Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Sunoo wakes up startled, hearing a very familiar voice shouting outside his residence, accompanied by the incessant banging on his exquisite mosaic tiled door knocker. He had been in the middle of a fairly entrancing dream before being interrupted by the resident idiot. This was cause enough for him to be displeased; not that he was ever pleased with Park Sunghoon in the first place. He has nothing exemplary or worthy of interest, as once wisely inferred by Yang Jungwon.

He sits up with a groan, running a hand across his face in an attempt to wipe his exhaustion away all the while wishing that the menace outside gives up and goes back. With a disgruntled huff, he gets out of the cozy confines of his bed and slips on his fluffy slippers. I need to start sleeping on time , he thinks to himself slowly trudging down the creaky staircase with bleary eyes, a scowl fixed on his pretty face. 

Mornings for Kim Sunoo are tranquil; save for the hooting of his baby and the muggle beats from the old radio. It is that time of the day when he works for himself, on the things he likes. Running Kims Kotions, his very own potions shop, has not been a walk in the park. He loves it, he certainly does, it is his dream after all. Yet nothing alters the fact that single-handedly running a business hasn't been a bed full of roses; he has cried, lied, and missed out on life for this. This is why Sunoo reserved his mornings for himself, Kim time , he calls it. A time when he rejuvenates and prances around in fluffy robes. Some days getting out of bed on time is a luxury, but he does fancy stuff whenever he feels like it.

Kim time is generally spontaneous, starting with a good morning scowl; ‘why me’ is a daily thought. A steaming cup of strong black coffee is what gets him functioning. Sometimes he encourages his newly planted Valerian's to grow well and be healthy. On most days though, he just feeds Koinonos and vibes to muggle tunes whilst catching up on the wizarding news. 

What his morning routine undoubtedly does not include is his very unfriendly next-door neighbor and business rival, Park Sunghoon.

Safe to say, Sunoo is not pleased to attend to the haughty fool at all . Everyone in Allure Alley believes they got off on the wrong foot but it’s more than that; in their one year of being neighbors, they never looked at each other with a kind eye.

"What does this idiot want now?" Sunoo grumbles to himself, swinging the front door open rather forcefully, making the hinges creak. He is half in a mind to lecture the brain out of Park Sunghoon for disturbing his sleep and making a commotion outside his house at ass o’clock. 

But to his surprise; there is no Park Sunghoon. 

Sunoo stands there for a second, staring blankly at the purple signboard of Tinkle Tailors across his shop. Am I imagining things now? he thinks to himself, peeking outside before stepping into the cold, walking a little further peering left and right, trying to catch the sight of the devil incarnate.

He isn’t there.  

Confusion is evident on his face as he scratches his head, traipsing back to his toasty shop with furrowed brows and crossed arms. He had definitely heard him. 

Is it perhaps by sheer misfortune that I am now dreaming about Park Sunghoon? The thought makes his frown deeper. He shakes his head to clear away all such baseless thoughts, he’d rather be on his death bed than dream about that jerk.

Maybe it's because of the lack of sleep or caffeine . Sunoo concludes, making his way to his tiny kitchen to brew his daily necessity. Coffee is something he cannot function without, not unless he’s on some sleepless potions and refreshing draughts. He doesn’t know exactly when it started but, before he knew it, he was already addicted to the rush of jitters that a strong brew supplied his veins with. 

"What are you looking for?! I'm right here." Resonated in the empty shop just as Sunoo sets down the dazzling purple cup of coffee on the counter. 

His grip on the mug loosens as his ears listen intently for any sounds; his other hand discreetly creeps up the inside of his sleeve, tightening around his wand. He heard Sunghoon again, this time nearer and clear as day. This wasn't a speck of his imagination nor his sleep-deprived self. This is Park Sunghoon, inside his residence, just a few steps away from him with possibly devious intentions.

Sunoo’s cautious ears pick up a soft shuffling sound from his left, precisely five meters from him. He whirls around, whips out his wand, and casts a successive Revelio and Silencio, all within the blink of an eye giving his opponent no time to react. 

There is a muffled screech followed by complete silence. 

Sunoo glares at the 5’11’’ silver-haired potioneer in front of him frozen mid-action with both his arms outstretched like Artemision, his brows are furrowed and his expression resembles a displeased kitten; very adorable, Sunoo would have thought, only this is Park Sunghoon and Sunoo can only find him adorable after he’s six feet under the ground. "You're invisible now? Why is your hair silver? Did you dye it overnight?" 

After a year of being neighbors and business rivals, he can vouch for his life that Sunghoon’s up to no good, especially since the matters were related to him.

With the history they had together, he knew better than to trust the Junior Park.

"What are you doing here?" Sunoo questions, he’d rather be in his cozy bed than deal with an imbecile punk like him.

Sunghoon straightens his posture, smooths out the crease on his clothes, and pins Sunoo with a judgemental glare. Sunghoon’s glares aren't uncommon for the pink-haired potioneer, he has seen those big angry eyes trained at him far too many times to be intimidated by them, so he stares back, fearless and exigent like always. He folds his arms and watches Sunghoon break into a silent monologue, talking animatedly with wild hand movements and big angry eyes. His gestures and expressions insinuate anger but without his voice, it seems like a comedic mime. 

Sunoo finds the show fairly entertaining, he leans against the wall and watches the calm and composed Park Sunghoon lose his temper. His previous scowl gave way to a shit-eating grin. He is certain that Sunghoon would pop a vein at this rate — quite favorable for him. 

"Watching you like yabber like this is truly delightful. You can continue with your talks; I'll just turn on some music." Sunoo skips over to the old radio system, fiddling with its numerous knobs and dials until soft beats fill the silence. A suitable accompaniment for Sunghoon’s mime, he thinks.

If Sunghoon could release steam from his ears, he would have been doing it now. How dare Kim talk to me like this? His jaw clenches in rage as he takes a threatening step closer to Sunoo . I'll make this kid respect me. 

Park Sunghoon is extremely harmonious and rational — except when he's dealing with Kim Sunoo. When he’s with him, he’s not himself, Sunoo brings out the worst in him, pestering his guts to no end. 

However, Sunoo isn’t the clueless kid Sunhoon takes him to be, his reflexes are faster and more accurate, he has Sunghoon under an incarcerous before he could say the word. "Too slow Sunghoonie. Too slow. If I was in your place I'd use my wand, it's faster and more dangerous.” Sunghoon's head lulls down in shame and blood rushes up to his cheeks. He realizes rather belatedly that he had not only acted on an impulse but also forgotten his third limb in his frenzy.

It takes Sunoo less than a minute to put two and two together. "Don't tell me!" he chortles. "You don't have your wand. My my, Sunghoon you really are dumb. Dad would've been so disappointed."

The look of disdain that overshadows Sunghoon's features isn't unnoticed by Sunoo, but he continues regardless.

"But it's alright, I guess. Remembering to carry your wand is too much work for this pea-sized brain of yours," he taunts, ambling over to him. "I wonder how you run your potions shop? Good for me though!" Sunoo chuckles, standing right in front of his hostage. Sunghoon bares his teeth at him, struggling against the ropes with all his might.

"You do realize that you're at my mercy now? Defenseless and vulnerable. I can do anything, and no one will stop me," He says, running a bony finger along Sunghoon's sharp jaw. "I think your jaw can cut some mouse tails with ease. It is so angular after all."

Sunghoon holds back a shudder standing upright; he knows Sunoo is just riling him up, setting him up to do something stupid. Sunoo is like that, cocky, instigative, and cruel, he does things just to feed his ego and satisfy whatever twisted intentions he has. Sunghoon doesn’t want to let him win again. "You can't do anything," he mouths, staring right into Sunoo's eyes, challenging him.

Everyone knows that Kim Sunoo is competitive and proud. The literal ball of fluff has quite a reputation of being a conniving villain when it comes to feeding his pride — a reputation he gained after his numerous altercations with Park Sunghoon. Suffice to add Sunoo never backed away from a challenge, it sometimes cost him a lot but being victorious is way more essential than petty forfeitures — at least for him. He'd go to any lengths to prove a point.

Sunoo's laugh bounces off the walls, it's a laugh that starts from the very pit of his stomach and causes his head to fall back in utter glee. "The prey is challenging the predator? Funny." He says, wiping the corners of his eyes.

Even in his anxiety, Sunghoon doesn't fail to acknowledge that it's the prettiest laugh he has ever heard. Now that Sunoo said it out loud, he realizes he is actually fucked up, considering their situation right now, he is at his mercy; in his house, wandless, tied up and silenced. Sunoo could quite literally do anything he wants and no one will know, fucked up indeed. 

With a single step, Sunoo is in his personal space. "Should I settle all our past interactions? Would you like that?" He whispers in his ear.

Sunghoon’s frozen in his spot, befuddled. He has a handful of weaknesses and currently, Kim Sunoo is exploiting his second biggest weakness. He refuses to call it a kink, but Sunghoon is especially sensitive when it comes to his ears; someone whispering in his ear can instantly turn him into a puddle — even if it’s Kim Sunoo, his biggest business rival. 

His lips part inaudibly as a gasp makes its way out of his lips, fanning Sunoo's plump round cheek. He's so close, Sunghoon acknowledges. They’re practically breathing in the same air and he can smell wisps of citrus and oak on Sunoo. He would never say it aloud but  Kim Sunoo smells amazing. Refreshing but powerful, gentle but strong, balmy but heady; just perfect. It takes him a lot of determination and self-control to not give in to his weakness. 

He's so close he'll know if I react. Sunghoon thinks, involuntarily holding his breath and hoping that Sunoo steps away from him before he does something shameful. He knows Sunoo will only gloat about it in the future.

“Would you like that, Sunghoonie?” Sunoo adds breathily and that’s Park Sunghoon’s thirteenth reason. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't help the shiver that ran up his spine. 

Fuck. He berates himself for that one slip that will surely cost him his dignity.

Sunoo’s snicker in response is smug and victorious; he has managed to fish out exactly the reaction he wanted from Sunghoon. 

This bastard. Sunghoon curses inwardly, closing his eyes and counting till five in hopes of getting over his moment of shame.

Sunoo grins before reeling back, leaving a fairly large space between them. 

"What would that make me? I promised Dad that I'll keep you safe . Shouldn't break promises now, should we? Frankly, that's the only thing stopping me from splitting you in half," Sunoo states, as a matter of fact, leaning against the counter with his elbows resting on the marble countertop with an ear-splitting grin on his face. 

If Sunghoon was a time traveler, he would have definitely gone back in time to stop himself from reacting the way he did, not only was it shameful but also foolish, he let himself fall for one of those tricks. Again. 

"Fuck you, Kim," he mouths. 

"There, there Sunghoon, resorting to childish antics again? Did you not learn your lesson last time?" Sunoo fixes his fringe with an impish grin. "I'm very curious about your presence here at this hour; we can skip the pleasantries for now. Tell me why you broke into my shop?" he says, reversing the Silencio with practiced ease.

Sunghoon inhales loudly as soon as Sunoo undoes the spell. "You bloody asshole!" he curses out loud charging at the pink-haired potioneer only for the ropes to tighten around his lithe frame. 

"You do keep forgetting that you’re in my territory now, wandless and roped.” Sunoo jogs his memory. “Just a reminder though, you woke me up in the middle of my nap and broke into my house. Calling me an asshole isn’t the right way to apologize."

"Don't make it sound like I'm a scoundrel! You did this!"

"Yeah, I made you break into my house at 7 in the morning," Sunoo says sardonically, focusing on his now warm coffee, paying no mind to the fuming fool in front of him. 

"Can you stop being a sarcastic asshole for a minute? I have no interest in being here. Just undo this shit and I'll leave." Sunghoon says, trying to lessen the fury raging inside him.

"You have the nerve to repeatedly call me names? Must I remind you who is in charge here?" Sunoo grits out, suddenly enraged. Gone is his calm semblance and unbothered air, it is replaced by a devilish glint in his eyes and a menacing scowl, his lips twitch in annoyance as he tightens the ropes around Sunghoon making him turn violet. 

"Stop Kim. Can't breathe," Sunghoon coughs out. 

Sunoo smiles in satisfaction, watching Sunghoon wheeze and gasp for breath is immensely gratifying. "But I'm loving it!"

Thrice. Kim Sunoo has caught him by the hip thrice , in just a day. Sunghoon feels like a fool every time he has to surrender, yet he can't help but walk right into all of Sunoo's petty traps. He can sense when he’s up to something, but he can’t ever stop himself from falling for it. The results are almost always the same. More often than not, Sunghoon has to concede.

"I'm sorry," Sunghoon chokes out. The only way to stop Sunoo is to feed his pride, yielding to Sunoo’s whims is the only way to keep himself alive because Sunoo will never back down first, not even when he is wrong; even if it would hurt him, some kind of persistence he has.

The ropes were gone as soon as the words echoed in the empty room. 

Staying alive is a priority, ego isn't. Sunghoon tries to appease himself as his lungs greedily draw in air. His face regains color, but his self-esteem remains trampled at the feet of Kim Sunoo.

"Irritate me again and I'll definitely hurt you, Dad will understand." Sunoo sniffs in arrogance. "State your reason. Why are you willingly here?" Sunghoon has only been to Kim Kotions twice; once with his dad when he took over Elements and Essences and next when Riki became a twelve-inch midget. This is his third and hopefully the last visit.

"This is the last place I want to be in," Sunghoon whispers. "Just turn this thing back and I'll be gone." 

Sunoo rolls his eyes at the vague explanation. "I know you're stupid and dense but at least have the decency to elaborate what this is.” 

"Don't act like you don't know!"

"I don't. I have pulled no tricks on you since Dad made us call it a truce." 

"As if I'd believe you!" Sunghoon laughs out humorlessly. "You gave me poisoned apple pie! I would've been a twelve-inch midget just for you to steal my customers and laugh at my face."

"It wasn't permanent for fucks sake. It's been months and I had the antidote prepared. It was a harmless prank." Sunoo’s frustration is visible in his posture, his shoulders are tense, and his fingers are scratching the inside of his palm. Nothing troubles an innocent person more than being blamed for something they didn’t do; he hasn’t been blameless a lot of times, but he won’t accept slander the only time he is in fact innocent.

"Oh, a harmless prank? Fucking hell!" Sunghoon curses looking anywhere but at Sunoo. "Quit acting Kim Sunoo. I've been really busy; I need to open the shop in an hour. I accept it, I lost. Just stop it already!"

"The fuck are you going on about Sunghoon stop what?" Sunoo asks, getting aggravated himself.

"Just give me the antidote of this invisibility potion of yours and I'll be gone. I'll even send you some Dittany saplings as a thank you gift," Sunghoon grits out. "Are you happy now? You get Dittany saplings and you get to laugh at me"

"I gave you no potions! I have no idea what you're up to and I don't give a damn. Kill a Goblin for all I care," Sunoo yells, turning back to his abandoned coffee.

Sunghoon pinches his nose in frustration. He knows Sunoo could never be appeased by force, yet he can't help but lose his temper around him. Kim Sunoo gets on his nerves. Even when he tries not to react, he somehow ends up making the younger and himself furious. They're always at each other's throats, their tempers are never at bay when they're around each other. Sunghoon should have known that Sunoo will never help him willingly; he's the type to enjoy his enemy's downfall with popcorn. Even before coming here, he knew it wouldn't end well, whatever little hope he had of getting the antidote went into the drain as Sunoo turned his back on him. 

This isn't how it will end . Sunghoon thinks, following the potioneer and spinning him around by his arm, using his rage to make up for the hostility he lacked. "You're certainly an emotionless motherfucker. Isn't this enough? You've stolen my customers, my friend, my father, and my peace of mind. What more do you want? Will you go to this extent to prove that you're better? You knew I had a meeting with Mr. Sui this morning and you deliberately chose to poison me today. Isn't it sick of you? Aren't you tired of playing foul? Is winning the only thing for you? Guess what, you're nothing but a cheater. You'll never be anything else. Just a petty asshole who gives away his morals like free samples," He yells, punctuating each sentence by jabbing an angry finger into Sunoo's chest.

Sunoo's eyes narrow into slits as he takes in all of Sunghoon's accusations with something akin to despondency flashing in his warm brown orbs. His feelings cannot be expressed in words, his words could never make anything out of what he is feeling because his emotions were ever consuming now. Most people would throw things or scream or become violent, but Sunoo shuts down, closes his eyes, and pretends everything is fine; the pigeon approach, they call it. In face of all trials, pretense is the only solace he has — ‘fake it till you make it.’ 

"Very well.” he starts calmly. “I didn't expect anything better from you anyways. If I am a scum who gives my morals away like free samples, then you're not a saint either, I don't use dirty tricks on innocent people. And just for the record, I didn't do it."

For the first time, Sunghoon seems to be losing control of his magical core, his magic thrums angrily through his veins as red hot rage overtakes him. The bookshelves start shaking and scrolls begin floating in the air as he grits his teeth and tries to shun the negativity his magic was being influenced by. 

"You're nothing more than a prick. Fuck off!" Sunghoon growls, trying to contain his magic.

He has always been calm and collected, always in control of everything. Never before has he lost control over his magic, never before has he been so close to combusting with rage. Sunoo is like that, he makes you do things you wouldn't normally do, unfortunately for Sunghoon these things never go well. 

Sunoo chooses to ignore the whole commotion, focusing instead on measuring the perfect amount of water for his coffee. "For your information, you are in my house." he reminds Sunghoon, ardently returning to his second attempt of coffee making.

"I'm leaving because talking to you is no help. You're just a stuck-up a bitch. I'll brew a potion on my own but remember this, I will never forgive you for this," Sunghoon warns, storming out of Kims Kotions leaving the walls rattling as he slams the front door shut with a loud resonant bang.

The spoon drops out of Sunoo’s careful hand at Sunghoon's departure. He felt a myriad of emotions ranging from anger to sadness and despair. Being wrongly accused does that to you, he supposes.

"Nothing good ever happens after a bad morning." Sunoo sighs, shuffling through his storage cabinet for some calming draught and sleep replenishing potion for himself. He couldn't go without it after such an altercation.

Fuck Park Sunghoon. He thinks, gulping down the potions.

********************

The next time he hears about Sunghoon is three days after their argument.

Sunoo's having his afternoon tea break with his best friend, sassy green witch, Yang Jungwon; when he is interrupted by a very welcome guest, Sim Jaeyoon — Jake, as everyone calls him. 

The bells at the entrance chime in greeting and the white lilies dance happily at the arrival of their original master. Jake has a personal touch, a warmth in his magic, which makes things brighter, lighter, and merrier, breathing life into everything. His presence instantly lights up the room, everyone knows when Jake is in the room, he makes his presence known, he unintentionally always does. 

"Hey, Jungwon! Hi, Sunoo." Jake greets them, announcing his arrival to the duo.

"Hi, Hyung! It's been a long time." Jungwon greets him with a grin as Sunoo waves with a soft smile. "What would you like to have?"

"Nothing this time. I just have a tiny favor to ask. Please don't say no Sunoo..." Jake trails off with a nervous lilt. He is sporting a wide smile with his doe eyes large and hopeful. Yet, there's a significant change in his aura. Sunoo prides himself in reading people's auras and their feelings like they're books in a Library. Presently, he can feel that Jake wasn't at ease, to put it lightly.

"Yea? What's it?"

"Can you come to the side, please? I'm sorry Jungwon." Jake mumbles, facing Jungwon with apologetic downcast eyes. 

Sunoo knows then that he isn’t here for petty pleasantries or minor considerations. Jake has been all for inclusion and made a point to never let anyone feel left out, he would never leave Jungwon alone if it wasn't necessary. This has been one of the contributing factors to their friendship, Jake's persistence to not let him feel lonely gave way to this friendship.

Sunoo eyes Jungwon cautiously, asking for unspoken permission. He didn't need permission per se, but he didn't want to leave his friend hanging alone without knowing if he's okay with it. And if things went south, he'd have someone to share the blame with.

Only after Jungwon's discreet nod, does Sunoo follow Jake to the back of the shop, into the dinghy storage room, which housed all his potions and ready ingredients. 

Sunoo switches on the light bulb and leans against an empty cabinet, waiting for Jake . The tension in the room is palpable, Jake is agitated for some reason and his constant jittering is rubbing off on Sunoo.

Kim Sunoo has always been an instinctive being, someone who feels happy by keeping the people in his circle safe — quite contrary to how people perceive him to be. Jake had wormed his way into his tight circle when he first called Sunoo to share his homemade lunch with him. Seeing him worried like this worries Sunoo immensely, more than what he'd like to outwardly show. 

"Please, don't say no, Sunoo. I wouldn't have come here if it wasn't necessary.” Jake’s face morphs into one of utter helplessness and he looks older than his years with the deep frown lines decorating his face. “I know you don't have the best bond, but he really needs your help. I tried to help him, but I can't do it. I tried really hard but I failed. I think you're the only one who can help—"

"Jake, breathe!" Sunoo interrupts Jake's distressed rant, putting a hand on his shoulder as he guides him to take deep breaths. When he's sure Jake has calmed down a bit, he asks. "What happened? Is Riki okay?"  

Jake nods at the mention of his beloved's safety. 

At least that menace is okay. Sunoo thinks to himself, unceremoniously sighing in relief. "Then who is it?"

Jake's lips part inaudibly, an answer ready on his tongue — but he falters. Sunoo can see the gears of his mind turning, it's like he's weighing all the possibilities of saying what's on his mind. Patience hasn't been his strongest facet, yet he waits for Jake to make his mind, unconsciously drumming his fingers on the rugged wooden cabinet he was leaning against.

Jake sighs before dropping the bomb as lightly as he could. "Sunghoon," he admits quietly, eyes downcast.

Sunoo's face hardens at the mention of his name. He remembers all those times in the past when Sunghoon laughed at his entire being. The day he was ridiculed on the streets of Allure Alley. He can feel the ghost of summer heat on his back and prickling behind his eyes, the frown on his face, and the grin on Sunghoon's. He remembers how Sunghoon has been anything but nice around him, how he hasn't even been agreeable around him. 

No. I won't help him. Sunoo thinks to himself, grunting out a firm, ‘No’ without sparing Jake a glance.

Jake's face crumbles. But if there's one characteristic Jake has it's his persistence. When he sets his mind on something, he will get it done. He runs a frustrated hand through his hair and tugs at the ends. "I know you don't get along–"

Sunoo snorts at Jake’s generous description of his relationship with the younger Park. "'Don't get along' is putting it very lightly." 

Jake gnaws at his bottom lip but continues anyway. "Regardless. He's been a mess. He woke up invisible three days ago. For three days he hasn't opened his shop and has been working on an antidote day and night. I tried helping him too, but I just can't figure out the root cause. He suspects he's been poisoned and you're the only one I know who can handle a poisoning case like a pro."

Sunoo glowers at the compliment, basking in the glory of his skill. He reacts to compliments like a puppy reacts to treats, happy, excited, and always seeking more. "I'm flattered. But I can't help him,” he says, becoming graver by the second. “He believes that I've poisoned him. Three days ago, he came here and spewed nonsense. He called me names, accused me of whatever this is, and then stormed out" 

"He did that?" Jake asks, horrified. He never thought that Sunghoon would do that to Sunoo, he hadn’t expected him to be this rash in coming to conclusions. The Sunghoon he knows thinks, weighs his options, and then speaks. In the years that they’ve been together, he hadn’t seen him use foul words for anyone. Sunoo is an obvious exception.

“He did. He said he'll make everything alright himself. He's a fool if he thinks that sending you here will work, especially after all that shit he has said and done." Sunoo says, purposefully leaving out the details of their last meeting. 

Jake’s fingers work on the sides of his temples as he feels an oncoming headache from all of this. He is here, seeking help on Sunghoon’s behalf as a good friend and, in turn, Sunghoon has been going around quashing whatever little chances he had of getting help. 

"He didn't send me. I came here on my own." He tells Sunoo.

"He won't take my help and I won't help him. He thinks that everything bad in his life is the result of my actions. Let him suffer."

"I really wouldn't have come here if it wasn't necessary. I know you both drive each other up the wall. But please do me a favor, help him. He's a fool for thinking that he can do everything on his own. He's dense, narcissistic, and has the pride of a peacock; he won't ask for help but he really needs it. I see him struggling every day, the bags under his eyes grow disproportionately larger each morning. I can't see him like this. Please help him. Do it for me," Jake pleads, taking Sunoo’s hand in his.

Sunoo curses under his breath, choosing to pace around the room and call Park Sunghoon as many colorful names as he knew. His friendship with Jake has put him in a difficult situation. He couldn’t refuse and he didn’t want to agree.

Sunoo has known Jake way before Sunghoon came into the picture. They had worked together on plenty of projects for Brighthit Corporation back when he was a part-time potion assistant there. Sunoo remembers his first day, how worried he was about messing up. He was still a beginner who needed to complete his six-month training to acquire his potion-brewing license and Jake had been the first person to greet him with a broad smile and a polite bow. Sunoo had been the happiest when Jake was assigned as his partner, they were the ideal team, an introvert who was good at charms and an extrovert who was good at potions. Together they had formulated many different and complex potions earning praise and hefty bonuses in exchange for late working hours.

Jake has always been supportive of Sunoo. They bonded over their love for dogs and Nishimura Riki; by sheer coincidence, Sunoo's childhood best friend happened to be dating his work partner. Quite naturally, their acquaintance blossomed into a healthy friendship. Sunoo had Jake's back and vice versa.

This is the first time Jake is asking him to do something. He couldn't just refuse, especially when Jake looked so miserable. But, his unsatisfied beef with Park Sunghoon held him back, both he and Sunghoon had always been finding ways to make each other's life difficult. He didn't want to let go of this golden opportunity to be the winner, but he also didn’t want Jake to mope around with that long face and be stressed because he had refused to help Sunghoon.

Life choices are never easy. Sunoo's mother had told him when he was younger; time and time again this phrase was rubbed into his face. 

Jake stands there watching him pace around, praying to whatever deities there are that he agrees; he needs Sunoo to agree. It wouldn't end well if he didn't. 

The pink-haired potioneer suddenly comes to halt right in front of Jake and curses loudly, starling the poor soul. His fingers scratch on the inside of his palm as he nods slowly. With an impassive face, he turns to him. "I'll do it…” He trails off. “I’ll do it for you."

The sigh of relief that Jake emits and his smile of genuine relief will forever be engraved in Sunoo’s mind along with the realization that he had signed up for something beyond himself. The precariousness of his impending future worried him to no bounds but watching Jake smile and be at ease was the only consolation he had. An unfair return it was but the deal was already sealed.

"Thank you so much." Sunoo nods robotically, lost in thought. 

It's for my friend. I can handle Sunghoon. It's for Jake. He chants in his mind like a mantra, hoping that by some mystical force Sunghoon gets cured and he doesn't have to intervene. He knew his intervention would cost him a lot.

"We'll meet at his shop after work and then you can do whatever is required,” Jake says holding Sunoo’s hand in his much larger palm. “I have another request though….. Please don't tell anyone about this. It will be best if few people know."

Sunoo nods again as Jake smiles thankfully before leaving for some meeting he said he was having. 

I'll be fine. I'll be fine. I'll be fine. I'll be fine. He tried to convince himself.

Fuck I don't think I'll be fine. He groans, making his way back to Jungwon and his unfinished tea, hoping that his face doesn’t mirror his internal dilemma. That wouldn’t end well, not when Jungwon can read him like a book.

Jungwon and Sunoo have been attached by the hip for more than two decades now. They had started as playdate buddies who pushed each other around just for the fun of it; over time their acquaintance blossomed into a beautiful friendship with sassy remarks, daily teasing, and mutual love and appreciation. They were the two pretty best friends who had the whole town at their beck and call with a bat of their eyelash. Jungwon is a sarcastic nutcase with an evil mind and Sunoo is the charming sweetheart with a nasty temper. Their personalities complimented each other. They're two peas in a pod. Similar in all aspects except their heights — Sunoo's a little taller mind you. 

They knew each other like the back of their hand. Jungwon has seen Sunoo at his best and his worst; he knows just when to pester the potioneer for answers and when to let him work in his reverie. 

This is exactly why he cocks up an eyebrow at Sunoo's sullen countenance. 

"You look like you're regretting it already," Jungwon stated, sipping his tea. His ability to show concern without showing any always left people perplexed.

"Oh, I do!” Sunoo plops down in his chair with an uncharacteristic slouch. “I do regret it so much. But I can't say no, this is the first time Jake has asked me for a favor."

"You're not obligated to do anything you're not comfortable with." Jungwon reminds him, taking Sunoo’s hand in his and massaging his now red palm. Jungwon developed this habit when he caught on Sunoo’s nervous tic. Sunoo would scratch his palm red and Jungwon would rub it better. 

“Jungwonie, do you think I'd do anything I don't like? I'll just go in there and try if it works out okay if it doesn't then well — at least I tried it for Jake."

"You're talking as if he's asking you to bring someone back to life. Is Riki in trouble?" Jungwon’s fingers pause, and his brows knit in distress.

"Good lord, Wonie! Riki is perfectly alright. It's something else."

"Oh!" Jungwon sighs, slinking back into his chair with a relieved sigh. Jungwon, Riki, and Sunoo have been the three musketeers ever since Jungwon read that tale in kindergarten. Messing with one meant messing with the other two as well, they were a package deal. 

"I can't say it but it's not serious, I think it's nothing too serious," Sunoo says, trailing off.

"If I need to fight someone tell me in advance, I'll prepare some venomous tentacula." 

"Yang Jungwon, not everything needs to be handled with violence." Sunoo tries to suppress the laughter bubbling inside him. Jungwon has a self-preservation thing that extends to the people he cares for, giving rise to some violent tendencies. He has beaten up his fair share of people because they chose to meddle with what was his. Jungwon had been dangerous when he was four and is still dangerous even now. 

Jungwon grins. "True, in your case though, it mostly does end that way. Especially when it is with our dear Mister Park Sunghoon." 

Sunoo glares at Jungwon over his teacup, gulping down the leftover tea. "We've never fought… like really fought."

"But you've almost fought with him many times. Also, Hyung, I've told you so many times, please don't finish the tea. This is made from loose tea leaves; you're not supposed to drink the dregs."

"I'm still alive so it's fine." Sunoo shoots him a cocksure wink.

Jungwon rolls his eyes, "Disappointed but not surprised. I expected better from a potioneer, you can't decide if something is okay or not by seeing if you're alive or not."

"I don't check potions like that, Wonie." 

"Yeah yeah." He brushed it off. 

Jungwon's always been like that, masking his concern with a sarcastic remark or two. Ever since they were kids, Jungwon had made it a life objective to nitpick on the small habits of the people he cares about. Riki and Sunoo were the prime targets of Jungwon's unexpected affection. 

Despite resembling a soft and fluffy sheep, Yang Jungwon was the devil's spawn, figuratively. In his short life of a little over two decades, he had beaten the life out of a bully twice his size for taking his share of bubblegum pop candy without asking, almost committed arson, made a demon fall head over heels for him, and been the talk of the town for his many flings and nasty breakups. 

He is quite troublesome if you were to ask anyone in the town. But for his friends and family, he has been the pillar of support, sarcastic and caring. He is always on the lookout for his people, more so when the people in question are Kim Sunoo and Nishimura Riki. 

Because the three musketeers always stick together and have each other's back. Little Jungwon had proudly told him with a toothy grin after round hosing a kid at the carnival because he had pushed Riki. 

Sunoo and Jungwon first met Riki at the ice jelly parlor near their house, when they were three. He barely knew any Korean words but insisted on silently following the duo like a shadow. His endearing eyes and boxy smile made it impossible for anyone to say no to him. Riki progressed from a shadow to a friend and then a best friend really soon. Over time, Sunoo realized that Riki was just as crazy as Jungwon if not more. He wasn't picking fights like Jungwon but instead pulled pranks and practical jokes on everyone and everything. Riki was a menace, but no one had the heart to correct him. Mainly because of the fact that he was the ‘foreigner away from his home’ but also because he had the most charming smile and convincing pout. 

Not a day goes by without him teasing his hyungs. But Riki's love for his hyungs and his sincere intentions overpowered all of his annoyingness and teasing. Sunoo may complain about his teasing all the time, but everyone knows he’ll have it no other way. Riki is like a baby brother to him, an annoying but loving brother.

Sunoo and Jungwon always bicker and Riki adds fuel to the fire, silence never prevails for more than a minute when they are together. It is always a competition of who has the better comeback. And Sunoo has liked it that way. He misses their teasing and the aimless chatter even more today.

After Jungwon’s departure, Sunoo is left to his own thoughts. Now as he sits in his quiet shop after sundown, he can't stop his imagination from running wild. 

His thoughts range from how Park Sunghoon might have been cursed by a jealous lover to and how Sunghoon will definitely throw a fit and decline his involvement in the matter. Sunoo can clearly picture the furrowed eyebrows and the air of arrogance as Sunghoon tells him to mind his own affairs. 

Sunoo regrets his decision; he knows that Sunghoon will only ever look down on him and call him names. He knows that he's gonna be insulted the moment he steps into Elements and Essences, knows that Sunghoon hates his guts and won't ever take his kindness— he won't offer kindness but still. 

I'm doing it for Jake. That's all. Sunoo reminds himself, spelling all of his potions cabinets shut. 

He turns over the "Open" sign and walks out, turning up the wards. 

Let's get over this. He thinks, finding himself standing before a familiar looming two-story building in seven short strides. Sunoo takes a moment, gauging his own reaction. This wasn't supposed to affect him, yet his hands are clammy and his heart is thudding uneasily against his chest. This had been his second home. The past tense in the statement brought a bitter taste to his mouth and refreshed his memory. Elements and Essences didn't make him happy, not anymore. He has been here multiple times for lunches and brunches, small talks, and sharing joys, but this was his first time returning after almost a year. 

Elements and Essences had been like a second home, only now he isn't welcomed there. Sunoo grimaces at his train of thoughts and pushes the door open walking into his once safe haven.

He half expects to be greeted by the cheerful Mr. Park. It is unsettling to not see him in the shop with his familiar dimpled smile. Sunoo frowns at his naiveness, he was expecting something impossible. The shop has lost its charm since he left, maybe it was the switched-off lamps or the lack of the calming smell of rosemary, but everything felt foreign now. 

Expectations lead to disappointment. He had learned through experience. 

 He does a lumous charm, hoping to find some familiarity in hidden corners or crevices of the place he once thought of as his second home.

Elements and Essence was like a little library in the heart of Allure Street; a place where everyone found something for themselves. It was originally a Cauldron and Potion ingredients shop but Mr. Park had an affinity towards books and insisted on lending them to anyone interested. It was like a breath of fresh air in the fierce Allure Street. Mr. Park made sure that his shop stood out, he charmed it to smell like sea breeze and rosemary; 'it calms down nerves and improves customer experience.' he had told him. Sunoo had complimented his knowledge with a grin; he got to learn something new every time they met. 

The shop is quaint, despite its dark color scheme. 'My son chose the color scheme.' Mr. Park had told everyone proudly. Sunoo didn't have the heart to tell him that black and grey were every child's teenage obsession. The shop in itself was stuffy, books — old and new, were crammed into the bookshelves that lined almost every wall. Mr. Park likes reading and it shows. A large leatherette wingback armchair sat near the fireplace, with a soft grey rug laid out on the floor in front of it. Sunoo often sat on it while narrating stories about his customers animatedly to Mr. Park who listened with rapt attention from his armchair after closing hours. It had been a ritual for them, meeting after closing hours every Monday to get over the Monday blues. 

At the far end of the room, opposite the inventory chamber was a wooden table with an array of family photos showing them growing old together. Sunoo's lips involuntarily stretch into a delighted grin as he spots his own self in one of the frames there. He had given it to him as a birthday present, a picture of them together from their fishing outing. He knows that the people in those pictures meant the world to Mr. Park and he is glad to be one of those lucky people. .

The shop hasn't changed much except for the owner and the expansion brought by the new owner, Elements and Essences, is now an Apothecary.

Sunoo couldn't care much for the line of business, but the owner made all the difference for him. Mr. Park and Sunghoon were sheer contrasts, two poles apart; Sunoo couldn't have guessed they were related had he not heard and seen it himself. Mr. Park had a soothing vibe, a familiarity, and comfort only he had to offer. Sunghoon on the other hand was cold and impassive, he never smiled or greeted people unless they did first, his face is always expressionless — except when he's fighting with Sunoo. The only reason Sunghoon still has customers is because of the goodwill of Mr. Park, and the handsome features he inherited from both his parents. 

Park Sunghoon's appearance was singular; with his long nose and angular jaw, he did capture the hearts of many young witches and wizards. Sunoo knows that there's a not-so-secret fan club dedicated to appreciating Sunghoon's 'greek god body proportions' and 'slender fingers'; they ramble about his looks all day long. Though according to Sunoo, Sunghoon was only a pretty face, it all watered down to nothing when he opened his mouth.

"The shop is closed for the day," A brooding voice comes from inside the storage room at the back of the shop, pulling Sunoo out of his reverie. 

It's alright. I need to stay calm. Sunoo tells himself, making his way to the person in question.

"The shop. Is. Closed." Sunghoon grits out hearing the footsteps nearing him. 

"Don't be impolite to your customers." Sunoo reprimanded with a lazy grin, folding his hands behind his back. 

Suddenly, there's a crashing sound from the chamber followed by cursing. 

Mild panic surges through Sunoo as he rushes in through the door with his hand tightly gripping his wand. 

'He's bleeding .' Sunoo realizes as the metallic scent of blood wafts up his nose, it's not much but it is still alarming. The room is dark, the only source of light being the singular bulb hanging from the ceiling. From the little light emitted from his lumous, he can make out shards of glass littering the floor along with drops of dried and fresh blood.

"Why the fuck are you here, Kim? Go away!" Sunghoon hisses. Sunoo whips his head in the general direction of the voice and notices the blood dropping out from where he assumes Sunghoon's hand is. 

Sunoo casts a revelio on Sunghoon, inhaling deeply in surprise. Sunghoon is bleeding, he must have been bleeding for quite some time if the dried blood on his clothes was to go by. There were big gashes in his palm and fingers, which were bleeding. 

Sunoo sighs to himself and carefully maneuvers around the shards and stands in front of Sunghoon. 

"What are you–" Sunoo bends down and gently lifts Sunghoon's wounded hand, effectively shutting him up. 

Sunghoon sits there in a daze as Sunoo inspects his wound. 

"Where is the healing salve?" Sunoo asks, bringing him back to reality. 

"Bu—"

"Healing salve?'' Sunoo asks again, carefully placing Sunghoon's hand on the table as he goes out of the chamber to look for it himself. 

"Cabinet F, second shelf, last row" Sunghoon calls after him.

Sunoo returns quickly with the salve and applies it with deft fingers after cleaning the wound. He then cleans the shards of glass on the ground with a quick reparro, watching the shards rearrange themselves into potion bottles, an unreadable expression on his face. 

Sunghoon sits there breathing heavily, avoiding Sunoo’s sharp gaze the best he could. "Do you break potion bottles in your free time or is today special?" 

"I didn't intentionally do it! It's an accident!"

"Accident my foot. You throw tantrums and break things when they don't work according to your whims." 

"Not true," Sunghoon argues. “I was working on an antidote for your prank. This happened because you barged in like this, surprising the living ghost out of me.” 

Sunoo’s eyes darken at the implication of it all. “First of all, you can't blame me for every minor inconvenience in your life. Secondly, this is not one of my pranks. I did nothing!” 

“Yeah sure.” Sunghoon scoffs.

“I didn't do it. I’m telling the truth. Believe me!'' Sunoo tries again, desperate to make him believe, not because he needed his validation or anything but because being wrongly accused is the worst feeling. He felt and looked like a punctured balloon.

Sunghoon’s eyes soften with something akin to guilt floating in them. “Why are you here?”

“Ah…. Jake called me.” As if on cue, the bell on the entrance chimes, followed by a cheerful, “I’m sorry I'm late.”

“Sim Jaeyun,” Sunghoon mutters, running a hand through his already messy hair.

Sunoo enters back into the main shop with a weary Sunghoon in tow. The shop is now lit up and considerably warmer than before. Jake made himself at home, he lit up the fireplace and cast some heating smells which worked wonders for the previously frigid shop.

“Hi guys, I'm sorry I'm late. We’re currently working on a top-secret task which takes up most of our time and requires us to stay back and work late sometimes. I saw Sunoo’s shop was closed and warded so I knew he was here. I hope you both did not tear off each other’s heads.” Jake says, putting his clothes away and adjusting the wild stack of papers in his hand. “That would be fairly inconvenient,” he adds after a moment of contemplation.

“Fairly inconvenient.” Sunoo snickers to himself.

“You're such a loving friend. I can see your deep concern.” Sunghoon drawls out, rolling his eyes at Jake’s choice of words.

Jake finally looks up from his paperwork and effectively loses his shit. “Holy fuck Sunoo! You're a genius. I didn't know you'd be able to find a cure so soon. This is crazy. I'm so glad Sunghoon is healed.”

Sunoo tries his best to contain his giggles as he sees Jake pacing around, making celebratory plans with the widest grin on his face. He almost didn't have the heart to burst his bubble.

“It’s his revelio. I'm still invisible, no progress.” Sunghoon grunts. 

Sunoo thinks Jake with his long face and forlorn eyes, resembles a child who lost his shiny new toy wagon a few minutes after possession. His hands fall back to his side and his celebratory dance falters at the sudden appalling revelation.

“Sunoo for real? Is Hoon saying the truth?”

Sunoo quietly nods and drops his spell for Jake to see.

“See” Sunghoon states grimly.

“Don't worry we can do it. I'm sure he'll be fine.” Sunoo intervenes, casting the revelio again, certain that Jake would burst into a round of tears because of stress if he is unable to see Sunghoon. 

Jake smiles ruefully. “I hope so.”

Sunoo has always seen Jake cherry and joyful; until this morning. Today he is seeing new sides of Jake, anxious Jake, and disheartened Jake is the new sides that he has unlocked since morning.

Sunghoon quietly makes his way to Jake and crouches down in front of him. “I'll be fine. Okay? None of this has anything to do with you.”

“I shouldn’t have don-”

Sunoo watches dumbfounded as Sunghoon takes Jake by his shoulder and pulls him into a hug. This was the first time Sunghoon has initiated a form of affection — at least in front of Sunoo. Sunghoon has always had a frigid air surrounding him, making him seem unapproachable and uninterested in everyone and everything. Affection and Sunghoon weren’t the two words Sunoo ever thought would be used in the same sentence, it made him seem normal, very unlike the impassive asshole he has come to be known as. 

Sunoo could feel the warmth and the affection Sunghoon had for Jake from the way he held him; his veiny strong arms were wrapped around Jake in a gentleness that he didn't think they were capable of. Sunoo felt like an intruder creeping in on someone's private affairs. When Jake’s first whimper echoed in the silent shop, he realized that this display of emotions wasn't meant for his eyes, it felt too intimate. 

Sunoo shuffled awkwardly in his place, listing all potions ingredients he had in his inventory whilst waiting for the earth to open up and swallow him whole. He could walk out of the door but that would be rude. He didn't care about pleasantries at all, but this is Jake and Jake is a sweetheart, too sweet to be abandoned like this. So Sunoo chose to stay, standing there in a corner, like a stone in a sandpit, awkward and out of place.

The Gods were on Sunoo’s side, and his prayers were answered relatively soon. Jake's sobs turned into quiet sniffles by the time Sunoo was at his eighty-seventh potion ingredient, lucky for him. Sunoo has always been a little fiddly with crying people, he didn't know how to comfort people or say the right things when someone cried; he always resorted to standing in a corner as someone else comforted them. Sunoo sometimes thinks that he’s too numb. Everyone has a weakness or two, his are just a little divergent.

With weary eyes, Sunoo watches Sunghoon gently pat Jake on his back. “Are you okay now?” Sunghoon murmured in Jake’s ears and Sunoo pretended to not have heard it. He didn't want to be any more intrusive than he already was.

“Okay, now that everyone’s fine. Tell me what this asshole is doing here.” Sunghoon addresses loudly after Jake’s meek nod, gaining Sunoos' attention and causing the blood in his veins to boil.

“He’s not an asshole, Hoonie. Don’t call him that, he’s here to help. And regardless, he has a name which you should use respectfully.” Jake reprimanded him with a frown.

“This is exactly why I didn’t want to help him,” Sunoo says just as Sunghoon exclaims, “I’m not going to take any help from him. He did this.”

“For fucks sake, I didn’t! I told you that I didn’t do it, I mean what I say.” Sunoo yells.

“Sunoo please calm down and Sunghoon shut up,” Jake says and goes to Sunoo’s side, rubbing his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.

Sunoo takes in deep breaths, willing himself to not lose his temper in front of Jake, at least not in front of him. “I told you. He doesn’t need my help, all he is going to do is call me names, humiliate me and then kick me out of here.”

“No. I’m here this time, nothing like that is going to happen now. I Promise,” Jake assures him in his softest voice, holding his hand as if he is dealing with a child. “Park Sunghoon, behave yourself.”

Sunghoon frowns at Jake’s tone and turns to Sunoo. “You ratted me out? What did you tell him? Why are you so bent on making my life a mess?”

“I did nothing, Sunghoon! N-O-T-H-I-N-G! I told him nothing, he came to me asking for help, he wants me to help you!” Sunoo’s aggravation could be heard in his voice, he is feeling murderous despite Jake’s calming presence grounding him.

“I can handle this on my own. I’ve been doing just fine.”

“Liar. You have nothing under control. How long have you not slept? I can smell the numerous sleepless draughts you've had in the air. Things don't work like this.”

“Now you will tell me how things work?”

“Yes! You’ve done a terrible job so far, you can do nothing, you can barely keep this shop running let alone brew a potion for a mysterious invisibility case!”

“I’m not a failure,” Sunghoon screams back in so much anger that the veins of his neck pop out.

Jake watches in horror as two of his closest friends scream their lungs off.

“I never said that! Are you insane?” 

“Yo-”

“STOP!” Jake shouts louder than the both of them, startling Sunoo and effectively shutting them both. “You’re fighting for absolutely no reason. Kids behave better than you both. I haven’t seen anyone behave like this. I’d rather you both shut up and listen to me before I charm you both to be stuck by the hip for three months; I can very well do that!”

Jake has always been optimistic and nice, even when Sunoo almost burned down his office in a potions accident — he had brushed it off with a smile, happy with the fact that Sunoo was safe. He never got angry, at least not outwardly, Sunoo is sure that Sunghoon and he have made Jake reach the bouts of his patience; to have elicited such a fierce temper.

“Calm down, Jake…." Sunoo mumbles, slinking into the nearest chair like a nervous child expecting corner time after bad behavior. 

Sunghoon watches from under lashes as Jake inhales deeply, rubbing his temples before dropping into the armchair, his lips are constantly moving as if he’s having an internal conversation with himself but there’s no sound — particularly alarming for the duo who were threatened a few minutes ago.

“Now you both will shut up and listen to me very carefully. Sunghoon, you’re a complete idiot, Sunoo never called you a failure, stop assuming things. And Sunoo, stop calling out Sunghoon for small mistakes, you can't demean his whole existence just because you both don’t get along. With this being said, I don't want to hear either of you bad-mouthing each other; at least when I am around.” Jake looks at them both with enraged eyes, making them squirm in their seats. “I called Sunoo here. I requested him to do me a solid to help you with whatever this is. So you better behave.” Jake eyes Sunghoon making Sunoo break into a tiny triumphant grin. “This doesn’t mean that you get to call him names or make his life difficult,” he adds, eyeing Sunoo wearily.

“I can’t hold Mr. Sui for a long time, it’s only a while before he gets weary of ‘Sunghoon had to rush to his hometown for a family emergency.’ You both better solve this soon, there’s only so much that I can lie. Do this without ripping each other to shreds, else I swear I’ll bring you both back from the dead and then bind you for eternity.”

Sunghoon’s eyes dance uneasily across the room; his lips part and Sunoo can feel a ‘no’ threatening to flit through them, only it doesn’t come. 

“It’s for your own good,” Jake adds pointedly before Sunghoon can refuse or whine.

Sunoo watches Sunghoon’s adam's apple bob softly as he swallows down whatever retorts he has. “Fine. Once. Only for this once.”

Sunoo is very surprised by this, his eyebrows disappear in his hairline and the only response he can muster is an unintelligible ‘What’, gaping like a fish caught in a hook.

Jake grins happily and the atmosphere lightens up instantly, as bright as it can be when the doom is visible in the foreseeable future. “Great! Now we just decide upon the living arrangements and then we’re done for the night.”

Jake’s power is truly amazing, not only did he convince Sunoo to help his arch-nemesis, but he also convinced the said arch-nemesis to cooperate with him — Truly worthy of applause. 

Only this puts Sunoo in a very inconvenient situation, he now has to deal with Sunghoon, make an antidote for an unknown potion, run his shop, and not rip someone to shreds, an abstruse task.

“No talks about living arrangements required, I’m going to live here. I have a very functional flat upstairs.”

Jake frowns. “It’s going to raise suspicion if people see you or the lights on. For them, you’re supposed to be in Suwon right now. And it will also be inconvenient for Sunoo to rush between the two shops without being caught.”

Sunoo wants to protest and give his input, but he knew that he signed himself up for trouble the moment he said yes to Jake this morning; in the back of his mind he wanted to see how far will life test his patience, he wanted to see the worst which could happen and while he was at it he also wanted to see if he can annoy Sunghoon enough to make him physically fight him. 

“But-” Sunghoon starts only to be cut off by Sunoo. “Jake's right… It will be inconvenient for me.”

The withering glance Sunghoon spares him elicits a triumphant grin from Sunoo. Devilish intent indeed. “What about my inconvenience?” Sunghoon whines

“All this is for your benefit only,” Jake states with his best doe eyes.

Sunghoon groans. His options were limited, and his situation was peculiar enough, with no way out in near sight. He could stand his ground, be difficult but that would do him no good. He felt burdensome enough, causing Jake so much trouble already. He didn’t want to be an even bigger headache; with a heavy heart, he agrees to move in with the devil incarnate with a simple nod.

“Great. I’ll come in to check on you guys regularly. But I need to leave now, Riki is waiting for me. Meet you soon, take care. Sunoo, please give him a sleeping draught and firecall me if he makes a fuss, you need to rest after all of these sleepless nights.” Jake calls out already halfway out of the entrance with his myriad of scattered belongings.

Sunoo watches the door slam shut behind Jake before turning to the doofus that is Park Sunghoon. “Get whatever you need, I’ll look for sleeping draughts.” before casually sauntering out of the shop with his hands in his pockets.

“Wonderful” Sunghoon grumbles in the empty shop, stomping upstairs to gather his belongings. What he does know is that this was the beginning of the end. The choices he made today were making up his future, a future that seemed anything but bright.

Chapter Text

"That was my favorite cup!" Sunoo exclaims running over to the middle of the kitchen where Sunghoon probably stood in the middle of a mess of ceramic pieces and chamomile tea; shooting daggers with his eyes.

“It slipped because my hand is injured,” Sunghoon states pointedly.

Sunoo spells the mess clean with a practiced stroke. His hands itch to harm Sunghoon but he stops himself, for Jake. “You fucker! Your hand is perfectly alright, healing salves require less than three hours to heal a wound like yours. Stop trying to feed me shit.”  

Sunghoon exudes a nonchalance in his attitude — an unbothered silence is all that he has to offer. No apologies, no regret, no guilty puppy eyes, just silence. 

All of Sunoo’s last night’s devious intentions are now coming back to smack him in the face. Annoying Sunghoon would be fun he had thought, but he had forgotten how infuriating Park Sunghoon’s existence is for him. Not a day has passed and he is already thinking about bodily harming Sunghoon.

Sunoo can feel his blood rushing into his cheeks as he takes a deep breath to calm himself. I can't break his fingers, at least not now.

Mending a broken cup and cleaning some tea is a walk in the garden for him, consequently what's not a walk in the garden is his destroyed sleep, nothing can fix it.

Sunghoon has disturbed Sunoo’s sleep yet again. Sunoo had been peacefully in dreamland, on the verge of making an antidote for vampirism when he was violently woken up by the sound of glass shattering, he rushed downstairs thinking someone broke in again until he saw the belongings of dear Mr. Park Sunghoon idling on his makeshift bed. 

Sunoo has been told by his family and friends on numerous occasions that he sleeps like a hibernating bear, and hibernating bears get feral when forced out of hibernation. It is no wonder he is in a sour mood, he has been sleep-deprived because of his business rival and the said rival also broke his favorite mug. The mug can be repaired but the sentiment attached to it remains crooked and dented, marred by the aftereffects of Park Sunghoon.

“I was making tea,” Sunghoon says, somewhere in the middle of Sunoo’s kitchen.

Sunoo is left a sputtering mess because of Sunghoon’s statement. “Are you a nutjob? Who the hell makes and drinks tea at this time? The sun isn't even out yet, what time is it?” He couldn't fathom that someone would willingly wake up in the wee hours of the morning.

“I usually take my tea around this time.” 

“First of all Sunghoon, don't talk, it's too early. And put on a revelio it's like I'm talking to the walls.” Sunoo pauses for a moment, confusion gathering by the second. “How are you even awake now? Did the draught not work?” Usually after taking a vial of sleeping draught one is supposed to be out for a minimum of ten hours, and combined with Sunghoon’s lack of sleep he should’ve been out like a light until noon. Sunoo had given him the vial himself and stood there until he gulped it down, so there's no possibility of him skipping the dose as well.

“Did you dream about me?” Sunghoon asks, appearing in front of Sunoo’s eyes with a smirk. “And your draught isn’t brewed properly, I should've been fast asleep till mid-day. Definitely, your poor potion skills are to be blamed,” he adds, running his hand through his hair. 

The inner hibernating bear in Sunoo had been threatening to come outside and maul Sunghoon, the urge to permanently shut that mouth is stronger than ever before, one way or the other he wanted Sunghoon to shut up. There is only so much Sunoo can take without losing his cool. Unfortunately, he has to keep a lid on his temper, he can’t lose his cool, because of Sim Jaeyun. So he does the next best alternative, he shuts up Sunghoon with a silencio. All of this seems like a routine now; it comes in like second nature for him at this point, despite happening for the second time only.

“Shut up. I'm going to sleep some more. We will have a word when I'm awake.” Sunoo points out, noisily whizzing back upstairs to the safe and cozy confines of his bed. Sleep is, was, and always will be a priority. He can deal with the asshole downstairs when he's not functioning on way too many sleepless draughts and refreshing potions, his body has come to its limits.

In his last few seconds of consciousness, he undoes the silencing charm on Sunghoon, because he knows the feeling of not being able to speak and he doesn't want to subject anyone to that. He's not that heartless.

******

Fortunately, Sunoo is able to catch up on his sleep without any interruptions this time.

A little added rest got him functioning well, as well as he can with Park Sunghoon as his housemate. For a while, Sunoo lays in bed going over the last twenty-four hours of life with something akin to regret taking over his thoughts, in his ‘I must annoy park Sunghoon at all costs’ mood he had quite literally forgotten about the repercussions; having Sunghoon around is not only hazardous for his mental health but also for his life. He wouldn’t be surprised if Sunghoon poisoned his food or hexed him. Sleeping with his wand clenched in his hand might not be sufficient if the other makes up his mind. 

I need to set some ground rules. He thought to himself rolling out of his bed with a long-drawn sigh.  

Sunghoon on the other hand made the most of the time away from Sunoo. He has always been an early riser, disciplined and punctual. After Sunoo made his way upstairs he took his time to enjoy not one but two cups of chamomile tea while watching the sky change hues from indigo to violet and then from violet to blue. The soreness of his trapezius tells a tale, his stubbornness was finally catching up with his body. He hadn’t realized how tired he had been until he sat on Sunoo’s floral wing-back chair sipping tea. 

As a child, Sunghoon hated the thought of giving up his sleep for adult work and vowed to not be a workaholic like his dad. Years later he’s here losing sleep to work more and be successful. Perspectives change drastically with time. Little Sunghoon might have been unhappy to see adult Sunghoon. 

When the sun is finally up in the sky Sunghoon pulls down the blinds, there’s still some time for Allure Alley to come to life but he has always been overcautious. Better safe than sorry. He thinks.

When he realizes that he can't ignore his hunger anytime longer, makes his way to the kitchen, to cook for himself. Sunghoon knows that Sunoo isn’t an early riser judging from his earlier reaction, he doesn’t expect him to be awake anytime soon so, he decides to cook for himself, taking time to locate the utensils and ingredients. The last meal he had was the chicken sandwich Jake had force-fed him around noon, the day before. In the surprising turn of events, he had forgotten all about dinner. While looking for edible items in Sunoo’s kitchen, he found a wooden soban catching dust in a corner, adding to his glee — he was particularly old school when it came to food and preferred the traditional Korean way of eating whenever possible.

Sunghoon is cleaning up the last bits of the kimchi pancake on his plate in silence when Sunoo stalks down the stairs with a string of curses on his tongue, wand tightly clasped in his hand. His stance falters a bit when he sees Sunghoon.

Sunoo hadn’t expected Sunghoon to be sitting cross-legged on his kitchen floor eating kimchi pancakes using the soban, he expected anything but that. “Where did you even get that?” He himself had forgotten about its existence until he saw it out, being used by Sunghoon. “You're a visitor here, stop intervening in my life” Sunoo hisses.

“I used to wonder if you're ever tolerable and so far, I’ve concluded,” Sunghoon pauses, taking his sweet time wiping his lips and sipping his tea. “You're never tolerable.”

Sunoo scoffs at Sunghoon, stepping around him to get his morning dose of caffeine. “You're not nice in any way too.” If Sunoo’s eyes skim over his previously injured hand, no one notices.

“Nobody ask. No Body ask.” Sunghoon grumbles, turning away from Sunoo. The pout on his lips and the frown between his brows made him akin to an emperor penguin.

Sunoo wonders about the well-being of his dishes, now at the mercy of Park Sunghoon, who scrubs them with force enough to remove the paint too. “We need to set some ground rules for you,” he says, taking a sip of his steaming hot black coffee. “I can't have you wrecking my life.” 

“Wrecking your life?” Sunghoon snorts. “Please, don’t humor yourself, I’m wrecking no lives, nor do I have the intent of staying. I'll be gone the day Jake decides it enough or when this thing ends, whichever comes first,” He adds, never once stopping in his dishwashing.

Sunoo disregards him, forcing himself to not react as the scalding hot coffee burns its way down his throat. “Are you sure this isn't the doing of one of your fan people?” A whizz from his wand fills the room with light beats coming from the radio he magically turned on. 

Sunghoon’s eyebrow cocks up. “Bold of you to assume that hoonists will try to harm me.”

“Of course, they have a name.” Sunoo rolls his eyes.”We're diverting from the issue at hand, I will not allow you to stay here if you're going to wreck my peace of mind. Sharing oxygen with you is already giving me a headache.” 

“What more do you want me to do?” Sunghoon’s anger bubbles to the surface pouring out in waves through his furrowed eyebrows and scowl. “I’m washing the dishes, cooking my own meal, and sleeping on an uncomfortable transfigured couch, what more do you want me to do? I’ve been on my best behavior.”

That didn’t make things better. “You caused an absolute ruckus this morning. Just because you have been a tad bit bearable doesn't mean I can let my guard down.” Sunoo reminded, taking a seat on a chair. 

“I have no interest in you or your life, I'm here because of Jake and I'll be gone the day I'm normal,” Sunghoon replies, sparing Sunoo a stink eye before turning back to the dishes.

“Great. The feelings are mutual.” Sunoo conjures up a self-noting quill and a parchment, beaming internally at the fazed-out look on Sunghoon’s face. “Never used magic before?” he asks, not waiting for his answer. 

“Rule one: No wands after 11 PM. 

Rule two: Cook your own meals. 

Rule three: Never come up to my loft. 

Rule four: Stay away from my things, potions, equipment, my baby everything! 

Rule five: No wand attacks, never raise your wand at me . 

Rule six: Don’t raise suspicion. Hide whenever someone comes over, especially of its Yang Jungwon.

Rule seven: Jake will act as a mediator whenever either of us messes up. If we ever raise our wands at each other, he’ll be firecalled automatically. 

Rule seven: Unless absolutely necessary don’t wake me up during nap time. You’ll never be able to father children otherwise. 

Rule eight: We don’t work on Sundays, no matter how important this thing is we will not work on Sundays. 

Rule nine, Never leave without informing me. 

Rule ten, The decision of the house owner is final and abiding in all cases.”

Sunghoon narrows his eyes. “Informing you? What am I– a preschooler? And what about your rules? I have some rules to add as well.” 

Sunoo’s grin widens with each syllable. “The decision of the house owner is final and abiding. And my decision is that we have these ten rules only. Sign here.”

Sunghoon stares at the parchment with a clenched jaw as if wishing for it to turn into ashes. Signing under a contract means giving his agreement to the rules. He knows that this deal and the rules are to his disadvantage but he signs anyways. Jake asked for cooperation from his end, he's going to do just that. 

Sunoo smiles as Sunghoon lifts the quill after signing. He walks with a skip in his step, going over to stick the parchment to the refrigerator with a large penguin magnet. “Cute.” The smile he sports is jubilant, Sunghoon can almost see him dancing with joy as he walks back into his seat. 

“Now, You are going to tell me about your symptoms, the problem, the story, everything, don't miss out on anything. I need you gone from here as soon as possible and for that, we need to bring you back to the usual blockhead Park Sunghoon soon.”

Sunghoon grimaces at Sunoo’s choice of words, he definitely wasn’t a blockhead; sometimes he was a little difficult and stubborn and rigid but definitely not a blockhead. “There’s nothing much. I woke up one morning like this.” 

“Yah Park Sunghoon! I asked for details. I already know this much.”

Sunghoon’s nostrils flare in annoyance. “You brat, don’t yah me! I’m older than you.”

“Oh really?” Sunoo cocks up an eyebrow in challenge.

“Yes, I am twenty-five.”

Sunoo folds his arms, lips rising into a cocksure smirk. “Well news flash, I’m twenty-five too,”

“B-but you’re born in 2003?” Sunghoon sputters.

“So you do know my year of birth? Interesting.”  Sunoo doesn’t fail to take note of the blush rising up Sunghoon’s neck. His own cheeks begin to feel funny because of how hard he was grinning, Sunghoon’s plight is thoroughly entertaining for him. “My birthday is in June, so for a few months were the same age, despite you being a 02-liner.”

“Your lack of concentration in preschool arithmetic is seemingly catching up with you now, besides, you need to earn the title. So far you’ve only been a bratty baby teenager around me who whines and throws things when shit doesn’t go his way.” Sunoo adds with a hint of sarcasm, egging him on. 

“Excuse me?” Sunghoon hopes he had heard him wrong.

“I said what I said, now let’s talk business.”

“I’m not a bratty kid, I’ve never behaved that way. You.” Sunghoon huffs. “Are the bratty teen here.” He points an accusing finger at Sunoo. 

“Then prove it. I bet you can’t tell me the details of that morning and the day earlier without throwing a tantrum.” Sunoo coaxes him with a straight face.

“I very well can. Fuck you.”

“The stage is yours,” Sunoo says, not looking up from the doodles he’s busied himself with.

“I woke up in the morning at the usual hour and had tea just like every day. After finishing a third of it, something felt weird.” Sunghoon pauses. “Then there was a searing hot pain from my fingertips to the tips of my hair. And then I blacked out. When I woke up again I was invisible, the tea was already cold and my hair was silver blonde. I suspect I was out for a good thirty minutes. I tried to spell my hair to its original color but it didn’t work. I thought you had poisoned my tea so I came to confront you and ask you to end this sick joke.”

“Okay, I know that part.” Sunoo says, “Did you check the tea for poison traces?” 

“Yes after I went back from here, it had none, but poison trails can be manipulated...” 

“Did someone make that tea for you or was there someone else in the shop?” Sunoo asks scribbling down something on his heart-filled doodle page.

“I was alone, I brewed it myself”

“Were the tea leaves any different, a tampered packing or a change in the appearance or some different brand?” Sunoo says, leaning forward, putting his hands on the counter, and drumming his fingers to the upbeat rhythms from the radio. 

“No. Dad gave it to me, I’ve been drinking it for around two weeks now.”

“Okay. I would like to check your house for some residual magic or potions. This seems to be a case of magic-induced poisoning but I need to run some diagnostic tests to be certain.” Sunoo says. “Tell me, how do you feel now.”

“I feel completely normal, no headaches or pains. My trapezius is a little sore but that’s the courtesy of your couch.” Sunghoon glares at the corners of the grey couch turned bed visible from the other room.

Sunoo makes a face at the jab but chooses not to comment. “What about that pain from that day? Did it return? Describe it.”

Sunghoon takes a while to recollect, fiddling with his thumbs as the gears in his mind shift. “It was a one-time thing I think. It was nothing like I ever felt before, I couldn’t think or breathe. I have a high pain tolerance but that pain was beyond me. It felt like the pits of my stomach were on fire and red hot mercury was coursing through my veins. The walls in my lungs were aching and the nerves in my body were spasming erratically. It was terrible .” He ends with a shudder.

“Is the invisibility permanent or reacts to certain stimuli?”

“So far, it’s been almost a week now, I’ve been completely invisible the whole time. Unless someone casts a revilio or an equivalent spell on me.”

“Oh? Did you notice anything weird in your body functions the night before?” 

Sunghoon thinks over it for a second before shaking his head. “Nah. I was perfectly alright.” 

“How did you spend your day before this thing started? Did you work on any potions”

“I did work on some regular potions for the shop,” Sunghoon says staring into space, looking at nothing in particular. “It was just a normal day, nothing special, just shop, food, sleep, and preparation for the meeting with Mr. Sui.” He peeks over into Sunoo’s doodles and finds words like unbearable pain, tea, and blackout scrawled all over the empty spaces haphazardly.

“Okay. Do tell me the moment something feels off, any kind of pain or abnormal feeling tells me.” Sunoo warns. He leaves the doodles and makes his way to the main part of the shop, to his workstation. “Come along,” he calls him from behind his workstation.

Sunghoon’s gait is unsure and slow, like that of a deer approaching a lion's den. All of his apprehensions however are pushed to the back of his mind when he sees the workstation up close. He can’t help but lean over, trying to gauge how his rival worked. 

Sunoo’s workstation is spotless for the lack of a befitting word. The rectangular black granite tabletop was spotless, it would have seemed unused if not for the brewing equipment placed in one corner. Beakers, vials, corks, and tubes occupied the empty labeled trays beside the equipment. Sunghoon was reminded of his dad’s own workstation at home, he may have not been a potions expert but he had worked as a true potioneer.

The walls behind his workstation were lined with chests and cabinets, which Sunghoon assumed to be filled with ingredients and stock of premade potions and concoctions. Most potions were made for immediate use but certain potions if brewed accurately could be used for months. Not all potioneers can brew potions with a shelf life. Sunoo however was known for his shelf life potions, even the most complex potions brewed by him could be kept for use over time. His skill made him Sunghoon’s strongest rival. 

Kim Sunoo works like a seasoned potioneer, Sunghoon concludes, his workstation and equipment speak for him. 

Sunghoon watches as Sunoo pulls out a thick diary from one of the chest drawers beside him. It's slightly tattered along the edges and falling apart from the seams but Sunoo holds it very reverently as if holding the holy grail. He presumes it to be something of great importance, a record of all the information from all the poison potions he had brewed or something equally important.

Sunoo’s already looking at him with weary eyes when he turns his attention back from the various possibilities, still in a daze. He doesn't comment about it, just opens the diary to a clean page, titling it P.S.H and scribbling the date on one corner. “I’ll now run some diagnostic spells on you to understand what's going on,” he states, standing upright with full focus on the subject before him.

Sunghoon nods slowly. The Sunoo before him stood regal, poised, and collected. His attention was focused solely on the task at hand, brows pulled together in concentration, face devoid of any malice or teasing it usually held. Even his messy scrawl from before now became neat cursive letters. 

The shift in the air was obvious, making Sunghoon squirm in his seat. All of this is foreign to him. 

Sunghoon listens closely and stays absolutely still as Sunoo casts some known and some unknown spells on him. Somehow he trusts Sunoo enough to have his wand pointed at him like this.

Sunoo has always had an air of elegance and self-assured confidence. One might even think at certain instances that he’s boastful and overconfident. However, he has every reason to hone his skill. Kim Sunoo was one of the best potioneers. An array of tales preceded Sunoo’s potions, there's even a rumor that he would’ve been the Prime Potioneer for the Wizarding Government if not for the cheap politics. Sunghoon however had only heard these rumors and never chanced upon an opportunity to see it himself. 

Until today.

Waves of calmness and determination oozed off Sunoo, his aura felt alien. He held himself with reverence and authority despite being dressed in ugly nightwear and fuzzy slippers. Sunoo moved around his workstation, with ease. Sunghoon watches in extreme fascination as Sunoo runs some spells and then elegantly writes his observations in his journal. 

Usually, Sunoo would’ve dropped at least three snarky comments in the meantime but this Sunoo worked in silence; the shop is silent save for the occasional scratch of the quill on the parchment. Now that Sunoo wasn’t giving him any nasty looks nor passing any sarcastic comments, it felt like the rivalry between them was forgotten. 

The calmness, diligence, and patience Sunoo works with are a stark contrast to his usual impulsive, sassy, and competitive self. It makes Sunghoon question if he actually knew Kim Sunoo as well as he thought he did. If one were to see him as he was now, they’d perceive him to be a pleasant and amiable person. Perhaps, it’s all a persona. 

“I’m going to do a potentially startling healing charm now, be sure to stay still even if you feel uneasy,” Sunoo states, placing the quill down after adding a rather violent period to his previous sentence.

Sunghoon waits with bated breath as he swings his wrist, muttering a complex incantation. Sunoo’s magic gives him a whiplash, it takes a lot of energy to not jump up in surprise. Sunoo’s magic is startling for him, he can feel it latching onto his own magic, fighting to become one yet repelling each other. An unwelcome energy rush takes over his senses. It is as if the salty brine of the ocean has washed over his soul, his magical core feels like it's twisted, turned, wrung out, and swirled by the said brine all at once. 

He feels Sunoo’s magic leaving his body and his own magic reaching out to hold on to the last receding whirls of Sunoo’s magic. Sunoo’s arm falls back to his side as something akin to skepticism swirls in his eyes. He looks at Sunghoon who is reeling over in his seat, dry heaving because of the uneasiness. 

“Give it a minute, your core is settling back into place,” Sunoo says, writing hurriedly in his notebook. He can feel the weight of Sunghoon’s gaze, but he keeps his focus on the words, he needed to take note of a lot of things to fully understand the situation. Sunoo made a lot of observations through his diagnostics, unpleasant observations. He wasn’t sure what to make out of all of this. 

Sunoo puts down his quill, just as Sunghoon deems himself to be stable enough to talk. “What did you do?” he asks. 

“That was a magic distinguishing spell Jake and I developed a year ago at Brighthit corporation. It helps the castor understand the intricacies of a person’s magical core. It’s a really effective spell, it basically lets the castor peep into the subject’s magical core.” Sunoo explains and then there’s a pregnant pause, one which is often the harbinger of bad news.

“What is it?” Sunghoon asks, aggravated by Sunoo’s silence.

“The diagnostic spells indicated that everything is fine, you haven’t been poisoned. But the distinguishing spell can sense something wrong with your magical core.” Sunoo pulls a stool from his workstation, takes a seat, and then continues. “Your magical core has an unidentified magical signature, it’s not from a person. It’s a nameless blob. A knot of sorts… in your core. This could be the reason for the lack of your magic control that morning and the sleeping draught not working. This is an assumption of course because the nature of the magic inside you is uncertain. It could be harmless too…” he trails off.

“I wasn’t poisoned. If it was a case of poisoning then there should’ve been a magical signature and the diagnostic spells would’ve alerted you.”

“Precisely. But they didn’t, the diagnostic spells indicate no outside interference. According to the diagnostic spells, you are a perfectly healthy wizard. I suspected this to be a poisoning case but I’m not so sure now, which brings us to the next possibility, maybe this is a potion reaction or perhaps a dark spell.” The silence which falls between them weighs heavier than a panegyric. The implications of the words Sunoo just uttered hang heavy in the air between them. 

Dark magic has no antidotes .

There’s a foreign cold that seeps through Sunghoon, chilling his insides. It catches him off guard, his fingers tremble and his limbs feel like lead. He is ready to call Sunoo for help. Help me. The words are on the tip of his tongue, willing to be let out in the open when he realizes the cold isn’t an effect of whatever is inside him, it’s him. He’s scared, the mighty Park Sunghoon unbothered by the ghouls and demons, is scared . The feeling is foreign and unpleasant. 

A case like this was unheard of in the wizarding world. Magical cores are supposed to be pure and filtered, no outside interference is supposed to be there — especially not without a magical signature. This could be harmful, malignant, or even permanent. 

“The blob in your core shouldn’t have been there, I’m assuming that is the root cause of your invisibility. Sleeping draughts are potent magic concoctions, them not working means something is not right.” Sunoo adds, mechanically. 

Sunghoon had never believed in ‘god’s plan’ or ‘fate’, he had been a person of action. Always trusting in his own abilities and working his way out of problems on his own. For the first time, he has to depend on the devices of someone else, the situation isn’t in his hand now — he’s no longer the master of the ship he’s onboard. The possibility of it crashing and sinking is high enough for him to be perturbed, not being in control worried him, even more so now that he doesn’t know what he’s up against.

Sensing his distress Sunoo conjures a vial of calming draught. He shuffles closer to Sunghoon and wordlessly hands over the vial. His eyes are fixed on Sunghoon as he uncaps the vials and gulps down the contents.

“You didn’t ask me what it was,” Sunoo says.

Sunghoon doesn’t grace him with an answer; he doesn’t wait for one either, going back to his notes. Sunghoon himself is surprised by his behavior, maybe it was the mindless instinct to grab onto straw like a drowning man or perhaps just sheer foolishness but Sunghoon hadn’t thought about the consequences of his actions until Sunoo pointed them out. He has been doing this a little too much lately.

“Feeling anxious while dealing with an unusual case of magic is quite normal, must be worse for you. It happens,” Sunoo tells him. 

Sunghoon watches mindlessly as Sunoo shuffles through different folders and parchments seemingly searching for some reconds in an array of documents. His mind is clouded with thoughts yet none of them were able to keep his attention; he keeps swimming between thoughts, jumping from one dreadful conclusion to another. His physical condition is no better than his mind, his body felt sluggish and his limbs ached sporadically, almost as if he was having growing pains. He thought about reaching forward and holding Sunoo’s arm to steady himself, he was the person who could anchor him, not Jake, nor Jay, neither his family, only him. But it wasn’t proper.

So held himself back, curling his fingers into a fist.

“I’ll feed Koinonos and then open the shop. You have about an hour to collect yourself. At all times you must remain in the house, and not disrupt my work. Tell me immediately if something feels off. You can cook lunch for yourself, just don’t get caught.”

Sunghoon would’ve countered that with some snarky remarks had it been another day, for now, his sole focus is on keeping his body alert and not collapsing into a disgraceful heap of limbs in front of Sunoo. His body felt weaker by the minute. He had been feeling drained and faint, he had an inkling of a thought that this might be something in relation to his invisibility. 

Tell me immediately if something feels off. Sunoo’s words echo in his mind but his pride kept his lips sealed.

“You know your way around the kitchen, eat something when you want. I’ll be back soon, you can rest here till then,” Sunoo informs, leaving the room, closing the door with a soft click.

Sunghoon’s head drops down on the table just as Sunoo heads into the house. The turmoil inside his head and the complexity of it all lull him into an unwanted nap. Everything is finally silent. 

******

“Sunghoon.” 

“Park Sunghoon.” 

When he opens his eyes, Sunoo is calling his name, shaking his shoulder lightly. Sunghoon rubs the sleep out of his eyes. “How long has it been?” he asks. Seeing that Sunoo was now dressed in a fresh pair of clothes with a majestic brown owl perched on his shoulder, it must have been a while. 

“An hour maybe,” Sunoo replies, stepping out of Sunghoon’s personal space, busy petting the owl. 

Sunghoon’s bones creak as he sits upright, sleeping on the chair stiffened him. On the bright side, he ended up catching up on his lost sleep, even if it was for a short while. 

Sunghoon’s still in a daze, collecting his thoughts by the time Sunoo starts preparing to open the shop. “Leave now. I need to open the shop.” 

For once, Sunghoon doesn’t mind the rude undertones of his words, he’s more invested in sniffing the air in the shop. He has had a sensitive nose for as long as he can remember, more often than not he’s hounded by unpleasant smells but not today; ever since he woke up from his mini nap, he’s been hit by the most alluring fragrance. It smells heavenly, better than any scent he has ever smelled. It’s most definitely coming from Sunoo unless by heavenly wills the owl has garnered a flowery scent. 

Like a moth drawn to a flame, Sunghoon is drawn by Sunoo’s scent, pulling him across the room, and placing him right next to him. 

After shower Sunoo is breathtaking. Sunghoon takes a whiff of Sunoo’s neck, quite literally in his personal space.

“What the hell are you doing?” Sunoo questions in distaste. 

Sunghoon blinks like an idiot, realizing then that he’s so near Sunoo. “Your owl. Uh- He smells like flowers.” He mentally facepalms himself as Sunoo’s brows knit in confusion. 

“No, he doesn’t. He smells like freshly mowed grass. I give him nutrition and scent potions twice every week.” 

As if on cue, the owl flies and perches himself on one of the shelves, hooting loudly drawing attention to itself. 

“Aw baby.” Sunoo watches the owl with tender, loving eyes. “I know. I love you too Nono. Wait for a while.” He says as if conversing with a real person.

Sunghoon’s face goes slack comically as he stands there, listening to Sunoo and the owl talk, unsure of what was going on. As a pet owner himself, he could warrant that such behavior was uncommon. Wizards often talk to their pets but it’s rare that the pets engage in a conversation and talk back, or hoot back like in this case. 

Kims Kotions is eccentric and so is everything here. 

Kim Sunoo is like an iceberg, there’s so much to uncover and explore with one little catching the eye; only the lucky get to know him as a whole, the good and the bad alike. 

“I’m still here,” Sunghoon announces, interrupting Sunoo’s chat with the owl. Surprisingly, a nocturnal bird with a large, broad head, binocular vision, and sharp talons was making him feel left out and forgotten. 

“And why is that?” Sunoo asks, blinking slowly. “Read a book or something.” He takes Sunghoon by the hand and escorts him to the house. 

Sunoo’s hands are warm and his fingers are slender. This might be their first time holding hands but Sunghoon likes Sunoo’s hands immensely, they are supple and delicate. Daresay, he misses the warmth of Sunoo’s hand when it leaves his own. “Drop the revelio, it will drain your energy,” Sunoo calls behind him, closing the door behind him, locking him in. 

Sunghoon sighs. “It’s just me now.” 

He wasn’t particularly happy, Sunoo was treating a bird better than him. He was treated no better than an unwanted guest whereas a mere bird was showered with love and affection. He wasn’t expecting much but basic civility was the least he wanted. Sunoo had let his pet free and locked Sunghoon in the house. A little rude. 

“Let’s look around.” Sunghoon voices out, looking for things to interest him. 

He had been here for a little less than twelve hours but he hadn’t seen anything of Sunoo’s house yet — the kitchen and the couch were an exception. Sunoo may be annoying, and they may be rivals but as his housemate, short-term housemate, Sunghoon felt entitled to know how things were in the Kim household. Perhaps he is a busybody but there is no one to stop him, so he does as he pleases. 

Sunoo’s house was tiny with forest green walls, neutral furniture, and potion equipment. Despite having a lot of equipment in the shop itself, his house had an even larger assortment of ingredients and equipment crammed neatly in every nook and cranny of the living room. The walls were bare of any photo frames or decorative items; instead, there was a huge whiteboard on one of the walls, littered with diagrams and steps of a potion Sunghoon didn’t know. Opposite the whiteboard was a small dinner table, neatly stacked with potion journals and biology journals. Sunghoon had a feeling it was rarely used for eating meals. 

There even was a bookshelf in the room, pushed in the far corner, stuffed with books, some of them Sunghoon recognized, were from his father’s collection. 

Another reader. Sunghoon smiles to himself, running a hand across the spines of the books arranged alphabetically. 

The kitchen cabinets were stocked with enough tinned food to feed the both of them for weeks, somehow it felt that Sunoo didn’t visit the kitchen often; despite being spotlessly clean, something felt amiss. 

He was prohibited from going up to Sunoo’s loft and he didn’t go. The bathroom, however, wasn't off-limits,  he “explored” Sunoo’s tiny bathroom, making a mental note to try out his body wash one day, just to smell pleasant. 

After Sunghoon’s little tour, he concludes that the house is well organized and quaint. Everything seemed to have a proper place, he was extremely delighted by Sunoo’s orderly way of living, being a neat freak himself. 

There is still some time for lunch so Sunghoon sieves through the bookshelf for something to interest him. 

“A town of roses and bones. ” Adventure fantasy. Bingo! Sunghoon pulled a chair from the dining table, immersing himself in the world of his favorite genre. 

*********

It's almost tea time, Sunghoon’s long done with the book and lunch. He had cooked kimchi fried rice for himself, the book had been a gripping accompaniment for his meal and kept him at the edge of his seat. 

“What should I do now? ” He asks himself. There was little left to do in the house now, he had already explored it, read a book, finished dinner, and even washed and arranged the dishes. He had far more free time in hand than he thought.

Sunghoon does not ideally treat boredom with mischief yet the urge to bother Sunoo is at its all-time peak. His lips twitch upwards as he thinks of Sunoo’s reactions to his teasing. He can envision Sunoo’s furrowed brows and the scowl on his face; his angry words laced with his satoori echo in mind. All thoroughly entertaining. 

Park Sunghoon might be a troublemaker or perhaps just a reckless attention seeker, whatever be the case; without giving it a lot of thought, he found himself in Sunoo’s shop — with less than innocent intent in mind. 

Locks are pretty useless for a wizard with access into the house wards. He thinks with a smirk. 

Sunoo is behind the counter, like the earnest shopowner he is. The shop is empty but Sunoo is occupied; his sole focus is on the journal in hand — similar to the one he used to note Sunghoon’s case. He sits like a man set in alabaster, reading and analyzing the contents of it with absolute attention.  

Sunghoon is taken aback by Sunoo’s seriousness; in his free time he usually takes a break and drinks coffee, he expected Sunoo to do something similar. 

Maybe it’s a secret case file. He thinks. Being the busybody that he is, he invites himself behind the counter to take a closer look at whatever Sunoo is reading. 

Sunghoon’s mouth twisted in distaste as he peeks over Sunoo’s shoulder reading the details of what he had heard in the morning.

Sunoo had been reading his notes from this morning, his observations relating to Sunghoon.

It is intimidating to know everything; he would be able to ascertain his condition if he read more, but that also meant having the thoughts of his own case plague his mind every waking moment; so he chooses to turn a blind eye, the pigeon approach. He lets Sunoo continue his reading and busies himself with properly looking at Sunoo’s shop. 

Kims Kotions is straight out of an interior design catalog, every part of the shop is perfectly planned and organized. Sunoo’s shop was a little smaller compared to Sunghoon’s own but what it lacked in area, it made up for in ambiance; the shop had an inviting charm like no other. 

An array of glass cabinets and cupboards were the first thing one would notice when they make their way into the shop; tall vintage glass cabinets and cupboards covered most of the walls — every shelf was labeled and stocked with potions bottles full and empty, a sight for sore eyes it was. 

Right in the middle, facing the main entrance,  was the reception counter, a carved oak tree trunk, made of a split tree trunk charmed to stay an inch in the air and maintain perfect balance; ‘ The Ozion Potion Guide’ followed to the exact detail. Many witches and wizards believed that the book was the holy grail of potion arts, Sunoo’s shop was based on the shop plan described in it. 

Who knew Sunoo would fall for the fallacy. 

Sunghoon just happened to read it once out of curiosity. But he would never follow things based on inaccurate thoughts and beliefs, his mind wouldn't let him.

Right next to Sunoo’s workstation, which Sunghoon saw in the morning was an extravagant setup for a bird — the brown owl Sunoo adores. Architecture and estimates had always been far out of Sunghoon’s understanding but he concludes it to be spacious and comfortable for a couple of owls. 

The owl sure has a life of luxury. Sunghoon scoffs. 

Sunghoon can't help but compare the color scheme of the shop to Sunoo, a perfect representation of the owner. The emerald green drew people in, mysterious, unyielding, and graceful, just like Sunoo.  

The man in question had long closed the diary and had been examining a vial of murky brown under the work-in-progress section among the workstation potions when the bell on the entrance chimed, indicating the arrival of a customer. The corners of his mouth lift slightly in a welcoming smile that lights up his face on cue, donning a polite mask faster than Sunghoon could say his own name. Sunghoon might not have believed in Sunoo’s shopowner charisma if he hadn’t seen it for himself.

“Good evening Eunjoo-ssi!” Sunoo greets, eyes gleaming. “I was expecting you today. How is Sori now? Was the tremor reversal draught effective?” 

Unsurprisingly, professional Sunoo from the morning comes to the surface once again. The owner of Kims Kotions is the epitome of shopkeeper etiquette and politeness regardless of his behavior outside. One of the reasons some of Sunghoon’s customers switched to Kims Kotions was because of Sunoo’s warmth and invitingness. 

Sunghoon may not ever accept it in front of anyone else but he could see how Sunoo charmed the customers to be his regulars. The curve of his smile, the gleam in his eyes, and his charming way of conversing and showing interest were all very inviting, calling out to people. 

Sunoo’s charm was unrivaled, Sunghoon knew in his heart that he could never do what Sunoo was doing. So he had to be the best at other things. Best at every other thing.

“Good evening Sunoo-ssi!” Eunjoo beamed, tucking her hair behind her ear. The implication of it all was clear in Sunghoon’s mind; she hadn’t been there for a long time but Eunjoo’s shyness and gestures hadn’t gone unnoticed by him, she admired Sunoo at the very least. Sunghoon had been accustomed to such looks from a young age and took pride in reading people’s intentions with ease. 

“Sori has been improving since you gave her that potion. I brought her today so you can analyze her condition better,” Eunjoo tells, lifting the Coton de Tulear for Sunoo to see. 

“My dear! She’s gorgeous!” Sunoo exclaimed, coming out from behind the counter to scratch the little dog’s chin affectionately. 

Sunghoon’s attention was fixated on the dog basking in the glory of Sunoo’s affection. Sunoo would make an excellent dog parent, Gaeul would love him. He thinks remembering his own dog back at home. 

“Sunoo-ssi would you mind if I place her on the counter? My arms are a little tired,” Eunjoo asks, coquettishly flailing her free hand as if in discomfort, drawing attention to herself.

“Apologies Eunjoo-ssi! I should have suggested it myself. Place her on the counter please.” Sunoo says, rushing over to the chest of drawers beside his workstation, right next to where Sunghoon stood. The said man held his breath, adding distance between them discreetly. 

Sunoo would know if he as much as breathed in the wrong way. 

Muscle relievers, Sunghoon read the label above Sunoo’s head from a distance as he searched through drawers looking for something. A satisfied smile graced his lips when he produced a small tin from the last drawer. 

Sunghoon watches perplexed as Sunoo closes the drawer and saunters toward the woman. “Here Eunjoo -ssi.” He offers the tin to her with a wide grin. “Apply this on the inside of your wrists before going to bed at night. It’s a muscle reliever and strengthener. I’ve tested it on myself, it has no side effects or allergens.”

Eunjoo’s cheeks tinge bright red, blood rushes to her cheeks in an instant at Sunoo’s words. “Thank you. I’ll use it well,” she says, not meeting Sunoo’s eye. 

Well well. Look what we have here. Sunghoon smirked to himself. Swiftly making his way out of the corner to where Eunjoo stood. 

Sunoo scoops the puppy in his arms carefully. “I’ll take a look at her.” 

Eunjoo, still in a daze, nods her head smiling shyly. Sunghoon is no seer yet the thoughts in her mind weren’t difficult for him to read, one look at her face and he could tell that she was already planning her marriage.

Sunghoon hadn’t planned to cause trouble but Sunoo always meddles with his affairs, it is only fair that he does the same. As evil as the phrase seemed ‘a tooth for a tooth’ is, that’s how the world functions. Sunghoon padded softly, sneaking up to Eunjoo, standing right beside her. He watches Sunoo work, deciding on a plan of action to carry out his acts. 

“She’s much better now. The lumps in her stomach that caused her nervous unrest are dissolving. She still needs some blood replenishing potions and enzymes but her recovery arc is remarkable. Our Sori will be perfectly healthy in two weeks at the most.”

Eunjoo leaps in joy, grabbing onto Sunoo’s hand “Thank you so much Sunoo-ssi! You were really my last hope. I don't know what I would’ve done without you, Sori is my only family. Sunoo-ssi is the best!” She exclaims. 

Sunghoon’s mouth curves downward at her enthusiasm, it was too bothersome. He half expected her to throw herself into Sunoo’s arms; it was the perfect opening for her to make use of her charms. 

Public display of affection just wasn't his cup of tea.  

“That’s my job,” Sunoo says, embarrassed. With his free hand, he spells the cabinet open making a potion levitate to the counter adding to Eunjoo’s awe.

Look at him showing off. Sunghoon thinks, huffing at his sheer boastfulness. 

“Mix ten drops of this in her food twice a day and keep her hydrated,” Sunoo instructs pushing an Erlenmeyer flask filled with murky yellow liquid towards Eunjoo. 

The blub in Sunghoons mind lights up seeing the flask, it’s perfect, he smirks. 

The smirk on his face only grows as he casts an effervescent spell on the potion while Eunjoo is taking out the payment for the potion. Just as she touches the flask, it bursts open, like a champagne bottle; sending the cork flying and spilling the potion everywhere. 

Eunjoo jumps back in surprise, reflex kicking in; but it's already too late, the sticky and slimy potion was already on her arms and skin. 

Sunghoon has to cover his mouth with his hand to stop himself from laughing out loud, he especially loves Eunjoo’s wide eyes and open mouth as she stares at the potion in disbelief.

“Eunjoo-ssi!” Sunoo runs over to her, hastily casting a cleaning and refreshing charm on her. 

Sunghoon doubles over with silent laughter as Sunoo tends to the mess he made. 

The look of surprise on Sunoo’s face tops everything; it’s addictive like a drug, and Sunghoon’s already a stoner. He wants to see more of that look, he needed to see more of that look. Overcome by a strange urge that he couldn’t suppress, Sunghoon spells a small thunder cloud in the shop, right above Eunjoo’s head. There was no rain but the thunder was enough to spook the woman and the dog.

Sunoo’s eyes widened in horror as the thunder cloud rumbled frightening poor Sori into a frenzy. 

“Oh goodness. Sori!” Eunjoo ran behind the dog as she cantered around the shop, barking in fright. She bumped into things in her panic, crashing into the counter, sending the half-empty potion flask down to the ground. 

Sunoo promptly spells the cloud away but the damage is already done, Sori is terrified and Eunjoo is probably unhappy too. He looks around at the mess, the first time Kims Kotions’ is a mess, and it wasn’t even his fault. He can’t do anything except apologize. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” He bows down repeatedly, offering Eunjoo a new potion bottle as she held the dog, trying to comfort her.

Eunjoo's attention, however, was focused only on Sori, Sunoo’s apologies were heard with a deaf ear. Anger and shame thronged his thoughts as his outstretched hand is left unnoticed, all of this is unwarranted and unexpected, he hates the sudden turn of events.

Sunghoon at the same time was lost in thought. His hair is in a disarray as a result of the countless times he ran his fingers through them, regret coursed through his veins with white-hot shame, he felt bad for the poor dog. He had put her through so much just to bother Sunoo. It was terrible on his part, he felt guilty. His mind couldn’t help but remind him how disappointed his Gaeul would be with him, as a dog parent, he was royally fucked up.

When Sori is a little pacified, Eunjoo lifts her head, finally seeing Sunoo’s still outstretched arm holding the potion. She reaches for the bottle, relieving Sunoo of its weight. “It’s okay Sunoo-ssi. Things happen, I’ll just take her home.” Eunjoo promptly makes her way out of the shop, never waiting for Sunoo’s acknowledgment. 

Sunoo reigns in on his fury until she is out of earshot. For the first time, he had to go through such an embarrassing experience; all of this, because of the prick he is helping. 

“Park Sunghoon! Are you fucking insane?!.” Sunoo roars out in the near-empty shop, wordlessly locking the main door.  Sunghoon cowers away in surprise, colliding with the counter. 

Sunoo is furious and Sunghoon is horrified thinking about what is in store. 

“Revelio now!” Sunoo commands.

Sunghoon obeys without question, materializing into himself in an instant. Sunoo’s tone compels him to do it, there is no room for argument or defiance. 

Sunghoon’s eyes are downcast, he’s easily able to make out Sunoo’s converse as he places himself in front of him. “I specifically told you not to meddle with my affairs. It's not even a day! And you’re already behaving like an imbecile. Give me one sensible reason for the stupid shit you pulled off right now.”

Tap. Tap. Tap. Sunghoon’s eyes follow Sunoo’s foot as it taps on the floor in agitation. He fiddles with his fingers, not daring to look at Sunoo, not after what he did. He is frightened and guilty, not a good combination. 

Sunghoon’s mind is blank he can only think about the change in Sunoo’s tone his authoritative tone rings loud and clear in the room, it’s unlike anything he has ever heard. Authoritative Sunoo froze Sunghoon’s nerves and fried his brain, he didn’t know how to react. Wordlessly staring at Sunoo’s feet as they rhythmically tapped on the floor is the only reaction Sunghoon has, his mind and body had betrayed him. 

“Look at you now,” Sunoo sneers. “Where was this docileness when you were conjuring thunder clouds in a room?! Now you have nothing to say! You can’t even look at me.” 

“Look at me!” Sunoo says, magnetically drawing Sunghoon’s attention. 

Dread settles in Sunghoon’s stomach, heavy and uncomfortable. He takes in Sunoo’s expression; his furrowed eyebrows and his clenched jaw, the hostile rage in Sunoo’s eyes burns through Sunghoon. 

Sunoo is bothered just like he wanted, only he doesn’t want it anymore. 

“I’m sor-”  

“Oh, so you're sorry now?” Sunoo’s eyebrow shoots up. “Fucking grand coming from you.” He laughs humorlessly, stepping closer to Sunghoon, into his personal space. 

“You know what your problem is, Sunghoon?” Sunoo asks jabbing a finger in Sunghoon’s chest. “You’re an asshole. You have no consideration for anyone. I spent my free time this afternoon trying to help you. I skipped lunch with Jungwon to concentrate on your case. Yet here we are. I’m trying to be nice but you’re fucking everything up. You know how scared dogs are of loud noise, you’re a dog parent yourself, yet you pulled off that shit. Knowingly. ” 

A look of remorse passes by Sunghoon’s face before his head bows down in shame. He never thought things would escalate this drastically. He had greatly miscalculated the repercussions of his actions. 

“I’m so sick of this.” Sunghoon hears Sunoo mumble as he moves behind the counter with unsteady feet and drops into his chair. The pink-haired potioneer’s skin seems ghastly pale suddenly, the flush of anger is long gone, replaced instead by the glossy sheen of sweat. 

Sunghoon wasn’t sure what he should do, a failed apology leaves him with not many viable options.  “I’m sorry. I clean this up. This won't happen again.” he offers awkwardly, gesturing to the mess on the floor. 

A pair of eyes follow his movements like a hawk as he summons a broom and manually sweeps the floor clean. The weight of the gaze makes the hair on the nape of the neck prickle. The pressure of not messing up again makes beads of sweat form on his back.

Why not do it with magic? Sunoo thinks to himself, downing a vial of potion when Sunghoon wasn’t looking. He looked and felt calmer than he was a few minutes ago.

“Done,” Sunghoon announces once the floor is sparkling clean like before. He looks at Sunoo expectantly. He knows that he wouldn’t get any words of acclamation but he needed to see Sunoo and gauge his reaction. 

“Thanks for cleaning up the mess you made,” Sunoo says, rolling his eyes. “Don't repeat this. Do not mistake my generosity as a free ticket to mess around. I never expected a lot from you in the first place but somehow you seem to disappoint me every time, setting a new low for yourself.” Sunoo doesn’t even spare a glance at Sunghoon.

Sunghoon’s face hardens at Sunoo’s words, his face contorts at Sunoo’s words. 

Disappointment . 

That's the word that haunts Sunghoon in his nightmares, even when he's wide awake. He never wanted to be a disappointment to anyone, he had disappointed a lot of people already. His history with the word and the feelings associated with it was anything but pleasant. Sunoo brings it all back to the surface. 

“I’m not a disappointment.” Sunghoon mumbles, disappearing back into the house leaving Sunoo alone.  

“And he left.” Sunoo sighs, spelling the shop open again, waiting for the inflow of the last round of late evening customers to keep his thoughts off what had happened.

*****

Sunoo had been working on building some stock of potions to add to his inventory, it took up most of his time. It’s necessary to have a readily available inventory, he convinced himself but in reality, he was scared to face Sunghoon again. He had been feeling guilty ever since Sunghoon looked at him with hurt swimming in his eyes. He knows he went overboard this time and he is unsure how to make amends. 

Koinonos continues to gently peck at his arm, his silent way of telling Sunoo that he should sleep now. There’s not much he can do to avoid the situation any longer, so with determination in his steps, he makes his way to the house. 

Sunghoon is soundly asleep on the couch when Sunoo comes back. The light rise and fall of his chest spark something in Sunoo’s heart, he knows he fucked up, the voice in his head doesn’t fail to remind him. You were too harsh on him today.

Sunoo can’t help but sigh silently, reveling in the guilt of the repercussions of his words. He trudged with light feet into the kitchen, for a glass of water, where he finds a plate of japchae under a heating spell along with a simple note. Sorry for today.

Missing dinner wasn’t a big deal for Kim Sunoo. More often than not he was working on his potions and forgot about dinner. He mostly came in long after dinner time, washed up, and collapsed into his bed like a sack of potatoes. Sunoo didn’t have any expectations when he came back, he sure wished for a warm shower before he collapsed in the bed or on the floor from exhaustion, but as such, he had no grand expectations. 

But Park Sunghoon surprised him yet again. He fails to suppress the watery grin on his face when sees the food, it had been so long since someone cooked for him, granted this was an apology but it still thrummed the strings in Sunoo’s heart. The specks of flour on the floor and the vegetable waste in the dustbin tell a tale of Sunghoon’s efforts.

Sunoo scarfs down the meal albeit a little guiltily but leaving it would mean that he didn’t accept Sunghoon’s apology, so he finished it. 

You are such an idiot. His conscience screams at him as washes the dishes and puts the utensils away. The guilt is even more overpowering after seeing Sunghoon’s efforts. He felt like an asshole, rightly so.

The least he can do now was apologize.

Sunoo goes to bed that night with a full stomach and a resolve to apologize to Sunghoon right in the morning. Something very uncommon for the pink-haired potioneer. 

Don’t make things difficult for him, he’s already going through a lot. Is the last thought in Sunoo’s mind before he slips into a dreamless sleep. 

Chapter Text

Apologies are easier in theory than in practice. Sunoo went to bed the night before with the resolve to apologize first thing in the morning. He woke up with the determination to apologize the moment he saw Sunghoon. He had the words ready and practiced them in the bathroom too, all he had to say was ‘ I was too harsh on you yesterday, I’m sorry. Let’s try to be bearable with each other.’ 

It was that simple, he had everything planned, only nothing went as per the plan. 

Sunghoon is already up and reading when Sunoo comes downstairs after giving himself a pep talk. He spares Sunoo a single glance, snuggling into the couch, and returns to the book in his hand. The couch somehow, unsaid as it was, became his home in Kim’s Kotions.

“Breakfast is on the table,” he tells, immersing himself completely in the world of fiction.

Not knowing how to approach the subject, Sunoo finds himself opening the cellar door and peeping inside just to give himself more time to think. 

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid Sunoo. His mind singles him out.

This isn’t the first time Sunoo is apologizing to someone, it isn’t even the first time he is apologizing to Sunghoon, yet he is washed over by a feeling of dread and awkwardness — all of which is self-induced. Unknowingly, Sunoo has made it such a huge deal with himself that he found it extremely difficult to get the words past his lips. 

Astonishingly, Sunghoon has been acting as if nothing had happened, he hadn’t mentioned the events of the day before, nor had he greeted Sunoo with the customary jibe. The silver-haired man has been acting like nothing was out of the norm, he even cooked breakfast for Sunoo. 

Sunoo knew that not apologizing would make him the biggest asshole and also the guilt would swallow him whole, he had to do something, very soon. 

Shock and reflex are the best inducers of natural reactions Sunoo had been taught in Human Anatomy in school, he applied it only today. He whirls around abruptly and without any preamble makes his way in front of Sunghoon, stopping so close that their toes are touching. 

“I want to tell you something.” 

Sunghoon wedges his thumb in between the pages as a bookmark. He peeps at Sunoo through his lashes, offering him barely any attention and making no attempt to move from his spot on the couch. 

“I- uh. You know- I just wanted to– say something– about last night.” There’s a universal rule that if you stutter once out of nervousness, you will most definitely stutter a second and a third time too. Sunoo has no idea why he feels so nervous, it is just Sunghoon, yet it feels like a dozen dragons rallying in his stomach.

“Yeah. I did wrong, Sor-”

“No, shut up! It’s my time now,” Sunoo interrupts Sunghoon fiercely, leaving him open-mouthed. “Sunghoon, the way I behaved with you yesterday was completely out of line, I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry for whatever I said yesterday. Let’s try to be civil around each other.” 

Sunghoon’s mouth parts a little. He hadn’t expected this, he had no clue that Sunoo would apologize — he hadn’t done anything wrong in the first place, it was Sunghoon who caused the mess, and all of Sunoo’s reactions were valid. He knew he had fucked up and he needed to apologize which is why he left the note and the dinner. Sunoo’s apology took him by surprise. Sure enough, he had been hurt by Sunoo’s words last night, but the apology was unwarranted, nonetheless, it warmed his insides, turning his lips upwards into a small smile.

He opens his mouth to respond but Sunoo places a finger on his lip, silencing him yet again. “If you say sorry again, I’ll spoil the ending of the book!”

A scowl blooms on Sunghoon’s face, eyebrows scrunching in irritation. “I hate spoilers!” 

“Yeah well, if that’s going to keep you from apologizing then I’ll do it.” Sunoo giggles stepping back from Sunghoon, and making his way to the food waiting for him on the counter, the light bounce in his steps does little to conceal his thoughts. 

Of course, Sunoo wouldn’t let me at peace. Sunghoon thinks to himself, rolling his eyes. 

“Bibimbap! Lovely!” Sunoo says scarfing down a rather large portion. “You’re a decent cook Sunghoon.” 

“If this is what you’re going to be after apologizing then be gone, you evil wizard.” 

Sunoo swallows a mouthful of food and answers, “C’mon I’m going easy on you, this was a compliment for real.”

Sunghoon’s eye roll can be heard in his tone. “Yeah right.”  

The truth is Sunoo loves it, the food, the lack of awkwardness, and the light atmosphere. After he had actually said the words he felt a lot lighter and guilt-free, even Sunghoon has been mellow in his reactions, far too interested in his book than keeping up with Sunoo — perhaps he was also keeping a fair distance to maintain the truce. 

Whatever it is, Sunoo likes it better this way, guilt-free, and light. 

“We’ll discuss your case in about forty minutes. I’ll be back soon, thanks for the food.” Sunoo called out as he left for the shop, to tend to his owl.

*******

“Okay so, the basics are all here.” Sunoo slides his diary across the workstation for Sunghoon to see. “Tell me if something is missing.” 

Sunghoon nods, going over the details with the utmost care, his tone is matter-of-fact and exacting as he lists the intricacies out loud.

P.S.H. Case details: 

Semi-permanent magically triggered invisibility resulting in the complete disappearance of body form until a magic intervention

Change in hair color

Reduced responsiveness to sleeping draught

No physical or functional abnormalities

Unidentified magical signature present in the core

Suspected cause: Poisoning through tea

Sunghoon slides the diary back, mindful of the tattered pages shoved between the binds. “You got everything here, nothing new though.” 

“That’s why you’re here idiot.”

“Wait a minute. Me?” Sunghoon blinks once then twice. “You want me to do it?” 

Sunoo twirls his quill between his forefinger and thumb, unfazed by Sunghoon’s stupor. “Yes, you.” 

Sunghoon listens closely and stays absolutely still expecting Sunoo to break into a laugh any moment. The silence in the room stretches on for a whole minute before Sunghoon gets flustered and realizes that Sunoo is not jesting with him. “Are you for real? You want me to work on my own case, a severe case of magical complication or poising?” 

“Who would know the intricacies better than you?” Sunoo shrugs.

“Yes but that’s crazy, the first declaration in the potion development manual states that one should never brew a potion for themself. It can be highly dangerous.” 

“You’re not going to brew the potion. I’ll do it. You just have to assist me in the pre-brewing preparations and research.” Sunoo states, focusing all his attention on the man in front of him. 

Sunghoon’s distress is clear in his voice as his mind begins listing out everything that can go wrong. “What if I get too carried away? It had happened to people before that's why it is forbidden. You could end up in prison if anything goes wrong because you let me work on a cure for myself. This can be disastrous.”

“Sunghoon.” Sunoo drops the quill, making a soft clang as it comes in contact with the parchment. “You won’t mess up, your vigor to be back will only fuel our work.”

“Bu—”

“And besides if things ever go south I’ll put my potion prowess to use and make things alright. Potion’s Master Kim Sunoo saves the day,” Sunoo adds cheekily with a grin. 

Sunghoon rolls his eyes. “Let me think about it”

“Perfect. Now let’s look at the problem statement.” 

Sunoo takes an unmarked parchment and spells the quill to take notes as he reiterates the problem statement. “The main cause of concern is Sunghoon’s invisibility. Areas of exploration include poisoning, dark magic, allergic reaction, and potion accidents. The tea is suspected to be the causing reagent.” He turns to Sunghoon. “I’ll bring back the tea and some other specimens from Elements and Essence. We can check them for traces and then work out the rest.”

Sunghoon nods in half mind as his fingers employ themselves in smoothing out the ridges on his sweater sleeves, purely out of habit.

“We can develop some temporary solutions for your invisibility till then, a potion will be most suited but the preliminary preparations for it can take days.”

“Yes, finding the reactant is necessary, else we might trigger a bigger problem than we intended to solve.” 

“Very valid, figuring out the reactant will require time, we cannot have you spooking up on me till then,” Sunoo says. “Revelios are too draining to cast in the long run, we have to look for other viable solutions.”

Sunghoon’s brows twitch in excitement like they always do when he’s eager to share his suppositions. “I once read up about scenting potions. They work a lot like omega scents, they give the drinker a distinctive scent that remains for prolonged periods depending on the brewing potency of the potioneer. It’s mostly used as a prank by teens but we can use it—”

Sunoo’s delighted smile blows up the corners of his lips as he interrupts Sunghoon. “Like a person locator, I can smell you when you’re around, even when you’re invisible. Like an alpha finding their omega in a crowd.”

Sunghoon snorts partly for humor and partly because of befuddlement . “You’ve got a funny way of phrasing it but yes, that’s what it would be like.”

“I’ve heard about it in passing, we can do this.” Sunoo nods, scribbling some things into his diary. “Where did you read this?”

“In one of Dad’s old and rare collections, it’s in the attic in my apartment. The cover of the book is missing but I’ll be able to recognize it when I see it.” Sunghoon’s memory and his interest in books of all kinds finally proved to be worthy of praise, as seen by the upturned corner of his lips. 

“Okay great, then let’s go to your place after closing tonight. For now, I’ll cast a revelio since your core must’ve been drained from the excessive usage.” Sunoo offers, wordlessly accioing his wand from his loft. 

“Aren’t you being too forward Kim?” Sunghoon smirks. I don’t take my rivals to my apartment, especially not at night.” The mirth in his eyes shines clearer than the midday sun, mischief clear in his tone. 

“Don’t worry Sunghoon, I don’t want to see your apartment, not now, not ever.” Sunoo winked giggling. 

“I’d never take you there!” Sunghoon retorts, closing his eyes with a huff as he feels Sunoo’s magic wash over him falling perfectly into place.

“I don’t even want to go to your apartment.”

“I wouldn’t take you there even if you asked me!”

“I will never ask you. I don't want to go there.” 

“Yeah because you know I won’t take you there.” 

And just like that Park Sunghoon and Kim Sunoo weren’t twenty-five-year-old potioneers trying to fix a tricky case, but teenagers arguing over trivialities. 

Just like always. 

Ten minutes later that's how Jaeyun finds them, bickering each other’s heads off making absolutely no sense. 

Jaeyun announces his arrival by dropping his briefcase by the door, garnering the attention of the two potioneers. “I knew you both would’ve been up to no good.” 

He must take them to be strange or amusing —there’s a small distinction between the two— since he’s eyeing them in a way that screams ‘ why did I do this to myself’ . Sunoo is certain that if Jaeyun pops out grey hair anytime soon, it would be because of them. 

Sunghoon shakes his head, brow cocking up. “Thank you Mister Sim for finally gracing us peasants with your presence. I see that your definition of regularly is very deviant from my mine. But it's good to finally have you amongst us.”

“Don’t be stupid Sunghoonie. Regularly doesn’t mean daily. I’m here just as I said I would be.” His tone manages to project snarkiness incredibly well. “You, anyways seem to be doing just fine.” Sunghoon opens his mouth to protest but Jaeyun doesn’t let him. “Bickering each other's heads off is very normal for you both. I see no problem.”

Jaeyun makes his way to Sunoo and in a moment the impudent look on his face fades away giving way to a beautiful smile. “How are you doing Sunoo? Did he trouble you?” 

Sunghoon notices the not-so-discreet side glances thrown his way by his dear friend. He pretends it doesn’t bother him but he knows he's going to be as good as dead meat the moment Jaeyun finds out about the stunt he pulled off yesterday. He knows he was wrong and will accept any consequence thrown his way yet he quivers in his boots at the mere thought of Jaeyun knowing. 

It is in his best interests that Sunoo keeps his lips sealed about the incident, but he can’t be certain about anything, this is Kim Sunoo after all, nothing can be certain when he’s the center of discussion. 

Sunghoon looks up just in time to see Sunoo smile and shake his head. “Things have been fine, nothing which couldn't be resolved happened. Don’t worry.”

The deities above and Kim Sunoo are definitely on his side today, much to his relief. The sigh which escapes Sunghoon’s lips doesn’t go unnoticed by Jaeyun, he quirks up an eyebrow but chooses to remain silent. 

“I want to discuss the case with you.” Sunoo leads Jaeyun toward his work area, and Sunghoon follows suit. He runs him through the information they’ve gathered till now. Just after every point is covered, Sunoo introduces the fact that Sunghoon will be working on the case with him, causing Jaeyun’s eyebrows to disappear in his hairline. 

“This doesn’t sound very good. Letting him work on the case seems like a recipe for disaster, no offense Sunghoon, but in his haste to find the cure he might sabotage all your progress. His emotions will definitely get in the way, it has befo—”

“Jaeyun,” Sunoo interrupts him sharply. “Do not undermine his abilities. You’re his best friend, the least you can do is be supportive and trust in him. Sunghoon is a very capable potioneer, his desire to be normal again shall only aid the process. I trust him and you should too.” 

I trust him.

Sunghoon’s breath catches in his throat, there’s a shallow inhale and then nothing. Sunoo’s words hit him differently, like three blows to the stomach, each one robbing him of breath, igniting in him a warm fuzzy sensation that curls deep in his chest, akin to the bubbling champagne he happens to love. He barely schools his facial expression, it’s like he is an embarrassed teenager all over again, ducking his head, trying to suppress the flush blooming on his cheeks. 

Sunoo’s words have a lot of effect on him, a lot more than he would like to accept. He had expected Jaeyun to react as he did, he isn’t sure of Sunoo’s decision in the first place, but hearing the potioneer explicitly say that he trusts him felt strangely intimate. 

They are rivals, and Sunoo trusts him and his skills. He doesn’t know what to make of this information so he chooses to stay silent and push all senile thoughts and heart flutters to the back of his mind.

“Right. I’m sorry it sounded like it did. It wasn’t my intention to question his skill at all, I know he is great at what he does. It just came out wrong. Sorry, Sunghoon.” Jaeyun apologizes turning to Sunghoon with sincerity in his eyes, coaxing an it’s okay out of his lips.

“Great.” Two pairs of eyes return to Sunoo once again. “Now that we have things sorted out, we can start working. Do you have any suggestions or theories you might want us to explore?” 

Jaeyun glances at Sunghoon briefly before turning his attention back to Sunoo. “Nope, I think you’ll be able to do well on your own. Though I must warn you to be careful, with Sunghoon away from his shop for so many days, some of his fans have started visiting the shop at odd hours to catch a sight of him.”

Sunghoon’s loud groan echoes through the shop as he massages his temples. “Wonderful.”

“I would love to talk to them.” Sunoo finds the information highly amusing and cannot keep the twinkle in his eyes hidden. 

“You will do no such thing!” Sunghoon warns. 

“I promise nothing.” Sunoo grins while Jaeyun watches the exchange with a pleased smile. 

“You know, you both have been doing way better than I had envisioned,” Jaeyun says, picking up a quill from Sunoo’s workstation and ruffling its feathers. 

Sunghoon snickers and mutters, “Should’ve been here last night.” 

“Was last night fun? Did something happen?” Jaeyun asks perking up with interest.

The chuckle which slips past Sunoo’s lips breaks the pregnant silence in the shop, making the pair turn to him, waiting for his response. “Well, nothing much. Sunghoon cooked for us and we…. We had a talk of sorts.” He looks a little unsure, in his defense, exchanging apology notes wasn’t a conversation.

“Wonderful! That’s progress, what did you both talk about?” 

Sunoo has little idea why Jaeyun is so interested in knowing more about dynamics rather than discussing the case and moving on with his work, but now that the stage has been set he will not leave the opportunity. 

“He told me stories about school and his childhood,” Sunoo answers, batting his eyelashes at the man in question. 

Jaeyun easily believes the lie. “Yeah, his childhood was so much cooler than mine! I love his stories of Mr. Murray.” 

“Mr. Murray.” Sunoo smiles wickedly. “Moody Murray the History of Magic professor of Seogangsan Wizarding School, his checkered pants and outrageous bossy bowtie will always be the talk of the town.”

Sunghoon’s eyebrows shoot up his hairline but he doesn’t interject. Jaeyun grins wide, “He loved Sunghoon so much!” 

"He did." Sunoo’s sickeningly sweet smile only shows that he has indeed been looking forward to some dubious information on Sunghoon 

"Did he tell you that one time when he was asked to—"

"Hey hey! That's enough. You're way too interested in insignificant matters." Sunghoon points at Jaeyun. "How does it matter how I was punished ten years ago in school?"

"Oh, so you got into trouble?" Sunoo's brows quirked and his lips curve upward making him look utterly mischievous. Sunghoon definitely regrets having not steered the conversation to clearer waters before. 

"Yes. But like Sunghoon said we're getting distracted, let's discuss this over tea someday, the three of us, after this thing has been sorted." Jaeyun suggests. 

“Right,” says Sunoo. “Let’s focus on the matter at hand now.” He glides gracefully around his workstation, looking through his chest drawers until he finds what he had been searching for, with a soft aha he mutters a spell making a drawer close behind him. He exuded waves of nervous excitement as he places a journal between the duo.

“I was going through some books that I have yesterday. There’s little information about curse-breaking potions since they're tailor-made according to the curse but I found some common potion sequences which have worked in poisoning cases. These are some of the potential ingredients we can start with if it turns out to be a case of poisoning.” 

Sunghoon looks at Sunoo and then at the messy notes, they seem to be written hastily like he wanted them down on the parchment before he lost rain of his thoughts— the words are barely legible, a stark contrast to his impressive cursive lettering. 

Potential cures: 

Antidote to common poisons 

Antidote to uncommon poisons

Phelidonium Miniscula

Prospective overturning Ingredients: Antimony, Fillet of a Fenny Snake, Graphorn horn, Knotgrass, Nazle Powder, Borage

“When did you do this?” Sunghoon asks, he hadn’t seen this before. 

“Lunch break and after closing hours…” 

Sunghoon remembered Sunoo’s words from the previous night. ‘ I spent my free time this afternoon trying to help you. I skipped lunch with Jungwon to concentrate on your case.’ The guilt climbs up faster than the shame, snaking around his windpipe and twirling around his lungs. Sunghoon thought his ribs would crack beneath the enormous pressure that swelled in his chest. Of course, he went out to be an asshole when Sunoo had been doing everything to help him. He felt foolish, all his actions doubled up Sunoo’s troubles, an inadequate payback for his good deeds. After knowing everything that he does now, he wants to go back in time and punch himself unconscious and stop him from causing trouble. 

His expressions must’ve mirrored his feelings because in an instant Sunoo adds, “It’s not a big deal, I like to work on complex cases during breaks to keep me busy.” 

No matter how much Sunoo tries to downplay it, Sunghoon knows that it’s not something to be made light of, he should have been assisting Sunoo, making his work easier, ensuring he had his meals yet he had gone out to make matters worse just for fun. 

He can't help but mouth another soft apology into Sunoo's ear as Jaeyun poured over the text. Sunoo’s fingers clench around the quill in his hand, and Sunghoon holds his tongue. He can sense from the rigid set of Sunoo’s shoulders that he didn’t want him to apologize. Right now all Sunoo wants is to get over the matters of the past and focus on the case, and Sunghoon is more than willing to listen.

Unbeknownst to anything, Jaeyun was in awe. “You know Sunoo, so many years working together, and yet you’ve never failed to surprise me. Most people need hours to gather such research, and you’ve done it in such a short while. You’re great for real Kim Sunoo, no one does it like you.” 

Sunoo turns back to Jaeyun with his cheeks burning red. “It’s not that big a deal… And regardless these are just blind guesses, we can’t be sure about anything until we get a hold of the poison used, if it was used.” 

“Whatever you wish to say.” Jaeyun grins. “You know guys, I think you both would be a really great team. All you lack is understanding. Trust me you both are so similar that it’s scary. I’m sure you’d get along really well if you made a little effort to know each other.” 

“We don’t have anything in common what would we even talk about?” Sunghoon frowns and lets his tone imply ‘what sort of idiot are you?’ .

Jaeyun’s eyes twinkle in delight as he slides back the journal “You know there's an array of conversible topics which flow along the conversation, all you need to do is put in a little effort.”

“Easier said than done.” Sunoo retorts with an airy laugh. 

“Try it out, you’ll be surprised.” 

“No.” Sunghoon pulls a face disregarding the amused look on Sunoo’s face, he knew he would get teased for it later but he’d rather have that. 

“Well then. There’s not much I can do, you both are doing well, I’ll take my leave. I promise to be back for a visit on Tuesday. Don’t kill each other.” 

“As you say Master Sim Jaeyun,” Sunghoon makes sure Jaeyun sees his eye roll, purposefully continuing the act until he gathers his things and teleports right out of the room without as much as a goodbye. 

“Well, he’s gone.” 

Sunoo watches Sunghoon from the corner of his eye. “You both seem to bicker more than I expected.” 

“Not always, he’s just too worried right now and if I let him dwell on it in silence then he’s going to drive himself up a wall with the guilt. I’m just keeping him busy. At least that’s what I’m trying.” 

Sunoo nearly laughs aloud, because this isn’t normal at all. It’s ridiculous and absurd and crazy and undoubtedly the most thoughtful thing he hadn’t even known Sunghoon had ever been capable of doing. “You’re a lot more than a stupid idiot, surprisingly.”

“I would argue with you but you’re late for work, go now.” Sunghoon takes Sunoo by the shoulder and lightly shoves him toward the entrance. ”I’ll look at your suggestions and add things. Let’s meet in the evening.” 

*****

Hours later Sunoo returns back to the house after closing only to find Sunghoon asleep with his head cradled on the table. True to his word the earlier research notes were extended on, new points were added in green ink and some things were highlighted, all clues of Sunghoon’s hard work were strewn across the table, along with a plate of untouched kimbap. 

Sunoo went to skim over the notes but the pair of chopsticks Sunghoon was holding onto in his sleep caught his attention. The awkward angle of his arm and the odd nap timing was concerning and to top it all, his chopsticks were gripped between his fingers as if he was just about to use them but passed out before he could. 

A thousand possibilities rush through Sunoo’s mind as he tries to nudge Sunghoon awake. For the light sleeper that Sunghoon had claimed to be, Sunoo has a tough time waking him up, adding to his worry. 

It takes a lot of shaking for Sunghoon to ease back into consciousness, he looks at Sunoo with groggy eyes taking in the frantic look on his face. “What happened?”

“I should be asking you that. Why did you take so long to wake up when you’re a light sleeper? Why were you holding your chopsticks like that? Did you pass out?” Sunoo demanded, his voice gone high and tight. He is trying to hide his worry.  

“Merlin. Chill, I just felt very drowsy and took a nap.”

“It is my job not to be chill, Sunghoon.” Sunoo snapped, his voice so tight it trembled.  “This could be an effect of whatever is wrong with you. Everything could have gone wrong, don’t take it lightly. Please.”

Sunghoon purses his lips, gingerly touching the cheek on which he slept. “I’ve just not been sleeping well on the couch, it’s probably just that.” 

Sunoo pries away Sunghoon’s hand from his face and his voice softens as he said. “You have to tell me the moment something feels wrong.”

“Yes, sir.”

Sunoo rolls his eyes. “Eat your food, we’ll go to  Elements and Essence when you’re done.” 

“Okay.” 

********

Sunghoon can’t help but think that Sunoo had held his breath the whole time they were discreetly making their way into the shop. His face had been contorted into that of pure concentration, brows furrowed together and his tongue slipping through the corner of his mouth just a little bit — he does that a lot Sunghoon notes. It is funny to see him lumbering along, slinking through the shadows as if he is on some secret mission. 

They were on a secret mission, everything taken into consideration.

“Well, well well,” Sunoo says making his way into Elements and Essence. He silently mutters some cleaning and refreshing spells getting rid of the stale air. 

“It’s so good to be back.”

“Let’s go up quickly,” Sunoo says

“Hasty, are we?” Sunghoon smirks bashfully before picking a set of keys from the bunch scattered almost artistically on a leaf-shaped dish. He makes his way up a winding staircase, craftily hidden from view at the back of the shop. 

Sunoo huffs to himself muttering a curse word or two but he follows behind nonetheless. 

“Feels like I’ve been away for ages,” Sunghoon says as soon as the door opens to the apartment.

Sunoo shrugs. “Might as well be true, before coming to my place you had been camping in the old storage room, so obviously.”

Sunghoon ignores the comment despite the accuracy and makes his way into the interior.

“Good grace, Sunghoon, this isn’t at all like I’d imagined,” Sunoo says, peering unabashedly around the room.

Sunghoon looks around and tries to see it as if for the first time. High ceilings, tall windows, and polished wood floors were the things that stood out first. Modestly sized Floo, leather sofa and matching loveseat grouped around a small coffee table, flat screen television on the wall facing them, and a somewhat shabby red rug on the floor that Sunghoon had bought second hand because it reminded him of the carpet in his childhood room. 

It was a modern, open-layout home, planned to have plenty of natural light and a spacious living area. On the walls hung colorful paintings that brought a bit of life to the otherwise neutral-toned walls. The kitchen is equipped with all the necessary appliances and plenty of cabinet space. The windows overlook the street, perfect for relaxing and taking in the sights. All in all, Sunghoon thinks it is the perfect place to call home.

“Dare I ask what you imagined?”

“Something a lot messier than this,” Sunoo admitted.

Kind words were easy, but sometimes Sunghoon likes being difficult and going out of his way to do things. “My bedroom is a little messy if that’s what you came for.” 

“What a shame, we could have put it to some really good use,” Sunoo winks, making his way into the center of the living room. He knew Sunghoon was messing with him, what good is it, if he can’t mess with him in return? 

The tips of Sunghoon’s ears turn red, he opens his mouth to retort only Sunoo doesn’t let him. “I want to run a few diagnostic spells.”   

Sunoo turns back to face the flat screen television, wand in hand, feet braced against the rug as he cast charm after charm, his eyes narrow and brow furrow in concentration. His mouth presses into a grimly determined line as his wand swished and flicked as quickly and fluidly as any conductor’s baton, and he held his left arm extended as well, the fingers plucking at the air like a harp. He looked powerful and capable and confident like the Kim Sunoo Sunghoon had come to know him as.

Come to think of it, Sunghoon’s thoughts about Sunoo had changed quite drastically in the last few days, it was oddly refreshing to see his old rival in a new light — a positive new light, his brain supplies. 

“There are no traces of black magic or remnants of any malicious spell,” Sunoo announces putting his wand down. “I want to take a look at everything you used that morning. In detail please.” 

“Okay well, I crashed on the couch on the night before the – incident?” Sunghoon leaves it in the air like a question. “I had been exhausted because I had been working a little more than I usually do. My day started from the couch, I woke up like usual, after dawn I think. I went to the toilet and then the kitchen to brew my tea. Then I had a cup of tea while reading a book. After finishing a third of it, there was a searing hot pain and then I blacked out.”  

Sunoo goes around the room and indeed there is a book and a cup haphazardly strewn across the floor. The cup, cracked along the rim, seems to have some stale dregs in it. Sunoo uses his magic to float both the book and the cracked cup into a clean ziplock bag. 

“Where are the tea leaves?” 

“Obviously in the kitchen.” Sunoo rolls his eyes, he really wants to smack Sunghoon on the back of his head but he stops only because they have more important matters to deal with.  

“Summon it, don’t touch it at all.”  

Sunghoon does as is told and makes the box of expensive tea leaves hover above Sunoo’s head until he opens up a bigger ziplock bag for him to drop the box into.

A nervous look crosses Sunghoon’s face, Sunoo isn’t quite sure but he thinks something is bothering him. “What is it?” Sunoo asks.

“And uh, it's not relevant to the case but Jaeyun asked for my help on a case derivative of his. I had been working on it the night before my own issue started, he feels like it's his fault but I’m certain it has nothing to do with my problem.”

“Ahh, that’s why he keeps giving you those pitiful glances whenever we discuss the problem.”

Sunghoon’s brows disappeared into his hairline. “You noticed?” 

“Yes I did, it was like the elephant in the room. I just gave you guys privacy thinking if you wanted to tell me, you would.”

“Wow.” Sunghoon is surprised. 

“I’d like to see your records about Jaeyun’s case, just in case there is a possibility of a potion reaction or such.” 

Sunghoon nods wringing his fingers together by his side. “Okay, sure we can pick it up on our way out.”

“Anything else?” Sunoo asks.

“I don’t think so... We just need that book in the attic and the records. Can you wait here while I go get the book?” 

Sunoo looks at him suspiciously. “Are you hiding something?” 

“Yeah, a dead body. You wanna see?” Sunghoon sasses away with an eye roll. “It’s just very crowded and stuffed, there’s not much room there.”

“Okay. But if you’re actually hiding a dead body...”

“Oh, c’mon Kim,” Sunghoon says exasperated, leaving a widely smiling Sunoo behind. 

Sunoo is sure there is no dead body but maybe seeing one would’ve made him happier. As a kid, Sunoo spent far too much time looking up serial killers and murderers in his spare time, he had an unhealthy obsession with murders and the thought of being around a dangerous person had always been thrilling. Riki had often called him out for his crazy fantasies but Sunoo had always wanted to talk to a killer once, he wanted to know the psychology, purely to understand the complexities of the human brain. 

Although come to think of it, Sunghoon in no way has the personality or potential to be a serial killer or murderer. 

The man in question, unbeknownst to the thoughts Sunoo had, went looking for the book in the attic. True to his word, the attic was stuffed with things, old heirlooms, keepsakes, junk, old equipment, piles of reference notes, and of course more books. Sunghoon loves reading much like his father yet the huge array of clutter he had to deal with now made books seem offputting.  He has a hard time finding the book amongst the tonne of other things, but when he does he lets out a triumphant sound. 

Sunghoon makes his way back to the living room and surprisingly finds Sunoo just where he left him, he seemed content looking at everything Sunghoon owned with a catlike interest. 

“You know it's surprising to see you seeing you sitting like this.”

“What now? Did you expect me to be cooking you a meal or doing the dishes?”

“I expected you to snoop around a bit or steal a custome-”

Sunoo folds his arms across his chest, affronted. “Hey! I do not steal your customers, it’s not my fault I'm so charming, and if you didn’t notice, the shop is not open for customers, so there’s no one else other than the two of us.”

“Charming my customers with discounts and free potions is stealing.” Sunghoon huffs. 

“Nah it’s not. It’s a marketing strategy, not my fault that your customer base falls for it.” Sunoo winks. “Let’s go.”

“Stupid,” Sunghoon mutters, dropping his revelio.

“Be quick, someone might see us. See me I mean.” Sunoo whisper-yells standing by the door. 

Sunghoon quickly takes his leather-bound journal and follows behind Sunoo as the said man makes his way out of the shop in the same way he came in, slinking through the shadows, holding his breath as if he is on some secret mission. It is only once they're safely inside Kims Kotions and the evidence is safely put away that Sunoo breathes a loud sigh of relief. 

Sunghoon tries to stop the chuckle bubbling out of his mouth, he has reasonable control of it when they have things to keep his mind busy with but now with the tough tasks done, he can’t ignore the humor.  

Sunoo shoots him with a revelio and looks at him flatly. “You think it’s funny?”

“Can’t say it’s not.”

“Amazing, I took all the measures to make sure your secret is not out and you think it’s funny.”

“I’m sorry, Kim. I really appreciate your efforts but you dressing up in all black and becoming one with the shadows just to get into the adjacent shop is a little amusing, at the very least.”

“Your sense of humor contrasts mine, it’s understandable since we never got along in the first place.”

Sunghoon frowns at him.“I beg to disagree, we would get along pretty well, we’ve managed to come along quite well till now.”

“Quite well?” Sunoo snorts. “We’ve barely been civil so far.”

“We’d make a great pair, we just don’t try.”

Sunoo’s brows furrow looking mildly abrasive. “Did you hit your head in the attic? You’re acting funny.” 

“You wish. And no it is not funny, maybe Jaeyun was right, maybe we just didn’t try.”

Sunoo stares down at Sunghoon, momentarily thrown. “You’ve gone bonkers! Maybe it’s the hunger getting to you. Are you cooking? I’m famished.”

“A good way to change the subject.” Sunghoon nods, inching closer to Sunoo ever so slightly. Did you have lunch?”

Sunoo shrugged and didn’t look up from the work at hand. “Maybe…”

“What does that mean? Are you one of those who drink coffee and call it lunch?” it’s now Sunghoons turn to look offended. 

Sunoo doesn’t spare him an answer, just vanishes into the inventory room. 

“Stupid brats, they should take their meals seriously!” Sunghoon mutter before stomping into the kitchen bent on cooking a feast to appease Sunoo’s poor empty stomach. 

************

Sunoo hadn’t expected to be ambushed in his own house. He had been unsuspectingly working on the pre-brewing necessities for Sunghoon’s scent potion when the said man barged into the inventory room. 

Sunghoon didn’t say anything just carefully removed the vials in Sunoo’s hands before tugging him gently towards the dining area, dropping the hand only once they were there. 

The gasp that escapes Sunoo’s mouth is unwarranted but befitting because in front of him is enough food and side dishes to feed three grown people, so much more food than he had ever seen on his small dining table except for when he had people over. 

“Oh, Merlin Sunghoon! I am not starved. This is too much!” Sunoo’s hands helplessly gesture to the table. 

“You missed lunch, this is just enough nutrition to make up for it besides it only looks too much because of the table size.”

Sunoo laughs aloud till he’s clutching his stomach because it’s certainly funny. It’s also ludicrous and wild and batshit crazy, they’re business rivals — they used to fight every other day, things aren’t supposed to be this way. This is undoubtedly the most touching and thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for him in a long while. Despite his earlier reaction, Sunoo’s throat grew tight with an emotion he didn’t care to examine. The more he looks at the table spread before him, the more emotions he is swamped with. He blinks against the sudden hot prickling behind his eyes and opens his mouth to speak but what comes out is only a wet hiccup alarming the life out of Sunghoon. 

“Why why what's wrong?” Sunghoon’s voice raises in pitch and his eyebrows shoot up in worry. 

Sunoo stays motionless, his breath quickens as he tries to rear in the tidal waves of raw feelings he is overcome with. 

Sunghoon wanted to reach out and hug Sunoo, but if he touched him he wasn’t sure how he would react, so he asks. “Can I hug you?” 

Sunoo shakes his head. 

Sunghoon nods in respect of his choice and goes in to lay a comforting hand on Sunoo’s shoulder instead, hoping it will offer some form of comfort to the younger. 

They stand there for a while, quiet and unmoving as Sunoo reigns in his tears. 

“Sometimes eating slips my mind,” Sunoo says out of nowhere after he has calmed down.

Sunghoon looks over at him, surprised. The tension in Sunoo’s voice matches the hard set of his jaw. “I’m sorry, I don’t follow,” Sunghoon says carefully. 

After a few moments, Sunoo sighs. “I get too engrossed in work sometimes and forget to eat. It’s not intentional but it happens ever so often that my body is now accustomed to going without eating three meals a day. No one else seemed to notice at first, even I didn’t, it’s been like that for years now. Jungwon and Riki noticed first and made me reminders to eat, and it got better over time. I try to keep up with my meals but sometimes I fall back into the same pattern.” 

Sunghoon understands, the said and the unsaid alike, it wasn’t about the food he made it was about the value attached to it. He would rather not put names to the feelings of others but he knew it meant a lot to Sunoo and he wanted to keep doing it for him.

Looking at Sunoo like that, the vulnerable side of him made Sunghoon’s insides alight with the intense urge to wrap Sunoo up in his arms and shield him away from sadness — he knows Sunoo wouldn't like it so he keeps his arms stuck by his side.

Sunghoon gently pulls back a chair for Sunoo, taking utmost care to not make a sound. "Take a seat, I'll bring the stew.” Sunoo occupies the chair making no attempt to hide his red-rimmed eyes and stuffy nose.

The air is thick with the remnants of emotion when Sunghoon returns with the bowl of stew. Sunoo looks far in thought and stiff, so much so that even his familiar, Koinonos, is looking at him with wide eyes from his perch at the loft. 

Sunoo mumbles a quiet thank you for the food before quietly digging in. 

“Let’s put in the effort,” Sunghoon says out of the blue. He would rather engage in mindless conversation than let the other man wallow in his thoughts. “The thing that Jaeyun said, let’s get to know each other better.”

Sunoo looks up, certainly confused by the sudden onslaught of Sunghoon’s request. “Huh?”

“We might be a better pair than you would care to think Sunoo-ssi.” Sunghoon attempts a welcoming smile 

“Are you for real? You want us to engage in small talk after everything we’ve done?”

Sunghoon remained fixated on his plate for a few moments more before taking a visibly deep breath and raising his head, staring straight into Sunoo’s eyes. The sudden movement made Sunoo jump, taken aback by the odd mix of determination and desperation in his expression. “I want to know you better. Besides what everything we’ve done?” 

Sunoo, at a loss for words, gestures with his hand. “You— Us, c’mon dude, we’re rivals. I’ve sabotaged your customers and tried dirty tricks on you to boost my sales. Not to forget, we had a huge ass argument last night.”

“We resolved it pretty well, I mean here we are today, after everything and it's not like I haven’t done the same.” Sunghoon deftly twirls his chopsticks between his fingers, he smirks once baiting Sunoo with a barely audible mumble, “Is there something you are afraid I’ll get to know?”

Sunoo, unable to back down from a challenge and eager to wipe the smirk off Sunghoon’s face agrees, nodding his head. “I have nothing to hide. Ask away.”

“We could start with easy things, I promise not to scour out your secrets at the first attempt.” Sunghoon’s smirk grows much to the dismay of Sunoo’s nerves. “How do you know about Mr. Murray, you never went to Seogangsan Wizarding School.” 

“Yes true, I went to Yonsei School of Magic. My cousin went to Seongangsan, he knew you as the school heartthrob. I’ve heard stories about you long before I met dad.”

“Not the heartthrob believers.” Sunghoon blushes. “I was just the normal kid.” 

Sunoo laughs at his shyness. “Is it my turn now? Let’s take turns asking questions. What’s your favorite color?

“White.” Sunghoon takes a bite of his food and pointedly asks Sunoo to do the same, lest the food goes cold.

“What’s your favorite color Sunoo-ssi?”

“Hey not fair, you can’t repeat questions, be original, loser.” Sunoo has a teasing smile on his face and no bite in his words inducing a smile from Sunghoon. 

“Who made the rules? I wanna know your favorite color too, you know mine, it's only fair.” Sunghoon wanted to laugh at their childish behavior.

“Green, mint green. But let's not repeat questions now.” 

Sunghoon did laugh a little at that. “We’re literally behaving like kids high on sugar.”

A hesitant smile blossomed across Sunoo’s face, bringing a sparkle to his eyes that Sunghoon hadn’t realized had gone missing since the conversation earlier. “Strangely it’s not bad,” Sunoo says before his eyes go wide. “Oh Merlin, did you add something to the food? Am I drugged? This is so out of character for me.”

Sunghoon bursts into deep loud hearty laughter. “You’re funny Kim, your brain-to-mouth filter stops when you’re happy, we do have something in common.”

“Do not try to link me to your level of silliness, I’m far better than you.” Sunoo scoffs holding back his wide grin for just long enough to look serious. 

If Sunghoon mimics him and breaks into a howling laughter to which Sunoo choruses with his own sweet laughs then it's no one's business but theirs. 

Once their plates are half empty and their laughter subsides, Sunghoon brings up another question. “Did you train your owl to hate me?”

“What?” Sunoo sputters. “He has a name and no I did not train Koinonos to hate you. The only time he has seen you was when you decided to drop by.” 

“Well, sure could have fooled me. He has this high and mighty look every time I look his way. And he ignored me this afternoon when I offered him a treat—”

Sunoo’s laughter booms through the room. “Nonos ignored you?” he wheezes.

Sunghoon frowns at him. “Yes, you must’ve told him something,”  he says because that seemed like a very Kim Sunoo thing to do.

“No! Absolutely not. I didn’t tell him anything. He must’ve not fancied you or something.” 

“But I’ve never done anything to him.” 

Sunoo’s laughs quieten to chuckles. “Well, all familiars have a mind of their own, maybe he feels intimidated by you.” 

“Oh, maybe. I’m not the most liked by familiars… I had a white Persian cat as a familiar once. Dad got her for my birthday when I turned thirteen, we didn’t get along well. She would always leave the room when I entered and refused to eat when I fed her.” Sunghoon narrates somberly. 

Sunoo bursts into laughter yet again.

“Hey, it’s not funny. She left me in a week, I didn’t even get to name her.” Sunghoon tells sadly, wistfulness marring his face.

That just makes Sunoo laugh even harder until he is holding his stomach. He can feel the tears building at the corners of his eyes but unlike before these tears are of pure unadulterated joy, washing away all traces of sadness. 

“You did this whole know-each-other thing just to ask me about nonos right?” Sunoo giggles, a smile blossoming across his face.

“My reason will be known by none but me. Let it be known that I’m an excellent secret keeper, trained in occlumency, you can never know my secrets until I want to reveal them.”

“I know that. Dad talked about it a lot, he had been super proud of your certificate of excellence but did you know that I’m an ambidextrous wand user.” 

“Hell no! Really? That’s so cool, I’ve only seen you use your right hand for everything. It’s so rare.” Sunghoon’s eyes gleam in astonishment making Sunoo’s lips extend into a soft smile.

“Yes, I started with a right-hand preference in wand bearing but I broke my arm in school once so I had to learn how to do everything with my left.”

“You never cease to amaze me Kim Sunoo,” Sunghoon mumbles in awe, detailing how he had also tried to use his left hand for wand magic once out of fascination only to break his mother’s favorite dinnerware. 

Sunoo listens to Sunghoon’s suddenly energetic spiel with delight, giving himself a moment more before looking back at Sunoo again, taking in how bright and hopeful his eyes were. Unsurprisingly, Sunghoon was a captivating narrator just like his father had told him to be. A lot of Sunoo’s knowledge about Sunghoon had been based on what he had heard from his dad, Mr. Park loved talking about his pride and joy, Sunghoon. Sunoo had always been an avid listener, he remembered the facts only their rivalry blindsided him to a lot of Sunghoon’s strong suits. It is only today that he realized the good side he had pointedly been overlooking.

“We should do this every day. There’s so much we don’t know about each other.” Sunghoon offers with big hopeful eyes. 

“We can, it was a good evening.” Sunoo smiles. “Thank you for the food, it was delicious. I’ll do the dishes.” Sunoo says, excusing himself from the table leaving a very dazed Sunghoon alone. 

Jaeyun is no seer but Sunghoon is quite certain that he had some divine knowledge that he and Sunoo would have fun together. Perhaps he has been right all along, they are similar in more than one aspect. Taking heed of Jaeyun’s advice led to a beautiful evening, it’s theatrical how easy it is to bond with his business rival, almost as if it was written in the star. 

Sunghoon’s faintly surprised at how different Kim Sunoo can be when he didn’t carry his animosity around like a shield. He didn’t know if this new openness would last, but he was determined to enjoy it as long as it did. There’s a lot to the other man that Sunghoon is yet to learn but he knew everything that was meant to happen would take place in the due course of time. After all, a rivalry like theirs cannot be overwritten in a day. 

Chapter Text

Sunoo is a workaholic bent on achieving perfection even at the cost of his own self, Sunghoon sensed this quite early into his arrival at Kims Kotions— he knew the signs all too well. Unsurprisingly during the course of a few days, Sunoo’s workaholic tendencies multiplied leaps and bounds leaving Sunghoon staring at empty walls while Sunoo sifted through books and worked on the scent potion during all his free time. 

In all of his, however, he never skipped meals, Sunghoon made sure to leave meals for Sunoo and he made sure to find time to eat. 

After the conversations of that night, Sunoo and Sunghoon progressed to acquaintainces. Sunoo kept himself busy with work but when the two of them sat together for meals, conversations flowed easily. 

Sunghoon admitted to his love for figure skating— a form of ice-skating he explained to Sunoo, so much so that he once tried to compete in a muggle competition but dropped out because he lacked documentation to register. 

Sunoo admitted to being terrible at potions as a kid and being teased for it, which made him work hard day and night and become one of the best potioners in South Korea. Sunghoon refused to believe it at first— the idea of Kim Sunoo being terrible at potions just didn’t sit right, but the sincerity in Sunoo’s stories made everything make sense. All the tireless effort he put into potions as a kid became his habit, he puts the same amount of energy and effort into his potions now as he did when he was learning the skill. 

Sunghoon talked about how much he hated being compared to others, his father talked so highly of Sunoo that he ended up comparing himself to him and competing against him since the day he took charge. Sunoo found it believable but at the same time stupid because Mr. Park adored his son, Sunghoon had no reason to feel insecure about anything. He told him that, reassuring him whenever his words started to stray in that direction.

Sunoo confessed that the reason he never called Sunghoon by his last name, even when Sunghoon called him Kim all the time because he respected Sunghoon’s father and his family a lot. Sunghoon found it endearing and thoughtful.

Their interactions and conversations however were limited to the dining table only, as soon as they finished eating, Sunoo would offer to wash the dishes and then go back to his work. 

For the time being, that was enough, the dinner table conversations were the only reason he smiled. The silence throughout the day was loud but Sunghoon could make do with it, Sunoo had been doing so much for him after all. 

Taking after Sunoo, Sunghoon also had busied himself in reading anything and everything he could find in relation to invisibilities. The amount of magical literature on invisibilities was incomprehensible, every time he flipped a page he got to learn something new. All invisibility cases are different with conditions, time frames, and reactions attached to them, which makes them highly intricate. 

Any other time, Sunghoon would have had a field day reading and learning about such varied new things however now that he’s searching for the solution to his invisibility, the vast amount of reference resources irk him to no end. 

In a back, hidden corner of his mind, Sunghoon also feared letting Sunoo down, he had put in him a significant amount of trust, and he planned on not disappointing him at any cost, even if that meant spending every waking moment working on the case.

His own selfish interests push him to action. 

“Hey, can you test the scent potion before going to bed?” Sunoo requests at an odd hour just as Sunghoon is about to drop his revilio and slip into his bed. 

This is the first thing Sunoo has asked of him so kindly, who is he to decline, so he nods and follows Sunoo into the shop. 

Sunoo gestures for him to sit as he uncorks a small vial with a translucent liquid. “Drink this while holding your breath. Count till three and then drop the revelio, it is not very potent now, the last bits of the brewing instructions were missing so I’m working on that right now, don't have very high expectations.” 

“Okay.” Sunghoon takes a deep breath and downs the potion just as instructed, he then drops the revelio and waits. 

Sunoo smiles when the scent wafts up his nose. “It works, I can smell it distinctly. You now have the scent of saltwater and lime grass. It will cling to you for as long as the potion lasts, which in this case should be around two hours but I’ve gotten hold of phoenix egg shells, which will help in prolonging the effect.”

“But why lime grass and salt water?”

“Because that's my favorite smell and if I have to identify you around the house by your scent then I’d rather choose something I like.” 

Sunghoon’s cheeks feel warm, smelling like Sunoo’s favorite scent felt strangely cozy, a small secret just their own, no one else knows that Park Sunghoon smells like Kim Sunoo’s scent.

Don’t be a weirdo. He chided himself. 

“Thank you, that would be all. You can go back to bed now.” 

Sunghoon watches Sunoo’s back as he disappears into his storage room. “Please sleep early, you need rest.” He calls out after him, he doesn’t want to impose but the words tumble out of his mouth faster than he can stop them. He stood there, waiting for Sunoo to react. 

Sunoo returns with a box marked ancillary hoofs. “I’m fine, I’ll finish up a few things and then head to bed. There’s a lot to do.”

“Tell me what’s to be done, I can help. We can finish up early.” Sunghoon answers back hopefully. 

“There’s not much you can do, I’m testing out reactive for your potion for now. I’d rather I do it myself. Not that you’re a bad potioner,” Sunoo adds swiftly. “I just like working on analytical things myself.” 

Sunghoon blanches and nods making his way back to his bed with colder limbs and a leaden heart. All the effort Sunoo has been putting into the fix him was remarkable. They may have found common ground and gotten over their petty fights but they were still not friends and Sunoo has every reason to not help him yet despite it all he’s spending so much time and energy on it. Sunghoon feels grateful for the help but also guilty for putting the young man through so much unwarranted trouble. Keeping Sunoo well fed was a means for reliving the guilt but now that Sunoo has been working day and night, anything he did in return felt insignificant. 

He never liked being dependent on anyone and tried everything to not be an inconvenience to others. 

That night he falls asleep thinking about the things he can do to help Sunoo. 

*********

Sunghoon finds a reasonable solution to his plight the following day when he sees Sunoo go through a huge pile of reports. Sunoo is reading through the bundle in his hand with extreme concentration, a pair of spectacles sit low on the bridge of his nose. 

“Are these for my case?” 

Sunoo looks up at Sunghoon and nods. For a moment Sunghoon forgets how to breathe, he has never seen the other man wearing glasses. Kim Sunoo in his lightly wired round spectacles is a sight that shouldn’t be seen by the rest of the world solely because of the fact that he looks so good .

Sunghoon cleared his throat pretending to be unaffected. “Let me help you. I can read half and you can go over the rest. ” 

Sunoo looks at him like he asked for his gallbladder. “These are boring and very detailed.”

“I’ll be fine,” Sunghoon grins.

“Well, suit yourself.”  

All in all, it was one of the longest afternoons Sunghoon had spent at the workstation in Kims Kotions. Even Sunoo wasn’t immune to it, though he spent the first few hours happily engrossed in his potions reference books. At precisely noon, they took a short break for tea in the kitchen, during which Sunghoon had nattered on about potion ingredients and all the different ways they could interact, and they had gone back to the table. 

Sunghoon took a short break and prepared the quickest meal, ramen, for the two of them which they ate while reading in silence. For a while, Sunghoon had gone on well enough with the arrangement, but as the afternoon slanted into the evening, he’d begun rubbing at his eyes every few minutes and fidgeting in his seat.

“We should call it a day, that’s too many words for a day,” Sunoo announces taking off his spectacles and letting them clamber on the table. 

“I agree, would you like some hot chocolate?” Sunghoon tidies up his pile of readings which he had segregated as useful, useless, and unread. 

“Yes please, I think sugar is the only way to fix my brain.” 

“Wait here, I’ll be back.” 

“Do you need any help?” Sunoo calls out after him

“Nah, just wait there. I’ll be back in a minute.” 

Sunghoon comes back a few minutes later carrying a tray with a plate of cookies and two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. He places the tray on the coffee table and plops on the loveseat, patting the space next to him. 

Sunoo follows the wonderful smell of the sugary goodness and finds himself on the loveseat. 

Sunghoon hands him a mug and sinks back into the plush soft chenille, he waits for Sunoo’s assessment, peering at him through the corner of his eyes. 

External validation is a need. 

“You even added tiny marshmallows, I’m impressed.” Sunoo blows into the mug before taking a cautious sip, the sweet liquid warms its way down his food pipe. “Wow, I might just keep you around and ask you to make this for me every day.” 

Sunghoon smiles over his mug. 

“I didn’t even know I had marshmallows in my kitchen.”

“They were in the very back of the cereal shelf. I found them on accident one morning.” 

Sunoo laughs. “At this point, you know my kitchen and house better than me.”

“I mean yes, I do cook every day.” 

“You’re the perfect male wife material. What do you think about changing your last name to mine?” Sunoo smirks earning him a slap across the back of his head. 

“I don’t understand you. You’re annoying and cheeky but also aloof and addicted to your work.” Sunghoon wasn’t sure if he phrased it right but Sunoo’s mood swings were getting to him, and he failed to understand where he stood. It was extremely unnerving to try to figure out if he was going to deal with moody workaholic Sunoo or frivolous goofy Sunoo because he switched personas within a flick of a finger. “This is so different from how you’ve been in the week earlier. Do you have split personalities or something?” 

“No,” Sunoo chucked. “I just have a one-track mind when I’m working. I like to finish my work before I relax which mostly doesn't happen, so I’m mostly stressed. But I am quite talkative when I’m not busy and not tired.” 

Sunghoon feels the guilt rising up again. He looks away. “I’m sorry for putting you through so much trouble.” 

“Don’t be. It must be far more stressful for you. As a matter of fact, I should be apologizing for making you go through my mood swings. I’m sorry.”

Another thing that changed between the duo was their openness, it was so much easier to say things, apologies, thank you’s and good mornings were an easy exchange. Sunoo is a lot softer now that the murky waters have been crossed, all the venom in his words has dissolved away leaving him softer on the edges. He is still snarky but Sunghoon finds it tasteful and entertaining. It’s playful banter. 

“I’ll work hard on finding a solution, once I’m back I’ll treat you to the finest hanwoo.” 

Sunoo lets out a bellowing laugh. “Everyone will have a field day seeing us eating together. I’m pretty sure we could make it to the local tabloids, Kim Sunoo and Park Sunghoon were caught dining together after years of arguing and rivalry.” 

Sunghoon laughs along at the thought. “Remember when we argued during the town festival, they had to set Jungwon and Jaeyun on duty to keep us apart.” 

Sunoo snickers keeping his empty mug on the coaster. “Why did we even argue so much?” 

“I don’t know. I was just jealous that Dad loves you more.”

“No, he doesn’t! He loves you the most, he had a personal library in his shop because you liked reading, you’re in all of the photo frames he hung on the wall, he even painted his shop in dark tones because you—”

“Because I told him to. I know.” Sunghoon smiles fondly. “My brain just does this thing sometimes, and I succumb to it.

Sunoo nods. “I understand, mine does too.” 

“I first came to meet you when you moved in, right before you took over Elements and Essences officially. We had met before but that day I wanted to introduce myself as your next-door neighbor and possibly friend. But I walked in on you telling Jaeyun that you didn’t want to be neighbors with me, you said something along the lines of me being too annoying and attention-hungry. Needless to say, I went back without saying a word, for the longest time my dislike for you stemmed from what I heard that day. From all the stories that Mr. Park told, you were to be a good neighbor and a wonderful man but all I could see was a bratty kid who hated me.”

Sunghoon slaps a hand over his face. “I’m so sorry. I was going through a stupid phase then. When I was about to move in all Dad talked about was Kim Sunoo, if you need anything tell Sunoo, be friends with Sunoo, Sunoo is the best potioner. It really irked me to no end, I was just jealous and when I actually met you, you were just as amazing as he had said. I was obviously ruffled by you and all that pent-up aggression came out in an ugly way.” 

Sunoo chuckles. “I thought you made Elements and Essences into a potions shop in retaliation because I had a potion shop so you added a line of business too.”

“No! Absolutely not. I introduced potions at Elements and Essences because potions are the one thing I’m actually good at. I always found potions interesting, dad gave me my first play alchemy set when I was four. I’ve been fascinated with potions since then. I added a potions line because I wanted to do something I liked doing.” 

“You’re very competitive.” 

Sunghoon nods. “Yes, that’s why I wanted to be the best and win in any possible case. I don’t usually use my looks to garner customers but a little flirting worked in my favor. You were the best and I had to do something to get business.” 

“Yeah. I hate losing too so all your tricks had to be repaid in multiples obviously. I don’t pull pranks often and I definitely fight people like I did with you. It’s alarming how different I am with you.”  

“We’re just the same.” Seunghoon smiles showing his pointy canines. “We would’ve been great friends if I wasn’t an idiot.”

“Both of us were idiots. But that's fine, we can be friends now. Better late than never.” Sunoo reaches out and holds his hand out with a grin. 

“Better late than never.” Sunghoon beams clasping Sunoo’s hands and shaking it. 

It’s wonderful to be friends with your rival, especially when the rival has small soft hands and warm skin. Something about holding Sunoo’s warm hand sent tingles up Sunghoon’s arms, his heart raced and his palms became moist. They had put each other through so much, and now, everything seemed to hang in the balance. Their hands trembled slightly, yet neither had any desire to let go.

In that simple act of holding hands, it was as if their souls had intertwined, their magic reaching out across the divide to find solace and understanding. Sunghoon could feel that this tingly connection was more than just a physical sensation; his magic had gone out to feel Sunoo, it wasn’t very common. In that brief touch, he had felt the essence of Sunoo—his strength, his vulnerability, and the depth of his emotions.

The tingling goes away as soon as they lose contact. Sunghoon eyes Sunoo, waiting for him to say something about the bizarre experience, but he doesn’t. Sunoo just reaches out to take a cookie from the plate.

It was just a speck of your imagination. Sunghoon frowns at the voice in his head. 

“While we are on the topic, I think you should tell Dad.” 

Sunghoon doesn’t like the idea but chooses not to outwardly disagree. “I will if we don’t find something soon.” 

“No, you should tell him in any case, what if something goes wrong.”

Sunghoon remembers the troubled look his dad would wear whenever he or someone in his family was in a problem, he looked older than his years when he was worried. A situation like his own would definitely result in a lot of sleepless nights and poor health for his father, Sunghoon wanted to avoid it until it was extremely necessary, and besides Sunoo was skilled enough to handle it. 

“Nothing will go wrong. You’ll make sure of it.” Sunghoon looks at him sincerely. 

“Of course. You’re my responsibility now, if anything happens to you I’ll go crazy,” Sunoo blushes at the light implication his words carry.

Sunghoon laughs. “Your secret is out, you love me.”’

Sunoo snorts “Your sense of humor is appalling.” 

“But I did make you snort a laugh.” Sunghoon waggles his brows.  

“Yeah, I’m stupid enough to like idiotic things.” 

“Kim Sunoo, you can accept that you like me, I won't mind,” Sunghoon chirps boldly taking Sunoo’s hand in his. 

“Over my dead body,” Sunoo snatches his hand away rolling his eyes. 

Sunghoon leans close. “So you’re saying this doesn’t affect you?”

Suddenly the air is hotter and breathing is harder. Sunoo can count the moles and light freckles on Sunghoon’s face. But he doesn’t back down from a challenge. 

“Nah, even This doesn’t affect me,” Sunoo says leaving in closer. “I can lean in and whisper in your ear and you’ll be at my mercy.” He smirks.

“Try it.” Sunghoon feigns confidence knowing all too well the result if Sunoo actually acted out his threat. 

“I’ll save it for another day,” Sunoo smirks stroking Sunghoon’s ears with the pad of his thumb. 

Sunghoon holds onto the end of the shirt but he’d rather eat ash than give in first. 

The air is thick with competitiveness and something else they both don’t address. One competitive idiot is bad enough, two competitive idiots who hate losing is the recipe for madness. 

“Pretty sure this makes your heart flutter,” Sunghoon leans forward and plants a kiss on Sunoo’s cheek. 

Sunoo’s eyes widen comically, his fingers touch the area Sunghoon’s lips had been on, it felt a little warm. His blood rushes up his cheeks within seconds his cheeks and his neck turning crimson, much like a fever flush.

Sunghoon himself is surprised but doesn’t lean out of Sunoo’s space.

“Yah! Park Sunghoon are you crazy?” 

Sunghoon’s eyes cross a little when he looks into Sunoo’s pretty brown sparkling eyes. “Why is your face so close?”

“You idiot,” Sunoo yelps and pushes him back, so strongly that Sunghoon wobbles in his seat. 

Sunghoon watches Sunoo’s back in horror as he disappears into his room. 

What was I thinking? He internally screams, head in hand. He can’t think of one sensible thought in his brain for what happened except for the fact that Sunoo looks adorable with blush and that his cheeks are super soft. 

Both of his thoughts however are not socially acceptable and if they were expressed out loud, everyone would think he is a creep. Sunoo probably already thinks he is a creep. 

“Stupid, stupid, stupid.” He moans into his hands. 

He recovers in a few minutes, instead of letting himself wallow, Sunghoon picks up the watering can and goes about his routine of watering the hanging baskets, and troughs of flowers on the windowsill. 

Sunoo’s workaholic tendencies worried him enough to warrant him to borrow some magical herbs and flowers from his shop to dispel the environment. He very recently planted some popilian seeds— believed to strengthen magic and infuse calmness in the environment, perfect for people who stress a lot. He just wanted to make sure Sunoo was alright and not doubling over with stress while he worked.

While watering the plants, he lets his mind wander, he remembers something he read in the manuscript, Saralyatic Fumes , which was underlined multiple times by the previous reader .

Nostelias Moernial, an invisibility condition of wizards when they are exposed to Saralyatic Fumes. 

There’s a wide range of potions, ingredients, reagents, and reactants yet that name sounds vaguely familiar. Sunghoon keeps the watering can back in place before returning to his readings. He looks through the readings until he finds an elaborate description of what he is looking for. 

“Oh hell!” 

“Sunoo,” Sunghoon hollers.

“Kim Sunoo!”

“Why are you screaming bloody murder?” Sunoo grumbles emerging from the house. He falters seeing the huge grin on Sunghoon’s face. 

“I found it,” Sunghoon declares with a triumphant grin.

“What?” 

“I figured out what is wrong with me!” 

“What!?” Sunoo comes to a stop. 

“Stop gaping and read this,” 

Sunoo takes a moment to get his bearings together, soon he is peering over Sunghoon’s shoulder, eyes dancing over the words. 

Saralyatic fumes are the subliminal reactive fumes that result from, mayner’s potion dissolving in horntail blood, from a wrongly brewed milk of fae, or a heat-absorbing reaction between visorial figen and tuining turns. 

“Okay but how is it related to your invisibility?” 

“The day before this started, I was working for Jaeyun, after completing his potion I had some leftover ingredients, courtesy Brighthit Corporation. So I decided to play around with whatever was left, I do it all the time and sometimes end up making great potions.”

“Not understanding where you’re getting at?” Sunoo looks confused. 

“The leftover ingredients with me were furian grains, tipping zanes, jahse leaves, hawk feathers, among other things. I added them in random order and made a slimy goop, which was auburn in color. What else is slimy and auburn in color and an end product of those ingredients?” Sunghoon flips through the pages, pointing at a section.“Tunining turns. I was brewing a potion from memory, something I had read in Grandpa’s old collection years ago but I didn’t know its name, only the method of brewing.” 

“You brewed Tuining Turns that night,” Sunoo lets out unbelieving. “That’s one of the toughest testing potions required to get an internationally valid brewing license.”

Sunghoon blushes. “Yeah well, I didn’t mean to. But anyways, I ended up thinking the gooey thing was just a useless by-product and disposed it off along with the leftover ingredients.” 

“Was viscorial figen one of the ingredients?” 

Sunghoon nods. “I was closing my ingredients ledger but accidentally fell asleep in the brewing room, at some point I woke up and went to bed but I guess till then the deed was already done. The fumes from the reaction must have already worked on my body. We know what caused it, now you just need to brew the potion of feather trims according to the instructions in this book and we’ll be done.”

Sunoo pinches the bridge of his nose. “I can’t even decide if I should praise you for being a potion’s genius or scold you for being a stupid adult, do not overwork yourself and for the sake of Merlin, do not play with the potions ingredients. ”

Sunghoon grins cheekily, “It’s only a one-time thing. I don’t accidentally make invisibility-causing fumes every day.” 

“Yeah, thank god! Otherwise, the whole town would be in trouble.” 

Sunghoon rolled his eyes, “Now that you know the cause and the solution, you can start brewing it soon.” 

“Of course, but from Monday, we don’t work on Sundays and besides Jungwonie invited me for brunch.” 

“Yeah great. I can take some time to myself.” 

Sunoo rests his hip against the table, gauging the other man curiously. “You’re unhappy about something.”

Sunghoon smiles shaking his head. 

Sunoo leans in to take a closer look, frowning when he sees the smile still stretching across Sunghoon’s lips.

“What?” The word comes out a little more breathless than Sunghoon intends it to.

Sunoo takes that in, head tilting a bit, his gaze probing as he watches Sunghoon. “I haven’t seen a smile like that aimed at me for a while, and I don’t like it.” his voice is quiet, the words simple, but somehow they send a shiver down Sunghoon’s spine. 

“You have a catalog of the types of smiles I have?” 

Sunoo snorts softly at that, but he’s in front of Sunghoon now, towering over his seated form. “Not a catalog, but I can tell when it’s not genuine.”

There’s a moment where Sunghoon considers his options, in the end, he sighs, letting himself lean against the chair. “It’s really annoying that you can read me now,” he mutters.

Sunoo chuckles at the obvious pout in his tone. “What is it?”

“You didn’t congratulate me on finding the cause and the remedy.”

“Damn, my bad.” Sunoo smiles lightly. “Let me make it right,” He reaches out his hand and places it on Sunghoon’s head, gently patting it. “Great work Sunghoonie.”

It feels good to have Sunoo’s hand in his hair, he wants him to keep going, the feeling is warm like basking under the sun in a feild of wildflowers. He feels happiness, like a cozy fireplace on a winter's night, radiating warmth throughout a room. The moment will linger in his memories, like the faint scent of burning wood, reminding him of a time when warmth engulfed him completely.

Everything with Kim Sunoo is unforgettable, their fights, the occasional flirting, the banter, the shared meals, but in all of it the times he spent in the presence of the soft, endearing boy Sunoo are the ones he cherishes the most. 

“Let's celebrate.” Sunghoon mirrors Sunoo’s expression. “I want to have a strawberry-flavored cake with chocolate icing…” He goes on to elaborate about the kind of cake he wants. Sunoo listens to him attentively, the fond smile he has on his face doesn’t fade away.  

********

"What's your alcohol tolerance?" Sunoo asks placing a sizably large assortment of soju on the soban.

Sunghoon eyes the bottles of flavored soju and regular soju with mild interest. "I'm not much of a drinker. One bottle makes me tipsy. One and a half makes me happy and giggly. Around two makes me brutally honest. I usually black out on my third bottle."

"That's crazy. Do you keep a log of your activities when you drink?" Sunoo says in disbelief. "Weirdo." 

Sunghoon snorts. "Why are you judging me for being precise? You are so particular about the coffee and how much caffeine you consume in a day."

Sunoo rolls his eyes, overcome by a sudden urge to smack Sunghoon. "That's not a suitable comparison. That's coffee and this is alcohol. You have to be weirdly sober to understand your tolerance so well or you always have company over."

"Are you jealous that I drink with people?" Sunghoon smirks. He pours out a drink for Sunoo and himself. 

“Absolutely! I barely have time to drink let alone drink with company. I have no idea about my soju limits. Jungwon and Riki don’t like soju so we always have beer together.” Sunoo huffs downing the drink in one go. 

Thoroughly amused by how adorably annoyed Sunoo is acting, Sunghoon clinks his glass with Sunoo’s now empty glass. “Cheers. We’re drinking buddies from now. Let’s catch up over soju  every month.” 

Sunoo nods in agreement. “Let’s meet on the last Friday of every month and drink together. We can invite Jaeyun too.” 

“Nah, let’s keep this thing exclusively between us. Just you and meet catching up over a few rounds of soju.” 

“Deal.” Sunoo pours another drink for both of them. “But we’ll split the bill every time. I will not pay for such expensive alcohol on my own again.” 

Sunghoon guffaws a laugh. “Sure.” 

“Do you want some cake? Sugar makes the alcohol more potent.” 

Sunghoon eyes the piece of pure goddess resting on the table with starry eyes. 

Sunoo had gone to buy the drinks after their discussion while he stayed back and cooked for them. Sunghoon had almost crashed into the kitchen counter when he saw Sunoo return with plenty of alcohol and a cake. A Strawberry-flavored cake with chocolate icing and blueberries on the top, just like Sunghoon had nattered about. He didn’t even think Sunoo had been listening, he was, and he remembered every single detail. Sunghoon knew that this kind of cake was not made commonly and was only sold by an old bakery at the very end of the street two blocks down. 

Sunghoon is equally surprised and touched by the action. It isn’t just cake, it’s so much more. 

“Yes please.” Sunghoon answers. 

Sunoo gets up and goes to the kitchen to find a plate and a cutlery. Sunghoon sits with the same sparkle in his eyes, waiting for the other man. Sunoo cuts him a piece of cake and holds it for Sunghoon to take. Sunghoon with childlike joy takes the first bite. 

The burst of flavors on his tongue is distinctly different from the tingling in his cheeks, his smile is unstoppable. “It’s so good!” 

Sunoo smiles in return. “I’m glad.”

Sunghoon holds out his chopsticks, a generous portion of cake caught in it. “You eat it too.” He offers it to Sunoo like it is the most obvious thing in the world.

Sunoo eats and Sunghoon watches for a reaction. The flush in Sunoo’s cheeks is a result of alcohol— sugar doesn’t make people blush, alcohol does. “It’s great,” Sunoo says. 

Sunghoon gives him a satisfied grin. He pours them both another drink. 

“Tell me a secret.” 

Sunghoon looks at him carefully, trying to figure out if he means it or not. He is not used to the carefree nonchalance Sunoo has been emitting today. 

Sunoo runs his fingers along the edge of the table, waiting patiently for an answer. He doesn’t look very drunk, his eyes glazing over just slightly.

“You wanna know about my scandalous school secret?” Sunghoon feels like telling Sunoo everything, even the things he never told anyone. How can he not when Sunoo looks at him like this— glazed eyes, parted lips, and flushed cheeks, he can ask anything and Sunghoon will do. He wants to. 

Sunoo nods. 

“I hooked up with a senior from my school on school grounds. He was about to graduate and I liked frisky things then.” There’s a smile on his lips. “It was thrilling.”  

“He?” Sunoo raises a brow. His own glass is empty, so he takes Sunghoon’s glass and takes a swig. 

Sunghoon hesitates, his throat dry as he struggles to form the words. He fidgets with the hem of his shirt, anxiety coiling in his chest. He doesn’t want to lose all the progress Sunoo because of the people he is attracted to. “Are you going to judge me for my sexual preferences?” he finally manages to say, his voice barely above a whisper.

Silence hangs in the air, heavy and suffocating. Sunghoon’s heart races, his mind racing with all the possible reactions Sunoo can have. He fears judgment, rejection, and the loss of the bond they had built. They had become friends just this afternoon, he would hate for it to end like this. Living in the same house will also be so awkward.

Sunoo’s expression softens. He reaches out, placing a hand on Sunghoon’s trembling one. "Sunghoon, I cannot judge you for this, not when I’m the same as you. Thank you for sharing this with me.”

Relief washes over Sunghoon like a tidal wave. The fear that had consumed him began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of happiness.

"I was so scared," Sunghoon admits, his voice raw with vulnerability. "Scared of losing you, of being judged."

Sunoo caresses the back of his hand, rubbing small circles. “Let me tell you a secret too.” He says. 

Sunghoon nods. 

“You know Lee Heeseung, the Potions Master at Seongsan.” Sunghoon nods “I had a huge crush on him for six years. He’s my sister’s best friend and came over to our house very often. I struggled with potions so he tutored me for a while. My interest in Potions grew at first because I wanted to impress him, but then I realized how interesting Potions actually is. But yeah, I liked him like crazy.” 

Sunghoon’s mouth is agape. “But he’s at least five years older than us!” 

“He’s five years older than me.” Sunoo pours himself a drink. “Kim Sunoo from before just didn’t care.”

“Do you like older men?” 

“I don’t know, I just liked him.” 

“I can’t imagine you and him, even in my mind.” 

Sunoo laughs. “I have some photos, wait.” He gets up and goes to the house, leaving Sunghoon simmering alone with his thoughts. Sunoo is back with a thick album. 

Sunghoon’s stomach twists. 

“Here.” He places the album in Sunghoon's hand, open to a page in the very middle of the album. “This is us when I was in high school. We looked cute together.” 

Sunghoon looks at the photo, Heeseung’s arm around Sunoo and the bright smile on Sunoo’s face. 

“This is when we went to the amusement park.” It’s a group photo, Sunoo, Heeseung, and two other girls, probably Sunoo’s sisters. Sunoo and Heeseung stand side by side flanked by the girls on either side. 

Sunoo puts away the album but the reminiscent smile on his face stays. 

Sunghoon’s hand tightens around his chopsticks. The question is at the tip of his tongue. Do you still like him? He can’t bring himself to voice it. He rephrases it well and asks, “Do you like someone now?” 

Sunoo, who is taking a bite of the fried lotus stems, chokes. He’s coughing wildly. Sunghoon pours him a glass of water and rubs his back. “Thanks,” Sunoo mumbles after the coughing subsides. 

“So do you?” Sunghoon prods, unable to let it go without knowing an answer. “Like someone now I mean.” He feels tipsy.

Sunoo blushes, the flush rises from his neck, coasting his cheeks and stopping only when the tips of his ears are a shade of crimson. He nods averting his gaze. 

The blush on Sunoo’s cheeks makes him look beautiful, Sunghoon would appreciate it any other time but for now, he is focusing solely on keeping his brows from furrowing unpleasantly. They had lived together for weeks yet this is the first time Sunoo has not responded to a question in speech. Sunghoon doesn’t like it much. 

“Forget about all this, tell me about your birthday plans. Your birthday is on the 8th of December right?” Sunoo says opening a bottle of peach flavour soju. He pours a drink in both of their glasses. 

Sunghoon counts the four empty bottles on the table mentally. “Hmm, There’s still two weeks. I haven’t made any plans for now.” 

Sunoo’s eyes light up. “Now that we are friends I should give you a gift. What kind of things do you like?” 

Receiving a gift from a friend can evoke a range of emotions depending on the circumstances and the nature of the gift. Mostly Sunghoon feels gratitude while holding the gift, today he’s feeling a giddy joy, and he doesn’t even have a gift in hand, just a flimsy statement indicating he might be getting a gift from Sunoo. 

All of the liquid courage he gathers from the alcohol comes out in the form of confident words. “Go on a birthday date with me.” Sunghoon knows he’s a little past the tipsy level. 

“What?” Sunoo’s mouth is agape.

“Date. Birthday date. Humans go on birthday dates with their friends all the time. I want to go on one too, with you.” 

Sunoo eyes him suspiciously, he is not very well versed in the customs and trends in the human world but he deems humans capable of coming up with bizarre customs. “Okay.” He nods. Everything else aside, he thinks he can humor Sunghoon for a day, it is his birthday plan after all. “But I’ll decide everything down to what outfits we wear on that day.” 

“Deal.” Sunghoon clinks his glass with Sunoo.

Two bottles of soju and a lot of food later Sunghoon suddenly breaks a long spell of silence that had settled in between them. “You have really pretty fingers.” 

Sunoo giggles eyeing his fingers with thinly veiled amusement. “I played the piano for eight years, of course, my fingers look pretty.” 

Sunghoon frowns, a minuscule pout forming on his lips. “You never played for me.” 

“Because we don’t have a piano here silly. It’s been at least ten years since I last played.” 

“I want to hear you play someday. Will you play for me?” Sunghoon sighs. 

"What color do you think I am? Which color reminds you of me?" Sunoo retorts instead of answering the question. From the range of his actions and his slurred words, Sunghoon knows he’s drunk. 

He thinks for a while before answering. “You're orange. At first, I thought of you as red, blaring danger but then your soft sides came to the surface, the more honest and bright sides. You're orange according to me, a mix of yellow and red. Yellow like the bright sunshine and the red of passion and danger." 

Sunoo hmms, Sunghoon can’t understand if it's appreciative or disappointed. 

"You’re white," Sunoo announces. 

Sunghoon frowns. “You're just calling me bland and simple."

“Nope,” Sunoo shakes his head. "You remind me of white because you're pure in your heart. You always keep everything clean and tidy. And you bring out new sides of others, just like white when mixed with any color brings out a new shade, you make people evolve, shed skins, and turn into new leaves."

Sunghoon blushes bright red, he curls into himself feeling too perceived. "Um– Thank you I guess.” 

Sunoo beams, glad to see Sunghoon turn ten shades of red in under a minute. “My pleasure.” 

Sunghoon knows Sunoo is entering the brutal honest phase when he randomly confesses “I like holding hands.” He says it so casually out of the blue, surprising the both of them.  

“Can I kiss your hand?” Tomorrow, Sunghoon will question the entire plane of existence and the reasoning behind his actions. Tonight he will do whatever he pleases, they can always blame it on the alcohol, they are too drunk to bother anyway. 

Sunoo doesn’t think, he just nods, holding out his hand for Sunghoon to take and kiss. 

Sunghoon shuffles closer to Sunoo, their knees brushing against each other, the ghost of heat emanating from their flesh, mingling together. 

Sunghoon’s heart races as he takes Sunoo’s hand delicately in his, and their gazes meet together. He is just centimeters away from him, he can smell the scent of Sunoo’s hands, they smell just like the rest of him, fruity and fresh, with a hint of the smell of soju. Sunoo’s soft fingers tighten around his. Sunghoon dares not to take a breath. The air between them crackles with anticipation. With a gentle, yet confident tug, he raises Sunoo’s hand to his lips, his warm breath caressing his skin.

He presses his lips gently on Sunoo’s skin, it’s an innocent contact, delicate flesh on flesh. Sunghoon’s nose presses into the back of his hand— the scent of Sunoo engrains in his mind. Just like the feeling of his skin. Sunghoon can forget about his whole existence but he will never be able to forget Sunoo, not after today. 

Sunoo shivered, feeling a surge of electricity shoot through his body as Sunghoon’s moist lips made contact with the back of his hand. The kiss is tender, a floaty brush of his lips against his delicate flesh. It sends a shiver down his spine.

Sunghoon’s kiss is a gesture of respect, reverence, and a hint of desire woven within. As he releases his hand, their eyes meet once again, the raw desire in their eyes is not lost on either. 

Is it my place to ask for more?

Just then an owl swoops in dropping a letter on the table. The both of them jump apart, startled and embarrassed in a moment of clarity. 

In the dimly lit room, an invisible tension hung thick like a heavy fog. The both of them sit face to face, their eyes averted and their bodies rigid as if caught in a frozen tableau. Awkwardness crackles in the air, electrifying the atmosphere with its palpable tension.

They fidget like marionettes with tangled strings, their movements out of sync as if dancing a hesitant and awkward waltz. The silence between them echoes loudly, the weight of unspoken words pressing upon their shoulders, making their breaths shallow and hesitant.

Sunoo is the one to break the silence, picking up the letter. “It’s from Jaeyun,” he says “He’s leaving for a business trip tomorrow morning. He said he wanted to visit us before going but it’s very urgent and unavoidable. He has asked both of us to be amicable and not fight. He’ll be gone for a week, it’s a high-priority mission so he’ll be in no contact for three weeks or so.”

Sunghoon nods, he’s listening to Sunoo but also nitpicking his actions, the way he breathes heavily and averts his eyes. Their gazes, which were like like-magnets are now repelled by each other. Their eyes dart anywhere but towards each other. Sunghoon’s gaze seeks solace in the safety of the floor while Sunoo looks at the distant horizon outside the window. 

“We should tell him about the progress we made today.” 

“Hmm, he will be more at ease after knowing how close we are to ending this madness.” 

Sunoo gets up gathering their dirty dishes. “Can you write back to him while I do the dishes? Koinonos can deliver the letter before his departure then.” 

Sunghoon nods staggering a little when he gets up. 

All of this is because of the alcohol. He mentally scolds himself for not keeping a check on his alcohol consumption. 

He finds the letter parchment and quill on Sunoo’s workstation. For a minute he sits to think about what he should write in the letter, being friends with Sunoo is progress enough to be boasted about, Jaeyun would love it.

In the end, he decides to keep it simple and save the personal details for when they meet in person. He didn’t want to jinx his newfound friendship and the alcohol-induced honesty was not something he was willing to privy anyone else to.

Right when he concludes the letter, his hands start to shiver, not the usual nervous kind of tremors he gets sometimes but actual shivers. Sunghoon puts his quill down and takes a few claming deep breaths, his chest however feels heavy. 

He opens his mouth to call Sunoo but before he can get the words out, he collapses on the ground, losing all consciousness. 

*****

Sunghoon feels a surge of magic in his veins, his core doubling over at the spell. His eyes feel too heavy but he knows he has been cast a spell on. It feels warm and comfortable.

“—hoon. Sunghoon?”

As Sunghoon slowly regains consciousness, his senses gradually return, one by one. He feels a dull throbbing in his temples, accompanied by a disorienting haze that clouds his mind. Blinking his eyes open, he finds himself lying on a cold, hard surface, the floor. 

The room around him swims into focus, and he realizes he is lying on the floor in Sunoo’s shop. 

Sunoo. 

He can see Sunoo leaning over him looking frantic, he seems to be casting spells, wand pointed right at Sunghoon. He tries to lift his hand and push Sunoo’s wand away, but a wave of dizziness washes over him, forcing him to stay put on the ground.

As his vision clears, he notices Sunoo pause, there’s a mix of relief and worry etched on his face. Sunoo’s hand instinctively reached out to grasp his, lacing their fingers together. "Thank goodness you're awake," he whispers.

“No wands out after 11 PM. House rules are for both of us” Sunghoon says as loudly as he can. 

Sunoo’s face falls, his breath hitching in his throat as he looks at Sunghoon. “Fuck house rules for all I care. I want to hit you so bad right now.” He sniffles. “You passed out in my house and were bleeding a river and this is the first thing you have to say to me?” 

Sunghoon looks around and notices the pool of blood. He forces a smile hoping to appease Sunoo, shuffling closer to him. “It’s all for the theatrics.” 

Sunoo hits him on the chest. “I’d murder you if you died on me. Why didn’t you call me?” 

Sunghoon hackles a cough, struggling to form words. "I had tried to but I passed out before I could," he managed to croak, his memory a jumbled mess.

“Tell me all that happened.”

His brows furrow as he tries to recall the events leading up to his blackout. Fragments of images flash through his mind—a letter to Jaeyun, overwhelming shivering hands, heaviness in his chest, and a sudden feeling of lightheadedness. 

A surge of frustration courses through him, mingling with a sense of vulnerability. He hated feeling out of control, especially when it came to his own body.

He tells Sunoo everything he remembers, watching Sunoo’s face change colors, he goes from relieved to distressed and borderline angry. “Sit up, I’ll run a diagnostic spell.” 

Sunghoon obeys sitting up, but his limbs feel heavy so he leans heavily against the workstation, waiting as Sunoo does the spells.

“Everything is fine, except your magical core. It’s because of the poisoning I believe. You should go rest.” 

“Yeah, we should rest.” 

Sunoo doesn’t respond to him. “Can you walk?”

“Yes.” 

“Okay. Goodnight,” 

“Goodnight.” 

Sunoo makes sure Sunghoon is safely tucked into his bed before disappearing back into his shop. Sunghoon thinks he must be writing to Jaeyun, the letter he was supposed to write and send out. 

It’s ironic how when everything is going well, Sunghoon does something wrong, it’s become a cycle. Sunghoon wants to help, but he ends up causing more trouble. Just this evening, they were both happy and having a good time but Sunoo is annoyed now. All because of this invisibility curse.  

I have to solve this thing soon. 

Sunghoon tries to stay awake for a while but the tiredness takes over him. Sunoo doesn’t come back to the house, at least not until he is awake. 

********************

Sunghoon wakes up early the next morning and rushes to the shop to find Sunoo working, he’s brewing a potion. Sunoo’s workaholic tendencies go awry when he focuses, Sunghoon knows. He just didn’t think that the incident from last night was alarming enough to make Sunoo work all night. His invisibility is a huge hassle and a disadvantage but it's not serious enough for Sunoo to put his health in line. They were supposed to do this together, he cannot participate in the main brewing but he could assist in menial tasks and side potions, but Sunoo just doesn’t listen.  

He figured out recently that Sunoo highly relied on nutrition and health potions to keep himself from crumbling under stress and overwork. The only time Sunoo didn’t work like a maniac was on Sundays and as an extension, Saturday nights. Sunghoon knows Sunoo needs more rest but the other man just doesn’t understand. It’s not like he is dying because of his invisibility. He’d rather be invisible for a few more days if that meant Sunoo would rest more. 

He storms to Sunoo’s brewing stations. “You never slept.” Sunghoon places his hand on Sunoo’s stopping him from cutting the fainbarks. 

Sunoo shrugs his hands away, continuing his precise chopping. “I didn’t realize the time, I have some important work.” 

“You’re brewing the antidote alone. This was supposed to be a teamwork thing, I can help you with this.” 

Sunoo drops his knife with a hiss. “You need to rest.” 

“You don’t work on Sundays. Let’s go you can sleep now. We can work on the rest on Monday.” Sunghoon takes Sunoo’s wrist pulling him along to the house. 

“No. I need to finish this. I can go out next Sunday. It will be done by tomorrow evening.” 

Sunghoon laughs in disbelief. “You plan to brew continuously for 48 hours alone? Are you insane?” 

Sunoo hums making Sunghoon furious. 

“Are you fucking kidding me Kim Sunoo? What makes you think I will let you do this? You need to sleep, we can brew the potion tomorrow.” 

“I don’t need your permission to brew a potion in my shop.” Sunoo sneers. 

“See this! This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you about the fainting spells.”

“Fainting spells?” Sunoo’s brows furrow. He steps away from the counter right into Sunghoon’s personal space. “It has happened before, when you were here?” It’s a statement disguised as a question. One looks into Sunghoon’s eyes and he knows. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Sunoo roars. 

“Because I knew you would behave like this, drop everything to solve my invisibility poisoning. I’ve troubled you so much already. It took me weeks to get you to eat regular meals like a normal person. I knew you’d put yourself through hell if you got to know about it.” Sunghoon retorts with heat. 

“You think, meals are more fucking important than you?!”

“Yes! Meals are important for your health. You are not throwing it all away because you are bent on adding another tricky case to your record to successes.”

They’re both yelling at each other by then. 

“You think of this as just a case I want to solve?” Sunoo yells, shoving Sunghoon against the counter. 

“Is it not?” Sunghoon retorts with venom. 

Sunoo takes a shuddering breath, face impassive. He leans back, recoiling away from Sunghoon. “Yes... Yes, it’s all just a case for me to solve and add to my brilliant track record. You’re under my care and you will damn well do as I tell you to. I will not let you fuck up my reputation.”

Sunghoon feels a pang in his chest. He should have known that this would happen, he didn’t mean anything to Sunoo. He had been provoking Sunoo, to make him give in and rest, he should have known better. It’s all just a case. He’ll never be anything more to him. 

The disappointment makes his bones feel heavy. 

“Do as you want.” He says before leaving the shop, it sounds more disappointed than hurtful. 

Chapter Text

Sunghoon doesn’t think when he feels, his brain is dormant in the backseat when his heart takes over. It leads to impulsive disasters sometimes, but it’s a flaw he is learning to reign over. So when he feels himself treading the dangerous path, he takes the first opportunity and leaves Kims Kotions before he says or does something he might regret in the future.

Sunoo keeps getting to him, they’re always clanging like metal pots whenever something ever so slightly goes wrong. Sunghoon is used to it, but this morning surpassed all of their previous arguments. He has been thinking of Sunoo as a friend, a confidant, he thought they had become closer but all this while Sunoo had been thinking of him as just a future accomplishment to boast about. Sunoo had annoyed him countless times before, but right now Sunghoon felt an unfamiliar mix of emotions, ranging from anger to disappointed sadness. 

Without even realizing he finds himself outside his parent’s house with a revelio sturdily cast in place. His Dad loves Sunoo and gets troubled whenever there’s a disagreement between them, but Sunghoon doesn’t know anyone else who will listen to him and help him understand Kim Sunoo. Jaeyun is out of the question and finding a sensible solution to his plight is important, the emotions are too overwhelming to be dealt with alone. 

“Kim Sunoo is infuriating,” Sunghoon says in greeting as soon as his Dad opens the door. 

“Good Morning to you too.” 

Sunghoon sheepishly rubs his neck. “Good Morning Dad.” Some of his anger ebbs away replaced by a wave of embarrassment. 

“Tea?” 

“Yes please.” 

“Did you both get into an argument again?” His dad calls from the kitchen. 

Sunghoon slips onto a stool by the kitchen counter, watching as his father pours two cups of Jasmine tea for both of them. “Yes.” 

“This early?” he raises a questioning eyebrow at Sunghoon. “You look tired,” He adds putting a cup of steaming hot comfort before him. 

Sunghoon smiles, his dad always made Jasmine tea for him whenever he came home too strung up on his emotions, they’d talk about it together. Conversations with his dad have always been comfortable, he listens well, guides him if there is a need, and comforts his fear without ever making him feel little.  

“Thanks, Dad.” Sunghoon feels flickers of contentment, a welcome change from the restless agitation he had felt before. He thinks idly that it is nice just to sit and be with someone you are comfortable around sitting by your side. Strangely enough, it makes him think of Sunoo again, his body heat and scent — a pleasant addition to the warmth from the fire and the vague smell of alcohol that surrounded him last night. They had been so close.

Had it all only been in my head? 

Sunghoon had already gone through feelings of anger, disappointment, and fear, now he is at a stage of weary acceptance. 

His face must have betrayed how he feels because his dad is sitting across him in a minute, nursing his own cup of tea. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

Sunghoon massages his temples. “I thought we had become friends. We’ve been working together for some time and we called for a truce. He’s honestly not that bad, we were getting along pretty well as far as I could understand. But this morning he said I’m not a friend, only a means of adding to his long list of accomplishments.” The anger returns quadrupled. “And he just does these things that make me go crazy. He’s twenty-five but he doesn’t know how to take care of himself, he thinks he can brew a potion for forty-eight hours straight without eating or sleeping. Stupid fool!”

“Sunghoon-ah, did you try to talk sense into him? That boy is willing to move mountains when he cares about something.”

Sunghoon snorts. “He only cares about rewards and boasting, everything is just a case to him.” He looks away, feeling acrid bile rise up in his stomach. He’s nothing more for Sunoo, just a case, it hurts even though he is the one who started provoking Sunoo with those words in the first place. 

“He’ll listen to you if you talk to him nicely.” His dad reasons with him. 

“He will not. His sense of self-preservation is nonexistent. Did you know he has been living off nutrition potions and sleepless draughts? I’ve lived there for more than a month, and he hasn’t slept before midnight on a single night, always working late. I’ve been cooking for him every day and it is now that his cheeks have gained a healthy color. He never forgets about his owl but everything else is secondary for him. The only time Sunoo goes out is when he has to meet his friends for the weekly brunch. He bailed out on the lunch today because he wants to brew non-stop for two days. He drives me up a wall.” He exhales heavily after he's finished speaking as if a weight has been lifted from his shoulder by the simple act of getting the words out into the open. Sunghoon rubs his face vigorously, looking like he is debating whether this has been such a good idea after all.

Sunghoon’s dad smiles over his cup. “Let me remind you Sunghoon, you’re just the same. You both are so similar, you don’t even realize.” 

“I will never throw away my health for a case.” Sunghoon curtly replies.

“I always insisted you both will get along very well because you’re both just the same. You’re both hardworking perfectionists. You both are thirsty for knowledge, terrific potioneers. The way you care about people is the same, going to lengths to keep them safe. He may not look like it but he hides a tender heart, just like yours. You both are equally hot-headed hence you both clash so much.” 

“He’s just selfish.”

“Oh Sunghoon, don’t carry on that foolish rivalry all your lif—”

“It's not that, we resolved it long ago. Sunoo is just so infuriating, I want to pull my hair out whenever he starts talking. When he works all he think about is the potion he is brewing, he’ll give monosyllabic answers, not even looking at me when I speak.” 

“He had a rough history with potions, it's out of habit now.” 

“I know. I know it all, but he’s an established potioneer now with very strong links in the wizarding ministry, he can be at ease now. He doesn’t need to work like a madman now, he is living his dream.” 

“That’s the only thing he knows.”

“Why are you defending him?” Sunghoon looks at his dad brows furrowed. 

His father raises his hands, “I’m not defending him, I’m trying to reason with you. Think for a second and tell me why are you annoyed with him.”  

Sunghoon answers in a heartbeat. “Because all his antics drive me insane, he thinks can brew continuously for two days. He worries about things he shouldn't and tries to fix everything, putting himself in a bad place all the time. He didn’t even sleep last night, I know he didn’t. He has a long nose and sharp amber eyes, it’s maddening to look at his well-proportioned face frowning all the time because he’s concentrating.” 

Without even realizing it, Sunghoon leans into the chair, crossing his arms. “Sunoo crosses his arms when he is impatient and scratches the inside of his wrist when he is frustrated, I’ve had to mix healing salve in his food to fix the scratches. And he never talks about how he feels, I just have to see his face and read between the lines, what does he think I am? Some sort of mind reader? He doesn’t even know his alcohol tolerance because he didn’t drink soju often. He’s living his life like he's punishing himself, depriving himself of the basic comforts, just working until he falls. It’s always about work with him.” 

I’m mad because he said I mean nothing but work to him, he doesn’t add. 

“Do you think that maybe your response to Sunoo’s actions is because of something else altogether? Some feelings surfacing up...” His father hints, leaving the sentence open to interpretation. 

Sunghoon snickers, it’s dry and humorless. “As if. I don’t have any feelings for him.” 

“Do you not think about his well-proportioned face always frowning? Are you not annoyed that he doesn’t take care of his health because the thought of him getting hurt is painful? Have you not been cooking for him because you want to make sure he’s healthy? Have you not thought of being around him every day? Don’t you know his ticks because you’ve been looking at him a lot? You just talked a significant lot about someone you do not have feelings for.” 

Sunghoon’s cheeks flare a bright pink. “I tend to talk a lot sometimes and I only cook for him to make sure he’s taking care of himself as a form of payback.” 

Mr. Park smiles. “Think about it for a while, you’re not oblivious to your own heart. Don’t close your eyes to what is right in front of you, if I can see it, you can too.” 

Sunghoon sputters, unable to form a coherent sentence. 

“I’ll be in the garden, watering the plants.” His dad pats his shoulder and slips out of the back door.

Sunghoon looks at the door in a stupor. His dad just hinted that he might like Kim Sunoo, it's unbelievable, they are rivals— at least from Sunoo’s perspective.

Sunghoon chuckles at the thought. He has been cooking for Sunoo because he wants to repay the favor. He didn’t put the medicinal plants in Kims Kotions because he was worried about Sunoo’s health like that , it was just common courtesy. He wants to hold Sunoo’s hands because of his soft palms, people think that all the time. 

He likes smelling like lemongrass because it's a good scent not because it's Sunoo’s favourite scent. Being close to Sunoo doesn’t make his heart race, it’s just an after-effect of the reaction. He wants to know Sunoo and make him smile because they’re friends now. He didn’t want Sunoo to overwork himself because he felt guilty. And since the beginning, he was waiting eagerly for the day he got rid of his invisibility so he could move out of Sunoo’s house. 

From the moment their paths crossed, Sunoo ignited conflicting emotions within him. With his sharp jawline and piercing amber eyes, he possessed a striking handsomeness that was hard to ignore. However, it was his demeanor that stirred frustration deep within Sunghoon. Sunoo carried an air of self-assuredness that bordered on arrogance, his charm was laced with an infuriating playfulness, as if he knew he held the power to captivate those around him. He had an innate ability to command attention, effortlessly drawing people into his orbit.

Sunoo’s words were a double-edged sword aimed at him, they dripped with intelligence and wit but were often laced with a subtle hint of condescension. He reveled in intellectual debates, challenging perspectives with a mischievous glint in his eyes, going out of his way often to irk Sunghoon. His confidence in his own opinions was maddening, leaving little room for compromise or differing viewpoints.

But living with him changed Sunghoon’s perspective a lot. 

The once-infuriating aspects that had grated on his nerves now seem endearing and charming. He sees the layers beneath his confident exterior, unearthing the complexities that make Sunoo who he is. When they talk over dinner, Sunoo shows his vulnerable self, accepting his good and bad alike, he has the confidence to own his mistakes, which is admirable. 

Sunghoon came to understand that Sunoo possesses an insatiable thirst for knowledge and experience, never settling for mediocrity. His ambition and dedication are inspiring, he strives for perfection in everything, giving his all. The exorbitant amount of academic references in Sunoo’s house is far more than Sunghoon expected; all of it is well read through and annotated with remarks and additional references. Sunoo lives his days to the last hour because he is doing so much, living so many roles all at once. 

People pretend to be helpful and understanding a lot of times, but Sunoo genuinely cares, Sunghoon sees it in the way he had cared for Seori and Eunjoo, and how he cares for Jungown and Riki. He sat and listened to Sunghoon’s fears about being a disappointment to people and asking for too much. Sunoo’s helping Sunghoon despite not liking him, the goodness that resides within him overshadows his vices.

Sunghoon likes being around him because he loves a challenge, and Sunoo brings him to the brink of madness— because they’re just the same. 

Oh. 

“I like Kim Sunoo,” Sunghoon whispers, terrified. His heartbeat is ringing loud in his ear. It hits him like lightning, fraying all his nerve endings and making the hair on his arms rise. He has been denying it all along but something has been stirring in his heart for Kim Sunoo and it has been growing rapidly. 

He likes Kim Sunoo with his pretty pink hair and captivating amber eyes. His soothing melodic timber voice. His theatrics antics. His quick wit. His confidence. His smile. Sunghoon realizes he likes all things related to Sunoo, even after seeing the ugliest brutal sides, he still likes him. A lot . 

For him, Kim Sunoo had stopped being a business rival a long time ago, he means a lot more.

There’s a nagging voice in his head that reminds him of Sunoo’s confession from last night, he likes someone else. And just this morning he had said that he thinks of Sunghoon as a case. 

Your feelings will never be reciprocated. It's a terrifying conclusion his mind forces him to take note of. 

“Your eyes tell me you have figured it all out,” Mr. Park says, emerging from the garden. 

Sunghoon nods, refusing to elaborate on his realization. “I’m suffering from an allergic reaction against a potion I accidentally brewed.” He tells his Dad instead, feeling the need to do as Sunoo had asked him to before. “I’ve been invisible for about a month now. Elements and Essences has been closed for all this time and I’ve been living with Sunoo. Jaeyun is the only one who knows. We found the antidote yesterday, Sunoo is brewing it, it is a complicated process. We argued because of that. What should I do?” He briefly explains to his Dad, hoping to get some advice from him after he understands the situation fully. 

“Invisibility? Is it permanent?” His dad looks shaken, wide-eyed, and surprised. 

“Yeah, I cast a revelio before coming here. Don’t worry, the antidote will be ready in three days, and then everything will be alright.” 

“Wait here.” His dad says before disappearing upstairs. Sunghoon finds his reaction puzzling, even in the worst instances his father never looked so worried and pale. All this concern and worry over a potion reaction feels odd. 

Sunghoon’s dad returns a while later, wearing his reading glasses and holding a black leather-bound journal in his hand, it is worn with time, the cover tattered along the edges and the spine, a few pages hanging loose. 

“What’s that?” 

His dad doesn’t answer. “Do you fall unconscious sometimes and feel terrible pain?” 

Sunghoon nods. “But—”

“Not now Sunghoon,” his Dad cuts him off. “Let me run a diagnostic spell on you.” 

Sunghoon nods again and braces himself for the swoop of magic. He holds his breath until his dad prods all his vitals and organs with the diagnostic spell.

Sunhoon’s dad falters back, retreating in fear, holding his head in his hands. 

“What happened?” Sunghoon asks cautiously. 

He looks at him, his face is drained of all color, and his eyes are hollow. “It’s not a reaction to anything. It’s a bloodline curse.”

“What?” 

Mr. Park falls into the chair, his fingers tremor around the journal. “The Parks of the Wizarding world were ordinary merchants, we dealt with Potions ingredients. Our supplies went far and wide, and my father's great-grandfather began exporting potion ingredients to Mongolia. In an unwarranted mishap, one of our supplies got botched up and resulted in the death of the first lady of the most powerful sorcerer clan in Mongolia. Enraged, the clan leader cursed the firstborns of the entire Park bloodline.” 

“All firstborns in the Park bloodline lose their magic before they turn twenty-six. Because we’re magical beings, our magical cores try everything to not die away, the magic core starts taking energy required for body functions in an attempt to survive. But the curse is so powerful that nothing can stop it, the curse will dry up the magic core and the magic core will take energy from the body. By the time the magic core completely dries up, the person is dead.” 

“You’re lying.” Sunghoon inhales sharply, his fingers tighten around his cup until they turn white. The look on his dad’s face is confirmation enough that none of it is a fib. “Why didn’t you tell me before?” 

“You are not a firstborn, your mother had a stillborn before you, so we never expected you to be affected by the curse. I lost my Noona to this curse, we tried everything, but nothing worked. All of Park Bloodline’s firstborns died at the hands of this curse. There’s only one exception, your grandfather, my dad. He is the only firstborn to have ever survived the curse. I went and got his diary, he had detailed everything in it. The only way to save someone from the curse is by performing soul magic, someone will have to give you a piece of their soul and their magic core.” 

Sunghoon runs a trembling hand through his hair. “Soulmagic is the most dangerous, it's illegal. People die because of soul rejections after Soulmagic. I’ll be risking my life and someone else’s life, we both could die.”

“Soulmagic is the only way.” 

“We won’t even be able to find someone willing. There’s no chance.” Even with his shock, Sunghoon weighs in his options. 

“There’s a chance, one in ninety thousand cases is a chance. Your birthday is in two weeks, we just need to hurry up.” His dad reaches forward and places his hand on Sunghoon’s. “I’m not letting you give up even without trying. We can talk to Sun—”

“I’m going home,” Sunghoon interrupts him, pushing his chair back. He stands up and walks out of the door without acknowledging his father. 

His hand is on the doorknob, ready to wake up from this terrible nightmare, none of it feels real. Driven purely by adrenaline and shock, he turns around and walks back into the house. “Don’t mention anything about this to Sunoo.” His tone is a warning, an inkling in his mind made him suspicious of his Dad’s plans. 

“Sunoo is the one most suitable for this,” His Dad says. “I can’t watch my son just give up.” 

“No,” Sunghoon yells. “Sunoo is not getting involved in this. This is a thing our ancestors have brought upon us. It’s a whole lot of bullshit with no chance of survival. Sunoo is not a part of this in any way. I’ll keep him safe even if that’s the last thing I do.” He leaves after glaring at his teary-eyed father, banging the door on his way out. 

***************

Sunghoon walks back to Allure Alley. It takes him significantly longer and gives him a while to sort out his thoughts. He’s going to die, his ancestors killed someone which resulted in the death of so many of his relatives, and he likes Sunoo. All of his thoughts mix ugly. 

In all of his tumultuous thoughts, his thoughts center around Sunoo mainly. His dad’s suggestion has been insipid, he is never going to tell Sunoo about this, not until the day he dies. Sunoo will definitely harbor guilt and feel indebted to help him because of how much he adores his dad. But the whole thing seems akin to a terrible dream, even with all the logic and good luck, nothing could make right and fix the outcome. 

Walking down the winding roads, Sunghoon had long accepted that he would die in two weeks. He hates it, it’s terribly unfair, he has a lot of dreams to fulfill and he has not even been able to cherish Sunoo’s company. He hasn’t even told Sunoo he likes him, nor that he is sorry; he won’t even be able to go on the friendly date with him. All of his future plans will be cut short, he’s living on borrowed breaths. Until a few hours ago, he had a whole life in front of him, now he just has two weeks.  

His mind is numb as he makes a list of things he needs to do in two weeks. He plans on getting his will registered and writing letters to all the people he will miss. He also makes up his mind to live with Sunoo, he will apologize and go back to their earlier settlement. For two weeks, he will spend all his time with Sunoo, basking in his snarky retorts and shy smiles. Sunghoon just wants to be around Sunoo in his last days. Sunoo will be in the dark about the situation, it’s extremely selfish on Sunghoon’s part but after living his whole life thinking about others, he wants to do something only for himself. 

I deserve this small joy at least. He thinks to himself.

On his way back, he stops by a flower shop and buys a small bouquet for Sunoo, an apology bouquet, for what has done and what he going to do.

Sunghoon buys pink carnations, it reminds him of Sunoo and the pale pink flush on his cheeks when he is flustered.

Walking back to the familiar winding block, he feels the tiniest inkling of happiness at the thought of Sunoo accepting the flowers. He will give the flowers to Sunoo and tell him his sincerest apologies, Sunoo will listen, respond with a sarcastic remark, smile, and then take the flowers.

Sunghoon enters Kims Kotions with a small smile, but it drops quickly when he sees Sunoo behind his workstation holding a parchment. The familiar leather journal his father held a while ago is lying on the counter. 

Of course, Dad told him. Sunghoon feels enraged at his Dad, he had asked him to not involve Sunoo, none of it is related to him in any way.

Sunoo looks eerily calm, his eyes flicker, skimming across the words on the parchment, he doesn't make any acknowledgment. He had not even looked up when the door opened with a chime indicating the arrival of Sunghoon. 

The signs are clear for Sunghoon to read. Sunoo is weighing in on the situation, thinking about anything and everything to help. Sunghoon walks further into the shop, hyper-aware of every sound around him in the room. The soft ticking of the clock on the wall as the pendulum swung back and forth, the ruffling of Koinonos’ feathers, the faint crackle from the hearth, and his own soft footsteps on the stone. His finger tightens around the flowers, he has, even more, to apologize for now. He holds his breath and watches Sunoo like a hawk. 

Sunoo slowly keeps the parchment down, the sides crinkled from being held too tight. His face is impassive but his eyes tell how stormy his thoughts are, he looks in the distance, scratching the inside of his wrist. 

Sunghoon waits for him to say something, and when he doesn't he says. “Talk to me, please.”

Sunoo looks at him for the first time since the moment he came back. The look in Sunoo’s eyes is a mixture of desperation and confidence. “Let's do it.”

Sunghoon thinks he heard it wrong. “What?”

“Let's do the Soulmagic, the best time is on a new moon night.” 

“You must be kidding.”

“You think I will joke when your life is on the line?” Sunoo looks at him with such intensity that Sunghoon’s hands turn clammy. 

“It's Soulmagic, it's illegal. We can't just do it.” 

“Legalities can be discussed when you turn twenty-seven.”

“A one in ninety thousand chance, Sunoo. You're putting your trust in the wrong pot. I'll get my will ready and give you all my assets.” Sunghoon tries to joke. It’s awful to make light of such a heavy topic. The dread seeps up his bones as the gravity of his words hits him in full force. It’s terrible to joke about his death when he knows it’s so likely to happen in the very near future. 

Sunoo’s jaw clenches at his words. “You expect me to just sit and watch you die knowing I can save you?”

“Sunoo, it’s a maybe. A maybe is so so unpredictable and flippant. A maybe can turn into a no in a single second. You can’t throw your life away for a maybe. I’d rather you be safe.” Sunghoon gets agitated by the minute, unable to comprehend why Sunoo is not seeing reason when it’s so starkly visible.

“I'm positive I'd be the match for your magic. I've felt it in my magic.” 

Sunghoon pinches the bridge of his nose. “Sunoo, Dad may have convinced you through his letter but whatever he said is stupid. Your self-preservation skills might not be developed but you cannot put your life on the line for a one in ninety thousand chance for a rival.”

“I swear on myself, I've never wanted to punch someone so fucking bad! How dense are you? Stop fucking pitying yourself. I'm not fucking letting you die.” Sunoo snarls, hands balling into fists by his side. “You've got a whole fucking life in front of you, there's so much you have to do.” 

“I’ve made peace with the—” 

“I will kill you if you finish that sentence.” Sunoo’s eyes blaze in fury. “Are you really that selfish? What about everyone who cares about you?” 

Sunghoon knows it, the people he cares about. Sunoo. He doesn't want to leave and he doesn't have a choice. “I don't have a choice. Do you think I want to just let my magic kill me off? I don't want to die.” 

“Then let me help you, you idiot. Accepting help for once doesn't make you weak or whatever you think in your brain. Be selfish for once!” 

“I am being selfish, can you not see that I am being selfish by trying to protect you? I like you enough to want you to live happily even if I never get to see it. I wasn’t even going to tell you about this because I knew you’d feel obligated to help me because of Dad. I'll not put your life in danger, it's best if at least one of us lives. Besides you don't have to do anything, it's not a case anymore.” 

Their voices keep rising as if speaking louder will make the other change their mind. 

“A case. An obligation.” Sunoo snorts. “You’ll really see everything except for what is important.” Sunoo steps closer to Sunghoon, holding him by his arms with a grip so sharp that it digs into his flesh. “I want to do this because I fucking like you. I want you to live because I like you and I want to see you in my future. So fucking get your act together.” 

Sunghoon stills. Sunoo’s words ring raw in his ears, the sincerity crashing raw through them. Sunoo keeps looking at him with such fervor and frustration that he has to look away— it is as if Sunoo wants to smash his head against the wall and then kiss him senselessly. Sunghoon is unable to make any sense of the words, they were sincere but didn’t make sense, nothing anyone has said to him today has made any sense. 

Just then, the door to the shop opens again, and walks in Jungwon followed by Riki. "What's going on here?”

Sunoo and Sunghoon look at Jungwon and Riki standing by the door wide-eyed and mouths agape. “No shit, he really was drunk confessing that night,” Riki whispers, eyes twinkling with a teasing glint. 

Jungwon pinches him in the side. “Not now.” He then turns to look at the startled duo. “We could hear you both shouting from outside. I’m assuming you missed the lunch for him.” 

Sunoo nods, mindfully keeping his lips sealed, not wanting Jungwon to know any more than he does. 

“Why is your magic going to kill you?” Jungwon asks Sunghoon. 

“Bloodline curse.” 

Jungwon inhales sharply. “Is there a way out?” 

“Soulmagic. I’ve been telling him to let me do the Soulmagic. I know I can fix it.” Sunoo joins in, eyes burning with stubbornness, hopeful once again.

Sunghoon turns to him again, holding Sunoo by his shoulders. “One in ninety thousand, you could die.” 

“No one will die, I know Sunoo. He can do it.” Jungwin chimes. 

Sunghoon’s eyebrows furrow, and he glares at Jungwon. “Do not encourage him. It’s a matter of life and death.” 

“Your life is just as important. I’m not offering to kill myself and save you, I know both of us will be fine, I know I can do it. Trust in me a little” Sunoo’s voice wobbles by the end. 

Sunghoon’s shoulders fall, all fight leaving his body. “Sunoo,” He whispers shuffling closer to him. Sunoo steps back, his eyes fluttering close as if looking at Sunghoon is too painful for him. 

“I think you both need to talk to other people, you’re only going to hurt each other at this rate,” Riki says breaking the silence. He walks to Sunghoon, takes him by the arm, and leaves the shop. 

He takes them to Elements and Essences. 

“Sunoo…?” Sunghoon says unsure about the pink-haired potioner. 

“He’ll be fine, Jungwon will talk sense into him. I think I know a lot but I would like to know it from you, it's easier to understand your perspective then.” Sunghoon looks at Riki, gone is the mischievous nineteen-year-old boy he first met through Jaeyun. He seems so reliable, understanding, and helpful right now, a stark contrast to his demeanor even a few minutes ago.

The way Riki acts now is exactly how Jaeyun would have acted in his place. Living together has made so much difference in both of them. Something in him changed, in this shop, sitting in front of him is not Sunoo’s friend Riki, it's Riki Sunghoon’s friend and mediator. 

Sunghoon feels the overwhelming flurry of emotions in his body puddle away into tears, flowing out of his eyes. All the revelations about the bloodline curse, his feelings for Sunoo, Sunoo’s sudden confession, and the short deadline given to him all flow out of his eyes as fat tears. 

“I don’t want to die.” Sunghoon wails, not even attempting to hide his cries. 

Riki wraps his arms around him, holding him together while Sunghoon spills his heart out. He listens without interrupting, gently rubbing his back whenever the hiccups and tears get too intense. 

Sunghoon finds it easier to talk to Riki, it's easier to explain everything without not wanting to combust, all the anger and frustration subsides giving way to resigned sadness. Riki’s eyes are not trained on him with anger, Riki is not talking about risking his life for a maybe, Riki is not the man he likes. Riki is not Sunoo, so talking about everything with him is easier. 

With Sunoo everything is so intense, it's always a burning yes or a scalding no, there never was a middle ground. Sunoo always went all in or nothing much like Sunghoon. It’s easier to fall for someone just like you, a spitting duplicate of your own personality, but it's not easy to resolve a conflict with someone just like you— fighting your own self is fruitless. 

“I will need to tell you about it at some time, you know,” Riki says, watching Sunghoon wipe away his eyes and snot. 

Sunghoon stopped crying a while ago, he has been consciously avoiding looking at Riki since then, shuffling in his seat and ardently wiping his face until it is squeaky clean. He has a fair idea of what he might say, while retelling everything in detail he thought about it from an outsider's perspective, he has a fair idea about what advice is in store for him. If someone else was in this situation and he was to advise them, he knew what he would ask them to do. 

There is a sensibly clear answer to this. 

“He’ll die,” Sunghoon whispers weakly. 

“No he will not, he’s Kim Sunoo, there’s no one else in the whole world I would entrust my life to. He knows his magic, he knows yours too. I’ve known him almost my whole life and I know that he has already calculated everything, if he says he can save you, then he knows he can.”

“He’s not a God Riki, it's a one in ninety thousand chance. He knows his potions and I know my numbers, Soulmagic is not a cure, it's a belated death sentence. I’ll die and I’ll also kill the one person I like a lot.” 

“You’re being too pessimistic—”

“I have to think about everything!”

“Of course you do. But for a moment think, when Sunoo’s magic works on you how does it feel? Does it feel tender and mild as compared to other people’s magic? Does your magic feel like it's reaching out to Sunoo’s magic? Does your magic feel fuzzy and warm when Sunoo uses his magic?” 

“I can’t feel any kind of magic the same way now.” Sunghoon accepts belatedly. He hadn’t even realized how subtle the shift was, he had slowly been losing his magic abilities.

“Think about the times before, when the curse didn’t start affecting you. Didn’t Sunoo’s magic feel nice against yours even when you were fighting?” 

Sunghoon thinks back for a moment, to the days before the curse, when Sunoo was just his handsome rival. They’d fight and bicker every day, trading insignificant barbs and innocuous spells at each other. He remembers the feel of Sunoo’s magic in his core when his spells raized by his skin, his own magic always enveloped Sunoo’s, protectively shielding it away in the core until the last embers of his magic faded away. Sunoo’s magic had always left his own tingling. His magic was oddly protective and amenable to Sunoo’s magic despite them having their differences. 

“How do you know my magic felt all that?” 

Riki smiles, understanding and teasing at the same time. “Because Sunoo described that as how his magic feels with yours.” 

“No way.” 

Riki chuckles. “He was drunk that night. He said some other questionable things too, but I’d rather you hear it all from him. I reckon you and I both know enough about magic signatures and compatible soulmate theory to understand what all that means.” 

Sunghoon inhales sharply. “Our magic is compatible.” 

“Yes, and Sunoo knows. That’s why he thinks he can pull off the soul magic, compatible magic signatures are most likely to successfully perform soulmagic.”

Sunghoon is still afraid. “It’s illegal, we’ll be breaking Wizarding laws.” 

“Laws are just sentences. Sunoo likes you enough to disregard a few sentences to save your life.”

Sunghoon blushes pink. 

“Are you sure he likes me?”

“You, my dear are far more dumb than you seem. He said it a while ago, you heard it, I heard it, Jungwon did too. Don’t doubt it even for a second.”

Sunghoon thinks about his feelings, his affections might not be as one-sided as he thought they were. 

“If you still have some doubts think about reversing the situation, if Sunoo was in your place and you in his, would you let him choose the other option?” Riki raises his brow, not even mentioning the other option. 

Sunghoon knows the answer before he even finishes hearing the question. “No, I’d never let him die without trying everything in my power.” 

“Sunoo is just the same.” Riki smiles. “As far as I understand, you both want the best for each other in a very selfless way. The only way you both can resolve this is by talking. Anger and frustration never lead to a fruitful conversation, you both should talk honestly once you both have gotten a reign over your emotions. Take your time, I’m sure Sunoo is feeling equally agitated and confused, you can stay here and process everything. I’m right here, we can go back once your thoughts are settled.” 

Sunghoon nods.

He knows enough now to have leaps more faith in Soulmagic but the nagging fear in the back of his mind keeps hissing about everything that can go wrong. He trusts Sunoo with his life, he could be at the edge of a cliff and jump without thinking twice, knowing Sunoo will be there at the bottom to catch him. But Soulmagic will be putting both their lives on the line. The terrifying fear that something can happen to Sunoo because of him is enough for Sunghoon to consider giving up everything and accepting his debilitating fate and eventual demise. 

The louder, more reasonable part of his mind knows that the first option isn’t right, it is selfish, and Sunoo will forever hate him for that. Sunoo’s face from a while ago comes flashing into his mind whenever he thinks about giving up. I want to see you in my future. Sunoo had yelled in his face moments ago. 

For a moment, Sunghoon closes his eyes and imagines; he lets his mind take the back seat and thinks about the future—a fulfilling future with Sunoo. 

In the future Sunghoon envisions Sunoo, and their lives intertwine in a harmonious blend of love and ambition. Together, they form an unbreakable Soulmagic bond, their magic is one and so are their souls. Their personal and professional lives are intertwined, nurturing a relationship built on trust, respect, and shared dreams.

Sunghoon and Sunoo become a formidable force as potioners, their combined expertise propelling their businesses to new heights, Elements and Essences and Kims Kotions merged as one, the wall diving them knocked down from the very middle. They brew potions together that revolutionize industries, leaving a lasting impact on the wizarding world. Their innovative ideas, fueled by their hunger for perfection, lead to groundbreaking achievements and, solidifying their positions as industry leaders.

Beyond their business, Sunghoon and Sunoo create a sanctuary of love and support. They build a home filled with warmth, probably an actual house with a small kitchen garden and a white picket fence lawn just like muggle movies, there their shared laughter and stolen moments of tenderness become the foundation of their relationship. Their love radiates through every corner of their lives, their days full of joy and fulfillment.

In this future, Sunghoon envisions waking up every morning to Sunoo’s gentle touch and loving gaze. They share breakfast together, he always cooks, and Sunoo engages in animated conversations that span from potions to love confessions. He makes Sunoo the happiest and brings out his whisker smile, worshiping the ground he walks on.

When Sunghoon’s daydream ends, he is filled with a renewed sense of purpose. He knows that the future he envisioned with Sunoo is within their grasp, and he is willing to fight for it with every fiber of his being. Sunoo is willing to try and so can he. If they will be intertwining their destinies and magic to unfold a future filled with the joys of the world, then so it be. 

It’s a leap of faith he has to take. 

Sunoo will catch him, he’ll make sure to keep him safe. 

That’s the only way possible. They’ll shift universes to make it happen. 

He doesn’t want to lose Sunoo, he’s terrified of the thought, but he hasn’t voiced it out reasonably even once to the other man. Both of them have been bent on convincing the other without listening to each other for a moment. 

Sunghoon understands he needs to listen to Sunoo and tell him his thoughts as well, even the ones he is scared to tell others. 

“I think you’ve got your feelings sorted now,” Riki says. 

Sunghoon nods a little. “I think so. I’m ready to talk to Sunoo and be honest.” 

“Everything will be okay,” Riki hugs him one last time before leaving the shop, letting Sunghoon gather his semblance. 

Sunghoon waits for a few minutes engaging in mindless cleaning just to give Sunoo time to gather his thoughts too. It might not be an easy breezy conversation but it’s an important one, he doesn’t want to hurt Sunoo and has a fairly certain idea that Sunoo thinks the same. 

*****

When Sunghoon returns to Kims Kotions, he feels lighter, Kim Sunoo stands right in his line of vision, holding the flowers he had got for him earlier— the apology bouquet he never got to give. 

“I got them for you. An apology bouquet for being a rude, senile idiot earlier. I’m sorry.” Sunghoon says, his hands gathering in front of his body, clasped together in nervousness. “Pink carnations symbolize gratitude and thankfulness. They can also have other meanings, reconciliation, and gratitude. I know I hurt you in the morning, you have all the right to do what you want, I just wish you’d take care of yourself too. I’m sorry for not telling you about the fainting spells before. 

“Pink carnations also indicate that you appreciate your friend and are willing to work on the relationship.” Sunoo smiles. “I hadn’t been very nice with my choice of words either. I’m sorry too. Let me find a vase of them.” 

Sunghoon follows around Sunoo like a shadow, unwilling to sit and wait for him like a normal person. He feels drawn to Sunoo, he doesn't want to leave his side even for a short while. The feelings between him and Sunoo even feel different in a way; they are gentler and softer and almost feel like something they are sharing together as one. 

“You’re following me around,” Sunoo says arranging the flowers in the glass vase he is holding. “You know how crazy everything about us? Everything is in extremes; we argue every day, and we even fought on the street, but I still developed feelings for you. You hated my guts but still blush like a fool whenever I flirt or misuse my knowledge about your kinks. Earlier this day all I wanted was to hammer your head and make you see some sense and now all I want is to hold your hand and keep you by my side always.” 

Sunghoon snickers. “I realized today that nothing in my life is normal, bloodline curse and everything, you know. I'm just bound to oscillate between opposite poles and gravitate towards you somehow.” he shrugs. 

"I prefer the people I like to be a little out of the box," Sunoo murmurs, his fingers deftly arranging the flowers. "You seem to be the checklist of whatever I look for in my partners."

Sunghoon feels a rush of warmth spread through his chest. He's never felt so seen, so understood. He takes a deep breath, steady and slow as if gathering his courage. For a minute, he feels brave and alive, like he can conquer the world— his ideas differ from the norms once again. He imagines confessing his feelings to Sunoo, truly and without a filter, the words tumbling out in a rush of honesty and vulnerability.

But as the minute passes, his heart begins to race. The weight of his unspoken words grows heavier. He glances at Sunoo, taking in the other man's focused expression, the way his brow furrows in concentration. He wants to conquer the world, but his heart falters at the prospect of a susceptible attack, he has a lot to figure out before he can be honest about his intentions. He wonders if Sunoo will react with surprise, with anger, or with the kind of understanding that has him trembling with hope.

"I don't know where to start," Sunghoon admits, his voice barely audible. He swallows hard, trying to push past the lump in his throat. Sunoo's fingers still around the flowers, the petals glistening with dew. The air is heavy and expectant, charged with the potential for change. He steels himself, bracing for the impact of his confession, and the ripples it will send through their relationship.

"Let's sit first," Sunoo suggests, breaking the tense silence. His voice is calm, a soothing counterpoint to the tumult within Sunghoon. He pulls Sunghoon along lightly, guiding him to the couch on which he sleeps every night. The skin around which Sunoo's fingers are wrapped feels tingly, a pleasant warmth roiling up his wrist, Sunoo's soft hands holding his wrist in a firm grip. Sunghoon lets out a shuddering breath, a mix of anticipation and fear. He loses his semblance just a little and follows limply behind Sunoo.

They will be having the most important conversation of their lives and it happens to be a complete minefield, vaguely familiar but inviting, one wrong step and everything would blow up in their face. Sunghoon can feel his heart pounding in his chest, each beat a deafening drum in his ears. 

The fabric of the couch is cool against Sunghoon's skin, a grounding presence amidst the whirlwind of emotion. Sunoo sits beside Sunghoon, there's enough space for their bodies to not be touching but there's an intentional gap that can be bridged if they want to. One stretch of their arms and they'll become one. The thought sends a jolt of excitement through Sunghoon, a glimpse of the future he dares to hope for.

Sunghoon shuffles in his place, across him, leaning on the other side of the couch, Sunoo sits still, showing no signs of impatience. Sunghoon steels himself, taking a deep breath to steady his racing pulse.

"I want to tell you everything," Sunghoon finally says, his voice raw and shaking with emotion. The words hang in the air between them. He pauses, gathering his thoughts, his heart pounding in his chest. He glances at Sunoo, his gaze searching for understanding, for a glimmer of what might lie ahead.

Sunoo turns to him, his eyes meeting Sunghoon's. The world seems to slow down, time stretching out as they lock gazes. There's a moment of pure connection, a silent understanding passing between them. Sunghoon knows that whatever comes next, they will face it together.

“You can start by telling me what the story is from your end,” Sunoo tells him, giving him something to start with.

The words tumble out in a rush, each one heavier than the last. "A powerful sorcerer from Mongolia cursed the Park Bloodline. The magic of all firstborns in our lineage dies by the time they turn twenty-six and they die. I'm not a firstborn," Sunghoon admits, his voice raw and shaky. "My parents had a stillborn before me. Dad said he never expected the curse to affect me because I'm just the second child. I only found out a few hours ago that I'm the cursed firstborn of my family."

Silence stretches, heavy with the weight of his confession. Sunoo studies him, his gaze filled with a mix of sorrow and understanding. "I know it's not really Dad's fault," Sunghoon rushes to say, "I can't blame him completely. But it's so unfair. I wasn't told about any of this. I'm just supposed to deal with everything now."

The weight of Sunghoon's words hangs heavy in the air, a tangible presence that neither of them can fully ignore. "I'm extremely grateful for your offer to do the Soulmagic..." Sunghoon's voice cracks, the fear in his eyes impossible to mask. "I'd take it up in a heartbeat if it didn't have the threat of killing you attached to it." He swallows hard, the action echoing in his throat. "I've never been more terrified of anything more than I am now. Riki told me about our magical signatures being compatible, it makes the chances better but it is still not ideal. I know I'm parroting the same things again and again. But you are far too important to just put your life at stake like that." His words tumble out in a rush, a testament to the turmoil churning inside him.

Sunoo reaches out, his hand closing over Sunghoon's. "I'm not offering to help you because I want to brag about it in the future," he says, his voice choked with emotion. "I'm so sorry for lying this morning. Seeing you there on the ground last night, bleeding out… I was terrified. I still am. I wanted to help but you wouldn't let me, so I purposefully hurt you. I'm so sorry for that." His voice quivers with remorse, the apology heartfelt. "You mean everything to me, I've never had such strong feelings for anyone. I want to see you live happily. When your Dad sent that letter…"

Sunghoon shudders at the memory as if physically struck by it, the guilt still fresh.

Sunoo continues "I know the risks," he admits, his eyes locked on Sunghoon's. "I can't imagine how you are feeling but I am also terrified, I think I can help you, our magic is compatible. According to research, compatible magic is the most prominent sign of congenital soulmates. Soulmates have an increased probability of carrying out Soulmagic because their magic is compatible, the chances of it rejecting each other's magic is very low." He looks at Sunghoon, his eyes pleading for understanding.

"I know. I read the theories and research, but Soulmagic is illegal for a reason, we will be getting into something simply beyond our control." Sunghoon’s voice trails off, the implications of their decision weighing heavily on him. He squeezes Sunoo's hand, his grip firm but shaky. "I want us both to live happily." The words are barely audible, a whisper of hope amidst the fear.

Sunoo takes a deep breath, his resolve hardening. "Believe me, I wish just the same. I want us to be happy together for a long long time. Soulmagic is the only way, it worked for your grandfather, and it will work out for us too. I refuse to think otherwise. Please let me do this, I have a chance to save you, I'll regret it all my life if I just let you slip through my fingers." 

Sunoo’s voice swells with determination, the words echoing in the charged atmosphere. “You're the most important person in my life, the one I can't imagine a future without. I won't even bind you to me after the soul magic is complete, you can do as you please once you're okay, open Elements and Essences, move to the muggle world, date others, anything you want. I just want you to be happy, even if that happiness doesn't include me. Just let me have the peace of knowing that you're alive and happy somewhere. That's all I've ever wanted, to know that you're safe and loved, even if it's not by me.”

Sunghoon frowns and flicks Sunoo's forehead with his index finger. "The only person I want to date is you, you handsome idiot. I can't imagine a life with anyone else but you. I'd even imagined a future with you, a tiny house with a garden and white fence. I've pictured us laughing together in the backyard, planting flowers side by side, building a life filled with love and warmth. You're stuck with me for a long time now, whether you like it or not.” Sunghoon closes his eyes, his lashes brushing against his cheeks. "I've spent countless nights dreaming of a future where we're together. I want us to be happy together for a long long time. I want to wake up every morning with you by my side and fall asleep every night knowing you're there.” 

Sunoo smiles, his eyes disappearing into crescents. The sight of Sunoo's radiant smile fills Sunghoon with a joy he's never known before. "That's the only way I want. Stay with me for a long long time. I want to spend every moment by your side, to cherish you and be cherished in return.”

Sunghoon's heart does a somersault in his chest. The fluttering sensation is both exhilarating and terrifying. Seeing Sunoo's dazzling smile aimed towards him feels like being washed over with rain after a scorching day of heat. It's as if the very heavens have opened up, pouring down blessings on their fledgling relationship. To be at the receiving end of such blissful joy was the peak joy Sunghoon had only imagined in his thoughts. He feels as if he's standing on top of the world, his heart overflowing with love and hope.

Sunghoon wraps his arms around Sunoo, his heart pounding against his ribs. He can feel the warmth of Sunoo's body against his own, the subtle play of muscles beneath his touch. With trembling hands, he runs his fingers through Sunoo's hair, each strand a silken thread against his skin. The scent of Sunoo's shampoo fills his nostrils, a heady mix of citrus and something more elusive, something that makes his head spin.

He doesn't know if he's supposed to feel this way. He doesn't know if he's supposed to hold Sunoo like this, to bury his face in his neck and inhale him like some kind of starving beast. But the need to be close, to absorb him into his very being, is overwhelming. It's a madness he can't control.

Sunghoon feels each of Sunoo's breaths against his skin, each one a spark that sets his nerves ablaze. He can't help but press closer, his body seeking out the source of the warmth that has become his only anchor. His mind swirls with a chaos of emotions – desire, fear, a desperate yearning for something he can't even name.

His eyes drift towards the vase, the apology bouquet placed on the table. The meaning of the pink carnations is not lost on him now. All he knows is that he has to risk everything, has to stake his claim on a future with Sunoo, come what may.

"Let's do the Soulmagic," he whispers, his voice hoarse with emotion. The words tumble out, barely coherent, but the meaning is clear. This is it. This is the moment he has to seize before fear or doubt can steal his resolve.

Sunoo looks at him, his eyes wide and vulnerable. Sunghoon can see the question in them – Is he sure? Can he truly handle what comes next? But Sunghoon can only nod, his heart pounding in his chest. There is no going back now. This is the path he has chosen, the path that leads him closer to the one he holds dear to his heart.

Chapter Text

Sleeping on the couch is the biggest mistake, no matter how comfortable and big a couch is, the morning after always ends in soreness. Not even magic can correct the mistake. The previous night, Sunghoon and Sunoo had fallen asleep on the couch. It wasn’t intentional but they had been snuggling into each other's body heat and slipping into dreamland in a very short time. Sunghoon’s scent mixed with lemongrass and sea salt, Sunoo’s new favourite, comforted him to a cosy dreamless sleep snuggled into his chest. 

Unaware of their own terrible decisions, they slept peacefully through the night, not even waking up from the pain in their neck or the numbness of their legs. It is the morning sun glaring into their eyes that wakes them up. 

In a quick second, both of them jump apart, vaguely awake but fully embarrassed by their tangled limbs and intimate sleeping posture. They wordlessly move to the pretence of normalcy. Sunghoon disappears into the kitchen to prepare breakfast while Sunoo greets and feeds Koinonos. 

“Take all these for your health. More potions incoming through the day,” Sunoo remarks pushing a tray of various colored vials onto the kitchen aisle. Sunghoon counts them and knows the number to be six— a fairly large number considering a single potion works in multiple aspects, but he takes each of them with a gracious smile. Sunoo cares and he has to learn how to accept affection. 

By the time breakfast is laid out before them, they've managed to shake off the lingering embarrassment of the morning, their semblances firmly back in place. Sunghoon breaks the silence, his voice casual despite the curiosity burning in his chest. "Your friend, Yang Jungwon, is he okay?"

Sunoo looks up at him, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Yeah, what about him?"

"He just seemed...off before he left," Sunghoon admits, his gaze dropping to his plate.

Sunoo chuckles, a low, throaty sound, and takes a sip of his scalding black coffee. "You mean the glaring and the silent threats? That's just Jungwon being Jungwon. He's protective of the people he cares about."

Sunghoon's brows knit together. "What's your relationship with him, exactly?"

A wicked smirk spreads across Sunoo's face, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Jealous already?"

Sunghoon refuses to rise to the bait, but he can't bring himself to deny the accusation either. He changes the subject instead. "I’ve heard something about a trident and him?"

Sunoo's grin grows wider, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Oh, that. Jungwon's boyfriend is a demon, so we have access to his trident. Let's just say anyone who messes with us won't live to regret it."

Sunghoon lets out a dry laugh. "Well, that's certainly...reassuring." 

Sunghoon leans in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Riki mentioned you confessed something to them one night when you were drunk." The smirk blooming on his face gets wider by the second.

Sunoo’s face flames, his eyes darting away. "I don't remember," he mutters, his cheeks burning. "Apparently, I called you handsome and annoying."

Sunghoon rolls his eyes, trying to play it cool despite the flutter in his chest. "Well, I am handsome. That's just a fact."

Sunoo chuckles, shaking his head. "Your ego knows no bounds."

“Of course, no other person in this town is as good-looking as me.” 

“Your misconceptions are bigger than the size of the universe.” 

“Who do you think is more good-looking than me?” Sunghoon challenges, irked by the implications of the words. His heart falters when his mind supplies that Lee Heeseung is a close competitor being Sunoo’s first love and everything. 

Sunoo just smiles, a sly, knowing smile, and Sunghoon can feel his heart stumble in his chest. "That's for me to know and you to guess," Sunoo teases, gathering up the dishes and sauntering into the kitchen.

Sunghoon curses under his breath, a mix of curiosity and jealousy burning in his veins. He pushes to his feet and follows Sunoo into the kitchen, his eyes fixed on his retreating back. Kim Sunoo has always had a way of getting under his skin, of pushing his buttons and turning him inside out. And now, with their feelings laid bare, it's like walking a tightrope, exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

He leans against the counter, watching as Sunoo efficiently casts a cleaning charm on the dishes, his movements quick and practised. Sunghoon can feel the weight of his gaze, and the intensity of his stare, and he knows he needs to tread carefully. He doesn't want to spook Sunoo, not now, when things are finally falling into place between them.

But he can't help the question, can't keep it locked behind his lips. "Is it Heeseung?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sunoo's hands still, his body freezing, and for a moment, the only sound is the hum of the dishing being soaked. Then, he turns, a slow, smile spreading across his face. "Maybe," he says, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Maybe not. You’ll never know."

“He doesn’t hold a candle to this face.” Sunghoon retorts, his gaze meeting Sunoo's, a spark of challenge in his eyes.

“He doesn’t.” Sunoo agrees. “But beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.” 

“That means everything must be breathtaking seen from your eyes, Kim Sunoo,” Sunghoon smirks, leaning against a countertop. He watches Sunoo magically clean the dishes and arrange the clean, dried dishes into their designated places. 

“Flattery can take you places,” 

“The only place I want to be is right next to you.” 

“One more cheesy pickup line and I’ll spell your lips shut for the whole afternoon,” Sunoo warns, but he’s hiding a smile, obviously not serious about carrying out the threat.

Sunghoon gestures his mouth shut, zipping it close. The silence lasts only a few seconds, “I’m still not used to seeing so much magic used for chores.” He remarks. 

Sunoo scrunches his nose, making Sunghoon want to pinch it. “You don’t behave like a wizard.” 

“Eh, whatever.” 

There’s a short silence and after a while, Sunghoon brings up the other, serious question he has been churning in the back of his mind. “We’re not brewing any potions now… do you want me to move back you know?” Sunghoon shrugs unable to articulate his thoughts well. 

The clatter of dishes and the hum of the water, fall silent, the only sound the heavy beat of Sunghoon's heart in his chest. He dares a glance at Sunoo, his gut twisting at the sight of the other boy's furrowed brows, the uncertainty clouding his eyes.

"Have I been unwelcoming in any way?" Sunoo asks, his voice laced with a vulnerability that makes Sunghoon's heartache.

Sunghoon rolls his eyes, trying to inject some levity into the situation. "Yes, of course," he says, his tone dry. "But not recently, anyway."

He likes teasing Sunoo, their playful banter a staple of their relationship. But one look at Sunoo's face, at the genuine concern etched into his features, and Sunghoon knows he needs to be honest and serious.

"Why do you want to move out?" Sunoo presses, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I'll be worried sick about you, thinking you're going to pass out and crack your head open at any moment. And if you're hurt, I won't even know, and I won't be able to help you, and then there'll be blood..."

Sunghoon's heart goes out to Sunoo, his fears and anxieties spilling out in a frantic tumble of words. He reaches out, wrapping his fingers around the back of Sunoo's neck and pulling him into a gentle embrace. They're awkward, their bodies at an angle, but the touch seems to jolt Sunoo out of his panic.

"I'm sorry," Sunghoon murmurs, his lips against Sunoo's hair. "I didn't mean to freak you out, I swear. I just thought you'd want your space back now that we don't have to be joined at the hip anymore. I didn't think about the magic and...and everything else."

He feels Sunoo's tension ease, his body relaxing into the embrace. When he pulls back, Sunoo's eyes are calmer, the stormy uncertainty replaced with a quiet acceptance.

"I'm sorry," Sunghoon says again, his voice barely above a whisper. "Let me make it up to you. I bet you haven't had muggle ice cream in ages. Let me take you to the muggle world, just for a few hours."

Sunoo hesitates, his brows furrowing in consideration. "We still have to practice that spell, and read through the instructions..." he trails off.

"Come on, Sunoo," Sunghoon presses, his voice full of persuasion. "We've been cooped up inside for too long. It'll be fun, I promise. Just a couple of hours, and we can come back and dive right back into the research."

Sunoo looks uncertain, but Sunghoon can see the temptation in his eyes, the yearning for a taste of normalcy. And then, in a moment that makes Sunghoon's heart soar, Sunoo nods, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Great!" Sunghoon exclaims, relief washing over him. "I'll go grab my shoes."

He turns and strides out of the kitchen, leaving Sunoo and his maddening smile behind. But for the first time in days, the thought of leaving, of putting space between them, doesn't fill him with a desperate longing. Because now, he knows Sunoo wants him to stay.

**********

Sunghoon had been cautious of the muggle weather and rightly told Sunoo to dress warmly. Sunoo is bundled up in a thick sweater and a muffler resembling quite a lot to a fluffy marshmallow. Sunghoon keeps peeking glances at him and grinning like an idiot. 

The muggle market Sunghoon bought Sunoo to is thronged with people. They had both been pleasantly surprised by the crowd, upon enquiry they learned that the market was hosting a food festival. 

Sunoo is quick to turn to Sunghoon with his big round eyes gleaming. Sunghoon, the bearer of all their muggle money laughs before leading Sunoo to one of the stalls. 

The relationship Sunoo has with food is muddled, he loves eating new things but his mind should tell him often that it is time to eat. Sunghoon has been consequently trying to mend the fall, it has been a slow and steady progress. 

“Corndog with this Cheetos thingy are so good,” Sunoo remarks fanning his mouth to ward off the heat in his mouth, he takes another bite of the corndog before holding it out for Sunghoon to eat. 

Sunghoon takes a bite, not because he likes the corndog but because he likes being fed by Sunoo. Some sort of demented creep he is, but the domesticity of it all surpasses any conscious embarrassment of his thoughts and actions. “Wait here I’ll bring some tanghulu from there. We need something sweet now.” Sunghoon says. 

Across the street, a colourful stall catches Sunghoon's eye, the vendor arranging a rainbow of tanghulu with practised ease. At the sweet, syrupy scent wafting from the stand, he feels a sudden pang of longing. That's exactly what he needs, a sweet treat to round out their little spicy snack.

As he approaches the stall, he catches the vendor's eye, a young woman with a kind smile and a knowing glint in her gaze. "Welcome," she greets him, her voice warm. "Your lover there?" She nods towards Sunoo, who's happily devouring the last of his corndog, oblivious to their scrutiny.

Sunghoon's heart stutters at the label, but he can't deny the warmth that spreads through his chest at the word. Lover . It suits Sunoo and fits him. And maybe, just maybe, it's a title Sunghoon wouldn't mind claiming for himself.

He nods, his eyes fixed on Sunoo, and the vendor lets out a soft chuckle. "Young love," she murmurs, her voice tinged with a bittersweet nostalgia. "How far would you go for love?" Her gaze is piercing, her eyes seeming to bore into Sunghoon's very soul.

He frowns, taken aback by the intensity of her question. "I...I don't know," he admits, feeling a flush rise to his cheeks.

The vendor nods, her expression unreadable. "Young love is reckless, impulsive. It pushes boundaries and defies logic. If it doesn't consume you, then it's not worth fighting for." Her voice drops, taking on a cryptic tone that sends a shiver down Sunghoon's spine. "Test your limits, push your boundaries. Because when two halves of the same soul want the same thing, nothing else matters. Only then will you know if it's truly worth the risk."

Sunghoon blinks, feeling like he's been punched in the gut. What is she talking about? And yet, a part of him, a small, insistent voice in the back of his mind, seems to understand, seems to resonate with her words.

Before he can formulate a response, the vendor presses a stick of tanghulu into his hands, her smile tight and enigmatic. "On the house," she says, and then turns to assist another customer, leaving Sunghoon feeling bewildered and more than a little unsettled.

He makes his way back to Sunoo, the sweet scent of the fruit now tinged with a hint of unease. As he hands Sunoo a stick of tanghulu, he can't help but glance back at the stall, a jolt of surprise running through him. The vendor is gone, replaced by a teenage boy who looks utterly out of place behind the counter.

She must have stepped away for a break, Sunghoon tells himself, but the words feel hollow. He can't shake the feeling that he's just been given a warning, a message that he's not quite sure how to decipher. But for now, he pushes it aside, focusing instead on the boy beside him, on the taste of sweet fruit.

Unaware of everything Sunoo is beaming at him, making him feel giddy and mushy like a teenager. 

“I never understood the hype about muggle food until today. These Cheetos corndogs are sorcery of some sort. I’ve had it once and I already feel addicted.” Sunoo tells Sunghoon as soon as he is within earshot. 

As they walk away from the stall, Sunghoon reaches out, his fingers brushing against Sunoo's. It's a small touch, a fleeting connection, but it's enough to ground him, to remind him of what they're building together. And maybe, just maybe, that's all the answer they need, at least for now.

“There’s a lot of things they eat that truly baffle me too, like fried ice cream and mint chocolate chicken and mint chocolate.” 

“What’s so bad about it, I like mint chocolate too. It’s refreshing, especially the ice cream from Baskin Robins.” 

Sunghoon turns to look at him, shooting him a heavy look. “You like toothpaste ice cream?” 

Sunoo laughs a little but continues to defend his tastes. “It does not taste like toothpaste. Besides, what kind of ice cream do you like?” 

“Cherries Jubilee, of course,” 

“No comments.” 

“Good.” Sunghoon huffs, obviously enjoying the banter. “I hated accepting help. When I went to Baskin-Robbins for the first time, I couldn’t read the labels or understand the pricing system. I just pointed at a flavour and asked for a scoop of it in a cup, before someone could help me out. I chose Cherries Jubilee, it's stuck since then.” 

“Accepting help doesn’t mean you are weak,” Sunoo says softly. He takes Sunghoon’s hand and runs his fingers over his knuckles— a soft touch indicating that he’s there. 

“I know.” Sunghoon intertwines their fingers together and smiles. “I actually have no place for the ice cream now,” he accepts. 

A chuckle is all he gets. “Same. Ice-cream outing is due on the 9th of December then,” Sunoo says, knowing all too well the implication of the words. 

You have to live through your birthday and make it through it all. 

“It’s a date.” 

“It is.” 

The beaming smiles on their faces are identical, mirroring their happiness and the giddy prospect of having something huge to look forward to. They walk around the street only to keep holding hands— anything to keep the touch going.

*******

Sunghoon stares down at the paper in front of them with mounting dread, his stomach tied in knots. 

"You know, you don't have to do this if you truly don't want to. I can do it for you," Sunoo speaks up beside Sunghoon, voice soothing against their ear. He shakes his head, declining politely. 

The quill shakes in Sunghoon’s hand as he continues staring down at the paper. It's just a piece of parchment, thick and cream white. Yet Sunghoon has been staring at it for minutes as if it'll come to life and bite him. 

A while ago, they had returned home from their little outing. Sunoo and he had gone right back to their work, cleaning up potions, and then Sunghoon sat down to write to his dad. After he had stormed off yesterday, he had to make amends. In no way was his behaviour appropriate; he also wants to reassure his dad that things are now better seeming than they had been before—that Sunoo will help him and that their magical signatures are compatible. 

He, however, is unable to find the right words. Apologising is not an easy feat for him. 

Sunoo stays right beside him, offering silent understanding to him. He can guess the turmoil Sunghoon is going through and even offers to write the letter instead. But the other man insists, knowing all too well that his Dad’s worries will only be assuaged once he hears from him. 

Sunoo rubs his hand along his arm, waiting patiently with him. It’s a lovely reassurance that Sunghoon feels touched by.

It takes him twenty minutes to write down the simple thing and send it through Koinonos. He knows patience is not Sunoo’s strongest suit, but he is always willing to put his best foot forward for him—all the little changes that slowly take place and stay make all the difference in the world.

It’s endearing and makes Sunghoon go soft; he doesn’t attempt to hide the stars in his eyes when he looks at Sunoo. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Sunoo asks.

“Like what?” Sunghoon retorts, twisting his body to get closer to Sunoo. The giddy smile shining through his eyes. 

“Like I’m some sort of divine being walking over water.” 

“You are an angel,” Sunghoon declares as a matter of fact, smiling even more. 

“I could kill you.” 

“I’d like to see you try.” Sunghoon challenges. “I have a very protective lover, he’ll keep me safe.” He adds, running his fingers up Sunoo’s arm lazily.

Sunoo turns red within seconds. The effect is so severe that he has to hide his face in his hands, scared of combusting into flames any minute. “Go away,” he mumbles. 

Sunghoon laughs; it echoes off the walls. “Okay, angel.” 

Sunoo swats at Sunghoon, which he narrowly avoids, before escaping into the bathroom. 

The bathroom door does block out most of Sunghoon’s laughs and teasing, but it gives way to a new astounding discovery. A long mirror hangs right above the wash basin in front of the door. Sunoo sees his reflection in the mirror, the pink dusting his cheeks and his ears, the joy in his eyes and the healthy complexion of his skin.

Until a few months ago, Sunoo had been looking at his expression in the mirror, noticing the dullness in his eyes, the paleness of his skin and the small visible errors in himself. Potions and workload got him there; he didn’t mind it, it’s all the price of success, he had told himself. 

But the him of today looks happy and healthy, radiant even, if he dares to think. Sunoo knows exactly what changed in these few months. Sunghoon ensured his health and kept him happy even through the worst of times. 

It wasn’t terrible before, it’s just better now. 

Sunoo realises how much Sunghoon has changed his life, for the better. It’s lovely being the centre of attention and affection from a man whose love language is acts of service. 

No.

It’s lovely being the centre of affection of Park Sunghoon, Sunoo corrects himself. 

It’s like healing wounds and erasing worries he had long since accepted to live with. 

“Sunoo, I won’t tease you anymore. Please come out.” Sunghoon called out from outside, breaking him from his reverie. 

Sunoo splashes water on his face and dabs away the dregs of his love-sick thoughts with a towel. When he emerges into the room, he is greeted by Sunghoon wearing his reading glasses and leaning against the table with a book in hand. 

“I just started reading more about Soul Bonds. Interestingly, the first thing I read here is that we will need a third wizard or witch, a guarantor, to be present during the ceremony in case we need them to pull us out and sever the bond. I think Jaeyun or Jungwon will be most suitable for this.” Sunghoon explains, holding the book in one hand and walking around the room casually. 

From his spot, Sunoo sees the flowers Sunghoon got him, sitting beautifully in a vase on the bookshelf behind Sunghoon. 

The words are akin to white noise in the background. There are three thoughts in Sunoo’s mind, all of which are unbidden and can make grown men turn pink with embarrassment. But it’s all justified and understandable because the hottest Park Sunghoon looks is when he is holding a book, wearing reading glasses, and explaining geeky information with a passion ignited in his eyes. 

And, right at this moment, Park Sunghoon is holding a book, he is explaining an idea, and the passion in his eyes is glinting in the low lighting of the room. 

So, like any normal man, Sunoo does act on his thoughts. 

He saunters over to Sunghoon and places his fingers on the book he has been referring to, fingers sprawled lazily on the open page, obscuring the sight of any sensible words. 

Sunghoon looks at him, the confusion clear in his eyes. Sunoo doesn’t explain anything; he simply pushes the book down, removing the barrier between their bodies and closing the distance between them. He pulls down Sunghoon by the nape of his neck and crashes their lips together. 

Not expecting the move, Sunghoon stumbles back, crashing into the bookshelf behind him. Sunoo’s fingers tangle into his hair, and Sunghoon quickly follows the example, his palm rests on the back of Sunoo’s head, and his mouth responds to the kiss with equal fervour, unbothered by the force of the collision. It happens in a split second, both of them running on pure impulse as if under a body-controlling spell.

Their bodies sway along with the bookshelf, but neither of them cares, entranced only in the exchange of unspoken desire. Sunghoon’s other hand snakes around Sunoo’s waist and pulls him close with a jerk, their chests pressing into each other, hearts hammering together against their ribcages. It’s a fight of tongues, there’s a battle for dominance, but neither of them gives way to the other. The kiss turns floppy, and when they separate, gasping for air, a string of saliva connects their mouths until it’s broken by the distance. 

Sunghoon rests his forehead against Sunoo’s shoulder, breathing heavily, his breath fanning against Sunoo’s neck. “That was hot.” 

“You are hot,” Sunoo whispers against the shell of Sunghoon’s ear.

Sunghoon trembles like a fish out of water, instantly putting an arm's distance between them. His face, neck, and cheeks are all flushed red. “I don’t think we should go there now.” 

Sunoo chuckles; it is a breathy sound. “As you please.”

“No,” Sunghoon argues. “You just suddenly do things that make me go weak in the knees. You came here with your pretty face, and— and just kiss me like that,”

Sunoo scowls, and he knew he had to rephrase that.

“Not like that, but…” Sunghoon stutters. He closes his eyes, opening them after a second. “It’s just I’m super affected by everything you do, and you can’t be blamed for that.”

That makes Sunoo smile. “You affect me a lot. A real lot, in ways you can’t even imagine.” 

“My knees are still feeling woozy.” 

“And my lips are still tingling.” 

Sunghoon is now blushing an even darker red than a few minutes ago. “Don’t say stuff like that. I’m still getting used to all this.”

“Oh, come on, it's our first kiss. You can be shy and giddy about it at the same time. I’m equally affected, just better at hiding my feelings.” 

“Don’t hide anything from me.” 

Sunoo knows the words have a deeper meaning than just about the kiss. “Okay, you too,” 

“Of course,” 

Sunoo smiles and picks up the poor book that he had impatiently thrown to the floor at some point, after snatching it from Sunghoon’s hands. He hands it back to him. “Back to serious stuff,” he says. 

With a wave of his wand, the journal and his own reading glasses fly into the room, settling neatly on the table. 

And just like before, Sunghoon sees the switch turn right back on, all the bubbly joy disappears from Sunoo’s face and in its place settles a crude resoluteness. Unlike before, Sunghoon is not surprised, since last night, he knew Sunoo would do everything in his efforts— probably even beyond, anything to save him. 

It's a humbling joy, one that Sunghoon wishes he could repay in the near future by living a fulfilling life. 

Sunghoon and Sunoo settle into their chairs with the journal of his grandfather and a few parchments and quills to make reference notes. Up this close, Sunghoon can feel the hairs on the nape of Sunoo’s neck stand. He knows the trepidation, can feel it too. Whatever is in this journal makes or breaks everything.  

Without any word, Sunghoon’s hand comes over Sunoo's, enveloping it; he easily slips his fingers between his softer, plumper ones. 

Sunoo smiles at him and opens the journal with his other hand. 

It takes them almost two hours to read everything and make sense of the illegible bits. Sunghoon’s grandfather was quite precise and mentioned every detail and potential anomaly that one could encounter in such a case. 

Almost everything had a prerequisite condition and a following requirement. The ritual, as his grandfather had said, was supposed to be performed on a full moon night that occurs close to apogee, a micromoon. It was supposed to be done in a large open space, after deep meditation. The ritual had twelve parts, symbolising the magical completion and perfection of the circle of life. Each of the twelve parts had definitive instructions. It was like a marriage— an intricate and deeper commitment than marriage.

The first part was concerned with the promised union; both participants' magic was questioned in this stage, they both had to be in perfect union and chant the invoking spell, backwards and forward, implying their interwoven magic would be the same in all facets of life. 

The second, third, and fourth parts dealt with potions and Veritaserum. Both participants had to accept their true intentions and confess a secret under the guidance of a potion. They then had to drink a potion made of Kreg leaves and Lotus stems from the same cup.

The fifth part involved mixing blood as part of a magical oath ritual. 

The sixth and seventh parts depended wholly on the results of the blood oath. If the oath was acceptable, then they would be able to see a sure sign. A cloth doll, made with a cloth cured with Nedricks bane, was required to be made with their own blood at heart for the seventh part. 

The eighth part was probably the simplest; they had to draw a circle on the ground from the ashes of a black swan’s feathers. 

In the ninth part, they both had to step into the circle, holding hands. The circle then becomes a barrier, separating them from the rest of the world.

The tenth part involved tying them together with a red string of fate. The string of fate was to be dyed with their intermixed blood and tied onto the index finger of both participants. In the wizard world, the red string of fate was highly regarded and was a symbol of marital affection and connection. In this case, the magic will flow between them forever through the string. The moment the string is severed because of infidelity, loss of affection, or betrayal, the magic sharing will be stopped, and without magic in his core, the wizard will die. 

The eleventh part involved one of them transferring a small fraction of their magic to the fading magic core of the other. 

The twelfth part had nothing to do with them; it was the magic cores that accepted or rejected the intrusion. If the union is accepted, both their cores will settle with shared magic, and they’ll be able to exit the circle of ashes. Otherwise, they’ll collapse and fall into the hands of a magic-induced cardiac arrest. 

Even after all this, many open-ended questions remained in the instructions, like whether the potions needed to be freshly brewed or prepared with specific instructions and whether the guarantor, who ensured the safety of the participants, could be present at the time of the ritual. 

“You know, let's discuss this with Jungwon and Riki once. The micromoon is in six days. Jungwon is a more stable and skilled wizard. I suggest him to be there for the safety part since Jaeyun is still on his work trip.” Sunoo suggests.

Sunghoon nods. His eyes, however, are cloudy, his fingers tighten around Sunoo's. ”Dizzy.” 

“Do you want to lie down?” Sunoo asks, his hands already working on Sunghoon’s temples, gently massaging them. 

These days, Sunghoon sleeps a lot; it’s easier to fall asleep. To an outsider, it might seem that he’s just resting and refuelling, but the reality is that his body functions are slowing down, and his magic is dimming away and taking a toll on him. Sunghoon shuffles closer and lets his head rest on Sunoo's thigh. The relief of lying down instantly hits him, making him sigh and close his eyes. 

Sunghoon's exhaustion weighs heavily on him, yet the simple act of resting against Sunoo brings a fleeting sense of peace. The warmth radiating from Sunoo's thigh feels comforting, in contrast to the cold reality of his fading magic and the toll it takes on his body.

As he lies there, Sunghoon feels the gentle rise and fall of Sunoo's breathing, a rhythm that soothes his frayed nerves. With each breath, the world outside fades, and for a moment, he allows himself to forget about the darkness creeping in around the edges of his consciousness.

"Why do you sleep so much?" Sunoo's voice breaks through the silence, soft and concerned.

Sunghoon opens his eyes just a crack, enough to see Sunoo's worried expression. He wants to reassure him, to say it’s just fatigue, just a phase, but the truth lingers unspoken. Instead, he nestles deeper into the warmth, giving a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“It’s nice here,” he murmurs, hoping the words will be enough to distract them both from the reality of his situation.

Sunoo’s hand finds its way to Sunghoon’s hair, fingers threading through the strands. “You don’t have to hide it from me,” he says gently.

Sunghoon takes a deep breath, feeling the weight of honesty pressing down on him. “I know,” he replies, his voice barely above a whisper. “But it’s easier this way.”

Under the gentle touch of Sunoo, Sunghoon lets himself drift, cherishing the fleeting comfort while it lasts, even as the shadows loom ever closer.

********

The midday sun is already on the way to its descent when Sunghoon's eyes flutter open. “Did I pass out again?”

“Yes,” Sunoo nods, running his fingers through his hair. “You've been out for almost an hour, but your vitals were stable, and I tried to stabilise your magic a little.” 

Sunghoon sits up, joints aching. “Sleeping like this here, twice in one day, is tough. My magic may be fine, but my muscles are definitely sore.” 

“You can sleep in the bed tonight.” 

Sunghoon looks like a deer caught in headlights, blinking without much acknowledgement. “You have just one bed.” 

“Yeah, and I'm telling you to sleep in it.” 

“And where will you sleep?”

“In the bed,” Sunoo replies. 

“As in beside me?” 

“Obviously, dummy.” Sunoo almost smacks Sunghoon at the back of his head for asking such obvious questions, but considering his precarious position, he refrains. 

“What are we Kim Sunoo?” 

“Park Sunghoon, we're definitely not teenagers fighting over labels. I don't cry over men, and I never kiss someone without intentions, but that matters only if you want it to. What do you want us to be?”

“Uh?” 

Sunoo wants to laugh and pinch Sunghoon's cheeks; he looks adorable, confused and flushed pink in embarrassment. “Don't fret over it, we can go over this whole thing at a slow pace, whatever's comfortable with you…” Sunoo trails off, suspecting maybe he asked too much. 

"I like you a lot, Sunoo," Sunghoon begins, his voice steady despite the tremor in his hands. He takes a deep breath, steadying himself for the next part. "And I think... I think I might be falling for you."

Sunoo's eyes widen slightly, a hint of surprise visible in their depths. But there's no judgment, no rejection in his gaze. "I like you too, Sunghoon," he says softly, his voice filled with warmth. "And I think... I think I might be falling for you, too."

A weight lifts from Sunghoon's shoulders, a burden he didn't even realise he's been carrying. A smile breaks out on his face, wide and genuine, lighting up his features. He lets out a shuddering breath, the tension draining from his body. "I'm glad," he whispers, his voice choked with emotion. "I'm really glad."

They sit in silence for a moment, basking in the afterglow of their confessions. The tension that had been coiled within Sunghoon unravels completely, replaced by a deep sense of contentment. 

Sunoo breaks the silence first, a gentle laugh escaping his lips. 

“I'm serious about this thing, about us. I just don't think that we can be dating because I have not even officially courted you yet. Rest assured, I'm not going to be looking at anyone else or even thinking about anyone but you. Quite literally, you're on my mind almost all the time.” Sunghoon blushes at his own confession. “I mean that I am glad to be with you, but I want to start dating you only once I have officially courted you.” 

“Damn, never thought you to be the one sickler for wizarding courting rules. But yeah, I'd love to be courted by you. I'm not that easy to please, you'll be on your toes for a long while before I say yes.” Sunoo grins.

“I want to do everything right with you,” Sunghoon reveals sincerely. 

“Me too,” Sunoo says. “I’m going to go and get a nutrition potion and a pepper up, and you’ll wait here and sit pretty until I am back.” He adds getting up, his sides already feel cold and resistant to leave Sunghoon. 

“I’m not pretty!” Sunghoon calls after Sunoo, but doesn’t move from his place. “I’m handsome.” 

Sunoo returns holding a tray with an assortment of potions balanced in one hand. He leans down to Sunhgoon’s eye level and ruffles his hair. “You’re the prettiest person I know, now drink up.” 

Sunghoon does as instructed. “Is it okay if we call Jungwon over and discuss the whole process before dinner? He can provide us with his input as well.” 

Sunoo nods. “I’ll send a note for him.” He quickly writes a note and sends it with Koinonos. 

********

Jungwon responds to the note with an affirmative and drops by in the evening with Riki in tow. It takes a while for the four of them to discuss everything. Based on the literature references he had been reading, Jungwon points out a few inconsistencies, mainly the brewed potions and the place requirements. He agrees to be the guarantor for the ritual. 

In four nights, Jungwon, with the help of Riki, will prepare the ingredients for the potions and the ashes of a black swan’s feathers. Sunoo and he will brew the potions on Saturday, five nights from now. Riki offered to make the cloth doll and the red string as instructed. 

When Jungwon and Riki left, they had a clearer and more detailed action plan. Sunghoon owed a lot to Jungwon and Riki if it all went well, in favour and regard, but that’s a worry for later. 

“I’ll fix us something to eat,” Sunoo says, disappearing into the kitchen.

Sunghoon watches Sunoo’s retreating, grateful for the other. He closed his eyes and rested against the chair, feeling drained. 

Not even ten minutes later Sunoo’s back with two plates of steaming pasta. Sunghoon opens his eyes smelling the tempting aroma in the air. 

“Come to think of it, I’ve never had anything cooked by you.” 

“I made you a pie once but you gave it to Riki.” Sunoo retorts with a side-eye disdainful look. 

“You poisoned the pie with a height-reducing potion.” 

“Yes, but the whole thing was delicious. Riki told me afterwards.” 

“Well, the pasta does have a tempting aroma.” Sunghoon takes the plate with a thankful smile, purposely lingering his fingers over Sunoo’s longer than necessary. “Thank you.” 

“I don’t like cooking often, potion brewing is a task enough. Consider yourself lucky for this.” 

“Eternally grateful for your mercy in feeding this peasant your blessed homemade meal.” Sunghoon teases, bowing his head thrice.

Sunoo chuckles. He digs into his food and Sunghoon follows. 

“It’s delicious!” Sunghoon compliments making Sunoo’s smile widen. 

They eat mostly in silence save for the usual quips and remarks. Sunghoon cleans up afterwards and does the dishes. 

Sunoo is already showered and changed by then, and fed Koinonos. Sunghoon hurries off into the bathroom. In the time that he has been staying here, Sunghoon and Sunoo have been sharing the toiletries. He gets to use Sunoo’s shower gel and shampoo and smells identical to Sunoo albeit with a tinge of lemongrass and sea salt— courtesy of the scent potion Sunoo brewed for him. It makes his veins tingle, especially considering how everything between them has shifted.

Without much preamble, Sunoo drags Sunghoon up the loft as soon as their night routine is done. No words are explicitly spoken but both of them are flushed and jittery. Sunoo takes the right side of the bed and points Sunghoon to the left. 

Objectively, it's a decent-sized bed. They’re not squished together as Sunghoon had half feared— it would have been embarrassing to let Sunoo hear his racing heart. There’s a reasonable distance between them, both of them facing the ceiling, their arms are not touching but it's close enough to distinctly feel the other's presence. 

“I don’t snore in the night.” Sunghoon blurts out, driven only by the impulse to fill the silence so that Sunoo doesn’t hear or feel how pleasantly bothered he is feeling. 

“Neither do I,” Sunoo replies. 

“I like your comforter, it is soft.” 

“It is.” 

“Is it magically woven?” 

Sunoo turns to look at Sunghoon, puzzled. “No. I don’t think blankets can be woven like that.”

“Okay.” Sunghoon gulps. 

S unoo is so close. I can count the hair in the fringe resting over his forehead— his mind supplies. 

He quickly shuts off that weird thought and forcefully focuses on counting his breaths until he falls asleep— hopefully soon enough to not engage in senseless stupidity, like counting the hair in Sunoo’s fringe. 

Sunghoon counts a little over one hundred eighty breaths before succumbing to sleep. 

***********

The next morning, it’s Sunoo who wakes up first. It’s such a rare occurrence that the man himself is taken by surprise. He takes a peak at Sunghoon and then at the skylight, realising it’s just before the break of dawn. Sunghoon still has a few hours to sleep, and Sunoo has a few more hours to lounge in the bed. 

During the night, both of them had rolled in closer to the center of the bed, but a fragment of space remained between them, their bodies far enough apart not to be in contact but close enough to brush against each other at every movement. 

Sunoo turns on the fireplace below using wandless magic, partly because the early morning chill is fierce and mainly because he wants to see. He turns his body, facing Sunghoon completely. 

Sunghoon lay there in the soft glow from the crackling fire, nestled under a fluffy, knitted blanket. The room is filled with the warmth of the flames, contrasting with the cold air that seeps in from the outside.

Sunoo cannot look away, Sunghoon looks even more peaceful in the soft light, his cheeks slightly flushed from the warmth. His hair tousled against the pillow adds to his charm. Every gentle breath seems to create its rhythm in the stillness, his long lashes brush against his rosy cheeky matching Sunoo’s heart flutter. This close, he can see the small flecks that cluster together to form the mole on Sunghoon’s pointy nose, resembling a cluster of stars. 

Sunoo feels a wave of affection wash over him, more intense in the chilly season. Sunghoon is so pretty, such a peerless beauty that can raise nations to war. And somehow, by sheer benevolence of the universe, this beautiful man is all for Sunoo to treasure and appreciate. A lifetime may be too short to reverently cherish this man, a thousand lifetimes might be able to hold face. But Sunoo’s selfish, he wants forever with this man. 

The kind of forever that sees the ends of the worlds and time but never simmers away into nothing. It takes devotion to make promises of forever, but Sunoo knows without any second thought that he wants forever with Sunghoon. 

At least forever, nothing less than that. 

He inches closer, feeling Sunghoon's heat, their legs brushing.

Sunghoon stirs, opening his eyes. They lock onto Sunoo's, and for a moment, they just stare. Sunoo's heart pounds, but he doesn't back away. He lifts a hand, brushing a strand of hair from Sunghoon's face. It's a whisper of a touch, but it sends shivers down Sunoo's spine.

"I want forever with you, Sunghoon," he whispers, his voice trembling. "At least forever, nothing less than that." He searches Sunghoon's eyes, desperate for a sign, any sign. And then, Sunghoon's gaze softens, his face relaxing.

"Forever, then," he murmurs, his voice rough with sleep. But there's warmth in his eyes, a promise. Sunoo's heart soars. Forever. He inches closer, their bodies aligning. He can feel Sunghoon's heat, his steady breaths.

Sunoo's hand drifts down, resting against Sunghoon's chest. He can feel his heart pounding, a rhythm to match Sunoo's own. It's a promise. Sunoo leans in, his forehead touching Sunghoon's. He closes his eyes, soaking in the warmth, the feeling of being beside this man.

"Forever," he whispers again, the word filled with emotion. Sunghoon hums, his hand lifting to rest on top of Sunoo's. A simple touch, a connection, a promise. And Sunoo knows he'll take it, he'll take whatever he can get. Because in the end, a lifetime with Sunghoon will never be enough, but forever...forever is a start.

******

Six days pass by in a quick flash. One morning Sunoo’s looking at Sunghoon and making promises of forever, and the next, he’s standing in front of the very man testing the very limits of his own commitment to him. 

Sunoo's fingers tighten around the dagger's hilt. "This is going to hurt," he warns, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sunghoon offers a reassuring smile and holds out his palm. "I trust you," he says, his eyes locked on Sunoo's.

Sunoo swallows hard, steeling himself. He takes a deep breath, then pushes the blade into Sunghoon's flesh. The dagger bites deep, and blood wells up immediately, spilling out in warm, crimson rivulets. Sunoo's stomach churns at the sight – it's too familiar, a horrific flashback to that terrible day.

"It's okay," Sunghoon murmurs, his voice steady. He reaches out with his free hand, gently tilting Sunoo's chin until their eyes meet. "Breathe, we're okay." He demonstrates, drawing in a slow, even breath. Sunoo follows his lead, forcing himself to inhale, to exhale, to open his eyes and find some semblance of calm once more.

"I'm sorry," Sunoo whispers. "I just...I keep thinking about that day again."

Sunghoon's expression softens. "I know," he says. "But it's not the same. We're together now. We'll get through this."

Sunoo nods, determination burning in his chest. He raises his hand, focusing his magic, a warm, golden light spills out, washing over Sunghoon's wound. The gash begins to knit itself back together, and Sunoo can't help but feel a surge of satisfaction as the flesh smooths over, leaving not even a faint scar behind.

Riki's been waiting for his cue. The moment Sunoo's healing magic fades, he darts forward, grabbing the vessel that now holds a mixture of both their blood. "Got it!" he squeaks, before scurrying off to cure the doll and the red string.

Time is the essence. They can't afford to waste a single moment – every action, every gesture, has to be perfect, their lives depend on it, and their freedom too. If they slip up even once, the curse will consume them, and the Ministry of Magic will show them no mercy.

But for now, Sunoo dares to feel a spark of hope in this fleeting instant. 

He thinks back to the afternoon, when they moved to the living room, playing soft music in the background. They swayed slowly, their arms wrapped around each other, lost in the moment. Sunoo rested his head against Sunghoon’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Sunghoon held him close, feeling the tension of the day melt away in the warmth of the embrace. It’s a memory he wants to cherish and live through every day. 

They've made it this far. They can make it through the rest of the ritual, as long as they have each other. Forever is in their reach.

As the hour draws nearer, their anxiety spirals, feeding into itself until it's almost a living thing.

Sunghoon and Sunoo have been on edge since dusk, their usual calm shattered by the looming weight of the ritual. 

Sunghoon paces back and forth, his long strides eating up the distance of their ritual ground. His hands are clenched into fists at his sides, and his mouth is a thin, grim line. Ever so often, he spares a glance at Sunoo, his eyes searching, for what, Sunoo's not entirely sure. Reassurance? Resolve? Some sign that they'll actually make it through this?

Sunghoon's concerns are all for Sunoo. Is he asking too much of Sunoo? Is he pushing him too far? Sunghoon can't bear the thought of Sunoo draining himself, of him paying the price for this ritual. Sunghoon's own safety barely even registers next to his terror for Sunoo.

Sunoo, meanwhile, has his gaze fixed on the dagger that seems to gleam with a deadly intensity, his stomach twists at the thought of it plunging into Sunghoon's flesh again. He's gone over the steps a thousand times in his head, but a nagging little voice keeps whispering— what if he messes up? What if his magic fails?

His nerves are written plain across his face, a rare display of vulnerability. He's a bundle of restless energy, his thumbs twitching, his nails unconsciously scraping against the delicate skin of his wrists. Sunghoon would hold his hand and stop the nerves for a while but it would return after some time, even the touch can only temporarily soothe the fears. He knows he won't find true peace until the ritual is behind them and Sunghoon is safe.

Jungwon’s the only one who seems even remotely composed. He's busy at the transfigured workbench, carefully mixing various herbs and liquids for the ritual. His brow is furrowed in concentration, but there's a determined glint in his eye that makes Sunoo feel marginally better.

They can't afford to falter. Not now, not when they're so close. One mistake, one misstep, and… Sunoo can't even bear to think about it. The curse will take them, body and soul. The Ministry will find the rest of them and will strip them of their magic and their freedom. 

No. Sunoo pushes himself to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. He can't afford to indulge in fear, not anymore. He crosses to Sunghoon, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Hey," he says, his voice rough. "It's time."

Sunghoon stills, then turns to face him. His eyes are wide, but he offers Sunoo a shaky sort of smile. "I'm ready," he says, his voice firm. "We can do this."

Sunoo nods, squeezing his shoulder. "We can," he agrees. "Together, we can."

As the moon rises higher in the sky, Sunoo's gaze goes distant, his eyes fixed on some point beyond the horizon. The flickering candlelight paints his sharp cheekbones in stark relief, and for a moment, he looks hauntingly fragile. Sunghoon's heart twists in his chest. He reaches out, gently cradling Sunoo's face in his hands, and pulls him into a soft, desperate kiss. Sunoo responds instinctively, his lips parting, and his mouth opening. For a moment, they just exist, lost in the familiar warmth of each other.

"Ten minutes," Jungwon calls out, his voice shattering the trance, a collective shiver runs down their spines. They nod as one, the air thick with tension, their nerves a living, breathing thing.

Riki's the first to move, hurrying forward to place the ritual bowl on the makeshift transfigured bench. They've set up in a small, secluded garden nestled near a pond which is also uncomfortably close to Sunghoon's ancestral burial grounds. It feels wrong, to perform dark magic so close to a place of rest, but time is against them. This was the only spot they could find that met all the ritual's conditions. The eerie surroundings did little to calm down all of their paranoia. 

They're as ready as they'll ever be. All that's left is to begin and pray they make it through the other side intact.

“Do all you can, everything else will fall into place.” Riki hugs Sunghoon and Sunoo before placing the red string in Sunoo’s hand. 

“Believe in your magic, I’ll be at the shop, waiting for you all,” Riki calls out to them from the distance before finally leaving. 

They're alone now, the three of them. Jungwon mutters to himself, poring over the ritual instructions even though they all know it by heart. Sunoo turns to Sunghoon, their eyes meeting in the soft glow of the lantern overhead. He doesn't say a word, but his gaze is a raw, open book. Sunghoon can see the fear there, the doubt and the desperate hope.

"Hey, don't worry," Sunghoon murmurs, opening his arms. Sunoo goes into them without hesitation, their bodies aligning as they wrap their arms around each other. "Look forward to our date," Sunghoon adds, his voice muffled against Sunoo's shoulder.

“Sunghoon,” Sunoo says his name against his shoulder. Sunghoon’s arms constrict, holding Sunoo a little tighter. There's a beat of silence, and then Sunoo's voice is back, stronger now. "You made a promise. Keep your word." He inhales, a soft hitch in his breath as if he's gathering every last shred of courage. "Please."

"I will," Sunghoon vows, the words torn from his soul. "I will."

"Three minutes," Jungwon calls his voice an unwelcome intrusion.

Sunoo and Sunghoon break apart, their eyes clinging. Sunoo's eyes are blazing and fierce. "Be brave," he orders, his voice low and urgent. The moon shifts overhead, sliding into perfect alignment...and it's time. Sunoo squeezes his hand one last time, then turns away, his face tilted up to the moon's silvery pull. 

Jungwon raises his hands, and a shimmering barrier erupts around them, sealing them in. "In the presence of the Moon, the Gods, and all Magical Entities," he begins, his voice steady, "I, Yang Jungwon, act as the guarantor for the soul and magic union of Kim Sunoo and Park Sunghoon. May their union be fruitful to them and the universe at large."

Sunoo turns, his hands reaching out. Sunghoon takes them, their fingers intertwining as they meet each other's gaze. And then, as one, they begin to chant, their voices rising and falling in the ancient rhythm of the invoking spell.

In the ritual, bound we stand,

Hearts entwined by fate’s own hand.

Through the whispers of the night,

We pledge our magic and souls, a sacred rite.

With the moon’s soft silver glow,

In this bond, our spirits flow.

By earth and sky, by flame and sea,

Together, we shall always be.

Let the universe of magic bear witness true,

To this vow, I make to you.

From this moment forth, our paths align,

In heart and spirit, forever thine.

The air seems to vibrate, and thrum with magical energy, the moment they begin chanting in reverse. A shiver races down Sunoo's spine, a foreign, unsettling sensation but he doesn't falter. He can see the echo of his own unease in Sunghoon's eyes, and he knows they're in this together. The magic is already building, a palpable thing that crackles on their skin.

Jungwon steps forward, a tray balanced in his hands. It's lined with the various vials of potion they brewed together, but Sunoo and Sunghoon each reach for the same one – the Veritaserum. They down it in one swift motion, the bitter taste burning a path down their throats.

Sunghoon inhales deeply, his gaze locked on Sunoo's. For a moment, they just stare, and Sunoo pours all his reassurance, all his determination, into his eyes. 

And then Sunghoon begins to speak, his words a strange, beautiful echo of wedding vows. "In shadows deep, where secrets lie," he says, his voice trembling. "I stand before you, my soul laid bare. At this moment, I seek to share. With every word, let my intentions show, in this sacred space, let love's light flow. No more veils, no masks to wear, in your gaze, I find my peace and courage to speak the truth, that I dare to feel."

He inhales, a shaky breath, and his grip on Sunoo's hand tightens. "Your soul, your heart, they call to mine, a siren's song I cannot resist. I want this," he admits, his voice full of conviction. "I want you, I want us, I want this bond that ties us together. I want to explore this, to see where it takes us, to build something lasting. So hear my heart, hear what I confess with words and gaze and touch. In your presence, I find my rest. Accept my plea, for in this bond, we set us free. I'll be brave, for you."

Sunoo's heart pounds in his chest, a wild, exhilarating rhythm that matches the thrumming of the magic between them. He feels like he's drowning in Sunghoon's eyes, in the raw, unfiltered emotion that shines there. This is it, he realizes, his breath catching in his throat. This is Sunghoon's confession, his promise, his vow.

He swallows hard, his mouth dry, and he takes a step closer, his body inches from Sunghoon's, the air between them crackling with tension. "I accept," he whispers, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart, his eyes never leaving Sunghoon's. He flips their hands, his own palm covering Sunghoon's. "In the quiet where shadows blend, I gather strength, with a trembling voice, I seek to confess, a whispered truth, my soul laid bare.” He pauses, his gaze locked on Sunghoon's. 

"I'll be brave with you," he promises, his voice echoing Sunghoon's earlier words. "I'll face whatever comes our way, as long as you're by my side. In your light, my story's told. No more masks to shield my soul, in your presence alone, I feel whole. With courage found, I break the night, to share my weakness, to find the light. With open hearts, let truth arise. I live for the days, I will get to spend in your light. Accept my intentions, allow me to honour and protect this bond with my life."

Sunghoon's voice cracks in his response. "I accept," he chokes out.

Sunoo's touch is a balm to his soul. He traces the lines of Sunghoon's knuckles, pouring all his comfort, all his love, into the gentle caress.

Jungwon gives a curt nod, and then he pours the potion of Kreg leaves and lotus stems into a delicate, golden chalice. It's a Park family heirloom, passed down through generations and now it's going to play a part in this dark, desperate ritual. Sunghoon’s dad gave it to him with his best wishes. 

Sunghoon takes it, his fingers wrapping around the stem as he raises it to his lips. The smell is vile, bitter and acrid, and he can't help but gag as the liquid touches his tongue. Riki warned them – no additives, not even taste enhancers to make it palatable. Sunghoon forces himself to swallow, again and again, until only a quarter of the potion remains.  The ritual said about drinking from the same cup, nothing about the quantity, and he’d rather Sunoo not have the taste of ashes and cardboard— at least not more than what was necessary.

Sunoo's face is a mask of calm as he takes the chalice, his eyes never leaving Sunghoon's. He downs the potion in one smooth motion, not even a flicker of distaste crossing his features. Sunoo's been nothing but grave and serious about this entire ritual, and maybe that's the only way to approach something that could cost them their lives.

“Your right palms.” Jungwon orders. 

Sunghoon's gaze snaps to his, and then the dagger is flashing in the moonlight, clasped tightly in Sunoo’s fingers. There's a bite of pain as the blade slices across his skin, and he can't help but inhale sharply. But when he would have jerked away, Sunoo's gaze caught his, a silent message flashing between them.

Sunghoon relaxes back, his hand remaining steady as he repeats the process on Sunoo. The other man flinches, a tiny, involuntary movement, but he doesn't pull away. Sunghoon can feel things, now. The magic is building, a strange buzzing in his veins, and he's catching echoes of thoughts that aren't his own. It's as if he can hear a whispering in his ear, a constant, running commentary on everything that's happening.

Sunoo's palm settles over his, their skin pressed together. He can feel the warm, slick glide of blood, their life force mingling on their skin. "As blood intermixed, let your fates align," Jungwon recites, his voice a low, rhythmic chant. "Whatever bears fruit so forth shall be abundantly beneficial. Together for good and for bad."

The words hang in the air, and for a long, tense moment, there's only silence. And then, the magic seems to fizz, to crackle and build, responding to the blood oath they've just sworn.

According to the instructions, if the blood oath was acceptable, then the universe would give a sure sign. All three of them look around, scanning their surroundings, hearts pounding as they anxiously await a signal—any sign. 

The forest is unnervingly still. No leaves rustle, no birds take flight. The trees stand motionless, sentinels guarding a secret. New flowers refuse to bloom, fireflies abstain from twinkling. An eerie silence blankets them, heavy with anticipation and a touch of fear. Sunghoon's heart hammers against his ribcage, each beat echoing in his ears. His gaze darts across the barren earth, his mind screaming for something, anything, to break the oppressive stillness.

There needs to be a sign, something. Only then, both he and Sunoo will be able to make it out of this unharmed. Sunghoon's thoughts are a jumbled mess of prayers and pleas. He can't bring himself to look at Sunoo, can't bear to see the fear lurking in his eyes.

“Please,” he hears a whispered plea from Sunoo.

Don’t give up, keep searching. His heart stutters, with fear, but he cannot seem to stop looking, can’t give up on the hope. Sunghoon’s fingers fidgeted, tugging at the frayed edges of his cloak, while his eyes darted to the darkening sky, searching for any sign of hope. 

"Please," a whispered word breaches the silence. Sunoo's voice trembles, barely audible over the sound of Sunghoon's own ragged breathing.

Don't give up , a voice in Sunghoon's head urges. Keep searching. Hold onto hope, no matter how fragile the thread may be. His heart stutters and skips a beat, a cold dread seeping into his bones, but he can't stop searching. He can't abandon the belief that they'll be okay. Sunghoon's fingers tremble, fidgeting with the frayed edges of his shirt. His eyes keep darting towards the sky, willing a miracle into existence.

And then...a flicker of light dances on the horizon. 

One lantern, a lone flame flickering to life against the approaching twilight. 

"Look!" The word rips from Sunghoon's throat, his voice shaking with a mix of fear and tentative hope. He feels like he's choking, his breath lodged in his throat as he tracks the lantern's ascent.

At first, the light wobbles and dips, a fragile spark against the encroaching darkness. Sunghoon's stomach twists and churns with every unsteady movement, his heart plummeting towards his shoes. But the lantern perseveres, its glow strengthening as it climbs higher into the sky. Gentle rays wash over the trio and chase away the shadows.

The lantern steadies, floating gracefully into the night. It drifts closer and closer, its reflected glow illuminating Sunoo's face. Sunghoon finally works up the courage to meet his gaze, and the relief he finds in those eyes releases a dam within him.

"Our union..." Sunghoon's voice cracks. He swallows hard, trying again. "Our union is acceptable." The words feel like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. A floating lantern ascending the sky—it's a good sign, a good omen. It means their bond has been recognised, that they've been granted a chance at a future together.

A shuddering breath escapes Sunghoon, the sound echoing in the stillness. It feels like he's finally able to breathe again like he's been granted a second chance at life. Tears prick at the corners of his eyes as he turns towards Sunoo, a smile spreading across both their faces.

Jungwon takes the doll Riki had prepared earlier and places it on the ground, handing over the bowl of ashes to Sunoo.

Sunoo traces a perfect circle around himself on the ground with a steady hand. He shares a nod with Jungwon, then reaches for Sunghoon's hand. Their fingers intertwine naturally, a spark of familiarity running through them. Together, they step into the circle. Instantly, red lines of magic flare to life, weaving into a protective dome around the circle Sunoo drew. The world beyond the barrier fades away— for now, Sunghoon and Sunoo exist only for each other. If their soul magic succeeds, they'll reunite with their bodies.

"You still owe me that date," Sunoo reminds him, voice light despite the gravity of the moment. "I'm holding you to that courting promise. Don't leave me hanging."

Sunghoon's smiles. "I'd never dream of it," he says, tugging Sunoo closer until they stand toe-to-toe. Sunoo's heart skips a beat at the warmth in Sunghoon's eyes. “I’ll be there with you.”

Sunoo digs into his pocket, fingers closing around the cool silk of the red string. Legend says the red string of fate binds soulmates together, a symbol of their union visible only to them, the primary medium for their magic sharing. His hands tremble slightly as he pulls the string taut. The thread seems to shimmer in the red light of their magic dome. He struggles to tie a knot around Sunghoon's finger, the string slipping through his fingers. 

Don't be ridiculous, Sunoo. It's just nerves, not a bad omen. He forces a steady breath and focuses until the knot is secure. Only then do his eyebrows relax.

Sunghoon fares better than Sunoo, his fingers are deft and practised. The knot he ties to Sunoo’s finger is pretty and sturdy, and a small bow is also added to the artwork. 

As the string glows brighter, the air inside the dome seems to vibrate with magic. Sunoo can feel his heart pounding in time with Sunghoon's, their bond strengthening with every passing moment. The red string pulses like a tiny heart on Sunghoon's finger, a symbol of the commitment they're making. They're not just binding their souls and magic— they're choosing a future together, one where every challenge is to be met side by side.

"I'm ready for this," Sunghoon says quietly, his gaze locked on Sunoo.

Sunoo's throat goes dry, but he manages a nod. "Me too," he whispers.

Sunoo takes a deep breath, feeling the familiar weight of his wand in his hand. His grip is tight enough to turn his knuckles white, but he can't seem to loosen his fingers. Fear hums through him like a live wire but so does determination. He thinks of Sunghoon— not of the magic that binds them, but of the man himself. Sunghoon's laughter, kindness, and how he always knows how to make Sunoo feel seen and loved. 

With a small, shaky motion, Sunoo raises his wand. This is it. This is the moment that will change everything. He visualizes the threads of their soul magic, reaching out to intertwine with Sunghoon's. He pours all his longing, all his hope, into the spell. 

Let this work, he prays silently. Let us have a future together.

As soon as Sunoo transfers the magic, he feels it— a subtle tug, like the threads of their souls, reaching out to each other. It's not a large amount of power, but the sensation is unmistakable. His knees wobble, his vision blurring at the edges. A chill sweeps through him, leaving his skin clammy and his teeth chattering. Sweat beads pool at the nape of his neck, trickling down his spine like ice water.

Sunghoon, on the other hand, seems to be burning up. His cheeks flush a deep red, and sweat drips down his face. His hands, still clasped with Sunoo's, are scorching hot, a stark contrast to Sunoo's icy fingers. Panic is rising in his eyes, his breath coming in sharp gasps.

"Was this supposed to happen?" Sunghoon manages to ask, his voice shaking.

Sunoo's mind races. None of this is right. The instructions were clear— tie the string, transfer the magic. That's it. He can't think of anything they might have done wrong, any step they might have missed.

"It's getting hotter," Sunghoon whispers, his gaze darting wildly around the dome of their magic.

In desperation, Sunoo remembers the spell chant from that one book. It was a footnote, a last-ditch effort for if things went wrong. They'd dismissed it because it wasn't backed up by any other sources, but now... it's all they have left. He squeezes Sunghoon's hands gently. "Don't worry," he lies, trying to sound calmer than he feels.

He begins to chant the words of the spell, his cold breath puffing out against Sunghoon's burning skin. He raises his wand, pointing it at their joined hands. Time is running out. He can feel their magic spiralling out of control, their souls straining at the bonds between them. He has to fix this, and fast.

The steam of magic flowing along the red string, up Sunghoon’s arm is visible— there’s a streak of yellow magic floating in the air following the small magic Sunoo just transferred in his core. It seemed strangely akin to a mother duck guiding her young duckling across the lake, only the magic in the air is the duckling and Sunoo’s magic in Sunghoon’s body is the duck. 

Sunghoon's gaze finds Sunoo's, his eyes tracing over every feature with a desperate intensity. It's as if he's trying to memorize Sunoo, to etch every detail of his face into his memory. The tenderness in his expression makes Sunoo's chest ache.

The magic around them dissipates, leaving an echoing void within the barrier. The air feels heavy with the weight of their uncertain future.

"Take care of yourself," Sunghoon says, his voice choked but his smile blazing. "Eat well, sleep enough... I love you." Tears stream down his face, but the smile never wavers.

Sunoo stares at him, horror dawning in his eyes. His brows knit, his fingers tightening around Sunghoon's until his knuckles are white. It's as if he's trying to hold Sunghoon in place, to keep him from slipping away.

But still, Sunoo chants on. He funnels more magic into Sunghoon, but there's no spark of response, no glow from the red string. Frustration pricks at the corners of his eyes, hot tears of desperation. He's not sure what's happening, or how to fix it, but he refuses to give up. As long as he's still breathing, there's hope. And so he'll keep chanting, keep pouring his magic and his soul into Sunghoon, until there's nothing left of him.

Sunoo clings to hope with all his might. They’re breathing, alive—this is a great sign. 

Kim Sunoo pulls Park Sunghoon out of the circle, their fingers intertwined, a silent promise that neither of them will let go. Frantic and relieved, he feels as though the world has shifted beneath his feet. In a matter of minutes, everything has changed, yet, everything appears to be the same.

But they are okay now—out of the circle. Safe, alive, and far away from the danger that loomed over them. 

Safe . 

Being out of the circle means they will live. They are soul-bound now.  

“Why did you say it like a goodbye?” Sunoo seethes, his teeth clenched, vision blurred by tears. Anger and fear, trapped inside the barrier, now surge forward, overwhelming him. Sunghoon's words had carried such a weight of finality and sadness like a farewell he wasn’t ready to hear.

Sunoo turns to face Sunghoon, his heart pounding with both paranoia and the need to unleash his emotions—an earful before embracing him tightly and crying out every ounce of his fear and relief. But he doesn’t get the chance. As he turns, he sees the light fading from Sunghoon’s eyes. Sunghoon looks at him and whispers something soft and precious before his body goes limp in Sunoo’s arms.

It happens in a blink, and Sunoo is frozen in shock. He screams desperately for Jungwon. In his mind, he replays the whisper: "I love you." Those words, barely spoken, hang in the air like a haunting melody. As they stand there, the red string of fate begins to fade, unravelling before their eyes, disappearing as if it never existed.

*************

Epilogue

“Sunoo!” The voice is a sharp, urgent call piercing through the fog of sleep.

“Sunoo.” The sound softens, almost coaxing, but still insistent.

“Kim Sunoo, you have ten seconds to wake up before I barge upstairs and pull you up by your ear.” The final warning is half-joking, yet carries a thread of sincerity that Sunoo knows not to test.

Sunoo is exhausted. A persistent crick in his trapezius nags at him, a dull ache that refuses to ease despite his attempts to massage it away. Restless nights of tossing and turning have left him weary. It's been nearly three weeks, but the thrumming in his veins and the wild strumming in his magical core make restful sleep elusive.

The absence of Sunghoon beside him is a significant loss, a barrier to peaceful sleep. 

They had only shared a bed for a week before the ritual, but his body had quickly grown accustomed to that warm presence. Now, he misses it dearly. Despite sleeping alone for the majority of his life, after only days of having Sunghoon’s presence in the bed as well, it now feels cold and empty. Sunoo always slept facing Sunghoon’s side of the bed, even when it was unoccupied, he could identify the faint scent of saltwater and limegrass that had mixed with his own.

Every night, he sleeps in Sunghoon's hoodie, inhaling the comforting scent that clings to the fabric, wrapping himself in warmth. But it’s never quite enough. It’s just a hoodie, an inanimate object that pales in comparison to the real person. It’s a temporary fix, not nearly as comforting or half satisfying, but it’s all they have. 

Sharing hoodies is all they can do.

Three weeks have passed since the ritual. 

Three weeks since Sunghoon and he emerged from the barrier without the red string binding their fingers. 

Three weeks since their soulbond came into existence. Two since Sunghoon’s twenty-sixth birthday.

Three is such an odd number—always extra, yet never enough. Even the word teeters on the brink of balance, almost perfect but not quite.

His thoughts are interrupted by the sight before him. Sunghoon leans casually against the bookshelf ladder, a warm smile lighting up his face. Sunoo does a quick cleaning charm on himself and rushes down, stopping just short of touching Sunghoon, careful and deliberate.

“Good morning,” Sunghoon beams, his eyes twinkling with a brightness that Sunoo has missed.

“Good morning. I’m tired,” Sunoo admits, his voice tinged with weariness. “I miss waking up next to you.” He fiddles absently with the drawstrings of the navy hoodie he borrowed for the night, half awake but fully attentive. 

The memory of Sunghoon passing out last time is still vivid and terrifying for Sunoo. He had sobbed and panicked until Jungwon reassured him that all of Sunghoon’s vitals were normal. Sunghoon woke up within minutes, only to faint again shortly after. It was a vicious cycle that horrified everyone until Riki pointed out that Sunghoon only lost consciousness when Sunoo touched him. He was fine—completely fine—until Sunoo’s touch triggered the reaction.

The journey to understanding had been difficult and filled with uncertainty. Newly soul-bound mages, as it turns out, are acutely sensitive to the magic of their mate. This sensitivity leads to a kind of magic overdose, causing them to lose consciousness until equilibrium is reestablished. Fortunately, this heightened sensitivity dissipates within a few weeks as their magic cores settle into harmony.

For Sunghoon and Sunoo, these weeks have been nothing short of a trial by fire. The simple joys of touch—hugs, holding hands, even the briefest brush of fingers—have been denied to them, leaving them in a torturous state of longing. 

So near, yet so heartbreakingly distant. Every night, Sunghoon retreats to his flat, tossing and turning in search of sleep, his thoughts invariably drifting to Sunoo. He imagines Sunoo experiencing the same restless nights, the same yearning.

For two weeks, with the first light of dawn, Sunghoon finds himself hurrying to Sunoo’s side, hopeful that today might mark the settling of their magic cores. Yet, each attempt ends with him losing consciousness on Sunoo’s couch. But they remain unyielding, driven by the hope that tomorrow might bring relief.

“Maybe today’s our lucky day,” Sunghoon declares, striding confidently to the couch. He sits, patting the space beside him with a gentle invitation for Sunoo. Inside, his heart races with a mixture of hope and fear, a silent prayer echoing in his thoughts. 

Let this be the day.

Sunoo, ever cautious, feels the weight of worry pressing down each day. He takes a steadying breath, his hand hovering tentatively above Sunghoon’s. Tentatively, he brushes his fingers over Sunghoon’s knuckles, each movement filled with trepidation, his eyes squeezed shut in anticipation of what might come.

Suddenly, there’s a strong grip around his fingers. It’s followed by a burst of joyous, bubbling laughter. “Sunoo, we did it!” Sunghoon exclaims, pulling Sunoo into an embrace, his face buried in Sunoo’s shoulder. 

Relief, sweet and overwhelming, washes over them both.

Sunoo’s eyes widen in disbelief, his mouth falling open in shock. Before them, the red string of fate reappears, coiling around their fingers and floating between them. It’s a tangible reminder of their bond, a confirmation that everything is finally as it should be.

Even after enduring the ritual, the true joy and surrealism of their success only now envelops them. Until this moment, a sword of uncertainty had hovered over their heads, their questions met with silence and doubt. But now, the complications have dissipated, leaving behind only the serene assurance of their soulmagic’s success.

“Pinch me?” Sunoo asks, his voice tinged with disbelief, eyes searching Sunghoon’s for confirmation of their shared reality. 

“No, I’d rather not.” Sunghoon leans in, kissing him deeply instead. Sunoo feels his thin fingers holding onto his chin, keeping him in place as if he’d ever try to pull away from this. The kiss fills his entire body, like a shot of new energy tingling down his veins. 

Sunoo’s heart skips in his chest and he pulls his arms up from his sides to wrap around Sunghoon's neck.

They kiss clumsily and desperately, holding onto each other tightly, and Sunoo can't help but notice that it feels so different. He can sense other things that he's missed before – the subtle feel and every slight movement of Sunghoon's fingertips against his skin, the gentle whisper of Sunghoon's breath across his face, the small noises that Sunghoon makes as they kiss. It is as if his other senses are freed to take account of the moment more.

He blinks a few times when Sunghoon pulls away, his lips tingle, and he sighs. 

“It’s done. Finally over.” 

“I can’t believe it, I swear it feels like I’m in a dream. Kiss me again?” 

Sunghoon chuckles, “You just want to kiss right?” 

Sunoo’s eyes narrow. 

Sunghoon raises his hands in playful surrender, a grin dancing on his lips. “It’s me, I want to kiss you,” he confesses, and without hesitation, he leans in, their lips meeting in a tender sweep. The moment their mouths touch, Sunghoon feels a jolt of warmth ripple through his body. Sunoo tastes faintly of peppermint toothpaste, a familiar and comforting flavour. He presses closer, delving deeper into the kiss, and Sunoo responds eagerly, pulling him closer by the waist. 

Sunoo’s other hand finds its way to Sunghoon’s face, angling it to deepen the kiss. Sunghoon finds himself straddling Sunoo’s lap, their bodies intertwined, the kiss growing fervent until his lips tingle with a pleasant fire. After what felt like an eternity apart, even the slightest distance between them feels unbearable. Sunoo’s hands slide from Sunghoon’s face to his hips, dragging him closer until their bodies are flush against each other. 

Sunoo’s kisses are urgent, like a man famished, devouring his first meal in years. Sunghoon matches his fervour, equally hungry for the touch and taste of his soulmate. When Sunoo breaks away to trail kisses down Sunghoon’s neck, Sunghoon leans back and lets out a moan, unabashed in his pleasure.

“And you said you were tired,” Sunghoon pants, breathless from the intensity of their exchange.

“Shut up, Park Sunghoon,” Sunoo retorts, though there is no malice in his words, just affection wrapped in playful exasperation.

Sunghoon laughs, a sound full of relief and joy, pushing Sunoo away gently as he reclines back onto the sofa. But the momentary peace is shattered when Sunoo suddenly hits him—a hard punch to his forearm, followed by a flurry of resounding slaps on his shoulder. Sunghoon flinches, instinctively shifting away from the unexpected onslaught. “Why? Why?” he asks, bewildered.

“For freaking me out back then,” Sunoo replies, his voice a mix of lingering frustration and vulnerability. “I sobbed so much when you said those things in the circle and then passed out. It sounded like a goodbye and I panicked.”

A shadow passes over Sunghoon’s face, his expression turning serious as he absorbs Sunoo’s words. “I’m sorry,” he says earnestly. “I could feel my body growing sluggish… I wanted to tell you how I feel if that was the last thing I do.”

“It’s not the last time,” Sunoo assures him, determination in his voice. “Now you have to make it up to me. I aged at least five years in the past three weeks. You’ll be going through a really gruelling courting. Be ready to be on your toes. Our date keeps getting pushed back but you better make it magical, christmas is almost at the door.” 

“Our Christmas date will be nothing less than perfect. For you, I’d very gladly cartwheel around and walk on my hands,” Sunghoon replies with a playful spark.

Sunoo looks at him with feigned scepticism, but deep down, he knows Sunghoon means every word. He makes a mental note to test this out some other day. For now, though, a different kind of hunger gnaws at him—both for affection and sustenance. He voices his first request, “Cook for me, please. I’m hungry.”

Sunghoon chuckles, nodding as he rises from the sofa. “Anything for you,” he promises, ready to fulfil Sunoo’s every need. Standing up, he holds out his hand for Sunoo, waiting for him to slip his hand onto his. Sunoo smiles, hand grabbing for him, fingers sliding into the gaps between his. Holding on. Hand in hand, they walk the short distance to the kitchen. 

As Sunghoon cooks, he can sense the quiet simmer of desire rolling through their connection. Sunoo perches on the kitchen counter, his gaze never leaving Sunghoon. Each of Sunghoon’s movements is followed closely by Sunoo’s watchful eyes. Several times, the food is on the brink of being ruined as Sunghoon's focus wavers, drawn more to Sunoo than the contents of the pot.

They both know, through experience and the wisdom shared by others, that their emotions are now intertwined because of the bond. Over the past three weeks, they have shared in each other’s joys, fears, and uncertainties. Though the sudden rushes of new emotions can be disconcerting, they have talked through it all. With time, they know they will adapt. They’ve even considered using the bond to communicate, though it would require significant energy. It’s something they’ve agreed to use only when need be.

Sunoo slides off the counter, he moves toward Sunghoon with an easy, predatory grace, like a panther stalking its prey. Sunghoon watches him approach, his heart racing at the dangerous glint in Sunoo’s eyes. A shiver of excitement runs down Sunghoon’s spine as Sunoo closes the distance between them. 

Sunoo presses Sunghoon back against the kitchen counter, his arms coming to rest on the shelves behind Sunghoon’s head, effectively trapping him in place. Their bodies are pressed together, eyes locked in a gaze that feels like it could ignite the air around them. Sunghoon’s eyes burn with intensity, as though he might spontaneously combust, engulfing them both in flames of passion—he’s waiting, anticipating something.

But the moment shatters with the sudden, piercing whistle of the kettle, startling Sunghoon and causing him to bang his head against the shelves. Sunoo immediately cradles Sunghoon’s head with gentle hands, soothing the area to prevent any swelling, his concern palpable.

The moment passes, leaving Sunghoon feeling a mix of embarrassment and lingering excitement. Yet, for the rest of the day, the proximity between them continues to affect them quite drastically. 

For the remained of that day, Sunoo stands closer to his soulmate, and follows him around the house, his footsteps echoing Sunghoon's as if he's become a shadow tethered to the other man's side. Every brush of their hands sends a spark of electricity through Sunoo's veins, and he reaches out to twine their fingers together again and again, craving the warmth of Sunghoon's skin against his own.

Sunoo can't help but steal glances at the other boy, his heart swelling with a tenderness that feels strangely foreign but extremely familiar. He reaches out to gently brush a stray lock of hair out of Sunghoon's face, his fingertips grazing against his cheek. The touch sends a flush rising up Sunghoon's neck. Sunoo can tell that Sunghoon too, is basking in this newfound attachment if his blushes and stammers were anything to go by. 

As the evening wears on, they find themselves on Sunghoon's couch, surrounded by the comforting silence of his flat. They had been hosting both their parents, Jungwon, Riki, and Jaeyun— who came back from his work trip recently, for dinner. Everyone gladly came over, the moment they got to know the news. The dinner party at Sunoo's place was a whirlwind of laughter and love, their friends and family gathered around them to celebrate the settling of their soul bond. Now, in the stillness of the night, Sunoo feels his eyelids growing heavy, his body relaxed in a way he's never known before.

Sunoo's sprawled out on the couch, his ankles resting on Sunghoon's thighs. He can feel the warmth of his soulmate's skin even through his jeans, and he reaches out to trace idle patterns on Sunghoon's knuckles with his thumb.

The room is warm, the heating charm Sunoo cast earlier still crackling in the air. The scent of lavender wafts through the space, they can smell the faint tang of Sunoo's shampoo and the sweet hint of the dessert they shared earlier. Sunoo feels his heart swell in his chest, a sense of contentment washing over him.

Their fingers intertwine a familiar touch that sparks a sense of rightness within Sunoo. He squeezes Sunghoon's hand gently, his eyes locked on the other man's face. "I'm so glad it's you, Sunghoonie," he whispers.

Sunghoon's gaze softens, his lips curling up into a gentle smile. "I'll always be here," he promises. "Through every up and down, every high and low. Forever and always."

Sunoo’s heart skips a beat, a sense of peace settling over him. In this moment, surrounded by the warmth and scent of his soulmate, Sunoo knows he's found his home. Not in this flat, or this town, but in the man beside him, his anchor, his guiding star— his soul's other half.

It's startling, the speed at which everything shifted between them. One moment, they were at each other's throats, their nerves frayed and snapping over the smallest of things. The next, they're intertwined, their magic, souls, and hearts beating as one. The affection was always there, simmering beneath the surface, but they both chose to ignore it, to bury it beneath a mountain of denial and distraction.

Until they couldn't anymore.

Their friends and family, saw it, even when Sunoo and Sunghoon were too blind to notice. They smiled knowingly, their eyes shining with a warm, fuzzy glow when they finally confessed their bond, their relationship. It's easy to see the big picture when you're standing on the outside looking in, to pinpoint the moments, the missed cues and the almosts. It's only when you're in the thick of it, mired in the day to day, that clarity becomes clouded.

Maybe they're moving too fast, leaping over milestones and forging their own path instead of following the one laid out before them. But when it's right, truly, deeply right , does it matter? Sunoo knows he knows with every fiber of his being, that Sunghoon is the one for him. There's no room for doubt, no space for uncertainty.

“Their stories were endless. Our parents just went on and on about their romances and life lessons.” Sunghoon says, breaking Sunoo's thought train.

Sunoo's mind wanders, a soft smile playing on his lips as he twirls the red string of their soul bond between his fingers. It's easy to reflect when you have a lifetime of experiences to draw upon. He meets Sunghoon's eyes, his own shining with warmth. "We'll be just as bad as them," he teases, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sunghoon chuckles, the sound low and husky, sending a shiver down Sunoo's spine. "We'll definitely be worse," he retorts, his eyes glinting with mirth. "Our stories will be the stuff of legend."

"Well," Sunoo says, his smile growing, "they say a good story never ends."

Sunghoon's expression falters, his brow furrowing as he puzzles over Sunoo's words. Sunoo can feel the wheels turning, the thoughts racing through Sunghoon's mind like a runaway train. And then, in an instant, a radiant smile breaks across his face, a smile that makes Sunoo's heart skip a beat. "That means our story is the best," Sunghoon breathes, his voice full of wonder. "It will never end."

Sunoo's heart swells, a sense of pure, unadulterated joy washing over him. He leans in, his lips meeting Sunghoon's in a gentle, loving kiss. He can feel the sparks even now, the magic of their bond crackling and spitting between them like a live wire. "Yes," he whispers, pulling back to meet Sunghoon's eyes, his own shining with adoration. "The very best."