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“Ok, let me get this straight” Hongjoong took a deep breath, hands on his waist.
“Good luck with that” Wooyoung laughed, ignoring Hongjoong's death stare until the pain hit him again, making the witch retract his expression before putting the ice bag Yeosang gave him against his eye.
Hongjoong sighed. He should've had it coming. “Anyway. You made a spell to create pumpkins so you could carve them because you already carved all the fifteen pumpkins you brought. Something went wrong. The spell made several little talking pumpkins and half of them exploded while the other half melted. So, now your house is filled with pumpkin parts”.
“Basically, yes”
“Don’t forget the part when one of the tiny pumpkins bit Yeosang’s hand” Mingi added.
“That I shook it off me, and it hit Wooyoung’s head” Yeosang finished. “I feel very sorry for little Ponyo, though”
“YOU FEEL SORRY FOR THE PUMPKIN?! I’m the victim here!” Wooyoung cried, a pout on his lips as he sank into the chair. Seonghwa and Mingi laughed while Hongjoong rolled his eyes. San returned to the living room with a small first aid kit, placing it on the center table before sitting next to Yeosang, pushing Mingi until he sat on the couch’s arm.
“Are you sure you don’t want a healing spell or potion?” San asked, gently holding Yeosang’s hand, observing the dried blood where the pumpkin had bitten him. It was a mystery and a surprise how something so small and cute had a bite strong enough to make it bleed.
“Nah” Yeosang smiled quickly at him, seeming unbothered by the wound. “You can do the anesthetic one”
“You want something anesthetic but not a full healing?”
“No healing. Just the anesthetic”
Mingi laughed, mumbling something about Yeosang being a puppy while San giggled. After years of studying healing and health magic, San barely needed to vocalize his spells. So, once the words he knew well enough crossed his mind, he saw the lilac glow leaving his fingers and going to Yeosang’s hand. Anesthetic spells worked like an anesthetic spray, and while San thought it wasn't necessary, he wouldn't say no to Yeosang.
“By the way, Woo… Why did you want more pumpkins?” Seonghwa asked as he watched San clean the wound.
“He has a crush on his neighbor” Yeosang casually said, observing the lilac glow of the spell moving on his hand.
“I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH ON HIM?!” when Wooyoung spoke, he almost choked on air.
“Sure, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night” Yeosang sighed, ignoring the disbelieved look his friend gave him, his mouth open in a mix of embarrassment and offense.
“What does Yunho and Woo’s crush on him has to do with the pumpkins, thought?” San questioned.
“Weird ways to deal with it” Hongjoong laughed, enjoying his brief moment of happiness before Seonghwa cut it in the next second.
“Baby, you literally went to the hospital because your heart raced whenever Cho Seungyeon was around, and you thought you had arrhythmia”
“And shoved an entire bell pepper in your mouth to pretend Seonghwa wasn’t sitting next to you at lunch” Mingi stared at the older. “Then proceeded to feel sick, whining at Wooyoung’s couch about the awful taste of said bell pepper”
“Oh… that’s why you did that?” Seonghwa happily smiled as he reached for Hongjoong’s hand to caress it.
“Can we focus on the problem at hand?” Hongjoong was exasperated, the blush on his cheeks impossible not to notice.
“Wait, you went to the hospital because of Seungyeon?” Wooyoung put the ice bag down to properly stare at Hongjoong.
“I don’t blame him” Yeosang stretched his hand to see if the bandage San made was too tight.
“Me neither” Seonghwa agreed.
“Can we please mock Wooyoung for his crush and pumpkin house instead of me?” Hongjoong placed his hands on his waist again, trying his best to pretend his cheeks weren’t red.
“We can do both” Mingi pointed.
“I don’t have a crush on him! Yunho dared me” Wooyoung said as he placed the ice bag on the table. Half of it already melted, and his face felt numb thanks to the cold, but at least it didn’t hurt. He probably would have a full black eye the next day, though.
“Yunho dared you to… create pumpkins?” Mingi tried to connect the dots. He was used to weird things coming from his friends, especially with Wooyoung and his poor impulse control. But the pumpkins were a mystery.
“To carve pumpkins. We bet who could carve more pumpkins by the weekend” Wooyoung sighed. “And I will win after we clean this mess”
“We who?” Hongjoong arched an eyebrow.
Wooyoung rushed to his side, embracing him in a tight hug and ignoring Hongjoong’s attempts to break free as his head rested against his neck. The older witch tried to move his arms to push the other way, but Wooyoung’s embrace remained strong. Hongjoong bit his shoulder in a last attempt to free himself. It wasn’t strong as he usually would bite him, but it was enough to make Wooyoung scream and the sound echo in Hongjoong’s ears. He was free, at least.
“Everyone is so mean to me” Wooyoung hugged San, sitting on his lap as the other patted his back. “Sannie, can I sleep here while my house is a mess?”
“Sure”
“Wait, what about me?” Yeosang asked.
“You are being mean to me too, so you can stay with your cousins” Wooyoung gave him the tongue.
“I’m not being mean to you” Yeosang rolled his eyes. “And Minhee is traveling with his friends”
“Oh, right. Go take care of Minhee’s house, then”
“Chaehyun is doing that”
“Then call Yohan”
“He’s out of town. Jihan probably will do a sleepover with her friends since she has the house for herself. And while the girls are nice, and Hyewon said she’d give me a mermaid shell next time we see each other, I think they deserve the free time” he sighed. “I said you have a crush, which is true. You are the one being mean to me”
“I don’t have a crush on Yunho!”
“Is he pretty?” Mingi looked at Yeosang.
“Yup. Tall and cute. Like… a big puppy”
“And he drives” San added.
“Interesting. Is he single?”
“Excuse me?” Wooyoung said. He almost stood up, but San's arm around his waist kept him in place so he could rest his head on his shoulder.
“Since Woo will sleep here, maybe we should go to his place and try to get some clothes” Mingi said. “Is Yunho home?”
“I don’t know” Yeosang wondered for a moment. “His car wasn't there when we came here”
“Let’s go see it anyway” Mingi stood up.
Wooyoung complained again, but the group ignored him as they took their things to walk out of the house. San at least took a few more minutes to put more ice on the ice bag and give it back to Wooyoung before closing the front door. San's house, which was theoretically shared with Mingi even though he spent more time at his place downtown, was exactly nine houses down from Wooyoung and Yeosang’s house. That was the main reason the duo went to their friends so fast after the pumpkin incident, and they even got lucky enough that Hongjoong and Seonghwa were near the place when they called.
The autumn breeze wasn’t so cold that day, and it carried the smell of pumpkin down the street, as Wooyoung dreadfully noticed.
“I’m a little disappointed that there isn’t, like, leaves and seeds coming out from the windows” Hongjoong said.
“At least the magic didn’t keep evolving” Seonghwa said. “Do you think a cleaning spell will work, or is it better to call someone of nature-focused magic?”
“Good question”.
Wooyoung gave Seonghwa the keys, and one by one they slowly entered the house, in case something else happened. It was the same way Wooyoung left: seeds and pulp everywhere, from the floor to the ceiling, huge and thick strands covering the stairs, vines on a few walls. It was a total mess.
“Oh, it will take more than one day to clean this” Seonghwa said.
“Definitely” Mingi agreed. He pointed at the small stems and seeds that surrounded the entrance hall. “These must be from the talking pumpkins”
Seonghwa hummed in response, his eyes scanning the area. Mingi moved his hands towards the pumpkin, trying his telekinesis to make a path to the kitchen, but it was useless. The magic worked for maybe five seconds, Mingi could see the floor underneath all the pulp, but after that, the pumpkin returned to its original place.
“Hwa, can you try washing it?” Mingi looked at the older. Seonghwa did a simple spell, water coming from the witch’s hand. Unfortunately, it had the same effect as the previous spell: the pulp moved a little before returning to its original place.
“Do you think burning it will do?” Hongjoong pondered.
“We can try”
“Hey, don’t burn my house!” Wooyoung yelled from the door.
“It’s just the pumpkin, relax” Mingi winked at him. He crouched down before moving his hands again, a simple combination of movements until the fire reached the pulp. From the area he aimed, only half of it caught fire, and it seemed to work, but the pulp didn’t dissolve. Instead, it burnt, turning into a smaller piece with an awful smell. “Ok, not worth it”.
Mingi sighed. He was good at combining elements for spells, maybe something with air and fire would be helpful, but he couldn’t be sure, especially considering how badly the pumpkin reacted to the fire. He made a mental note to study more about nature spells while staring at the small dark orange pulp he just burn. “Do you want me to get some clothes?” he asked Wooyoung, still stopped by the front door.
“Please” Wooyoung pouted, making the other giggle. Mingi settled for his telekinesis, moving the pulp away from him for time enough to walk. The kitchen and the staircase had pumpkin pulp piled up, but the second floor was clean.
San, Hongjoong, and Seonghwa looked around a little more, using spells to walk around as Yeosang observed them by the front door, talking here and there to explain where the magic mess started and other questions. Wooyoung decided to walk around, taking slow steps in his front yard, the ice bag back at his face as the pain increased around his head. How could such a small pumpkin do so much damage? At least he wasn’t bitten by it. He could see the blood stain on Yeosang’s bandage.
“I think Minho can do something about it” Seonghwa called his attention, a soft hand on his shoulder “Is it ok if I call him? I also have Haram’s number, I’m sure she’ll love an excuse to see Hongjoong”
Before Wooyoung could answer, however, a voice called him from behind. Yunho was stopped by his car near a boy he didn’t know, but had a familiar face.
“Did you make pumpkin pie today?” Yunho smiled, walking closer to him. “The smell is going down the street”
There was no reason for Yunho to be talking so loud today, so when his friends practically ran outside to see the newcomer, Wooyoung just knew the universe hadn't mocked him enough with the whole pumpkin spell fiasco. Yeosang greeted him, and his eyes got lost in the stranger still stopped by the car for a second.
Yunho's expression changed from smiley to concern when he was close enough to Wooyoung and his half-swollen face.
“Oh, are you ok?” Yunho reached Wooyoung’s face, softly pushing his hair away from his forehead.
Wooyoung flinched a little as his skin was sore, but Yunho's touch was so gentle it was hard not to give in, the pain giving space to the warmth that spread on his cheeks. Yunho frowned for a second, and Wooyoung needed to take a deep breath to refrain from touching his forehead. “Ah… Yeah. I’m ok”
“What happened?”
“He was attacked by a pumpkin” Yeosang said.
Oh, they sure would tease Wooyoung for who knows how long.
If they kept giggling like that he was free to bite them, wasn't he?
“What?” Yunho scoffed, but the smile was back on his face. There was still a shadow of worry on those big, shining, pretty brown eyes, which probably was only Wooyoung's imagination as if he wasn’t humiliated enough that day. Not that it stopped him from almost pouting and leaning towards Yunho when his hand was off his face, but he could only pray that no one saw that.
“We had a little problem with magical pumpkins, nothing much” Wooyoung rolled his eyes.
“Oh, you had a fae pumpkin? Jongho and I had a hard time when we bought one” Yunho looked behind him, calling the boy to join them. Wooyoung still couldn’t point where he had seen him before, but he bet it was on one of the photos Yunho had shown him last week. “Do you remember that fae pumpkin we brought, Jjong?”
“A living nightmare” the boy, Jongho, rolled his eyes.
“Luckily, Wonhyuk helped us with it”
“It was the bare minimum after he used his cute little face to sell it”
“Cute little face, huh?” Yunho smirked at Jongho, teasing him for his words.
Jongho stared at Yunho, crossing his arms before he smiled back. Something about it felt like Jongho had a revenge plan up to his sleeve, and while Yunho seemed concerned for a second, it just looked cute to Wooyoung. He didn’t have much time to think about it, though, because Jongho turned to him after his eyes ran across the entire place, noting the presence of everyone in there.
“I apologize for my brother's lack of education” Jongho politely said, lifting one of his hands to Wooyoung. “You must be the famous Wooyoung. Nice to meet you, I'm Jongho”
Oh. So that’s how Wooyoung recognized Jongho’s face, he was in some of the photos Yunho shared before.
“Nice to meet you too” Wooyoung smiled, shaking his hand. Jongho had such strong handshaking, a certainty on the action that almost contrasted with the cuteness of his face now that, instead of that playful smile he had before, an adorable gummy smile played on his lips. The cuteness must be a family thing.
“You’re very pretty, indeed. Yunho was right” Jongho said as if he was commenting on the weather, both Yunho and Wooyoung losing their own tracks for a second while Jongho looked at Yeosang. “And you must be Yeosang, Wooyoung’s roommate, right?”
“That’s right, nice to meet you” Yeosang waved at him, smiling brightly. “You don’t live with Yunho, do you? I never saw you around”
“Yeah, I live near my college, but I visit him often”
Wooyoung had a comment about it because one time he returned from work late at night and saw someone smaller than Yunho entering his house, so he joked — whined — about it to Yeosang before offering freshly baked cookies to Yunho and his company by the morning. But his mind refused to work past the “You’re very pretty, indeed. Yunho was right”.
What the freaking hell was that supposed to mean?
He could feel his face tingle while he blushed, and the fact Yunho was blushing too didn't help him at all. It was just Yunho's little brother messing up with him, right? There was no way Yunho said that about him. He barely knew Jongho, so he couldn't say he would play fair and use actual words to get back at Yunho.
Yeah, that was the case.
But...
Why would Jongho say that to mess up with his brother?
Yunho thought he was pretty?
Nah.
Things like that were a classic. Wooyoung did the same with Hongjoong and Seonghwa. Which wasn't exactly messing up and just plain facts, but seeing Hongjoong's blushed face was amazing. He was sure Jongho was having the same great time with Yunho's blushed… cheeks.
Oh.
Oh my God. ohmygod.
Yunho thought he was pretty?
Wooyoung giggled out loud, and instead of punching himself for it, the witch took advantage of the brief moment his brain worked again to change the subject. He introduced everyone to Jongho and Yunho, shutting every other thought to the back of his mind, including the information that Yunho's eyes were on him since he giggled.
“By the way, it is not a fae pumpkin problem” Hongjoong said, pointing to Wooyoung’s house behind him. “His spell went wrong”
“So, no pumpkin pie?” Yunho pouted for a second.
“I can make you one” Wooyoung said way too fast. Seonghwa giggling next to him made clear that he had another future teasing moment on his hands. “After I beat you at carving pumpkins, of course!”
Yunho laughed out loud while Jongho walked towards the house to see what had happened there. It wasn’t even that funny, or funny at all — just embarrassing as Hongjoong and Yeosang could point it out —, but Yunho laughed a little more. His eyes stopped at Wooyoung before he finally sighed, the laugh fading into giggles. It was almost like the thought of Wooyoung winning the carving bet was the biggest joke he ever heard.
Wooyoung could punch him for that.
And for how cute he looked when he smiled, but that was a little tiny detail.
“You were trying to carve pumpkins with magic?” Yunho crossed his arms. “That feels like cheating to me”
“It wasn’t for carving!” Wooyoung exclaimed, offended with the accusation. “I just… needed more pumpkins”
“Sure” Yunho leaned towards him “You know… When I said we should see who could carve more pumpkins on the weekend, I was thinking about going to that farm near the city. They have a special stall for it”
“…What?”
“There’s a stall for carving pumpkins at the farm near the city” Yunho repeated himself, but this time he seemed a little more embarrassed, his hand on his neck.
Wooyoung stared at him trying to process the information. Which wasn’t exactly a good idea, because he adored Yunho’s eyes from day one, but at least he didn’t see how Yeosang and Hongjoong made a sign of invisible popcorn while Jongho leaned on his door, clearly amused with the scene in front of him.
“You said…” Wooyoung cleared his throat. “You said to carve more pumpkins by the weekend”
“On the weekend”
“Oh”
“So we would… you know… go to the farm… together…” Yunho rubbed his neck stronger, his cheeks blushing again.
Wooyoung could feel a giggle coming out of his mouth again. What if he ran inside his pumpkin house and cleaned everything by eating it and then exploding, huh?
“But maybe you’re right, and we should just do it during the week. I think you have a point. I should have thought of that! But now it wouldn’t be exactly fair because you already started!”
“No!”
“No?” it was so unfair how cute Yunho looked while confused.
“I mean” Wooyoung nervously laughed. “I like the idea of going to the farm”
“Really?”
“Sure… How could I say no to kick your ass in carving pumpkins in public?”
Yunho laughed out loud in a little annoying way, but Wooyoung just rolled his eyes and placed the ice bag back in his face.
“Are you sure you don’t need to go to a hospital?” Yunho asked. He lifted his hands to touch Wooyoung’s face again but gave up in the middle of the action.
“Yeah, I’m ok”
“Now that you two have a date for our happiness and joy” Jongho called their attention, waiting until his brother looked at him to point at the house “Yunho, would you mind looking at this?”
Yunho looked at Wooyoung as if he was asking permission, smiling once more when Wooyoung only shrugged. He followed Yunho inside his house, hearing the surprise whistle with the scene in front of them.
“That’s… a mess”
“Oh, I know” Wooyoung said.
San softly moved closer to Yeosang with Seonghwa, Hongjoong and Mingi mirroring the action in silence. “You didn’t tell us Yunho crushed him back” he whispered.
“I didn’t know that part” Yeosang sighed. “But it was pretty obvious. I feel a little disappointed in myself”
“Oh, baby, its ok” Seonghwa patted his head. “Do we have a plan for them?”
“We do”
None of them noticed when Jongho joined the whispering circle, and he had a soft blush on his cheeks as if he was shy about doing so. “I’m sorry for chiming in like this” he said “but I’m tired of Yunho rambling about Wooyoung all day”
“Oh, he’s that type of whipped?” Mingi asked.
“They are so perfect for each other” San dramatically placed a hand on his chest before wiping invisible tears. “Do we have a ship name already?”
“I think we should worry about the plan we supposedly have for now, Sannie” Seonghwa looked at Jongho.
“What do you have in mind?” Hongjoong asked.
“What are you all whispering in there?” Wooyoung called their attention before Jongho could answer.
“I was asking if he could do another Ponyo” Yeosang said.
“Who?” Yunho’s head was the only thing that could be seen.
“It was the tiny talking pumpkin that bit his hand” San held Yeosang’s hand to show the bandage. “He’s fine, but the pumpkin was cute. That’s all”
“Anyway” Jongho cleared his throat, walking back to the front door and stopping between his brother and Wooyoung, a polite smile on his face. “Did you see it? I think you can use that recycling spell you were training”
“Wait, you are a nature witch?” Seonghwa asked.
“Yes” Yunho proudly smiled. “It’s kind of a family thing, even if Jongho works more with magical constructs”
“That’s nice” Yeosang said, watching Jongho softly blush with the compliment.
“Nature witch fits you, to be honest” Wooyoung said. Yunho only smiled at him, and Wooyoung knew that this alone could make flowers grow.
Does Yunho talk with plants and have cute little vines playing with him? He saw Haram doing that once. It was adorable, especially when she moved fallen flower petals to make a flower crown for Hongjoong. Yunho looked like he could do flower crowns. He definitely would look good with one.
He really had a crush on him, huh?
“But yeah, maybe we can even take it to the farm on the weekend. What do you think, Wooyoung?” Yunho asked him.
He truly hoped his face didn’t show he hadn’t heard a thing Yunho said because he was busy thinking of flower crowns and moving vines. Wooyoung agreed, hoping whatever it was would work. Considering the reactions of his friends, it seemed like a good plan.
“And, you know… since I’m kind of guilty for this” Yunho said, rubbing his neck again.
“No, you’re not” Wooyoung softly slapped his arm, laughing along with him.
“I am. I wasn’t clear on how to… You know… the carving thing”
“The date” Mingi said. “You weren’t clear about your date”
“Yeah,” Yunho nervously laughed. Wooyoung would bite Mingi’s knees for using the d word. “Anyway, I’m at least half guilty, and this will take an entire day to clean, so… Maybe, you know, in case you don’t have somewhere to stay… I have an empty guest room. You can stay there”.
There was a loud buzzing in Wooyoung’s ears. Maybe it was because of the pain that hit him, a headache fully setting in as he released the breath he didn’t notice he held. There was no way Yunho said that, right?
“If you are comfortable being there, of course, you already know the place”
Wooyoung knew he wouldn’t say no to him. Yunho must know the power those puppy eyes had, that's why he was using them on him. They seemed hopeful for a positive response. Oh, he really had a crush on him.
“If you are ok with it” Wooyoung said.
“THANK YOU GOD!” San yelled, saying sorry in the next second as everyone looked at him, hugging Yeosang to prove his next point. “I mean, you know I love you Woo, but this means I have Yeosang all to myself”
“You are making me watch some anime, aren’t you?” Yeosang arched an eyebrow.
“Listen” Mingi poked San’s arm “I want a Studio Ghibli marathon”
Wooyoung lost track of the following topic once everyone decided to talk together. He knew there would be a movie marathon at San’s and that Jongho asked for pizza, but he wasn’t sure about how everyone would move. Or where they would go now. Yunho held his hand for a few seconds before he moved to softly caress his face.
“I think you need to rest a little” he said, placing Wooyoung’s hair behind his ear.
If he kept doing things like that, he would rest for a long time indeed. Forever. Seven feet underground.
“You don’t need to let me sleep at your place, you know?” Wooyoung sighed. “San always has a space for me”
“I know, I don’t doubt it. But I don’t mind it. I… think I would like having you in my house” Yunho looked at Wooyoung’s eyes, a blush back on his cheeks before he broke the eye contact. “You don’t have to go if you aren’t comfortable, but please consider it an option”
Yunho’s hand fell, nothing to touch as he gave Wooyoung space. He tried to hold the ice bag, now almost entirely melted, but the younger one held his hand.
“Oh, Jeong Yunho, what do I do with you?”
It caught him off guard, and that time the loud laugh wasn’t annoying.
“You can try to tell me how exactly you would beat me in carving pumpkins”
Never mind.
He was very annoying.