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Aboard a mothership evacuating species from all over the universe, creatures with 6000 teeth, one eye and, most commonly, tentacles, were to be distributed to living, thriving planets as each refugee was categorized into the environment that suited them best.
Among them, Chanyeol’s anatomy consisted of 4 limbs and belonged to the recently extinct species called Spectrums. He was told early on that he would be placed on planet Earth, which he knew to be the home of humans. Spectrums were the closest to them in physicality, since they were descendants of Earthlings who began an expedition in space from hundreds of Earth years ago. They reached another galaxy migrating as humans but had since evolved to adapt to their new living environment. Having acquired higher tolerance for the elements, the inhabitants became exposed to the radiation caused by prisms of their Sun.
Exoplanet 1485 was home to a flourishing and progressive society, building their own infrastructure, government and universally accepted form of currency, until a massive meteor collision caused the unprecedented obliteration of Chanyeol’s world. The young Spectrum managed to get into an escape pod just in the nick of time, but failed to see if anyone in his community was able to survive at all.
He crashed into a nearby uninhabitable terrain to check on his engine when the Black Pearl Mothership happened to pass by and he was rescued. Quickly learning to co-exist with creatures on board, Chanyeol found most of them generally peaceful. Time went on, and the Spectrum was now fully grown. The other species began to notice what was different about him, and so they taught Chanyeol to use it to his own advantage.
A Spectrum’s hair changed color, which revealed one’s current emotion. In Chanyeol’s normal state, his hair was ash gray that turned into silver when it needed to be weaved. Older spectrums from Chanyeol’s planet used their valuable weaved hair for trading, which was the cornerstone for their stable and enviable economy. Since having matured, it was time for Chanyeol to harvest his hair when needed. He used it to barter for materials to fix his pod, or to sample new cuisines from other creatures. Some food might deem poisonous to other species but so far, he hadn’t been killed yet.
When his hair grew lusher, he would cut it himself and keep piles and piles of silver weaves in a safe box in his pod, simply maintaining his ash gray hair in a comfortable length. He was given a helmet by the captain of the ship, who frequently looked after the Spectrum, as Chanyeol might very well be the last survivor of his kind. Taking the captain’s advice, Chanyeol wore it at all times, for his own protection.
He was just about to retire to his quarters when alarm bells started going off, as the captain announced the mothership had been infiltrated. Lasers were fired at all directions and screams could be heard everywhere. Chanyeol was being dragged to the front of the ship by other refugees when he twisted himself out of their grip. Most of his possessions were in his pod, parked at the back end of the ship. If gargantuan Ruffians—space pirates of the Red Force—were already onboard, it was likely they were all going to get killed. A huge explosion from several meters away had Chanyeol shielding himself with his bare arms but made him even more determined to make his escape. Just as Chanyeol dashed to a corner, a group of Ruffians spotted him and aimed to blast him into smithereens.
Only he was quick to his feet, and jumped into a nearby shoot, where no Ruffian would ever fit. He effortlessly slid towards the basement, running to where the pods were, discovering that most of them had already disappeared. Just as he was activating his pod, his pointed ears tuned in to some frantic mumbling somewhere in the area. He instinctively followed the source of the sound, becoming more and more desperate by the second, until he found a twitching creature on the floor with his hands and feet bound by a thunder-like chain—signature Ruffian confinement—and mouth clamped by a kind of sticky substance.
Chanyeol’s eyes grew wide as he turned the creature over, which was somewhat smaller in frame but looked so much like him… “A-Are you a Spectrum?”
The creature’s eyes also become round in surprise, but somewhat tinged with incredulity, as if Chanyeol had just spoken alien language to him, which he probably did. In his disappointment, Chanyeol noticed that the creature’s hair remained black and did not turn white to indicate shock or yellow to manifest relief or joy. The smaller creature only struggled even more, trying to wriggle free from his constraints but to no avail.
The sound of firing and explosions were getting closer that Chanyeol did not have time to think. He lifted the bound creature in his arms, lighter in weight than he anticipated, and deposited him onto the passenger seat of his pod, with the smaller creature landing on his side with an indignant “Oomph!”
Chanyeol did not pay any mind, immediately taking off as a number of livid Ruffians wreaked havoc in a blinding flurry of lasers in their wake.
The Spectrum engaged several buttons on his dashboard, triggering the pod’s warp speed capability, as the smaller creature’s muffled terrified scream echoed through the cosmos.
***
When the pod was stable enough to activate into auto-pilot mode, Chanyeol turned to his unexpected passenger who had fallen unconscious on the seat next to him. The Ruffians used a harmless plasm to shut the smaller creature up. With a little hesitation, Chanyeol decided to remove it, which jerked the smaller creature awake and glared at the Spectrum for the intrusion.
Only Chanyeol blinked upon staring at this kin-like stranger, who looked so much like a Spectrum and yet he was not. With thick black hair, thick eyebrows, round, dark brown eyes and thick lips, this creature was so… pleasant to behold.
Temperature rose to Chanyeol’s cheeks, until he could feel his face feeling hot. He wondered what color his hair had turned now. Was it yellow? Or white? This was definitely a new sensation. Or perhaps this Spectrum in front of him had not matured yet, so his hair changing colors hadn’t quite manifested?
“WHAT?” The smaller creature retorted, sounding angry.
Chanyeol tried hard to imagine this smaller creature’s hair turning red, like his own would if he were aggravated. Still, Chanyeol thought black hair suited the smaller creature best, for some reason.
“WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE?”
In the deepest recesses of Chanyeol’s mind, with hundreds and hundreds of years of Spectrums trading with other worlds, that they were able to adapt of other creatures’ basic languages in order to build connections. It was part of a Spectrum’s education and he easily accessed this smaller creature’s language, initiating it at will.
“I…” Chanyeol replied slowly, this language feeling unfamiliar in his tongue. “I didn’t want to leave you.”
The smaller creature stared back at him, large eyes blinking in confusion that Chanyeol found himself fascinated with miniscule variations of the other’s expressions.
“Where are you taking me?” The smaller creature’s tone was quieter, calmer, which would have translated to a green hair color if he were a Spectrum, which would eventually turn to ash gray.
“I’m… headed to Earth.”
“What?!” The smaller creature’s tone was escalating again. “No, let me go! This is worse than being kidnapped by Ruffians! Are you working for LSM? Are you?!”
Chanyeol, panicking, was vigorously shaking his head.
“I was going to 1485. I wanted to move there. I feel like I can contribute to…” The smaller creature’s voice trailed off when he felt the other’s warm large hands land on his arms.
“Exoplanet 1485 is gone,” Chanyeol told him sadly. “My planet was destroyed by a meteor that was belatedly detected by our security systems. It shattered instantly.”
“You’re a Spectrum?” The smaller creature asked in shock, his big eyes immediately gazing at his obstructive helmet. “And you survived?”
“I’m always tinkering with my pod, and the moment it happened, I was already inside,” Chanyeol swallowed, closing his eyes at the memory of his world disintegrated before him. “I had no choice but to fly away.”
“Then I have nowhere to go now,” the smaller creature told him forlornly. “1485 was my last hope, and just my luck to meet who possibly might be the last Spectrum to exist, only to tell me that I have to return to Earth…”
“Return to Earth…?” Chanyeol inquired then, curiosity piqued. “You’re human?”
“Yes, I’m human,” the smaller creature—human—confirmed finally. “I thought a Spectrum would have already figured that out.”
It seemed as if Earthlings had presumptions about his species too, and they were aware of their existence.
“Will you reach into my front pocket?” The human was eyeing towards the pocket on his own left chest.
Chanyeol tentatively did, revealing an ornate, bronze key about the size of his palm.
The human presented his bound hands and gestured for him to use that key to release him.
It confused Chanyeol, however. If the human had the key on him in the first place, then why had he let himself remain chained?
“I’ve been kidnapped by Ruffians a few days ago… Earth time,” The human clarified. “Yes, I’m still aware of my planet’s cycle as my body is still acclimated to it.”
Then Chanyeol heard a strange sound, seemingly coming from the human’s torso, somewhere below the ribcage… perhaps from his stomach…
It resembled the growls of a hostile Ruffian, which he believed to be twice, if not thrice, the size of this human.
“Sorry about that.” The human looked away, somewhat defiantly. “I’m starving.”
Of course, humans needed fuel, as did Spectrums. Chanyeol then determinedly unlocked the human’s wrists from their laser chains and apparently, the key worked for the ones on his ankles too.
Just then, Chanyeol went over to the back of the small pod, the tall Spectrum slightly bending over to open a small cupboard. He returned at the pit with two white capsules.
“What’s that?”
It took a moment for Chanyeol to find the right human term. “Food.”
The human studied them in aghast. “Are you sure?”
“This is the first time I’ve seen and met a human, and from what I’ve been taught, Spectrums have the same genetic make-up. We consume these capsules when we feel depleted or empty, which might equate to humans’ hunger?” Chanyeol took one and popped it into his mouth, swallowing, and feeling satiated immediately after. “Try it.”
“Will I die?”
Chanyeol bit his lip. Actually, he didn’t know. One capsule worked for a Spectrum just fine, developed by Spectrums for their species. There weren’t any studies of these capsules being tried by others before, especially humans. “Maybe ingest just a small portion.”
Overlooking the disgusted expression on the human’s face, which honestly, Chanyeol did not find unappealing at all, he gave the human about 1/8 of the capsule’s contents just so the growling of his stomach would abate.
Surprisingly, the human’s round eyes softened as the powder was absorbed by his tongue. The maddening rumbling of his tummy gradually stopped. “It… doesn’t have any taste.”
Which was true, as Chanyeol had consumed “food” from other worlds, which didn’t really affect him, but it was being offered so he thought he would try them for the experience. “How are you feeling though?”
“I don’t feel… parched or hungry anymore,” the human divulged, sounding mystified… until his mouth suddenly burst open, nostrils flaring, as if taking in more air. “But so… sleepy…”
And before Chanyeol could ask another question, the human’s big, dark brown eyes fluttered closed, long lashes fanning his round cheeks. His small body slumped on the seat, his breathing stabilized and steady.
Chanyeol concluded that the human needed to rest and silently watched over him the entire time.
***
The human’s name was Kyungsoo, whom Chanyeol couldn’t help feeling an immediate affinity to. Chanyeol was enthralled by their similarities, such as in expressions and morals and emotions, and Kyungsoo was flabbergasted at their differences too, like Spectrums did not require sleep but hibernated only once in their lifetime.
“But then you never wake up?”
Chanyeol shook his head.
“But if that happened to you as a human, that means you’re dead,” Kyungsoo pointed out, jaw dropping as the Spectrum’s hair changed into a deep shade of green, which indicated that he was calm. They spent Earth Days—a total of 112, from Kyungsoo’s calculations—exchanging stories about their planets and how each one grew up. However, he was still in awe whenever Chanyeol’s hair changed in color and any random incident that would trigger it.
“That’s the perfect order of things. It means that Spectrum’s mission is over,” Chanyeol explained, getting up from his pilot’s seat to retrieve their sustenance. His hair changed into white when he learned that only 2 capsules remained.
Kyungsoo stared at the Spectrum’s white hair and knew it meant fear, panic or shock. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s good and bad news,” Chanyeol began, as he offered one of the capsules to his passenger. “The good news is we are nearing our destination.”
Kyungsoo swallowed nervously. He dreaded the day Chanyeol would say that, however, he didn’t know how long they would survive in this claustrophobic space pod.
“The bad news is… these are the last of the capsules,” Chanyeol continued, his hair color transitioning into a somber blue, which meant sadness or dejection… “When we land on Earth, I don’t know if I’ll be able to live on the food in your planet.”
“We should save these, then. I’m not hungry now.” The human gave the capsules back to Chanyeol resolutely, only for Chanyeol to trust him with their safekeeping. It warmed Kyungsoo’s heart as he slipped them into his left pocket. “Perhaps there’s a way to create this on Earth. Do you know the… uh… recipe… for this?”
The Spectrum’s hair was slightly turning yellow, as a chuckle rumbled deep from his chest. “By recipe, you mean… the minerals it’s composed of?”
“Yes. I’m living proof that it can be consumed by humans and I feel satiated for at least 3 Earth days. If this capsule could be reproduced, this would save so many people from hunger!” Kyungsoo laughed, squeezing Chanyeol’s much bigger hand with both of his. His smile grew broader as the Spectrum’s eyes nearly danced with joy.
“Is your natural hair color pink, Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo couldn’t help teasing because he had been noticing that it had turned like this more and more frequently, more so recently.
An absurd blush overtook the Spectrum’s face until it was the same color as his hair. “Uh, no… it’s… it means…”
Kyungsoo knew, as Chanyeol had told him earlier on. Pink hair meant that a Spectrum was expressing fondness or adoration… even love.
“I like you, too,” Kyungsoo whispered as Chanyeol gently intertwined their fingers. “I am grateful that you saved me.”
Chanyeol felt like he was the one saved, but could only relay it with the words: “I am glad I met you, Kyungsoo.”
“So how does a Spectrum… fall in love?” Kyungsoo asked shyly. He wasn’t sure if gender played a role in Chanyeol's world or how two beings came together or if romance even existed in their planet.
“Is that… what this is?” Chanyeol replied softly, gazing at Kyungsoo, who was leaning in until his beautiful, beautiful face was the only thing he could see.
“I think so,” Kyungsoo answered, blushing himself. “Humans… kiss.”
Chanyeol quickly accessed that section of his brain about Human History studies on how people on Earth expressed romantic love towards another. The digital references provided examples in great detail. His mouth formed a small “O” as the idea sank in. “Um… care to demonstrate?”
Kyungsoo’s heart-shaped lips smirked as an eyebrow raised in amusement at the Spectrum’s suggestion.
“For… uh… research purposes.” Chanyeol failed miserably at trying to sound convincing that Kyungsoo had to take pity on him.
“Right,” Kyungsoo murmured, smiling a little as he gently cupped the Spectrum’s face to tilt it a bit and pressed his own lips on Chanyeol’s.
The Spectrum went still but quickly caught on, following Kyungsoo’s technique, that neither one noticed that Chanyeol’s hair had transformed into a bright, spectacular fuchsia hue. Chanyeol found his hands reaching to hold Kyungsoo closer, and soon discovered that alternating between kissing him gently and then somewhat enthusiastically was what he found most pleasurable.
Kyungsoo was startled when Chanyeol suddenly came up for air at the announcement (in Spectrum language) coming from the pod’s sound blasters and the engine began to pick up speed.
“We are entering the Earth’s air space.” Chanyeol then quickly moved to secure Kyungsoo’s seat belt and then his own, putting his helmet on immediately, as the two of them braced themselves.
***
Kyungsoo’s hands grew cold as the pod approached the next available landing pad upon their entry to Earth. Ruffian guards surrounded the area and at the center of it all was LSM, presumably waiting for him.
Sensing the danger, Chanyeol tried to stir the pod upwards but only be caught by the potent gravitational pull of the landing area that his engine had no power over it. Without any preamble, the Ruffians destroyed the pod’s entrance and manhandled both Chanyeol and Kyungsoo out, as LSM welcomed them with open arms.
“How decent of you to come back, Kyungsoo. I knew you’d return to your senses.” LSM’s big grin was taunting, as he watched the Ruffians confine the two with their thunder-like chains. “I see you’ve brought a friend with you.”
Chanyeol turned to Kyungsoo in confusion, only the smaller one couldn’t look at him in the eye.
“Are you ready to pay off your debt?” LSM asked, with twelve Ruffians standing behind him to relay his meaning.
“Yes,” answered a defeated Kyungsoo, sighing deeply, as tears burned his eyes.
“Will you give me what I’m asking for?”
“I’ll give you something better,” Kyungsoo replied, gazing up at LSM with pure resolve.
LSM appeared intrigued but waited for Kyungsoo to continue.
“I’ve brought you a Spectrum.”
LSM applauded and the Ruffians roared with laughter. Everyone in the universe knew the value of a Spectrum’s weaved hair. With LSM’s already influential connections, he could make the Spectrum weave his hair as many times as he wanted and be able to finally trade with faraway galaxies, as was his lifelong goal.
Chanyeol stared at Kyungsoo in disbelief, as he was brought to stand up by two Ruffians twice his size.
“In exchange for my freedom,” Kyungsoo’s lower lip trembled, couldn’t bear the look of betrayal on Chanyeol’s face, “you can have him.”
“Not so fast, Kyungsoo. The acquisition of the Spectrum is unexpected and greatly appreciated, but it’s not enough,” LSM told him leeringly, cupping the young human’s face and stared intently into his eyes. “Do one more job for me, and then we can call it even.”
“One more job…?” Kyungsoo asked testily, deathly glare on the older man unwavering. “After that, you’ll leave me in peace…?”
LSM glanced over at the Ruffians, who only nodded in agreement, but based on Kyungsoo’s past experience with them, they were not to be trusted. “You have my word.”
And Chanyeol was locked up at the back of a truck, being driven away. For the first time ever, he felt such a discomfort at the center of his chest, which he was unable to put a name on. He closed his eyes, suddenly incapable of breathing properly, as his brain searched for some sort of conclusion. This led him to the section of a human’s anatomy, of how the blood flow on the arteries became interrupted, how the heart would erratically contract, simulating the beginning of its brokenness.
***
He was being taken to prison, but Chanyeol couldn’t understand why. He was no criminal, but the way the Ruffians were grunting, as Chanyeol’s inner translator would service him, it appeared as if Kyungsoo was.
An infamous one at that.
Kyungsoo was known as the Key Master, the son of the most renowned maker of keys in all of Earth, descending from a long line of Key Masters before him. Kyungsoo was employed by LSM to acquire most of the latter's worldly wealth, which was taken often by force. Kyungsoo could make any key in the world. Apparently, he created the Master Key, the only key that could unravel any lock or door or confinement ever built.
“LSM wants Kyungsoo to surrender the Master Key to him,” one Ruffian was saying as they escorted Chanyeol into his designated prison cell. “Have you seen what it looks like?”
“As Kyungsoo’s signature craftsmanship, it has to be intricate in detail and bronze, maybe about the size of the human hand.” The companion Ruffian then hauled Chanyeol up and threw him inside.
Chanyeol groaned, falling on his side, recalling having seen a key of such description upon first meeting Kyungsoo. If that was true, then they had used the Master Key to unlock the very same chains on Kyungsoo then, that had Chanyeol’s own hands and feet bound now.
The Ruffians roughly straightened Chanyeol into a sitting position and knocked the helmet off his head, causing Chanyeol to pass out at the impact.
***
“YOU BIG FRAUD!!!” LSM charged at Kyungsoo, who was working on a special key for him, to open the giant vaults of HYBE, so LSM could continue running his gambling operations.
Kyungsoo was pushed back to the table, LSM’s grimy hands choking him, that he croaked, “W-What are you talking about?!”
“The Spectrum’s hair! It’s BLACK!”
Kyungsoo’s eyes grew wide as LSM continued ranting, “It doesn’t ever change color, so it’s as worthless as human hair. The Ruffians tortured him mercilessly, tried to provoke him, or make him retaliate, but your Spectrum doesn’t say a thing, just looking at them blankly, completely expressionless.”
“Are you swindling me?! Did you bring me a human posing as a Spectrum?” LSM paced around, panicking, already thinking of grand possibilities of having a Spectrum in his possession and suddenly, stealing from banks’ vaults paled in comparison. “Or if he is a Spectrum, but he's dying? What use is he to me now?”
Kyungsoo expelled a sharp breath as he heard this. This was all his fault! “No, he’s perfectly healthy!” He protested as four Ruffians began to surround him at LSM’s signal. “Take me there. I need to speak to him.”
“You can communicate in Spectrum?” LSM mocked, laughing sarcastically, as two Ruffians grabbed Kyungsoo, who was still begging to be taken to Chanyeol.
LSM considered this, as Kyungsoo was still in the process of making his latest key. If the Spectrum would respond to Kyungsoo and do what Kyungsoo asked, then LSM could have his cake and eat it too.
***
Kyungsoo had to fight back a sob when he saw the feeble state of Chanyeol, with black, black hair, even darker than his own. He requested for privacy but was declined, as Ruffians stood a few feet away by the prison cell’s door.
The Spectrum was seemingly asleep, but Kyungsoo was afraid he had gone to hibernation. “Chanyeol?”
The taller one’s eyes slowly drifted open. “Kyungsoo…” A weak smile formed on his pale, pale lips at the welcome sight of him in this dreary place. “You’re here.”
Tears streamed down Kyungsoo's face endlessly, regretting the recklessness of his actions. He went on survival mode, sacrificing Chanyeol, at the thought of being under LSM’s thumb once more. He'd been coerced to make keys for criminals all his life, and him gaining notoriety for it. As fate would have it, he'd managed to escape once, only to end up right back where he started, and endangering Chanyeol along with him. “I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo wept, as he gently sat the Spectrum up. “I’m so sorry, Chanyeol.”
For the first time in his life, Chanyeol’s eyes formed tears, overwhelmed with such a strong mixture of emotions he couldn’t describe, where there was sadness, disappointment, hope and forgiveness. Still, love overpowered them all.
And his hair… remained black throughout.
“This is for the best, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol whispered wistfully.
“Don’t say that,” Kyungsoo told him desperately, brushing the black hair away from his face… only for it to come loose and fall away in his hands. Kyungsoo tried to gather all of the Spectrum’s ebony hair with all his might but to no avail.
Until every strand detached from Chanyeol’s scalp effortlessly, leaving the slate smooth and clean…
“I don’t think… I am meant to survive on Earth.” Tears began to blur Chanyeol’s vision, until only Kyungsoo’s lovely face was clear to him. That was what he wanted to remember. “Thank you... for coming to see me.”
Perhaps for the last time, but it went without saying.
Trying to suppress his own hopelessness, Kyungsoo was intensely aware of the Ruffians behind them. He popped one capsule of Chanyeol’s sustenance into his mouth and leaned in to kiss him, as if in goodbye. Chanyeol managed to inhale as the capsule was transferred into his own mouth, all the while Kyungsoo was slipping something behind him.
“Use it well,” Kyungsoo whispered in his lips, helping Chanyeol grip the Master Key with his fingers. “I love you.”
Chanyeol didn’t have the chance to say it back as Kyungsoo was dragged away by Ruffian guards and the prison cell’s door was slammed shut.
***
Two days passed and LSM was keeping a close eye on Kyungsoo while completing his special key when the laboratory’s entrance exploded. The Ruffians immediately aimed their weapons at the ominous figure who caused it.
When the dust settled, Kyungsoo’s jaw dropped upon seeing Chanyeol with a head full of black hair, and appearing as healthy and robust as ever.
The Spectrum flung a massive metal safe box in front of LSM that opened to weaves upon weaves of glittery silver hair that he had saved up while he was aboard the Black Pearl Mothership, kept stashed in his pod. “This is what you want, isn’t it?” Chanyeol challenged.
“Are these yours?” LSM asked in disbelief, but assessing the current hair color of the alleged Spectrum.
“Yes, all mine. However, your Sun doesn’t have the right prisms for my hair to reacquire its color changing capability, so I’m afraid this is everything I can give you.” Without the Spectrum’s hair changing color, it was difficult to discern which feelings were presiding over him. He was communicating in the language, and emotions, of a human. “You can have the weaves, to trade for Kyungsoo’s freedom.”
By LSM’s estimation, the weaves were more than enough to provide for him and his business dealings for several lifetimes over. “You’re giving me these?” LSM was still wary. “No strings attached?”
“I have no use for them. I have no planet to go back to, except to learn to acclimate here on Earth,” Chanyeol told him, darting a hopeful glance at the Key Master. “I just… want Kyungsoo to be free.”
“Fine,” LSM replied instantly, taking up the gigantic safe box and had a couple of Ruffians lock it up. It was a little too easy that it made Kyungsoo and Chanyeol nervous. “For Kyungsoo’s and your freedom, dear Spectrum, I’ll take the weaves and the Master Key.”
Before Chanyeol could say another word, Kyungsoo piped in, “It was lost in space, when these Ruffians kidnapped me.”
LSM growled in fury and began hitting said Ruffians nonstop, that had the mammoth monsters mewling like kicked puppies.
“The weaves are all yours, and I’ll take Kyungsoo. You are never to track or trace us ever again,” Chanyeol said in finality, deep voice sounding firm and steadfast. “Do we have a deal?”
The beneficial opportunities that came along with having this precious amount of silver Spectrum weaves now at his disposal, LSM greedily agreed. Kyungsoo rushed to the Spectrum’s side and the two ran to Chanyeol’s pod, finally flying off to their well-earned freedom.
***
In a land faraway, a humble farm in Ilsan became the home base of husbands Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, who lived simply by growing their own food and repairing broken things. As for the Master Key, Kyungsoo melted it in hot coals and used it to mold much, much simpler keys. Kyungsoo’s hereditary gift shouldn't go to waste, after all.
Chanyeol never did find the minerals that made up his special capsule so he learned to adapt and fuel his body with food that Kyungsoo prepared. As Chanyeol developed taste buds, he grew to enjoy, relish and savor his husband’s cooking. He did feel hunger now about three times a day, as Kyungsoo did, although the Spectrum's appetite was about twice as much.
At night, Kyungsoo still grew anxious that his husband would hibernate and not be roused from sleeping. Chanyeol always woke up, however, as the Sun rose each morning, and sometimes even earlier than Kyungsoo.
Chanyeol came to love living as a human, although he was yet to experience sickness or other form of ailments. He did begin to show signs of aging, with his skin reducing in moisture, and manifesting what they referred to as wrinkles. He would estimate that he was about his husband’s age or somewhere close to it.
Kyungsoo never imagined that he could be as content and carefree as this, could hardly believe how events had unfolded. Whenever he and Chanyeol reminisced about how their paths crossed in space and where they were now in this spot on Earth, they both agreed that they wouldn’t have it any other way.
They would always end each day with a kiss, which Chanyeol often initiated, without Kyungsoo needing for his black hair to change into pink in order to feel his love.
~The end~