looked around and came face to face with the scared, interested, and even admiring gazes of the children, holding a long and sharp sword in his hands. Noticing how it sparkled in his hands, Beomgyu even had a thought that the blade must be very sharp. Before him stood a young man with a wreath in his hand, curiosity and reverence evident in his eyes, and his mouth slightly open in astonishment. His gaze moved from Beomgyu's relatively calm face to his tense hands, still firmly gripping the hilt of the sword. Beomgyu wanted to cover himself from such scrutiny.— I declare a party in honor of this event, — Taehyun said with a half-smile, securing the wreath on top of the stone and extending his hand to Beomgyu.The others cheered, and Beomgyu's eyes reflected confusion: "Will someone explain to me what's going on here?" He stared at the extended hand, searching for any catch, then his gaze involuntarily fell on the dimple formed by Taehyun's half-smile, and his heart melted a little. Beomgyu reached out his hand, and Taehyun's hand only lightly touched his, pulling him along. Beomgyu's mind was swirling with questions, but he couldn't find the words to express them due to the strangeness of the situation. He obediently followed Taehyun, dragging the heavy weapon behind him, and heard the noise of the crowd and loud laughter filled with joy and carefreeness behind him.Beomgyu didn't understand what he should be feeling. Yes, he had pulled some sword out of a stone, and everyone was so happy about it as if he had fulfilled all their wishes at once. He could join in the celebration with the others, but what for?— Hold on to me tightly, — Taehyun said, slightly crouching down so that Bomgyu could climb onto his back. Seeing Beomgyu's skeptical look, he added, — Trust me.Beomgyu didn't think otherwise; for some unknown reason, he trusted him. It was as if Taehyun was an old friend with whom he could open up, bare his soul, cry on his shoulder, and not be rejected. They had only just met, but Beomgyu felt like they had known each other their whole lives. It was probably a bit wrong, but his gut instinct told him that he could trust this guy.Beomgyu nodded and threw a fleeting glance at the sword in his hand because he wasn't sure if he could hold onto Taehyun with it. Noticing this, Taehyun came dangerously close to Beomgyu, looking into his eyes, and took the heavy weapon in his own hand. Beomgyu gulped audibly at such proximity but didn't pull away. Instead, he studied the face in front of him and couldn't understand how old he was. He seemed younger than Beomgyu, with a sturdy build for a teenager who was still developing muscle mass. The color of his pink hair in the moonlight mixed with the serene glimmers of the ocean, the large bonfire on the shore, and the soft lights of the garlands, creating a rich reddish hue. His sun-kissed honey-colored skin glowed in the moonlight. But his gaze. It was simultaneously calm, captivating, and wise beyond his years.Taehyun turns around again, kneeling on one knee so that Beomgyu can easily climb onto his back. Beomgyu involuntarily touches his throat, feeling his heartbeat quicken, and climbs onto the younger man's back. Taehyun holds Beomgyu under the knee with one hand, and Beomgyu clasps his hands together to avoid accidentally falling and tightly squeezes his legs against the young man's sides. Whether Taehyun hears Beomgyu's racing heart or not, Beomgyu tries to believe that it's because they're starting to fly, not because of their recent proximity. He holds on tighter, brushing his nose against the wind-blown hair that smells sweet and juicy like mangoes. He presses closer to the back of Taehyun's neck and inhales the scent of ripe fruits. It was incredible. He allowed himself to close his eyes and, for the first time during his stay here, not think about anything. The wind and Taehyun's hair tickled his face pleasantly, and a smile spread across his strawberry lips. He didn't even realize they had arrived until he was in a daze from these new sensations, while Taehyun was already standing by a cool lake, waiting for Beomgyu to climb off him.— Did you fall asleep there? — Taehyun asks playfully.— Huh? — Beomgyu opens his eyes and looks around, realizing they are in place, and easily jumps off the young man, no longer feeling the pleasant warmth of Taehyun and starting to shiver from the cool air. — Why did you bring me here again?Before answering Beomgyu, he sticks the sword into the ground and hesitates with his answer.— Taehyun...?— You have a lot of questions, — Taehyun asserts, turning his body towards Beomgyu and looking confidently into his eyes. He extends his palm again, immediately feeling a foreign one and clasping it tightly. — I will show you the answers to some of them, — he says. He extends his hand again, immediately feeling a foreign one and clasping it tightly. — Open your eyes when you're in the water. On the count of three, we jump. One, two...— Wait, what?— Three!Taehyun jumps into the lake with a running start, and Beomgyu runs after him, slightly trailing behind, and covers his nose with his hand before plunging into the embrace of the body of water, which seems almost black in the night. First his legs, then his whole body is pricked by small needles as he submerges himself in the icy water, but already in the next second, when he is fully underwater, a pleasant warmth envelops him. Remembering Taehyun's words, he opens his eyes and sees the young man's face in front of him. He can still feel the firm grip of their joined hands. Taehyun uses his magic to swim deeper. Beomgyu notices something on the bottom that is glowing a bright yellow color. They dive deeper and closer to the unknown object. Beomgyu can't see well what it is, but he guesses that it's a dome they are entering and lands on the white and cool sand. Beomgyu takes a deep breath and looks at Taehyun in surprise — how can they breathe here? Hot air blows from between Taehyun's fingers, and Beomgyu immediately becomes dry. Taehyun does the same for himself.Beomgyu looks over Taehyun's shoulder and notices a stone with round sand hourglasses floating above it. Through a thin neck, a viscous but sticky substance slowly drips, shimmering with purple, blue, and dark green hues at different angles. The lower vessel is almost completely filled, while there is only a small amount of the substance left in the upper one. Beomgyu approaches closer to examine the object, reaches out to touch it, but Taehyun firmly grabs his hand to prevent him from doing so. Bomgyu looks at their clasped fingers on his wrist and once again feels his heart beating uncontrollably stronger.— These hourglasses, — Taehyun begins, lowering his hand along with Beomgyu's hand, — are my time, — Beomgyu doesn't immediately understand the meaning of Taehyun's words. He furrows his brow slightly to understand what Taehyun is talking about, shifting his gaze to the slowly descending substance, and then to Taehyun, who looks too serious and determined but also with a hint of sadness in his eyes. — As you can see, it's almost empty from the top, — Taehyun gives a hint.— Y-your time? — Beomgyu stammers, repeating Taehyun's words as he tries to comprehend what he said. He pales in an instant, once again lowering his gaze to the hourglass, and through the white haze before his eyes, he sees the liquid that remains as a thin strip in the upper vessel, and then he looks at Taehyun, who appears relaxed. — Are you trying to say that what's left on top is the time that you have left... to live? — he says, his head turning away from his own assumption.— Five points for quick thinking, — the young man says with a bitter smile.— But I don't understand, — Beomgyu smears his dry lips with saliva, — how can your life depend on hourglasses?— Nothing lasts forever, — Taehyun smiles bitterly again. — I have been here for long enough. Now it's your turn, Bomgyu.— M-my turn? What are you talking about? — Beomgyu begins to tremble, his eyes and pupils widening.— Only someone with pure intentions and a brave heart can pull the sword from the stone. Last time, as you might have guessed, it was me. You are meant to be the next leader of this place.— I need to go home, — Beomgyu says with a glassy gaze as he looks at Taehyun, stepping back, refusing to believe these tales from the lips of a handsome young man slowly fading away. — How do I get back home, Taehyun? I don't want to be here. How do I go back home? How do I go back home? How do I go back home?Beomgyu repeats the same question, spiraling into a panic and grabbing his hair with his hands. He slowly sinks onto the sand, covering his head with his hands and breathing heavily. A hole the size of a pebble expands in his chest, making it hard to breathe, painfully crushing him and not allowing him to catch his breath. It's time to end this prolonged dream, to wake up, to remember, and to stop being a part of this delusional world. Bomgyu doesn't believe in fairy tales, in fairies or mermaids, or in the fact that Taehyun will cease to exist. The last part resonates painfully in his heart. He shouldn't react this way, but it hurts to think that such a warm person like Taehyun will suddenly disappear.Beomgyu hides his face in his bent knees and rocks back and forth, sobbing uncontrollably. Strange hands gently descend on his trembling shoulders, soothingly stroking them, and then Taehyun's warm body presses against his back, enveloping him in an embrace that feels uncomfortably good. He comforts the hysterical Beomgyu.— Taehyun, tell me the truth, why can't I go back home? — Beomgyu asks through his sobs, wiping away tears with his sleeve, but they still blur his vision. He sees colorful fish with long, flowing fins staring at them and seaweed swaying on the lake bed.— I'm not sure you're ready for it right now, — Taehyun says soothingly and unbearably caring, whispering directly into Beomgyu's ear, sending shivers down his spine. He can't control it. — Now this is your home.Beomgyu cries even harder and trembles as if having a seizure, and Taehyun feels so sorry for Beomgyu.— Why won't you turn these hourglasses over? — Beomgyu barely manages to ask, and Taehyun has to make an effort to understand what he is saying.— Because it's my conscious choice.— Don't you want to live? Isn't life a precious gift?Taehyun doesn't answer. He will answer when Beomgyu is ready.They sit like this for some time. Beomgyu calms down a bit and allows Taehyun to take care of him, to submerge into the lake again, to be in the cool air, to fly, and to lay him on the bed while slowly dying from the realization of his fate on this cursed island.
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Upon reaching the shore, their mermaid tails transform into a pair of thin and pale legs. Their slightly wavy and blond hair becomes short, their ears round like humans, and their teeth align. If one were to meet them in this form, they could easily be mistaken for humans. But their mermaid charms do not dissipate. Soobin had a weak spot. He swam to the nearest non-charmed island and eagerly awaited the person who had uncontrollable power over him. Soobin was loyal to Taehyun, but he felt both loyalty and love for another person, forgetting who he really was — a proud triton. While others drowned in Subin's dark blue eyes, Soobin allowed himself to drown only in eyes the color of sticky caramel.Dangerous and cold metal and a warm and rough palm touched his slender waist from behind, wet kisses showered his milky skin and the protruding bone on his shoulder, pulling back the translucent cloak. A hand descended onto his firm buttocks, impatiently squeezing them and sharply turning the triton towards him. With the tip of his hook, he touched the tender cheek and pressed into the sweet lips with a mischievous smirk. Soobin tilted his head back in pleasure, hinting that his neck should not be left without attention.— You escaped... — Soobin breathlessly said. — Taehyun was furious.— Don't mention his name while I'm kissing you.— As you wish, Yeonjun.Soobin bit his lower lip as Yeonjun laid him on his back and spread his legs wide apart. The triton touched the scarred cheek, looking at the pirate with a tenderness he had never looked at anyone before. His image and name were carved into his heart by this sharp and dangerous hook. He would never stop loving him and would love him forever, always clinging to him and whispering his name on plump lips. He would look into his eyes with a sly squint and drown, perish, ascend, and perish again.Soobin clenched the wet sand in his hands, rolling his eyes in pleasure again and again, while Yeonjun passionately entered him. He took the oxygen out of his lungs, took away all attachment to Taehyun, the island, and the children, took away his life and stained it with his cruel indifference. Yeonjun didn't love him and never had, and it was unlikely he ever would. He only liked the pliant and flawless body of the triton, his obedience and loyalty.— You're the only person who makes me weak, — Soobin said in broken words, tightly pulling the pirate by the neck, afraid that he would pull away. — It scares me.— Will you do something for me? — Yeonjun asked, hiding his dissatisfaction with sentimentality, which rarely escaped the triton's lips. Yeonjun preferred it when he was greedy in his touches and only begged for more or when menacing sparks flickered in his eyes, rather than tender affection and sweet words.A melodic moan escaped Soobin's lips, pleasing to Yeonjun's ears, and his relaxed body became limp in the strong hands that held him by the hips. Yeonjun heated his blissful face with hot breath, trailing his nose along raised eyebrows and leaving a barely perceptible kiss on slightly parted cherry lips. Then waves of pleasure ran through his body.— I'll do anything for you, — Soobin finally whispered, looking into Yeonjun's sweet caramel eyes.That's what Yeonjun needed. He had held the triton's slender neck in his clawed paws for a long time and tamed him. Soobin was completely under his control.
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Beomgyu opened his eyes due to a sudden awakening. He looked around and sighed with relief, seeing the familiar room in front of him. But within a few seconds, the events of the previous day began to slowly and surely strike his mind with precise blows. It seemed like it would never end. He groaned inwardly and covered his face with his hands, unable to get out of bed. He didn't remember his life before yesterday, but he was certain that it wasn't as intense and full of drama as it was now. And if there was no way out, he would have to accept the situation. It made him feel sick to his stomach. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Beomgyu stared at the wooden door painted white and hesitated to stand up and go outside because he would confront a reality that seemed utterly fake. Someone thought it would be funny to put him on this damn island, playing the role of a leader, as Taehyun said, and staying here for who knows how many days or weeks. It was a cruel and malicious joke.Gathering all his scarce strength, Beomgyu stood up and stumbled towards the exit. His eyes were immediately blinded by the overly bright sun, the overly friendly residents irritated him to the point of choking, and his heart uncomfortably pricked at the sight of the pink horizon. For someone who chose death over life, he looked too... calm, as if nothing was supposed to happen. He attended to tasks, instructing a group of boys where to go and what to do. Sometimes his eyes gazed at the horizon, as if he was waiting for something. Beomgyu apathetically shifted his gaze in the same direction as Taehyun, where the airy light-blue sky met the heavy and menacing ocean, which, at first glance, appeared calm but revealed nothing.The residents noticed the young man and waved at him with smiles, but Beomgyu could only weakly curl the corners of his lips, trying to smile properly. However, it came out as if he was about to vomit, and the guys glanced at each other, not fully understanding the reason and assuming it was their fault. They walked past him, continuing on with their own tasks. Disregarding everything, Beomgyu planned to spend the rest of the day, or even his life, in his room without going anywhere. But then Taehyun noticed him and headed straight towards him. Beomgyu cursed his luck for not being able to remain unnoticed and remained standing in place, watching as the distance between them decreased. Taehyun stopped a couple of meters away from Beomgyu and greeted him in a casual tone.— Hey, Beomgyu, how are you feeling? — Taehyun asked, taking a step closer and carefully surveying the gaunt and pale face.Beomgyu barely manages to swallow the lump in his throat and feels his mouth becoming dry again. Somehow, Taehyun has an effect on him. Beomgyu can't take his eyes off his face. He stares at his refined features as if enchanted. Taehyun's tanned skin seems to glow in the sun, and his hair today is slightly tousled and resembles ripe peaches in color. But Beomgyu knows they smell like different fruits. Memories from yesterday rush back, and out of a sudden impulse, he buried his nose in Taehyun's hair. Beomgyu's face flushes, and he can't explain to himself why he can't look into those big eyes anymore. He averts his gaze to the passing children.— It feels like I've been chewed up, digested, and spit out again.Beomgyu jumps in surprise when Taehyun gets close and anxiously scans him. It becomes difficult for Beomgyu to breathe. And how does Taehyun not understand that he's only making it worse?— Is something hurting you? — Taehyun asks anxiously, trying to look at Beomgyu, but Beomgyu shakes his head from side to side, silently praying for Taehyun to keep his distance. — Bomgyu? Be honest with me. If you're feeling unwell, then rest in your room, okay?Beomgyu doesn't answer and, without even looking at Taehyun, goes back inside. He leans his back against the closed, cool door and slides down to the floor, covering his hot face with his hands. As if his condition wasn't already bad enough, his body reacts strangely to Taehyun. Taehyun doesn't deserve to have the door slammed in his face without Beomgyu even bothering to look at him, but at the same time, Beomgyu feels sick when he's near him and also somewhat relieved. And if he's the only one who can talk about the island and its inhabitants, he shouldn't push him away or ignore him. Gathering all his agitation, clenching it into a tiny fist, Beomgyu throws it onto the floor, steps on it, and jumps to his feet. With trembling hands, he reaches for the doorknob, which reluctantly gives way, opens the door, and sees Taehyun's silhouette moving away toward the forest.— Taehyun, — Beomgyu softly and uncertainly calls out, pressing his dry lips together. This way, he definitely won't hear him. — Taehyun! — Beomgyu calls out louder and more confidently, quickly walking towards the turned figure. Taehyun's face displays pleasant surprise. Beomgyu stands at his level. "Tell me everything. Why don't I remember anything, and how did I end up here? I've already heard from a second person that this is now my home. And I should know what this place is. Right?"— Beomgyu, — Taehyun sighs heavily. — Are you sure? I have to monitor your emotional and physical condition as your mentor, — Taehyun ponders something while looking at Beomgyu, and then makes a decision.— Shouldn't it be Hobi who's my mentor? And someone else was supposed to be as well.— It's me now. I have to pass on all my knowledge to you... — Taehyun falters when he sees Beomgyu furrow his eyebrows and press his lips disapprovingly. — Well, now I'm your mentor, Beomgyu. Follow me.Beomgyu judges Taehyun for his decision.— So, you're just going to leave and die in the forest like a cat, is that it? — Beomgyu walks quickly behind Taehyun, barely catching up. Taehyun chuckles at the comparison but doesn't respond. — Why are you laughing? I'm serious. Why do you want to leave? I see that you're handling your responsibilities to the fullest, a hundred or even a thousand percent. And you're so young... — Beomgyu finally gathers the courage to ask the question that interests him. — How old are you?— Seventeen, — the young man replies shortly.Beomgyu suspected that he was still young, but something about Taehyun screamed that it wasn't true. Perhaps it was the weariness in his gaze. Beomgyu simply snorts, dissatisfied with the answer, although he got what he wanted.— I still don't understand, — Beomgyu insists, holding his ground. — You're so young. Don't you want to live a little longer?!" — Beomgyu exclaims. Taehyun patiently remains silent, walking even faster — Beomgyu is talkative and loud. — You don't have to answer me, but I'll find out anyway, — the young man confidently declares, almost on par with Taehyun. He pants, wondering how Taehyun can walk so fast and not get tired. — By the way, where are we going?— To Kai's, — the guy replies curtly.Beomgyu was starting to get annoyed by Taehyun's silence. He just rolled his eyes. But he couldn't help but notice that he was feeling slightly better, and the weight of responsibility that had been pressing on his head and shoulders wasn't as heavy. He was confident that he could rely on Taehyun, and maybe he would change his mind. Beomgyu wants to persuade him. Perhaps he can succeed, but for now, he has no clear plan on how to do it. In other words, he has no plan at all. But he must come up with something that will make Taehyun want to stay. Maybe not as a leader, but at least as an ordinary island resident. Beomgyu felt unbearably sad at the thought that Taehyun might leave or disappear.The young men stopped near a wooden house on the edge of a pine forest. The garden flowers planted in the flowerbed didn't look their best: they were withered, with dried petals and drooping heads, swaying melancholically. Beomgyu wasn't knowledgeable in gardening, but even he felt his heart tighten at the sight—it was clear that the flowers needed gentle and careful care. They ascended the creaking wooden steps. Taehyun knocked a couple of times, and Beomgyu heard a soft: "Come in." The scent of herbs immediately hit his nose, causing a slight dizziness. The owner was nowhere to be seen. Colorful rugs covered the floor, and dried herbs of unknown origin adorned the walls. On the table, a cutting board held chopped dried herbs, and small empty bottles and full ones with sparkling contents were placed nearby. Beomgyu unintentionally remembered how Taehyun blew some of those sparkles on him yesterday, and he was able to fly. It must be magic happening here, right?The curtain of small beads in the doorway of the adjacent room parted with the sound of beads clinking against each other, and Beomgyu turned to the source of the noise. In front of them stood a fairy with sharp ears, holding a small wooden box in his hands. He nodded at Taehyun and fixed his dark green eyes on Beomgyu, his expression changing. His pupils dilated, his lips narrowed, and his eyebrows furrowed. In a couple of steps, he caught up with the young men, handed the box to a stunned Beomgyu, and stood behind the table, vigorously chopping the herbs into even smaller pieces. Beomgyu glanced uncertainly at Taehyun, not fully understanding the reason for the fairy's irritation.— Thank you, Kai, — Taehyun politely thanked. — Kai, this is Beomgyu. Beomgyu, this is Kai, — Kai only mumbles, not looking at them. Beomgyu looks at Taehyun again, wishing to leave as soon as possible. — Kai is your fairy, — Taehyun explains to Beomgyu.Hobi mentioned yesterday that he had a fairy, but he couldn't imagine that his fairy would hate him, judging by his facial expression and the way he ruthlessly dealt with the herbs, stuffing them into small bottles. Beomgyu swallows saliva at the sight of a sharp knife in the fairy's hands, recalling yesterday on the ship when they wanted to cook a stew with vegetables.— N-nice to meet you, — Beomgyu stutters, keeping a close eye on Kay's hands, and pokes Taehyun's side to urge them to leave the seemingly cozy house.Kai only glances from under his brows and, noticing Taehyun's stern look, nods briefly and plunges the knife's tip into the cutting board. Beomgyu flinches and hurriedly exits the stuffy andintoxicatingly fragrant room onto the street, where he eagerly inhales the fresh air. He immediately heads towards his own home. Right behind him comes a serious-looking Taehyun. He appears, to put it mildly, displeased. Now it's his turn to catch up with Beomgyu. Beomgyu glances sideways at the approaching Taehyun. Why doesn't he get tired? And he blurts out:— What the hell is wrong with this guy? I thought my skin would be covered in blisters from his passive aggression. I've never seen him before! And what is this? — He extends his hands with the box forward, inspecting it from above and from the side.Taehyun remains silent again, walking alongside Bomgyu. Unable to withstand his silence, Beomgyu explodes:— Didn't anyone teach you manners, Taehyun? Why are you always silent? I'm tired of it! Don't look for me and don't try to contact me!He barely had time to run when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Beomgyu stopped and turned to Taehyun, not hiding his dissatisfaction, but then his eyebrows shot up and his mouth fell open as he noticed the sparks in Taehyun's eyes again. Not metaphorically, but real sparks. So, it wasn't his imagination back then.— Your eyes, Taehyun, — Beomgyu whispered, widening his eyes.Taehyun saw his reflection in Beomgyu's big eyes and blinked rapidly. He closed his eyes, furrowing his brow, and touched the bridge of his nose with his fingers.— I'm sorry, Beomgyu. You weren't supposed to see that, — he said, opening his eyes, in which Beomgyu couldn't detect anything unusual anymore. Beomgyu nodded briefly, turned away from Taehyun, and walked toward his own place, trying to digest what that could have been. Beomgyu thought Taehyun wasn't going to follow him, but he heard footsteps behind him. — Did I scare you?— I'm fine.Or maybe not. Taehyun certainly didn't scare the young man; rather, he shocked him with his transformations. It was unusual and impressive. Taehyun could not only fly and use magic, but he had other abilities too? What kind of abilities? The longer Beomgyu stayed here, the more questions arose. Beomgyu stopped at the threshold of his house and felt someone's gaze on the back of his head.— Come in, — Beomgyu said without turning around, — and you can tell me everything.They entered a bright room. Beomgyu sat comfortably on the bed, pulling his legs towards him and placing the box in front of him. Taehyun's shoulders slumped, and he lowered his head — feeling guilty for losing his temper. First, he got irritated with Kay, and then he got irritated with the capricious Beomgyu. But Beomgyu wasn't at fault for anything. He ended up here against his will. Taehyun sat opposite Beomgyu, crossing his legs, reaching out to the box, and pulling it closer. Beomgyu observed his actions attentively, letting his gaze slide over the veins bulging on the back of Taehyun's hands, his forearms, and his eyes involuntarily drifting slightly higher to the shifting muscles and broad shoulders. He wanted to touch those strong muscles out of sheer curiosity. After all, Beomgyu was slim, and he could only dream of having such arms. His mouth grew even drier when he noticed Taehyun squinting, seemingly understanding what Beomgyu had been staring at. The tips of the brunette's ears turned red, but fortunately, they were covered by his wavy hair, and his cheeks only slightly flushed.— Let's start from the beginning, — Beomgyu nodded, pleased that Taehyun didn't say anything and decided to ignore it. — When a child is born, they have a fairy until they grow up. And if children don't grow up, fairies remain attached to them until the child chooses to let them go. As you may have guessed, Kai is your fairy. He came for you, but he was interrupted. You were kidnapped, and as you probably noticed, his wings were torn off by the pirates, or rather, the pirate, — Beomgyu noted as he saw the flickering lights at the bottom of Taehyun's pupils, but they quickly disappeared as soon as he realized he was being observed.Beomgyu gasped in horror, not imagining how Kay must be feeling. He must be unable to imagine life without his wings and struggling to accept life without them.— He blame me for it, — Beomgyu whispered in disbelief, shocked by what he had heard, and somewhere deep inside, he wished that his theory wouldn't be confirmed. But Taehyun nodded. — If I had known, I wouldn't have let that happen to him. But why did he come for me?— And now we come to the most important part, — Taehyun said, deftly opening the box and extending it to Beomgyu.Beomgyu took a couple of small vials in his hand and examined their contents curiously.— Drink this, and you will see your past life, — Taehyun said, leaning closer and running his index finger along the vial containing pink liquid in Beomgyu's hand. Beomgyu watched in fascination as Taehyun's long fingers moved gracefully. — Drink this, and you will forget everything, — his finger slid across the vial containing purple liquid.— Why would I want to forget? — Beomgyu looked at Taehyun with confusion.— You'll understand, — Taehyun places his warm palm on the other's thin shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze.Beomgyu's ears burn even more from such a gesture, but he finds the courage to look at Taehyun. He sees sympathy and support in him, which makes his heart stop and then start pounding against his ribs, trying to break them. To distract himself from the rising panic, from his own feelings, Beomgyu uncorks the bottle of pink liquid.— You only need one sip, — Taehyun smiles slightly, squeezing the boy's shoulder even tighter.Beomgyu doesn't listen and drinks all of it. The taste is pleasant. It resembles sweet pastries with slightly sour apples. He feels the liquid pleasantly scorch his throat and stomach, enveloping him. His body becomes completely light. Bright and colorful flashes of memories appear in his mind, chaotically floating in his consciousness. His eyes start to close, and before falling into darkness, he sees big and gentle eyes and feels himself being gently laid on a bed. He falls into a dark and velvety abyss with open arms.The first thing Beomgyu sees is his mother's face. He realizes it's her on an intuitive level because there is something familiar and recognizable about her that fills his heart with tender feelings. She has beautiful eyes with a golden shimmer, soft and smooth fingers. Her warm smile makes all worries fade away and not think about anything bad. She would scold him sometimes, but then apologize and suggest watching a movie that Beomgyu would choose. Beomgyu always chose the "old" Superman. They often listened to the radio while Beomgyu did his homework or read books, and his mom made his favorite apple pie with sour apples, usually on weekends.The second thing he sees is tears of joy in the young man's sparkling eyes. Beomgyu realizes it's his father. He exudes liveliness and optimism. He is not afraid of his emotions and laughs louder than anyone else. He is the person who charges people with energy just by being present. Beomgyu and his father were similar, but Beomgyu felt that he was also gentle like his mother. On his tenth birthday, his father gave him a collectible Superman figurine. Beomgyu didn't even need it, but he loved it with all his heart, wiped off the dust from it almost every day, and fell asleep looking at it. His father blew on his scraped knees when he couldn't ride a bicycle on his first try, helped with math, gave piggyback rides, and loved to come up with different stories. Beomgyu laughed at his father's inventions every time and wanted to be like him when he grew up. In reality, his father was his Superman.Beomgyu felt like he was watching a movie with himself in a dark movie theater alone. It hurt his heart every time he saw his mom and dad, who loved each other and Beomgyu. He was woven from endless love and sincere care and didn't fully understand why he was not with them now.The scenes of the film changed one after another, where everything was simply wonderful. Beomgyu had many loving friends and comrades at school. The teachers cherished him, and the art club leader considered him a talented guy who had a great future in the creative field. Beomgyu finds himself in an art gallery. He examines the drawings made with colored pencils, watercolors, and oil paints with interest until he notices that they are all signed by one person - himself. So many different styles that create the impression that he was searching for his own. Beomgyu stared at the faces of familiar people looking from the portraits, but his gaze caught his own portrait. Here he looked lifeless and tired, despite his young age, as if he carried an unbearable burden on his shoulders. His cheeks were sunken, and dark circles lay beneath his eyes.Beomgyu touched the portrait, and he was drawn inside. He found himself in a familiar setting of his room. On the bed lay Beomgyu, just like in his painting, but in real life, he looked even worse. Sitting next to him was his father, giving him some pills and bringing a glass with a straw to his mouth. He picked up a book by King from the shelf and opened it in the middle. The boy's pale lips curled into a smile, and his father began reading aloud. Within five minutes, Beomgyu fell asleep, and his father closed the book, kissing his son's dry forehead. He left the book next to his son on the bed and went downstairs. It didn't need to be explained to the observing Beomgyu that the lying, lifeless boy was sick and unlikely to recover anytime soon.Beomgyu desperately longed for answers to his questions but hadn't prepared himself for the possibility that the truth could be painful and devastating. It felt as if a bucket of icy water had been poured on him, bringing him back down from the clouds and grounding him. Beomgyu wasn't afraid of falling; he was afraid of hitting the ground, of being sprawled on the floor with broken bones and a fractured skull. Maybe it would have been better if he had remained ignorant and lived peacefully, unaware of anything, for eternity.Beomgyu died in real life.He had seen enough.The brunette opened his eyes and saw Taehyun squatting, resting his head on the edge of the bed, watching the sleeping boy.— Hey, how do you feel? — Taehyun asked softly.Beomgyu couldn't really answer that question. His body still felt light and weightless from the pink liquid he had consumed. He could barely process all that he had learned about his life. He had died. He had a loving family, surrounded by kind and caring people, and he seemed to be a decent person with small dreams. And he was young. He hadn't even set foot on the wide and winding road of adulthood, never tasted first love, and had never truly fallen in love. With his romantic nature, he had wanted to experience genuine, deep, and long-lasting love. To the extent that it was possible, but now that chance was gone. It would never come.And the saddest part of it all was that he would never see his parents again. They would likely pass away as elderly individuals, unlikely to come to this place. All his acquaintances and friends would find loved ones, start families, dedicate themselves to careers, and become adults. But Beomgyu... Beomgyu would never have that opportunity. He had only eternity in the body of a boy, unable to experience the joys of life. He was forever stuck on an island with other boys just like him.Beomgyu would live forever.It seemed that Beomgyu was beginning to understand Taehyun, who sought peace. After all, he wasn't really seventeen, but much older, exhausted from existing between worlds, wandering on the island without respite. How many times had he comforted children, just as he was comforting Beomgyu now, twirling his curls at the nape of his neck? How many times had he gone through this with them, as they refused to accept the information, threw tantrums, and even tried to harm themselves to end it all, only to be left with the choice of acceptance or drinking the purple concoction to forget everything and start anew?— I'm sorry, Taehyun, — Beombgyu said, placing his hands under his head, gazing at the tanned face of the boy.— What for? — Taehyun sincerely puzzled, squinting his eyes, searching for somecatch, but not pulling away, his gaze sliding over Beomgyu's calm face.— You had a tough time, didn't you? You listen to their tantrums every time and witness their despair. It must be hard, — Beomgyu said.— Remarkable, — Taehyun chuckled. — Did you see my life there, or yours? — He smiled, admiring Beomgyu. — All this time, no one thought about his well-being. The sword didn't make a mistake in choosing him.Beomgyu simply replied that it was his own life he saw. He felt Taehyun's breath on his face but tried not to think about it. In reality, it was difficult. Not to think about Taehyun. He always ended up by his side during difficult or pivotal moments, and he was here now when Beomgyu had so much to do.— Actually, it became a little easier for me, — Beomgyu says, contemplating. — When I learned what happened to me, all the pieces fell into place in my mind, and I could see the whole picture. And I'm glad I'm not going through this alone. It would have been much harder for me. Thank you.Beomgyu sees how Taehyun's eyes begin to sparkle, and a slight blush appears on his cheeks. He must not receive gratitude often if he reacts like this to a simple "thank you." He barely holds back a smile and nods in gratitude for the warm words, lowering his gaze. Beomgyu smirks and tells himself to express ordinary words of gratitude to Taehyun more often, so he becomes... endearing. Yes, he looked endearing at that moment. Beomgyu involuntarily smiles widely and quickly bites his lower lip when Taehyun looks at him again and averts his gaze. His face and the tips of his ears instantly blush, and he wishes to move slightly farther away, to no longer feel the touch of another's breath and the intense gaze on his skin, but he doesn't want to distance himself specifically from Taehyun. It felt cozy with him.Perhaps Beomgyu should make it a goal to thank Taehyun every day and see him flustered? Or to talk about it not as often but at the moments when he truly needs it? Perhaps Taehyun also needs that care that he provides to the inhabitants of the enchanted island? The answer is obvious: yes. Taehyun also needs care, as much as he gives to everyone else, if not more.Bombgyu gazes into the eyes opposite him, hearing the fluttering of his heart in his chest.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
— And what was your life like before the island? — Beomgyu asks. — You also ended up here against your will, right?Taehyun nods, answering the latter part of the question, then sits on the floor, disappearing from Beomgyu's sight. Beomgyu moves closer to the edge of the bed to see the young man. Taehyun's gaze is lowered, and his fluffy eyelashes tremble. Beomgyu can't take his eyes off the boy's face, his gaze sliding over the gentle curve of his nose and soft pink lips. Beomgyu can't contain his trembling feelings for the young man, he can't control it. When he was still alive, he didn't have anyone he felt remotely similar to what he feels just by being close to the young man. It was unfamiliar to him. Moreover, he could never have imagined that an attraction could arise so quickly. It scared him. What if Taehyun doesn't feel for Beomgyu what he feels for him? He is unsure of anything, so he will hide his rapidly growing feelings in the corners of his heart, locked away.So Beomgyu stops looking at the young man. But it proves difficult. Taehyun sighs, cracking his fingers:— I actually drank the contents of another vial, — Taehyun sniffs. — I don't know what my previous life was like, but I only remember a chilling fear that made me want to forget about it.
Beomgyu's mouth drops open in surprise, then he immediately closes it so as not to embarrass the young man with his reaction. He would never have thought that Taehyun could be scared. It doesn't seem like him, but Beomgyu knows almost nothing about him, so he can't confidently speak or think about such things.— I'm sorry, — Beomgyu says quietly, looking at Taehyun again, as if magnetized.He wanted to somehow comfort Taehyun, but it seems that he didn't need it.— It's okay, Beomgyu. It was a long time ago, — Beomgyu barely has time to avert his gaze when Taehyun raises his head and looks him directly in the eyes. His heart reacts instantly, responding with a deep and vigorous beat. Taehyun looks at him again with concern. — Are you okay? You look pale.Taehyun leans forward and gently touches Beomgyu's forehead with a warm palm. Beomgyu holds his breath, observing the boy. Taehyun catches Beomgyu's gaze and withdraws, clearing his throat:— Your forehead isn't hot, — Taehyun diagnoses, standing up. — I need to go, Beomgyu. I still have something to do. If necessary, I can call Yoongi so that you won't feel so lonely.— Can I get sick if I'm essentially already dead?Beomgyu also stands up to be on the same level as Taehyun and ends up being close again. Taehyun reacts a bit strangely to this. He takes a few short steps back towards the door, maintaining distance.— Well, yes. Here you are as vulnerable as you were in your previous life, — Taehyun doesn't look in his direction, which piques Beomgyu's curiosity even more — why is he reacting like this? — You can even die here. But to do that, someone would have to kill you, rather — he lets out a short laugh, then he seems to be pondering or pretending to be pondering and retreats towards the door. — I remembered that I have things to do... See you later. I'll call Yoongi if needed.Taehyun quickly leaves the room, leaving Beomgyu without a chance to say goodbye. Beomgyu raises an eyebrow in surprise and shrugs. Maybe he's also telepathic and found out through someone that something happened? Beomgyu chuckles because it sounds absurd, but there is no other explanation for why he left so quickly. It would be better if he stayed. His presence makes the atmosphere calmer, yet at the same time restless due to internal excitement. But that excitement is not like the one Beomgyu felt before exams or during presentations in front of the class; it is more akin to trembling.Taehyun left, and it suddenly felt sad and empty. The bed beckoned him to lie down on the soft mattress and cover himself with a warm blanket, just to avoid feeling this emptiness. But instead of doing that, Beomgyu approached the bookshelf and reached for a thick book. He wanted to read it, but due to his illness, he couldn't even hold it in his hands, and his father would start reading, but Beomgyu would immediately fall asleep. He opened the first page, where the author thanked his family, listing their names. Then the book's author wrote: "Kids, fiction is truth hidden in lies, and the truth of fiction is quite simple: magic exists." Beomgyu scoffed and closed the book with a loud thud.It seemed like the truth. Magic had always been around him, he just hadn't noticed it. He had his own fairy that he didn't even realize. And how many of them were there in that world, who also came for souls, and the rest of the people simply couldn't see them? Pirates, perhaps, were always nearby, intercepting souls from fairies and the fairy itself for their own sustenance, but no one noticed them either. Or maybe magic was even in ordinary things. Take, for example, a book that seemingly carried nothing in itself. It had letters written on its pages, forming words, and words forming sentences, but in a person's mind, it painted entire pictures and even led to conclusions. Wasn't that true magic? Or the feeling of love for someone... That was also a kind of magic, making people do great deeds and become different individuals.Beomgyu now felt like a different person. And it was all because of Taehyun. His image couldn't be erased and dispersed into the wind. He was no longer in the room, but Beomgyu still felt his presence as if it lingered, and the phantom warmth echoed from his innocent touch to the forehead. A smile grazes his strawberry lips, and his cheeks blush from these memories. He enjoyed that feeling. It was light and tremulous. Beomgyu knew for sure that he needed to save Taehyun from himself. Could he turn the hourglass and prolong Taehyun's life? If so, he should do it.But it would be terribly selfish. Taehyun made his own choice, and Beomgyu is no one to decide for him. Because of this, negative thoughts mix together with positive ones and blend into something unknown. It resembles sheer despair and all-consuming fear. What if Beomgyu does it, and Taehyun ends up hating and despising him for eternity? If that happens, Beomgyu won't forgive himself.A faint knock on the door is heard, and Beomgyu invites the person in, approaching the bed. First, a cat's face appears, then it jumps onto the bed with a meow, assuming a submissive position, exposing its belly. A pose that shows the animal trusts the person. Beomgyu doesn't know how he earned such trust, but he sits down next to the cat and begins to stroke its soft belly. The cat starts to purr and slowly blink its eyes. Soon after, Jungkook enters. He wears a wreath of small daisies on his head. He looks airy and radiates inner glow. Beomgyu even had a thought that this is Yoongi's usual state. Yoongi sits on the other side of the cat and admires how his pet responds to his touch.— She likes you, — Jungkook's rough voice contrasts with his gentle appearance, but Beomgyu notices that there is a certain charm in it. — The sword must not have been wrong yesterday.Beomgyu directed his gaze at Yoongi, remembering the sword. By the way, where is it?— It's with Taehyun, don't worry, — Yoongi answered Beomgyu's silent question.— How does he choose whom to pick? — Beomgyu asked redundantly, feeling the vibrations from the purring cat under his palm. Jungkook pondered over his question and couldn't answer, only shrugged. — So, Taehyun was the one chosen by the sword before me?— Yeah, — Yoongi murmurs. — Hobi told me. It happened before I came here. Taehyun wasn't supposed to become the leader, but the sword decided otherwise, — Beomgyu was incredibly curious about Taehyun's past, so he leans closer to Yoongi. — Everyone was betting on another boy, and even Taehyun himself thought so, but when that guy couldn't retrieve the sword, and Taehyun could, it was like a black cat ran between them. That boy really wanted to be the leader and wanted to take away Taehyun's authority and leadership by force, but all the magical creatures stood up to protect Taehyun because they respect traditions and remain true to their purpose. They banished him. By the way, you've seen him.Beomgyu strained his mind to remember who he had seen in the past day and couldn't recall anyone except some children, fairies, tritons, and... pirates. His heart almost stopped from fear. He could have come face to face with that person. If he could even be called a person. Which pirate exactly, Beomgyu couldn't figure out. The very thought that one of those wretched pirates could be wandering among the children was unpleasant to him.— He has a hook for a hand, — Yoongi gave him a hint.Feeling imaginary pain, Beomgyu involuntarily touched his chin, from which drops of blood dripped after the sharp metal touched it. Before his eyes immediately appeared a beautiful face with a mischievous squint and a honeyed voice. He was beautiful, like the Devil. That explained why he appeared the youngest among the other pirates — he was from this island.— Yoongi, are you okay? — Yoongi looked at Beomgyu with incomprehension as he abruptly changed the topic of conversation. — You've been through something like that...— Let's not talk about it, — Yoongi immediately interrupted, not wanting to hear the continuation. — I was saved, and that's the most important thing.Beomgyu nodded in agreement. If Yoongi didn't want to talk about it, there must be reasons for it, or he didn't want to find himself in that hell from which he was rescued. Instead, Beomgyu decided to switch to another topic.— Yoongi... — the young man hesitated, feeling embarrassed to ask about such things, but he was genuinely curious! — You're in love with Hobi, right? — Yoongi burst into laughter at the unexpected question and answered yes. — How did you... Well, realize that you're in love?Yoongi smiled dreamily, remembering how it all started with him and Hobi. Hobi came to him when Jungkook was scared, extending his hand. Yoongi didn't ask why or where he would take him and simply reached out his hand in response. It turned out that Hobi had been looking after him all his life; he was his fairy. Yoongi was afraid of everything in the new place and clung to him everywhere, just to avoid being with strangers. They spent a lot of time together, getting to know each other. That's how a strong friendship was born until Yoongi started waking up in the mornings with thoughts of the magical creature and a smile on his candy-like lips. He gathered courage and confessed to him, to which Hobi replied that he had felt the same for a long time. On that day, Yoongi was the happiest person.— Hobi told me different stories from his life, took care of me, and gave me many sweets when I was sad, — Beomgyu couldn't help but smile, imagining the slightly clumsy fairy handing candies to Yoongi. — He was always there when I was scared, calming me in his warm embrace. He also introduced me to Bobby, who now lives with me. Well, that's about it, — Yoongi even seemed a little disappointed. In his mind, their love story looked more vivid. — Why do you ask?— Oh, just... — Beomgyu's cheeks flushed bright red, along with his ears that could hide his hair from Yoongi's penetrating gaze, but his blushing cheeks gave him away. Yoongi nudged him in the shoulder and stretched out a wide gum smile, his triangle eyes turning into slits. — There's this person... who I kind of like, but I hardly know anything about them, and now I doubt if it's exactly that feeling.— Forget it, Beomgyu, don't think about it, relax. It's not that important, — Yoongi couldn't stop smiling, making Beomgyu blush even more. — Even if it's not mutual, you're experiencing such a beautiful feeling. I envy you. I wish I could fall in love with Hobi again!— Maybe you're right.Beomgyu couldn't find much comfort in Yoongi's words. Doubts continued to seep into his young and inexperienced mind. He longed for reciprocity, which seemed impossible at the moment.
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Bуomgyu was behaving strangely. Taehyun couldn't help but notice. He would often appear flustered around him or openly gaze at him, as if he didn't realize Taehyun noticed. Ha, naive boy.Beomgyu was beautiful. Taehyun couldn't deny that, but he was still too young and knew nothing about life. He wouldn't get to know either, but his life continued here, where he would face almost the same difficulties as on Earth. It was good that they didn't need to eat here, but they still had to take care of other needs, such as a sense of security, satisfaction, and self-improvement. Children often fall into sadness and depression too frequently, especially teenagers. It was important to monitor everyone's well-being, so they needed to engage them in activities every day...Taehyun didn't want to tie Beomgyu to himself because it would hurt one of them in the end. At first, Taehyun thought it was just his imagination that the boy was staring at him, but then everything fell into place, and Taehyun decided to simply leave. If Beomgyu continued to pursue him, Taehyun would have to tell him directly that it wasn't worth it. Taehyun had already made up his mind and had no intention of changing it. It seemed like the most mature decision he had made in his teenage life. However strange it may sound.Taehyun's head suddenly started spinning. Everything blurred before his eyes as he walked to Kai after visiting Beomgyu. Something unpleasant pricked in his chest. Taehyun guessed it was his heart. He staggered and grabbed his chest, then doubled over and began to breathe heavily, as if he had just run a marathon at high-speed. Dark spots started blurring his vision, as if someone was dripping ink into his eye sockets. It was incredibly uncomfortable, but he just scoffed because somewhere, a pirate with a hook in place of his left hand was feeling the same thing. "Oh yes, Yeonjun, I'll drag you along, and you won't be able to do anything," Taehyun's lips curved into a satisfied smile. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.— Taehyun, are you okay? — A soft, deep baritone of the triton pleasantly enveloped Taehyun's hearing, and he felt slightly better. The dark spots in front of his eyes turned into mere dots, his head stopped spinning, and the world became clearer, but his heart continued to ache. It worsened with each breath, as if someone was pressing on his chest with all their might.Taehyun straightened up, looking into Soobin's worried face, and nodded, but Soobin didn't believe him. He placed a cool hand, smelling of ocean waves, on Taehyun's forehead and rounded his mouth. Taehyun was burning. Then he grabbed the leader's chin and looked into his eyes with his meringue-colored irises, but quickly released him, glancing somewhere behind the boy's shoulders.— You seem to have a fever, — Soobin said, hiding his own anxiety, but Tahyun could sense it in his slightly trembling triton voice.— A fever?! — A thunderous voice of Beomgyu sounded right above Taehyun's ear. After talking to Yoongi, he came out to look for Taehyun and keep him company. — Is that why you ran away? Feeling unwell?— Beomgyu, no, it's not nee...— Yes, he has a fever, — Soobin looked directly into Beomgyu's eyes. — He needs help.Beomgyu nodded repeatedly, ignoring Taehyun's protests, and grabbed his elbow, dragging him along without any objections. Soobin was genuinely frightened. If Taehyun was unwell, then so was Yeonjun. He had to act quickly, or he could lose someone dear to him forever. Taehyun was precious too, but Yeonjun was the one with whom he could be free from the burdens of duty and just relax, without thinking about anything.Soobin reached for the amber star-shaped amulet, adorned with a pearl in the middle, and took it off, tucking it into the pocket of his brown pants. His clothes were ordinary, human clothes that he found on a sunken pirate ship long ago. It wasn't quite appropriate to walk around naked among children and teenagers, so it was best to adhere to the rules of etiquette. Even here.Initially, Soobin was heading specifically to Kaya and had no idea he would encounter Taehyun. Perhaps it was even for the best that Taehyun wasn't feeling well. The triton's bare feet squeaked on the steps, and then he knocked three times with three-second intervals. The owner of the house was present and gave permission to enter.— Soobin? — The fairy's eyebrows lifted in pleasant surprise. — What brings you here?Kai's consciousness shut off as soon as Soobin opened his mouth. The fairy didn't notice that the uninvited guest was missing an amulet around his neck.
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— Beomgyu, seriously. I'm fine, — Taehyun turned back, seeking help from Soobin, who seemed to have disappeared, and he had to reluctantly follow the persistent young man.He realized he didn't have much strength to resist. For a moment, he even thought he would remain like this for the rest of his life. If it didn't get better... Now he was truly scared. Who would protect the children if something happened? He had fairies and tritons, but they needed a leader.— Well, no wonder you look like you're about to sprout fins, — Beomgyu persisted.At first, he thought it would be good to take Taehyun to his treehouse in the forest, but he still hadn't figured out the way and was afraid of getting lost. So he quickly came up with a plan and decided to take Taehyun to his own room.Taehyun mentally grumbled as he found himself back here again, but now he was lying on the bed, and panic was building up in Beomgyu — he didn't know what to do. Seeing the confusion on the young man's face, Taehyun realized that Beomgyu had no idea what to do.— Go to Kai and ask him for a tincture of adonis, please, — Taehyun croaked weakly. He felt like he was getting better, but maybe not. He grabbed his chest and squeezed, naively hoping it would help. — Take the pollen. It will be faster.Taehyun took out a small vial with shimmering contents from his pocket. Beomgyu didn't bother asking what it was; he simply snatched the vial from Taehyun's weakening grasp and rushed out of the house. Outside, he poured a small amount of the magical pollen into his trembling palm and threw it onto his face. Beomgyu didn't yet know that it wasn't necessary and that he could have sprinkled it on his head, but he was still learning. He coughed as the particles clogged his nose and throat, then he hastily returned the vial of pollen to the pocket of his cotton shorts. He saw sparkling particles around him, similar to those surrounding fairies and fairykins, and he would have been amazed by such magic tricks again, but he didn't have time for that now. He pushed off the ground. Panicking a little that he was floating above the ground, he managed to regain control, as the life of a person depended on him, and, as Taehyun had taught him, he relaxed his body.Beomgyu gasped as he flew through the children, who were looking at him in awe and exclaiming in surprise, nearly missing Kai's fairy treehouse. He landed right in front of the door, which turned out to be a mistake. The wooden door swung open right in front of him and hit him in the face. Beomgyu heard a crack, and excruciating pain shot through his face. Tears sprang from his eyes, and first, a dark cherry liquid dripped from his nose, then gushed out like a stream.— Beomgyu? — Soobin looked around, quickly putting the amulet back on his neck before anyone noticed. — What are you doing here?— I... need... that, what is it called, — Beomgyu strained his thoughts, but the blow seemed to have knocked all the information out of his head. Everything blurred before his eyes. — Some kind of tincture.— Which one? — Soobin stepped closer and shook Beomgyu's shoulders, urging him to gather himself and remember. — Which tincture? What's hurting him?— I think... his heart, — he hesitantly spoke, recalling how Taehyun had painfully grabbed his chest.He held his hands forward, asking Soobin to stop shaking him, which only made his head feel like it was splitting into several parts. Soobin quickly ran through all the tinctures stored by the fairy in his mind. He stood in front of Beomgyu, who wanted to enter, and deeply regretted putting the amulet back on.— Take him to the lake. I'll rush there as soon as I find the adonis tincture, — Soobin rambled.— Ah, right, he said adonis.— Are you still here? — Soobin's pupils immediately narrowed like a lizard's, and his ears sharpened.Beomgyu was frightened by the drastic changes in the handsome triton's appearance, and to avoid angering him further, he flew back. Taehyun lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, trying not to move. He hadn't felt this bad in a long time. Or rather, never. When he saw Beomgyu with shining eyes and blood on his face, his heart raced and the pain intensified. He clutched his chest, wanting to ask what happened, but Beomgyu, despite Taehyun's weight, grabbed him, supporting him under the knees and behind his back, and lifted him into the air.— Where are we flying to? — Taehyun asked, wide-eyed, as blood continued to flow from his nose.— To the lake, — Beomgyu mumbled through his broken nose. How didn't Taehyun realize they should have flown straight to the lake? He wanted to slap himself for his own lack of common sense. — But you'll have to guide me, or we might get lost.Taehyun nodded. His face contorted with another bout of pain, as if someone was repeatedly poking needles into his heart. Beomgyu flew even faster, feeling his arm muscles strain and his back ache. Taehyun turned out to be strong since he carried Beomgyu all the way without a whimper, while Beomgyu was ready to collapse right there and not get up until he felt rested. With each passing second, flying became more difficult. His head throbbed, and his whole body ached, but Beomgyu repeated to himself like a mantra that it was for Taehyun's health and he had to endure a little longer.Arriving at their destination, Beomgyu immediately plunged into the icy water with Taehyun, feeling a sharp pain in his nose, but then everything stopped, and he no longer felt the strain in his back and muscles. It was as if he was reborn. He resurfaced, gasping for air, still holding Teahyung under his bent knees and behind his back. In the water, he felt much lighter. Taehyun coughed, wiped water droplets off his face, and looked closely at Beomgyu's face, which was still too close for comfort. Beomgyu swallowed hard. It felt like scalding water had been poured over him in the icy lake.— How do you feel? — Beomgyu asked softly, afraid to look Taehyun in the eyes. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to control himself and might do something foolish.— I feel better, — a shiver ran down Beomgyu's spine from the icy water or from Taehyun's slightly hoarse voice, but he hoped it was because of the water. He released Taehyun as far away from him as possible and drifted back slightly to maintain some distance between them. — Thank you, I really feel better.Taehyun's hair hung in wet strands on his forehead, lazily dripping water and creating a melodic sound as they hit the smooth surface of the lake. His long eyelashes clumped together. A knot formed in the pit of Beomgyu's stomach, and he panicked again, afraid that Taehyun would sense his agitation.— What happened? Why was your nose broken? — Taehyun asked, approaching Beomgyu to inspect his nose, to see if it had healed completely. He touched Beomgyu's wet lips with his fingers, then trailed them along his cheeks, as if trying to clean the boy's face from the blood, causing Beomgyu's heart to sink to the bottom of the lake, never resurfacing. Beomgyu grabbed Taehyun's hand, meeting him with a slight surprise. — What is it?— I need to confess something to you, — Beomgyu whispered very quietly, feeling his palm, which held Taehyun's wrist, break out in blisters, and his throat tightened with nervousness. — Taehyun...— Taehyun! — the boys turned to the triton who called out to them. Beomgyu quickly withdrew his hand. — Are you feeling better?"Say that you're feeling better," — he grumbled internally, while externally, he tried to maintain composure. Taehyun nodded, glancing at the subdued Beomgyu and then at Soobin, who appeared as calm as the lake's surface. Soobin felt an unprecedented lightness from the relief.— This is the tincture, — Beomgyu showed them a small bottle and placed it on the ground. — Kai said to take three drops three times a day.It wouldn't be difficult for Soobin to break Beomgyu's neck right now and neutralize Taehyun, but he had to be cautious with Taehyun since he was connected to Yeonjun, to dive into the lake and flip the hourglass. But he couldn't risk it. The fairies would immediately harpoon him, and he would never see Yeonjun again. He couldn't take that risk.Without waiting for a response, Soobin left the boys. He had to stick to the plan.Taehyun and Beomgyu watched Soobin's blonde head disappear. Taehyun refocused his attention on Beomgyu.— So, what did you want to confess to me?— I just wanted to say, — Beomgyu nervously chewed his lower lip. — I wanted to say that when I was trying to go into Kai's place, this triton hit me with the door as he was leaving. It was accidental, — he whispered, lowering his gaze to his distorted reflection.Taehyun nodded understandingly and asked Beomgyu to come out of the lake, or they would freeze. Beomgyu agreed. As warm streams of air came from Taehyun's fingertips to dry Beomgyu, he noticed that Beomgyu had become quiet and withdrawn. Taehyun wouldn't mind listening to him right now, to distract himself from what had happened and regain composure.— You seem a little down, — Taehyun remarked, finishing drying Beomgyu and then attending to himself. — Is something bothering you?Beomgyu shook his head.— Let's meet up later. I need some time alone.He flew up and disappeared behind the trees. Beomgyu couldn't confess, and because of that, he felt like he had done something wrong. It turns out, it wasn't so easy to do. Fear swelled in his mind, preventing other emotions from taking control. Yes, Beomgyu was scared. He was afraid of hearing rejection. It wasn't the worst thing that could happen to a person, but he couldn't get that fear out of his head, piercing it with a needle and watching it explode as if it never existed. He promised himself that he would do it next time.But Taehyun's time could stop at any moment. There might not be a next time.
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The entire day, Taehyun occupied himself with tasks. Or at least, he tried to. He wanted to throw out of his mind everything he had experienced the previous day. Could his heart stop working at any moment? Could it simply cease beating, without him even realizing it? The thought terrified him to the core. Yes, it was his choice, but as time dwindled, fear grew stronger. Until yesterday, he hadn't even pondered death, but now, at times, it was difficult for him to breathe because the unknown scared him. What would come next? What awaited him after death? In essence, he was considered dead a long time ago, but after death, he ended up here, and it was uncertain what would happen to him afterward. Would he simply vanish, turning into dust or a memory living only in the minds of others? Such thoughts made him freeze with fear.In his life, a young man appeared who needed to absorb all his knowledge. And this young man increasingly occupied Taehyun's thoughts. He empathized deeply with Beomgyu, but at first glance, the young man seemed weak and defenseless, yet in reality, he was resilient. He quickly accepted reality and didn't fall into depression, as happened once with Jungkook and some other guys. Jungkook didn't let anyone get close to him back then, except for Hobi, and he was extremely silent and distant. But that didn't happen with Beomgyu.Taehyun was also concerned about how Beomgyu looked at him and reacted. He shouldn't become attached, shouldn't look as if no one else existed except Taehyun. He could try to avoid him, but it was as if Taehyun was a magnet that attracted the young man. And Taehyun couldn't deny that he, too, was drawn to Beomgyu. He felt calmer with him than with anyone else. Yesterday, when Beomgyu left Taehyun all alone by the lake, he felt so lonely and empty that he almost followed him. He barely managed to stop himself. The way Beomgyu treated him with reverence made him feel the same reverence in return.This frightened Taehyun.He was used to controlling everything, but he couldn't control his emotions.The whole day, Taehyun hoped to see Beomgyu, as much as he hoped for him not to appear in his field of vision. But... he wanted to catch a glimpse of him, to make sure he was okay, and then go on with his own affairs... Nothing more. Bomgyu wasn't visible on the horizon, no matter how much Taehyun scrutinized every familiar face. It should have made things easier for him, but the desire to go to his house and make sure he was fine grew stronger and stronger. He even approached his house, but Ban Chan, responsible for building houses, approached him and asked him to follow to resolve a small matter. Taehyun was grateful to the young man for saving him from impulsive desires, but he also wanted to hit him on the head for choosing such an inopportune time.As for Beomgyu, he didn't leave his room after what had happened until cheerful fairy-like Yoongi burst into his room with a smile the following evening. Yoongi had tiny yellow star-shaped stickers on his face and was dressed in wide brown pants and an oversized white shirt with thin vertical blue stripes. He wore silver butterfly earrings and a long pendant with the same butterfly around his neck. Although there was already radiance around Hobi, he sparkled even more today because there were countless glittering sparkles on his face. He wore the same wide shirt as Yoongi, but in a light pink color, tucked into light, loose jeans. Transparent wings, as usual, were visible behind him. Beomgyu merely opened his mouth in surprise, examining the dressed-up boys, and set aside the book he buried himself in all day—just to avoid thinking about Taehyun.— Get ready, you're going to help us decorate the gazebo, — Yoongi flew over to Beomgyu and patted his thigh to prompt him to get up from the bed.— I don't want to, — Beomgyu turned on his side, placing his hands under his head.The guys exchanged glances, anticipating what might happen. Yoongi put on a wickedly cunning smile and said:— I can call Taehyun to convince you then.— No, don't! — Beomgyu immediately jumped up, staring wide-eyed at the satisfied guys.Yoongi had already figured out twice two yesterday and guessed that Beomgyu was talking about Taehyun. After all, he only spent time with him. It wasn't difficult to guess. Hobi opened the closet, which was filled with clothes, and started rummaging through it in search of an outfit for Beomgyu, while Yoongi took out a small round jar of glitter and a colorless lip balm from his pockets. He approached the bewildered young man closely, watching him in shock at his actions. Beomgyu protested loudly when Yoongi unscrewed the lid of the jar, dipped his finger in, and reached for Beomgyu's face, but Yoongi was relentless. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, pushed the indignant young man onto the bed. Beomgyu flopped back, but Yoongi tugged at his collar so he could sit up, and began lightly applying pink glitter to the young man's cheeks and generously smearing it on his neck. He only lightly tinted Beomgyu's lips with lip balm to make them look moisturized. Beomgyu huffed like a steam engine, but understood that he had lost this battle with Yoongi and his cosmetics.— Ew, — Beomgyu uttered, grimacing from the sticky sensations on his lips. — It's disgusting.— You'll thank me later, — the young man smirked cunningly.Beomgyu was about to open his mouth to make a fuss, not understanding what Yoongi was getting at, but Hobi didn't let him say anything, throwing the chosen clothes onto the bed. Yoongi approached Hobi and rested his head on his shoulder, watching Beomgyu with a sly grin. Beomgyu suspiciously and disgustedly picked up the clothes with his fingers and made another face. It was a black tank top with a deep neckline, a black short vest, and matching tight black jeans with a leather belt.— What... the hell, Hobi? — Beomgyu exclaimed irritably, tossing the clothes onto the bed and standing up. — Who in their right mind would wear this?— You, — Hobi calmly replied with a smile, angering Beomgyu even more — how could he make him wear it? — Either this or you go naked. I'm not joking.— He's not joking, — Yoongi chimed in, trying not to burst out laughing at Beomgyu's exasperation. — He'll snap his fingers, and you'll be left with no clothes. One, two...— Fine, fine, I'll wear it, — Beomgyu grumbled, glancing at the clothes. — Look away or leave, you damn blackmailers!The guys burst into laughter and quickly left the room, leaving a frustrated Beomgyu alone with a nightmare and debauchery, rather than an outfit. As he took off his shorts, a vial of magical dust fell out of his pocket and rolled away. Beomgyu managed to catch it before it disappeared under the bed. He struggled to squeeze into the tight jeans, cursing Hobi and Yoongi, and tucked the vial into his pocket. Feeling uncomfortable, he looked at himself in the mirror because he appeared too revealing with that silly triangular cutout revealing his protruding and sharp collarbones, and the tight jeans clung to his thin thighs and calves as if it were a second skin. He didn't like it. He rummaged through his things, hoping to find something else, but the guys brazenly barged into the room and took the grumbling and covering-up Beomgyu with them.He felt like everyone was staring as they walked to the gazebo. It was quite a challenge for him. Arriving at the spot, Beomgyu saw two unfamiliar guys energetically discussing the interior design for the evening. One of the guys resembled a fennec, a desert fox. He seemed less emotional than the other. By the expression on his face, one could tell that he didn't like the ideas, but he agreed to avoid another argument. The second guy was young and also looked like a little fox, but he had light hair, unlike the first one. The brunette patted the blond guy's shoulder and pointed at the newcomers. The blond guy turned around, his lips stretching into a charming smile. He greeted the young men and waved them eagerly to join, as people were about to gather.— Wow, I love your outfit, — the blond guy admired Beomgyu from head to toe. Beomgyu just scoffed, also examining the stranger's attire — the blond guy didn't look as revealing as he did, although he was wearing leather pants and a red sweater. The guy smiled in response to Beomgyu's reaction. — I'm Sonwoo, and this is Jeongin, — the brunette introduced himself with a slight smile and raised his hand in greeting. — We'll be helping you decorate the gazebo today.Beomgyu nodded. Sonwoo seemed like a cute and pleasant guy who talked incessantly. He approached Yoongi and Hobi, complimenting them as well, and immediately started discussing interior details. Jeongin, on the other hand, was less talkative but watched Beomgyu with interest — after all, he remembered him. He was the one who lifted the sword not too long ago. Beomgyu felt a bit awkward about it and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to shield himself, thinking that Jeongin was staring at him.— Don't be shy, Beomgyu, you really look good, — the brunette assured him, noticing Beomgyu's embarrassment. — You're beautiful.Beomgyu raised an eyebrow in confusion, his cheeks flushed. Then he shyly smiled and dropped his hands, becoming slightly more confident and relaxed. Two people had already told him that he looked good. Sonwoo then approached them and asked Beomgyu to remove the flowers and vases left from the previous time, while he and Yoongi began clearing the tables around the gazebo. The fairy transformed small bulbs in garlands into old-fashioned lamps that emitted a warm, yellowish light. He magically fixed them all over the straw ceiling, hanging at different levels, which looked quite appealing. Now, as the sun approached the horizon, ready to embrace the ocean until the next morning, the natural light didn't penetrate the gazebo as well, and the lamps created a special cozy and festive atmosphere. Beomgyu couldn't help but smile as he looked at the ceiling, and the soft light from the lamps reflected in his eyes.Noticing Beomgyu getting absorbed in his creation, Hobi approached him and asked him to hold his palms out in front of him and press them together, leaving a small gap between them. Beomgyu did as the fairy requested. Hobi covered Beomgyu's palms with his own. Almost immediately, Beomgyu felt a tickling sensation, and he heard the flutter of tiny wings in that small space between his palms. He squealed in surprise and opened his hands. It turned out there was nothing to be scared of. With his mouth agape and a sense of wonder, he watched a butterfly with delicate blue wings flutter away, flying up and landing on the straw ceiling.— Do you want to try it too?— What? Cast a butterfly spell? — Hobi nodded with a smile. Jeongin observed them with interest, crossing his arms over his chest. — I don't think it'll work, — Beomgyu shrugged.— Visualize it in detail: its color, the shape of its wings...— But what if I accidentally create some kind of monster? — Beomgyu exclaimed in horror before Hobi could finish. Hobi just laughed.— They're not real, and they'll disappear in a few hours. Don't worry, — he patted Beomgyu on the back, reassuring him that nothing bad would happen.— It's a shame; your butterfly is beautiful and poses no danger.Approximately half an hour later, the gazebo was ready. Hobi conjured more butterflies that fluttered from one vine to another, twining around the columns. Fortunately, Hobi knew how to create non-poisonous vines. Yoongi and Sowoo brought small round wooden tables instead of long rectangular ones, each adorned with large glass bowls filled with fruit punch. Other people had prepared and brought the punch, eagerly awaiting the start of the evening. Beomgyu was satisfied with the work they had done. Someone had brought a vinyl player and records from their home. When Beomgyu noticed them, he asked the guy with chestnut straight hair if he could take a look. He recognized some familiar band and musician names from the past, but he missed contemporary artists a little. His eyes caught one of the album covers. He snatched the record from its owner's hands, unable to believe his eyes, and examined it with delight. His eyes even welled up with tears. It was a relatively modern band compared to the others. Beomgyu ran his fingers over the photo of a boy, half of whose face was painted with the American flag. He had only heard a couple of songs from this album, but he loved them. Those songs always touched his soul.— I can play this, but only after Pink Floyd, — the owner of the record extended his pinky finger, and Beomgyu hooked his pinky with his, sealing the promise.They laughed at the childish and conditional gesture. The guy introduced himself as Heeseung. Beomgyu also introduced himself, but Heeseung said he already knew who he was. And Beomgyu figured out why. It made him slightly embarrassed but also pleased. Everyone treated him like an old friend, which made Beomgyu feel much more comfortable, free from any inhibitions. Hobi brought him a punch in a green glass, adorned with embossed geometric shapes and a short stem. The punch turned out to be sweet and pleasant. Beomgyu quickly finished it, savoring the fruity taste, listening to the conversations between the young people. At times, he would switch his attention to the music, nodding along to the rhythm.Outside the gazebo, darkness fell, and the first stars began to sparkle across the vast sky. The air grew cooler and fresher, and Beomgyu felt a bit intoxicated from the fruity punch that definitely contained some alcohol. People approached him, introducing themselves. Beomgyu was polite and friendly to everyone but kept scanning the crowd for the pink-haired guy who was nowhere to be seen. He thought that maybe Taehyun decided not to come today. Yoongi handed him another punch. Yoongi's face slightly blurred under the influence of alcohol. He took a sip and nearly choked upon hearing the song he had been waiting for. He exchanged glances with Hisin, who was dancing on a small stage resembling the one where Beomgyu had pulled out the sword, near his record player, and raised his glass. Beomgyu did the same. Somehow, the music seemed to be coming from all directions, but Beomgyu theorized that it was the work of one of the fairies or elves. He was still amazed by magic.Yoongi pulled Beomgyu into the center of the gazebo. Others followed suit. The lights on the ceiling and their faces smeared together, but Beomgyu felt so good in that moment that he surrendered himself completely to the music, singing along at the top of his lungs to the familiar lyrics. Two guys approached them. One was a platinum-haired fairy with a mole near his bridge. He stood behind Sonwoo, acting as his guardian or knight. He appeared emotionless and cold. The second guy was a sturdy young man with incredibly kind eyes, standing next to Jeongin. The latter seemed a bit flustered by the guy's presence. A few seconds later, Taehyun appeared with them. Beomgyu stopped dancing when he saw him and froze, staring at Taehyun. His insides twisted into a knot. Taehyun examined the "stars" on Beomgyu's face, glimmering in the warm light, and his lips, moist either from drinks or something else, without daring to come closer. He had been waiting for this encounter all day, but upon seeing Taehyun, he fell into a daze and couldn't even move. But at the same time, he was afraid of getting attached. Just like Taehyun himself.The brunette buried his fingers in the curls on his crown and took a sip of the punch. He was irresistibly drawn to Taehyun. It even felt like someone pushed him forward. He held his glass in front of him with both hands, pressing against the thick glass with all his strength, unable to utter a word. The words got stuck in his throat, tangled into a knot. Taehyun's face appeared crystal clear before him, while everything around him seemed like blurred strokes of an inexperienced painter. He should at least greet him, but he couldn't utter a single word. If he opened his mouth, he wouldn't be able to contain his emotions, and they would pour out in an overwhelming stream, filling the space around them. Whether they would be destructive or not, Beomgyu had no idea, so he remained silent. Taehyun decided that it would be better for him to leave, as it would be unbearable to look at Beomgyu. He turned around to leave but felt a firm grip on his wrist, causing him to turn back, looking at Bomgyu over his shoulder. With just his lips, Beomgyu whispered: "Stay," — barely parting his lips. Taehyun, it seemed, read his lips and closed his eyes, feeling unable to resist this silent desperation, and turned his body towards Beomgyu. Handing his glass to Sonwoo, Beomgyu gently touched Taehyun's sharp cheekbones with the pads of his fingers, observing as indentations formed on the smooth skin beneath his touch. When Taehyun opened his eyes, they pleaded, but Beomgyu couldn't understand what for — whether he wanted him to stop or to keep touching.Now or never.Beomgyu extended his palms forward, his hands grazing the rough denim vest, underneath which a strong chest rose and fell heavily. Beomgyu pushed him back onto the street. The people around them immediately made way. Taehyun didn't resist Bomgyu, but he fought against himself with all his might. He disliked his own reactions to Beomgyu and wondered why he couldn't get him out of his head, even when engrossed in other matters. He delightedly examined Beomgyu's soft facial features and the shimmering glints on his face and enticing neck. Beomgyu pressed Taehyun against a palm tree. His ears still buzzed from the loud music, slightly deafening him, but he heard the beating of his own heart clearer than anything else. He looked at Taehyun with intoxicated and moist eyes, unable to resist the rational thoughts telling him to stop. Taehyun had such expressive facial features that he could be a living actor, a model, or a muse for students studying classical painting in Florence.A blaze ignited inside Beomgyu's chest, once he heard the other's erratic breath.— Beomgyu... — Taehyun called his name in a husky voice. Shivers ran down Beomgyu's spine, and the blaze turned into a raging bonfire. — Seems like you're not yourself. You'll regret this later.— I only regret not doing it sooner.He covered Taehyun's lips with a kiss. The bonfire in his chest turned into an inferno, making his heart blaze and pound in his chest, causing pain. But the pain intensified when Beomgyu realized that Taehyun didn't respond to the kiss. Beomgyu closed his eyes, feeling his own salty tear tracks scorching his face. It was like kissing a cold and lifeless mannequin. He recoiled with closed eyes from his object of affection. He didn't want to look at Taehyun. No, otherwise, he would face incomprehension, irritation, or indifference. That would extinguish his heart in an instant. Let it cause pain, burning with love, but once extinguished, Beomgyu would perish. He sobbed again, realizing his mistake. How foolish! What did he expect by kissing him and ruining the budding friendship?Taehyun's warm hands rested on Beomgyu's slender waist, and the young man, in shock, opened his eyes, ceasing his sobbing. He was pulled roughly closer and kissed on his salty lips. Beomgyu closed his eyes again, unable to believe what was happening, relaxed in the other's arms, and leaned in closer. He couldn't stay relaxed for long because now Taehyun pressed him against a tree, raising his arms above his head and holding his crossed wrists with one hand. With his other hand, he touched Beomgyu's still damp cheek and wiped away the wet tracks with his thumb.Beomgyu's head was spinning and exploding from the kisses, and he wished it would never end. Taehyun pulled away with a loud smacking sound, looking into Beomgyu's moist eyes, not understanding if it was because of recent tears, alcohol consumed, or desire. It was all of it together. Taehyun didn't want to tie the guy down, but with that kiss, he bound him to himself with strong iron chains and hung an old, massive lock, throwing away the key. Oh, he did it himself. It would have been better not to respond and leave the crying Beomgyu alone because it would only get worse later. But he couldn't deny that he hadn't run away from the young man for no reason because he was drawn to him. He tried to resist, but being too close, he couldn't hold himself back. He always thought of himself as strong and capable of making responsible decisions, but he turned out to be weak in front of the young man who looked at him with such enamored eyes, as if there was no one else around.Beomgyu ran his tongue along his moist lower lip, gathering the taste of someone else along with the balm and the hint of alcohol with the tip of his tongue, eagerly gazing at Taehyun's reddened lips. Taehyun's head nearly went haywire from this provocative gesture. He leaned in again, his lips pressing against Beomgyu's pliant ones, and Beomgyu sensually responded to his kisses, letting out a quiet, unrestrained moan.— Oh, damn, — Taehyun cursed, detaching himself from Beomgyu. — You'll definitely regret this.— Not for anything, — the young man slightly parted his lips, craving more kisses, his intoxicated eyes looking into Taehyun's large, equally intoxicated eyes, but not from alcohol.— Then let's fly.Taking out pollen from his pocket, Beomgyu sprinkled it on them, and the air around them sparkled and shimmered. Taehyun grabbed Beomgyu's hand, and they lifted off the ground. Beomgyu wasn't afraid. In one hand, he felt a hot and reliable palm, and in the other, he held Taehyun's still-beating heart. He saw serenity on the other's face and a moist gleam in his dark eyes. Beomgyu's face flushed with warmth. Today he would definitely burn, and everything would depend solely on Taehyun: whether he would leave nothing but ashes behind or whether he would start shining brightly.They flew to the treehouse. Beomgyu looked around with interest and admiration. The roof was completely made of glass, and the young couple could watch the swaying crowns of tall firs and the occasional stars peeping through dense trees. On the floor, right in the middle of the small room, soft pillows in white pillowcases were scattered on a mattress. Numerous books were arranged in a row on wooden shelves. There were too many of them. They even stood in towers on the floor.Taehyun didn't let Beomgyu take in the surroundings further. He pressed Beomgyu against the wooden wall, unintentionally knocking down one of the towers of books, raised his hands above his head, pressing his wrists against the cool wood with his palms, and leaned over him, trailing his nose along his cheekbone.— I want to draw you, — Beomgyu whispered, raising his eyes to Taehyun.Taehyun let out a laugh and replied huskily:— Oh, so we have an artist here? — He playfully asked, and Beomgyu nodded, biting his lip in embarrassment. — Sorry, I didn't know.— It's okay. Until yesterday, I didn't know either.Taehyun released Beomgyu's hands, which immediately found their place on his own waist. He started unbuttoning the buttons on his denim vest, admiring how Beomgyu stopped breathing, observing his every move. The brunette revealed his sturdy and toned chest, followed by the sculpted abdominal muscles. He trailed his fingers along the indentation of his chest down to the lower abdomen, accidentally brushing against the waistband of his jeans, and immediately blushed, feeling the weighty and sultry gaze upon him. Taehyun lifted Beomgyu's chin to make him look at him. Meeting his embarrassed gaze, he couldn't resist and leaned in again, pressing his lips against the hot face, running his tongue along the soft curves of his lips, meeting another cautious tongue. Beomgyu felt his body melting like a marshmallow, slowly dissolving under the scorching kisses. Like on the beach, he couldn't hold back and moaned into the other's lips. Taehyun's desire grew even stronger. In the room, amidst the sounds of their kisses, there was the rustling sound of Beomgyu's short vest falling to the floor. Soon after, Taehyun's denim vest joined it.— Lie down on the bed, — Beomgyu said, reluctantly pulling away. — Do you have paints and paper?Taehyun wanted to press himself against Beomgyu's exposed body as soon as possible, but he restrained himself, savoring every moment spent with him. They were like gold. Soon they would turn to dust, so they were important now. And Beomgyu's desires too.Taehyun nodded, moved away from the warm body, and rummaged in the bottom drawer of the bookshelf. He retrieved yellowed paper, several jars of paint, and brushes of different sizes in a glass jar smeared with paint. Beomgyu's eyes lit up at the sight of them. He immediately reached for them and settled on the floor, indicating to Taehyun how he should lie down and which pose to assume. It seemed like he had cooled down instantly, but his desire still burned, and the paints only temporarily subdued his passion. They removed all the pillows, leaving only a blanket in a white duvet cover and pristine white sheets. Beomgyu asked Taehyun to undress completely and turned away, restraining a smile from escaping when Taehyun removed his underwear and wrapped the blanket around his hips. He lay on the makeshift bed on his side, resting his head on his bent arm.Turning around, Beomgyu frowned. He didn't like how the guy looked. He squatted down to approach him and adjust the blanket, while Taehyun gritted his teeth, trying not to lose control and pull him close. Bomgyu asked him to expose his thighs and squeeze the blanket between them while he positioned himself closer to the edge, letting his arm hang and rest on the floor. He tousled Taehyun's hair to make it look slightly disheveled. He stepped back to his spot, surveyed his model, and broke into a satisfied smile. He liked it much better this way.He opened all the gouache jars with childish delight and spilled the brushes onto the smooth wooden floor. He scratched his head. There was no water. Noticing his perplexity, Taehyun asked:— Is something wrong?— Yeah, — he muttered. — No water.Taehyun snapped his fingers, and the jar filled almost to the brim with liquid. Beomgyu's eyes sparkled, and he was ready to clap his hands with excitement. He held the thickest brush in his teeth, getting comfortable on the floor. Taehyun attentively watched Beomgyu frown as he made broad strokes, starting with the overall background. Then he changed brushes, dipped it into the now murky water. He was focused, glancing between Taehyun and his drawing. Sometimes Beomgyu stuck out his tongue, unaware of it, which made Taehyun's chest warm every time. His hand resting on the floor started to ache, but he didn't dare change his pose to avoid upsetting the young man. Beomgyu accidentally smeared paint on his face, and Taehyun discreetly wiped it away with his magic. After that, a little imp on his left shoulder whispered something, and Taehyun immediately agreed. He lifted orange paint with his magic while Beomgyu couldn't see and droplets of paint landed on the concentrated boy's face. Beomgyu touched his cheek, thinking that droplets of water had landed on him from somewhere, and scratched his head with his clean hand, not understanding how that could have happened while examining the orange-tinted fingers. When Beomgyu met Taehyun's laughing gaze, he exclaimed:— So it's you? Is this how we're playing, huh?Setting aside his work, he dipped his index and middle fingers into red paint and smeared them on Taehyun's cheek, who was stunned by such an act. Beomgyu burst into laughter, watching the astonished young man with two red stripes on his cheek. He almost rolled on the floor from laughter. Taehyun wanted to stand up, but stopped in time, as he was completely naked, with only a blanket covering him. He simply snapped his fingers, and almost all the jars flew towards Beomgyu and tipped over. The colorful paint spilled onto his black clothes, decorating them with splatters of different sizes. Only a little bit got on his face. He wanted to stand up and protest, but found himself pinned to the floor under Taehyun's heavy body, who had wrapped himself in the blanket. Taehyun ran his finger along the boy's cheek, leaving a green stripe behind, and smirked. Bomgyu watched him, feeling the fire in his chest growing again. With paint-stained fingers, he buried himself in Taehyun's pink hair and leaned in for a kiss. Taehyun reached for the edge of his black t-shirt to take it off. Getting rid of the thin fabric, Beomgyu unbuttoned his jeans zipper himself, while Taehyun helped with trembling fingers struggling with the stubborn belt, and lowered them along with his underwear.Taehyun also threw off the blanket, remaining completely naked. Beomgyu felt terribly awkward looking at the naked guy and feeling his skin against his own, but he couldn't resist and ran his fingers over the sculpted torso, over the protruding collarbones. Each touch left not only traces of paint but also invisible burns, arousing both boys with anticipation. Taehyun snapped his fingers, and his hands became clean. He ran up and down the aroused organ of the young man several times, receiving restrained moans in response. Beomgyu tilted his head back, closing his eyes and parting his lips. With each touch to his sensitive skin, his skin tingled, and waves of pleasure washed over him. Taehyun touched his lips to the paint and glitter-covered neck, covering it with hot kisses, and heard how heavily Beomgyu was breathing, feeling with his pressed body how uncontrollably his chest rose. His body relaxed, his legs trembled, and then he ejaculated into Taehyun's hand.He collapsed on the floor, covering his eyes. Next to him, Taehyun fell and pressed Beomgyu against himself. Beomgyu couldn't calm down after his first orgasm. Various feelings overwhelmed him: from euphoria to relaxation. The most confusing thing for him was that it wasn't enough for him. Maybe it had something to do with Taehyun, because Beomgyu wanted more kisses from him and, undoubtedly, more physical contact now.— Nice drawing, — Taehyun reached for the sheet. Then he lay on his back, and Beomgyu hugged him and rested his head on his shoulder.— But I didn't finish, — he lightly pecked Taehyun's neck, blushing in a shy smile. He enjoyed hearing compliments about his artwork.— Then let's continue?Beomgyu laughed, snatching the sheet from the young man's hands.— Let's continue.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The sun's rays penetrated through the tall treetops and the slightly dusty windows, touching the face of the sleeping young man and awakening him. Barely opening his eyes, Beomgyu saw a peaceful face that was not his own—quivering fluffy eyelashes and tousled peach-colored hair. He propped his hands under his head and observed the peacefully sleeping Taehyun. Traces of last night remained on him: dried paint and stuck glitters from someone else's face and neck. With his magic, Beomgyu could easily clean both of them off, but for some reason, he decided to leave everything as it was and lay down to sleep. The floor around Beomgyu was scattered with half-empty paint cans, brushes, and a completed portrait of Taehyun. Beomgyu decided to add more vibrant colors to the drawing, leaving a more abstract version, not realistic, but still recognizable as Taehyun.Beomgyu turned onto his back, shielding his face from the intrusive sun with his hands, and then onto his other side to get up, wash off the remnants of yesterday's madness with the paints, and start a new day. He felt Taehyun's warm hand on his waist, pulling him closer and embracing him tightly. Beomgyu seemed to stop breathing. He blushed, feeling Taehyun's warm post-sleep body against his back. Yesterday, under the influence of alcohol, Beomgyu had been braver and ready for exploits, but now he felt incredibly awkward being so close to Taehyun while being completely naked, yet he couldn't deny that he liked it. It was embarrassingly pleasant. Taehyun nuzzled his nose against the nape of Beomgyu's neck, sending shivers down his spine, and started placing slow, lingering, and noisy kisses.— Tae... — Beomgyu softly called the young man. — Shouldn't we get up?In response, he only heard an indistinct murmur. Beomgyu interpreted it as a "no" and relaxed a bit. As soon as he melted into the embrace, Taehyun's hand moved to his hipbone and slid down to the inner part of his thigh. Beomgyu's body still remembered last night's wildness and responded to every touch and kiss. He felt like melting butter on a heated pan. He was embarrassed that he couldn't control his rising arousal, but he didn't want Taehyun to stop either. It was wonderfully enjoyable.— What are you doing, Taehyun? — Beomgyu barely managed to say as Taehyun's hand reached his arousal, covering the head with lubrication and sliding along the shaft. Swallowing hard, Beomgyu continued, — Are you against it?— No, — Taehyun said right above his ear, his hot breath scorching his earlobe, and lightly touched it with his lips. That was enough to send sweet waves of pleasure through Beomgyu's body. "You want me to?" Taehyun added, moistening his index and middle fingers with saliva and touching Beomgyu's rear entrance. Encountering no resistance, Taehyun inserted the middle finger and then added the index finger. Beomgyu held his breath, feeling the fingers inside him, and bit his lower lip, enduring the unpleasant yet burning sensations. With his other hand, Taehyun squeezed Beomgyu's excited organ, eliciting a moan from him.— Do it, — Beomgyu pleaded, looking at Taehyun with begging eyes. — Taehyun...Beomgyu touched himself, stroking his shaft agonizingly slowly while looking at Taehyun, who wet his fingers with saliva and spread them over his own member. Beomgyu squeezed his eyes shut as soon as the head entered him just a little, but he continued pleasuring himself, finding some pleasure in it that slightly alleviated the discomfort. He started to move himself, but Taehyun had to stop him by holding onto his shoulders. They exchanged a silent question.— Easy, Beomgyu, — Taehyun kissed him on the forehead, then on the cheek and the jawline.— I want it, — Beomgyu said, parting his knees wider.Taehyun was eager too, but he didn't want to cause Beomgyu any pain. He coated his fingers with a mix of saliva and natural lubrication and slowly pushed one into Beomgyu's tight opening. A prolonged moan escaped Beomgyu's lips. He longed for Taehyun, wanting his lips on his, his hands on his body. He wished to drown in Taehyun's embrace and kisses, to hold him tight and never let go. With the second push, Beomgyu closed his eyes and pursed his lips into a thin line, and with the third, he opened his wet lips, breathing heavily. Taehyun lifted Beomgyu's legs and held them under the knees, watching all the emotions flickering on Beomgyu's face and enjoying the way he surrendered to him, to him alone.Taehyun couldn't last long in this position —ehe couldn't wait to kiss Beomgyu's rounded buttocks, to bestow kisses on his sharp collarbones, to pay attention to the hollow between them, to caress the hardened nipples with his tongue. Beomgyu allowed Taehyun to kiss every inch of his body, to cup his thin thighs and hips. He buried his fingers in Taehyun's peachy hair, pulling them slightly, delighting in the fact that he could also give some pleasure, watching shivers spreading over Taehyun's broad shoulders and strong arms.— This is incredible, — Beomgyu whispered, offering his neck for more kisses.He guided himself, matching Taehyun's rhythm, concentrating on the sensations akin to electric sparks spreading through his body like a gentle syrup. He touched his own arousal, seeking release, but Taehyun raised his hands above his head and pinned him to the pillow, crossing his wrists, which sparked déjà vu, igniting Beomgyu even more. Taehyun kissed his cheek and sped up the pace. Beomgyu loved this tactile connection during intimacy, though "loved" was an understatement—for his first time, he was cherished and healed everywhere it was possible. Euphoria enveloped him from head to toe; he closed his eyes from pleasure, still feeling the fullness and pulsating delight, coursing through his body in waves. He experienced a vivid orgasm, staining his abdomen with silvery droplets. Taehyun followed suit, spilling inside Beomgyu's tightness. He lay down next to the heavily breathing young man and pulled him close. Beomgyu nestled against Taehyun, caressing his chiseled chest. He ran his fingers along the arm muscles, then "walked" his fingers along the outer side of Taehyun's forearm to his wrist, which made Taehyun ticklish, and he laughed, not pulling away, allowing Beomgyu to repeat those tickling manipulations a few times.— My mom used to do this in my childhood, — Beomgyu said with a sad smile, suddenly reminiscing about his past. Taehyun gently took Beomgyu's hand, interlacing their fingers and brought it to his lips. "By the way, why do you have so many books? — Beomgyu asked, trying to divert his thoughts from the melancholy.— Sometimes I feel lonely in the evenings, and books are my only companions. And, you know, wandering aimlessly around the island all day can get boring, so I sometimes borrow things from the other world.— Or steal them? — Beomgyu clarified with a sly smile.— You could say that, — Taehyun intertwined his fingers with Beomgyu's, gently stroking his index finger with his thumb. — That's why things disappear, and no one can find them afterward. Does that sound familiar to you? — Beomgyu shook his head, not recalling anything like that. "You'll be able to watch over them, Beomgyu, — Taehyun continued, and Beomgyu didn't need to ask whom he meant — his parents. — You'll see how they'll grow old and leave that world. They'll be in a better place, if such a place exists. Some things are simply beyond our control, no matter how much we wish otherwise.Beomgyu nodded, agreeing with Taehyun.They lay there for a while, savoring the sweet embrace and sharing long kisses. Afterward, they went down to the lake to wash off the dried paint and cursed glitters that had stubbornly clung to Yoongi, defying easy removal, reminded by his unkind words. While Taehyun wiped off the glitters from Beomgyu's face, the latter pouted because Taehyun was putting in more effort than necessary, and he couldn't help but find Beomgyu's fussiness adorable.Taehyun's lips curled downwards, and his shoulders slumped slightly. He was still pondering whether he had made a mistake with Beomgyu. His heart crushed under the torment of such thoughts, leaving a taste of sadness in his mouth. He felt like such a fool, someone who should have stopped himself yesterday. As the elder and more experienced one, he shouldn't have succumbed to his own temptations, but he would do it all over again. He would kiss Beomgyu under that tree one more time and hold him tight all night long. Let his heart ache as much as it needed to; Taehyun had no regrets about what he had done.— Is something wrong? — Beomgyu asked, noticing Taehyun's drooping demeanor, and moved closer.— I'm not drooping, — Taehyun lied, glancing into the concerned and tender eyes. — I'm just lost in thought.He pecked Beomgyu on the nose to reassure him. Then, he slowly started kissing his lips, drowning out all the conflicting emotions within him. To hell with it all.After lunch, Taehyun decided to teach Beomgyu some of his skills, starting with swordsmanship, so that Beomgyu could handle a sword and protect the island from pirates when Taehyun was no longer around. As Taehyun mentioned this, Beomgyu swallowed hard, trying to think rationally, but he couldn't. The sleeves of the borrowed sweatshirt from Taehyun absorbed lonely rolling tears, which Taehyun didn't notice. He needed to distract himself from overthinking, so he immersed himself in the lesson.Beomgyu found it difficult to hold the sword, unlike Taehyun, who could even twirl the hilt between his fingers. After the training, Beomgyu's hands were so tired that he decided to take a short rest and lay down on the cool ground.— Taehyun, why don't you carry this sword with you? It rightfully belongs to you, — Beomgyu asked, rolling onto his stomach. He rested his head on his bent elbows, observing Taehyun effortlessly swing the sword and then embed it into the ground, hearing his question. — You were there at our first encounter with bows and arrows, weren't you?Taehyun sat down opposite Beomgyu, hugging his knees to his chest, and began poking a small hole in his jeans, making it bigger.— Do you really want to know? — Taehyun lied down and glanced at the gleaming hilt of the sword, which sparkled in the sunlight, winking and dazzling Taehyun's eyes. The young man kept his gaze fixed on the ground in front of him, continuing to pick at the grass, starting to shred it into tiny pieces. — There was this one boy, and we were friends. He was audacious, brave, a confident young lad with all the qualities of a leader, and I merely looked up to him and admired him. When I pulled out this cursed sword, he couldn't accept that fate, — he paused briefly. — Neither could I. I didn't want to become the leader, Beomgyu. I don't know who came up with that foolish rule that whoever pulls it out, — he looked back at the sword, the handle of which glittered in the sun and winked, blinding Taehyun. The youth locked eyes with the ground in front of him, resuming plucking the grass, — should become the next leader, but I understand your feelings, Beomgyu. Over the years, I've forgotten what I felt back then, but telling you about it now feels like being there again and meeting those enthusiastic glances from the others and his full of resentment.Finishing his story, Taehyun stood up, grabbed the sword, and hurled it into the tree trunk. The blade pierced the bark and vibrated, emitting a springy sound. Beomgyu pondered, trying to grasp Taehyun's narrative, feeling like there was something left unsaid. If it weren't for the lingering torment, he might not have hesitated to wield such an effective weapon, capable of protecting children from bloodthirsty pirates.Beomgyu watched the vibrating sword that had caused so much trouble, and he didn't want to touch it. He also wanted to avoid letting Taehyun touch it, so that his old, lingering wounds wouldn't ache painfully.— Yesterday, Hobie said I could create butterflies, — Beomgyu changed the subject. "Is that true? — Taehyun turned to Beomgyu and nodded, looking at him with a slight relaxation. — Then please teach me," he made a gesture of embarrassment — sometimes he would send such emojis to his friends in messengers.Taehyun chuckled at the gesture, not fully understanding what it meant but nodded.— The magic on this island is very strong. It's everywhere: in the air, in the water, and in the earth. The key is to imagine what you want, but with all the details, for it to work, — Beomgyu nodded, understanding what the young man meant — Hobi had explained almost the same thing. — If you want to conjure butterflies, you need to picture everything, even the quantity.Taehyun snapped his fingers, and ten small butterflies appeared in front of Beomgyu, each of them a different color: red, blue, yellow, purple, and orange. Enchanted by the magic, Beomgyu watched them and reached out, but they flew off in different directions and soared high, towards the treetops. Following them until they disappeared from his sight, he decided to give it a try as well. Beomgyu closed his eyes, envisioning a blue butterfly with black patterns on the edges, no larger than his palm. He snapped his fingers, opened his eyes, but nothing happened. He tried again, but to no avail.— Don't worry if it doesn't work right away, — Taehyun approached him from behind, placing his hands on Beomgyu's shoulders and kissing his nape. — No one gets it right immediately. You just need to put in a little effort and practice. Do you think everything came easily to me? Of course not.Beomgyu turned around to face Taehyun and hugged him, closing his eyes.— I liked the portrait, — Taehyun said softly, stroking Beomgyu's back and noticing his slight despondency, but he assumed it was due to his failure.— I'm very glad, — Beomgyu smiled bitterly, squeezing his eyes shut in pain.
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The metal hook dropped onto the uneven surface of the walnut wood table. Yeonjun had long grown accustomed to living without his hand, but sometimes he missed his palm and fingers to make it easier to handle everyday things, like filling a pipe with tobacco and lighting it. He held the wooden pipe's tip between his teeth and, using his healthy hand, reached for the candleholder with a lit candle, bringing it closer to the tobacco. He inhaled the heavy smoke with a coffee aroma into his mouth and let it swirl on his palate. Yeonjun leaned back in his chair, exhaling the smoke that filled the cabin, and stared at the ceiling adorned with delicate spiderwebs, occasionally glancing at his metallic "hand" lying on the table. Sometimes he would recall how he lost his hand. It had been painful and humiliating.A wooden, massive door was knocked on. Holding the pipe's tip between his teeth, Yeonjun fastened his hook to his wrist and allowed the person to enter. The smell of sea breeze hit his nose. Without even looking at the visitor, he knew who it was.Soobin.Soobin hissed at the pirate who accompanied him, greedily examining him. The pirate cast a cautious glance at Soobin's narrowed and elongated pupils, pointed ears, and sharp teeth before leaving the triton alone with the pirate. If Soobin decided to even lay a finger on him, he would lose his head, not flinching a single facial muscle. Soobin regained his former appearance, walked airily to the table, and sat on the edge across from Yeonjun, observing the seemingly calm pirate enveloped in smoke. Soobin had never been on this ship, only on the previous one, which magical creatures burned and destroyed. However, this ship boasted its size and equipment. It was pointless to ask how this vessel ended up in Yeonjun's possession because the answer was obvious—by force. He killed the previous captain, taking over the entire crew, and ordered to execute those who were loyal to the previous captain.— Your appetites are growing, — Soobin leaned his hands on the wooden table surface. His bare foot touched the pirate's thigh playfully and slowly traced it. — But your crew remains just as despicable.— What can I do? They're pirates, — Yeonjun shrugged, watching the relaxed triton and enjoying the pleasant caresses. — Trying to teach them manners is like trying to teach you how to fly, — Soobin didn't like the comparison, realizing that "you" referred to mermaids and tritons. His ears sharpened for a second, but Yeonjun noticed. He chuckled, lowering his head, then glanced at the triton from under his brows. — How is our plan progressing?— Speaking of that, — now Yeonjun didn't like the tone in which it was said — uncertainly. — He's starting to suspect, — Soobin flinched in surprise as the pipe made a dull sound on the floor, and the healthy hand grabbed his thin ankle.— What do you mean, "starting to suspect", Soobin? You can't keep one fairy under your control? You're a damn triton, — Soobin groaned, feeling how the cold fingers tightened their grip on his ankle, causing pain. He wanted to pull his leg out of the tight grip, but Yeonjun didn't let it happen, transforming his nails into long sharp claws that dug into the soft flesh. Soobin screamed in pain, horrified as the crimson liquid began to trickle down, staining Yeonjun's trousers. He touched his necklace to take it off and make Yeonjun stop inflicting pain, but he screamed in pain again when Yeonjun pulled out the sharp claws, turning them back into regular nails. He stood up and approached the triton, grabbing him by the neck with his bloodied hand, holding him tightly. — Pray they don't 'accidentally' jump out and pierce your throat.Soobin nodded, looking into the madness of caramel eyes. Fear settled in his body for the first time. His blood thickened in his veins, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. For the first time, Yeonjun caused visible and tangible pain. Soobin bit his cheek from the inside to keep himself from crying out in pain. His pink glasses shattered into pieces, and the shards embedded in his eyes. He would have preferred to go blind, but his eyes remained open. He had always believed that fate had been unfair to Yeonjun, which made him cruel and cold, but with Soobin, he was happy and gentle. But that turned out to be a lie. He was also treated unjustly and harshly by him, knowing how Soobin felt about him, the awe he experienced, and how he changed for the better around him. The pain in his leg sobered him, forcing him to look at the real Yeonjun, who wanted nothing but revenge. He had no interest in the fate of his people, the children he once befriended. Soobin didn't matter. He would go all the way and carry out his plan — he would destroy the damned island just as he had once destroyed Yeonjun.The hand slipped off the throat, pulsating with fear, and the hook cautiously touched the delicate cheek, but Soobin turned his head away, not wanting to feel the cold touch. Yeonjun smirked venomously. With his bloodied hand, he firmly grabbed Soobin by the chin, forcing him to look at him.— You're mine, and you will obey me, — he said with a metallic voice, looking into the teary eyes, and forcefully pressed his lips against the soft ones.Soobin had no intention of responding to the kiss, but his clenched and firm lips softened under the pressure. His body, like that of a rabbit before a predator, gradually relaxed. But the snake of resentment and pain caused by Yeonjun constricted his throat, just like the pirate did before, inflicting deep and traumatic pain, causing tears to stream down his face. Red marks began to appear on his neck from the tight grip. Now he would always feel it on his neck, never allowing him to breathe calmly again.
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The fair, pearl-colored hair was tousled in different directions, and the neck was adorned with red trails from passionate kisses. The lips were bitten to the point of bruising, uncomfortably tingling the sensitive skin. Soobin succumbed to the sweet temptation and allowed Yeonjun to kiss him over and over again. Instead of the pink glasses, the pirate replaced them with glasses with red lenses on Soobin, causing the Triton to lose himself in the clawed hands of passion once more. But red doesn't only signify passion, it also symbolizes blood. Soobin would soon be immersed in it up to his elbows, but at least he would be with his beloved and his tormentor. They had the same face, a face marked with a scar. The last kiss, imprinted on the tormented lips, and Soobin hurriedly put on pants, covering his chest and torso with a white shirt — anyway, he didn't see the point of dressing fully when transforming into a triton.On the deck, he could feel the contemptuous gazes of the pirates on his skin. To them, he was a fallen piece of meat who slept with their captain, who was also a man. They knew everything, heard everything, and saw everything. Some considered him too easily accessible since he was involved with their leader. They could openly stare at him or fantasize about him, as he appeared so fragile and doll-like, enticing the desire to touch him and confirm that his skin was real and warm, not ceramic and cold. One of the pirates decided to put this to the test. He dared to approach Soobin while he stumbled towards the edge of the massive vessel, and he boldly touched his back as if he owned him. Soobin hissed in surprise, turning around, only to receive a venomous and insolent smirk in response. Soobin found himself in such a position for the first time — usually, people feared him and didn't behave so audaciously towards him, which made him flustered. Soobin smelled the suffocating odor of decaying teeth from the pirate's mouth as he got too close. Soobin took a step back but was met with the solid frame of a tall and strong pirate behind him. The pirate bound Soobin's arms from behind, as Soobin had been holding his shirt in front of him. The shirt grazed the wooden deck, revealing all of Yeonjun's marks on the delicate and elegant body.The pirate approached the Triton closely and touched his tender cheek. Soobin was ready to empty his stomach from such nauseating touches and smells. His teeth sharpened in defense. He stopped breathing just to avoid sensing that smell. The pirate got closer to Soobin's face. Soobin's heart sank to his heels. The pirate's face was too close, eyes closed, but suddenly he bulged them and started making gurgling sounds. He coughed abruptly onto Soobin's face. Soobin's stomach churned unpleasantly as he felt the liquid on his face. They released him from behind, and Soobin managed to step back, watching as a hook protruded from the pirate's neck, while Yeonjun stood behind him, looking at the frightened Soobin with an inscrutable expression. The liquid turned out to be blood. The Triton touched his face, then his bloodied hands from the pirate. Blood spurted from the pirate's neck as Yeonjun pulled out the hook and wiped it on his pants. The pirate clutched the wound with all his strength, fell to his knees, making gurgling sounds, and crimson liquid flowed from his mouth. Yeonjun took a step forward towards Soobin. The Triton tensed slightly. Anything could be expected from Yeonjun, but he walked past him. Turning around, Soobin saw how a harpoon pierced the pirate who had been holding the Triton. He couldn't see Yeonjun's face, but he noticed that his shoulders trembled with anger.— None, — he uttered in a half-whisper, akin to a snake's hiss, turning around and giving all the terrified pirates a lethal gaze, — none are allowed to touch what belongs to me, — he approached the pirate writhing in pain, clutching his neck, and plunged a harpoon into his chest, taking away his final breath. — Especially him, — he said to the glassy eyes of the pirate.Turning around, he saw the Triton no more. Only his silky white shirt lay lonely on the deck, resembling a ghost.Soobin swam far enough to turn around. His keen vision helped him spot a standing pirate, leaning against the ship's railing and watching the retreating triton. Yeonjun was furious. His piercing gaze bore into the Triton's face — everything had to happen today. Subin nodded slightly and dove into the ocean, leaving the ship behind. Yeonjun ordered the bodies to be thrown off the ship and the moorings to be released — today, he was meeting with his old friends.
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The starry night canvas had been painted over by dark clouds with dense and heavy hues. A gentle breeze swayed the tall crowns of firs and pines. They emitted creaking and slightly eerie sounds. The trees were far from the beach, yet the sounds reached the vacationers. The palms rustled their leaves more intensely than usual. On the face of the young man lying on someone else's lap, an intense orange light from the fire was reflected. Taehyun's fingers played with his soft curls. Beomgyu almost purred from the tender touches that sent shivers down his scalp, his eyes involuntarily closing, and his body relaxing. The youth lazily turned onto his back, meeting big eyes that reflected fiery flashes from the bonfire. Resting on Taehyun's legs was incredibly uncomfortable for Beomgyu, but the discomfort was offset by the pleasures of those gentle touches. Beomgyu was exhausted after today's training, so he was holding on with the last of his strength to avoid falling asleep. He refrained from going to sleep only because many, apart from the little ones, gathered on the beach to sit by the bonfire, and Taehyun persuaded him to keep him company.On the other side of the bonfire, a scream was heard, causing Beomgyu to jolt up in fear, propping himself on his elbows to see what was happening. Fatigue gave way to an adrenaline rush, and his heart raced wildly. The loud laughter of others followed. A boy unknown to Beomgyu, with spirited laughter and playful sparks in his eyes, dragged a squealing Soobin by his legs towards the ocean's edge. Beomgyu looked at Taehyun with a mute question, but Taehyun didn't pay attention to it. Taehyun waved his hand as if to say, "Don't worry." Beomgyu lay back on the lap of the youth, watching the young people with curiosity and caution. The cries were already audible from afar. Soobin was yelling and scolding the boy who had transformed into a Triton. Beomgyu was about to ask what the hell was going on, but Taehyun beat him to it.— This is commonplace for them. Don't fret, — he leaned in slightly so Beomgyu could hear, and continued in a hushed tone, — Sunghoon likes Sunwoo, — he gestured towards the fairy with platinum hair who had been twirling around Sunwoo during the dance yesterday. He was observing the two young men with dissatisfaction and a hint of sadness, — but Sunwoo seems to like that imp Riky. — And you seem to be a lover of gossip, — Beomgyu chuckled, causing Taehyun to pout — after all, he only wanted to fill Beomgyu in on the situation. Beomgyu giggled because Taehyun's expression had become quite amusing.Beomgyu and Taehyun turned their heads towards the ocean, where with screams and laughter, the other kids started entering despite the rising wind and high waves. Beomgyu heard them frolicking in the water, swimming, and having fun. He would have gladly joined them, but he felt so cozy lying on Taehyun that he didn't want to step out of his comfort zone. It was enough for him to observe them from the sidelines. Junin climbed onto Bang Chan's slightly bent legs and did a backflip. Yoongi continuously splashed water on Hobi, and it seemed he was laughing even louder at Hobi's scolding, finding it sadistically amusing. Sunghoon also decided to stay on the shore, melancholically watching everyone, especially Soobin, who was sitting on the sand.— Do you want to leave? — Taehyun asked the almost asleep Beomgyu.Beomgyu nodded and stood up, followed by Taehyun. The wind that had picked up messed up Beomgyu's curls and tickled his cheeks. He looked cute and appealing in the fiery light and nighttime darkness, but a knot formed in Taehyun's stomach as the wind intensified along with the sense of unease that seemed to come out of nowhere. He swallowed the lump in his throat, looking at Beomgyu who noticed the changes in his expression. Beomgyu touched the cold fingers and shivered — just a couple of minutes ago, his hands were warm. He held his hand tightly. The others also stopped splashing in the water and fell silent. Sunghoon got up and looked around. Beomgyu looked up at the dense clouds, and a large raindrop landed on his cheek. The sky rumbled with thunder. Taehyun gripped Beomgyu's hand tighter.Large raindrops pounded against the ocean waves and palm leaves, creating a majestic and restless symphony. The white sand greedily absorbed the moisture, becoming less powdery and taking on a slightly yellowish hue. Beomgyu was already tired, but he felt an even greater fatigue as his body grew heavier with each passing second, as if an invisible force was pressing him down to the ground. He stumbled slightly, but Taehyun prevented his fall, though he himself was becoming equally drowsy and weakened. Beomgyu watched as his friends' eyes closed, then they fell into the water and were lullabied by the foamy waves. He wanted to approach them and help, but he couldn't resist the overwhelming exhaustion any longer. He collapsed onto the ground and pulled the equally unconscious Taehyun along with him.
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— Take as much as you can carry!The pirate ship loomed on the nighttime horizon as a massive and dark blot. Occasionally, bright chains of lightning split the sky into several parts, illuminating it, but that made it look even more eerie: over time, the wood had blackened; the black sails were lowered, and only a flag of the same color with a skull frantically fluttered in the gusty wind; on the wooden bow of the ship, a fire-breathing dragon was carved with an open mouth and sharp, spear-like teeth. The pouring and magical rain had already stopped. Unconscious teenagers lay on the shore, washed up by the waves. Unconscious mermaids and tritons swayed on the waves. Children who had been busy at their homes were also fast asleep, as well as fairies in different parts of the forest. All the island's inhabitants had fallen into an undisturbed and deep slumber.Pirates rowed ashore on small boats and brought along several more, intending to carry away as many defenseless children as possible. Yeonjun scrutinized the faces of the boys lying on the damp sand and immediately recognized his old acquaintances. You couldn't mistake that pink hair for anyone else's. A faint smirk appeared on his scarred face. He used to consider these people his family. Now, the only person he could count as truly close was Soobin, who happened to be nearby. Yeonjun admirably and with a pleasant shiver examined the crimson blossoms he had left on the Triton's neck, took the amulet from his outstretched hand, and tied it around his delicate neck. Yeonjun was confident in Soobin's loyalty, but any word from him could be fatal for all of them. His magic was unique, and without it, Yeonjun wouldn't be standing here now.— What's your next move? — Soobin tilted his head slightly, looking at Yeonjun's face, sometimes illuminated by lightning, with deep shadows casting a haunting and menacing appearance.Yeonjun didn't answer. Instead, he called a passing pirate, ordered him to take Taehyun, and motioned for him to follow.— This applies to you too, Soobin, — Yeonjun said to Soobin, who immediately followed the pirates into the depths of the forest.Two pairs of glowing eyes had been observing all of this. The drowsy enchantments didn't affect her. She was needed to protect a single person. Last time, she hadn't been near the person she was meant to safeguard. She was grateful to everyone who had saved Yoongi last time, especially to Beomgyu. So, she had come to love him with all her heart as well. If not for Beomgyu, they wouldn't have been able to track Yoongi: Kai accidentally left traces of his magic on Beomgyu when he came for him after the boy's death. This allowed them to trace Yeonjun's ship and save them. Today, she wouldn't let anything happen to her owner and his friends. Not again.Some of the pirates dispersed into the houses of the peacefully sleeping children in their rooms, while others remained to guard and load the unconscious teenagers from the beach onto the empty boats. A regular human's hearing couldn't catch the soft paw steps on the damp sand. Before dying, one of the pirates managed to see two shining emerald eyes and feel tickling whiskers on his neck. The pirate's blood tasted bitter and salty to her. She licked her lips with disgust and gracefully leaped onto another pirate, who had noticed the enormous creature before him. He screamed just before the claws struck and decapitated him in one swift motion. The beast let out a low growl at the fallen body, baring its teeth at the other armed pirates who had heard the cries.The pirates' cutlasses, sabers, and axes shattered upon encountering the beast's tough hide, while the bullets from their guns got stuck in its long and dense fur. She effortlessly dispatched another five men, tearing them to shreds and leaving them no chance of survival. She approached the unconscious Beomgyu, gently settled down next to him, and nudged his cheek with her cold nose, purring softly. Beomgyu didn't respond at all. The drowsy enchantments had been too effective. So, she let out a loud roar right in the boy's face. Her tail playfully flicked, leaving marks on the sand as she saw the boy grimace and open his eyes.Beomgyu didn't immediately understand what had happened. He was disoriented and still weak. He opened his eyes wide, seeing the bloodied feline face of Bobby before him, but it wasn't the same as the one he had seen in his room with Yoongi — this one was almost twenty times larger than that cat. It was even bigger than lions or tigers. He barely touched its massive face with a heavy thump of his heart, and it purred loudly, offering its face for his touch. Beomgyu relaxed slightly, as it posed no danger to him. Only to the pirates.— What's happening? — he whispered, looking around.But he would have been better off not doing that. His stomach churned at the sight of the eviscerated bodies of the pirates, and he jumped to his feet, staring wide-eyed at the narrowed and satisfied eyes of the cat, his gaze sliding back to the bloodied face. Beomgyu's head spun with the overly vivid images conjured by his imagination. He looked around again. There shouldn't have been any pirates here. And where was Taehyun and the others? His hands trembled; just a moment ago everything was fine, and now some damn mess was unfolding. Bobby stood up and in a couple of long leaps, positioned herself next to the boats where the others lay, and let out a loud growl. From one of the boats, Bang Chan's sleepy face appeared, and from another, Hobi, with his hair sticking out in different directions. Beomgyu took a step towards them but heard cursing from the direction of the houses and turned around. Other armed pirates, having thrown the deeply sleeping children onto the sand, were running towards them.— Beomgyu! — Yoongi yelled, emerging from the boat. — Run to the lake and save Taehyun! Buy us some time, and we'll come to help too!Beomgyu felt as if he had been drenched in icy water. He didn't bother asking how Yoongi knew that Taehyun was there. He simply obeyed and soared high up into the air. Sounds of battle, the cries of teenagers, and Bobby's loud roars echoed from below, and Beomgyu's heart raced. He couldn't allow anything to happen to those children, but they must also handle Taehyun well. The lake was empty. Only a gentle ripple marred the surface of the water. Grasping a heavy sword from the shack, Beomgyu without hesitation plunged into the lake. Along the way, he would figure out how to buy time.
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The familiar scent of spices sharply hit his nostrils, and the young man had to wake up from a deep and heavy sleep. His head felt foggy, everything swam before his eyes. Taehyun could see blurry silhouettes of fish in front of him and hear the sound of water, as if he was at the... bottom of the lake. But how did he end up here? He was shivering and trembling, lying on the cool sand.— Good morning, princess! How did you sleep?Taehyun flinched and tensed up completely. That voice struck his consciousness like a massive sledgehammer. This couldn't be real. He hadn't heard that slightly nasal voice in a long time. After blinking several times, Taehyun saw the lake bottom and the fish observing him, along with those standing behind him. He rolled onto his other side and groaned, clutching his chest, feeling a stabbing pain. He heard an unfamiliar groan, then saw Yeonjun dropping to his knees. Subin rushed to him and helped him to his feet. Taehyun glanced at the triton, who didn't even bother to look at him with his shameless eyes. It must have been him who helped Yeonjun end up here. I wonder, does he even feel guilt or is he indifferent? And how long have they been collaborating?Emerging from behind the unfamiliar pirate, Kai came into view. Taehyun's mouth went dry, a heavy boot seemed to stomp on his chest, making him swallow the sharp blades of a razor, which brought pain to his throat, lungs, and reached his very heart. His heart was drenched in blood from the feeling of betrayal and his own foolishness and gullibility. The pungent scent of herbs lingered in the air, but Taehyun stubbornly refused to believe until the very end that his friend could be here.— I can't believe... — Taehyun stood up on trembling legs, but he was immediately struck in the back of his knees by an approaching pirate, and he fell to his knees onto the cool, slightly damp ground, bracing himself with his hands. - Kai? - he raised his head, looking into the empty gaze of the fairy.There was something off about him, and Taehyun saw it. Or it was his denial insisting that Kai wasn't guilty and he was just a pawn in Yeonjun's mad game.— This little sweetheart didn't betray you, — Yeonjun chuckled subdued, as if mocking. He approached Taehyun, who was on his knees. — This triton, — Sщщbin stood obediently, head down and not daring to look at Taehyun, — who swore with his own blood to protect the island, betrayed you. Tell me, how does that feel?He lifted Taehyun's chin with nimble fingers and looked into his anger-darkened pupils.— I want to hear it from you, — Taehyun sneered brazenly and savored fully how the self-satisfied expression on Yeonjun's face contorted into a grimace of anger.A thousand and one emotion was written on his face, his hands itched to turn that foreign face into a mess, but he couldn't do it, because he would feel the same pain Taehyun would feel. Instead, his cheeks twitched, and the bones in his clenched fists creaked and cracked as he squeezed them with all his might, and the bones turned white. He turned away from Taehyun and walked a little farther, maintaining distance, otherwise he might explode. Taehyun remembered how Yeonjun had always been impulsive and impatient, and over the years, that hadn't changed.— Well, then, let's begin, — the pirate with a hook instead of a hand broke the short silence. He approached the hourglass. — You decided my fate for me too, and I don't want to die just yet.The remnants of sleep shattered to pieces the moment the pirate touched the smooth glass of the hourglass with his healthy hand. Like in slow motion, Taehyun watched the movement and jumped to his feet to stop Yeonjun, but another pirate managed to grab him. Then it all happened too quickly. No one could grasp what had just occurred. Taehyun froze, forgetting to breathe, Yeonjun looked bewildered as butterflies of different colors fluttered from under his fingers: blue, red, cyan, and purple. The hourglass had just turned into these butterflies before his eyes.Taehyun restrained hysterical laughter, watching Yeonjun grow more lost with each passing second. He himself wouldn't have thought of this — it was too risky and could lead to trouble. Kai? Taehyun glanced at the fairy out of the corner of his eye, who from the side looked like a puppet — he was clearly under some sort of spell and wouldn't act on his own without orders. Soobin? With him, it's clear. He's a traitor and wouldn't risk like that and go against Yeonjun. And this poor pirate just wants to devour another child, that's why he obeys his captain's orders and certainly doesn't possess any magic. As for the others outside the lake, they most likely lost consciousness too, just like Taehyun himself did, and they couldn't be here. It happened after the rain... It must be that Kai prepared a sleep potion that got into the residents' bodies through raindrops and plunged them into slumber, even magical beings against their will, which explained their loss of consciousness. He himself would have died, but he would never have helped Yeonjun, as it was Yeonjun who ripped his wings off that evening when Bomgyu was taken from his bedroom.Yeonjun didn't have the chance to unleash his anger on Taehyun. His attention was drawn to the skinny, wet guy who appeared under the dome, barely holding a heavy sword in his hands. Yeonjun squinted, trying to remember where he had seen him. His face seemed familiar. He smiled faintly and smirked, recalling how he trembled in fear, like a sheep before slaughter. Yes, it was that same guy who had been on his ship. Taehyun mentally groaned upon seeing Beomgyu, but he was infinitely relieved to see him alive and unharmed. Yeonjun contained his laughter, not wanting to burst out laughing at the sight of the feeble guy who needed protection himself. Beomgyu brandished the edge of his sword forward with a cry and rushed towards Yeonjun. He looked ridiculous, but brave. Soobin grabbed him by the scruff, like a kitten, and disarmed him in an instant.— Little one, you think you're going to challenge me with that toothpick? — Yeonjun laughed, his gaze sliding with disgust over the sword.Beomgyu didn't reply. His head was lowered, and his shoulders were shaking. Taehyun's heart ached with pity. In his wet clothes and slicked-back hair, he looked so tiny compared to the tall triton and the stocky pirate standing next to him. No, Yeonjun wouldn't dare to hurt Beomgyu. Let him be almost dead himself and drag Yeonjun along, but Beomgyu would live and become the leader of this place. Taehyun stomped on the pirate's foot with all his might, causing him to yelp in pain and loosen his grip. This gave Taehyun a slight advantage, but only a small one, as he immediately found himself pressed against the damp sand by the same pirate. However, Taehyun managed to catch a glimpse of Beomgyu's face and was slightly surprised. He had thought Beomgyu was crying, but he was actually laughing, which astonished Taehyun. Beomgyu raised his index finger to his lips and whispered faintly, "Shh," then grinned. His grin was like that of a mad Hatter, but his eyes conveyed something different, as if urging Taehyun to trust him.— I didn't mean to... — Beomgyu quietly answered Yeonjun's question, breaking into hysterical laughter that only Taehyun could see.— What didn't you mean, there? — Yeonjun approached Beomgyu, who winked at Taehyun and lifted his head, looking into the pirate's eyes.— I didn't mean for you to touch those damn hourglasses and turn them into butterflies, — he grinned widely, as if teasing not a world-angered pirate, but an older brother he had decided to play on the nerves for fun.Yeonjun was on the brink of exploding with indignation. He swung to strike the insolent one's face, but he looked up toward the dome along with Soobin, who noticed approaching shadows out of the corner of his eye. He pushed Beomgyu aside and leaped aside with Yeonjun when armed teenagers, the defeated pirates, jumped down from above. Yeonjun noticed the weapons in their hands and it dawned on him that almost all his people were dead. Again. Taehyun and these damn kids always managed to stay ahead, which was incredibly annoying and made pure fire course through his veins every time, turning Yeonjun into a monster. This time, he wasn't going to stop. He would burn this place to the ground. Let them all learn what it's like to lose a home, to wander alone across the boundless ocean, and to find bits of islands where there's no one and nothing except solitude and the shattering feeling of guilt. If he could strangle the latter in its infancy, he couldn't get rid of the former. Loneliness always followed him like a shadow, whispered in his ear, and insinuated that Yeonjun was insignificant, incapable of great deeds. Even his rightful place in this wondrous world could be stolen by a person he considered a friend, and his family turned away and cast him out. Loneliness, like a mole, had burrowed into his brain and settled there for a long time, making Yeonjun cold, cruel, and unable to accept love and affection from the only being who truly loved him.Soobin gasped as he saw Yeonjun's eyes turn bloodshot, flames flickering at the depths of his pupils. He grabbed his hands tightly, enduring the searing pain radiating from the unfamiliar grip.— It's okay, Yeonjun, it's okay, please, come back to...He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before being pushed away. The teenagers, along with Beomgyu, who had surrounded Yeonjun, immediately stepped back, witnessing his transformation. His eyes changed color. They glowed with a yellow-green hue, his pupils narrowed, resembling a lizard's eyes, his skin toughened and darkened, as if covered in scales of tar, his fingers elongated along with sharp claws resembling the edges of sharp swords. He let out a loud inhuman howl, growing larger in size and less human-like. Dark and massive wings of the same color as him unfurled on his back. They were covered with thick, rigid skin, adorned with numerous bony protrusions. Each wing was a canvas of bone-like features. Yeonjun had transformed into a beautifully terrifying and majestic dragon.— Run! — Soobin shouted.Kai immediately snapped out of it and was nearly rendered speechless at the sight of Yeonjun in the form of a fire-breathing dragon. Someone grabbed him by the arms, and they ascended to the surface of the land. It turned out to be Hobi, with a frightened Jungkook still clinging to his back. The others also surfaced and flew straight to the beach. Taehyun and Beomgyu remained near the lake. Heat spread throughout Taehyun's body. Beomgyu's hand was on the brink of blistering. He pulled his burning hand away from Taehyun's grip, looking at Taehyun's eyes turning just as terrifyingly fiery as Yeonjun's had been moments ago.— What's happening? — Beomgyu stammered, watching Taehyun struggle, unable to help.— Yeonjun and I are connected, sharing a single heart between us. It sounds crazy, but you have to believe me.— I'm not surprised by anything anymore, — Beomgyu smiled, trying to lighten the mood even slightly. The ground trembled, trees rustled anxiously, birds stirred and took flight with loud cries from their cozy homes. The boys turned toward the lake, from which an enormous lizard emerged, darker than the night itself, and in an instant, the clearing was illuminated with bright red flames, engulfing everything around. — How do we stop him? — Beomgyu panicked, lifting Taehyun into his arms and seeking refuge behind the trees. Taehyun's skin was so scorching that blisters formed on Beomgyu's arms.— I don't know, Beomgyu, honestly, I don't know.— How can you not know? — Beomgyu nearly screamed in a panic, only to be hit by the heat of Yeonjun's fiery breath moments later. The tree saved them this time, but the next time, it might just fall on them.— We need to evacuate everyone from the island right now, Beomgyu, and you have to take care of that, — he didn't allow Beomgyu to object and kissed his dry, excitement-chapped lips. Then, he gently touched the tip of his nose to Beomgyu's and pulled back slightly, gazing into his eyes. Lips and skin on his face burned from Taehyun's touch, but not like last time — not from desire and love, but genuinely, and it brought pain. — You'll manage, and I'll manage him too. Believe me. This is our business with him.Time was running out, and Beomgyu had no choice but to agree. Taehyun kissed Beomgyu once more, and with all his heart, Beomgyu hoped it wouldn't be their last kiss. Beomgyu flew to the beach, where everyone had gathered — those who had fought the pirates and those awakened by Bobby. Beomgyu had no idea what to do. He was far more convincing when he mocked Yeonjun wholeheartedly, but now, he seemed to have frozen, unable to untangle his thoughts into something coherent or right. He was needed by Taehyun and these people, who looked at him with fearful eyes, awaiting his decision. Another lightning flash illuminated a massive ship towering in the distance. Beomgyu covered his mouth with his hand, unable to believe the idea he had managed to grasp onto, yet he saw no other way.— Hobi, 'clean up' the ship with the other fairies, if anyone is left there, and then you'll be needed here together with the mermaids and tritons, — Beomgyu commanded. The fairies immediately flew toward the ship. — Yoongi, make sure everyone is in place and get on the lifeboats to the ship. The fairies will pick you up later when everything's ready. Let's get to work.— And you, we hope, will come with us? — Sunwoo asked quietly, voicing the question of the remaining group. Beomgyu shook his head in denial.— I'll stay, and that's not up for discussion! Bang Chan, you're in charge.— But...— This is an order. Since the sword chose me, it means I'm doing everything right, right? — the youth spread his arms out to the sides, teetering on the edge of hysteria. Making such crucial decisions was something he had never done before, and now so many lives were in his hands. — Tritons, I need you here to stop Yeonjun.Jeongin handed Beomgyu a firearm and a saber, and was the first to sit in the lifeboat, while the others remained as lost as before. The rest followed suit. Beomgyu saw flashes of fire deep within the forest, which made him even more uneasy.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
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Taehyun was dead.
The lush green grass around him was trampled in the battle for power, though only one person had lusted for it. And this is where it had led. A bloodied sword fell from a trembling hand onto the ash-covered ground. His jaw uncontrollably quivered, tears of physical and emotional pain blurred his vision as he looked down at the unconscious young man before him. Yeonjun, on wooden legs, approached the lifeless body and knelt beside it, trembling with silent sobs, cradling the bloodied hand without fingers to his chest. His tremors intensified with pain and bleeding. With his shaking healthy hand, he reached for his former friend's open wound, trying to stop the bleeding, but in his consciousness, someone was flicking the switch of the illumination with crimson letters: "Killer." He had killed his friend out of envy and the desire for power he had so desperately wanted to seize by force, unaware of the depths he could sink to, the depths of murder. Taehyun had taken his hand in a fair fight, but Yeonjun had taken his life. Whether it was fair or not didn't matter. What mattered was that he had become a murderer. He knelt humbly before the dead man, seeking forgiveness, watching as hot tears and drops of blood moistened the pale and peaceful face.
In that moment, Yeonjun was repenting before Taehyun, whispering incoherent words of apology through trembling lips, but someone was interfering, someone was shouting loudly right above his ear, causing Yeonjun to falter and start over. The loud voice also faltered. Yeonjun looked around, but there was no one around, only the crackling of trees engulfed in flames, smoke, and the spreading fire on the clearing after their battle. Yeonjun began to whisper again, but the voice grew louder until it deafened him. Then Yeonjun fell silent. It dawned on him that it was he who was shouting and drowning himself in his own cries. His whisper turned into a storm of pain, despair, and remorseful screams. He lay on the damp ground, feeling the fire approaching them, licking his bare feet, trying to reach everything else. Yeonjun embraced the still-warm body with his healthy hand and closed his eyes, waiting to be reduced to ashes on this cursed island, to scatter far beyond its borders with the wind, to fly like a bird, to become free from the shackles of endless and agonizing life.
They were surrounded by island guards armed and ready. Yeonjun raised his head at the noise but almost passed out when a fairy struck him on the cheek with a heated shell. Fairies carried him in their arms, soaring above the ground, engulfed in flames, and flew deep into the forest. They took Taehyun with them as well. They landed by a lake that boys were forbidden to approach, as the fairies told stories of a monster dwelling in its depths. But why were they here now if there was a monster living here? They laid Taehyun on the water's surface. The fairies pushed Yeonjun toward the lake as well. He waded into the icy water up to his neck and cried with relief, for the pain in his hand had instantly disappeared. The fairies surrounded them, and one of them came close to Yeonjun, who was momentarily relieved, and said:
— You know the rules, Yeonjun. We punish for the killing of children. — Yeonjun didn't know what they intended to do with him, and he tensed up when she raised her hand above him and touched his chest in the heart area. — I'm very sorry, but there's no other way.
Yeonjun felt excruciating pain in his chest, screamed in agony, and fell into the embrace of the magical lake. The fairy held his heart in her hand. She cut it in two and gave one half to another fairy, which ended up in Taehyun's chest, while the other half was returned to Yeonjun. The water around the young men bubbled and boiled, and they opened their eyes with a deep breath. Taehyun felt his long-submerged wound in the lake and then the area around his heart because something was amiss, but he couldn't quite understand what. Yeonjun felt his heartbeat in his throat, and his veins seemed to flow with pure lava, causing pain throughout his body.
Before he could ask anything, two fairies took him by the armpits and lifted him up. They flew far until they left Yeonjun on an uninhabited island in agony, transforming into a dragon for the first time. It became his curse for committing murder. He had given life to Taehyun but had paid the price of no longer being human. After that, he spent many years alone, until he finally mastered his curse and became a pirate, dreaming of sweet revenge for his exile.
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Revenge is sweet, but with a taste of ashes and smoke.Taehyun was in pain, his organs burning, and his skin covered in blisters. He managed to hide behind a rock while Yeonjun scorched everything in his path. He needed to lead the dragon away from the island, preferably in a way that no one would appear. Taehyun took to the air. Seeing him, Yeonjun roared loudly and followed him. Taehyun barely avoided the fiery whirlwinds. He flew to another part of the island where no one lived. Leading the dragon away from the children was the most reasonable choice. Taehyun landed on damp sand and immediately felt the fire licking at the exposed parts of his skin from behind. He screamed in pain, fell on his back, and rolled several times to prevent his clothes from sticking to his body and melting his skin. His hair on the back of his head was slightly singed. The scent of burnt hair filled the air. Opening his eyes, Taehyun saw the looming monster ready to finish what it had started. Its yellow eyes burned in the darkness, and the dark scales reflected the flicker of the burning forest.— Come on, — Taehyun whispered with his lips, looking into Yeonjun's eyes.The dragon blinked, snorted, releasing steam from its mouth instead of fire, and landed on the ground not far from Taehyun. A few seconds later, a young man stood before Taehyun. The hair on his back was also scorched, and he was covered in black soot.— If I kill you, I will die myself, — Yeonjun said, spreading his arms wide. — But I'm not ready for that, — he shook his head, then bared his white teeth in a sinister grin. — You selfish bastard, Taehyun! You decided my fate for me and didn't even ask me! You wanted to die, but I don't want that. I once wanted it a long time ago, wanted to burn in the fire, turn into ashes after killing you! But now I have become the fire myself. It's become my curse and my gift. Now the power and authority are in my hands, and that's what I've always wanted. I don't want to lose that.— The clock is ticking, Yeonjun. We are the walking dead, — Taehyun reminded him, grimacing in pain.— I don't think so, — Yeonjun grinned, looking meaningfully at the trident hidden in his sleeve.— Soobin..? — Taehyun guessed.The trident remained in the lake and had probably already flipped those damn hourglasses, taking advantage of the chaos. He was once again one step ahead. But upon closer inspection of Yeonjun, Taehyun could only sigh with pity and sadly note that before him stood not a mighty dragon or a bloodthirsty pirate, but a young man who had once lost his home, family, and a normal life. He so strongly resembled a phoenix, rising from his own ashes, that Taehyun couldn't help but envy his strength and determination. Yes, he was strong, but he was also weak since he couldn't find the strength to forgive; he was intelligent and cunning, yet just as foolish and naive as a child, for he could consider all possibilities but remained alone, without a crew. Up until this moment, Taehyun had resented him for all the mischief and for killing his people, those children, but he was now ready to forgive the young boy who had once made a mistake. He was willing to accept that he would have to live hundreds more lifetimes, on the condition that their paths would never cross again and they would part not as friends, but at least as old acquaintances with a shared past.Taehyun wanted to propose this option to Yeonjun, but his attention was drawn to the fact that he no longer saw flashes of fire in the forest thicket, suspecting that they might have been fairies or fey. Yeonjun followed his gaze and turned around, peering into the distance. His eyes sparkled with yellow-green, and his lips curled into a sinister grin once more. He transformed back into the dark dragon.— My revenge is not yet over, — a thunderous roar emanated from the lizard's mouth, and he soared over the land, aiming for the forest, which immediately became engulfed in a fiery carpet.Yeonjun wanted to destroy this island once and for all, so that nothing would grow on the scorched earth, so that it would vanish and cease to bring joy to its inhabitants, so that he would not only be left without a home... Taehyun couldn't allow that. He flew up, clenched his fist, and immediately felt his ribs crunch, accompanied by the roar of the dragon. The angered lizard unleashed even more fire from its mouth, just to spite Taehyun. Someone's spear struck him, causing no harm. However, the dragon became even angrier when he saw the owner of the weapon, the fairies, and turned him to ashes. The mermaids and tritons who arrived removed their necklaces and began loudly repeating: "Turn back into a human and surrender!" But the dragon couldn't hear them over his own roaring, which drowned out their pure voices. He killed them too.The boys from the ship watched as their island turned into a lifeless patch of land. The younger children were taken below deck so they wouldn't see everything happening to their home, while those who remained on deck were torn apart by their own helplessness. Kai was the only fairy among the children. He had placed powerful protective and invisible charms on the ship so that the dragon couldn't see and set fire to them along with the ship. That was the only benefit he saw from himself at the moment. After all, he blamed himself for what had happened. If he had been more vigilant and had not brushed off the gaps in his memory, none of this would have happened, and everything would have remained in its place. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed one of the boys standing on the edge and jumping. It all happened too quickly, but Kai managed to react and returned the brunette back to the deck using levitating charms. The boy's face turned red and contorted with tears, his hands trembled uncontrollably, and his heart longed for the island to save his beloved, who had given his life meaning. Yoongi, weakened by his own inaction and the previous tantrum, sank to the deck and stared blankly at one spot, sniffing. He didn't want to leave the island and help Hobi, but he had to be put under a sleep spell to calm him down and prevent him from doing something foolish.— You're out of your mind, — the fairy said, receiving a heavy and sorrowful look. — Hey, everything will be okay with them. Your jump wouldn't have helped them, you understand? See those waves? You would have simply drowned.Yoongi didn't respond. He merely raised his head and approached the railing again, almost falling into the raging ocean, upon hearing the desperate cries from the island. Kai noticed Yoongi's widened pupils, a sign of fear. Even the fairy's heart was not in its place.— Do you have the pollen that Taehyun and Beomgyu use to fly? — Yoongi asked, watching the blazing island, and his eyes welled up again. Kai swallowed hard and nodded — he always carried vials of essential pollen with him. — Fly with me. You know how, right? — Desperation, pain, and a plea were evident in his eyes.Kai really wanted to help his friends, and the guilt he felt only added to his determination. So he couldn't refuse the boy's request. He asked Yoongi to sit on his back, and they flew to the island unnoticed because he had cast invisible charms on both himself and Yoongi, just like on the ship. He had never flown in this manner before, so it was a new experience for him. But once they landed on the sand, Yoongi commented that he had done an excellent job flying without wings. Kai sighed with a sad smile, but he jumped in surprise when something wet and cold brushed against his ankle. He stared in mute shock at the huge creature circling Yoongi. Yoongi scratched the beast behind the ear and effortlessly hopped onto its back, grabbing its mane. The large cat bolted into the burning part of the forest. Kai followed them, mentally admiring the grace and strength of the beast.Beomgyu was coughing and could hardly see anything in front of him except for fire, smoke, and burning trees. He witnessed the deaths of several Tritons, mermaids, fairies, and faeries. So he decided to take cover behind a low hill, but he already thought that this place would become his grave, not salvation because everything around was engulfed in flames. The fairies tried to extinguish the forest, but whenever they did, Yeonjun either killed them or breathed fire twice as strong or even three times. Hearing the flapping of wings, Beomgyu raised his head and saw a flying pink crest, and his heart raced — Taehyun was okay. But it sank immediately when the dragon roared and crashed into the forest with Taehyun. The sound of breaking trees echoed. Beomgyu gasped and hurried to the spot. Yeonjun had turned back into a human and was unconscious, just like Taehyun. Around their necks, Bomgyu noticed dark finger imprints, as if someone had strangled them. Beomgyu had many questions, but it seemed he understood what had happened — Taehyun had strangled himself to stop Yeonjun.— It's foolish, — Beomgyu uttered with a hoarse voice, choking on smoke and ash.— I know, — Taehyun replied in the same hoarse voice, sitting down and not taking his eyes off Yeonjun, who was still unconscious.He sharply turned his head towards Beomgyu, who was pinned to a tree by an unknown force. He wanted to rush to him, but he froze and gasped when he felt a sharp, cutting pain in his abdominal cavity. Beomgyu screamed at the sight of a katalis protruding from Taehyun's abdomen, which had been thrust there by Soobin, who had returned from the lake. Beomgyu struggled and tried to save Taehyun, but the Triton's magic proved stronger. Soobin brought his index finger to his lips and whispered to Beomgyu:— Be quiet and don't struggle, or I'll break your neck.Beomgyu immediately froze like a stone statue and couldn't move, watching in horror as Taehyun's denim vest instantly turned crimson, as did Yeonjun's shirt, who woke up and began to wheeze in pain. Soobin nodded in confirmation. Two fairies emerged from behind the trees and lifted Taehyun and Yeonjun into the air. Beomgyu struggled with all his might against the invisible bonds, but in reality, he didn't even budge, make a sound, or twitch a single muscle — he couldn't resist the triton's charms, and the fire was rapidly devouring the forest, about to reach him. He didn't worry much for himself; his concern was for Tae-hyun. He didn't know why Soobin had thrust the weapon into him and where they were going. Beomgyu could feel the heat creeping closer and closer, ready to engulf him just like the rest of the magical forest.Would salvation come? Or would he become another victim of this forest, of this world, like the magical creatures, the children devoured by pirates? Would there be any meaning in this loss, or would it be just as senseless as the other deaths? Beomgyu needed answers to these questions. He needed the others to be safe and not become victims of the resentment of a confused boy and the Triton who had fallen under his control. Beomgyu couldn't even cry. Tears had frozen in his eyes and couldn't roll down due to Soobin's magic. He could only see blurry green trees in front of him, which turned fiery and fell onto the same fiery surface. The acrid smoke with the scent of resin and pine needles filled his nostrils and poisoned his lungs. Breathing was becoming difficult. Gradually, consciousness was leaving his body.Beomgyu fell to the ground unconscious. When he opened his eyes, he saw fairies, Jungkook, and a large cat in front of him. He might have thought he had died and entered heaven again, but Bobby's growl brought him back to full consciousness. Without asking any questions, he got up and flew along with Kai and Jungkook, dodging falling trees.— Soobin took Taehyun and Yeonjun, thrusting that weapon into Taehyun's back before that, — Beomgyu said on the fly, wiping away tears caused by the acrid smoke.Kai nodded in understanding and asked them to fly and run after him before it was too late. Beomgyu got goosebumps on his scalp, and his hair stood on end from what Kai had just said.Around the lake, only black, scorched grass and charred trees remained, including the willow tree where Taehyun's cottage used to be. It had also burned down along with all the books and the portrait on yellowed paper. All the memories in which Taehyun had been truly happy and felt alive and needed had burned away. Right now, Soobin was recreating the image of a forgotten past, where two pairs of wings lay on the water's surface and couldn't move because the Triton had forbidden it. Taehyun's and Yeonjun's wounds had healed instantly. Taehyun could only hear the orders Soobin was giving to the fairies, but he couldn't make out the words because water had entered his ears and nearly drowned out everything.Soobin bent over him, looking into Taehyun's perceptive and calm eyes as if he had already resigned himself to his fate. Taehyun could see that Soobin was sorry. After all, a person who had betrayed someone else wouldn't look into the eyes of the betrayed with such sincere remorse and pain.— I love him. You must understand me, — Taehyun read from Soobin's pale lips.In the very next moment, he felt excruciating pain in his chest, as if someone had pierced his ribcage and removed his heart. That's exactly what had happened. Taehyun was left without a heart. His heart's other half had returned to its owner and was now far, far away from here. Yeonjun and Soobin had escaped while Taehyun lay motionless on the water's surface, his glassy eyes fixed on the brightening sky. Today, he wouldn't witness the dawn. Today, he had been set free. Just like Yeonjun had been liberated from the dragon's curse.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Foamy, curly waves crashed against the massive vessel, at the bow of which a dragon's head with an open mouth was carved. The salty and fresh scent of the boundless ocean lingered in the humid air. Curly clouds occasionally obscured the sun, which warmed the ship's inhabitants, while pesky seagulls circled overhead. A young man with slightly chapped and pale lips gazed into the distance, as if waiting for someone to appear on the horizon any moment. His pink, tousled locks were gently tousled by the salty wind, which softly touched his sun-kissed face. A heat in his chest had not subsided since the day he died for the second time. He touched the spot where someone else’s heart beat.Taking a deep breath, the young man turned away from the ocean. Children lazily wandered around the deck, trying to keep themselves occupied: some were playing backgammon, others were learning how to tie a sailor’s knot, while others were trying to fish to make sure no one went without dinner today. This huge ship had become too small for all of them, now serving as a temporary home until the children could find a new place to settle down and start a new life, with losses and without magic. The island had been a magical place that granted its enchantment to everyone, but after Yeonjun burned down almost half of it, the magic disappeared. Kai’s herbal potions became useless, but when Taehyun told him, "Leave that junk behind, it’s no use to us anymore," Kai responded that he couldn’t abandon what gave him purpose in this world and took it all with him. The fairies also lost their magic: they stopped flying and glowing, their wings now hanging limp and dragging along the wooden deck. The merfolk lost their voices and swam away to other lands known only to them.Everything had changed.A shadow fell on the deck and over the children’s faces. At first, Taehyun thought that clouds had once again obscured the sun, but then the sound of wings flapping reached his ears. He raised his head and smiled broadly, revealing a cute dimple in his cheek, the one Beomgyu used to kiss. His gaze followed the dark green-scaled dragon with sparkling amber eyes tinged with gold. Taehyun frowned, noticing that the dragon seemed troubled, something clearly visible to the naked eye: it circled the ship, playfully swishing its sharp tail and snorting, causing clouds of milky-colored steam to pour from its nostrils.— What’s wrong, Beomgyu? — Taehyun asked loudly, squinting at the concerned creature against the bright sunlight, which caused small wrinkles to appear around his eyes.The dragon snorted at Taehyun and began descending lower, ready to crush the ship's mast with its weight, frightening the other equally curious children. Yoongi rushed out of the cabin with a purring cat in his arms, hearing the commotion along with Hobi.
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Beomgyu, Kai, Yoongi, and Bobby ran to the lake and froze in place when they saw Taehyun's body lying on the water's surface, his glassy eyes staring up at the sky. Yoongi tightly gripped Beomgyu’s arm, preventing him from rushing to the dead boy, but the large cat growled disapprovingly at him, forcing Yoongi to release Beomgyu, who was on the verge of hysteria. Beomgyu entered the cold water. His trembling lips quivered as he stroked Taehyun’s still-warm face and wet hair. His whole body shivered in disbelief as he touched someone who was no longer alive.
— Taehyun, — he called in a hoarse voice. — Taehyun, please answer. — Beomgyu held his beloved close, choking on his tears, desperately trying to warm him back to life, hoping he would wake up, smile, and kiss him again.
Voices called Beomgyu’s name, but he couldn’t hear them over his own sobs. Hands tried to take Taehyun from him, but Beomgyu clung to him, refusing to let go. Then, he was forcefully pushed out of the water by magic so he could properly hear Kai.
— Beomgyu, do you want to save him? — Kai’s voice sounded as if it came from beneath the surface of the water. Beomgyu lifted his tear-streaked eyes and nodded without hesitation. — But we’ll have to break the laws of nature, and there will be a price.
— I agree, — Beomgyu stood on shaky legs. — What do I have to do?
— I’ll divide your heart and place half of it into Taehyun’s chest. Understand?
Beomgyu nervously nodded and entered the lake again, following the faerie’s instructions. He lay on his back and instantly fell into unconsciousness, thanks to Kai.
When Beomgyu woke up, he saw Taehyun’s large cat-like eyes staring at him, and he wanted to reach out to him, but his body wouldn’t obey. It was as if he had woken up in someone else’s body.
— Shh, easy now, — Taehyun softly whispered, stroking Beomgyu’s head. — Do you understand what’s happened to you? — Beomgyu shook his head. Taehyun bit his lip, looking at him with regret, and gently stroked his head again. — The magic is gone. I and the faeries can’t fly anymore, and you... Beomgyu, you’ve turned into a dragon, and we don’t know if you’ll ever be able to return to human form.
It took Beomgyu a great effort to stand. He stepped toward the lake to look at his reflection. A pair of bright amber eyes with slit pupils, like those of a lizard, stared back at him. Beomgyu sighed despondently, exhaling a translucent mist, and touched Taehyun’s neck with his snout, rubbing his nose against him, seeking comfort. He closed his eyes as Taehyun kissed the line of his jaw. Beomgyu would come to terms with his fate and learn to live in his unyielding and overly large body. After all, he was happy that Taehyun had returned.
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Before everyone's eyes, Beomgyu began to transform back into a human. Taehyun, stunned, his eyes wide with surprise, watched as the dragon's scales turned into the soot-covered skin of a young man. Only when Beomgyu collapsed onto the deck did Taehyun snap out of his shock and rush to him.Taehyun quickly shooed away the onlookers from the fallen Beomgyu, who was completely unclothed. He took off his vest and draped it over Beomgyu's body.— Alright, everyone, nothing to see here. Go back to your tasks, — Yoongi, both concerned and overjoyed, ushered everyone away. He had plenty of questions for Beomgyu himself, but seeing how the two couldn't stop holding hands, smiling at each other with blissful expressions, Yoongi decided to save the questions for later.— I found an island, — Beomgyu said with a smile, gently caressing Taehyun’s face as Taehyun pushed back Beomgyu’s overgrown hair that had been falling into his eyes after months of neglect. — I followed the butterflies and saw it about ten miles from here, straight ahead. We can start a new life, Taehyun.Taehyun nodded, pulling Beomgyu close, feeling the fire in his chest finally fade away, replaced by new sensations—serenity and a sense of freedom. He found those feelings in Beomgyu. After so many years of searching, he had not only found freedom but also a new home. The island had never truly been his home; it had burdened him and made him feel lonely and anxious all the time. Now, his home was a person, and those heavy, destructive emotions dispersed like a thick morning fog.— But how did you turn back into your human form? I don’t understand... — Taehyun asked, still stroking Beomgyu’s hair.Beomgyu gave a mischievous smile, gently brushing his lips against Taehyun’s, drawing him into the long-forgotten thrill of their kisses. Then, gazing into his eyes and tenderly touching his cheek, he whispered:— Magic exists.