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"Thank you for your purchase! We hope to see you again soon."
Hongjoong watched the customer smile and nod before turning and exiting the shop, paper bag in hand. That was his fourth pick-up order for the day, and the last. The paper bag had inside a bottle of yellow liquid, a strength potion Hongjoong had made by request of the customer.
The chime of the bell above the shop door signaled his exit, and Hongjoong once again found himself in his shop, left only with the company of his cat San and San's crow Mingi.
After Hongjoong received his potion-making certification, opening up a shop seemed like the best option for his next step in life. His best friend Seonghwa went off to work in the castle as a doctor, but Hongjoong dreamed of a more quiet live, away from the capital and near the peaceful trees.
So that was exactly what he did. It has been several years since then, a few more after he found San roaming around the woods injured and took him in and Mingi coming to look for San and ending up staying in Hongjoong's care as well.
Seonghwa visits sometimes, though they mostly get to see each other when Hongjoong brings over potion orders to the capital and the castle. Having connections is very helpful, Hongjoong has found, because a quaint potion shop near the edge of town does not receive quite as much customers as having Seonghwa personally recommend his potions to his friends and colleagues in the capital.
Hongjoong's potions, just as powerful and effective as the ones made in the capital, proved to be plenty popular thanks to his considerably lower prices for the same quality. Living near a forest has its perks, one of which being the vast source of potion ingredients way more easily accessible to Hongjoong than the potion makers in the capital. The unclaimed land right outside of town, just before the sea of trees and conveniently behind Hongjoong's house and potion shop, has been converted into his very own garden to plant some of those ingredients.
It was on one of those trips to the capital that Hongjoong met Yunho for the very first time; a knight of the castle and a personal friend of Seonghwa's. Seonghwa had sent Yunho to pick up some of the potions Hongjoong were to deliver to him, stating he had urgent matters to attend to. Hongjoong had no complaints though, because Yunho was kind, friendly, and had a very sweet smile. His tall and built figure, terrifying to imagine to have to face in combat, loomed over Hongjoong, but his raised round cheeks greeted Hongjoong with warmth.
Hongjoong and Yunho became very fast friends, Yunho tagging along when Hongjoong meets up with Seonghwa for potion deliveries at the capital and then spending the evening at the pub just the three of them, and soon Yunho started visiting Hongjoong's shop to pick up the potions himself. Hongjoong mentioned once that Yunho seemed to have a lot of free time, considering his position as a knight, but Yunho just shrugged it off and said that it means the kingdom is safe and in good hands.
Yunho's visits were constant for a few years. Hongjoong enjoyed the company, what with his home being furthest away from the townspeople's and usually only having his cat and crow to talk to, and more than that enjoyed Yunho's company specifically. But as time went on, the frequency of their meetings decreased. According to Yunho, talk of the king's abdication has begun spreading and causing several factions eager to begin their own reign over the land to stir some trouble. Defenses in the castle has increased which means Yunho hasn't been able to visit as often, and Hongjoong hasn't been able to see Yunho in a while.
Hongjoown's trips to the capital has also halted for the time being. Hongjoong had one of his own encounters with a group of bandits just recently when he was out to deliver some potions, and that left him with a still healing injury on his leg and a lot of ingredients and potions wasted when he threw them at the bandits to buy him time to run. San kindly licked his wounds for him when he returned to the safety of his own home, and Mingi sweetly cried and cawed and fussed over him for a little while.
That was about a week ago. Thankfully, his wounds are healing up, and most of his current potion orders only require him to make some as requested and have them ready for the customers to pick up.
Hongjoong liked working efficiently and in advance, making several batches of potions in one go if he can. The space beneath the counter is usually filled with different kinds of potions, both store item stock and personally requested potions from customers. Strength potions seem to be popular these days, so he had several more in the stash. Pain-numbing ones were too. Some truth serums joined the bunch, Hongjoong usually only selling them to the wives looking to catch their cheating husbands. Making and selling potions wasn't incredibly exciting to do every day, but once in a while, interesting clients come to Hongjoong's shop looking for a potion that could satisfy their needs.
One of those interesting clients happened to have had a particular request which Hongjoong had fulfilled earlier in the day, besides the several orders including the one strength potion that was just picked up.
A man had timidly entered Hongjoong's shop the other day, asking if Hongjoong could procure him a potion that would make his cat love him. Apparently, he had recently adopted a cat, but the cat only hissed and scratched whenever he came closer.
They were uncommon, but love potions weren't exactly impossible to find. It just took finding someone willing to make them. Hongjoong was usually not one of them, worried about the misuse of his potions and the ethics of using a love potion to manipulate someone's feelings in the first place.
But the man brought the cat with him, and true to his words, the cat only hissed and pressed itself to the corner of the wooden crate it had been brought in with. San, being half-feline and half-magical, informed Hongjoong that the cat was not the trusting type, easily scared of humans and was not able to differentiate its current owner from its previous one who had been less than kind.
Hongjoong told the man bring the cat with him again in a few days when he's finished the potion, making him promise to let the cat drink the potion right there in the shop so Hongjoong can make sure the potion wasn't used on anyone else. Though he still feels bad about somewhat manipulating a living being, he thinks it would be for a greater good. The potion will only last about 12 to 24 hours, and hopefully after that, the cat will be able to recognize the man as someone willing to help and get closer to him.
The man and his cat had come in quite early in the day, and it was noon now, so the potion might be wearing off sooner or later. Hongjoong rested his head on the counter, watching San's tail swish here and there while he basked in the sun, lazily waiting for customers to come in.
The bell signaling that someone had entered the door chimed, and Hongjoong looked up instinctively. "Welcome to Lucky Potions-"
The figure by the door was big, honey blonde hair almost reaching the doorframe. Yunho smiled warmly when Hongjoong locked eyes with him. "Hello, Hongjoong. Long time no see."
Hongjoong stood up quickly, his heart beating just a small bit faster now. "Yunho! How've you been?"
The two meet in the middle of a shop in a quick embrace. It was warm, Hongjoong noted. "I'm well. But I heard that you weren't, so I came to see you." Yunho looked at him with concern and a tint of pink on his cheeks, but the smile was soon back when his gaze turned to the ground at San who was curling around his feet as a way of greeting.
"You didn't have to, I'm doing fine. It was just a scratch, see?" Hongjoong put out his left leg to show off the healing scar. It was only slightly pink in color now, a medium length line down his shin. A knife-wielding bandit had gotten a hold of his ankle when he tried to run away, causing him to fall and unable to escape. It seemed like the knife was headed to stab, but Hongjoong threw some random potion at the bandit's face at that exact moment, causing him to pull back and the knife creating a slash in the end.
"But I was informed that you couldn't walk for a good few days, am I not correct?" Yunho leaned forward while lowering himself to look straight into Hongjoong's eyes. Hongjoong ignored how the action made his heart flutter. Instead, he made a sharp turn of the neck to look at Mingi, who squawked in surprise and then immediately looked away. San was purring in delight.
"Your informant forgot to tell you I was just being whiny about a small scratch," Hongjoong pouted. "I was just tired, okay? I spend my days making potions and the only exercise I get is some walking from time to time, of course my body was going to ache all over after I used up all my strength to fight off bandits and run as fast as I could."
Yunho put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, it didn't matter if you couldn't walk from the injury or from being exhausted, you're still hurt and I was worried."
Hongjoong huffed to hide a smile. "Thank you for coming over to see me," he mumbled. He made the mistake of turning his gaze back to Yunho, because all he saw was the shining glimmer of hope in his beautiful smile. How cruel this world was, that such precious treasure would be dangled right in front of Hongjoong's eyes yet still be so out of reach.
San purred loudly and jumped over to where Mingi was on the counter. Mingi cawed happily, but stopped when Hongjoong's shadow loomed over him.
"What are you caw-cawing about, hm? Were you planning on telling me that you had left to see Yunho? I didn't even know you were gone, and I wasn't in a state where I could easily go out and find you," Hongjoong said in a stern voice. Mingi cawed softly and looked down, apologetic. San started licking his feathers in a soothing matter. The sight made Hongjoong soften.
"I know you didn't have bad intentions. But next time, tell me if you're going out, okay? I worry about and care for you, Mingi." Hongjoong softly stroked the feathers on Mingi's head, a similar way of soothing him like San was doing. Mingi cawed a little louder. "Okay, okay, you crybaby. I'm not mad," Hongjoong laughed softly.
The moment the three of them shared was warm, but the sudden loud thump behind him made Hongjoong jump. His heart sank to his stomach when he turned around to find Yunho on the ground, slightly shivering.
"Yunho?! Are you okay?" Hongjoong rushed to his side, holding his hand and scanning his body quickly for any signs of injury.
Yunho, to Hongjoong's relief, was still conscious, albeit a little shaky and with heavy lidded eyes. "Uh... I don't... feel well."
"Yeah, you don't look it either," Hongjoong mumbled in response. Yunho's face was pale save for his red cheeks, sweat beading on his forehead. Hongjoong held his hand to it, confirming his suspicion of a fever.
"Joong... S-So cold," Yunho said as he nuzzled himself into Hongjoong. Hongjoong would have to deal with his own emotions later. Getting Yunho to a bed where he can rest comfortably was priority.
-----
Mingi flew in through the door with a basket filled with some potions on his beak, San following closely. Hongjoong had told them to get a few things from the shop and from the stock beneath the counter while he tried his best to prop Yunho up and help him walk to Hongjoong's bedroom.
"I don't have medicine, but potions will definitely do," Hongjoong said as he retrieved the basket from Mingi with a thank you. He wasn't sure if Yunho was still listening, and he did feel guilty about administering potions to Yunho without him being completely coherent, but Yunho was heaving and sweating and he looked like he was in a lot of pain, and Hongjoong was panicking because he had never had to take care of a person this sick, with the added fact that the person was Yunho.
A yellow liquid swished around the bottle Hongjoong had just grabbed, the same one he had given a client earlier in the day. "I'm giving you a strength potion. Though it usually mainly targets your muscles and makes you physically stronger, it should also amplify your stamina and increase overall body function." Hongjoong brought the bottle to Yunho's lips, glad when Yunho was able to mumble a simple, "Okay," before opening his mouth to accept the potion.
He drank it like a champ, Hongjoong will tell you that, and he fell asleep after finishing the whole bottle. Hongjoong was just about to give him another potion meant for pain-numbing, but decided that sleep was probably best if Yunho was able to fall into it.
Hongjoong let out a sigh as he let himself relax. A pang of guilt hit him, now knowing that Yunho had probably been feeling unwell but deciding to make the half day's journey to see Hongjoong anyway. As Hongjoong watched Yunho's peaceful sleeping face, he couldn't help but wonder why Yunho did what he did, and then subsequently threw away any thoughts that would point to what Hongjoong had thought about often, ever since he met Yunho.
-----
An hour had past, and Yunho was starting to stir awake. During the time of his nap, Hongjoong had closed down his shop for the day and made warm soup for when Yunho woke up. He spent the rest of that hour sitting nervously beside the bed Yunho was sleeping on, San and Mingi keeping him company.
"Hmm... Hongjoong?"
"I'm here. How are you feeling?"
"Better." Yunho rubbed his eyes as he sat up on the bed. "I wish I could wake up to you every day."
Hongjoong froze with his mouth open, forgetting what he was just going to say. Yunho also seemed to freeze, like he just realized he said that out loud.
"You mean that?" Hongjoong's little heart couldn't help but ask.
"Yes." Yunho replied quickly. Very quickly, again like he hadn't realized he was going to say the word out loud. The gears in Hongjoong's head was turning, because something was amiss. With Yunho's odd behavior, it really didn't seem like he had meant what he said.
That was when he realized.
Hongjoong looked at the empty bottle on the nightstand, the one with the yellow liquid Yunho had drunk. It was still unlabeled because it was supposed to be picked up tomorrow, while the pain-numbing one beside it was an item from the shop, clearly labeled.
The customer-requested strength potion earlier today was labeled, as was the other ones. The only one not labeled was the other ones that weren't due to be picked up today and the love potion, because it had been administered right away and the bottle was immediately washed and returned to its place.
The love potion, coincidentally and horrifyingly, was also yellow in color, and in the same square shaped bottle as the strength potion.
Hongjoong had given Yunho a love potion and made him fall in love with Hongjoong for the next 12 to 24 hours.
Hongjoond immediately stood, face turned beet red. The soup was probably only lukewarm now, but Hongjoong couldn't stand to sit here and feed Yunho like he intended to now that he had done a very grave mistake.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't- It was an accident, but I think I gave you a love potion." Hongjoong managed to stutter out. Yunho's eyes widened, and Hongjoong was ready to soothe his poor self for whatever consequence his actions would bring.
By the way Yunho was still coherent and not entirely out of it like a lovesick fool, Hongjoong's deductions were most likely correct. The love potion was made with cat-safe ingredients, the dosage and subsequent effects lowered purposefully. It probably didn't work as effectively on humans.
Which also meant that Hongjoong had given the cat a truth potion. He went through the list of ingredients for the potion in his head and was slightly relieved that he at least hadn't poisoned the poor creature, though he would have to placate an angry customer tomorrow.
And that was fine. What was not, was Yunho in front of him, looking at him wide-eyed and in disbelief. His expression slowly turned solemn, "You didn't," quietly spoken out.
"You might not be able to tell which one is you talking and which one is the potion. Fuck, I'm so sorry, Yunho," Hongjoong rubbed his face with a hand, not even daring to look at Yunho anymore.
"Actually, I can tell. And don't be sorry," Yunho said softly. "Why are you sorry? I feel fine."
How ironic, that the exact scenario Hongjoong had always imagined and daydreamed about was coming through right now, but in the worst way possible. He didn't want Yunho, or anyone at all, to answer his feelings while under the spell of a love potion. It was like the cruelest joke on earth, playing with his mind and heart, and he felt even worse that Yunho is aware of the fact that he has been spelled, but not having any power to fight that himself.
Hongjoong could only look at the ground, no reply coming out of his mouth for a short while.
"The potion dosage was pretty low, that must be why you feel like usual. It'll wear off in 12 to 24 hours." Hongjoong fiddled with the end of his sleeves. "How's your fever?"
Yunho looked at Hongjoong for a long while, expression unreadable, but eventually replied. "It's gone down, I think. I haven't had proper rest in several days, but one single nap in your bed seemed to really do the trick," he smiled.
"Silly." Hongjoong managed a smile back. "Are you very busy? Why haven't you been resting anyway?"
"I took on more guard shifts earlier this week to make up for today's shifts. I wanted to come see you," Yunho said with tinted red ears.
Hongjoon's poor heart skipped a beat, his eyes closing with the hopes of centering himself back in the moment. "You say such sweet things," he murmured.
"Do you like hearing them?"
Yunho's gaze seemed to burn Hongjoong, his voice soft and all-enveloping as it reached Hongjoong's ears. His dark brown orbs fixed on Hongjoong with so much certainty and lucidity Hongjoong wanted to squirm and melt.
"It doesn't matter if I do or don't."
"Yes it does. I will keep saying them if you do, and I'll finally know to retreat if you don't."
This was killing Hongjoong. Yunho didn't even seem like he was making sense anymore. So Hongjoong bit his inner cheeks and braved a proper look at Yunho.
"I do, Yunho. I do like them, and only from you."
Yunho's eyes flew wide, and he smiled. "You don't know how happy that makes me, Hongjoong."
Bitter coated Hongjoong's mouth, irony an added layer. Maybe it was the sight of Yunho's eyes only on Hongjoong, the frustrating false glimmer of hope and something more presented right in front of Hongjoong that led him to reveal his true feelings. He wasn't sure how affected by the potion Yunho really was, but he was afraid to find out once it wears off.
"I do know, actually."
Yunho's eyes softened. "You don't, Hongjoong. But it's okay. I like you anyway."
Hongjoong was sweating, nervous, guilty, and confused. He doesn't know how to act with this Yunho around, so he decides to retreat before he hurts himself any further.
"Drink the soup and rest some more, I'll be at the counter if you need me."
"I want you to stay," Yunho spoke up.
"If I do then I won't be able to look you in the face ever again when the potion wears off," Hongjoong offered a weak smile. "This is painful enough as it is, okay?"
"It doesn't have to be painful, Hongjoong, I told you I like you, and if you feel the same way then why does it have to be so hard?"
Hongjoong doesn't reply and walks out of the room.
-----
To his neck and back's dismay, Hongjoong fell asleep hunched over the counter. He woke up to the store only dimly lit by a candle, the sky outside dark signaling night time. San and Mingi were nowhere to be seen, and Yunho, Hongjoong assumed, was still inside the bedroom.
Despite not really feeling like it, Hongjoong went to check on Yunho to make sure his fever hadn't returned or become worse. He carefully opened the door, trying to avoid the old wood creaking as much as possible, but his heart dropped when he saw his bed, previously occupied by Yunho, empty.
Yunho must have left when Hongjoong was sleeping. All sorts of scenarios of how Yunho got up and left flew through Hongjoong's head, what kinds of expressions Yunho made when he realized Hongjoong had given him a love potion, what he must be feeling. Hongjoong wanted to weep.
The bell chime could be heard from where Hongjoong was, and despite his better judgement, his heart leapt and hoped that Yunho had returned, but the feeling dampened when he saw San making his way in.
"Where have you been, buddy?" Hongjoong asked softly as San curled up into Hongjoong, nuzzling his petting hand.
"Meow," he answered, telling Hongjoong some variation of, "Nowhere in particular."
Hongjoong sighed, at least placated by his companion who has not left his side. "It's like when we just met, huh. Just me and you."
San purred at that, seemingly satisfied, but then he stopped at looked at Hongjoong. "Mreooow," he said. Hongjoong understood it as, "You're not alone anymore."
"Yes, because I have you. And Mingi will join us soon."
San tilted his head at him expectantly, tail swishing side to side. Hongjoong wants to pretend he doesn't understand what San is asking.
"Of course, Seonghwa, too."
San keeps looking at him.
Hongjoong sighs. "I don't think he's coming back for a little while, Sannie. It would probably be awkward for either of us."
San doesn't say anything in reply, and starts strutting away. Hongjoong is confused, but lets him be.
Hongjoong makes his way to his bedroom and starts preparing for actual sleep. San informs him that Mingi is off to the woods and is wanting to spend some time alone. Hongjoong has an inkling that Mingi is beating himself up over grabbing the wrong potion, and makes a mental note to find Mingi and bring him home tomorrow.
-----
Mingi is found hiding high up in a tree the next morning, and Hongjoong had to spend several minutes telling Mingi that everything is okay and that he just wants Mingi home with him.
The three of them shares an emotional moment beneath that tree, reminiscing when they just found each other and their time together so far in the small potion shop. Hongjoong doesn't cry often but finally let everything out. If his tears included ones he didn't have the courage to shed because of yesterday's incident, then no one else has to know.
Making their way back to the shop after the cry fest, Hongjoong sees someone holding something in their hand standing in front of the shop. The shop should have opened about an hour ago, but Hongjoong decided against it in favor of bringing Mingi back first.
When they got closer, Hongjoong recognized the man to be the client from yesterday, and his beloved cat. Hongjoong was about to steel himself for the rush of angry comments from the client, but was confused when he saw the man's smiling face.
"Thank you so much, potion maker! The potion worked wonderfully and my cat is more accepting towards my actions now," the man lifted the cat in his arms. True to his words, the cat wasn't hissing like it was yesterday, instead calm and seemingly content in the man's arms.
"What? But... I thought..." Hongjoong muttered, confused. The man handed Hongjoong a nicely wrapped box, telling Hongjoong that he ran a bakery and had baked a cake for Hongjoong as a sign of gratitude, and then left. Hongjoong stood in front of the shop, box in hand, gears turning in his head.
San was meowing happily, like he was laughing. Mingi, perched on Hongjoong's shoulder, curiously eyed up the box. Yunho, ever so slowly from a little bit of distance away, could be seen making his way over to the shop. Hongjoong's snapped out of his thinking at the exact moment he made eye contact with Yunho.
"Hongjoong," he sounded serious.
"W-why are you here?"
"Hongjoong, who was that? What did he give you?"
"Um, a customer gave me cake?"
Yunho seemed healthier than he was yesterday, able to stand up and walk around no problem, even scaring Hongjoong half to death with his tone. "Why would a customer give you cake?"
"Why are you not answering my question and interrogating me like I did something wrong?" Hongjoong didn't want to cower, not even in front of Yunho.
"I left yesterday to send a letter at the post office telling my superior I won't be coming to work today. I didn't return last night because I didn't wanna bother you, but I was already planning to come back in the morning to talk to you." Yunho sighed. "Now, will you answer mine?"
Hongjoong kept quiet for a second, stunned by Yunho's answer. "I gave the customer's cat a love potion to help it warm up to its owner, and he came back today to thank me by giving me cake from his bakery," Hongjoong answered quietly.
He looked up at Yunho and caught an odd expression, one of relief, and was just about to question Yunho some more before Yunho beat him to it.
"How many love potions did you make?" Yunho asked with a smile.
"Just one." Hongjoong replied, red in the cheeks. He was starting to understand the situation.
"So there was no chance that the love potion was given to me, right?"
"But, then, why..."
Yunho held on to Hongjoong's shoulder, Mingi long gone from his perching spot. His other hand went to Hongjoong's jaw, ever so sweetly caressing it, and he lowered himself to be eye level with Hongjoong, that damned stance that never fails to cause Hongjoong's heart rate to quicken.
"I didn't feel like I was under a love spell, Joong. It was more like I was forced to say everything I had been keeping inside me, before I even knew that I was opening my mouth to speak." Yunho's gaze flitted from Hongjoong's eyes to his lips for a split second. "Do you perhaps know which potions those symptoms may have come from?"
Hongjoong stood very still, eyes looking into Yunho's.
"I might have... given you a truth potion." He replied with any strength he has left. His brain, very helpfully, supplies to him at this moment that all three potions, love, strength and truth, were all somewhat yellow in color.
Yunho laughed, his cheeks raised and eyes squinted. "And you know what? I'm glad you did."
He closed the distance between their lips, Hongjoong's insides burning and melting from the sensation, but he wishes it would never stop. Yunho kisses gently, softly, but unstopping as he keeps chasing Hongjoong's mouth every time Hongjoong tries to pull away to breathe.
The two share their moment in front of the shop, Hongjoong somewhat aware that they should move inside for a little more privacy, but no one comes to the edge of town around this time in the morning if they aren't looking for Hongjoong's shop anyway, so he lets himself enjoy Yunho for a little bit longer. Yunho does the same.