Chapter Text
Bin liked to think he had a super power. It wasn’t super useful, and it unfortunately did not allow him to fight crime, but it was certainly not something most people could do. Bin had a very unique sense of smell. Ever since he was little he had the ability to smell things other people couldn’t. And it wasn’t that smells were stronger; he could smell the essence of people.
For example, his band mates. Jinwoo smelled like a shampoo or soap and Myungjun smelled like green tea. But beyond each labeling scent he could read which smells went together, and variations on the scents let him know the state of the person. As such, he could smell from a mile away that their lovely leader and eldest harbored hardcore crushes. Though he did think it was strange that from one day to the next it amplified like tenfold.
But there was one person he could never figure out: Lee Dongmin. He had absolutely no smell. Bin liked to jokingly compare him to a robot, but at this point he wouldn’t be surprised if he was. No one could possibly be that perfect. His face, his body, his voice, his face, his personality, his face (has he mentioned his face?)… everything was perfect. Bin had a sneaking suspicion that he was biased, but that did not deny Dongmin’s unreal qualities.
Bin had never come across another person without a smell, and it drove his curiosity crazy that he had no idea the reason behind it. He had even gotten so frustrated that he straight up asked Dongmin about it once. That was a very interesting conversation…
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“Hey, hyung.” Bin said as he marched straight up to Dongmin. They were alone in the room.
“Hm? What’s up?”
“What is wrong with you?”
“Excuse me?” Dongmin asked, startled.
“What are you? An alien? Actually a robot? What?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Well you don’t seem human," Bin explained. Dongmin looked more confused by the second.
“I am as far as I know.”
“Then why don’t you have a smell?!”
“…What?”
“Everyone has a smell! I’ve never met anyone without a smell before. So therefore, you must not be human.”
“I’m starting to doubt you are.”
“I’m human! I think.” Bin didn’t think it was possible but Dongmin’s face turned even more bewildered.
“Wait, you think?”
“Well I mean I know I’m not normal, but neither are you!”
“What even is this conversation? Bin are you feeling alright? Did you get enough sleep last night?”
“I slept fine, don’t change the subject!”
“I’m sincerely concerned though," Dongmin firmly replied. Bin was starting to think this was a really bad idea. Either Dongmin was a master liar or he really had no idea what Bin was talking about. And now he looked crazy.
“I’m fine, there’s nothing wrong with me.”
“Then what the hell is this all about? What’s this about smells?”
“I said earlier. Everyone has a smell, and you don’t, so I got frustrated,” Bin mumbled, progressively getting more self-conscious.
“So what are you saying you can tell people apart by smell?”
“That’s one thing I can do yes.”
“One thing?”
“I can also smell if people go well together or not and their emotions."
Dongmin stilled.
“Seriously?” Bin nodded. “How can you do that?”
“I don’t know, I just can.”
“How long have you been able to do that?”
“Since I was little, I don’t remember exactly.”
“So you say I don’t have a scent? What do other people smell like?”
“Well uh, everyone smells different.” Bin was unsure of what to make of all of Dongmin’s questions. Did Dongmin actually believe him? “I mean, Rocky smells like seafood, Sanha smells like a baby, stuff like that.”
“And how does that tell you things about them?”
“When the smell changes. Hold up, do you believe me?”
“Well sure. What, are you lying to me?”
“No, but it isn’t exactly something that is very believable.”
“I mean it’s rather bizarre, but it would explain a lot; like how you always seem to know who is behind you. Or how you seem to know when someone’s upset before they do. I think it’s really cool!” Dongmin enthused. Bin could feel his cheeks heating. Then he smiled.
“Thanks Eunwoo.”
“S-sure.” Dongmin looked a bit pink himself.
“Err, I know I told you pretty easily, but could you not mention it to anyone?” Bin requested after a moment. Eunwoo blinked.
“Sure, if that’s what you want. I think the others would probably believe you though.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Bin smiled ruefully.
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s just say people don’t generally like it when they can’t hide things.”
Dongmin seemed to catch the drift of his words and frowned.
“I won’t tell anyone. You have my word.”
“Thanks Minnie!” Bin said with a smile, then quickly hurried out of the room, the sputtering sounds of Dongmin following him.
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To this day Dongmin had kept his word. In fact, he had become even more protective of his secret than Bin. Bin looked over to the other end of the couch where his feet were resting on Dongmin’s lap. He was reading a book.
“Hey Minnie.”
“Hmm?” Dongmin replied, not looking up from his book.
“Want to go out with me?”
Dongmin fumbled his book and looked over so fast his neck cracked. Rubbing it, he asked,
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Go out with me to the store, I want to buy some pocky and Myungjun will throw a fit if anyone leaves alone.”
“Oh, that’s what you… yeah sure."
Bin chuckled. Dongmin was still so easy to fluster, it was adorable.
“What did you think I meant?”
“Nothing, let’s go.”
Bin just laughed as his feet were pushed off and Dongmin walked away blushing.
“I thought you just wanted pocky?” Dongmin said, looking at the full bag in Bin’s hand as they walked home.
“MJ wanted some things too.”
“Why didn’t he come too then?”
“Apparently JinJin refuses to let him go to this convenience store. Calls it a beacon for trouble.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Well I wasn’t going to argue. You know how protective JinJin is of MJ.”
“Was he always like that?”
“No, it started around the time they started dating. Here, hold this a sec, I need to text MJ and let him know we are on our way back.”
“What all did you even get?” Dongmin asked, opening the bag. A lot of junk food from the looks of it. They’d have to hide it from their manager. “You do know we aren’t allowed half of this right?” There was no answer. Dongmin looked up. “Binnie?” Bin was nowhere to be seen. “Bin, where’d you go?” Dongmin looked up and down the street, calling out for Bin. “Moonbin! Come out! This isn’t funny!” He was starting to panic. People don’t just disappear like that. He pulled out his phone and tried calling, but received no answer. Desperate, he called a different number.
“Hello?”
“JinJin-hyung, Moonbin’s disappeared.”
Bin looked around. Dongmin had disappeared. So had the rest of the people for that matter. And the street. Actually, thinking about it he was probably the one who moved, not the rest of the street. But where was he? He had blinked and suddenly was somewhere very different.
Huh.
Maybe Jinwoo had a point. They should find a new convenience store to go to.
Speaking of stores, there was a strange café looking store up ahead with a rainbow sign. It was the only thing that looked open for miles. Nothing else to lose, Bin decided to go in. Inside was in fact a café, along with several plants and a massive wall of bottles in various colors and shapes. But that’s not what Bin noticed first. No, the first thing he noticed was the smell. It was overpowering, and seemed to emanate from the building itself. There were so many scents, he could hardly breathe. What was this?
Just as he was about to flee outside, another door opened and a small petite woman appeared. She carried herself with a mysterious, graceful air that disappeared quickly when she saw him practically gagging in the middle of her store. Her eyes scanned him, then quickly hurried to the back and came back out with a face mask, waving her hand over it and mumbling.
She hurried over to him and held it out to him. “Here, put this on it should help.” Bin immediately grabbed it and put it on, taking shuddering relieved breaths as the smell almost disappeared. He looked at her.
“Thank you.”
“No problem, but what’s an Olfae doing going into a dream store without protection?”
“…A what?”
“An Olfae, that’s what you are aren’t you? Nothing else would have that react-” She broke off, and stared at him with extreme scrutiny. Then her eyes widened. “…Oh my word, you’re human. But that’s not… oh I see, who’s the blithering idiot that did that?”
There was a creak from somewhere in the building.
“Umm, sorry to interrupt, but… what?”
“You’ve got some Olfae magic in you.”
“What’s an Olfae?”
“Part of the Fairy species, they have the ability to perceive and distinguish magic, specifically through scent. Make damn good detectives.”
“And I’m one of those?” He always thought he wasn’t normal, but damn.
“No, you’re one hundred percent human, or at least you were.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means when you were young someone mixed Olfae magic into you. It’s why you have that ridiculous sense of smell. My guess would be an unlicensed dream spinner," The mysterious woman stated. Bin was getting more and more confused.
“And that is…?”
“Me. Specifically my profession. As dream spinners it is our job to create and sell potions that help people with their problems and reach their dreams. We have to be certified and licensed in order to give our wares to others, due to the extreme and sometimes unpleasant effects they can have.”
“You give potions that have bad effects?”
“Not all the roads to dreams are pleasant," she replied sagely. Bin frowned. He guessed that was true. No pain no gain right?
“You said I was given one of these potions?”
“Not a complete one, probably one made by someone illegally. Hence, instead of having the desired effect it just infused you with Olfae magic.”
“I don’t remember anything like that though?”
“I’m guessing you were young at the time, it’s become completely ingrained. Essentially you are a fraction Olfae now.”
“So what I smell is magic? Are humans magic?”
“To a degree yes, all humans have a little magic in them. Not enough to do anything, so they don’t really interact with the magic community, but it’s there.”
“And why does your store smell so terrible?” Bin jumped as the building let out a cracking groan. The shopkeeper looked up, seemingly at the ceiling.
“Oh hush you big baby, you know Olfaes can’t stand the smell here.” She looked back at Bin. “To answer your question, my shop is made of magic, and all those bottles over there contain a fair amount as well. Anything that is sensitive to magic usually has to wear protection in here.”
“…Did your building just get offended?”
“Yes. It’s very sensitive, don’t let it get to you.”
“Are all buildings alive?” he whispered. She let out a somewhat wry grin. Bin would almost call it sad.
“Mine’s special.”
“I see…” Bin muttered, when it was clear she wasn’t going to clarify.
“So, what can I help you with? Besides breathing.”
“What makes you think I need help?”
“My shop doesn’t appear for just anyone, even the magical. It has to deem you in need of my help. So, what do you need help with?"
“I don’t know, getting home?”
“Why does everyone want directions? You’ll be right where you were before you found my store when you leave. No, you are here for a different reason," she insisted. Bin thought for a minute, scrunching his face. Then something occurred to him.
“What does it mean when someone doesn’t have a smell?" A pained expression briefly flitted over the shopkeepers face.
“It means they have no magic.”
“Is that common?”
“Not really, all living things have magic, even humans.”
“What does it mean when they don’t have magic?”
“It means either they had their magic taken from them by something, or they are not really alive.”
Bin felt his heart stop.
“Are those the only options?”
“Well, I suppose the world has endless possibilities, but I can’t really think of any other reasons.”
“How can I know for sure?” She opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted when the building seemed to shudder. She turned around and looked at the wall of bottles.
“What? Why would I give him a potion? He already has an odd blend of magic running through him.” Something red fell from up high, and the shopkeeper barely made it over in time to catch it. She looked up with a frown. “Watch it you hunk of wood! Those are a lot of work to make!” She then looked down at the bottle, studying it. It was a seemingly normal bottle, though the liquid inside was a bright red and seemed to shimmer.
The building let out another creak. “No, I don’t know how this will affect him. I can’t condone giving a product when I am uncertain of the results!” The plants rustled and the bottles clinked a bit, as if shaken by an invisible wind. The woman let out a sigh. “Fine, but I hold no responsibility for it!” She whipped around and slammed the bottle on the counter. My store claims that this bottle will be able to give you all your answers, but I am not going to recommend it. However, it is up to you if you want to drink it.”
“All my answers?” He looked at the bottle. His curiosity was burning stronger than it ever had before. And Dongmin… Bin looked up at the ceiling. “How sure are you of this?” The building gave a shudder, it smelled pleased. “Good enough for me!” Bin grabbed the bottle off the counter and downed it. It tasted like cough medicine mixed with sprite. Bin forced it down anyway.
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As he headed toward the door, Bin stopped and turned toward the shopkeeper. “How do I come back if I have another question?” She smiled sadly.
“You can’t. No one can return to my store a second time.”
“What, why?”
“It’s not good to live in dreams. And as I’ve said, it’s dangerous to mix potions.”
“That sounds lonely.”
“It’s alright,” She shrugged. “I have my store.”
Bin watched her for a second, and then thrust his hand out.
“My name is Moon Bin, what’s yours?” he chirped. The shopkeeper looked at his hand in surprise, then slowly shook it.
“…Alice.”
“Well Alice, we are now friends! Same goes to you store, so you better let me come back!” He gave her a grin. “See you later!” He stepped out the door, closing it behind him. She stood staring at it.
“…That cheeky little brat, I’m older!”