Archive of Our Own

'Ariel, please! Will you get your head out of the clouds and back in the water where it belongs?' - Sebastian, the Little Mermaid

~*~

On the rare occasion that a visitor passed through the forest kingdom, were they to enquire after the location of the Prince of the Forest, they would no doubt find themselves directed to your side. After all, it was common knowledge amongst the majority of the kingdom’s inhabitants that you never strayed far from the side of their beloved but mischievous prince. And with good reason, too- as his loyal retainer, you had taken up the difficult task of ensuring the prince steered clear of all trouble. And since your prince had a knack for trouble, it was no wonder that you were such a harried, nervous little thing. Something the prince took great delight in, like on this particular occasion.

The inhabitants of the forest kingdom knew better than to venture past the tree line. It would be rather silly to wonder past the protection that the forest extended, into the open grass fields beyond, and a only a downright fool would continue the trek through the fields, across the river, all the way to the sparkling human city that sat seemingly peacefully on the horizon. It wasn’t even necessary to warn young fae not to go there- no, the knowledge that giants big enough to crush you underfoot without an ounce of magic was usually sufficient. Of course, the city held its own population of tiny fae- you, in particular, had a distant cousin named Hoseok, who proudly held the title of garden pixie and spent his days meddling with speakers to play music and dancing in flower pots, hoping to encourage shy blooms to peak past the warm blanket of soil that shielded them from the nasty air of the human city, so it wasn’t like fae were unwelcome or couldn’t coexist quite happily amongst humans without discovery. But for the majority of sensible forest folk, the distant human city was no more than a decoration on the horizon that held little concern for them apart from a wariness of the potential danger that lurked between sparkling human structures that your cousin had called ‘skyscrapers’ on one of his rare visits.

Why, then, when all sane folk steered clear of the tree line, was Prince Seokjin, next in line for the throne, chosen by destiny to bare the mantle of King of the Forest, standing at the edge of the tree line, eyeing the human city with such longing in his eyes? If you had to place a bet, you would suspect one of his younger brothers, likely Jungkook, or that cheeky squirrel Taehyung had dared him into it.

The early morning sunlight, bright and crisp, streamed through the break in the trees and caught his wings as they fluttered idly behind him. Kind and beloved as he was, he was also predisposed to vanity, and his wings and handsome face were what he prided himself on above all. Even you were not immune to his charms. For a second you allowed yourself to admire their iridescent nature, the way sunlight danced almost playfully over their dazzling surface. But then duty and sensibility once again took hold and you squared your stance, planting your hands firmly on your hips in what you hoped was an intimidating posture. Something that was hard to do, when even fae, who at their tallest were about level with a daisy, considered you to be on the shorter end. You had a job, though- to discourage him from whatever berry-brained scheme was currently taking root beneath the charming mop of silvery blonde hair.

“My liege,” You said, wishing that you could emulate the firm tone your mother had always held when she scolded Seokjin when he had been young mischievous faeling. You only ever managed to sound unsure and like you were on the verge of being swept up in his antics. “I think we should return home! Were your mother ever to discover that you have ventured so close to the border-“

“She won’t ever discover that.” Seokjin replied with confidence, shooting you a lazy but pleased smile. Seokjin always oozed overconfidence like he knew he was going to get what he wanted.  And he almost always did-  few people held the strength of character to resist your beloved prince’s charisma and charm. You in particular, having known him and all his endearing traits and charming quirks since you were a mere child, and having loved him for nearly as long, held the firmness of will equivalent to sand crumbling beneath the force of a rushing river current. Your weakness to him that had caused great concern amongst the royal family when you had eventually been selected in an ancient ceremony to become his retainer upon reaching your eighteenth birthday. “You will not tell her.”

“I will!” You protested hotly, and Jin shook his head, amusement colouring his expression as his wings fluttered and lifted him so that he hovered just off the ground. Anxious, you reached out to grip his hand, anchoring him in place. He didn’t pull away or struggle, simply stared at you with that warm expression, knowing that with a bit of patience and prodding you would not only allow him to proceed on this venture, but would perhaps even accompany him. Having you along to tease always did make adventures such as these more fun.

“You won’t.” He shook his head, lifting just that little bit higher and forcing you to flap your own gossamer wings as you lifted off the ground. “Little bumblebee, you and I are both quite aware that we shall fight for a small amount of time, but you will relent and even accompany me. Now, we can continue to argue this and delay the inevitable outcome, or we can leave now and perhaps return in time for the Firefly feast tonight.”

“My liege, please.” You begged, twisting in the air to grasp his hand between both of you own. “Your mother would never allow this! And you are far too old to be rushing off into the unknown because your younger brother challenged you- he is still a faeling and you are a fully grown fae preparing to take the throne! Please, I beg of you- think through the consequences of your actions!”

Something danced in Seokjin’s eyes at your words- perhaps a flicker of hurt, or maybe a very brief moment of clarity at your words, but it was gone as soon as it came, and he was merely grinning that lazy, self-assured grin once more.

“That is precisely why I should take up Jungkook’s challenge, little bumblebee- my twenty-first birthday draws nigh and if I do not enjoy my youth now, I may never have the chance again.” He said, and at his words you shot an anxious and longing look behind you, where your kingdom lay nestled safely in the depths of the forest. You longed to be back amongst the safety of smooth and ancient tree trunks, where the sounds of the forest always seemed to peacefully sing to you and the sunlight that filtered through into the kingdom was tinged with hints of the rich emerald canopy that shielded you from the dangers of the outside world. You shut your eyes, summoning the will to defy the wayward prince with all your heart, only to find yourself coming up empty.

Dismayed, you turned back to him.

“Fine. But on one condition,” You warned, holding up a finger to point firmly at him. “I shall accompany you and you shall make no attempts to leave me behind, before or after reaching the human city.”

Seokjin’s eyes lit up at your forfeit, and he twisted so that he too could hold your hands between his.

“By my wings I swear it, little bumblebee- you shall be by my side the whole time!” He promised solemnly, though the gravity of his words were tempered by the sweet, joyous smile that stole across his expression. “And fear not, little bumblebee- though you love to buzz about all that could go wrong, I swear that I shall keep you safe and that we will have the time of our lives! Have you never been curious, even once, about what secrets lie within the human city?”

That brought you pause- though you deemed yourself sensible, at least far more sensible than the scatterbrained heir beside you, you would be lying were you to say that Hoseok’s tales of his home had not ignited the smallest spark of curiosity within you. With the last brick of your defence against him dismantled, you and Seokjin turned to face the human city in the distance, ready to begin the flight towards it.

It was probably the biggest mistake you would ever make for the duration of your life.

++

As promised, the human city was a wondrous place. Already the two of you had witnessed the wonder of the roaring, gargantuan machines that humans employed for transport, had marveled at the way their man-made structures towered above you, reaching heights than even the oldest, most respected oaks of the forest could not aspire to.

“Isn’t it wonderful?” Jin asked, launching himself into the air before fluttering to land on a railing, allowing himself a better view of the surroundings. You were thankful that humans did not hold the magic necessary to discern your tiny forms- such a position would have been exposed and highly dangerous if humans could See. You followed closely behind, landing with more unease. The railing was round and the chipped, painted surface was difficult for your slippers to keep a hold of.

“I suppose so.” You admitted, squeezing your arms tightly around yourself. Both the air and the magic were slightly acrid here, singeing your senses and leaving you slightly on edge. It was nothing you couldn’t handle, though, and you supposed the wondrous sights you had witnessed since arriving  compensated for the slightly sour, curdled air, although just barely. Already, you wanted to return to the safety of your kingdom, to your family, where your siblings and parents were likely preparing for the celebrations that were to take place that night. Even that obnoxious squirrel Taehyung was a sight you were beginning to miss- though the city was interesting and unusual, it could not compare to the colour and warmth and vivacity of you home.

Perhaps Jin sensed your unease, and perhaps that was what prompted his next suggestion.

“I think I saw some greenery near to here- I believe the humans refer to it as a park? Shall we see what the humans consider a leisure space, little bumblebee?” He questioned, and you nodded far too eagerly. Already you missed the colour green, a constant companion and backdrop when you were a forest fae.

It took a fair bit of wondering and retracing your steps- at one point, frustrated and exhausted, you suggested contacting your cousin Hoseok in the hopes that he could competently show you the wonders of the human city, but Seokjin was so vehemently opposed to the idea that you relented and continued on with your aimless wondering. The sun was hover high overhead with an intensity that you were unused to by the time you reached the expanse of shimmering green that humans referred to as a ‘park’. You almost sobbed, landing heavily on the ground and reveling at the shade and shelter provided to you by long grassblades.

“See!” Seokjin cawed triumphantly. “I told you I could find it- admit it, little bee, you worried for nothing!”

“I still think my worries were quite well justified.” You sniffed, and Seokjin looked just the slightest bit shamed at your words. There were very few things in the world that could dampen his mood for long, however, and while your displeasure was probably one of them, there was far too much in this new environment to keep him appropriately guilty for long.

“Look at this!” He called, gesturing towards a colourful human contraption- many of their little faelings were screaming with joy and scattered across the complex structure. For a moment, you watched the sight with a soft look upon your face- you could almost soak in the joy and energy that saturated the air. Here the magic was pure and untainted, kept clean by the joy of children imbued into the very soil.

“I think I like these human ‘parks’ very well.” You said softly, taking a delicate step forward, and Seokjin beamed, overjoyed that he had been responsible for the pleased look on your face.

The moment was shattered, however, by a dark and positively terrifying growl reverberating behind the both of you. Seokjin’s eyes widened with terror, and slowly, you both turned to face the horrible creature behind you.

Humans on occasion did venture into your forest kingdom, and with them, they brought nasty creatures such as these- all hulking muscles and sharp, dangerous teeth that could tear through bone and flesh and rip an unsuspecting fae to shreds. They were feared above all else- they killed even the most gentle of woodland creatures without remorse. Taehyung had even lost his beloved brother at the jaws of a similarly vicious beast. Humans referred to them as dogs, but your people knew them as the Terrors. The most awful creatures to ruin the sanctity of your peaceful forest home. And one was standing before you right now, tongue lolling obnoxiously out of its head as it sent puffs of hot, putrid air rolling towards you.

Your limbs tensed as you prepared to take flight- for all his bravado of keeping you safe, Seokjin at his very core was a coward through and through. A slight rustle through the undergrowth was often sufficient to send him scurrying back home to the safety of the fae court. So it was no surprise to you when Seokjin made no move to flee- not out of bravery, but rather that he was completely and utterly paralysed with terror.

“My liege!” You called, grabbing his wrist and turning to flee. You tried to take flight, but his movements were sluggish with terror and his hesitation only resulted in the two of you stumbling and falling. A fatal error- the Terror’s ears pricked, its muscles bunching as it prepared to launch itself forward. You squeezed your eyes shut, sprawled across the ground, ready for the Terror to snap your small, prone body between its teeth, to rend you limb from limb-

Only, the pain never came, for a loud, booming voice called and the blasts of hot air ceased as the Terror was yanked into the air.

“There you are, Fluffy!” Your rescuer called, hoisting the Terror in her arms and cuddling it to her as though it were a harmless squirrel or other forest rodent, rather than a vicious beast whose brethren were responsible for the deaths of countless numbers of your people.

Seokjin, flat on his stomach, rolled over to gaze up at your savior. You too, glanced up, taking in the appearance of the giant but beautiful human woman as she nuzzled her face into the white fur of your attacker. She turned away from the two of you and began to walk in the opposite direction, the ground shaking with the force of her footstep. Slowly, your limbs unlocked and you regained control of your breathing, and you turned urgently towards your prince, determined to check for the slightest injury.

You froze at the expression on his handsome face, however. You had known Seokjin for countless years now- even before being selected as his retainer, your mother had been his nursery maid, and you had practically been raised alongside him. You had seen him in countless states- excited, scared, joyful, sad, playful, angry. You knew his face as intimately as you knew your own, and how could you not when you loved him so deeply and so desperately? But you had never seen this particular expression cross your prince’s face before, but though it was a foreign expression for his features, it was one you recognised instantly. One that had your heart plummeting into your stomach as you felt a pain so palpable you were sure you had cracked a rib.

For the Prince’s expression was completely and utterly lovestruck.

++

Though the two of you returned home uninjured and with the Queen oblivious to your little adventure, it was clear that things had changed very drastically. Seokjin was completely out of it- though his reputation as an airhead preceded him, his behavior was so shocking that the Queen excused him early from the festivities that night and sent him to bed.

The dawn did not bring an improvement- no, his behavior only seemed to worsen as he drifted through his day like a lovestruck fool. Relentless prodding and teasing from his younger brother could not shake him from it, and though Taehyung repeatedly tried to challenge him to a race to the top of a nearby tree, not even Seokjin’s competitive spark couldn’t shake him from his stupor.

“Have you ever seen anyone as beautiful and brave as she, little bee?” Seokjin questioned that afternoon, sentenced to bed for his delirium. You did not respond at first, only wrung the moisture from the small piece of moss you had been using to dab along his forehead. Though you knew the flush that sat on his cheeks was not due to fever, you kept up the appearance of nursing him for fear that someone would discover that he had become smitten with a human woman. The consequences for not only entering the human realm but falling in love with one would no doubt be severe. His mother would throw a fit.

“I have not.” You snapped, and even you were surprised with the shortness of your tone. Seokjin’s eyes went wide for a moment with surprise before they softened as they regarded you.

“I know you are upset with me, little bumblebee, for the encounter with the Terror, but just think- would we ever have encountered such a brave, wondrous human if it were not for that beast?” He asked. You merely stared incredulously, before pressing the moss against his head with perhaps a little more force than was absolutely necessary. Seokjin winced with pain.

“That hardly seems to make up for it- and regardless, that only serves as a benefit to you!” You responded hotly, turning away from him to soak more water into the moss. You took the moment you were facing away from him as a chance to school your features, clinging on to the composure you had skillfully maintained since you were a young faeling.

“Yes, but doesn’t my happiness make you happy?” Seokjin questioned coyly, grinning up at you with a cheeky light to his eyes. You merely frowned.

“Contrary to your belief, my liege, and the belief of many others, my life does not revolve around you.” You commented, unable to keep the bitterness from your tone. You did not mean to sound resentful- it’s just that though you always insisted that your statement was true, you were not completely sure that it was. Your life was pledged in service to him, and you were in love with him. So no matter how you insisted to your friends and family that your life was your own, no matter how you tried to prove it to yourself and others, you could never truly be sure of the that your world didn’t revolve around him.

To your surprise, Seokjin seemed chastened by your words. He looked away from you, his expression dulling into one of sadness and hurt, before he looked determinedly into your eyes.

“I know you think me self-absorbed and immature, little bumblebee,” Seokjin began. You gave no external indication of your acknowledgement of his words though internally you knew no truer words to have ever been spoken. You were in love with him but you were not blind. “And that you think it childish and dangerous. But I have never felt so enamoured of another being besides myself before. Please- I can handle all the rest of kingdom- no, the world, thinking ill of me, but to know you disapprove of what my heart feels is more than I can bear.”

You looked away then, unable to maintain eye contact. You could not give him your blessing- your own traitorous heart aside, to give him the validation to continue loving this unknown human woman was not only a betrayal to your kingdom, but a betrayal to him, for the human woman could never return his affections.

“I cannot approve my liege.” Is what you admitted to him. “For what can come of this? Even were you to be somehow liberated from your role as future King of the Forest, she is human, and you are not. She does not even know our kind exist- nothing will come of these feelings, my liege.”

Seokjin was quiet for a moment and so you turned to the small little table beside his bed. A little medicinal concoction sat there, undrunk because he was not truly ill, at least not in the physical sense. You pulled it into your lap, getting to your feet to pour the contents into a small flask in your satchel. Your smallest sibling had taken ill with a cold and since Seokjin had no need for the expensive curative, you saw no issue in taking it for yourself. From behind you, Seokjin began to speak once more, though his voice was so soft you were not sure you’d heard him right.

“What if I were to become a human?” He asked. Your eyes widened and you whirled around to face him, nearly spilling the medicine you held between your hands. He sat, propped up on the bed, fine, pale hairs clinging to his damp forehead and looking absurdly handsome as always. He merely stared at you and you could not have been sure whether you had heard his words correctly.

“Pardon?” You asked hesitantly. A unknown tremor, a sensation rather similar to fear, began to pulsate deep in your chest. Seokjin looked at you, an unsettling light of determination bright in his eyes.

“If there were a way for me to become human… What would you say?” He questioned, louder and more firmly this time.

Your jaw dropped- never had you heard a more preposterous and absurd suggestion and coming from the mouth of the future king no less! Your kingdom was doomed, that was sure.

“Kim Seokjin.” You said, your voice trembling with a cocktail of fear and trepidation and nerves at your own audacity. His eyes went wide- rare were the times you dared to address him by his full name. He had, in the past, attempted to get you to refer to him by his nickname, but you had always adamantly clung to more formal titles in a desperate attempt to remind yourself that all you would ever be to him was his retainer. “Please, for the love of all that is good and by the light of the shimmering canopy above, never utter such blasphemous words again. I beg of you, and if you care for me even the slightest bit, you will not bring this up again.”

Seokjin’s jaw dropped. He opened his mouth as if to speak, only to abort the attempt, shutting his mouth and looking away.

“Yes. Of course- I…I’m sorry.” He said softly, and guilt flooded you. You truly hated moments such as these- an uneasy, clawing sensation filled your abdomen at the knowledge that you and your words were the cause of the crestfallen look upon his face. Rare were the moments you genuinely refused him.

For a moment, awkward silence reigned over the room, but then Seokjin spoke up once more.

“I feel… I feel that I may be genuinely ill, little bumblebee,” He admitted. “So perhaps my earlier words were a result of that… Do you think you could go and fetch me some of the nectar of the blossom than Namjoon grows? I need to settle my stomach.”

You perked up, excited at the opportunity to not only leave the room, but at the chance to please Seokjin after hurting his feelings as you had. Nothing brought him more joy than the fruits of the gardens that Namjoon carefully kept.

“Of course, my liege.” You said eagerly, leaving the room with a deep bow and scurrying through the corridors outside his bedroom.

It is only when you were halfway through your descent of the spiraling staircase carved into the structure of the Great Oak Tree that the strangeness of his words registered. It was out of season, for Namjoon’s blossoms, and even if it wasn’t, Namjoon had left earlier that month on a trip taking him far from the Forest Kingdom at the bequest of the Queen. Seokjin was well aware of this fact.

Your heart sunk into your stomach with the heaviness of a stone as you realised with despair the Seokjin had played you. And sure enough, when you burst into his bedroom, a short while later, you only find his covers thrown carelessly aside and his window left ajar, open to the view of the little kingdom you called home sitting nestled amongst the roots of the Great Oak Tree.

Seokjin was nowhere in sight.

++

The Sorceror of the Night, as was his official title, was the sort of person who preferred to keep to himself. He lived in a dilapidated cottage just on the edge of the forest- far enough from civilization that humans didn’t bother him, and just on the border of the Forest Kingdom so that he could operate his sorcery business without having to keep to the laws set by the Queen. Many thought him to be a fearful, intimidating sort of man, and they weren’t wrong. He was not against using the fact that he was human sized to bully fae into getting what he wanted, and he was a grumpy, angry sort of man. But Jin knew better.

For one thing, while Min Yoongi, Sorceror of the Night, loved to use his size when compared to a tiny fae to his advantage, when compared to the average human male he was actually rather short. And for another thing, Jin had seen him on more than one occasion lavishing affection and adoration on his little poodle he kept as a pet for no other reason other than it had won his heart.

So though most would be concerned and even afraid when entering the abode of the infamous Sorceror of the Night, Jin was merely relaxed and quite determined.

“I leave the door shut because I don’t want people coming in, you know.” Yoongi commented from where he had been napping on his massage chair in the corner of his room. He sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

“Then you should close the window as well.” Jin responded airily, landing gracefully on the small wooden coffee table in the centre of the room. Yoongi peered distastefully down his nose at the small figure before him, before shrugging.

“You lot are the size of mice- you would find another way in. I may as well enjoy the summer breeze since I know that some idiotic fae is gonna make its way in here sooner or later. Where’s your little sidekick?” Yoongi questioned, getting to his feet and stretching with a tremendous yawn. He was decked out in all black as most sorcerers were, though his attire was more in line with human trends than the robes that sorcerers tended to wear. Though he was not human, it did not change the fact that he had been raised amongst humans.

“She is not a sidekick. She is my dearest friend and retainer and it is a noble duty that she selflessly took upon herself and referring to it as something as derisive as a ‘sidekick’ is a grave offense to our culture.” Jin huffed, folding his arm petulantly. Yoongi waved his hand dismissively, padding over to the kitchen area where he reached for a human contraption Jin thought might be a kettle, flicking a switch.

“Tomay-to, toma-to.” Was his gruff and indifferent reply. “Now why are you in my house, insect?”

Jin stiffened with offence, though he knew better than to retort when he wanted something from Yoongi.

“I want to become human.” He announced, cutting straight to the chase. He anticipated a negative reaction- if your reaction was anything to go by, his idea was probably not amongst the brightest he’d had. Still, he had always been taught to heed the call of his heart, and he felt it calling louder than perhaps he had in his whole life. The image of the beautiful human woman’s face was burnt into his retinas- when he squeezed his eyes shut he could recall her, beautiful and brave and coming to the rescue. He wanted to meet her, to know her name, to thank her.

Yoongi, to his credit, only slipped a little against the counter surface he was leaning on. He rapidly regained his composure and merely blinked rapidly at Jin in what Jin supposed was disbelief.

“Why?” Yoongi blurted, looking as bewildered as someone as indifferent and emotionless as he could. Jin shrugged hesitantly, wary of a negative reaction to his next words. Your firm and outraged words still rang loudly in his head.

“I’ve fallen in love with a human woman.” He declared simply. Yoongi stared for a moment, before directing his gaze to his arm. He reached one hand towards it and pinched. He winced in pain.

“Ok. So this isn’t a dream- I though it would have been unusual for me to dream about an insect like you.” Yoongi reasoned with himself, shooting Jin the dirtiest look he could muster. “Is this why you abandoned your little shadow? Because she wouldn’t let you do something so stupid?”

Jin frowned, unappreciated of the derisive way Yoongi referred to you with, but he was too focused on his objective to scold Yoongi.

“Can you help me or not?” Jin questioned. “Please.” He added for good measure. Yoongi offered him a lazy smirk, his dark eyes narrowing.

“I can do anything if the price is right.” Yoongi answered. “Good ethics isn’t actually listed in our code of conduct, so the Sorceror’s board at most would slap me on the wrist for allowing you to do something stupid.”

Hope filled Jin’s chest so abruptly and so thoroughly that he was momentarily speechless.

“I can pay any price- you know I can.” Jin finally managed, and Yoongi folded his arms across his head.

“Yes, I suppose you can.” He commented. “Very well. Your little shadow isn’t here to stop me and that massage chair in the corner has left me with a sizeable dip in my savings. Why not. What’s the worst that could happen?”

He pushed himself off the counter, wondering over to a glass cabinet filled with various flasks. He reached in and pulled out a small little crystal vial, filled with a deep red liquid.

“This Iittle spell here should do the trick.” Yoongi announced, setting it before Jin. The vial came up to his waist as Jin leaned forward to examine it. “My coworkers call it the ‘inter-species love spell’- Gives you three months to win the object of your affection’s heart while taking on their form, or at least it normally would, but the Summer Solstice is in three days time.”

Dismayed, Jin glanced up to Yoongi’s face. He could quite clearly discern the stubble gathering at Yoongi’s throat from this angle- no doubt he had not been bothered to shave in awhile.

“So what does that mean?” Jin questioned. Yoongi shrugged.

“You should know as well as I, don’t they tutor you in this magic stuff? It means the spell will get cut short because of the magic negation rubbish that happens on the Summer Solstice.” Yoongi informed Jin. “I’d offer you to wait until after the summer solstice, but I imagine your little shadow is rushing to my home as we speak and will not doubt dob on you to your mother and then you can kiss any chance with this human woman goodbye. So I’ll just tell you all the details now- if you say “make me human” really loudly, and then down some of this, it’ll turn you human. You’ll have three days to win your human woman’s heart, and seal it with a kiss. If you succeed, bam, you’re permanently the same species as her.”

“And if I fail? Three days is a feat, even for someone as handsome as I.” Seokjin asked contemplatively. Yoongi shrugged.

“Well in the past, you’d die. Ever heard of what happened to the Sea King’s daughter?” Yoongi questioned. He shuddered. “That was a nasty end. Anyway, we got too many complaints to the Sorceror’s Board and so they made us modify the spell. Too many parents with missing love-struck teenagers.” He rolled his eyes. Jin nodded his sage agreement, choosing to ignore that fact that he too was one of the love-struck fools that Yoongi was currently turning his nose up at.

“So then what is different?” Jin pressed, and Yoongi shrugged once more.

“Now you just lose something you value immensely if you fail.” Yoongi informed him, as casually as he would announce the weather. “Usually not your own life. We’ve installed some fail safes- the subject of the spell cannot lose their life. That’s not to say the people around them can’t die but hey, if you drank the potion, you’re probably self-absorbed enough that most of your loved ones come second to your own selfish desires. And as an added failsafe, should things not work out with your beloved, if you were to find your fated one and have true love’s kiss, that should reverse the effects of the spell. No spell undo what fate has set in stone, after all. So in nearly one-hundred years I’ve seen no one die from this spell. Pretty impressive track record.”

Yoongi grinned proudly, reaching over his shoulder to offer himself a pat on the back. Jin wrinkled his nose.

“I thought you were three hundred?” He questioned. Yoongi looked offended.

“No you fool I’m one hundred and twenty four years young- and you best not mock my age if you want to use this spell. Now are you gonna do it or not?” He asked.

Were he a wiser man, Jin may have paused to ponder the consequences of his actions. What did he value? What did he stand to lose should he fail to win the human’s heart? Who would get hurt by his foolish and impulsive decisions? Unfortunately, Jin was none of those things, and you were usually the voice of reason when he stubbornly got an idea in his head, and since you weren’t there to stop him…

“Just something that I value?” Jin questioned. Yoongi nodded, looking contemplative.

“Yes… so a rich, vain guy like you? You’ll probably return home to find your treasury missing or like, your eyebrows will be gone, or you’ll have a breakout or something. Honestly, I don’t pretend to know or understand you, but I assume it will be something stupid or superficial like that. Most people just get their eyebrows tattooed on or a facial and pretend the whole thing never happened when they fail.” Yoongi said.

“Then I shall accept the challenge- make me human, sorcerer!”

++

Of course, it’s all well and good to be human and have three days to win over the love of his life, but, as Jin rapidly discovered following his aimless wondering around the city, he actually had to find his mystery woman to even have a shot. With a tremendous sigh, still shaky and unaccustomed to his new size and lack of wings, he settled on a seat in the park where the Terror attack had happened. Longingly, he gazed out across the various gatherings of humans and their little faelings around the park.

That is when you found him, harried, your hair in disarray atop your tiny head and your little wings abuzz as you landed ungracefully in his lap, out of breath and despairing. Though he was human now, he still had enough residual magic to see you, apparently, though the humans around him remained oblivious to your presence.

“You’re safe!” You all but sobbed, falling to your hands and knees. Jin was wearing some human pants- Yoongi had called them ‘jeans’, and beneath the thick material, he couldn’t feel the weight of your tiny being at all. Then you glanced up and tears poured down your cheeks anew. “Oh, your highness, what have you done?” You wailed.

Alarmed, Jin scooped your small body up between his hands and raised you so that you were eye level.

“It’s fine, little bumblebee.” He said in an attempt to reassure you. Now that he was holding you closer to his eyes, he could make out the rips in your little dress and the way your cheeks were red from your tears and the exertion of flying all the way to the city. “I’m safe, and I’m going to win the human woman’s heart!”

“You don’t even know where she is!” You sobbed hysterically. “Oh, the Queen shall be so furious- she will execute me and my whole family for this, I know she will! And as she should- how could I have allowed the heir to the throne to do something so stupid?”

Jin winced- there it was again. The proof that you and everyone thought him to be no more than a foolish, whimsical airhead, unprepared to take the throne and little more than a pretty face. He deflated- that was part of why he wanted to win the human woman’s heart so much. She had no preconceived notions of who he was, would not expect him to behave the role of a prince and admonish him for simply enjoying life. No, perhaps she would even enjoy life alongside him, and encourage him down more amusing pursuits than ruling a kingdom!

With a bitter smile, he raised his hand and deposited you upon his shoulders. You straightened as you balanced on them, resting tiny hands against his neck to stabilise yourself. He willed himself not to shudder at the ticklish sensation of your little hands against the upturn of his jaw, and instead got to his feet. With a few flaps of your wings, you managed to maintain your balance, before settling into a seated position, swinging your legs so they bounced against his clavicle.

“Don’t worry, little bumblebee. It will all work out.” He told you as he wondered across a path. It was black and had an odd symbol painted in white on it, but he paid it no heed, intent on comforting you in your distress. “I know you think me foolish, but I’m confident this will all work out.”

“The sorcerer said you could lose something you value!” You cried. Jin shrugged, before remembering you were on his shoulder when you squeaked and gripped onto the material of his shirt to keep yourself upright.

“We’ll simply lose some gold or maybe I’ll lose all my cooking supplies. It can all be replaced, little bee, but my heart cannot.” He told you solemnly. “Now, I’m already in this mess and lamenting over it will not fix it- simply help me and we can begin a new chapter in our lives!”

You frowned, burying your face in your hands.

“I suppose I have no choice- but are you really going to abandon your post as king, my liege?” You questioned. Jin nodded.

“Jungkook shall make a fine king, I think. Or perhaps once she falls for me I can convince her to return to the forest with me and become Queen?” He suggested. “I admit I haven’t thought it out in full. Although, it will be quite difficult to be my retainer from now on when there is such a size difference! You will have to instruct me on how to look after myself.”

“If you succeed, I shall no longer be your retainer.” You declared with petulant firmness in your voice. Jin laughed.

“Don’t suggest something so foolish- I know that you would never abandon me!” He said. He turned his head slightly to where you were still balancing on his shoulder. Perhaps that was his mistake- he turned all his attention to you and ignored his surroundings. Had he not, he may have heard the loud screech of ‘look out’, but as it stood, he didn’t and he could only discern the sensation of pain as something collided with him and then everything went black.

++

“He’s awake!” A feminine voice called. Jin groaned, shifting in bed. Slowly, he blinked open his eyes only to find that the light was cold and sterile in a way he had never witnessed before. Where was he? What had happened?

Panicked, he sat up, only for a wave of dizziness to overcome him. Wincing, he squeezed his eyes shut and dimly registered hands stabilising him and gently pushing him back against a soft surface. He opened his eyes once more and realised he was sitting in a human bed. He glanced around at his surroundings.

Only to find himself face to face with the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life. Huge, round eyes, a delicate, heart-shaped face, pouty pink lips… He had found his mystery woman! And to think he’d only…

He’d only…

How did he get here again?

She seemed to sense his puzzlement, because she leapt to explain.

“We’re in the hospital.” She told him. Jin frowned- he wasn’t sure what a hospital was. Maybe you could ask Hoseok for him… speaking of which, where were you?

Jin’s eyes went wide, his eyes scanning the room for your little figure. The beautiful woman must have mistaken his concern over your as confusion, because she continued explaining.

“I hit you with my bike- you were standing in the bike lane and I didn’t notice until the last minute! Anyways, you were knocked out, so I called the ambulance. I’m so, so sorry!” She said. She leaned in closer and all thoughts and concerns for you flew out of Jin’s head at her proximity. “I told them you were my husband, otherwise they wouldn’t have let me stay, I hope you don’t mind! Do you want me to help contact your family?”

“Uh… I’m not sure?” Jin responded, still looking around. You were supposed to be the brains of the operation! He wasn’t smart enough to know what to do when a beautiful woman pretended to be his wife and started asking him questions she couldn’t know the answers to!

An odd look crossed the woman’s face.

“You don’t know?” She asked slowly. “What do you know? What’s your name?”

“Jin.” He said hesitantly, not wanting to share his full name at this stage. She nodded contemplatively and smiled slightly.

“Eunji.” She responded. “Where do you live, Jin? The doctors gave you the ok- they said you had no concussions or anything and were fine to go once you woke up.”

Jin frowned. He couldn’t tell Eunji that he lived in a palace carved from a hollowed out oak tree. He resisted the urge to let a goofy smile cross his face. Eunji… what a pretty name.

“I’m not sure.” He answered, and her eyes widened.

“You mean… you don’t remember?” She asked. Jin nodded- that seemed like a plausible enough answer that wouldn’t garner any questions.

“Yes.” He lied, almost robotically. “I don’t remember anything but my name- I’m not even sure how I got here.”

That much, at least, was true. Her eyes went wide with distress.

“Oh, gosh, I caused you to lose your memory? Oh no!” She lamented, burying her beautiful face in her hands. Jin was distracted for a moment, by the way her luscious locks fell in a curtain around her face, and then he registered that she was upset. He reached out to clasp her hands between his. Her hands were so small and soft and delicate… He blinked, shaking the thoughts from his head. Those thoughts were for later, when she wasn’t upset.

“Don’t be sad!” He cried, tugging her hands towards him. She blinked at him with bewildered, teary eyes. “It’s wrong for such a beautiful woman to be sad.”

She flushed an endearing shade of red and glanced away. Something in his heart fluttered at the sight of her all flustered because of his words.

“I guess the memory loss didn’t take away your ability to flirt.” She muttered, smiling weakly at him and gently tugging her hands away from him. “Anyway, I feel absolutely terrible, and you probably don’t have a place to stay with your memory loss. I’ll get the doctors to check in on your memory loss, and then you can stay with me, ok? I have a spare room.”

Dumbfounded at her kindness and his luck, he could only nod, watching with starstruck eyes as she got to her feet and walked off. Her long, beautiful hair swayed elegantly behind her, and he clasped his hand to his chest. Wow… she was truly amazing.

Her absence was when you decided to make your appearance, landing neatly atop his lap. You had a friend this time- a tiny little garden pixie beamed up at him, waving enthusiastically. Jin surmised that this little pixie must be your cousin Hoseok. The tiny amount of pixie blood that ran in your veins was the only explanation for your sweet features and gentle smile, because fae always tended to be on the sharper, more angled side of beauty, like him.

“Hello!” Hoseok called. Jin nodded back, offering a little wave.

“Pleased to meet you.” He responded.

“This is Hoseok, my liege.” You called, gesturing to the pixie. “I fetched him to help us when you lost consciousness. Oh, you gave me such a fright!” You exclaim, clasping a little hand to your chest. “I’m so relieved to see you unharmed. Now-“

“I found the human woman!” Jin cut you off, too excited to wait for your response. You looked surprised, and glanced at Hoseok. He shrugged his little shoulders.

“Wow.” He said slowly. “So my little cousin here was actually telling the truth.” He squinted up at Jin, a slightly displeased look crossing his face. “I thought you had more than one functioning brain cell.”

Affronted, Jin looked to you for help, but you only frown, your arms folded across your chest.

“What now?” You questioned, ignoring Hoseok’s rude comment, and Jin looked up, scanning around the room for Eunji.

“Well, Eunji has invited me to stay because she believes I’ve lost my memories- so that means that hopefully I can win her over within the next three days, and live happily ever after.”

You and Hoseok exchanged a look that Jin couldn’t quite decipher when your faces were so tiny, but it had an unpleasant feeling settling into his stomach.

“I’m not sure things will be that simple, my liege,” Was all you offered, and any further conversation is cut off at that moment with the return of Eunji with the doctor in tow.

++

After arriving and settling in at Eunji’s home, she was quick to take him out into the human city. Her justification was that hopefully seeing somewhere familiar may jog his memory, but you secret suspected it had less to do with that and more to do with Seokjin’s flawlessly handsome features. You doubted that people would have extended the same courtesy he was currently experiencing were he to have the face of a troll or hobgoblin. Sometimes, you wished to yourself that Seokjin were an ugly, hideous creature, because then no one would love him but you. But the thought was selfish and childish, and you were immediately ashamed that you’d had the thought at all.

Firmly, you resolved to help him more than ever. Though his actions were selfish and he had impulsively abandoned your kingdom, and you were furious with him for it, you knew that it would not change anything. Seokjin was stubborn and prone to following the whims of his heart, and the risk of what he could lose should he fail was too great. Though you admittedly did not know what Seokjin valued immensely, you did not want to find out- what if it was his home? Or his people? Or his kingdom? The Sorcerer of the Night had reassured you that Seokjin could not die from using this spell, but that did not exempt the people around him. The Sorcerer had seemed unbothered- likely because he did not think Seokjin capable of valuing anyone but himself, but you knew better. Yes, you would be the first to admit that he was self-centered and prone to not thinking through his actions, but he was still young at a mere twenty years of age, and at his core, Seokjin was truly kind and did value and care for others. That was what had you concerned- who would face the punishment? Seokjin did not seemed concerned. It was likely that he had convinced himself that he only valued his looks and material possessions which was probably why he was so unconcerned by the whole venture, but still, you could not shake the niggling thought that there was something that Seokjin valued aboved his looks and his material possessions and even himself, you just did not know what that something was.

Hoseok hovered beside you, evidently having mistaken the displeased look on your face as one of jealousy, and though he wasn’t entirely wrong, he hadn’t truly guessed the true nature of your concerns, and you weren’t particularly inclined to share them with him. Though you loved your cousin, you doubted he would understand- he too, thought Seokjin to be little more than a self-absorbed princeling not ready for the burden for ruling, and though Hoseok was of a sunny and sweet disposition, he would not hesitate to voice his opinions aloud given the opportunity.

“Are we really doing this, little cousin?” He questioned. His wings buzzed so quickly they were a mere blur behind him, a mark of his pixie heritage. It was fast-paced, matching to his city origins- it was so unlike the languorous, steady flutter of your own wings and the wings of the forest fae that you must have looked to be quite the odd pair to any pixies or hobgoblins that wondered past.

“We have no choice- he’s already entered the agreement with the Sorceror and stands to lose too much should he fail.” You informed your cousin grimly.

He gave you an odd look, soft and concerned but almost frustrated at the same time.

“And what about you, little cousin?” He asked softly. “We’re gonna help the man you love win the heart of another woman? Surely there’s another way.”

You shook your head sadly.

“Even if there were, it isn’t as if he feels the same. I suppose I will have to suck it up. It is my oath to him to follow- his life before mine.” Your words were bitter and pained, and they caused your cousin’s gaze to harden as he looked ahead to where Seokjin and the human Eunji strolled leisurely down the pavement.

“Why is he so impulsive? He doesn’t even seem concerned!” Hoseok complained, his concern morphing into frustration and anger, and you tensed, feeling slightly defensive.

“He doesn’t know any better. His mother always cleans up his messes before he can face any real consequences.” You admitted. Hoseok squinted at you.

“So then why are you cleaning up this mess? Leave it to his mother to solve the problem. You can’t honestly expect me to help you shoot yourself in the foot like this!” Hoseok said, folding his arms. You fixed your gaze on the couple you were following, watching as Eunji laughed at something Seokjin said and you felt an unpleasant pang deep in your ribs.

“You have to, Hobi. Because he may have gone too far this time.” You said quietly, more to yourself than to Hoseok, but something about the expression on your face must have given him pause, because he sighed in defeat.

“Why do you have to pull that sad look, little cousin?” He complained. “Alright, fine. We’ll help your beloved prince win the human woman’s heart. I’ve watched the little mermaid, I know how to create the atmosphere.”

You did not know what ‘the Little Mermaid’ was, and you didn’t question Hoseok’s on it. You merely smiled as he flew ahead, his gaze determined as his plan was set into action.

++

“Now, now, ladies, remember, just like we rehearsed- Beatrice what are you doing, that’s only a baby!” Hoseok screeched in outrage as you continued to blink dumbly at his dancing troupe. Beatrice, the butterfly in question scoffed, flapping her wings in offence, but withdrew her proboscis from the flower but she was currently sucking dry. There was a rumble of discontent from the horde of butterflies but a stern glance from Hoseok silenced the jittery fluttering noises.

“Wouldn’t the human find this suspicious, Hoseok? They are not as in tune with nature as the fae are.” You offered hesitantly. Hoseok turned from where he was currently nursing the young, wilted little flower to frown at you, the bloom cupped gently between his hands.

“Trust me, little cousin. This sort of thing is all about atmosphere, and if it seems like even nature is telling her to go for it, she will! Even humans, oafish and oblivious as they are, can’t ignore Lady Fate’s calling, and I’m sure she won’t mind if we make this seem like her doing.” He said. He loosened his grip around the flower- it looked significantly more lively than before, before turning to where the various butterflies that comprised his dance troupe were scattered across the shrubbery. He firmed his stance, planting his hands on his hips and flapping his wings so that he hovered just above the hedges he had been seated at. “Now ladies. I know you’re hungry, and it’s lunch time, but no nectar breaks! The prince and his lady friend will be passing by here any moment now, and we have a mood to create! Now places, everyone!” He ordered, and to your surprise, the butterflies heeded his call, scattering to various positions around the garden. He turned to you then.

“I need to borrow some of your magic, little cousin. There are lots of speakers scattered about, but I don’t have half the supply you do and we’re gonna need all the magic we can get if we want the speakers playing our mood music.” He told you. Grimacing, you nodded your agreement- personally, you thought his plan was poor, and Seokjin had to after you two had instructed him to lead Eunji to this garden. But Hoseok was rather well-versed on human romance, having grown up in the city, and from memory, he was quite popular amongst the nymphs that lived near his home. So reluctantly, you took his hand in yours and calmed yourself, becoming aware of the pulse of magic that sung through your bones and allowing it to flow to him through your physical connection. Hoseok shut his eyes, and moments later, a soft song began to filter through the various speakers stationed through the garden. He had told you humans used them for emergencies, but had assured you it wouldn’t hurt anyone if you hijacked them for a short while to serve their purpose.

Seokjin and Eunji came into view as the opening lyrics began to sing out. Seokjin spotted you, seated on the hedge beside Hoseok, and shot you a quick wink before turning his attention to Eunji, who gazed around her with wonder on her pretty face as she bore witness to a sight that no human had probably ever been fortunate to see.

The butterflies began to dance and the garden came alive as Hoseok’s magic pulsed through it- even the flowers seemed to become more vibrant as the air brightened and cleared. You watched, amazed, as butterflies lifted into the air and danced across the path of the couple. The evening sun turned the air a gentle orange and bathed the sky above in a soft pink. The wings of to members of Hoseok’s dance troupe caught the rays of the evening sun as they danced through the garden, hopping from hedge to hedge and flapping their wings in intricate, wondrous rhythms. The world seemed painted with an intense wonder that made even you short of breath, and the soft music seemed to fill the air with a pulsing tension not unlike the sweet swell of magic that you had thought could only linger in your forest home.

“This place is amazing!” Eunji sighed to Seokjin. He smiled at her with a tenderness that stung at your heart. You felt like you were intruding, but for some morbid reason, could not bring yourself to look away. “Is it jogging any memories? You seemed pretty determined to come here.”

Seokjin shrugged and shot her a goofy smile.

“No memories… just a sense that this place is where we should be.” He told her serenely. In a daring move, he reached forward and caught her swinging hand in his own, tugging her gently towards him as they strolled forward. She looked surprised, glancing down at where their hands met, before lifting her gaze back up to his with a hesitant smile.

“I feel bad.” She said. “That you don’t remember anything about yourself… Do you have any likes? Dislikes? Surely there’s something other than your name you remember?”

Seokjin paused to ponder her questions, his gaze fixed on a butterfly as it lifted into the air and hung there for a moment before executing a flawless spiral downwards and cushioning her landing on a heavy rose bloom. Beside you, Hoseok began to hum along with the sweet, bright tune, his eyes still squeezed shut as he worked his magic, your hand clutched firmly in his as you continued to share your magic.

“I remember that I rather like the forest.” Seokjin admitted. You stiffened just slightly and you saw him as he shot a hesitant glance your way. “There’s one rather near to here, just on the other side of the river.”

“I’ve been there!” Eunji responded excitedly. “There’s a nice hiking trail- that’s something! You must like the outdoors.”

Seokjin nodded.

“I suppose I do. But that place especially- I like the way the sun streams in through the great canopy above, and I love the cool air and the familiar earthly scent that is strong in the air.” He told her. When Seokjin was happy, his eyes would curve into please little half-moons, and his eyes would shine with this joyous air, and you watched, equal parts dismayed and spell-bound as that familiar starstruck look crossed his face. “I also like that there’s an endless sense of adventure there. But mostly, I like that it’s secure. That no matter where I go there, I will always find my way home, because my little bumbl-“ He cut himself off with a cough, and you started, you grip tightening around Hoseok’s hand as you realised he had almost slipped up and mentioned you. Hoseok winced and opened one eye to glare at you, before resuming his prior task.

“Home? Does that mean you remember where you live?” Eunji enquired hopefully.

“No, I’m afraid I don’t- I haven’t a home to go back to.” He answered, almost forlornly, and just the slightest bit confused, like he hadn’t realised that in this form he had no home to return to. He seemed to shake the sensation off, however, because he coyly looked towards Eunji with a slight smile. “But enough about me and my lack of memories- I’d rather prefer to hear more about you. Please tell me all that there is to know!”

Eunji laughed slightly, surprised at his proposal, and flushed a rather endearing shade of pink.

“Well, I suppose there’s not a lot to know about me- I’m not that interesting, to be honest. I work at a florist, which I like a lot, but it’s more to get me through my studies.” She explained. “I want to be a doctor! I’ve been studying to be one for a couple of years now, and not gonna lie, it’s pretty hard.”

Seokjin nodded, looking enraptured at her words.

“Truly a noble profession- I find it admirable that you desire to help people.” He told her. He did not try to conceal the blatant admiration in his voice at all. Eunji looked pleased.

“Well, to be honest, it wasn’t what I always wanted. I had a passion for music, you know. It was my dream! I thought it was my everything. But my parents pressured me to apply and so I did. And at first, I hated it, but then one day, a friend of mine got very sick.” She told him, her eyes growing distant as she recalled the memory. “She almost died… but the doctors saved her. I got to see her again because the doctors worked round the clock to bring her back from the brink of death… and I realised that was what doctors did. They saved people. And since that day, even though I still love music, I really love and value what I’m studying, and I hope that one day I’ll be able to save people too.”

At her words, Seokjin turned abruptly, clasping both her hands between his and gazing earnestly into her eyes.

“You are a truly wonderful and kind soul. I believe that ones such as you are a rarity amongst humans- a diamond in the rough, so to speak.” He told her. “I am amazed that you aspire to such noble dreams.”

Eunji looked taken aback, evidently unused to such forwardness.

“You’re so… honest.” She responded, blatantly, her eyes wide and a strange expression entering them. Her gaze lifted, and her hand came up. “You’ve got something in… your hair…” She reached up to brush a petal that had settled amongst Seokjin’s silvery locks, but her voice faded as soon as her hand made contact with his hair. For a moment, they stood still, staring deeply into one another’s eyes, as the finishing refrain of the song Hoseok had chosen began to dance through the air. Their faces inched closer, and your heart dropped into your stomach.

The music stopped abruptly, the final phrase of the song cutting off abruptly with no resolution as you momentarily lost your grip on your magic for no reason other than the fact that you were weak. You could not bear to witness this moment- this was the moment, that Seokjin would be torn from you for the rest of eternity- once his lips met Eunji’s, you would have lost him not only are your beloved prince, but as your closest friend, as the love of your life, as a trusted and valued companion who you had spent countless years with. You squeezed your eyes shut at the sudden onslaught of heartache in the moment before their lips met…

Only to hear Eunji whisper “I’m sorry.”

You opened your eyes as Seokjin let out an anguished cry of “Wait!” to find her sprinting in the opposite direction, his hand still outstretched in shock.

You glanced at Hoseok, who glanced at you, while Seokjin stared stupidly ahead, as the situation registered.

Eunji had not kissed Seokjin- instead she had fled as though her life had depended upon it.

The first day dedicated to winning her heart had just failed.

++

Both you and Hoseok seated yourselves upon a dejected Jin’s shoulders as he began the long, humiliating walk back to Eunji’s home. He hadn’t the slightest idea what could have caused the evening to go so awry- he was only aware of a deep disappointment, and for probably the first time in his life, fear began to tickle at the back of his neck and the inside of his rib cage. He had never thought, for one second, that he would fail at winning over Eunji’s heart. How could he fail, when he felt so strongly, when his heart beat so fast at the sight of her beautiful features? Surely such a strong, thrilling emotion had to be reciprocated?

You and Hoseok wisely chose to remain silent as Jin began to follow the stairs up to the level that Eunji resided on. He felt a pang of sadness- he had not realised how important his wings were until he found he could not simply lift into the air with the freedom he had before. He’d been able to ignore it up until this point, focused on winning Eunji’s heart, but with the slow pace he had ambled home at, he had become aware of the heaviness of his feet, of the press of gravity, of the way the buildings that towered over him weren’t secure and reassuring in the way that the trees in his kingdom were- rather they were imposing and seemed to smother the sky above, rather than embrace it in the way that the interlaced branches allowed peeks of starlight through to bathe the forest floor. And while he had pretended not to notice the acrid air and the sour-tinged magic that caused his senses to result prior to that, because he had not wanted you to realise that the city wasn’t as a remarkable place as he’d hoped, now that Eunji was not present by his side, he could no longer hide from the reality that this was to be his home should he succeed in winning her heart.

“You seem tired, your highness,” Hoseok commented, from where he was balanced, cross-legged, on Jin’s right shoulder. On his other shoulder, you remained quiet- you had been quiet since Eunji had fled, with a blank expression on your face that Jin could not have read even if you weren’t as tiny as you were. It made Jin’s situation sting all the worse- for he could handle anything were you to encourage him and support him. The sour city was fun when you were there to follow him and scold him for his impulsiveness, mischievous pranks were hilarious when you were there to overreact with dismay and that silly pout you got on your face, and most of all, winning Eunji’s heart had seemed all too simple when you were there to help him. But with your silence, and the careful blankness on your face, the disappointment and defeat was heavier than the unfamiliar weight of gravity.

“I’m… rather disappointed.” He admitted, and the words felt choked and heavy in his throat. Maybe he really was just the immature, impulsive prince that everyone thought him to be. “I didn’t think this would happen.”

Hoseok shrugged.

“Chin up- there’s a festival tomorrow night. Why don’t you take her to that? We’ll have another go- we were so close today! All you gotta do is ask her what went wrong and tomorrow we’ll create an even more romantic atmosphere than before, and bam! Kiss-kiss and then we all go back to our respective homes- my little cousin to her forest, you to Eunji’s apartment, and me to my little hollow in the park.” Hoseok said, getting to his feet to pat reassuringly at the side of Jin’s neck. Jin frowned- it hadn’t occurred to him that you would return back to the forest once he succeeded with Eunji. Yet another thing he hadn’t thought through- no longer would he have his loyal retainer, his constant companion, his closest friend. He would be alone, apart from Eunji. Initially, when the thought had passed quickly through his mind without any consideration as to the weight of that, it had seemed like it would be enough. Suddenly, however, he is not so sure.

“Hoseok is right.” You said softly, and Jin stiffened. A tension he had not realised he had been holding in his limbs drained from them at the sound of your voice. “We shall merely have to try again. We still have two more days.”

Suddenly feeling more lively that before, Jin nodded enthusiastically, pausing before Eunji’s door.

“We can do this.” He said to himself, clenching his fists in front of him and gathering his courage, willing away the bitter taste of defeat and the niggling fear of the weight of his actions. He raised his first to the door, and knocked once, twice.

Eunji slowly opened the door, and Jin dropped his fist, his expression tightening in distress as he registered the look upon her face. She stepped aside, allowing him entry into her home.

“Eunji?” He questioned, and it came out as a soft, concerned gasp. She stiffened, and glanced down, letting her fringe fall forward to conceal tear stained eyes.

“Jin,” She answered, her voice raspy and raw. Jin realised with a horrible lurch that she’d been crying for a while- possible since she’d run away at the garden. “I’m so sorry- I knew you had no memory and I just left you there… I’m such a horrible person.”

“No, no no!” Jin exclaimed, reaching forward to gently rest his palms on her shoulders. They were so small and narrow beneath his hands. Her hands came up to clutch delicately at his wrists, and she hesitantly lifted her gaze. “Please do not allow yourself to feel such a way! It was an unusual moment, and I am truly, truly regretful if my actions caused you any grievance- I would hate to think that I were the cause of your tears.”

She smiled weakly and shook her head.

“No, no, it wasn’t you. You… you’re wonderful.” She admits. “I don’t even know anything about you other than your name but you’re so kind and genuine and open…I just… I’m in a bad place right now. My boyfriend cheated on my recently and I’ve only just moved into the neighbourhood to get away from him, and my head’s all over the place.”

Jin sucked in a breath sharply- back home the concept of ‘dating’ that humans were so fond of was uncommon, but it was one he was aware of. You had mentioned once that you liked the idea of getting to know your future spouse, rather than leaping right into engagement as was the custom amongst the fae, when your cousin Hoseok had explained it to you, and so the idea of ‘boyfriends’ and ‘girlfriends’ had stuck in his mind for some reason. So he knew what it was, that Eunji had only recently lost her lover.

“I’m… I’m so sorry.” He said softly. “I wasn’t aware that you…” The words died away as the gravity of the situation hit him. If Eunji wasn’t ready for that kind of relationship, it wasn’t like he could force it on her. More and more he was realising just what it was he’d done when he drank that potion, and he wasn’t liking it one bit. Still, he had made his bed, and he needed to lie in it- he did not care to learn exactly what it was that he held to high enough value to lose should he fail. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

“I don’t want to force anything on you,” He admitted to Eunji, dropping his hands from her shoulders. On his shoulder, Hoseok lounged, clearly enjoying the show, while on his other shoulder, you were stiff with distress. “But I do believe that I should be forthcoming, at the very least- I like you. I think you to be the most beautiful woman I have every laid eyes on and I truly wish to get to know you better. And while I now know you’re not ready… would you please still give me a chance? There is a festival tomorrow, and I would love to go with you.” He suggested gently. Eunji bit her lip, looking to the side as she contemplated her answer.

“I… I’ll think about it.” She finally said. “I just… Need some time to think. Let’s talk tomorrow, ok?”

Jin nodded with a smile. So it was settled- tomorrow’s festival would decide his fate anew.

++

Jin left earlier in the evening with the promise from Eunji that she’d meet him there.

It rapidly became clear that she had no intention of doing such a thing. The longer that Jin waited in their meeting spot like a fool, the clearer it became. Hoseok returned from scouting out her apartment to see if she had run into any trouble on the way with a grave look upon his face that had Jin deflating.

He wasn’t surprised, to be honest, and though he searched his heart, he could not find it in him to feel any sort of bitterness towards Eunji for her decision.

“She was taking a phonecall from her friend.” Hoseok explained gently, seating upon Jin’s knee. He was seated on the ground and leaning his back against a tree as he gazed longingly at the human fesitivities before him. Loud, colourful stalls and impressive mechanical contraptions they called ‘rides’. “Said she felt awful for just not showing up, but that she didn’t think she could do it. It was too soon.”

Jin sighed.

“It is unfortunate, but I cannot blame her. I do see now that I was expecting a lot when I thought I could win the heart of a stranger within just three days.” He admitted with a heavy sigh.

“At least you admit it.” Hoseok said, chewing on a thin green stem that hung from between his teeth. He removed it from between his teeth to glance at Jin. “So what’re you gonna do now, Mr. Prince?”

Jin sighed, burying his face in his hands.

“I haven’t the slightest idea, Hoseok. Perhaps I shall just have to accept whatever it is I lose. And I so loved my eyebrows!” He lamented. “What if I get one huge pimple on my forehead? I shall be the laughingstock of the kingdom!”

Hoseok shrugged.

“Let’s hope it’s only that, Prince Charming.” Hoseok said ominously. Jin frowned, directing his gaze to the little pixie that was currently seated on his knee.

“What do you mean?” He inquired. Hoseok shrugged.

“Just let’s hope it’s something as shallow as your eyebrows or your skin… can you imagine if the thing you valued most was a person? Or your kingdom?” He asked with a shudder. “I hope, for your sake, Princeling, that you are the most shallow, selfish fool to have ever walked the planet or tomorrow could be very disastrous for a lot of people.”

An odd sensation that Jin had never experienced before suddenly overcame him- like his heart had turned to lead, and his skin seemed to prickle with iciness and heat at the same time in sharp, unpleasant needles.

“W-what do you mean?” He asked, and the words came out breathless and hoarse. Hoseok frowned, glancing up at Jin.

“Well my little cousin told me that you were to lose something you valued highly. It’s the whole reason she agreed to help you instead of fluttering off back to that forest kingdom she loves so much.” He said. “Don’t tell me… you didn’t know? Didn’t Yoongi tell you what the consequences were for failing?”

“He did.” Jin answered, suddenly dizzy with an emotion he had never experienced in his entire life- dread. Cold-fingered, heart-numbing dread, chilled in his veins and grasping at his heart with iron claws. “He… he made it sound like I’d lose some money, or a my looks.”

Hoseok nodded.

“Well my cousin seemed concerned that you could lose the whole kingdom… To be honest I don’t think you could since you’re only the prince right now- it technically doesn’t belong to you, nor does the treasury. But you could still lose someone important to you, and I think that’s cause enough for concern.” Hoseok said ponderingly.

Their conversation in that moment was cut short by your arrival. Jin couldn’t read the expression on your tiny face in the dim lighting, but you seemed out of breath.

“I’m so sorry, my liege!” You cried, landing softly on his unoccupied knee. You paused, taking in his expression. “Are you well? You seem rather pale.”

“It’s nothing.” Jin said quickly. He didn’t know why he decided to hide the sudden revelation of the potential consequences of his actions for you- perhaps, at his core, it was because he was ashamed. This proved, without a doubt, that he was every bit the foolish prince you thought him to be. That all the nagging from his parents was deserved, that the amused, derisive whispers that occurred behind his back were justified… He could not bear to see the look upon your face if he admitted that he was now aware of what he had risked when he drank Yoongi’s potion. You stared for a moment longer, before nodding.

“I see.” You said softly. “You must be disappointed, my liege. But I have finished scouting out the festival and have determined the most amusing places to go to. Even if Eunji has chosen not to go, we can still have a fun evening!” Your words were determined, filled with sweet-hearted intent, just like everything you did. You would never have made such a selfish decision with such horrible consequences. Instead, you were stuck here, away from home, trying to cheer up a failure such as he. You deserved so much better than to be following him along on his impulsive adventures, to have to clean up his messes and turn a blind eye to his abundant shorting comings.

“I…” He said softly. He glanced at Hoseok, who was watching him curiously. “Yes. Why let a good evening go to waste? Let us enjoy this human festival!”

And enjoy it they did.

The festival was wonderful- the air was so filled with joy that it chased away the soggy, polluted magic that normally soured the air of the city and the lights were bright. There were wonderful human games that they could play with a bit of the money Yoongi had leant him. Jin particularly liked the one where he had to scoop a small toy duck out of the water with a hook- you and Hoseok seated yourselves upon different ducks and called out in joy as they floated through the artificial currents in the small pool. He won a toy for his efforts- a charming human imitation of a bear, soft and cuddly. Both you and Hoseok seated yourself comfortably on top of it as Jin held it in his arms.

With all the fun of the evening, Jin found it easier and easier to ignore the reality of his situation. Instead it was so simple to lose himself in the laughter of you and your cousin, to join in on the festivities, to marvel at human contraptions and enjoy their cuisine. You, in particular, seemed lighter and more joyful in a way you hadn’t been in a while- he was so used to associated you with a concerned expression while you nagged him over what a terrible idea whatever he was doing was that he had almost forgotten how fun it was to laugh with you. He thought that maybe you hadn’t been this carefree since before you had officially taken up the mantle of retainer- back when you knew it was a duty you’d been carefully selected for, but it was one that was situated so distantly in the future that you could laugh freely and have fun by his side.

“You seem happy.” Jin commented, when Hoseok had fluttered off after spotting a fellow pixie that he knew, as he indulged in a fluffy, sugary human sweet. You were both seated in a quiet corner of the park, beneath a large birch tree that reminded him of home, and were currently enjoying the cool evening air. He plucked a small piece off the fluffy treat and held it out to you. You grabbed it from his thumb, holding it between both hands, and taking a delicate bite. Your face lit up at the pleasant sweetness.

“I was instructed that part of my duties were to ensure your comfort and happiness, my liege.” You admitted. “And so if the human has hurt you, as long as you are still prince, it is my job to make it hurt less. So I shall smile for you.”

Jin was not sure why the words had something unpleasant in his chest tightening but he wasn’t unfamiliar with the sensation. It occurred whenever you dutifully reminded him of your position as his retainer. The job entailed being closer to him than any other, save for whoever took up the future mantle of his wife, the person who fate deemed to be his one true love, but for some reason it always seemed to ensure he was kept at arms length from you. His title as prince was a constant reminder that he could never truly be close to anyone- at least not until he received the revered true love’s kiss that the fae valued above all else and considered to be the most sacred symbol of partnership. That meant even you, his closest and most beloved friend, were to be kept at a distance. Perhaps that was why he had been so enamoured by the beautiful and brave Eunji- it had been a chance to make a connection while free of his title as prince, a chance to stop having to wait for true love’s kiss and just be with someone. Someone who liked him for him, and didn’t think of him as a foolish and selfish prince. He just hadn’t fully thought through what giving up that title would mean, for him, for his kingdom, or even for you.

“What if I weren’t the prince?” He asked softly. You paused from where you were still eating the sweet, and glanced up, the sticky fluff coating both your little hands.

“What do you mean, my liege?” You asked, turning towards him and landing on the ground in front of him.

“If I weren’t the prince…” He began, pondering how to word the next portion of his question. “Would you still long for me to be happy? Would you still be so loyally by my side? Would you have followed me out here to help me win the heart of a human woman?”

“I am your friend before I am your retainer.” You admitted earnestly. “I always have been and will continue to be, not because of the oath, but because of you.”

“Is that so?” He questioned, unable to keep the smile from his face. Suddenly overcome with shyness, you ducked your head in a tentative nod.

“Of course.” You said, barely audible above the loud festitivies. Then, more determined, you looked up at him. He struggled to read the expression upon your tiny face, but he could see the way you opened your mouth to form the next words. “Your majesty, I…”

He would never discover what your next words were to be, for in the next moment, he became aware of the sensation of something flying passed his left ear, like a speedy insect, and in the next moment you cried out in pain.

Alarmed, he watched as you crumpled to the ground and the air darkened with the sensation of a spell cast. Jin stiffened- he recognised the magic that suddenly chilled the air around him- it belonged to the head of his mother’s guard, the Chief Guardian of the throne. Slowly, you got to your feet, but with great difficulty as vines had suddenly grown around your wrists, holding them together and restraining you.

The Chief Guardian made his appearance moments later, followed by a select portion of the Royal Guard. They fluttered forward, their wings all dark and sombre colours matched by their stiff, deep green uniforms and took on a formation Jin was well acquainted with- a horse shoe formation around you, one used to contain threats when making an arrest in his kingdom. Two guards landed on the soft ground and linked their arms through yours, wrenching you into the air.

“What’s happening?” Jin demanded, as you struggled and refused to flap your wings, resulting in your being suspended limply between the two guards.

“Your majesty,” The Chief Guardian greeted him, bowing deeply. “We have come to detain the traitor to the crown.”

“Traitor?” Jin enquired incredulously. You struggled once more against the binds that held you, and with a complex flick of the Chief Guardian’s wrist, more vines encircled your ankles and your lips sealed shut, preventing any protest from you. He nodded grimly.

“Yes- Our Lady, the Queen of the Forest, had one of our own scout out your location when you did not return home last night. We discovered you in this… form,” Jin could barely make out the Chief Guardian’s expression beneath the heavy helmet he wore, but the disgust in his voice spoke clearly enough. “She determined your retainer to be at fault and has ordered she be executed at Moon Rise on the Summer Solstice by Lily Cup.” At this, your eyes went large and a strangled, muted scream burst forth though your lips were sealed together by the Chief Guardian’s magic. Jin, meanwhile, felt the oddest sensation he had ever experienced- like someone had removed the ground from beneath him and he were suddenly plummeting rapidly towards his sure death.

“W-what?” He gasped. “E-executed?”

At his words, you began to struggle in vain, attempting a pathetic wiggle, flapping your wings desperately and kicking out with both your legs though you could do little with them when they were held so securely together. The Chief Guardian nodded.

“I’m afraid so- to allow such a heinous event to have occurred to the Prince, she must suffer the consequences. For we know what spell has been cast, and were you to succeed, she would have allowed the equivalent of your death.” He answered. Horror pierced Jin to his very core.

“That’s not her fault!” Jin shouted, scrambling to his feet, his heart burning with outrage and absolute panic. They were mere insects to him at this size- he could trod on them and they would die, though he knew he would never attempt such a thing. “I’m the one who drank the potion- why is her execution to be ordered?”

The Chief Guardian flapped his wings, shooting up in the air so that he was eye-level with Jin, and the other guards followed suit, with you still suspended between the two guards that expertly detained you.

“Because someone must pay the consequences of your desertion, your highness, and since the Queen cannot execute you, her son, your retainer shall pay for your actions.” The Chief Guardian answered firmly. Sympathy danced across his face as he glanced at you. “I am sorry- it is the burden of servitude.” He offered you as an explanation, and you ceased your struggles, your body going limp as Jin could just barely make out tears streaming down your tiny face.

“I won’t allow it.” Jin ordered, reaching out to make a grab for you. He was a giant in comparison to the fae- He need only pluck you from their arms and free, and you would be safe by his side. To his surprise, however, the two guards nimbly dodged. “Stop this madness!” He cried, making another lunge, but they dodged again.

“Enough. She is to be executed on the morrow and those are our final orders. Please cease this pointless flailing and at least maintain what little dignity you have left.” The Chief Guardian called in disgust, before signalling the guards to retreat, and they did so with impressive synchronization.

“No!” Jin cried, more desperate and panicked than he had ever been in his whole life as he made one last mighty dive, trying to rescue you, but the fae were too quick and nimble and small- he may as well have tried to pluck a speck of dust from the air, and in the next moment they were all gone. Your tiny, tear-stained face was a mere imprinted memory burned into his retinas as he collapsed on all four.

“No.” He gasped, more to himself than anyone, overcome with a wave of dizziness. He could not combat the sheer horror at what had just taken place- nausea seized his entire body and the next moment he found himself retching violently. For you were to be executed tomorrow, at moonrise, killed, because he had made a stupid and immature decision. Your smile, your presence, your kindness, were all on the verge of being wiped from the world all because of him.

Seokjin had never felt such agony in his entire life, that much he was sure of. He had never feared consequences- why would he, when you would have always been there at the end, disappointed but present, there to comfort, there to help, there to support him through his constant mistakes. And now he had gone too far- his own selfishness and childishness had blinded him and influenced his actions to the point that he was now set to lose the one person in his life who had never turned their back on him. The one person who mattered to him above anyone else, even Eunji, who he now realised was little more than a passing infatuation, who, though his feelings had been bright and intense, meant nothing in comparison to the firm, solid peace that came from knowing you were always hovering nearby, ready to serve, ready to help, ready to care.

Weakly, and having emptied the contents of his stomach, Jin leaned back, wiping at his mouth and drying his eyes which had been streaming with tears he had not been aware of. Hoseok landed before him, eyes wide with the disastrous scene before him.

“What happened, princeman?” Hoseok demanded.

“Little Bumblebee… she… she’s gone.” Jin whispered hoarsely in answer.

++

To say Hoseok was livid at news of your disappearance was a bit of an understatement, but it was nothing when compared to the utter despondence that Jin was experiencing. Still, Hoseok at least had the presence of mind to do what had to be done. It had taken a lot to shake Jin out of his nigh comatose-state, but he had managed to have an awkward, stilted conversation with Eunji. He had lied, saying he had regained his memory and that he had to go and see a family member who was gravely ill. She had apologised profusely for standing him up, but honestly Jin couldn’t recall a word she said. Instead, your frantic cries and tear-stained face were imprinted on the insides of his eyelids- every time he closed his eyes he remembered with fresh anguish the distress on your face as you realised you were being sentenced to death. Emotionally exhausted and devastated, he merely blindly followed Hoseok as he lead him through the city. It was a long walk, made all the more difficult by the fact that he didn’t have his wings to carry him along at the usual speeds he was accustomed to.

The night had begun to dissolve as a soft grey flooded the earth by the time Jin arrived outside Min Yoongi’s dilapidated cottage.

Yoongi’s door swung open almost as soon as both Hoseok and Jin began to bang earnestly on the small wooden door (though Hoseok’s knocks were considerably softer than Jin’s). A disgruntled Yoongi, half dressed and with his hair sticking straight up in the air squinted at them. He groaned in annoyance, however, and attempted to swing the door back shut, only for Jin to grab it. Hoseok darted in through the gap in the door.

What ensued was a small tussle where Yoongi angrily tried to shut the door. Ultimately Jin won out, and Yoongi staggered backwards as Jin forced himself into the cottage.

“Get out!” Yoongi called, looking absolutely livid. “The sun hasn’t even risen yet what is wrong with you, I’m going to curse yo-“ He cut his sentence short on account of almost choking on his tongue at the sight before him.

Prince of the Forest Kingdom, Kim Seokjin, future ruler of the Fae, had dropped to his knees, begging. Hoseok, beside him, followed suit. The size comparison would have been laughable if not for the strangeness of the sight before him.

“Undo the spell. Please.” Jin begged. Yoongi merely stared in disbelief. While Jin did not have a reputation of being prideful, it was undoubtedly a shocking sight given the dignity of his title and position. “My retainer has been taken and she is to be executed at midnight tonight because of me. Please. I need to save her- I need to get into the court, I’m the only one who can stop this.”

Yoongi was silent, carefully considering Jin’s words.

“I…. I can’t.” Yoongi finally admitted. “I can’t undo this spell- I told you before- only true love’s kiss can reverse the effects.”

Jin could only stare in dismay.

“There must be something! If I kiss Eunji I will remain this size, and my retainer shall die! How can I return to my former size?” He asked desperately. Yoongi folded his arms across his chest and raised his fist to press it contemplatively to his mouth. The Sorcerer of the Night’s image was considerably dampened by his polka-dotted pyjamas.

“I don’t have any money, but I’ll gladly give you lots of his!” Hoseok added. “I love my cousin!”

Yoongi shot a disdainful look at the tiny pixie before groaning, pressing a thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose.

“I can’t undo the spell, man. You’re stuck this size until midnight tonight… Unless…” Yoongi paused, holding up a finger, before shuffling over to where a heavy book was laying open on his small wooden dining table. He thumbed rapidly through it, before finding what he was looking for. “A-ha!” He exclaimed, raising the book triumphantly.

“It’s a size spell.” He explained. “I can shrink you down.”

“Then do it!” Jin urged. Yoongi held up a hand.

“Woah, wait. Let me finish- I can shrink you down but there will some consequences.” Yoongi admitted. “It lasts 24 hours, so unless you drank the potion yesterday, you won’t make it back to your human woman before the summer solstice. And the summer solstice may wipe the magic clean anyway but you should revert to your original size after the Nullification, so at least that won’t be a problem.”

Jin hesitated. Just for half a moment. Hoseok stared at him in dismay.

For Jin’s entire life, he had only ever thought of himself. What was fun for him, what was enjoyable for him, what was amusing. Consequences had somehow evaded him, likely because his mother was always there to ensure his messes were cleaned up. Unlike you. You were the opposite of him in every sense of the word. You always put him first, but he knew he wasn’t the only person in your life you put first. You put your siblings first, your family first, your duty first. You were selfless, unlike him. And now, for the first time in his life, he had to choose- himself, and his selfish desires? Or you, his precious, selfless little bumblebee?

He was going to lose something. He didn’t know what it was.  A kiss with Eunji was never an option- there was no way he could have won anyone’s heart within a mere three days. It was a foolish and arrogant endeavour, doomed to fail from the outset. And unless he magically found his true love in the next twenty-four hours, there was only way to save you. He had to allow the spell to take its course and learn to live without whatever the spell took from him. That was it, the only choice he could make. He simply could not allow you to die for his mistakes and spend the rest of his life knowing you were not beside him because he was a fool.

“I’ll do it. Cast the spell, Yoongi.” Jin finally said. Hoseok’s eyes went wide.

“Woah, woah, woah, Jin!” Hoseok exclaimed. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I want to save my cousin just as much as you, but have you really thought this through? Do you know what you could lose?”

“I don’t care what I lose, Hoseok.” Jin admitted. “As long as it’s not her. I could stop being a prince from this moment forth, and lose both my eyebrows and go completely bald, and as long as she stayed alive, it would be ok.”

To Jin’s surprise, Yoongi was giving him an odd, puzzled look.

“Hey… your highness,” Yoongi began slowly. “I know you started this whole ordeal because you liked a human woman… but by any chance… do you…”

“Spit it out, Yoongi.” Jin urged, frustrated with every moment lost that could be spent saving you.

“Do you have feelings for your shadow?” Yoongi finally blurted.

Silence reigned. One could have heard a pin drop. Hoseok’s jaw dropped, Yoongi stared in anticipation and Jin… Jin just blanked.

Did he have feelings for you?

It was a preposterous question, one he had never considered, and his knee-jerk reaction was to refuse. He didn’t have feelings for you, he couldn’t have feelings for you. You were his retainer, and the only way he could be with you anyway was if you turned out to be his True Love. That couldn’t be the case, and he couldn’t have feelings for you. No matter how vital you were, no matter how valuable or precious, no matter how your smile and reassurance made him feel like he could hoist the whole world between his shoulders though as a fae he was no taller than a daisy. He couldn’t like you like that.

“O-of course not!” Jin finally exclaimed, indignantly. “How could you suggest something so ridiculous?” He spluttered. Hoseok nodded his agreement.

“It was a dumb question Yoongi- can he even love anything but his own reflection?” He said with a snort. Jin wisely chose to ignore the jibe.

Yoongi simply continued to stare, a suspicious and uneasy light in his eyes.

“Are you sure?” Yoongi pressed. Jin, to his credit, only hesitated for a few short moments this time.

“I’m sure.” He said weakly, though the words sounded pathetic even to his own ears. Yoongi shrugged, turning back to his books.

“If you say so.” He answered unconvinced. He paused to give Jin one last long look. “If anything happens though… Just remember that true love’s kiss will break the spell, ok? You’re almost definitely going to lose something important, but if you receive true love’s kiss in time you may be able to undo the spell.”

“Ok? I doubt my true love will magically pop out of thin air though.” Jin answered, confused. “Now can you make the spell?”

Yoongi nodded, walking over to a glass cabinet stock with various herbs and other potion ingredients, the heavy tome hoisted between his arms.

“I can. It’ll take me most of the day, but I should be able to finish with enough time for you to reach the court and stop the execution.” Yoongi said. Jin nodded.

“Hurry.” Was what he urged. Outside, the sky had fully lightened as the sun cleared the horizon, its warming rays signalling the start of the third and final day, but also counting the dwindling moments as your execution approached.

++

You had always supposed this would be the way you died. You knew, in your heart of hearts, that one day Seokjin would go too far with his mischief, and if you didn’t die in the middle of one of his misadventures, you would surely be executed by his livid mother. And though it was entirely his fault that you stood on this podium, awaiting the height of Moon Rise, in your traitorous heart you could not find the will to blame him. How was it, that even in your last moments, your weak and pathetic heart still clung so desperately to him? What spell had he cast upon you to keep you so deeply in love?

It wasn’t a spell though, that much you knew. It was him- his kindness and his silliness and his warmth. The way a room suddenly became vibrant and lively as he walked in because he gifted each person his attention and care. The way he had once stumbled upon an injured beetle and had carefully nursed it back to health despite his mother’s insistence that he abandon it and allow nature to take its course. The way how, though he was prone to being self-absorbed and self-centred, he always worked so hard to bring a smile upon your face. And so you had long ago resigned yourself to the fact that he would one day be the cause of your death, even before becoming his retainer. Wasn’t that what you had sworn when you had taken an oath to be his retainer? That your life belonged solely to his. You supposed your heart was just an added bonus he didn’t know he also owned.

“Do you understand your crime?” The Queen asked imperiously, seated upon her throne. Her skirt was full with the petals rich purple petals of an iris, symbolising her wisdom and royal blood and her bodice interwoven with gentle pink of an alstroemeria flower, a charm for luck and prosperity within the kingdom. Beside the Queen’s icy, regal beauty, you were sure you looked plain, even ugly by comparison- the daisy petals that comprised your skirt were soiled and torn, after spending a night confined to prison, and your features had always been soft and pixie like. Your hair was in disarray from where one of the guards had yanked it when you refused to comply as they dragged you into the courtroom. Your arms remained bound before you, and the air was still crisp with the sharp magic of the Chief Guardian.

Slowly, you lowered your gaze. You did not offer an answer, and the Queen merely glared.

“I shall explain it for you- you allowed my son to abandon his position as prince, and to cast a spell that prevents him from ever returning. You have essentially allowed his death, and for desertion and failure of your position, you must now pay with your life, as dictated by your oath.” She said grimly. With a stamp of her sceptre, a young faeling, a royal servant, came stumbling in, the lily cup held carefully between his trembling hands.

Death by lily cup was probably the most dignified and gentle method of execution the Queen was capable of- a small drink of poison that just shut down your senses- many had described it as falling asleep. It was, perhaps, her way of mercy, of showing your gratefulness for your loyal service to her son, but your heart still throbbed with a bitter sting of betrayal as you accepted the small cup gentle between your bound hands. The small petals of a glass flower curved over your palms, forming the rim of the cup, and within lay a clear liquid, a concentrated concoction of the nectar of a lily. Once you drank it, your organs would slowly shut down and your life would be over. A ripple appeared, disturbing the glassy surface of the liquid and you realised it was a tear. Your heart burned with an unknown and uncomfortable fear- so this was to be your end. With eyes blurred as more hot tears burst forth, you raised your eyes to the skylight above, the one that allowed the moon to peek into the courtroom. Once the moon reached the centre, Moon Rise of the summer solstice would have begun, and you were to drink the cup, or be forced to drink it, and then you would die. Half of the moon glowed at you, and more became visible with every passing moment, a countdown towards your death.

Trembling now, you felt sweat begin to pour down the back of your neck as adrenaline took over and your body began to prepare itself in the hope that you would fight your way out of this situation. This was it- the moment approached.

“Halt!” A voice boomed through the courtroom, and shocked, all faces turned towards the entrance. The doors flew open to reveal the face of the Queen’s son, Hoseok hovering beside him, and your heart leapt into your throat. How? You questioned. How could Seokjin be here, fae-sized, when it was the final night to win the heart of Eunji? Where were his wings, his beautiful iridescent wings?  “Mother, stop this nonsense now.” You had never heard such fury and firmness in his normally gentle voice.

“Jin!” His mother cried. “You’re here! How can this be?”

Rather than answer, Seokjin strode forward, Hoseok in tow, coming to a halt before you where you stood barefooted and battered on the podium. His eyes went wide as he gradually registered your tattered appearance. His hand shook as it came up to gently smooth against a bruise on your cheek from where you had fallen when a guard pushed you into a holding cell. A guard stepped towards him, but one look from Hoseok froze him in place.

“A-are you ok?” Seokjin asked, and his voice shook. You glanced away, uneasy under the horrified weight of his stare. All colour drained from his face as he looked you up and down, and saw more bruises, saw your wrists rubbed raw from the bindings, and as his gaze came to rest on the draught cupped between your hands a tear slipped forward, tracing the contours of his handsome face.

“I-I’m fine.” You said, and you hadn’t spoken or drank properly in the last twenty four hours and so your voice was hoarse. Gently, he ran his thumbs along the inside of your arms, examining the bruises from where the guards had gripped you, before gently taking the lily cup from your hands.

Only to throw it forcefully on the ground. You winced as the sound of glass shattering tore through the court. You weren’t wearing shoes and winced at the idea of a glass shard cutting into your feet.

“Kim Seokjin!” His mother cried in horror, and he turned to her.

“She shall not be executed. I have returned, and the spell will end at midnight. Her crime, though there was none to begin with, is obsolete, and she is to be fully pardoned.” He told her sternly, though his voice shook with barely repressed rage. She stiffened, glancing from you to him for a few moments, before sighing, waving for the servant faeling from before to step forward and begin cleaning up the shattered glass. With a flick of her sceptre, the vines that held your wrists together disintegrated, and as soon as they were Seokjin pulled you into a tight embrace.

“I’m so sorry.” He gasped, squeezing you so tightly it bordered on painful. “You’re safe now- I’m so, so sorry. I never thought that something like this would happen- please, please, forgive me for such a heinous crime.”

“Jin,” You gasped out, his nickname slipping out amidst the dizziness of your relief. You felt numb, and shaky, like you had just plummeted from a height. “Jin, what about the spell- what if you lose something-“

“Shhh.” He hushed you. “That’s unimportant- as long as I don’t lose you I don’t care what the consequences of the spell were.”

A strange sensation washed over you as soon as he said the words. Rather than joy or elation as you would have expected upon such a heartfelt and tender declaration, your whole body seized up with sudden agony, your body locking with pain. You cried out in pain, crumpling to the ground.

“What?” Seokjin cried, staggering from trying to support your sudden weight. “What’s happening, little bee- are you ok?”

It felt like your whole body had gone tight, like your chest couldn’t expand, and pain rolled over you in sharp waves. You coughed, trying to breathe, and recoiled as blood bubbled up between your teeth and dribbled past your lips. Hoseok gasped.

“Jin!” He called in panic as he saw the blood.

“What’s happening?” Seokjin shouted, turning to his mother. “Did she drink any of the lily cup?”

 “No, that’s impossible- this is not how the lily cup kills.” She called. Hoseok staggered forward towards you.

“She’s dying,” Hoseok gasped in realisation. The rest of the court stood frozen, confused.

“Jin!” You gasped, reaching for him during the blinding pain. He caught your flailing hand and held it though you could not feel it through the way every nerve of your body was alight with agony. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know!” He cried, glancing around, desperate for an explanation or some way to save you. “Stay with me, little bee, please. I can’t-“ His voice cracked. “I can’t be without you- please.” He didn’t know who he was begging- you? The cruel fates that were currently trying to tear you apart from him? All he knew was bile threatened to rise up in his throat at the sight of the blood smeared across your lips and trickling down your chin.

It was Hoseok that realised it. His gaze landed on the skylight above you, where the moon hovered ominously in the centre, marking the beginning of moonrise, and the end of Seokjin’s spell… meaning the prince would lose something precious.

“Jin!” He called urgently. “The spell! It ends at moon rise- the spell is ending.”

Jin’s heart dropped as he glanced at you writhing in his grasp as it clicked. All the warning signs prior to this moment flood his mind- Yoongi’s promise that he would lose something he valued above all else should he fail to receive true love’s kiss after the summer solstice… Yoongi’s tentative enquiry as to whether he held feelings for you…

It had been because what Jin valued above all else, the most valuable thing he could lose as punishment for this spell…

Was you.

Jin did not think, did not pause to consider the weight of this revelation. Instead he just squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his lips firmly to yours.

Your eyes fluttered as they slid shut, and then everything went black for you.

++

The ceiling above you when you opened your eyes was strangely ornate. It was not a ceiling you recognised, and that, for some reason, caused you to panic. Sitting up, you regretted it instantly- a sparks danced through your vision as you were suddenly overcome with nausea. Groaning softly, you pressed your hands against your face until the dizziness cleared.

Something beside you stirred as you took in your surroundings- you were in Seokjin’s bedroom you realised. Confused, your gaze finally landed at the mop of messy, pale hair beside you. Seokjin was seated in a small wooden chair pulled up to his bedside, and he had been sleeping with his head rested against the mattress up until that point. With you awakening, however, he began to stir, and turned his head to peer at you. He gave you an odd, weak smile, one that made your heartache. It was so… bittersweet. Relief shone brightly in his eyes, yet at the same time he seemed… reserved. Timid, almost.

“Hello.” He said softly. Confused, you offered him a tentative smile back as he sat up and stretched, you spotted his wings.

“My liege… y-your wings!” You exclaimed. He glanced behind him and chuckled slightly.

“Ah, yes. They returned shortly after I…” He trailed away and glanced awkwardly to the side. He cleared his throat and continued speaking. “How are you feeling? Namjoon said there seemed to be no lasting damage, but… you were in poor shape when you lost consciousness. I… I was truly scared I’d lost you.”

“Damage from what?” You asked, heart fluttering at the look he was currently giving you.. “Why am I in your room? And in your bed? And what happened with Eunji? Where is Hoseok?”

“That’s a lot of questions!” He responded with a slightly crooked smile. “I see I have a lot to explain- how much do you remember?”

You paused to consider. You remembered grasping the lily cup between your hands, you remembered Seokjin bursting into the court and reprimanding his mother, and you remembered pain, terrible pain… And then nothing. Completely blank. You told him as much, and to your surprise, his expression darkened.

“Ah… I see.” He said. He was silent for a moment, and when you glanced down, you realised he had had your hand clasped in his the whole time. When you awkwardly went to tug your hand free, he merely tightened his grip on yours. “Well, first of all, Hoseok is somewhere in the palace, waiting to hear news of you waking up. And as for Eunji… I guess I should begin with the outcome of the spell- after learning what was to be your fate, I went to the Sorcerer of the Night for aid. But he told me only true love’s kiss could undo the spell and revert me back to my original form. He did, however, have a spell that could shrink me down enough to allow me to enter the palace.”

“Is that why you had no wings?” You asked. He nodded.

“I had to run so fast, I was terrified I wouldn’t make it in time. If it weren’t for Hoseok carrying part of the way I may not have made it. I... don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t.” He confessed. Your expression fell.

“I… I’m so sorry my liege. I never intended for you to- And with Eunji-“ You began, but he cut your apology short.

“Think nothing of it.” He scolded you. “I know now how foolish my actions have been. Eunji… I didn’t truly love her. She is most truly one of the beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes upon, and no doubt her positive qualities are endless… But that is all. I think that perhaps I was projecting. I wanted to get away from that perpetual image of selfish prince that everyone holds of me, and when I saw her, I thought perhaps she could be someone who didn’t see me that way. Perhaps she could be the woman who loved me for what I am… Who didn’t think me self-centred and didn’t serve me just because I was a prince. I let myself get swept away by a temporary infatuation, but now I have learnt my lesson. We have parted ways, and I shall probably never lay eyes on her again.”

“T-then… how did you break the spell?” You questioned. He flushed an interesting shade of red, and glanced away, clearing his throat awkwardly.

“W-well… that brings me to the next portion of my story. When midnight struck, though I had successfully halted the execution, I still stood to lose something precious to me. And it turns out… It turns out…” His voice trembled and cracked and it took him a few moments to continue. “It turns out the thing I valued above all else… was you.”

Puzzled, you stared at him uncomprehendingly for a moment. Then his words registered and your heart began to beat more rapidly against your will.

“M-me?” You echoed. He could not even meet your gaze, looking determinedly to the foot of his bed as he nodded.

“Yes.” He said, the words almost a whisper. Then he gathered the courage to meet your gaze and the look in his eyes was unfamiliar but had a strange warm sensation spreading throughout your body. “It was you. And that was how I broke the spell… w-with true love’s kiss.”

The last words were almost inaudible, and when he spoke them, your eyes widened.

“Kiss? With who?” You asked incredibly. Seokjin frowned.

“Please don’t make me admit it again, little bumblebee!” He exclaimed. When you only stared blankly, he groaned, burying his face in his hands. “With you! I kissed you.”

Heat flushed through your whole body and remained in your cheeks.

“You kissed me?” You almost screeched, positive that your face was absolutely glowing. Embarrassed, Seokjin could only nod.

“Yes.” He said. “And then after that, my wings grew back and you recovered. My mother offered you both pardon and an apology, and since even she is not powerful enough to refute such obvious proof of true love’s kiss… we are now engaged.”

“What?” This time you did screech. “Engaged?”

Seokjin looked absolutely mortified.

“Uh well… yes. As is the custom. For if true love’s kiss succeeded between us, it means that you are the one fate selected as my true love. So as tradition dictates, you are hearby released from your oath, and are now my betrothed.” He said. Then his eyes went wide with distress. “Unless you don’t want such a thing? In which case consider yourself in no way bound to me- should this not be something you want, I can-“

“No!” You exclaimed quickly, cutting him off. When he looked surprised, you flushed and looked away. “I mean… I’m not opposed to it.” You said softly, before tentatively looking back to him. When your eyes met, you registered the way he looked gobsmacked, but slowly a smile spread across his face.

“Oh, well… that’s rather… I’m not opposed to it either.” He responded, outright grinning at this point. “In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I’m downright thrilled.”

You smiled, ducking your head in embarrassment, but Seokjin had not finished talking.

“You see… I realised something last night. Or perhaps when you were first arrested. I’m not sure when, given the urgency of the past few days. But I realised that I’d been lying to myself for a very, very long time. You see, while I always knew that I could do anything so long as you were by my side, I always told myself it was because you were so supportive. But truthfully, it was because I was so desperately in love with you that I would retrieve the sun in the sky for you should you ask it of me.” He confessed. “It’s just that I was a fool. And I was scared. And I wanted to be so much better than what I was before I even considered myself remotely worthy of your presence. So I tried to ignore my feelings. I don’t even know how long I’ve had them… I feel like it’s been a long time and no time at all… And I let a passing infatuation convince myself that what I felt for you was nothing. But I realised it when I almost lost you- living in a world without you is not living at all. Even just the thought of it is complete agony. And so… if you would accept me, I’d do everything I can to make you the happiest queen in the world. I know you think me a self-centred fool, and you only serve me because of your oath, but could you accept this foolish prince’s heart?”

You stared at him, speechless. They were words you’d only ever dreamed of hearing, and yet here you were, hearing the sweetest confessions pour forth from between Seokjin’s lips. When he cleared his throat, you realised you had only been staring stupidly and had yet to answer.

“Of course I’d accept you. I swore that oath because I… because I have loved you for a very long time my prince.” You finally uttered, feeling that your face might spontaneously combust. “My heart is and always has been solely yours. For… for as long as I can remember, it has been yours.”

Seokjin’s eyes went wide.

“You… love me?” When you nodded, he grinned, and burst out in laughter. He laughed so hard tears began to pool in his face. You stared at him, puzzled and unable to understand his reaction.

When he finally calmed he smiled at you.

“Then all this time, you’ve… What a fool I’ve been!” He said. When he saw your expression, his smile softened just the slightest bit. “I’m sorry for laughing, little bee. I just thought it funny that had I been braver, perhaps we could have avoided this ordeal altogether.”

“So it is settled then? Are we now betrothed?” You asked softly, insecurely, because a part of you still believed this all may have been a very elaborate but very pleasant dream. Jin nodded, his eyes wrinkling up in that heart-stopping smile that never failed to elevate your heartbeat.

“I suppose we are.” He said. “I’m afraid I have nothing prepared- this is probably the least romantic proposal ever given, I’m sorry little bee.”

You laughed slightly, shaking your head.

“No, no! It’s fine… I’m just happy that it’s you.” You admitted. To your surprise, Seokjin flinched, clasping a hand over his chest.

“You must warn me before you do such things!” He said. “I feel my heart may suddenly burst. Now, I know that I have been so very selfish up until now, but do you think you could fulfil one last request as my retainer?”

“Anything.” You answered, and he smiled.

“I just… want to double check. You know… that it was true love’s kiss. If you would let me.” His smile was sweet and cheeky, and he edged closer, sliding his hands around your own and leaning in towards you.

You smiled at his coy attempt at another kiss. It was both sweet and strange. Strange because of the way your heart was so full. Because of the way Seokjin’s eyes seemed to shimmer with absolute adoration. Not even a few hours before, you had prepared to lose your life because of him, and now you sat before him, ready to offer it once more. You had spent so, so many years lamenting over a painful, unreciprocated love, and now finally he was offering you everything you ever dreamed of. You started when his thumb brushed your cheek, and he smiled- he was merely wiping away the tears you hadn’t realised had began to trickle down your face. There was still so much to handle, to deal with. Hoseok waited outside, unaware of whether you were ok… Yoongi still needed payment for his services… Seokjin’s mother still needed to be placated for his mischief. But in that moment, none of that mattered. There was only you and him. Your heart swelled as all the emotions and the stress of the passed three days registered and as they came to burst you threw yourself forward.

You answered Seokjin’s question with the most powerful spell known to the entire world. The most sacred promise between the fae. Something so treasured and valuablethat humans now considered it a trivial myth found only in fairy tales.

True love’s kiss.

~*Fin*~