ii

Namjoon set down his bag of belongings onto the bed of the shelter he and his brother were placed in. It was nice and homey, but he was thankful they were allowed into Ondine.

"Should we go to the town square?" Yeonjun, Namjoon's younger brother, asked as he set down his bag on the bed next to his brother's. Namjoon nodded as he grabbed Yeonjun's hand, leading him out of the shelter.

As they made their way to the plaza, the elder couldn't help but admire the scenery of the kingdom they were in.

Unlike Veda, where everything was gloomy and scorched from the battles, Ondine was magnificent. The entire kingdom radiated this magical and majestic energy and its people seemed genuine and content.

Namjoon had heard that after the king and queen passed and their sons took over it was like Ondine turned for the better.

He wasn't sure how all of this could be run by two young princes but he respected the way they transformed this beautiful land.

"Hyung?" Yeonjun tugged on Namjoon's sleeve, "Can I go play over there?"

The taller male looked over to where his brother pointed and saw a few kids playing with a ball on a small patch of grass. He looked back at the younger and nodded with a smile, "Sure, but don't hurt anyone this time Yeonjunie."

The younger nodded excitedly and ran towards the other kids to play whatever they were playing. Namjoon only hopes that his brother could contain and control his strength since the last time he played with kids his age he sent one of them to the infirmary after accidentally breaking his hand.

He chuckled to himself as he remembered the panic his brother was displaying thinking his friend hated him and would never want to speak to him again.

Walking around the plaza, he spotted an older looking woman behind a jewelry stand cleaning an expensive looking ring.

As he walked closer to her stand, he could feel the magical energy she radiated and immediately knew she was a witch.

He eyed the woman closely as he looked at the jewelry she had displayed. Something about this woman felt familiar to the male, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Can I help you, dear?" The woman asks as she sets the ring back down with a content smile.

Namjoon shook his head, "No I was just looking around."

"You're new here aren't you?" She asked the tan boy as she put away her cleaning supplies.

The boy nodded his head still eyeing the woman, trying to figure out why she was asking.

"I came here with my brother from Veda."

The woman hummed in understanding before looking at the boy fully. She thought that he looked like a hard-working boy with a built form. An idea had popped in her head.

"Are you looking for work?"

Namjoon was taken aback by the question as it was true that he was. "Yes, I am."

The woman clapped her hands together as she grabbed his wrist and dragged him into her shop.

As he was pulled into the shop he was amazed by what he saw. Shelves full of potions, jewels, and other random objects.

"You will be my new apprentice!" She announced happily as she sat down the tall boy.

"What are you yelling about, halmoni?" Namjoon heard from behind him. A pale and small boy came out of the door from behind him with a confused look on his face.

The boys looked at each other with puzzled expressions before the pale boy spoke up, "Who are you?"

"I'm Kim Namjoon," Namjoon answered back timidly not looking at the other in the eyes.

"Min Yoongi," the boy said quickly before turning to his grandmother, "Are you trying to find a new apprentice again?"

The woman smiled and nodded as she handed Namjoon an apron and janky looking wand, "Yes, I am since SOMEONE decided he didn't want to."

Yoongi scoffed with a small smile before looking at Namjoon, "Good luck, she's kinda crazy."

"I am NOT crazy!"

"Fine, overly excited," he replied with a chuckle before walking to the door leading into the town square, "I will be at the castle today helping the princes with whatever they need. I should be back tonight for dinner!"

With that, the boy left the other two alone in the shop. Namjoon could tell he was in for a wild ride just by the warning Yoongi had given him.

"Now let's start with some basics, shall we?"

-------------------------------------------------------

"Why are you sitting here all alone?"

Yeonjun looked up at the person talking to him. A small boy stood there with a friendly smile spread across his face. He looked a few years younger than him so he was surprised that this kid was talking to him.

Yeonjun shrugged continuing to pick at the grass next to him.

The boy standing in front of him sat down beside him rather closely. Usually, he would be uncomfortable with this sort of action but the boy seemed friendly and he was obviously trying to make a friend.

"I'm Min Soobin!" the boy said cheerfully with that same friendly smile.

"My name is Kim Yeonjun." the tan boy said with a small smile in an attempt to come off as friendly.

"I saw the older boys didn't want to play with you. That's not very nice of them." Soobin said with a small pout and arms crossed.

"It's okay, most people don't take too kindly to my kind," Yeonjun said with a sad smile as he continued messing with a blade of grass.

Soobin looked at the older boy with a look of confusion before asking, "Your kind? What do you mean?"

Yeonjun stood up and removed his jacket turning his back to the younger. As his back was exposed a set of light green fairy wings started to form on his back.

Kai stared at the elder in awe as he had never met a real-life fairy before. They were rare in Ondine and he was told that most of them live in a faraway land.

"You're a fairy? That's so cool!" the younger shot up and touched one of the wings.

"Ah that tickles!" Yeonjun squeaked out as his wing fluttered from the sudden feeling. Soobin apologized before grabbing the elder's hand, leading him to a group of other kids.

Yeojun could hear his heartbeat in his ears and he didn't know if it was that the boy was holding his hand or the fact that his wings were on display for everyone to see.

"Wait, let me put my coat back on!"

Soobin grabbed the other's jacket before he could put it on, "No! I think your wings are pretty and everyone should see them."

A slight blush spread across Yeonjun's cheeks as he was still dragged towards a group of boys.

"Guys, this is my new friend Yeonjun!" Soobin screamed as they joined the group.

The tan boy shyly smiled and waved at all of them as they gawked at his magical wings.

"Soobinnie, he looks so pretty!" the boy with cherry red hair exclaimed as he stepped towards Yeonjun, "My name is Kang Taehyun!"

"I'm Choi Beomgyu, a witch in training." A boy with dark hair said with a slight smile.

"I don't have any powers yet but Soobin Hyung says I will get them soon!" a boy that looks significantly younger than Yeonjun said with a pout, "Huening Kai is my name!"

Yeonjun bowed to the boys with a smile on his lips and relief flooding his body as none of them looked at him weirdly.

"Now that the introductions are out of the way maybe we should walk around the town square?" Soobin suggested looking at the others.

"Ooooh! We should go to Mr. Park's bakery!" Kai said excitedly jumping and clapping his tiny hands.

The other boy's agreed with the youngest's idea and put on pouts when Soobin was against it.

"Come on hyung, we want to go." Beomgyu whined as he clung to the elder's arm.

Soobin looked at all of the boy's pouting faces, minus Yeonjun who stood there with an amused expression, "Okay fine, but i am not paying for you three."

The boys jumped excitedly as they started running towards the town's square leaving the two eldest boys behind.

As the boys made their way to the bakery they noticed an older boy running towards the castle in a hurry.

"Soobin-ssi?" Yeonjun tapped the other's shoulder pointing in the direction of the mysterious boy, "Who is that?"

Soobin looked and smiled, "Oh that's my older brother, Yoongi. He is the kingdom's Oracle."

The eldest nodded in understanding as they walked into the small bakery.

"Ah Soobin! I haven't seen you and your friends in a while!" A man exclaimed as he decorated a small cake.

"Hello, Mr. Park! We have all been studying for exams so we haven't been able to stop by." Soobin said as all the boys bowed to the man.

"You don't have to address me so formally, you can call me Jae." the man said with a smile.

Jae looked at the boys, his eyes landing on Yeonjun, "I haven't seen you around here before, have I?"

Yeonjun shook his head before speaking, "I just moved here from Veda. My name is Kim Yeonjun."

"Veda huh? I'm glad you made it out of there."

Yeonjun nodded as he sat down at a table with his friends.

"What do you boys want?" Jae asked the group as he finished the last touches on the cake.

"Can we get a dozen of your famous cupcakes?" Taehyun asked with a bright smile. Jae nodded and grabbed a box to fill with cupcakes.

As the boys were talking amongst each other, the sound of the doorbell rang signaling someone else had entered the bakery.

"Welcome to the Parks' bakery! What can I get you, stranger?" Jae said with a friendly smile.

"I'll take two loaves of bread please."

Yeonjun recognized the voice and instantly turned to see his brother standing there with a smile.

"Hyung!" he shot up and hugged Namjoon like he hadn't seen him in a life time.

"Hey Junnie." Namjoon said with a chuckle at his little brother's clinginess, "Where is your jacket? Why are your wings out?"

Yeonjun smiled and pointed to Soobin, "Soobinnie said that i look pretty with my wings and he took my jacket so I wouldn't cover them up."

Namjoon felt his heart fill up with joy as he looked at the way Yeonjun lit up at the mention of someone calling his wings pretty. Yeonjun dragged Namjoon towards the table to introduce them to his brother.

"Hyung, these are my new friends!" He said with a bright smile, "This is Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Kai!"

Namjoon smiled at the boys and introduced himself, "Hello, I am Yeonjun's older brother, Namjoon."

The boys continued to talk and joke around with one another and Namjoon couldn't help but smile at how Yeonjun smiled and laughed with his friends, he missed that.

He noticed how Soobin stared at Yeonjun in admiration and awe. Namjoon smiled at the boy's fascination with his brother , anyone could mistake it as Soobin falling for the boy. Maybe he is?

"Here you go boys." Jae said as he handed the group their baked goods. Namjoon and Soobin went to hand Jae money but he refused to take it, "It's on the house! Just come back tomorrow boys, my sister is going to want to see you all."

They all smiled and thanked the man before walking out of the bakery together.

"Yeonjun we need to head back to the shelter before it gets dark." Namjoon said as he looked at the sky, noticing how the sun was setting.

Yeonjun nodded before turning and hugging his new friends goodbye. His hug with Soobin lasted a little bit longer than the others as Soobin didn't want to let go.

"Meet back here tomorrow in the morning?" Soobin asked with puppy eyes and a small pout on his face. Yeonjun rolled his eyes and nodded with a smile causing Soobin the smile and hug him once again.

The boy's parted ways, heading home for the evening.

"Hyungie, can I ask you something?" the younger asked quietly.

"You can ask me anything."

Yeonjun took a deep breath before asking, "How do you know you like someone?"

The older thought for a moment as they continued walking, not really knowing what to answer back with as he's never really liked anyone before.

"Well," he paused momentarily, "if being around them makes you feel happy and excited yet calm all at once then maybe that's a good indicator."

Yeonjun nodded as a faint smile made its way across his lips. Maybe he did like Soobin...