Day 6: Where the faries dance PART 2

[vixxomomentsmod]

But during Junmyeon’s tour they didn’t only meet creatures that made the hair stand on his back. He learned that many could be seen as evil but actually it was mostly because humans provoked them. He learned that if he respected them, he would not put himself in danger.

Junmyeon also introduced him to two of his friends who were two small trolls living under a rock. They couldn’t be much bigger than his hand as they walked out when Junmyeon called their names.

“Oh! Its Junmyeon” The blue haired troll that came out was standing out in every crazy way possible and it was covered in moss and leafs. He was wearing a west that looked to be out of moss to and a white shirt underneath with a pair of matching dark brown pants.

“Oh! Its Junmyeon!” another voice repeated what the blue haired just said. The other troll was blond and wearing an identical outfit of that one of the first.

“This is Wonsik.” Junmyeon pointed at the blue haired troll that smiled brightly puffing out his chest.

“Yes! I Wonsik!” he said proudly and the blond one shoved him hard.

“I’m Jongin!” the blond said and Junmyeon smiled as he pointed to the blond one.

“Yes, and that’s Jongin. They can change form to become our size. But they don’t do that often since it takes quite the energy and in this form. They’re not the brightest.” Junmyeon said as he sat down having both the trolls glaring at him.

“Hey!” They shouted in unison and Hongbin sat down looking as the two trolls attacked Junmyeon. This was the first time he noticed their tails that were sticking out.

He chuckled as Junmyeon easily picked up the trolls and kept them from continuing their attack on him.

“Calm down. I’m here to introduce you to someone.” he said and placed the two trolls on the ground and the two of them turned and looked at Hongbin.

“Oh, human?” Wonsik said as he walked closer poking his legs.

“Yes, Human!” Jongin declared as he jumped up on Hongbin and poked him in the stomach. They continued to crawl all over Hongbin; they were tickling and poking him everywhere.

“You can push them off.” Junmyeon said as they reached his face and where pulling at his cheeks and ears and whatever they could grab.

Hongbin tried to form his words but his it came out as nonsense as the two trolls kept pulling at his cheeks. Junmyeon chuckled and he turned his head and glared at the fairy.

Junmyeon raised his hands defensibly and smiled widely. It was the first time he smiled so brightly and it seemed so finally reach his eyes that had turned to a more warm brown color and he could barely see any red in them.

“I’ll help you” he said and grabbed the two trolls by their shirts and lifted them off Hongbin.

“Behave.” He placed them back on the forest floor. The two trolls stared big eyed at Junmyeon but their gazes quickly returned to Hongbin.

“But why?” Wonsik complained with Jongin nodding in agreement.

“We never met human before!” Jongin said as he looked with big eyes at Hongbin. The two trolls moved closer to him and he started moving away from the curious two curious trolls.

“I rather not have you poke and pull at me.” Hongbin said carefully as he pulled his knees to him and started to stand up.

“You’re no fun!” Jongin complained the same words echoing from Wonsik mouth.

They stayed the rest of the day until the sun started to set with the two trolls. It took sometime but Hongbin did finally let them examine him, carefully this time. He wasn’t too sure about just grabbing them when they went too far and Junmyeon just suggested to pull their tails.

Which worked, as they did not quite like it. As the sun set the two trolls bid their farewells in choir as well and Junmyeon and Hongbin started heading back to the fairy village.

★☆★

The air was heavy; there was no warmth in the room. No smell of newly baked bread. Hongbin rolled around in the bed with ease. He would have guessed Junmyeon would still be in bed if there were no scent of bread lurking in the air. But there wasn’t anything stopping him from moving around freely in the bed. With furrowed brows he slowly opened his eyes. The fire was no longer burning and the room was cold.

There was no Junmyeon anywhere to be seen and it was just empty.

Hongbin sat up in the bed and looked around the room trying to find the fairy but everything was just dark and it looked so lonely. He immediately started to feel lonely.

He jumped when there were multiple hard knocks on the door that made him fly out of the bed and to the door.

The door swung opened as Minseok stormed inside clearly distressed about something.

“Where is Junmyeon?” He asked as he looked around the room.

“I just woke up and he wasn’t here so I don’t know” Hongbin said as he closed the door and followed the shorter fairy.

“Damn it” Minseok started looking around the room throwing things all over the place. Hongbin was very confused as he watched the fairy wreck the house.

“H-hey! What are you doing?” He walked up and grabbed the fairy trying to make him slow up for a second.

“He got taken.” He mumbled as he looked through some paper. “The queen took him. Damn it! There should be something here.” He grumbled and Hongbin stared at him with big eyes.

“Junmyeons was kidnapped?” He said chocked as he looked at Minseok who stopped and looked at Hongbin.

“When he didn’t kill you when you passed out is something unthinkable. At least she probably thought he would send you back. But he kept you and you stayed.” He said and then shook his head.

“Shit.” He mumbled and sat down at the table.

“This happened because he let me stay?” Hongbin sat down at the table, he choked back a cry as his eyes watered.

“Don’t blame yourself.” Minseok said with a sigh as he looked into the table.

“I will… I’m going to look for him. I’m going to save him.” Hongbin said with unexpected confidence and he stood up.

“Where does this queen live?”

Fairies don’t know the exact location of the queen’s castle. They will only know when they get called. And when they return they will have forgotten the location. All for the sake of keeping the queen safe.

Frustrated Hongbin found himself sitting outside the rock he knew that the two trolls lived under. How he ended up here was just coincidence, he barely remember storming through the woods but now here he was.

“Well, well. Isn’t this Hongbin?” an unfamiliar voice called and Hongbin turned his head to be met by blue hair and a raised brow. He recognized Wonsik but he was much bigger than the first time he saw him. Even so he still had the same clothes and his tail hanging behind him twitching slightly.

“Wonsik?” he was certain it was the troll, but he had to make sure.

“Of course, who else lives under a rock and has blue hair?” he said cheerfully and sat down besides Hongbin.

“Where’s Jongin?” he asked and the other whipped his tail hard against the ground.

“That freak? He’ll come back soon.” He said and chuckled..

“So what are you doing here without Junmyeon?” he asked, Hongbin bit his lips as he immediately felt the tears coming back.

He knew from the first day that he was quite fond of Junmyeon. But he never knew how much. They really haven’t spent that much time together but as he told the fairy that first day in this strange world. He wasn’t pulled in by the magic and song, or the dance or the women.

It was just Junmyeon, just him. He made his heart beat faster; he made him feel uncertain about what to say. He was good looking and charming even with his mood swings and mysterious aura. He really liked Junmyeons company. He had tried to reject those feelings after the first day but they were always there under the surface ready to explode.

“He’s been taken” Hongbin sobbed as a tear spilled out as he still fought to keep them from over flowing

“Woah? What do you mean taken?” Wonsik asked concern written all over his face.

“I don’t know. Minseok just said the queen took him. And it’s my fault. And I can’t even confront the queen since no one knows where she lives.” He sighed as more tears slowly ran over his cheeks. Wonsik placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and showed him a warm smile.

“Well, Well. Lucky for you” a new voice joined the conversation and Hongbin looked up to see Jongin with his wild fuzzy hair and a wooden bucket filled with berries under his arm.

“What do you mean?” Hongbin sniffed as he quickly dried his tears.

“We trolls, are quite greedy and we love gold and riches. And the fairy queen. Oh she has some nice treasures.” He said, Wonsik humming in agreement as he imagined it.

“So?” Hongbin pressed on and Jongin opened his eyes, a color of gold filled his iris as he looked at him with a satisfied smile.

“Well we know the location of the queen! We planned to see if we might get the hands on some of the treasures. But we still have some planning to do. But since we are quite fond of Junmyeon-“

“And you” Wonsik stuck in and Hongbin looked at the two trolls and their mischievous smiles and Jongin hit the back of Wonsik’s head.

“-We will show you a part of the way” he finished as he glared at Wonsik who was smiling brightly.

“Why only partly?” Hongbin asked and the two trolls smiled a little.

“The queen’s castle is well hidden, and even if we know our way in. You need find your way in” They said in perfect harmony. It would always creep Hongbin out.

“I don’t understand” He looked at each of the trolls and Wonsik stood up to stand besides Jongin.

“We will explain when we reach that point” they said smiling disturbing at him and Hongbin didn’t know if he would quite believe the two of them.

The two trolls showed him a way and he followed after them carefully taking notes about everything in his surroundings. It was getting lighter and brighter colors as they walked.

“We’re here.” The trolls sang as they stopped and turned around and looked at Hongbin with smug smiles.

“You need to find your own way from here on out.” They said and Hongbin looked out over a field. Elder trees surrounded it and made a small path through the forest. He never seen those trees grow in such a way and he looked curiously at it.

“You will have a much harder time than we have” Jongin said and started walking over the field and Wonsik followed. Hongbin looked suspiciously at them both before following the trolls.

“Since you’re human you don’t sense things like we do. Like the fairies do” Wonsik turned his head as he spoke slowly.

“We lived all our lives in this world. We can feel the difference in energy and when searching for something our senses leads us there” Jongin stopped when the elder trees started and he pushed Hongbin towards it.

“You’ll have to trust yourself. Find your cause. Why are you here? What are you looking for? Then you have to listen.” Wonsik placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled softly.

“Listen to the world around you. It will guide you, now go”

Hongbin bid goodbye to the two trolls that soon turned small and ran back into the darkness of the forest. He was left wondering what they meant. All he knew was that he needed to find Junmyeon. And to find him he needed to find the queens castle.

With this in mind he started to walk. He tried to keep his mind focused on nothing else but finding Junmyeon and then he let his feet guide him. He tried to listen to what his gut told him and he wandered deeper and deeper into forest. The elder trees stopped and everything fell silent around him.

He didn’t know how long he had walked for and he had almost given up when the air around him seemed to change. The forest opened up, the grass became shorter and the smell of freshly cut grass filled his senses. Bushes and trees came placed carefully in perfect synchronization as he was walking the soft grass disappeared and stone replaced and a stone path started to lead his way.

It looked like a classic Disney castle; Hongbin stared in awe as he looked over it. This was really something out of a dream. He continued to walk until he reached a huge gate that towered over him. He looked up and took in the full scale of this huge gate. How the hell was he going to open this?

He walked up to it and gently pushed the gate and he raised his brows as it opened easily. Shocked he stood there for a minute or two before walking inside.

He came to a door and once again there was no one there. He was confused as to what to do, his heartbeat was speeding up and he felt uncertain about his cause and he didn’t even know anymore. He was here to save Junmyeon, but could he a mere human save a fairy? Could he?

With a deep sigh he lifted his hand and knocked on the door three times. He waited for what felt like an eternity before it opened up before him by two guards. Their armor glowing in gold and helmets hiding their eyes and from their backs spread out their butterfly like wings.

“The queen has been expecting you.” They spoke and Hongbin felt a shiver run through his body. This was one of the line you always hear in movies but never expected to hear in real life and it was really, really - like really creepy.

Hongbin nodded carefully and walked into to the grand hall. He walks and wonders if he will ever reach somewhere when a tune starts echoing down the hall. He followed the sound and he entered an even grander hall. And there on a throne of the roots of trees sat a person. Her dress flowed down to the floor and down the broad steps that held her chair a little higher up than anything else in the room. A dress that cut around her bust and small twisted fabric cut all over her shoulders like a spider net. Her hair was in loose locks and flowed over down to her waist. A flower wreath around her head filled with many different colorful flowers.

Her eyes a small tint of dark blue and she was staring right at Hongbin as he stopped in the middle of the room. A small smile on her light pink lips.

“Well, Well, Well” she said her voice carrying around the big room as she stood up.

“This is a most unusual guest. One I personally never witnessed” she added and walked down the couple of steps and walked up to Hongbin. She was slightly taller than him but that was also probably because of the really high high-heels she was wearing. She circled around him as a hungry animal and the dress swept over his feet.

“A human” she whispered into his ears and then moved away as Hongbin jumped. She laughed and stepped back as she looked at him.

“Oh” she gasped and grinned at him, as she looked him in the eyes. She reached out her hands and placed them on his face thumbs under his eyes and she forced him to turn his face in all different ways. He tried to move out of her grip but she held his face even tighter as he did.

“Most interesting” she mumbled and let go and smiled again.

“Speak your name human.” She demanded and Hongbin gulped, she freaked him out.

“Hongbin” he carefully said and she laughed.

“Well, Hongbin. How long have you been able to peek into our world?” she asked and leaned forward. Hongbin looked at her and he wanted to step back he wanted to just stop this all and go back.

“A-As long as I can remember” Hongbin stuttered and tried to break away from her fierce eye contact but still nothing seemed to work. Was this the power of the queen?

“Such a rare ability” she raised a brow as she placed her finger carefully on his forehead and ran it down over his nose, mouth, chin. A shiver ran through him and finally he managed to take a step back from the queen.

“Are you scared little human?” she asked as she straightened out and looked at him. Hongbin didn’t know what to say but shook his head. He was freaked out but he wouldn’t allow the queen to know. She was dangerous and he knew that.

“I’m curious to how you found this castle… Will you tell me?” She asked and smiled kindly.

“No” a sudden rush of confidence ran through him, he broke out of the queen grasp. Her eyes did grow big for a second before she returned to herself again. He knew why he was here, though he had almost forgotten for a moment and he knew how powerful the queen is.

“I’m here to bring someone back.” He said trying to make his voice carry around the room as the queen done before.

“You can’t.” She simply said with a sigh as she walked back to sit on her throne.

“He didn’t abide to the rules. So now he will suffer the consequences.” She said plainly and her interest was no longer on him.

“But he didn’t do anything wrong!” Hongbin glared at her and she laughed loudly.

“Of course he has. And two times too. With the same human! It’s ridiculous”

“I may discount the first one since he was alone. But the second time. You fainted before anything and he should have killed you. You should not be here at all. But he took you in and kept you! He should have at least sent you back!” Her voice became louder as her face started to display her anger.

“He wanted to!” Hongbin raised his voice he was starting to feel angry. “It was I. I wanted to stay! He tried but I told him NO. So don’t let it go out on HIM!” rage flashed in her eyes as she flew out of her throne and landed in front of Hongbin.

“But it doesn’t matter! You should be DEAD. Maybe I should make sure it happens!” Her expression grew even grimmer and within seconds Hongbin found himself on the floor. His back and head hurt and the air pressed out of his lungs making him gasp for it.

She crouched down beside him and grabbed his jaw with her hand. She turned his head to the cold floor and Hongbin tried to struggle away from her but his body was frozen to the ground.

“Such a shame to kill such a pretty face” She said and dragged her nail over his cheek a red trail following and blood seeped out slowly. He continued to struggle, wishing his body to move only to have his legs move a inch.

“Tell me, how does my magic not affect you?” she said and turned his face back to look at her. He was really pissed at her right now.

“I don’t know.” He hissed and she laughed as she watched him struggle.

“You’re really a strange one aren’t you?” She said and suddenly the magic stopped and Hongbin quickly got away from the queen that stood up with a small smile.

“Why? Why did you come all this way for that one fairy? He isn’t worth it.” She said and Hongbin shook his head.

“He is!! I know he is! I don’t care what you say. I came here to rescue him!”

“Why? Do you even know him that well? How long have you been here? Less than two weeks? The two of you are pathetic”

His blood was boiling why couldn’t she understand why didn’t she listen? He needed Junmyeon, he needed him. He wanted him. He’d do almost anything to get him back.

“I don’t care! I just want Junmyeon back! I would have never approached your world if I hadn’t seen him. He’s mine!” He said, his cheeks heating up as he spoke and the queen’s brow rose slowly.

“This just keeps getting more interesting as it passes.” She seemed to calm down and an eerie feeling spread around the room.

“Let me tell you something human. It’s rare for someone like you to be able to peek into our world. But when there is one that can. They don’t stay in the human world long. We make sure of it. So I am curious to how you didn’t get noticed” She tilted her head as she spoke with a small smile.

“Kids often come out to the field, we lure them out and we have a deal with the trolls. We exchange the children so the parents won’t notice that their gone. But the question remains, why didn’t you get lured in?”

“My mom didn’t allow me too. I was never drawn into your people’s circles.” Hongbin glared back at the queen who giggled silently.

“Interesting. But shouldn’t you have been deemed insane already though?”

“I never told anyone”

“Even as a child?” She looked surprised and Hongbin smiled proudly.

“No, I knew people wouldn’t believe me. How many years have passed since the last human came here?”

“Oh many, many years ago. And he didn’t talk much about his world”

“My world is always changing. I knew since I was a child I shouldn’t talk about things others cannot see” Even if he wished he could have told at least someone about it.

“Interesting. Then why did you join that circle that day he took you here”

“I guess…” he hesitated as he spoke and once again his cheeks burnt. “I got a crush” The queen smiled and laughed silently as she walked up to Hongbin.

“This is one twist I never expected to happen.” She said as she leaned in towards Hongbin and once again grabbed his face in her hands and placed a kiss on his forehead.
What is she doing Hongbin didn’t understand anything but then he heard a voice from a big door to his left. He recognized it immediately and the queen let go of him.

“Junmyeon is one interesting being, He carries great sorrow. I know nothing about it. Most fairies don’t feel sympathy for the humans they kill. I certainly don’t. I rule this world. And I could kill you with the snap of my fingers. But this is interesting.” She spoke slowly her words echoing through the room. Then she smiled brightly.

She raised her hand and snapped her fingers. One of the guards in the golden armor walked up to her she whispered something to him before he hurried away.

“Let me ask one last thing” She asked and Hongbin nodded.

“How did you feel, as you viewed our world?” She asked her eyes glistening with curiously.

“When I was little. I was scared because no one could see. And I lived right by a field and fairies often danced there. And I saw many other things close to the forest. But as time passed it didn’t scare me as much. I knew their magic couldn’t affect me as much as to other humans”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t. It just seemed to me that your magic mostly works on the unknowing. And I kind of knew”

“Clever”

Footsteps came closer to the room and Hongbin turned his head and saw a tired, beat up Junmyeon walked into the room with a slumped posture. He felt tears sting his eyes as he saw the state he was in and hurried over to him without a second thought. Junmyeon didn’t even seem to notice him. The guard that brought him into the room looked to the queen before throwing him to the ground.

Hongbin bit down on his lip as he slid down on the ground and grabbed Junmyeon and pulled him into his lap. Not until then did the fairy notice him.

“Hongbin?” He looked up at him with blurry eyes and Hongbin smiled and nodded.

“I came to get you.” He said proudly and the other nodded. He looked over to the queen who looked down at him with a face that screamed Watch your backs. And before he knew it he was being dragged to his feet and he pulled Junmyeon with him and they were dragged and thrown out of the castle.

“Do not return here human.” One of the guards said and Hongbin nodded. He didn’t want to return the queen freaked him out and he didn’t know what would happen if he ever did return.

“How did you find this place?” Junmyeon croaked and Hongbin smiled as he carefully pulled Junmyeon over and up on his back.

“The trolls showed me half ways. Then I really have no idea. But I did find it” he smiled as he talked and started walking slowly back towards the village.

Junmyeon sighed and rested his head on Hongbin’s shoulder.

“Why did she let us go?” he asked and Hongbin felt his face again get hotter and probably really red.

“I don’t know.” He mumbled and Junmyeon chuckled and lifted his head as he pulled at his ear.

“Why are you all red? What did you say?” he sounded curious and Hongbin cleared his throat.

“I guess what I told you the first day.” He mumbled as he leaned his head away from Junmyeons pinching fingers.

“You totally told her more.” He said and smiled as he released his grip and placed his head back on his shoulder.

“But I don’t care” He nuzzled into his shoulder. “I’m happy you came” He smiled against his skin and Hongbin laughed.

★☆★ 1 month later ★☆★

“Hongbin” Junmyeon poked him lightly in the ribs and Hongbin shot up from the bed, his hair all over the place and eyes half closed as he looked at Junmyeon.

“Come with me.” Junmyeon grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of the bed. They walked outside, Junmyeon still pulling him by his wrist as he approached the forest. Hongbin kept tripping over his feet still not fully awaken yet.

“Where are we going?” Hongbin asked but Junmyeon didn’t answer he kept on tugging on Hongbins wrist until he suddenly stopped. Hongbin was surprised and walked straight into him. They were standing at what looked like a gate made out of trees. They were stretching out and over creating a path through. And a mystic feeling surrounding the area. There were only two types of trees there which Hongbin thought was weird. There were birch trees and some elder trees and Junmyeon sighed deeply and started walking through the path.

“What is this?” Hongbin asked and Junmyeon turned his head a little and looked at him with sad eyes.

“Where you may meet your friends for the last time” Junmyeon said and Hongbin wrinkled his eyebrows a little.

“What do you mean?” He asked and Junmyeon sighed sadly.

“Do you know what these sorts of trees symbolize?” He asked and Hongbin shook his head.

“Birch trees symbolize a new beginning and cleansing of the past. And the elder tree stands for the new life and the fairy realm” Junmyeon spoke slowly as they continued to walk in what seemed like an endless gate.

“We don’t come here as we have no interest in humans. But from time to time a soul may get stuck here. We aren’t always too kind towards humans but sometimes we help them. We don’t want them to turn into something evil nor do we want them to become something like us.” He said and then he stopped.

They were standing in a small glade, it was dark and still the birch and elder trees surrounded them and Hongbin’s stomach dropped. He felt sick being here and he wanted to leave but then he saw it. He saw something standing in the middle of the glade and it turned around and looked at him.

“This is the last stop before the dead move on.” Junmyeon spoke and Hongbins knees gave up under him.

Hongbin was staring at the person in front of him and tears were threatening to spill. No no no Hongbin’s thoughts raced and the words kept repeating in his mind. This couldn’t be true. The boy in front of him looked at him and his eyes lit up.

“HONGBIN!” He screamed but his voice sounded unnatural, out of place, like when everyone tried to talk you at the same time but they all said the same thing. But he recognized this voice and he didn’t want to believe it. The boy ran up to him and crouched down in front of him.

“I finally found you” He smiled brightly and Hongbin looked up at him tears running down his face and he shook his head. This cannot be happening Hongbin covered his face in his hands.

“Don’t cry.” the voice said but he just started to cry more.

“Why are you here? You shouldn’t be here! You’re still so young. You have so much time left!” Hongbin sobbed and the boy smiled sadly at him as he moved Hongbin’s hands out of his face.

“Look at me.” the boy said and smiled at him. Hongbin smiled through his tears.

“Sanghyuk.” He said and the boy smiled brightly at him his red hair was all over the place, full of leaves and something sticky. Hongbin stopped as he started noticing the blood stains around his neck and face.

“What happened?” Hongbin asked and Sanghyuk looked at him sadly.

“You’ve been gone for almost Seven years now. Police have already declared you dead. They guessed you drowned but Hackyeon didn’t believe them one bit he hasn’t stopped looking for you. Can you believe it, Hackyeon is almost 30 now. Wow, old man. But we were out looking for you again. I guess I wandered quite deep into the forest and up this small hill. Well not to small I guess. I slipped and fell down hit my head on a rock. And then I found myself here” Sanghyuk smiled sadly before looking past Hongbin and up at Junmyeon.

“Who is he?” He asked and Hongbin dried his tears. He turned his head to looked at Junmyeon.

“That’s Junmyeon” Hongbin said as he tried to keep his voice steady. “He’s a Fairy” Hongbin chuckled a little and Sanghyuk smiled brightly at him.

“Hi” he said and Junmyeon nodded at him.

“But … How did you end up with a Fairy?” Sanghyuk turned his head back to Hongbin moving some of his dark red hair out of the way.

“I’ve always been able to see them.” Hongbin said and smiled shyly as tears started to fall again. They shouldn’t talk so casually, Sanghyuk was DEAD. This was his last time seeing him and it hurt. It hurt so badly.

“And one day I got to curious. Or I knew the consequences already. I was just so interested in that guy here.” Hongbin sobbed as he hid his face in his arm.

“So that was what you were always looking at?” Sanghyuk exclaimed and laughed. “Hackyeon-hyung was always so worried about you when you would just stare into the distance” He chuckled and Hongbin looked up at him his sobs becoming louder by the minute.

“Ah Hyung don’t cry so much. You look ugly.” He said but tears were starting to build up in his eyes also. The younger crawled closer to him and embraced him in a hug. Hongbin put his arms around his waist and pulled the red hair closer and his face in his chest.

“You dumbass why did you slip?” Hongbin sobbed and he could feel Sanghyuk’s wet cheek as he buried his face in his shoulder. He only chuckled silently through his sobs.

Junmyeon looked at the two humans. He didn’t know what to do with the feeling inside his chest. He felt so heavy as he would crumble to the ground if he dared move. He had never seen Hongbin so sad and somehow his heart was hurting. His very being was hurting and he wanted to cry with him.

He didn’t want Hongbin to lose one of his friends. Also knowing he would be dying so young. Junmyeon sighed deeply looking into the ground and that’s when a cold wind howled by. The humans on the ground looked up from their position and observed their surroundings. He was coming.

The wind increased and the trees seemed to grow taller, mist crept close to the ground and into the glade. Hongbin held Sanghyuk closer to him as he looked around. He could hear a steady beat of something. ‘thudum thudum thudum’
A nasty smell spread around them and a shiver ran down his spine as he was struck by an unknown fear. Hongbin looked at Junmyeon who stood there as if nothing happened.

“What’s happening?” Hongbin asked and the fairy turned his head and smiled sadly.

“The Reaper.” Junmyeon said with a sad sigh. “The Reaper take many forms and is feared by all creatures, human or not. He is mysterious so no one knows much about him. There are many stories, but who knows what’s true?” Junmyeon said as he stared into the distance.

Into the small glade it came. Black as night every inch of him, four strong legs with massive feathering over his hooves. Head held high as he breathed out heavily white smoke forming from his nostrils. A long mane hanging down to his shoulder. His eyes almost looked bloodshot. This horse was more massive, the muscles moving under his skin. And one thing really stood out was the long spiraling horn coming from its head.

“It’s… A unicorn” Hongbin whispered and Sanghyuk looked at the horse with wide eyes of fear.

“I seek the dead, not the living” It spoke clear and loud and Hongbin sobbed loudly as he knew, this was his goodbye to Sanghyuk.

“Quickly” It spoke again and Sanghyuk stood up pulling Hongbin with him.

“Thank you for many years Hyung.” Sanghyuk croaked “I’ve always wondered what happened to you. But I guess it’s okay, I got to see you one last time” he whimpered as he hid his face in his hands.

“I wish we had many more years. But I guess I leave first. I’m sorry” Hongbin tried to wipe away his tears but they kept falling.

“Yixing.” Junmyeon spoke slowly and the horse ears perked forward and turned its head to the fairy.

“Junmyeon.” It answered back bowing its head a little and the fairy responded.

“You owe me one right?” He said and the horses eyes shimmered.

“Indeed.”

“You owe me a life.” Junmyeon said and Hongbin looked at him and his eyes grew large.

“I do. You want me to bring this human back?” The voice echoed through the air and the horse took a few steps forward before his shape started to change. He pushed his now arms from the ground as his neck grew short and hooves became hands and feet. Wearing an all-black suit a small smile on his lips as he pushed his hair out of the way.

“I never thought you, Junmyeon would ask something… Like this” the fairy chuckled as the dark clothed man raised a brow.

“Surprise.” He said and walked up to lay a hand on Hongbin’s shoulder. “Stay back” He said softly and Hongbin looked at Sanghyuk one last time before he backed off. Junmyeon placed his hand on each one of Sanghyuk’s shoulders and looked into his eyes before leaning in and whispering something into his ear. The younger smiled and nodded.

“I do not completely have the power to return him. I’m not a healer but I can return the soul.” The man spoke again and Junmyeon turned to him.

“Well lucky I can heal people”

“I thought you only brought disease upon people.”

“Don’t think so lowly about me Yixing.” Junmyeon said and looked back at Sanghyuk. He lifted up his hand from his shoulder and turned it around his palm facing upwards.

“Fairies are known to blow diseases onto humans. But we also have our set of healing abilities but we refrain from using it too often” Junmyeon’s hand was glowing, dust started to swirl around his hand as it did when he had knocked Hongbin out. He inhaled deeply before softly blowing the glowing dust into Sanghyuk’s face.

“It smells like summer.” He murmured before collapsing to the ground.

“Sanghyuk!” Hongbin cried out but before he could rush over to his friend Junmyeon lifted his hand signaling him to stay put.

“Go Yixing.” The other man smiled and once again his shape changed this time into a raven. It lifted up Sanghyuk’s body and Hongbin stared. How was that even possible?

“It’s only his soul.” Junmyeon said as he turned and smiled at Hongbin.
Hongbin started to cry again, he didn’t hold back this time as he screamed out the pain and Junmyeon quickly walked up to him embracing him. Hongbin buried his face in the crook of his neck as he continued to cry.

He doesn’t know for how long they had stood there but Hongbin’s eyes had gone dry and he was just holding on to the person in front of him.
Junmyeon was the first to move as he pushed Hongbin slightly backwards with a small smile.

“We should go back.” Junmyeon smiled softly at him before letting go of him and standing up. Hongbin looked up at him and grabbed his sleeve.

“Mm?” Junmyeon turned and looked at him and Hongbin looked down on the ground.

“Thank you.” he said and looked up and smiled as brightly as he could. Junmyeon turned his head away and he sighed.

“You're Welcome.” he said and grabbed Hongbin’s hand. And so they walked back to the house hand in hand.

★☆★

“Wow! So many flowers!” Hongbin looked as Junmyeon brought in an entire basket of different flowers. He smiled at the younger that was looking overly excited.

“Why did you bring these?” He asked sitting on the bed his legs crossed.

“Thought it was time for you to get your own flower wreath” Hongbin looked at him and nodded slowly. He didn’t think much about it but he had noticed the flowers that would be placed around their heads. Even Junmyeon had one.

“Why do you have them?” Junmyeon stared at Hongbin for a moment

“To tell a story I guess.” he answered as he turned the basket upside down as the flowers were placed on the table. He also with him brought some few branches from a birch, as its branches were very bendable. Hongbin had wandered over to the table to look at the flowers with glistening eyes. Junmyeon chuckled softly and stood up placing the branch around his head measuring the size.

“This should be good.” He said with a pleased nod as he brought up some white thread and fastened the branches so they wouldn’t change size.

“Can’t you fasten it with magic?” Hongbin asked as he picked up a couple of flowers and went back to sit in the bed.

“It takes the fun out of it.” Junmyeon answered with a small smile as he started to pick out his flowers carefully. He looked over and a blue flower caught his eyes. Well it was actually an herb, a borage, starflower. He picked up the plant and started to place it into ring. He looked up at Hongbin that was looking at the flowers he had taken and Junmyeon sighed.

He studied Hongbin for a moment before he continued putting flowers in. He could feel his cheeks heating up as he held a red tulip in his hands. He looked over at Hongbin who was looking down at a black rose with an adorable smile spread across his face.

He couldn’t possibly know Junmyeon thought as he looked at the younger who held up the rose.

“Ah it’s so cool! I would have given one to Hackyeon, no maybe Taekwoon. He would probably appreciate it” Hongbin looked at the flower with a satisfied expression and Junmyeon rolled his eyes.

“Of course he doesn’t know. He’s an idiot.” He mumbled. As he continued to pick his flowers and put them into the wreath.

“What does it mean?” Hongbin asked as Junmyeon placed the finished wreath on his head with a small smile. The fairy looked at him and a tint of pink spread over his cheeks.

“Nothing, really” he mumbled and Hongbin smiled at him and raised a brow.

“I know you usually don’t just give me flowers and what not.” He said and Junmyeon turned away from him and placed his hands on his cheeks.

“You know I’ll just go ask Minseok.” He said and the other turned around and shook his head violently.

“Don’t you dare.”

“Well, tell me then! I only know a few that Minseok told me because you never know. Plus like this small blue one. It’s a … Forget-me-not. It’s the only one I know! Why can’t the others be named like this one?” He said with a warm smile.

“You know?” he asked and walked over to the bed and sat down.

“Well, a little. But still, I can’t grasp the meaning of the flowers and I don’t recognize them” he said and a little sigh of relief left Junmyeon.

“But I know you have some thought behind this” Hongbin stared at him and Junmyeon groaned as he lied down in the bed. He was. Not. Going. To. Tell. Him.

Junmyeon was shaking his head and Hongbin smirked at him before he bolted for the door.

The fairy sat up, looking after the human with big eyes. Would he really ask his friend about it? He was dead, he was so dead.

Junmyeon rushed to Minseok’s house and threw up the door, the other had a small smirk on his face as he turned around and looked at Junmyeon. But Hongbin was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is he?” he asked short of breath.

“Who?” Minseok said in a sickly sweet voice and Junmyeon was not going to put up with this

“You know who.”

“My pride, believe in me, I miss you, I will remember you forever” he chuckled and looked at Junmyeon’s cheeks as they grew a dark red color.

“He was here” Junmyeon hissed and then tried to calm down as he glared at Minseok. “DID YOU TELL HIM!?”

“No, I only told him about the white camellia. And then he rushed out again telling me he was going to the field where you first met. You should tell him. I promise I won’t even if he comes back” Minseok smiled kindly and Junmyeon let out a choked sound.

He was thankful that Minseok didn’t tell him, he would have made himself a hole and never come out of it ever again.

Junmyeon sighed as he left the other fairy with a small wave as he quickly followed to where he would find Hongbin.

Hongbin was lying in the meadow where he had first seen Junmyeon. He was breathing in the fresh air and just waiting. He’d only gotten some information from Minseok about the flowers but he could guess the meaning behind his flower wreath.

But he worried that it was just him being really excited, he knew he had fallen for the fairy when he had seen him for the first time. Even if he denied it many times, but when saving Junmyeon from the fairy queen he came to accept his feelings but he was uncertain about the other.

And he didn’t want to jump to conclusions and so he was so happy about the wreath and he did recognize the forget-me-not flower which only the name speaks for part of its meaning.

“Hongbin!” Junmyeon leaned over Hongbin, he was breathing heavily and a frown on his face as he looked down on him.

“You made it!” Hongbin smiled brightly and the fairy glared at him.

“What did Minseok tell you?” He asked and Hongbin chuckled.

“He told me that this white… Camellia??? I think it was. He told me about that one then he refused and I knew you would come after me so I rushed here instead.” Junmyeon straightened out with a sigh and Hongbin sat up looking at him with adoring eyes.

“Do you actually think that?” He asked and the frown on the fairy’s face disappeared as he blushed slightly as he nodded.

“Tell me another flower” Hongbin demanded as he stood up.

“This one” Junmyeon pointed to a flower, Hongbin took of the wreath to look at it and it was a small blue flower.

“It’s a Borage. It means Courage” Junmyeon mumbled as he didn’t meet Hongbins eyes as he took a step closer.

“And this?” Hongbin pointed to a random flower and Junmyeon squeezes out a weird sound.

“It’s a Moonflower” he said carefully and looked up into Hongbins eyes as he waited for the explanation. “It’s means dreaming for love” Hongbin smiled as he walked closer and pointed to another flower. This time a bright red flower.

“Red Carnation-“ He swallowed hard and Hongbin looked at him, as he seemed to get a grip of himself and looked at him with some new won strength.

“My heart aches for you” he said and Hongbin smiled brightly as Junmyeon placed the wreath on his head again and closed the distance between them. Hongbin held up a flower between them and Junmyeon looked down it and a bright smile spread over his face.

“It’s a Rain flower.” He said and Hongbin nodded, the older took the flower in his hand as he reached up his hand and placed it carefully behind Hongbin’s neck and leaned in as he kissed him softly on the lips.

“Thank you” Junmyeon mumbles against his lips and Hongbin smiles brightly. Hongbin kisses him again pulling Junmyeon closer to him. Hugging him tightly.

★☆★

“This brings back memories” Hackyeon turns around and smiles at Taekwoon as he puts down his bags in the hallway.
“Sure does. We used to visit every summer” Hackyeon sighed with a sad smile on his face. “Now look at us, old and stiff.” He laughed and Taekwoon walked up and slapped him in the back of his head.
“Ouch. Meanie” Hackyeon whined and the other turned around with a small smile. “You don’t act so old”
Hackyeon started walking around the mansion where he had spent so many years in his youth. Well… they stopped coming after that happened and only returned once summer or two after that. Even if there’s a lot of happy memories here. There are many sad ones too.
The sad always overwhelming the happy. But not this time, this time he walked around seeing them how they looked in their teenage years. How Sanghyuk would run around bothering them all. Taekwoon who would stand in the kitchen cooking them all dinner. And Hongbin. He was sitting at the window looking out over the meadow outside.
He sighed deeply as he walked into his own room with the windows you could sit so comfortably in. The ones Hongbin loved. With a small sad smile he sat down looking out over the meadow.
“What happened” He sighed as he made himself comfortable.
He could her the crunching sound of paper under him and quickly got up to see what it was. He found an envelope under one of the pillows. It didn’t look old and it was addressed to him. He opened it carefully and pulled out the letter inside.

Dear Hackyeon
How many years have passed? For me barely 6 months have passed. But I would guess you have many years in your book? I miss you hyung. Do you still look for me at times? Don’t look for me any more. I’m alive, I’m okay, and I have finally found peace. So don’t you worry.
I don’t want to leave this place. I’ve found a person who is dear to me here. His name is Junmyeon. Have you found anyone? Wife? Husband? Kids?

Please tell everyone I’m fine! I am alive and well in this Fairy realm. I will live through ages. Though it’s going to be lonely without you all. But I have so many memories. Thank you.

Tell your kids to stay out of the meadow when the mist enters. That’s where the fairies dance. Though I was lucky, the creatures of this world are not completely good.
Take care Hackyeon, remember stay out of the mist!

// Hongbin

Hackyeon felt tears run down his cheeks as he took out a small photo that was in the envelope. It was Hongbin smiling brightly with another man beside him with a shy smile. There seemed to be a glow around him and Hackyeon smiled as he turned it over.

Hongbin and Junmyeon
(The only picture I was able to take and print!)

Hackyeon cried, so much emotion breaking out so much he kept inside him for so many years and finally relief. Taekwoon came storming into the room worry written over his face. Hackyeon only pointed to the letter that the other quickly skimmed through and tears also brought to his eyes.

“I told you he was fine”

★☆★

Notes: All creatures are based on Nordic Folklore. Also let Suho use all the Swedish names since I find it quite charming.

Flowers and trees may have many meanings but I took the once I saw fit.

In the end when Hongbin asks “Do you actually think that?” he is referring to the flowers meaning. White Camille can mean something like “You are adorable”

Rain Flower: I love you back, I will never forget you

I think those where the ones not explained in the story? Just ask and I will tell you!
Ravi and Kais troll characters were actually not based on trolls from folklore, I got inspired by the Rumpnissar(Rumphob?) from Ronja Rövardotter(Ronia Robber’s daughter) since I am totally in love with those cute troll like creatures.

Not sure about the English translation there since I have not read the English books.