#jin magic

A/N: This was written using a challenge from ARMY Amino titled My Fantasy World. My screenshots were Witch/Wizard, Potion, Palace, which I included in my moodboard. These had to be included in the story. I did not get to finish this by my original date goal of Sept 13, which fell on a Friday as I got stuck on how to end it. But this week, I finally got inspiration and was able to finish it for 1. Martes 13, which is similar to Friday the 13th 2. just in time for Jin's departure to fulfill his military service. It's a bittersweet day, and I wish him to stay safe and healthy during his time away from us.

I hope you enjoy this piece. Feel free to leave a comment, heart, and please reblog if you like it.

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Wandering the halls of the vastly magnificent palace, you do your best to ignore the pinching of your dress shoes as you walk across the shiny marbled flooring. The cumbersome dress rustles with every step, the sound amplified by the vast ceilings above. You are in search of the library in hopes of easing your boredom. Mother would be entertained for hours with your aunt, the Duchess. They had not seen each other in nearly two years; therefore, they had much to catch up on. A good book would help pass the time. 

Stopping, you frown as you glance about. 

Nothing looks familiar since the last time you visited. You are quite certain you must have taken a wrong turn. Curse these painful shoes. They muddled your thinking process, to be sure. Nothing left to do but turn back and try a different way. 

The sound of the most beautiful voice you have ever heard stops you from taking another step. The notes draw you closer to the door nearest you. As quietly as possible, you turn the knob and push it slowly open. The singing is louder now without the barrier to block the soulful tones. You are only ten and one, but you are familiar with sadness, and this voice is full of it. 

Your heart tightens as you step further into the room, engulfing yourself in the thick blanket of gloom that fills the space. Tears sting your eyes, and you find you have to fight to swallow past the lump forming in your throat as you reach the center of the room. As you stand there trying to calm your emotions, you notice the scent of your aunt is all around you. 

This must be her private chambers! you gasp inwardly.

Hastening to back out as your mind registers the information, your eyes fall on a cage next to her bed. It is there that the singing is coming from!

The beautiful cage sparkles as you approach it, the candles in the room glinting off every surface they touch. Inside is a small being sitting on a patch of grass, legs drawn up, arms encircling his knees as he sings. His tiny eyes are closed, and his head is tilted slightly down as if it was just too difficult a task to hold it up anymore.

Swallowing thickly, you gather your courage and call out, “Hello?”

He startles, the beautiful melody instantaneously cut off as he stands up abruptly. You almost regret speaking up, already missing the sound of his singing.

You should be scared, you suppose, but instead, you are intrigued. Is he a fairy your aunt has captured and trapped in the ornate cage? If so, you only feel pity for the small creature. A fairy should never be locked up in such a constricting space.

“Hi,” he replies in trepidation as you kneel before him. His minuscule hands encircle the bars as he gazes at you in wonder. “You’re a child like me….”

You grin, “Well, I am a child, but we are not alike at all.”

A giggle escapes your lips, and your hand shoots up to cover your mouth. His own lips quirk up, wholly amused by your candidness.

“I dare say you are correct,” he laughs. “Are you the daughter of the Duke and Duchess?”

“Oh no,” you shake your head. “I am Lady Y/N Y/LN, daughter of the Earl and Countess. My mother, the Countess, is here visiting her sister, the Duchess.”

“I see,” he nods. “It is nice to meet another person, Lady Y/N. My name is Seokjin.”

“It is nice to make your acquaintance, Lord Seokjin.”

Standing swiftly, you offer the most nicely executed curtsy you have ever offered.

“Please, no,” he urges you to straighten. “I am no Lord and do not deserve such a gesture. You can just call me Jin.”

“Well, then,” you say as you straighten. “If I am to be so informal with you, then I expect the same. You may just call me Y/N.”

The boy appears to be not but a few years older than you. How long had he been locked up in the cage?

“Very well,” he nods, breaking into your thoughts. “Have you come to free me, Y/N?”

Your brows rise. Free him? Could you dare? Were you even capable of it? The cage was half your size, after all. There was no way you could carry that out of the room and into the family carriage, much less in a discreet manner.

“I…” You begin, but stop yourself. Were it you in a cage, you would want someone to help you as well. You stare at the plump-lipped boy with a mop of hair the shade of the inside of a pumpkin and instead say, “I could try.” Looking around the object encasing him, you find that while there is a door, the door requires a key to open it. “Do you know where the key is?”

“The Duchess,” he sighs as he sits back down on the grass. “She keeps it upon her person.”

“Oh,” you frown, your shoulders sagging. “There must be another way.”

Nibbling at your lower lip, it takes you a few moments before your eyes light up.

“What?” he asks at the sudden change.

“Move back,” you instruct. “I’m going to pull the bars apart.”

“Aye.”

He smiles, and you wonder if you have ever seen any other being more handsome than he. Your cheeks warm at the thought, and you brush at them with the back of your hands as if that would make the rouge splotches across them disappear. The boy moves to the back of the cage, oblivious to your frazzled state. 

Taking a deep breath, you let it out slowly as you slip your fingers between the thin bars. You pull with all your might, gritting your teeth as you tug. Your arms tremble with the effort, but whatever material was used to construct the cage proves much stronger than your eleven-year-old underdeveloped muscles. The bars do not even budge a millimeter.

“I cannot pull it apart,” you lament. 

He draws closer, reaching out toward you. Palm up turned, you bring it towards him and watch as he places his wee hand on your index finger. 

“It’s ok. You tried,” he reassures.

You stare at the size difference and shake your head in amazement.

“Where did you even come from?” you whisper in awe.

He retreats to the center of the cage, his shoulders shrugging as he shakes his head, “I do not remember.”

“It’s ok,” you smile warmly at him. “I shall do what I can to release you, and then we can figure it out together. Is that ok?”

The forlorn look on his face brightens as he nods, “I would like that very much.”

“Well, then, Jin,” you square your shoulders in confidence. “I am going to go out there and see what I can find that could open this cage. I shall return swiftly.”

“And I shall wait here,” he replies back, the hope in his eyes tugging at your young heart.

With a quick nod, you dash to the door, turning one last time to look at the little boy in the gilded cage. He waves at you, and you give him an enthusiastic wave back before you step out into the brightness of the hallway. You hear the patter of feet from around the corner, so you close the door as swiftly and quietly as you can and step further into the center of the hallway just as a servant rounds the corner. 

“There ya are, young Lady Y/N!” she tsks in relief. “Were you not supposed to have headed straight fer the library, little one?”

“Aye,” you nod vigorously. “I seem to have been turned around. Nothing looks familiar.”

“That ya did,” she nods as she steps beside you. “You did not open this door, did ya?”

Slipping a hand behind your back; you cross your fingers as you fib, “Oh, definitely not. I have only just reached this area a few moments before you.”

“Well, that’s a good girl,” she smiles in relief. “Let’s go on then. I shall take ye to the library. A staff will bring you in some tea and a light mid-day meal.”

You follow as she begins to walk back the way you had initially come, your mind already racing with thoughts of how to escape her watch. You ponder where you can get a tool to help you open the lock on the cage. For hours this is all that occupies your mind, though, in the end, it is all for naught. 

You are never given the opportunity to leave her sight. And when your mother summons you to be brought to her, you have to fight down the panic as she announces it is time to head home. Heart in your throat, you enter the carriage, your eyes wide as you can only think to yourself that he is going to believe you purposely left him behind.

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Years later

Time went on in a manner you had never anticipated. Though you had not truly forgotten the boy in the cage, life had become tragedy and mourning one after another for the past seven years. Your mind became preoccupied with assisting with the affairs at home. First, you took care of your mother after losing your sibling shortly after birth. Your father then grew ill a year later and passed. Your mother was devastated by losing two loved ones so close in time. She sequestered herself in your home, not wanting to leave or see anyone. 

So while you never visited the Duchess in her home again, she came for both funerals, though she could never stay long. You never dared ask about the wee boy, for then she would know you had been in her chambers. And now, just after your eighteenth birthday, your mother has joined your father and your baby sibling on the other side, leaving you behind and alone in the world.

This time, when the Duke and Duchess come to help with the funeral arrangements, they bring you back to their home after the burial. They take you in as their own until they can find you a husband as you are well past your marrying age.

It is only now that you are tucked in, eyes wide and mind racing as you lie in your new bed chamber, that you are reminded of the tiny boy in the cage. You wonder if he is still there, locked away and hidden from the world. Had he aged as you have? Grown in stature as you have, or was he still a tiny creature forever trapped in a little boys form? 

Or…had that all been a daydream? Had it just been a young girl's overactive imagination conjuring up a fantastical creature to stifle her boredom, your mind simply misremembering the entire event? Whatever the case, you were back in the home where said creature had been held. You could check for yourself if any of that had indeed been real.

Throwing your covers off your body, you slip out of bed and place your ear to the door. You sneak out into the hallway when you hear no sounds and are confident that most of those in the palace have all gone to sleep. Though dim, you are grateful to find the passageway towards your destination is still illuminated by various sconces with flickering candles lighting the way. 

Your slippered feet make barely a sound as you reach the Duchess’s chambers. Again, you find yourself with your ear pressed to a door. Holding in your breath, you listen as voices murmur behind it. The wood absorbs most of the sounds, but you can make out your aunt’s voice.

“Seokjin, darling,” she is saying. “Please sing me one of your beautiful ballads to soothe my aching heart, for my dear sister has departed from us, and I miss her terribly.”

Tears well in your eyes, and you cover your mouth as a ragged breath escapes you, a sob threatening to spill forth.

You miss your mother. There were hugs you were still meant to be given, words of encouragement you had yet to hear, and what of the smile she would wear holding your own little one in the distant future? But you would never get to feel her embrace, nor would her voice grace your ears ever again and the thought that your future offspring would never get to meet their amazing grandmother made everything hurt even more. 

As your heart clenches, you hear him, your little friend, Jin. He is real, after all! No figment of your imagination. He begins to sing a soulful song that has your hand pressing more firmly against your mouth. His voice is so beautiful, even with the barrier of the door muting some of the notes. The timbre of his voice speaks of years of practice. There is no shakiness to it whatsoever. Each word is strong, sure. There is confidence as the melody flows effortlessly from his lips. 

Unable to bear the anguish anymore, you run back to your room, burying yourself beneath the duvet. You finally let the tears fall as you sob into your pillow. You had lost your family, and atop it all, you felt a crushing sense of guilt. Guilt for never having returned to see Seokjin. And though you could never get your family back while still in this world, you would do what you could in order to finally rescue the boy in the gilded cage, fulfilling that childhood promise you’d made so fervently long ago.

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For several nights you sit outside your Aunt’s chambers, listening to Jin sing for her. You run through various strategies on how to help him escape, working them in your mind in hopes that one will be fail-safe. Whatever the plan, one constant always stood in the way.

The Duchess.

She has no set schedule that you have noticed. You could never know when she would be in her rooms or when she would stay with the Duke. This made it extremely difficult to sneak into her chambers. The longer time passed, the more guilty you felt.

About a week after you move in, you awake, and after dressing, you go in search of the kitchens. It’s early morn yet, the sun only just beginning to creep over the horizon. Nevertheless, there is already movement within the palace walls as the servants prep for a new day. As you approach the kitchen area, you halt at the conversation taking place.

“...the Wizard,” a servant woman is saying.

“The Wizard?” another servant woman gasps. “Do you mean Taehyung the Wizard of Hollow Woods?” You peek around the corner to see a young woman nod at the inquiry. “Celene, have you lost your mind?!” she whisper-shouts. “Nothing good can come of it.”

Celene’s head hangs low, “But you know I have wanted a child of my own for so long, Tia. He promised if I add a few drops of this potion into my tea once a day every evening for a week’s time, I shall become with child.”

Grabbing her hand and squeezing them desperately, Tia demands, “But at what cost?”

You turn back and head towards the front doors, the idea of breaking your fast wholly gone from your mind. You had one mission in mind: to seek out this Wizard the servants had spoken to. Despite the warning Tia had issued, you wonder how bad can the repercussions be if Celene had accepted the potion anyway. Your hope is that he has something that can help you with freeing Jin.

By the time you reach the forest, the sun has completely breached the horizon. The forest is alight with golden patches from rays slipping through the leaves above you. You follow the paths cut into the ground from the constant traveling made through the area. Vague memories of walking these very woods with your father when you were much, much younger surface the longer you walk. You continue until sometime later you reach a wooden structure. You remember passing this once upon a time and your father’s stern warning to stay away, though he never specified why.

Your hands fist as you approach the door, your heart heavy with shame for disobeying your father after all these years. Squaring your shoulders, you push the sad feelings aside and focus on the want to help a friend. You rap your knuckles against the rotting wood and wonder how the structure has not fallen over yet. There is no response, but the door creaks open when you reach up to knock again.

“Hello?” you call as you push the door open further and step over the threshold. 

You jump as the door closes behind you on its own. Looking around, you are awe-struck at what you see. The dark wood flooring and walls absorb most of the light, but the illumination from the windows is enough to make out everything that surrounds you.

Everything inside was well taken care of. There was no mistaking someone lived here and kept up with the place. Though small, there was a furnished living room as well as a kitchen area. A hallway led to what you could only assume were bedrooms.

Freezing in place, your hand splays across your chest in surprise as a figure appears from the shadows of the same hallway you had just glanced upon.

“Welcome,” a baritone voice calls to you.

A black cloak with golden embroidering around the edges clings to his head and shoulders like a shadow, obscuring most of his face.

Swallowing thickly, you ask, “Are you…are you Taehyung the Wizard?”

Pushing the hood back, he nods, “Aye.”

“Oh, wow-well,” you clear your throat. 

Stunned by his face, your cheeks instantly heat up. The Wizard does not look as you had expected. You were quite certain he would have been much older, his hair white with age and skin wrinkled from the traveling he would have done through the years to obtain his knowledge to further his craft. But no. Not Taehyung. He is…. You blink as you try to ponder a word that would describe the man drawing closer to you. 

His dark hair, thick with loose curls that cover his forehead, skims just over his eyes. He makes no attempt to move it away. The eyes that cling to yours are wise and full of so much knowledge; they contradict the youthfulness of his face. Four tiny gems, three black and one white, are adhered to his skin just beneath his eyes in a vertical line and they glint with each step he takes. Taehyung is lean and tall, so when he finally comes to rest before you, you have to crane your neck way up to meet his gaze. You swear you can feel the magic and power ebbing from his body, and it makes your skin thrum uncomfortably. The face you stare up into is one of such handsomeness and beauty combined; he could be called ethereal. It truly felt as if he was not of this world. 

“Cat got your tongue?” He quirks an amused eyebrow at you. “Perhaps I should take a step back.”

It’s not a question, and the smirk on his face is enough to brighten your cheeks even more. As he moves away from you two paces, you feel your head clear a bit.

Straightening your back, you tilt your chin up, hoping you appear more confident than you really feel. “I have come seeking assistance in freeing someone.”

His eyes watch you as you fidget with your hands. Trying to keep from showing any more nervousness in front of him, you bury them deep into the folds of your skirts. 

“And how may I help with that?” his arms extend out, palms up, in question. “I cannot conjure up tools for you, my dearest. You may go to a blacksmith for that service.”

Brows drawn low, you sigh, “While that is true, it is not a tool I seek, Wizard. My aunt, she holds the key, and I mean this in literal terms. She carries it around her neck always. Is there something you can provide to help me obtain it from her?”

Tilting his head, Taehyung the Wizard queries, “Can you not simply ask her for it?”

Sighing, you admit, “Well, while that would be the easiest route to take, I cannot simply ask her, sir, for I am not even supposed to know this person is sequestered in her chambers. Therefore, if I ask for the key, then she will know I know, and I fear what will happen to him.”

“Him?” Taehyung purrs.

Your eyes widen at the tone, and you stammer, “No, no, tis nothing like that. He is a friend I wish to help. That is all and nothing more.”

He cocks his head, offering a simple, “Very well then. Come and sit. Refresh yourself with a bit of water as I gather some ingredients.”

Your gaze follows his outstretched hand that is pointing to a wooden table decorated with random symbols. Magic was so foreign to you, and you could feel your heart pulsing nervously at the base of your throat as you approached the offered chair.

As you finally take a seat, Taehyung pulls a wooden stick from his robes. You watch his lips as he murmurs and moves it slowly in a pattern. Letting out a gasp, you can only sit frozen as a pitcher of water floats through the air on its way to you, a bamboo cup not too far behind. Even as the Wizard turns to forage through his various jars and bottles, the pitcher continues moving, tipping some of its contents into the cup before coming to rest casually at the center of the table. You stare, eyes round as saucers, much too afraid to move. The pitcher hops three times when you make no move to accept its offering, pulling you from your stupor. You reach out a trembling hand. Taking the cup, you bring it to your lips, your eyes hesitant to leave that of the pitcher for fear of it attacking you.

The Wizard returns moments later, coming between you and the magical pitcher. His arms are full of various ingredients and containers. Lying them on the table, he leaves again, only to return with a mortar and pestle in one hand and an iron pot in the other. While he leaves the mortar and pestle near himself, he sets the small cauldron in the center of the table and then looks at you with a dazzling smile.

“More water?” he hums.

Gulping audibly, you shake your head, “Nay, thank you.”

With a flick of the wrist, the pitcher and cup float away and out of the room. 

Sitting down, he reaches out toward you, saying, “Hand, please.”

You place your palm onto his palm, and then he sets his other hand atop yours. His eyes close, his lips moving as hushed words spill from between them. There is warmth gathering around your hand the longer he holds it, a heaviness pushing down on your shoulders, and you fight the urge to pull free from his grasp.

Eyes opening up, Taehyung simply says, “Ok.”

“Okay?” you parrot. 

Okay, what? You wonder as you settle, confused eyes on him.

“I have gathered some of your energy, your intentions, let's call it,” he explains. Then, hovering over the pot, he brushes one hand over the other and repeats it with the other as if he is wringing off water from them. “This essence will be mixed with the ingredients I add.”

“Oh.”

You settle back in your chair, watching him intently as he adds various dry herbs and powders into the mortar. Once satisfied, the Wizard mashes and grinds all the ingredients with the pestle before dropping the finely ground mixture into the pot. Afterward, he uncorks three bottles of varying colors and pours some into the pot as well. Stirring everything together, he then adds two spoonfuls of honey before scooping it all and adding it into a blue bottle.

The Wizard Taehyung hands you the bottle. “It’s done. You have two doses here in case there is an issue the first time.”

“Thank you,” you bow, accepting the bottle. “May I trouble you for one more?” He cocks a brow at you, and you feel your cheeks flush. “Uh, the boy. An elixir or potion to make him human size again.”

That arched brow grows ever higher, and you feel yourself grow smaller.

“Are you certain he was ever human?” he counters.

“He has no wings, and he very much looks like you and me, just very, very small,” you wonder, now suddenly feeling uncertain.

“I can make such a potion,” he finally replies after staring at you contemplatively, a coy smile on his lips.

“You can?” You beam. “Please. I can pay.”

You produce several coins and drop them on the wooden table. Taehyung accepts them and does not hesitate to leave with the pot to clean it. He places it at the center of the table before returning to his apothecary. It’s not long before he’s back with an amber vial this time. Holding it between his fingers, he brings it up, the liquid inside sloshing ever slightly as he presents it to you.

“Rub a small amount on your lips,” he begins. “Then he must drink the remainder. Be sure it is every last drop. Understood?”

“Aye,” you nod.

“Last, a kiss to seal in the spell.”

“A…a kiss?” you swallow thickly, your fingers touching your lips at the scandalizing thought of committing such an act out of wedlock.

“Aye. And it is of utmost importance that it is fulfilled, or he will return to his miniature stature within six hours time.”

Face a flush with warmth, you assure, “I will be sure all steps are completed.”

“Here you go.”

You take the small vial and tuck it into your skirts along with the bottle.

“A million times thank you,” you bow as he escorts you outside.

He merely nods, closing the door once you have crossed the threshold. What a strange person, you muse as you start the walk back to the palace. 

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It is another few days before you finally gather the nerve to execute your plan. When you meet with the Duchess in the tea room for your evening tea, you make sure to arrive before her. After the maid leaves the tray of hot water, tea bags, and dainty crackers, you anxiously pull the bottle the Wizard had given you out of your skirts and pour half of the contents into your aunt's cup, sighing with relief when it comes out clear. You are just pouring the water over the tea bag when she comes in.

“Niece,” she smiles affectionately as she enters, and you feel guilt settle in your stomach.

“Duchess,” you greet her while offering her a deep curtsy as she approaches you.

Your aunt kisses each of your cheeks before settling down with her tea. You grab your own and sit across her, the crackling of the fire filling the momentary silence. 

“The nights are ever getting cooler,” she speaks.

“Aye,” you agree as you take a sip of the steaming liquid.

You swallow thickly as you await for her to do the same.

“Soon, the winter balls will begin,” you watch as she drinks daintily from her cup, and you feel your heart quicken. “I shall have your measurements taken and dresses made.” “Oh, you do not need to go to the trouble of-” 

“Hush now,” she tsks, taking another swallow. “This will be a perfect time as any to have your coming out. Not that your uncle and I are trying to rid ourselves of you,” she assures.

“Fret not,” you chuckle nervously. “I think no such thing and am grateful for all you have done since taking me in.”

The Duchess smiles, impressed by your words, and leans over to pick up a cracker.

“Oh,” she murmurs, closing her eyes.

Is it possible for the potion to be working so quickly? She had only taken a small sip or two.

The blood rushing through your body pounds much too loudly in your ears and your voice sounds muffled to you as you query, “Is everything a’right?”

She laughs dismissively, “Yes, dear.”

The Duchess munches pensively on the cracker before washing it down with a dredge of tea. Sweat beads at your upper lip, and you promptly set your tea cup down as the china begins to clatter against the saucer, your traitorous hands refusing to be still. Unsure of how long it would take for the full effects to take over, you try to bring the conversation back.

“Have you already received invitations for any balls?”

You hope your voice sounds steady, hope she does not conclude that it is you that has tricked her.

“I …well…I do…” Her words are slightly slurred, and she shakes her head as if trying to clear the fog forming there. “Niece, I must excuse myself. I am unsure what has come over me. I do apologize.”

“There is no need to apologize.”

The Duchess stands, and you do the same.

“Good night, dear,” she mumbles, and you curtsy as she exits the room.

Sighing heavily, you leave to your room, taking the time to locate your warmest cloak. As your aunt had mentioned, the nights had started to become cooler. Restlessly you pace your room, running over the plan to be sure you have everything covered.

First, you would head into your aunt’s chambers. By then, she would be deep in slumber, and you could remove the key from her neck. Then you would unlock the cage and have Seokjin jump into your satchel. Lastly, you would make your way to the back, sneaking past the gardens and into the woods.

It sounded simple yet terrifying at the same time.

You glance out of the window, finding the yard empty just as the clock tolled the eleventh hour. Sucking in a deep breath, you open your room door. By now, the majority of the staff that took care of the palace would be in the servants' quarters, beginning their rest before they had to rise bright and early the next morn. You took the same path you had already memorized straight to your aunt's chambers. Just like the various nights you had gone there, no one shows up to stop you.

Reaching her door, you pause a moment to listen. Complete silence. This was it. Without further hesitation, you turn the knob. The door is quiet as you push it open. Inside the room, you are grateful to see there is a single candle burning softly at the Duchess’ bedside.

You glance around the room, and your breath catches as your eyes land on the golden cage not too far from the bed. The little being had grown and was no longer the scraggly thin, shaggy-haired boy you remembered. In his place stood a young man with a face that was undoubtedly kissed by the gods; it was that handsome to gaze upon. The orange-hued locks atop his head were now neatly combed, providing the perfect frame for that celestial face. 

“Jin,” you breathe, all other words having dissolved on your tongue.

He grips the bars tightly as he tilts his head back slightly to gaze upon you better.

“Y/N?” he queries softly. You nod vigorously. “I feared you had forgotten about me years ago.”

“Nay,” you draw closer. “There is no time for chatter now. Let me get the key.”

“But-” Jin sputters in disbelief, and you place a finger on your lips before turning around.

Your aunt’s soft snores greet you as you lean over her. Holding your breath, you reach for the thin chain around her neck. Searching for the clasp, you are able to release the breath when you find it, and the key easily falls onto your hand. The Duchess never even moves during the entire process, and you throw up a prayer of thanks.

Wasting no time, you unlock the cage and hold open your satchel.

“Come,” you urge Jin towards you. “I think it is better if you are in here.”

“Where are we going?”

“Out to the forest,” you shrug. “I will change you, and then we can search for your family. Remember? That’s what I promised to do.”

Jin frowns, “I remember, but-”

“We do not have time at this moment,” you interrupt him again. “We must make haste as I am uncertain as to how long the sleeping potion will keep my aunt in slumber.”

“Right then.”

With that, he clambers into the satchel, and you leave the room, closing the door quietly. On you walk, your heart pounding a furious thrum behind your ribs as you reach the outside. Everything looks vastly different at night than in the glow of the sun. The torches illuminating the path to the gardens offer a sense of security, and you follow them as you get further and further from the palace. No one stops you, and when you reach the garden maze, you snatch up the last torch and meander around the outside of the maze until you are finally in the cover of the trees. Breathing a sigh of relief, you continue to walk until you feel you are far enough away.

“I think it safe to stop and do the spell or ritual or whatnot before we continue on,” you pause as you look down at Jin.

“Ok,” he meets your gaze. “What do we have to do?”

You feel yourself flush, and you turn to busy yourself with sticking the torch into the cool dirt of the thick forest.

“Well, uhm…” you start. “I am to apply some of the liquid to my lips; then you are to drink it all….”

You trail off, finding it difficult to relay the last bit of the ritual.

“Sounds easy enough,” Jin grins. “I dare say it will probably be better if I am on the ground for that second part.”

“Oh, uh, aye,” you agree. “But there is just one more step….”

“Another step?” he asks as you kneel in order to bring the satchel to the ground.

He steps out and looks up at you expectantly.

“The wizard stressed that we must kiss for the potion to work fully. If not, you will return to your small stature within a few hours.”

“A kiss?” Jin presses his lips together as if trying to hide an amused smile.

“Aye.”

Jin pats your knee reassuringly, “Worry not. We are out in the middle of the woods. If it is your reputation you are in fear for, I do not think anyone, but you and I will ever know.”

Sighing, you nod, “You are right.”

It was not the only thing that worried you. This would be your first kiss, and you never imagined it would occur in such a manner. Pulling the vile from the bag, you pop off the cork and cover the opening with your index finger. A murky green liquid coats the pad of your finger, and you rub it onto your bottom lip, repeating the application to your upper lip. You help Jin hold the vile as he begins to drink. Within minutes the glass tube is empty, and Jin frowns, his olive green lips making the gesture a bit comical.

“I fear; I forgot to ask how long it-”

A loud gasp from Jin has you falling back onto your bottom. He groans, his arms wrapping around his abdomen.

“Ahh!” he growls, his head falling back in agony.

You can only watch in awe and horror as the little being commences to grow and grow and grow before your eyes. His clothing does not follow the same process, and you watch as the seems rip and his shoes tear as his toes popped through. Seokjin grits his teeth, trying to keep quiet as his stature becomes taller than you within minutes. 

Crumpling to the cold earth, Jin shakes and trembles as he curls into a ball, his tattered clothes doing nothing to cover the lean muscle of his torso. His broad shoulders and immense span of his back glisten with sweat, and his strong legs twitch as his toes flex. Rising swiftly, you remove your cloak and place it over him, wanting to provide him some privacy as well as protection from the frigid night air.

“Jin?” you whisper, and your breath puffs white as it drifts off on the soft breeze.

 “I am fine,” he says through chattering teeth. “Please, help me up.”

Using one hand to pinch the cloak closed around him, you assist him in standing on his feet. Jin is a sight to see. As a small creature, he had been incredibly attractive, pretty almost. But now, as he towers over you, you feel intimidated by how handsome he really is, even with his nakedness tucked into the warmth of your mantle. 

“I should have brought garments for you….” you wince apologetically, casting your eyes to the ground.

He lets out a chuff of amusement.

“It would have been nice,” he admits. “But you knew naught this would occur.”

“Did not even cross my mind,” you admit with a shake of your head. “So… should we, you know, finish this?”

The corners of his plush lips tilt up just as you shift your gaze to his face.

“Let’s,” he steps closer to you. “But first, I want to know why you came back for me after all this time. You could have just left me there, in that cage, to live my life only to sing whenever your aunt ordered me to.”

“I made a promise,” you shrug. “I am deeply sorry it took me this long to fulfill it. I truly had thought I could release you that same day when I was just a child. I never did forget you and vowed I would come for you no matter how long it would take me.”

“Thank you,” he smiles, his eyes glistening. Leaning ever closer, his lips are but a breath away as he whispers words in a tongue you are unfamiliar with. 

“What?”

“Forgive me,” he voices much louder.

Regret replaces the softness in his eyes. Before you can react and question his words, his lips press against yours, and you inhale sharply. It is a tender kiss that has your brain turning to mush and your knees to jelly. You feel the push of magic, the warmth of it tingling across your mouth as Jin pulls away a few beats later. His hands grasp your upper arms, holding you up as you feel yourself grow numb. You briefly take note that his lips are no longer tinged green, but then panic washes over you as you try to move and find you cannot.

Footsteps over long-since dead leaves brings your attention to the right. Your eyes shift towards the sound, and you wonder why they can still move when nothing else will. The sight of the person emerging from the darkness has you confused but elated at the same time. You try to tell him with your eyes that you need help. That something went wrong with the spell.

Jin sets you down gently against a tree, and you watch in confusion as the Wizard Taehyung tosses Jin a bag. He catches it easily and begins to pull clothing and shoes from within it. Realization starts to dawn on you, and you cannot even scream out your rage at the betrayal.

“Y/N, such a gullible girl,” the Wizard tsks. “I have waited so long for someone like you. You almost tempted me when you came to see me.” Squatting down in front of you, you glare at him as he speaks. “I could have taken your essence then. Gods, that small taste I got almost broke me, but I needed you to perform this last selfless act. Do you know why, Y/N?”

You cannot answer, but he knows this. Jin appears behind him, fully dressed now.

“Are we ready?” Jin asks his tone hard.

Taehyung glares over his shoulders, “Not yet.” Turning his attention back to you, he continues. “You are filled with such pureness. Your selfless act for Seokjin enhanced your essence; it purified it even more. This essence will add so many more years to us and keep us young for quite some time. Do you know how old I am, Y/N? No? Well, you are looking at someone who is over seven hundred years old.”

Your eyes widen in disbelief. 

“That’s right,” the Wizard Taehyung grins. The face you had once thought so beautiful now looks terrifying. The gems on his face that sparkle with the light from the torch does nothing to brighten the dark, menacing eyes that pin you to your spot. “People like you are what keep me alive and thriving. Jin is my way in. My bait, if you will. He really is so hard to resist with his divine voice and handsome face. I plan on keeping him for many generations to come.”

Your mind feels overwhelmed by all that is happening. Jin is in on this, too? You could not accept that.

“I had my ways of communicating with him even from the Duchess’ chambers. I waited, biding my time for the day that someone as special as you would come. He told me about you, you know? How he felt this spark the day you met. I knew at that moment I had to have you. Do you know why you are so special?” Taehyung leans forward, clutching your chin roughly in his hand. “Because despite all the tragedies that have befallen you, you still carry only love in that wretched heart of yours. That is what holds the magic longer within me. Now, just sit back and relax.”

You can do nothing as he releases your chin  only to clasp your hand between his. Eyes closed, he begins to murmur words in the same language Jin had spoken earlier. Almost instantly, you can feel the warmth of magic as he begins to siphon your energy. You look up at Jin, pleading and begging even as you can’t move.

Finding no help there, you look down to see your arms aging before your eyes. What was happening?!

Jin’s hand lands firmly on Taehyung’s shoulder, and he quiets. 

“Is it truly crucial to kill her?” 

Taehyung laughs, “Oh, Jinnie, Jinnie.” His eyes rake over you before he yanks you towards him, his face hardening. “Seems you are in luck today, dearie. Guess I am not as much in the killing mood this night as I thought.” The Wizard Taehyung releases you, letting you roughly fall back against the tree as he stands. Grabbing Jin’s wrists, Taehyung begins to chant, and you know he is giving Jin some of your essence as well. Once finished, he dusts his robes, commanding,  “Now let’s go.”

The Wizard walks away toward where he had initially appeared. Jin takes the cloak you had covered him in earlier, and he tucks it in around you.

“The spell will wear off in a few hours,” he tells you. “I truly am sorry. I wanted it to be different this time… ”

“Seokjin!” you both hear the impatient bark of Taehyung.

Cupping your now wrinkled and weathered cheek, Jin drops a kiss on the top of your head before standing. You observe him follow behind the Wizard. As you watch him disappear, a burning tear slips down your cheek, and you make a new vow. This time you vow to find Taehyung and kill him. 

Even if it is the last thing, you ever do.