Archive of Our Own

˚❁ 

Jungkook lets his gaze rake through the garden, admiring the teeming breath of life and the sweet scent exhaled by the flowers in it, eyes wandering as his ears catch details of their idle conversations. 

Though, once again, he hears complaints being whispered from one trembling petal to another, “we are drowning here,” “he watered us too much again!” and similar seething grumbles reach Jungkook as he tries to soothe them. 

Admittedly, the garden Jungkook had decided to reside in might not be the best — the owner contributing to it — but it’s precisely why it has so much potential that he made this choice in the first place a few weeks ago. 

A bit of creativity and tending can be enough to create a dream-like space full of plant life. Unfortunately, Min Yoongi, the man guilty of overwatering his own flowers, doesn’t seem to have either. 

The good thing is that a bit of magic can do the trick and that’s where Jungkook comes in. The fairy doesn’t have in him to leave any kind of vegetation unassisted, but flowers have a special spot in his heart — hence why he’s considered a flower fairy — the love he nurtures for them echoing through his being. 

So, naturally, he felt drawn to this garden located in an apartment in Jongno-gu, on a small balcony with empty pots and some struggling sprouts fighting to survive. Yet no matter how much Jungkook does his job right, the fact that Min Yoongi does the complete opposite doesn’t help at all.

Jungkook sighs tiredly, gently caressing the brittle-colored petals one by one, giving his wholehearted attention to them until all flowers can finally quiet down. Only then does he flicks his wrist and let a veil of pixie dust cover the plants, so that his magic can make the water dry faster and give them all the necessary nutrition.  

Modest and cheerfully thanking Jungkook, marigolds are first. The warm yellow and orange flowers are usually the ones that try to convince Jungkook that Yoongi isn’t all that bad, natural peacemakers. 

Pansies, on the other hand, tend to stick to their flower friends. Despite enjoying a more humid soil, they’re too attune to the others’ distress and the troubles caused by the clumsy human and keep an unbreakable stance.

In the corner, a shy, but resilient chrysanthemum watches as the other plants receive Jungkook’s care, its tiny white flowers wanting to hide themselves at the sight of the more colorful ones that bloom under Jungkook’s magic. But Jungkook loves them all equally, so it doesn’t take long for him to fly towards the chrysanthemum and shower it with affection.

Once Jungkook is done, his eyes travel around the small garden that’s in a much better condition now, proud of his work. He hopes Min Yoongi-ssi will keep it this way this time. 

❁

Droplets of water stir Jungkook, the sensation cold, but refreshing in the hot weather. However, it becomes too much, a torrent rain, and the fairy springs up, coughing, completely soaked from head to toe, and with glittery wings deemed useless for the time being.

When Jungkook finally comes to, crumbles of sleep still weighing down on his eyelids and body sluggish as he takes in his surroundings, he notices the cause of his abrupt awakening. Min Yoongi. It had to be him, of course.

Amidst his angry realization, Jungkook fixes a long and hard look on the human, hidden in the middle of the daffodils’ long green stalks, its flowers withered and dormant during summer.

Min Yoongi is… something. 

The soft milky edges of his face are a juxtaposition to his sharp dark eyes, lush skin being brightened by the pale sunlight of the early morning, the seriousness of his expression a opposition to his leisure movements, almost nonchalant as he distractedly waters his plants in excess.

If it wasn’t for the risk he represents, Jungkook could say Yoongi is pretty, attractive, and maybe a few more compliments, but the human doesn’t deserve them. Right now, Min Yoongi is the ugliest being Jungkook has ever met.

“Too much water!” , “why is he doing this?!” The plants in the garden complain once more, their dissatisfaction carried by silent winds, and cutting Jungkook’s line of thought.

“You live with a lunatic,” Jungkook groans as he dries his flimsy robe, waiting for the moment Yoongi will leave for work so he can quickly fix the human’s mess. “What’s wrong with him? Why is he so inattentive when he’s supposed to take care of you? Overwatering and putting you at risk! He’s a lost case.” 

Most of the flowers agree, some even saying they would leave if only they could.

“Hgh, something needs to be done!”

❁

“Aren’t you exaggerating, Jungkook?” Hoseok, worriedly questions, a small beam of sunlight sliding up his arm and snuggling his cheek. 

Here, inside a tree in the nearest park to Yoongi’s apartment, lives one of Jungkook’s closest friends, a sun fairy, whom he often visits. Even in the dimmed interior of the house, Hoseok’s skin still glows in a soft golden color, his hair a shiny reddish-brown.

“It’s already dangerous enough that you decided to leave the park to live in a human’s house, and now you want to follow him around at all times?” Hoseok continues, his wings fluttering behind his back while sitting crossed-legged on the floor, looking up at a restless Jungkook. “If others know of this…”

“You need to know your enemy to win against them,” Jungkook explains, pacing from one spot to another in Hoseok’s little house. “I already know a thing or two. He has a cat named Sugar, and doesn’t have a lot of friends. I just need to look more closely so I can find out his job or learn something more useful. And I’ll be careful.”

Hoseok rolls his eyes lightheartedly, huffing an incredulous laugh. Once Jungkook plants an idea in his brain it’s hard to pluck it out, but the sun fairy asks anyway. “Will you give up on this crazy plan if I tell you to?”

“Nope. I’m doing this,” Jungkook replies with a mischievous smile, his doe eyes glinting with a wicked light to them.

❁

True to his reasoning, Jungkook follows Yoongi’s every move for days so he can discover more about the human. 

He finds out the man is an architect and lives in charge of a hectic schedule. Going from construction sites across the city or working in the office, Yoongi does a lot . Meetings, conducting interviews, reviewing projects with clients, planning trips. Even Jungkook got tired just from watching.

Following his usual routine, Yoongi stops by a cafe on his way home after 6 pm to buy a cupcake and decaf coffee, greets Sugar when he goes past the front door and takes off his shoes, sanitizes his hands and walks around the apartment. 

Sometimes he calls his parents, sometimes he calls someone he doesn’t verbally talk with, but rather makes hand gestures directed at the phone screen. Then he goes to the balcony to eat his treat while doing even more work. 

Jungkook attentively observes the rolled-up sleeves of Yoongi’s dress shirt that expose surprisingly toned forearms. He stares at the thick glasses that occasionally slide down the bridge of his nose, and how he elegantly adjusts them with his slender finger, never taking his eyes off his papers, wrist bent as he scribbles with a pen.

Wait… That can’t be right. Did he just compliment Yoongi? Repeatedly? Jungkook shakes his head so fast that he gets dizzy, utterly alarmed at his own thoughts. 

“He’s getting to your head, Jungkook,” the fairy whispers, chasting himself. “Focus on what you have to do.” 

Yes, he needs to focus on his task, not on Yoongi’s looks. 

Thankfully, after his eyes seemingly begin to sting, Yoongi walks back in, leaving his work-related papers on the chair that stays on the balcony. The human plays with Sugar, voice going a pitch higher in an enfuriently cute way, feeds the cat, takes a shower, and prepares food for himself. And, finally, he goes to sleep.

Good, now Jungkook can operationalize his plan. 

The first thing that comes to his mind is to grab Yoongi’s notes and place them somewhere the man won’t be able to find — under the pot of the largest plant in the garden, that Jungkook will make it float for a couple of seconds by using his magic dust. At least long enough that Yoongi will have to go to his job without them the next morning.

And, sure, Jungkook wants to get back at Yoongi, but he doesn’t have the heart to jeopardize the human’s job to a full extent. So the plan revolves around Yoongi becoming desperate about his missing papers and maybe getting a scolding from co-workers and superiors. 

Then Jungkook will put the papers back where they were, leaving Yoongi confused with the whole situation. Just delaying a schedule doesn’t sound so bad if you stop to think about it.

❁

Jungkook wakes up early, a buzzing excitement rushing through his limbs at the prospect of watching his plan unfold. But, right at the first stage, the fairy notices something isn’t going the way he expected it to. 

Yoongi realizes that his important work papers are not in the same place he left them. Good , Jungkook thinks. Yoongi hums under his breath, calm, albeit a bit confused, and twists his neck to the sides to try and catch sight of them. 

But the human didn’t fret as Jungkook wanted him to, the ever so tranquil exterior of his remains unbreakable as if nothing could possibly shake off his cool and he goes to work just like any other day. 

“Something is definitely wrong,” Jungkook says to himself as he watches Yoongi fix his hair and glasses, finish his bag preparation, and walk out of his apartment some time later.

According to the next stage of the plan, Jungkook follows Yoongi to his workplace, nerves rising and head aching as he recalls the calculated steps of his scheme and how it seems to be failing miserably. 

Much to Jungkook’s disappointment, once Yoongi walks toward the already filled meeting room, he then understands the reason why Yoongi is taking everything so well. See, humans don’t have magic — a selected few have the ability to bend it at will, but that’s a conversation for another time — but they have something almost similar to it: technology. 

Apparently, Yoongi had a digital copy of his project on his phone, so even though he didn’t have the most recent handwritten notes, he could still make his comments during the presentation as if nothing happened. 

Maybe Yoongi mentioned to a coworker — a sturdy man, resembling a giant walking tree, with a gentle face and the deepest dimples Jungkook has ever seen — that he had no idea where his notes were, but other than that, Yoongi moved on with his schedule like usual.

Min Yoongi be damned.

❁

“Alright. Another day, another opportunity to make a fool out of Yoongi,” Jungkook both cheers himself up and announces his flowers — technically Yoongi’s flowers. Details — that respond very positively to his excitement. 

Jungkook leaves the first disaster of a plan in the past and this time, his brain architects something that makes the direct use of magic a major point. 

Making any type of vegetation bloom in a matter of seconds — just like any other nature fairy is capable of — is Jungkook’s specialty. All he has to do is be careful to not get himself caught by a human’s eyes while he’s at it. The last thing he needs is to have a group of clumsies getting a hold of him to be studied like a scientific subject or to be played with like a toy.

So, hiding himself amongst Yoongi’s belongings, Jungkook is once again infiltrated Yoongi’s office, and as soon as Yoongi is alone in his office room, he goes straight to the computer to work on another of his multiple projects — Jungkook is almost sure that Yoongi has no self-control. 

His honest dedication and transparency with his clients are the things that make Yoongi one of the most requested architects for several projects, but Jungkook wonders if he ever rests enough. Not that Jungkook is worried.

The fairy is careful not to let his reflection be too obvious on the computer screen when he finally makes his move. He flies close enough to Yoongi to drop a good amount of buttercup seeds on Yoongi’s head and let them blossom at an incredibly fast pace, creating an awkward and misplaced crown for his human enemy. 

Jungkook knows this will work because Yoongi is an introverted, sticks-to-his-own-business kind of guy. Being the center of attention is not something a more quiet-natured person like him would enjoy. 

So, consequently, when people start noticing that Yoongi has a bunch of flowers that keep growing out of his hair and make fun of him, he will be so embarrassed he’ll leave in a hurry.

The first spectator arrives and Jungkook hides himself somewhere he can watch the whole spectacle. It’s a woman, long and slick blonde hair tied in a side ponytail, barging into Yoongi’s office like she owns the place. 

“How’s my favorite person doing?” Her melodic voice disrupts the silence in the room, and Yoongi casts his eyes up, away from the computer screen, to meet the woman’s cheeky expression. She’s smirking at him, a frisky glint in her irises.

“So happy I’m vibrating in my seat, can’t you tell, Minyeon-noona?” Yoongi deadpans, but with a color of affection to his tone, lip curling up with amusement. 

Jungkook doesn’t like that. 

Seeing Yoongi in a different light while interacting with another person makes him feel things he’s not sure he can deal with right now. But he sweeps any distracting thought away and moves his hand, his magic working even in this distance, and causing the seeds in Yoongi’s hair to sprout.

“Hm… Yoongi, what is that?” Minyeon questions, pointing up at Yoongi’s head.

Yoongi is silent for a second, a quizzical expression suffusing his features as a mix of confusion and curiosity settles in. “That” what?”

“There are flowers in your head. Like, flowers are literally growing on top of your head.” She explains, barely containing her laughs.

This is the moment Yoongi will become so mortified he’ll go home crying. Except… it doesn’t go like this.

A strong blush overtakes Yoongi’s face, cheeks a bright hot pink as a cherry blossom, and Jungkook stifles a giggle. The human slowly touches the petals that sit comfortably right above strands of hair, speechless as he realizes it’s not an antic from Minyeon. “How…?”

“I mean, this is super random but cute. Really cute. It suits you,” Minyeon chuckles, picking one of the fully formed buttercups and twisting the stalk in between her fingertips. “Seriously, how did you do that? They weren’t here when I came in and that was just two minutes ago.”

“I don’t know, really,” Yoongi trails off, even more confused.

“Wow, hyung, look at you!” It’s the giant tree man who says it as he gets a glimpse of Yoongi by the front door, dimples marking each side of his face as a huge smile expands across his lips. He beelines towards Yoongi and cradles his face in his palms as something precious. Jungkook feels an unpleasant twist in his stomach. “I didn’t know you liked flowers that much.”

“Not you too, Namjoon.” Yoongi grumbles, words slurred as he pushes Namjoon away from him, but grinning timidly as well. “Just help me take these flowers out of my hair and find a pot where we can plant them.” 

As Minyeon amusingly laughs in the corner, eyes alternating between Yoongi and Namjoon as they bicker lightly, Jungkook evaluates the execution of his plan. Now, every project is bound to have some issues that need adjustment, that much Jungkook is aware of. But, at this point, he doesn’t think he can do much to fix it.

Yoongi blushed, Yoongi felt embarrassed, and Yoongi got made fun of. But… Yoongi didn’t leave his work like he expected him to. Once again, it’s like nothing can make him feel as desperate as humans usually would. So, in sum, Jungkook’s plan failed. Again .

Mulling over his newest failure, Jungkook observes the whole interaction with teeth worrying his bottom lip for a possible number of reasons. While he watches Yoongi and the other humans gently taking out flower after flower, so as to not harm the delicate petals, Jungkook can’t help but wonder why he’s feeling so restless. 

Perhaps because he’s feeling like a fool while Yoongi is having fun with his coworkers instead of feeling miserable, perhaps for some other reason a lot more complicated.

Well, these are Yoongi’s coworkers, who must have known him for quite some time. It’s only natural that they act with so much familiarity, kind touches, and liberties Jungkook wouldn’t have. They’re humans for one, possible close friends for another. Jungkook is just a fairy that lives in Yoongi’s garden, his existence unacknowledged. 

And that’s the way it should be anyways.

So why ? Why is he feeling this way? 

Yoongi is his enemy. Jungkook certainly doesn’t want to have a relationship that is not that of hostility with the other. He certainly just wants to take revenge on the fact that Yoongi is a bad garden caretaker and, somehow, be noticed as the one who did it. 

He certainly isn’t taken aback by how Yoongi makes time to submerge each flower root in a cup with water, until he can tuck them in a pot filled with proper soil, smiling at them, brushing the pollen in the stamen with childlike curiosity. 

Jungkook certainly isn’t considering the marigolds’ opinions about Yoongi.

❁

Jungkook can’t logically explain himself.

The angry red that tinted his vision now turns into a muted color, and as Jungkook grudgingly looks back on the moments he stared at Yoongi, is like a new contemplative light is cast onto them.  

How come Jungkook has never perceived the way Yoongi’s gaze falls so warmly over his garden? Or forget the way he always says “good morning” and “good night” to his plants and flowers, no matter how tired he is? 

Or how come Jungkook purposefully ignored how, despite the majority of the garden disliking Yoongi, some of the flowers would even say “good morning” or “good night” back?

Yoongi still overwaters his garden, but Jungkook kind of doesn’t see him as a horrible person for it anymore. An incredibly idiot person for not checking if the soil is too humid or too dry to the touch before watering it, but not horrible. 

Still, it feels strange now that Jungkook’s open to a more moderate approach regarding this situation, while once becoming painfully aware of how much Yoongi has been on the forefront of his mind ever since he “moved in” to the human’s garden. 

He even considers just visiting Yoongi’s garden instead of living there, to his utmost shock.

“Wait, so you changed your mind, Jungkookie?” Hoseok questions, understandably skeptical given Jungkook’s passionate resolution of sticking to his vengeful plans until a few days ago. “Did I hear this right?”

And it’s not that Jungkook has trouble admitting when he’s in the wrong, he just doesn’t like doing it. So he avoids eye contact, huffing under his breath and fingers fiddling with the edge of his shirt. “Yes, yes, you heard it right.”

“I knew you would realize this was too crazy sooner or later. But I’m glad it was sooner.” The sun fairy says, reaching out to pull Jungkook in a side hug and nuzzling against Jungkook’s left cheek. Jungkook quietly accepts the affection, the spot Hoseok touches warmer than the rest of his body.

They’re once again in Hoseok’s house, though this time their long-distance friend, Taehyung showed up to visit as well and spend some quality time with them. 

Taehyung is a water fairy, with glossy dark hair, and wings that emit blue-purplish strobing lights with the smallest of movements, hypnotizing in their peculiar beauty. He prefers to reside near the borders of the Cheonggyecheon stream, while Hoseok and Jungkook stay somewhere farther from it, so they don’t see each other often. 

The water fairy has been silently listening, having to assimilate all the information he missed during the time he was away first, puckered lips munching on a sliced acorn with grape jelly Hoseok cooked for them. But he does inquire a while after gulping down his food. 

“So… what are you going to do now?”

Jungkook shrugs. “I’m not sure. I’ll talk with the flowers and explain to them I’ll just be visiting from now on, I guess. The human doesn’t even know I exist, so it won’t be hard to pretend anything ever happened. And I can just go there from time to time without him knowing.”

“I know you like the garden and you help them a lot, but maybe that’s what you should do,” Hoseok gently tells him, the touch of his fingers leaving traces of shining gold on Jungkook’s skin. “Being close to humans is always risky for a number of reasons and being discovered by one can never end well.”

Jungkook nods, not knowing what else to do. It’s not like he’s leaving the garden forever, but… it still makes his chest squeeze tight. “You’re right, Hoseokie. I’m sorry for being so stubborn.”

“Of course, Jungkook. I’m just glad nothing bad happened,” Hoseok replies.

“Okay, now that this is settled,” Taehyung interrupts, joining in the hug and almost toppling over them. “Can we talk about something else and play some games, please~ ?” He whines exaggeratedly, causing giggles to erupt from Hoseok and Jungkook. “We need to light up the mood or else I’ll start to cry.”

❁

It was a miscalculation on Jungkook’s part. If only he had paid more attention to darkening clouds hanging heavy in the sky above, and the smell of petrichor exponentially filling the damp air, Jungkook wouldn’t be stuck in Yoongi’s apartment now. 

He stands on the railing of the balcony, the iron bar slightly wet even under the small ceiling protecting them, looking at the garden and then looking at the gloomy scenery of the city below. There’s not a lot he can do but wait.

The flowers use the situation to further beg him to stay, not only to prevent him from getting drenched by the falling rain but because they want to keep him here, the same way he’s been living in the garden for weeks. 

“Please, don’t leave us, little fairy,” “But why only visit when you can see us every day from dawn to dusk?” “You’ll forget about us if you leave,” and so many other pleads are whispered along with the rattling sound of raindrops.

“I’m sorry, but I promise I’ll visit every day. I could never forget any of you,” Jungkook insists.

After his talk with Hoseok and Taehyung, Jungkook knew what he had to do. He did try to soothe the topic when he arrived, to tell them the news in the softest way possible, but the buttercups that now integrate the garden let out a shriek, wondering why Jungkook was abandoning them. With that, a ruckus was established.

“Look, hm, I’ll stay for now. It’s raining, so… But I’ll leave and come back tomorrow when the weather gets better, okay? I promise,” Jungkook sputters, hoping they will listen. 

Eventually, the flowers calm down.

But the appeasing atmosphere doesn’t last long. The door opens suddenly, a startling noise, leading to a moment of fright. Jungkook gasps as he sees Yoongi slowly enter the balcony. The rushed movement causes his wings to get exposed to the rain, droplets weighing down on his wings and making the situation even more nerve-racking.

The fairy forgot that Yoongi doesn’t go to work on Sundays, so, the human’s presence walking around the apartment, which would be considered out of his routine on any other weekday, today it isn’t. 

The door is completely opened now, Yoongi comes in, and Jungkook can’t hide, can’t fly, can’t do anything. He’s rooted on the railing, his heart beating out of rhythm and thoughts swirling in a frenzy, and he can’t do anything .

Then it all happens so fast. 

A misstep. Jungkook moves his foot maybe just an inch to the side and steps on a small puddle of water. That wouldn’t be a problem if only he was paying attention, because if he was he would be able to hold himself up. But he wasn’t, so Jungkook loses his balance and holds himself on the railing by pure and limited luck, about to fall to his demise.  

But Jungkook doesn’t fall out of the balcony. Instead, Jungkook lands on top of a palm, Yoongi’s hand. Warm, grounding, curling protectively, though not entirely closing into a fist. 

The human’s fingers hover around Jungkook’s tiny body and the fairy’s moved somewhere far from the edge of the railing, away from the dangerous rain and the possibility of falling.

Once Yoongi plops down on the chair, he gently places Jungkook on the coffee table, and it’s only then he really stops to process what just happened. His eyes widened comically, gawking at this whimsical and unrealistic creature that Jungkook is, though also incredibly real.

This is not how things should go. Now that Jungkook also stops to process what’s happening, he’s terrified of what Yoongi might do. “Being close to humans is always risky for a number of reasons and being discovered by one can never end well,” repeats in Jungkook’s mind.

“You… Are you a… fairy? Obviously, you are- I- Wait, I can’t be that drunk, can I? I didn’t even drink that much last night.” Yoongi rambles, words stumbling on his tongue as he spills them. “I mean, this can’t be real. Fairies don’t exist,” Yoongi finishes with an incredulous breath of a laugh.

Oh , Jungkook understood the last part very well. Logically thinking, Jungkook understands that humans don’t know about the existence of fairies, so of course entertaining the possibility would be met with disbelief. But that doesn’t make him any less outraged over the human’s reaction. 

Jungkook stands up tall — as much as he can be compared to Yoongi — fear leaving him in the blink of an eye. He stomps his foot, making a consecutive number of angry gestures, arms flapping around and wings thrumming so fast his magic seeps out into the air. 

“By the Gods, you are stupid! How can you say I don’t exist when I’m right in front of you?” Jungkook rages, the lines of his forehead wrinkled, brows knit together and etching deep into a frown. 

Until it dawns on Jungkook that Yoongi can’t understand him, his voice sounding like anything but a voice. Shame overtakes him then. Yoongi just ran to save his life, and he’s righteously bewildered by the sight in front of him, being confronted with a different notion of reality he probably never imagined before. 

And Jungkook’s response to him is to get angry. He didn’t even thank Yoongi. 

“I’m sorry, but I- I can’t understand you,” Yoongi apologetically says, sounding so sullen it causes Jungkook’s heart to ache, making him feel so much smaller than what he already is. “Listen, you don’t have to get angry or scared, I won’t hurt you. I promise. Ah… I hope you can understand me,” Yoongi says the last bit mostly to himself, but Jungkook heard it and understood him just fine.

Living in the city for a long, long time and being indirectly surrounded by humans, Jungkook now can understand them perfectly, even write a few words to convey a message in case he needs to — though it never seemed like a probable occurrence in his life. 

However, more than simply understanding Yoongi, Jungkook believes in him. Now that he calmed down and swallowed up his pride, at last, Jungkook can’t sense any harmful intentions oozing off the human, and added to all the days Jungkook observed and analyzed Yoongi, he decides that Yoongi isn’t the threat he painted the human as.

Expressing himself might be tricky, though. Jungkook will have to work harder than what he’s been doing so far since anything that demands too much explanation is beyond them. Even saying a simple “thank you,” won’t do, so what comes to Jungkook’s mind is to use body language, especially using gestures Yoongi will be able to understand. 

So Jungkook knees down on the table, back bending forward and forehead touching the floor as he deeply bows. He has seen it before, people bowing to greet, as an apology, to show gratitude. 

The concept of bowing isn’t new to Jungkook, but this type of bow is. Nonetheless, something tells him Yoongi will understand him since it’s part of his culture and the sort of thing he’s familiar with — a lot more than talking to a fairy. 

“Wait- Wait, you don’t- you don’t have to bow to me,” Yoongi tells Jungkook in a hurry, and Jungkook peeks from behind his arms the way the human’s gaze sways from Jungkook’s bowed figure and somewhere else in the balcony, how he scratches his pink ears awkwardly. 

Now that Jungkook is trying not to see Yoongi as his archenemy, maybe he can finally admit to himself more freely that Yoongi is cute.

“Are you thanking me?” Yoongi asks in a confused murmur.

Jungkook nods in all earnest, fluffy hair bouncing above his head as he sits above his calves.

“Oh, right, you almost fell when you slipped on the balcony. Your wings are wet, is that why you didn’t fly?” Yoongi asks another question and Jungkook silently agrees, trying to bat his wings, but the action shows itself to be useless due to the water in them, further proving his point. “I see. I’m glad I could get there in time and help.” Yoongi sighs in relief.

The human appraises Jungkook for some time then, eyes traveling slowly, and now is Jungkook’s turn to avert his gaze, embarrassed at being stared at for a change.

“Alright… so, you’re real. And you can understand me,” Yoongi frowns, and Jungkook gestures “yes” again.

“This isn’t fair. All I hear from you are ringing bells,” Yoongi rambles while messing up his hair, and Jungkook takes notice of the slight dark circles under his eyes — probably it has to do with the ‘not drinking that much last night’ — his glasses nowhere to be seen and his chin covered with the shadow of stubble, giving him a whole different look. 

“But why are you here?” Jungkook hears Yoongi say.

The fairy tilts his head to the side, finger tapping his chin pensively. He can’t possibly explain the whole story to Yoongi, because even if he tried, the human wouldn’t understand anything. He could try to write it down, but due to his tiny size, it would take an eternity to enlighten all that has occurred so far into paper. 

So — to make things as simple as he can — Jungkook points to the garden, eyebrows raised, round eyes impossibly big and shiny, jumping on his feet to emphasize that that’s the reason why he’s here in the first place. The small multitude of lively greenery that called Jungkook’s attention and compelled him to stay.

“The garden… So, are you the one- you’re the one who made it look like this.” Yoongi says more than asks, seemingly fitting the puzzle pieces together with quite an ease. “Is that it? You took care of my garden?” 

Jungkook nods once more, a smile blooming on his face. 

“Wow, and I thought I was doing something right,” Yoongi lets out a low-pitched sound, a huff of embarrassment. 

At that, Jungkook arches one perfectly lined eyebrow, lips jutted out in a cheeky pout, his pointed gaze fixed on Yoongi as if saying, “You were far from doing something right.”

“I’m not sure what you mean with that face, but should I assume you’re judging me?”

Jungkook petulantly shrugs, directing his eyes at the villainous watering can sitting near the chrysanthemums pot and tilting his chin up towards the object. He looks back at Yoongi, really looks at him, and waits for the realization to be drawn on his features.

It takes a few seconds, but surprise slowly begins to fill Yoongi’s face, then guilt takes place, a frown on his forehead and his voice small. “The watering can, huh… So was I watering the flowers too much?”

Jungkook simply crosses his arms in front of his chest, shoulders rising and lips twisted to the side while eyeing a discomposed Yoongi. But he’s not angry anymore — he’s trying to be better — so he just waves a dismissive hand, gesturing to the human, “It’s fine now, but you could learn a thing or two.”

“But they always looked so pretty. I thought I was doing it right,” Yoongi continues grumpily. “Ok, I got distracted a few times because the flowers looked so beautiful that I couldn’t stop looking at them, and maybe I poured more water than I intended,” Yoongi winces, “I’m sorry about that.”

“Alright, I get it already, it’s okay. At least you recognize your mistake,” Jungkook tells Yoongi, fairly satisfied by the human’s words, and even more so since he looks genuinely sorry. Although whatever he says is ineligible to Yoongi’s ears, he felt like saying something. 

“Hey, you too. Let’s all stop talking for a second, please,” the fairy lightly chides the flowers that became agitated at Yoongi’s admission. 

Some celebrate the fact that the human is self-conscious of his past actions, and hope for some improvement from Yoongi when it comes to gardening. Other flowers are still wary and apprehensive of being mostly under Yoongi’s care after Jungkook said he won’t live in the garden anymore. 

A long and dragged-out sigh, however, prompts Jungkook to ignore the flowers for a bit, even though they continue with their tattle. “Now that I think about it… some weird things happened to me a few days ago. I thought I was, I don’t know, imagining things,” Yoongi mentions, sounding idly in his awfully calm cadence, though it feels like anything but idle chit-chat.

Well, sooner or later the topic would surge. Jungkook takes a deep breath and braces himself for any possible outburst that Yoongi might throw at him — but the possibility seems so infinitesimal when thinking back at Yoongi’s reactions to hurdles and nonsensical situations up until now, so Jungkook stays mostly positive. More or less.

“Look, I can tell that you care a lot about flowers, and makes sure that they stay healthy and happy, and seeing a human so close to destroying your hard work must have upset you,” Yoongi states a while after. 

“And, logically speaking, since you’re a fairy, it’s easier to not interact with humans at all, or even expect something bad from us.” He pauses, giving time to Jungkook to absorb what he said so far, and also preparing him for what comes next. 

“Still… you could’ve put me into some real trouble with those tricks of yours if you really wanted. And that wouldn’t be nice, you know?”

Yes, Jungkook is aware of this now. He nods, resigned and chest heavy with regret. But the scolding, imbued with a comforting softness despite its bluntness, serves to fortify Jungkook’s reasoning of owning up to his past decisions and giving Yoongi a second chance, understanding that they both made mistakes on different levels.

“Anyway, nothing serious happened and no one got hurt. Or lost their job for that matter,” Yoongi resumes his speech, making a lighthearted joke that, surprisingly, pulls a genuine giggle out of Jungkook, who covers his mouth by reflex. 

The fairy is still getting used to this new dynamic, it’s too recent, and he’s still self-conscious, but he recognizes that Yoongi’s easiness does make things less complicated than they could be.

“So, since the rain is not letting up. Would you like to come in? You have to dry your wings and… I could prepare some food?” Yoongi suggests, and, as if on cue, Jungkook’s stomach growls, an embarrassing sound that doesn’t go unnoticed by the human, a low chuckle falling past Yoongi’s lips. 

Jungkook was so anxious about talking with the flowers as soon as possible that he only ate a berry and some greens, so no wonder he was already hungry again. 

“Can you eat human food?”

The fairy responds positively, very much so. Although Jungkook can count on one hand the number of times he ate human food before, he knows for a fact that they’re not poisonous or anything of the sort, as long as the ingredients are natural. 

Receiving Jungkook’s answer, Yoongi stands up on his feet and he seems very intent on indulging the fairy. “Alright then. I’ll give you a tissue to dry your wings and you can come in when you feel like it. I’ll make something simple, so we can eat right away. Oh, just be careful with my cat. Sugar is very lazy, but I’m not sure how he’ll react to you.”

A distant, disgruntled meowl can be heard coming from somewhere inside the apartment. Jungkook takes it that Sugar isn’t happy about being called lazy. He doesn’t understand animal speech like his older sister, but he can interpret one thing or two correctly. 

The cat, unlike Yoongi, is more sensitive to magic and has been suspicious of Jungkook’s existence for a while now, but he just decided to ignore him. The pristine black kitten never actively searched for Jungkook while going to the balcony to have his afternoon naps, for example, even though the fairy’s magic could be felt all over the garden. 

Jungkook doesn’t think Sugar will be interested now, therefore, he isn’t worried about the cat. He dries himself and enters the living room, and, as he predicted, Sugar doesn’t care about him, merely acknowledging his presence and lying down on the couch. 

So, no, Jungkook isn’t worried about becoming a playtoy for the quadruped pet. Jungkook is a lot more worried about the sizzling sensation resting at the bottom of his belly at the sight of Yoongi humming an out-of-tune song while cooking for them. For himself and Jungkook.

❁

With invigorating air, colder temperatures, and a blazing myriad of warm colors, autumn arrives, and Jungkook welcomes it in a way he could never imagine. 

“Ok, how is it?” Yoongi heaves out a question, part of his hair pulled back in a ponytail and glasses sliding down his nose. He moves to stand up, too long in the same crouching position, and as he straightens his back, Jungkook hears the sound of his joints popping and his face scrunches in sympathy. 

Taking flight to examine Yoongi’s work more carefully, Jungkook hovers above the newly planted hydrangea, his wings twinkling in a soft green shimmer. The fairy waits for the still timid flower to voice its needs while searching for any indication of something out of place. 

Thankfully, as of now, the hydrangea is just a bit worried about whether or not it’ll be able to befriend anyone at all. But Jungkook guarantees that he’ll make them bloom even more beautiful, just so it can build more confidence in the new environment.

As for Yoongi’s performance in gardening, Jungkook wished he could make his words be understood by humans, for he has a lot of praise for Yoongi’s compromise in learning. Everything is going slowly, but easier than what seemed possible at first.

Yoongi made sure to gingerly change the plant from the flower shop’s pot into a proper one with a drainage hole, so as to not hurt its roots; he made sure that the soil has enough organic material and gave it the right amount of water. But Jungkook still can take care of any other need with his magic until Yoongi is equipped to do it on his own.

Who would have thought? To think Jungkook would be teaching Yoongi the ins and outs of gardening in such a peaceful way. Jungkook wants to make up for how he treated Yoongi and how badly he thought of him, and truly, things started to change for the better. 

Jungkook flies closer to Yoongi, who wipes his dirty hands on his apron and stretches his arm, leaving his palm turned up, so Jungkook can land on it. The corners of Jungkook’s lips curl up in a triumphant smile and he gives Yoongi a thumbs up, signaling that everything is good. 

Yoongi smiles back, the front roll of pearly teeth and rosy softness of his gums exposed, eyes disappearing into crescent moons. It has become more frequent Jungkook fears, a feeble buzzing that travels inside of him at the sight of this smile, like butterflies batting their wings for the first time after hatching out of their cocoons.

Maybe it’s because Yoongi is so friendly, so reliable, and in such a gentle, candid way, genuinely appreciating Jungkook’s opinions or his presence alone. Maybe it’s because Yoongi isn’t afraid of owing up to his mistakes and is eager to learn more, and that makes Jungkook want to become a better fairy himself.

Maybe it’s because Yoongi it’s just… him.

And Jungkook isn’t sure what can be done about that , this feeling he can’t quite place, can’t put a name on just yet. So he ignores it for the time being.

“That’s all thanks to you,” Yoongi says gently.

Jungkook blushes hot pink and shakes his head, strongly disagreeing. As much as he would like to take full credit if that were true, Yoongi is working hard as well. To communicate that, he points to Yoongi’s phone at the table and flies to it.

Since he understands a lot of human language, both spoken and written, Jungkook sometimes writes short messages to Yoongi. That’s how the “teaching lessons” are feasible in the first place.

Jumping from key to key, Jungkook chooses simple words to convey what he wants - it helps that Yoongi is so patient. Once he finishes, the following phrases show:

우리는 좋은 팀 

We are a good team 

고생했어요! 

Good job! 

-ㅅ- ☆ oJo

Yoongi reads it with a soft expression drawn on his face, gaze moving from the cellphone to Jungkook as he speaks. “Yeah, we are a good team.” 

The mellow lilt of Yoongi’s voice makes Jungkook’s heart skip a beat, but no one needs to know, nor even he himself needs to accept it.

❁

As autumn progresses, some flowers continue to bloom while others have to witness their petals withering one by one. Jungkook is always mindful of that, ready to soothe each one of them according to their personalities. Those more self-conscious need a bit more persuasion that they’re still just as pretty, but it’s nothing too challenging for Jungkook.

He’s done consoling the buttercups and it’s now watching a lonely bee flying through the stems and leaves, its buzzing melody lulling the garden in the warm-ochre light of dusk. The bee finds Jungkook and flies towards him, drawn in by the fairy’s magic and the pollen dusting his clothes. 

Jungkook is staring at the tiny bee gliding his way, lips parted in awe. He cautiously stretches his hand, still glittering with his magic, to brush along the small bristles of the insect’s body, murmuring a “Hi, how are you?”

The bee simply buzzes in response, an enchanting sound, and Jungkook giggles, not expecting anything different from that. He should’ve tried to learn something with his sister when he had the chance, before leaving his former village and moving to the capital. 

Hoseok and Taehyung aren’t specialized in animal speech either, so he can’t ask them about it. And though his friends’ talents sometimes involve interacting with fauna, it can’t be compared to Euna’s outstanding ability to speak and understand from the tiniest crawling insects to big galloping horses.

Regardless of whether he understands it or not, Jungkook’s still engrossed in his lively interaction with the bee, so much so he doesn’t catch the exact moment Yoongi gets home from his trip.  The human went to visit his family during Chuseok for a couple of days, and, although Jungkook wasn’t left all alone, he’s been missing Yoongi all the same.

Jungkook doesn’t know for how long the human has been standing there, resting his body on the doorsill, one hand tucked in his pocket and the other carrying a small bag, until said human lets his presence known. 

“Hi,” Yoongi greets, with a tired smile adorning his features and eyes set on Jungkook and promptly steals Jungkook’s attention all to himself. The fairy lightly bites on the plump surface of his bottom lip, suddenly too shy, suddenly too bubbly. 

“I didn’t know you could talk to animals too,” Yoongi says as he moves forward, squatting down in front of Jungkook to pet his hair with a delicate fingertip.

The human intrusion, however, surely causes the bee to flee, buzzing what Jungkook perceives as a farewell as it expands the distance between them. 

“Ah, it left,” Yoongi sulks. “Sorry.”

Jungkook shrugs, his chuckles falling past his lips as chiming bells. He signs, h “/It’s okay, hyung. Don’t be sad,/” and Yoongi relaxes his posture, expression easing into a softer one. 

It hasn’t been that long since Yoongi asked if Jungkook would like to learn sign language, an additional way for them to communicate. Under the impression that it would be too hard, Jungkook wasn’t a fan of the idea at first, but he opened up to it pretty fast, thinking that depending on Yoongi’s phone every time could become an inconvenience. 

Sign language is something ingrained in Yoongi’s life since a young age. His older brother was born deaf, gaining no benefits from hearing aids, so both of their parents did everything they could so Yohan could learn how to communicate through sign language and reading lips, also instructing themselves and Yoongi as he grew up.

Learning more about Yoongi's family was met with enthusiasm, and Jungkook admits that if he puts up the effort he can learn a lot more and it’ll be easier to have conversations with Yoongi.

“/I can’t understand it a lot./” Jungkook further explains. “/My sister can speak to animals and understand them./”

“I thought fairies from the same family could all do the same thing. Talents passed on by lineage or something like that,” Yoongi thinks out loud. 

Except the reality of how fairies come to exist and their dynamics differ a lot from that of humans, starting by the way they’re born, out of the unadulterated magic that rules all things.

What fairies call a family is delimited by the area they’re born into instead of blood. For that reason, there are indeed families of fairies who share the same traits and affinities in their magic, but there are others whose relatives have nothing in common. 

The couple who assumed the role of Jungkook’s guardians and taught him how to hone his skills — whom he calls parents — for example, are water fairies.

The young woman Jungkook calls older sister was born almost at the same time as him, save for a few minutes earlier. Since he decided to leave his birth place, Jungkook always makes sure to visit them at least twice a year, and make different flower crowns for Euna and his parents every single time.

“/Not exactly,/” Jungkook replies simply and it’s enough of an answer for Yoongi.

“It makes sense. My parents are lawyers, yet my brother and I never wanted to follow their steps.”

Jungkook has a vague idea of what a lawyer stands for, but since Yoongi decided that’s not for him then, the fairy doesn’t have a lot of interest to learn more about it.

“Let’s get inside. I need to give you something,” Yoongi says, urging Jungkook to join him. That’s when Jungkook notices the minimalistic adorned box of Moon Rabbit Coffee Shop on Yoongi’s hand, the place Yoongi always stops by before getting home around 7 pm.

Yoongi’s routine stays just as busy and just as exhausting as before, and that includes buying himself a treat from Monday to Friday at clockwork — and greeting Jungkook and Sugar both, of course, words pronounced in the same slurred pattern and richness of his voice.

Though there’s one tiny thing different to this typical step of Yoongi’s routine: the fairy sees two cupcakes instead of one.

They’re simply decorated, looking stunningly tasty, and the tangy smell of lemon from the cupcakes fills Jungkook’s nostrils. It feeds him with good sensations even before he tastes it, and his appetite picks up. 

But Jungkook blinks, sending a puzzled look in Yoongi’s way. That’s a lot more sugar than Yoongi wills himself to eat at this hour. Jungkook even thought the reason why Yoongi started to share his desserts with him was that he was trying to eat less sweet things.

“That’s for you,” Yoongi replies eventually, chuckling at Jungkook’s confused expression. “We are always sharing and you really like them, with that funny angry look on your face, so… I asked Seokjin-ssi to give me two this time. And- If it’s too much for you I can just keep it in the fridge so you can eat it tomorrow. Maybe I should’ve asked for something smaller?” 

Oh. So Yoongi had Jungkook in mind while he was buying these. That’s the only thing Jungkook can focus on while Yoongi continues to rattle awkwardly over whether he made the right or wrong decision. 

It shouldn’t come as so surprising, since Yoongi is always paying attention to the smallest of details, but it’s still a pleasant one.

“/ I liked it, hyung,/ ” Jungkook signs, overjoyed. “/ Thank you./ ”

“I’m glad you liked it, Jungkook-ah,” Yoongi smiles more relieved. “Let me know if you would like to taste something different.”

It seems such a small thing to do, just going out of his way to buy two cupcakes instead of one, but it feels like so much more to Jungkook. 

Sure, they have been adding different tasks and activities that revolve around the garden whenever Yoongi has the time during weekends or sometime before going to bed. But, this is Yoongi including Jungkook in his already established routine, his methodically planned routine that existed long before Jungkook came. 

Now said routine has one interference caused by the fairy. It’s a tiny one, but it’s enough to cause disproportionate happiness to Jungkook, to know he was the reason for this change. So much so that it’s hard not to let it show.

You see, flowers are smart, and they’re also very honest. There’s no reason why they should be anything but. They’re expressive in their needs, their discomfort, their emotions, and how they voice happiness and sadness. And a flower, perhaps more than a human and even a fairy, would know the telltale signs of a love sprouting seed and speak on it.

“You’re lost in your thoughts more often than not, little fairy,” one of the pansies comments with a cunning tone. “Are you more interested in that human than us now?” The ever-so-clingy buttercups whine. “That’s a pretty rosy blush painting your cheeks,” a clever marigold says, looking at Jungkook looking at Yoongi. “Do you like Yoongi?” The chrysanthemum shyly asks.

But Jungkook dismisses their observations, not wanting to give them any more power than what they already hold within himself. It’s nothing, he tells the flowers, denies everything vehemently. They’re good friends now, Yoongi and him, and maybe that’s why they’re reading too much into it, he says with a nervous laugh.

Just like the colors of hydrangeas can change depending on how acidic or alkaline their soil is, Jungkook explains that now that Jungkook doesn’t have any animosities against Yoongi, their relationship blooms with a different blue shade of affection, though nothing more than that of friends. 

That’s the only thing he feels for Yoongi, they’re friends and nothing else.

❁

Tonight Yoongi’s friends, Namjoon, and his boyfriend are visiting. Yoongi explained that Jimin isn’t his friend yet, but that he’s eager to meet him. He prepared dinner, bought a red fruit cake, and will use the opportunity to have a nice chat with this Jimin since Namjoon has been looking “head over heels” for a while now. 

“It looks serious this time and Namjoon wants us to get along. Thought inviting them over would be good,” Yoongi comments a while after, already showered and wearing a casual dark long-sleeved blue shirt and matching loose pants, his hair messily styled. 

He looks so effortlessly gorgeous anyone would assume it took him ages to doll himself up, even though it was quite the opposite.

“So, are you going to stay? Or going to your friend’s house today?” Yoongi starts after leaving his empty coffee cup and a dirty plate by the sink. “I think it could be boring to wait until Namjoon and Jimin leave, and it’ll get colder at night unless you come in. But… I’m not sure if letting them see you is a good idea either.”

“/I’m fine,/” Jungkook signs. “/I’ll stay in the garden, then I’ll get in. I can protect myself from the cold./”

“Alright then. Sorry if you have to stay hidden while they’re here,” Yoongi says apologetically as Jungkook flies towards the safety of his palm, now face to face with the human. “I would like to introduce you to Namjoon at least, but…”

Jungkook gives him a tipped-mouth smile, shaking his head lightly. It’s better this way. Jungkook thinks that Yoongi wouldn’t be friends with someone bad, and he has seen Namjoon a couple of times too. He looks like a kindhearted person, carrying himself with gentleness in his steps and in the way he holds things in his hands. 

Still, Jungkook wants to be more careful before getting close to another human.

“Ok, I have to start cooking now, or we won’t eat anything. I’ll see you later, Jungkook-ah,” Yoongi says and moves to the kitchen, while Jungkook stays in the living room for the time being.

Between Yoongi preparing the dinner, and Jungkook simply observing the human as he works, Namjoon and his boyfriend arrive. Jungkook is quick to hide amongst the flowers in the garden, the night chilly air kissing his cheeks as he covers himself with a thicker cloak, made for the colder Autumn and Winter weather.

The savory smell of Yoongi’s cooking disperses all around, and Jungkook grasps some of the human’s interactions with difficulty due to the distance, but he does hear the boisterous peal of laughter that leaves Yoongi, curious to learn what could’ve possibly made him laugh so hard like this.   

It bothers Jungkook to some extent, that same ugly feeling dropping on his belly, wondering why Yoongi has never graced him with this type of laugh, so unabashed and free. 

They’re undoubtedly friendlier now, going as far as teasing one another and knowing bits from each other’s personalities, but Jungkook wonders what’s the secret to make such a laugh slip past Yoongi’s lips. He would like to be the cause of it someday.

An eternity seems to have elapsed before the door to the balcony finally opens, and Jungkook feels a soft flow of energy coursing through his limbs, a thrum of something particularly odd, though not unpleasant, spreading under his skin.

It feels like something out of deep-rooted beach sands and submerged in the calm waving waters of his home in Busan. It reminds him of his parents. It feels nostalgic as he smells the ocean breeze swirling in the atmosphere while Yoongi, Namjoon, and a third person, that has to be Jimin, enter the small space.  

“Hyung, when you said you have a garden in your apartment this is not what I expected to see,” Namjoon says, astonished, and Yoongi answers with a gruff, weakly slapping his hand on Namjoon’s shoulder. “What? You’re not the first person that comes to mind when I think about gardening.”

“Yeah, well… you’re not the first person I think about when we’re talking about cooking,” Yoongi retorts petulantly, and Jungkook giggles at how whiny he sounds.

“Why even bother when I can just order take-out?” Namjoon laughs. “But what I meant is that this is beautiful! This garden looks amazing, hyung. Isn’t it Jimin-ah?” He scooches closer to Jimin’s body, bending down to press a sloppy kiss on his cheek. 

“It really is, Yoongi-hyung,” Jimin says, his voice airy and soft as if he spoke through a song. “I thought Namjoonie was the expert in this department, but it seems you might have a magic touch for it,” he adds with a purposeful mirth tone, dark shimmery wisps blowing with the gentle wind. 

Jungkook can’t take his eyes off of him for some unknown reason.

“Honestly, I don’t know how to properly take care of plants yet,” Yoongi replies, nails picking at the thinning hair on his face, another nervous habit. But the fidgetiness slowly fades as he rests his arms on the parapet, eyes searching throughout the garden, lips twitching up, and voice coloring with warmth. “I’m just lucky to have received a lot of help.”

Jungkook’s heartbeat increases involuntary, a tiny gasp filling his lungs and wings stretching out, leaving a patch of pixie dust pooling on the soil beneath. Yoongi didn’t mention his name, but Jungkook knows he’s talking about him, knows he’s trying to look for him as he speaks.

“Like, professional help? Maybe- Don’t tell me you met someone and didn’t say anything? Are you friends with them, or…? Ah, hyung~ I told you about Jimin the same day we started to date,” Namjoon whimpers, lips jutted out and sounding outraged. Jungkook can’t tell if he’s inebriated or if this is just how he usually reacts when feeling left out. 

The realization of what Namjoon said slips Jungkook’s mind for a second before he fully comprehended it, and once he does it, Jungkook’s yet again a blushing mess at the implications. 

“Yah, You’re overreacting, Namjoon,” Jimin reprimands, though not harshly, as his giggles prove so. “Yoongi-hyung might be taking online classes.”

“Ha, anyway, hum…” Yoongi anxiously begins, darting his eyes to the garden again and meeting Jungkook’s gaze, even though he can’t see it due to the dimmed lighting of the balcony. Jungkook feels queasy for a second.

“How about we eat our dessert before it gets too late?” Jimin suggests enthusiastically.

“Yes, right. It’s from that place you recommended, Joon-ah. Anything Seokjin-ssi does is delicious,” Yoongi seems to breathe more easily at the quick change of subject.

“I know Moon Rabbit coffee shop too. Seokjin-hyung is very talented. I took Namjoonie there for our first official date,” Jimin quips. “I can head back inside, cut the cake into pieces, and put them on the plates, so the two of you can talk a bit more,” he says and nudges the flank of Namjoon’s body before walking past the door.

“So, what do you think of him?” Namjoon beams, clearly enamored beyond saving. Yoongi chuckles at him and Jungkook can almost feel the amount of love Namjoon has already stored for his boyfriend. 

“He’s classy, walks like he’s floating. And his house, one of the coolest houses I’ve ever seen.”

“Jimin likes to collect vintage stuff, so he has lots both in his house and his store,” Namjoon recalls. 

“He also looks a bit like someone who just killed his wealthy husband. I mean it as a compliment,” Yoongi chuckles, and Namjoon stares in horror at the older of the two.  

“That’s so morbid, hyung,” Namjoon whines, peering behind his shoulder as if to make sure Jimin isn’t listening. He sprawls his body over the parapet, blocking Jungkook’s view of the rest of their conversation due to the new angle. 

“You can just say he’s the prettiest and sweetest person in the world,” Namjoon continues.

Yoongi huffs out a short laugh, words billowing out of him. “Jimin is pretty, yes, and very sweet, but not the prettiest or sweetest to me . Sorry, Joon-ah.”

Namjoon exhales in realization, his voice growing joyful as he speaks. “So I was right? You’re seeing someone?” 

“I’m not,” Yoongi replies, strained, flustered at best. “I’m not seeing anyone, but I- It’s just complicated.”

There’s a pinch at the crux of Jungkook’s chest once the words sink in. Yoongi has someone he holds dear, at least that’s what the words imply. And that someone is most likely not- That’s Impossible! There’s no way Yoongi likes someone and Jungkook doesn’t know anything about it. 

Has Jungkook not noticed anything as of late? He tries to rewind recent memories in his brain, yet nothing comes to mind. Perhaps that’s the worst of it all. He could swear he’s been closer to Yoongi, and if that was true, surely he would mention something of the sort. That’s what friends do.

Namjoon’s hand reaches out for the curve of Yoongi’s shoulder, appeasing the tension there until Yoongi relaxes. “Ok, ok, we don’t have to talk about it now. But I’ll be all ears once you get ready.”

“I know you will,” Yoongi chuckles shortly. “And thanks. I can try to explain it some other time,” Yoongi says, an even tone coloring his voice now that he seems more at ease. “We should head back inside. Jimin is there alone, so let’s join him.”

A few seconds later, Jungkook is left alone unsettled by his own thoughts. The fairy wonders if Yoongi likes someone, another human, naturally, and wonders why he feels his lungs collapsing as he imagines Yoongi answering “yes, I like someone else”.  

But that would be… normal, expected. Wouldn’t it? After all, Yoongi is a human and Jungkook is a fairy. At least, that’s what Jungkook tells himself, that he should simply accept this fact once and for all, that he should support Yoongi at the expense of his… feelings? His feelings for Yoongi?

No, something like this would be terrible. 

Fairies who strain themselves out of the heart of their homes aren't unassisted, or invisible to the Council by any means. Even if they move out of the outskirts of their territories or live in mostly human-inhabited areas like cities.

Like this, if rules are broken and the Council knows of such a fact, more often than not said transgressor will need to return to their place of origin and fulfill a request — a punishment so to speak — until the members of the Council agree they’re free to go.

Getting close to a human is wrong enough as it is. Allowing them to learn about fairies and magic is even worse. Bearing feelings for one? Just as punishable. Jungkook is lucky his friends didn’t tell on him and no other fairy has noticed anything.

“Jungkook-ah,” Yoongi calls as he returns to the balcony, after Namjoon and Jimin left, promises of another meeting being uttered in the tight space of a hug, and disperses Jungkook’s thoughts. “Let’s head inside, or you’ll get a cold.”

Truly, the weather’s colder now that Autumn has taken over, although not the bitterly cold of winter yet, and Jungkook’s immune system is as strong as ever. Nevertheless, Yoongi has been more adamant about Jungkook sleeping inside. 

Jungkook has a spot at Yoongi’s bedside table where he builds a nice little bed, more like some sort of cozy nest. Using pieces of soft fabric that smell of fresh soap and Yoongi’s scent, he’s cradled throughout the night.

The routine at this hour is drowsy, mostly because Yoongi only goes to sleep at late hours, to make sure he’ll sleep right away. Jungkook has fallen used to it, to the wobbly steps Yoongi takes until he finds the bed, calling Sugar to jump up the bed and take over a huge part of it, “forcing” Yoongi to curl himself in the corner. 

“Hey, so…” Yoongi begins, voice syrup-slow and gentle, though Jungkook’s still caught off guard by the suddenness of it. “You heard all that, right? My conversation with Namjoon,” he clarifies, rubbing Sugar’s belly absently as the cat snuggles on his chest. 

Jungkook’s jittery, his teeth scraping the seam of his lips. He sits up and the warm light of the lamp is still on, thus making it easy for Yoongi to see his movements. Jungkook nods his head in answer, both curiosity and fear crawling beneath his skin as he watches Yoongi with a searing gaze.

“/Who is it?/” Jungkook asks, surprising even himself with his boldness. Clearly, it catches Yoongi off guard too. 

“Who?” Yoongi asks amidst dumbfounded laughter.

Jungkook rolls his eyes, exasperated that he’s even having this conversation in the first place. “/The person you’re fond of. Who is it?/”

“Oh, right. Of course you would ask that,” Yoongi croaks out, and silence hangs in the air, stretched out and profuse. Perhaps that’s enough of an answer. Jungkook shouldn’t have asked at all. The fairy is ready to apologize and dismiss his question when Yoongi startles him as he resumes his speech.

“How do I even start?” Yoongi says, lying back on the mattress and fixing his eyes on the ceiling. Jungkook does the same thing, gazing at the amorphous shapes drawn in the dimly lit room. “We didn’t start that well, I guess. I was under the impression he kind of hated me.”

A flow of insight skims through Jungkook’s mind then, but nothing revealing. He can’t recall anyone who has been on bad terms with Yoongi, not family members or work colleagues, nor Namjoon or the recently introduced Jimin. 

“Now I think… I think we get along really well,” Yoongi continues, a soft lilt sprinkling the air. “And I think I like this person. Romantically. There’s no other way to put it,” he confesses and Jungkook’s heart aches. So Yoongi really likes this person. Romantically, it is obvious. 

“Though I believe it’ll be impossible to be corresponded by them. I mean, I don’t think they would feel this way about me for a few reasons that come to mind, and even if they did… things would be complicated.”

“But,” Yoongi hastily adds, still looking up at the roof, “I cherish them a lot, I just didn’t know how to say this to Namjoon back there. He looked so excited about my feelings,” he chuckles, though it sounds a bit sullen to Jungkook’s ears. “It felt strange to tell him the first person I like after so long most likely doesn’t feel the same way.”

Jungkook lets Yoongi’s statements soak him in, lets them repeat a few more times in his head, and still, he can’t comprehend them. More so, he can’t stand the sadness in Yoongi’s voice as he spoke.

Ever since he became closer to Yoongi, he can’t see his shortcomings as enough reason to not praise his positive traits, or as an impediment to developing affection for him. So, more than saddened by the confirmation that Yoongi likes someone else, Jungkook is outraged by the idea of Yoongi not being loved back. 

Jungkook takes flight, landing on top of Yoongi’s clad legs, and his face crumples in an unreadable expression. “ /Hyung, there’s no way someone wouldn’t like you!/ ” He signs almost angrily, not at Yoongi, but at this unknown person who doesn’t appreciate Yoongi.

“You’re reassuring, kind, intelligent, and so soft towards everything. You touch things with the utmost care, and you’re always so gentle. You always pour so much of yourself into everything you do. In your job, in the relationship with your family and friends. Even the small quiet actions you take speak so loud, and they feel so big because you care so much.”

“I thought you didn’t care in the beginning and now I know how wrong I was,” Jungkook pauses, chest heaving and tracing the contours of Yoongi’s face with his eyes, as if he’s the moonlight creeping inside the room through curtains, trying to catch something there he’s not sure of. 

“Hyung, anyone could like you. I like you!”

Then Jungkook stops. Once he realizes what he did, and what he said , everything stops. Outwardly, he’s just opening and closing his mouth multiple times, like a fish out of water. On the inside, he’s a complete mess. He can’t look at Yoongi, he just can’t .

None of this was supposed to happen. He wasn’t even ready to admit his feelings for himself and if he ever did, he would most likely keep these feelings for himself only, not allowing the tiniest of splashes of the sun to fall on them, in hopes of letting them shrink in the darkest parts of his heart with time, and eventually disappearing. 

“Jungkook… what? You signed too fast, and then you started to talk so I couldn’t understand anything,” Yoongi says, sitting up, and the tone in his voice makes it evident that he can’t make sense of what just happened. 

Maybe this is an advantage. Jungkook can pretend nothing happened and things might return to what they were just a few minutes ago. Right?

Jungkook peeks up at the human, ignoring the heat rising from his neck and spreading widely through his face. He sees it then, Yoongi’s soft features are twisted, eyes illuminated by the silver light of the moon outside, lips puckering into a dangerously endearing pout. Cosmos , Jungkook likes him so much. 

Quickly coming up with something, though barely honest in the face of what he’s feeling, Jungkook says: “ /I said… whoever this person is they’re- they’re very dumb for not returning your feelings./ ”

Yoongi blinks slowly, forehead creased, probably just as confused as before. “Oh, that’s… thank you, Jungkook,” and he gulps down at nothing, scratches the back of his neck, and bows his head. “But it’s fine, really. Maybe… maybe one day I’ll tell him,” he says and lifts his head again, meeting Jungkook’s gaze, giving him a sad smile. “Let’s get some sleep, yeah? It’s getting late.”

Though Jungkook agrees, he can’t recall at what time he fell asleep, mind a whirlwind, only aware of it once the weak beams of sun tickle his skin, indicating a new morning.

❁

Is not like Jungkook has been avoiding Yoongi. At least not intentionally. 

Yoongi’s lack of self-control when it comes to work, bordering on workaholic behavior, does contribute to their shortage of interactions as of late. Still, Jungkook would be lying if he said he’s not taking the opportunity to subtly give himself some time away from Yoongi. 

He knows it’s not the human’s fault, it could never be. It’s just that, Jungkook has yet to learn how to deal with his own feelings and Yoongi’s presence so close to him, how it draws threads of baby blue across his heart and colors him with fondness. 

It’s funny how natural it feels, how good it feels to harbor such feelings for someone. Perhaps that’s why Jungkook misses Yoongi so badly, despite telling himself the distance will probably be for the best. 

“Jungkook, is there anything you want to tell me?” Hoseok prompts, jolting Jungkook awake from his daydreaming, sounding nonchalant. Nonetheless, Jungkook tenses at the question.

Today is yet another day the fairy decided to spend more time outside rather than taking care of the garden with Yoongi. The human told him he had to finish a few things, bringing more paperwork home, and so Jungkook both gladly and reluctantly let his wings guide him to Hoseok.

Wearing his heart on his sleeve might be Jungkook’s best and worst characteristic it seems, something that, in situations such as this, he attempts to control. He draws in a shuddering breath, taking Hoseok’s curious twinkling eyes fixed on him, brow arched in question. “Hm, I… not really. Why do you ask?”

Hoseok shrugs, his gaze unfaltering as if trying to extract as much information as he can from a destabilized Jungkook, even though the garden fairy does his best to mask his fidgetiness. 

“No particular reason. Taehyung mentioned you seemed to be woolgathering a lot, and after he said that I started to notice the same. So… just, you know, in case there’s anything you want to talk about.”

It pains Jungkook a little bit, a small squeezing sensation in his heart at Hoseok’s soft reminder. He doesn’t like hiding things from his loved ones, and never did, thus he has always been honest about everything and expects the same from others. 

Though now he can’t fathom how he could explain all of the recent events that took place in the past weeks. The skimming thoughts in his mind and the realization of his romantic feelings for a human of all things aren’t something Jungkook wants to poke at in front of his friends. 

It’s been risky since the beginning, that much Jungkook admitted after some time, but now, it feels dangerous. Should he pull Hoseok and Taehyung into his mess, and risk their peaceful life because of his poor decisions? Even worse, should he risk Yoongi? Risk the human’s memories and their fragile bond just because he couldn’t help falling in love?

Jungkook doesn’t know what to do. His lips curl up just the slightest and he eventually replies to Hoseok, sincere amidst his confusion over what action he should take. “Thank you for always being here for me. You and Taehyung both.”

“Always,” Hoseok beams, his arms reaching to hug Jungkook in his warmth. “You can share anything with us, okay?”

Jungkook inhales Hoseok’s balmy scent and his insides flicker pleasantly. His resolve falters in the comfortable atmosphere, it’s just a little, but enough for him to wonder. 

What if he tells Hoseok now? What if he reveals everything? That he didn’t leave Yoongi’s garden and that, even more jarring, developed romantic feelings for him? What if?

“Hm? Jungkook, did you say something?” Hoseok asks, rearing himself back and staring at Jungkook, expectant. At Jungkook’s silence, Hoseok deflates and looks just about ready to let the subject go, but-

“I like someone, but I don’t think they like me back and I don’t know what to do,” Jungkook blurts out, sputtering and holding onto Hoseok’s hands, as a way to ground himself.

Hoseok adjusts the tight grip of Jungkook’s fingers on his, as his eyes sparkle knowingly, in a way only people who are close enough to perceive small nuances can sparkle. “Ah, so that’s what it is. I didn’t think that would be the case.”

Jungkook blushes, embarrassed, and ponders whether it’s too obvious who Jungkook might be fond of. Ever since he came to Seoul, Jungkook didn’t become close to anyone other than his friends, nor grow accustomed to someone other than Yoongi. There are other fairies, sure, but no one could be a candidate. 

“Yeah… I never felt this way before, you know it. So, I don’t know what to do. At first, I thought I should just ignore it, but… we got close. When I don’t see him for too long it makes me so sad, I want to be with him even if he doesn’t feel the same,” Jungkook rattles, words pouring out incessantly, heartbeats out of rhythm. “I shouldn’t like him, but I do.”

“And… I’m sorry for keeping a secret until now, and for not telling you who this person is.”

“It’s okay,” Hoseok reassures him, tangling their fingers together. “Though I hope you can tell me eventually. But, about what you should do… Well, they’re your feelings, so you should think about what’s best to do with them. Keeping them to yourself, confessing, it’s up to you, so I’m not sure I can help a lot, Jungkook.”

“Oh…” Jungkook sighs, a tad bit disappointed admittedly. “I don’t know if I should tell him.”

“A-Alright, maybe you won’t tell. But, hey, how do you know for sure if this person doesn’t feel the same way?” Hoseok asks and his tone is hopeful, a cheerful lilt that rises in measured notes. Jungkook appreciates it, he really does, though he’s not sure if should let hope get to him about this matter. 

“He wouldn’t- I don’t think he would have many reasons to,” it’s what he says, feeling tears burning his eyes and blurring his vision, but he makes no move to wipe them away.

He thinks about how they met then, about how long it took for him to even consider truly looking at Yoongi, about how he lets himself be swayed by emotions way too easily, and how Yoongi is the complete opposite. He thinks about how different they are from the very bone, a human and a fairy.

Jungkook thinks about how they could work even if he was a human. He thinks about how he has never felt so insecure about something, and about how he never felt so sure of something, so sure of how Yoongi wouldn’t see him like that . 

“Jungkookie, you don’t need a specific reason to like someone,” Hoseok says, thumb catching a lone tear sliding down Jungkook’s cheek, his touch leaving aureate traces on Jungkook’s skin. “It simply comes to you, naturally, like the sun rising at dawn and then falling at dusk.”

There’s a pause then, and, once Hoseok has tucked in a crying Jungkook beneath his flickery wings, lying side by side on his bed, he suggests in a croon: “Maybe you should ask him,” and he shushes Jungkook with soft pecks on his hair in between each exhale of breath. “It might be scary to have confirmation that your feelings aren’t reciprocated, but, it might be the only way you’ll know.”

Today Jungkook doesn’t feel so brave to try. But, perhaps, when a flutter of courage makes its home inside of him, he’ll seize the opportunity and… tell Yoongi that he likes him. What that will do to him, Jungkook won’t think too much about it now.

❁

It’s nerve-wracking, the flight towards Yoongi’s house. It’s all a blur, the scenario of buildings and houses mixing as Jungkook tries to rehearse the conversation he’ll have with Yoongi in his head. His confession . Well, at least, he plans on trying to confess.

It’s been at least three weeks with no exchange of words, signs, or texts, let alone a mere glance between the human and the fairy. And despite telling himself he could just show up like usual, Jungkook wasn’t prepared for how hard it would be to fall back into how their routine was. 

Now that the scenery that leads to Yoongi’s house becomes more familiar, Jungkook tries to talk himself to remain calm, even though he’s the farthest from calm at the moment. 

“What if he asks why I stopped visiting?” Jungkook nervously asked Hoseok and Taehyung one day, when missing Yoongi became unbearable. 

“You’ll know what to do,” Taehyung replied in a calm tone that was infuriating. Sometimes he could be incredibly level-headed, despite his easily shaken humor. It’s a water fairy thing, to be naturally moved by things more intensely than most, but Taehyung knew how to switch it off from time to time, it seems. 

“If anything at all, maybe it helps you to start a conversation.” Taehyung continued matter of factly.

And Jungkook couldn’t argue with that. So he focuses on that as he steps onto the balcony, and the enthusiastic greetings coming from the garden somewhat soothe his nerves. They repeat how much they missed Jungkook, confused over why he decided to leave them without a word. 

Jungkook fumbles with an explanation, the flowers only forgiving him by so little — honestly, it’s because they love him so dearly. He takes a good look at each flower and plant, heart filled with cozy-warm fondness as he notices how Yoongi is taking care of them even in his absence. 

Peeking from behind the curtains, Jungkook searches for the human. It’s Sunday after all, so he must be at home. Then he sees it, a lump lying on the sofa, covered by tons of cotton sheets. Yoongi. He must’ve fallen asleep on the couch again. It happens sometimes when he gets too immersed in work. 

Once Jungkook flies inside he hears Yoongi’s shallow wheezing breath and he panics for a second. A coughing fit is forced out of Yoongi, sounding wet and painful, and that makes it even more obvious: Yoongi is sick. It’s not something fairies are used to, and for that, humans are far more fragile than their tiny magical counterparts. 

“Oh, no…” Jungkook takes a closer look at Yoongi’s state and the visual seems to amplify Yoongi’s poor condition. His eyes are scrunched shut and there’s a deep frown scrunching his features, sweat pools on his temple, and he’s wearing a white mask to cover the lower half of his face, the cloth looking wet at this distance. 

Very carefully, Jungkook hovers above Yoongi’s shivering frame and the human’s forehead feels hot and clammy to the touch, indicating that he’s having a fever. Yoongi mumbles something under his breath and Jungkook’s chest seizes with distress. He can’t not do something about it. 

“Alright, I’ll take care of you, Yoongi-hyung. You don’t have to do anything, just let me take care of you,” Jungkook mutters mostly to himself, hoping it serves as some comfort to Yoongi as well. All the anxiety filling him up until now wafts away and gives space to his wish to tend to Yoongi the best way he can. 

Now, Jungkook is aware of his size disadvantage. There’s not a lot he can do when it comes to something non-magic related being just a few inches tall, let alone taking care of a sick human. There is something he could do, though, again, is not exactly correct by fairy standards.

Fairies have their particular talents, bending magic and aiming their efforts towards it, be it guiding sunbeams to help create a rainbow, collecting dewdrops first thing in the morning, or drawing the infinite potential designs for a snowflake. But there’s one thing all fairies have in common: a magic spell that turns them into humans temporarily.

It’s a protection tactic, and its use is meant to occur only in extreme situations. Jungkook’s situation at the moment doesn’t fit the criteria.

Still, inertia won’t be Jungkook’s answer to the situation before him. He has enough strength to pick up the medicines already displayed all over the coffee table — at least he thinks he has — and he can do as much as wipe Yoongi’s sweat off his skin, cooling his temperature to some small extent at least. 

His magic, which gives solace to stressed and malnourished flowers, can also relieve Yoongi’s physical and mental burden. A gentle caress at the top of his head, a fleeting press of lips too, and the afflicted expression on Yoongi’s face begin to ease.

Jungkook continues with his assistance diligently, immersed in the quiet ambiance and accompanied by Sugar’s constant and nonchalant gaze sent his way. Everything is fine and time passes leisurely. That is until the creaking sound of a door opening startles Jungkook to no end. 

There’s pixie dust flying all over the couch and dusting Yoongi’s mask in viridescent flecks, and a tinge of fear zips up Jungkook’s spine. He hides between Yoongi and the couch, looking from above the human’s covered tummy to watch the newcomers.

“I’m glad hyung sent me his passcode,” a hushed deep voice begins, somewhat familiar. “I wouldn’t want to wake him up just to get the door,” and, yes, Jungkook already heard this voice before. It’s Namjoon. 

“Doesn’t that also mean he got worse?” A more light mellifluous voice comes second. Jungkook immediately associates it with Jimin. “Does he get sick often?” He asks worriedly while taking his shoes off and following Namjoon through the living room.

“No, not really. Which is a miracle, considering how much he works daily and how much I need to remind him of doing simple things,” Namjoon replies, tutting, and tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth. And Jungkook bitterly agrees. 

Aside from the gardening lessons and lazy moments here and there, Jungkook has, unfortunately, grown used to watching Yoongi bringing tons of paperwork home.

“But, you know, it’s almost the end of the year and we always tend to work more around this time. Hyung wouldn’t be different. Just didn’t think it would be this bad.”

“I understand dedicating yourself to your job, but he should take better care of himself,” Jimin says in a lightly scolding. “Well, let’s do that for him for now.”

Jungkook tries to avert his gaze the moment Namjoon leans into Jimin’s space and kisses him, pressing harder each time their lips separate and meet again, feeling like he’s intruding in their intimate exchange of love. “Thank you for helping me, Jimin. You didn’t have to, but I’m glad.”

Jimin giggles and kisses Namjoon’s cheek one last time for good measure, the wet smacking sound echoing in the apartment. “Yoongi-hyung is my friend now too, of course I’d like to help. And you can help me by doing a few things like preparing a bath and separating some clean towels. I’ll check on his medicines in the meantime.”

“Yes, sir,” Namjoon salutes in a silly and cute manner and goes off to comply with Jimin’s requests. 

A soundless wind travels from one corner to another then, and a cool foamy sensation fills Jungkook’s pores. Like a fluid embracing him, Jungkook feels magic overtaking his surroundings and he would piece all the puzzles together, if only he wasn’t so confused. So he just stays utterly quiet, ready to wait until Jimin and Namjoon take their leave.

“You can come out now,” Jimin says to nowhere, really, though it feels as if he’s addressing someone. “It’s okay. I already know you’re here, fairy. And I’m sure you can already tell I’m no ordinary human.”

The realization dawns on Jungkook in slow motion, along with Jimin’s growing smile, and once it fully establishes it feels nothing short of astonishing. Jimin isn’t human, or at least not an ordinary one as he himself stated. Jungkook can only think he’s either a highly sensitive human or… 

“You’re a witch,” Jungkook whispers, sure of himself, slowly coming out of his hideout. He climbs on top of Yoongi’s chest, the solid expanse beneath his feet rising and falling in staggering motions. 

Jungkook’s wings flutter behind his back and it seems to draw Jimin’s attention, the human staring at them in awe. “Hm, yes, yes, I’m a witch. Sorry, your wings, they’re so pretty I got distracted for a second. Hi, I’m Jimin,” he replies between chiming giggles, and the conviction in his answer makes Jungkook realize he must’ve understood what he said. 

They don’t have too much time before Namjoon comes back, but Jungkook still wants to clarify a few things if he can. “Did you know I was here all along? And- Can you understand what I’m saying right now?”

“Yes, to both questions,” Jimin replies with a chuckle. “I felt your magic the day I first visited Yoongi-hyung. I assumed he knew you were here and decided to keep it a secret, so I didn’t pry,” Jimin says and pulls out a necklace from inside his flowy shirt, a dangling pendant hanging at the end of it. 

It’s a small blue crystal in the shape of a sphere, wrapped by several lines of melted silver, and the object emanates a different magic than that of Jimin. It’s strange in a way, feeling much older than it looks.

“And this . I take it with me just in case. I still can’t trace back to the original artisan slash probable witch who made it, but this little thing sure is helpful. I can understand any language with this, including fairy folk language. I wish I could learn how it was crafted though,” he bemoans. “It’s so quaint and so different from anything I’ve ever seen. The magic here is so-” Jimin suddenly stops. 

Giving a shy awkward laugh after a while, he resumes his speech. “Sorry, I was rambling. Anyway, tell me, you came here to help him, didn’t you?”

Jungkook nods forlornly, feeling the constricted breath of Yoongi’s lungs humming through him. “Yes, but I can’t do much. I can’t turn into a human given the situation. It’s against our law and… I already did a lot of things I shouldn’t have done.”

“I guess we all do wrong things sometimes,” Jimin tells him, sympathetic. “But I’m sure that if it involves Yoongi-hyung, and considering fairy laws, they weren’t actually bad, just, you know, against the rules.”

Jungkook agrees with that notion, even if he can’t help thinking most of his fellow fairies wouldn’t see it through the same prism. Still, there is one thing he won’t change his mind about. “You’re right. Interacting with Yoongi-hyung is against our law, but… I don’t regret meeting him,” he explains, images of his days spent with Yoongi rushing back to the forefront of his mind, “And I don’t regret feeling the way I feel about him.”

“Ah, I love that,” Jimin sighs, a light of mischief and somewhat mellowness glinting in his eyes. “When love turns us into rebels.”

Jungkook’s smile broadens, his cheeks warming in a rosy hue. Maybe he is a rebel, going against the winds of the expected and the norm. And that’s why he decided to tell Yoongi after all. Even if he can’t correspond, he wants to tell him. 

“And because I support all rebels with a good cause, let me help you in any way I can,” Jimin positively trills. 

“Help me? How?” Jungkook asks, forehead wrinkling in thought. Sure Jimin is a witch, but he can’t conceive which abilities the other has and in what way Jungkook would benefit from it without getting himself into more trouble.

“Don’t underestimate me, tiny friend,” Jimin huffs playfully. “You mentioned you can’t turn into a human, right? I can help you with that, only temporarily, but it’s something we can do in a rush.”

A cough forcibly leaves Yoongi then, sounding harsh to his throat. It causes Jungkook to topple over, and worry to flash over his face. “Ah, just a second,” Jimin mumbles and hastily grabs onto his cell phone, unlocking it and moving his fingers deftly through the screen. 

“I’ll just make a quick spell to soothe his sickness for now. I did say I was going to help him, you know.”

“You keep your spells in your cell phone?” Jungkook asks curiously, flying over Jimin’s shoulder and his eyes gaze over incomprehensible words both in Korean and a language he has never seen before.

“Practical isn’t it? But I have my magic books at home,” Jimin giggles. “So, what do you say about my suggestion? He’ll need someone to look after him after my boyfriend and I leave.”

Different emotions barrage Jungkook’s being. It never occurred to him to truly become a human even if needed. If anyone were to tell him such a thing, maybe just a few months ago, he would deny it, considering the concept absurd on its own. The thought alone used to scare him, and then he deemed it impossible to even happen.

But he can’t shake the thought out of his mind now, not when the situation is being presented to him as it is, and with Jimin volunteering to use his magic to help him. Jungkook would have the chance of speaking to Yoongi, finally letting him hear his voice. 

A delicate frill coils inside his heart and it expands, his resolution blooming and glittering in bold colors. Jungkook inhales and lets out a soft sound. “Yes. I’ll take your help, Jimin-ssi.”

❁

The image of the dusk sky and darkening clouds are perfectly visible through the window, the dying sun outside casting its last beams. A sliver of light draws Jungkook’s attention as it reaches Yoongi’s pale and sleeping body on the couch, hitting his slightly damp skin, and turning it liquid gold.

Jungkook, who now stands on his human-size legs, clad in a human-size outfit — Yoongi’s clothes that Jimin stealthily handed to him — feels his pulse skyrocketing at the small flinching movements Yoongi exhibits. It looks like he’s waking up and will soon see him, not as a tiny fairy but as a grown man.

Despite his nerves, he can’t act all frightened after all the trouble Jimin had helping him. Please, this is the same Jungkook who stood up for his flowers — Yoongi’s flowers. Details — the same Jungkook who’s been flying to Yoongi since the beginning. 

So he walks towards Yoongi one more time, even though it still feels strange to walk like this as if he’s a baby deer getting used to its lanky limbs. 

Jungkook sits down on a chair placed by the couch’s side and waits, waits until Yoongi’s eyes flutter open and for him to direct his gaze at his new shape. But when it happens, Jungkook freezes. Yoongi’s frown deepens as he sits up, hair sticking to his forehead, and his mind seemingly oscillating between dream and reality.

“Hyung, don’t push yourself too hard,” Jungkook gently tells him, hands ready to support Yoongi if needed. His voice is foreign to his ears as the words roll in a muddy-slow pattern on his tongue. It’s soft, airy, his own voice, but not quite.

Yoongi rakes his gaze over his living room, confused over his surroundings for a second, and then he finds Jungkook. Squinting at the fairy, Yoongi’s eyes convey awe and endearment over the person in front of him, then it turns into hesitation until it settles on resignation. “A dream,” he sighs, voice scratchy and uneven. “Can’t remember such a vivid one in a while.”

“No,” Jungkook fumbles hastily, guilt clawing at his chest. He shouldn’t have disappeared for so long without saying a word. “Not a dream. It’s- It’s me, hyung. I’m really here.”

“Oh,” Yoongi exhales shakily. “But… you’re- your size is- You’re like a human, and Jungkook-” a cough cuts his speaking, and Jungkook is quick to fetch a glass of water, helping him to gulp down the liquid in small slow gulps. “Shit- sorry. I’m just, this is confusing.”

Jungkook’s palm moves in circles over Yoongi’s back and being able to touch him as this feels… so good, grounding, even though he’s the one who’s supposed to offer comfort, not the other way around. “I know. But, long story short, Jimin-ssi helped me.”

Yoongi pulls his mask down, letting it pool by his chin, runny nose a rose-petal hue and his cheeks chubbing up a little, and he makes a face. “Jimin? Park Jimin? Namjoon’s boyfriend?”

“Hm, yes,” Jungkook replies, entranced by Yoongi’s face, catching onto different angles and shadings. “He’s a witch.”

“A witch?!” Yoongi gasps, another coughing fits threatening to bubble up his sore throat. “Does Namjoon know?”

Jungkook tilts his head to the sides and then shakes his head. “It didn’t seem like it,” he says. “But you were right. Jimin-ssi really likes him, and Namjoon-ssi too. Their love is… very beautiful. I think he’ll tell Namjoon-ssi when he’s ready.”

Yoongi hums in agreement, his mouth twisting just the slightest in a happy smile. “That’s good. And I’d like to know more about this if you’re willing to explain,” he says as he gestures at Jungkook, skin flushing deeper either due to his recurrent fever or out of embarrassment. 

It’s another of the many things Jungkook has learned to appreciate about Yoongi. The human is better at communicating than he is, for he’s usually the one that breaches delicate topics, their first meeting being one of a few examples. Yoongi never pushes for explanations one isn’t ready to give just yet, rather staying close by in a silent act of support, preparing to draw himself closer if needed. 

But the reason why Jungkook is here is so he can also be more upfront, and more honest, regardless of the outcome. 

“And I would like to explain it to you, hyung, but first I have to tell you something,” Jungkook begins, tone surprisingly leveled, his speech smooth around the edges despite the persisting strangeness of human language. “I’m sorry,” he breathes out, the first of many lumps clogged in his windpipe loosening up. 

“I’m sorry for leaving without saying anything to you. I understand if you’re upset, and, honestly, I hope you are,” he says in a croon. “You don’t have to pretend everything is fine.”

With his eyes cast down to his tangled fingers on his lap, Yoongi’s expression can’t be seen, can’t be gauged, and, even still, Jungkook fears a reaction that might change things between them. 

“I’m sorry for avoiding you. I- I needed to let my mind settle before reaching out,” he pauses, raising his head and seeing that Yoongi’s gaze is already lined up with his, flickering with empathy. Jungkook blushes, hands balled up into fists. Yoongi is too good. 

“But, please, don’t think I don’t cherish what we have because of that. I do ,” Jungkook states firmly.

Moonlight dapples through the window, the fine fabric of the curtains offering a gentle interlacing of shadows over Yoongi’s features. “Yeah, well, I was worried,” Yoongi says eventually, after clearing his throat and sipping some water. “I was upset too, assuming I did something wrong and that’s why you didn’t show up,” a pause, and Jungkook grimaces.

“And I guess somewhere, in a corner of my mind, it kept ringing that maybe you found a better place to be, a better connection, and… though I tried to tell myself it was okay, deep down, something in me was doubting your feelings, Jungkook-ah.”

“Seeing you here now makes me realize I looked down on you. So, I apologize for that too.”

Jungkook feels his insides flaring, though not solely as a result of Yoongi’s words. It’s Jimin’s magic inside of him seeping out of his pores. He doesn’t know how long he can hold on. “It’s not your fault, hyung,” he says with a reassuring smile, tentatively letting his palm rest over Yoongi’s hand. 

“It’s not yours either then,” Yoongi chuckles and he retrieves his hand back, causing Jungkook’s face to fall for a short second. But, thankfully, Yoongi only does so to clasp their hands together, fingers intertwined, safe, and tender. “Now that we cleared this up-” Yoongi begins but it’s soon silenced by Jungkook’s index finger pressed lightly against his lips. 

“I have to tell you one more thing, hyung,” the fairy explains, drawing his hand back before he grows too self-conscious over his abrupt action, or too focused on the pillowy-soft sensation of Yoongi’s lips. 

“O-Oh, okay. What is it?” Yoongi’s cheeks seemed to be ablaze. Hopefully, his fever is not getting worse.

And before Jungkook finally utters his confession, he admires the outline of Yoongi’s beautiful eyes behind the tendrils of dark hair slightly obscuring his vision, thinking this is when he might have Yoongi or lose him.

“I was sure of this the night you said you like someone,” Jungkook begins, taking his time, the bump, bump, bump of his heart echoing in his ears, loudly. “After everything you said, I was both sad and outraged, wondering how could this person not like you back, and wondering why it wasn’t me, knowing it couldn’t be me. Because- me being a fairy and you being a human…” He sighs.

“And I didn’t know how to process these feelings. I didn’t want to be a burden either.”

“Jungkook-ah,” Yoongi tries to speak, squeezing his hand tighter, face twisting, but Jungkook interrupts him. 

“Hyung, let me finish, please,” Jungkook says, vowels sharp and fast, and he hopes Yoongi doesn’t take it as rudeness. He hopes Yoongi can see right through him, and catch on the sparkling golden strings of love shining on the pool of his eyes instead. 

“I like you hyung. So, so much, and I was sure of it the night you told me you liked someone else. So I didn’t want these feelings to be a burden to you because I knew I wouldn’t be able to let go of them.”

“And I was so scared of losing what we built over the past few months, so… I avoided you because I didn’t want things to change. Not facing you meant things would remain the same, even if-”

“Jungkook,” Yoongi says again, this time cradling Jungkook’s cheeks with his lukewarm palms, promptly making him stop. His tired eyes light up and his expression eases into a soft smile. “Jungkook, petal, the one I was talking about that night was- is you . It has always been you.”

It’s a short moment frozen in time, where Jungkook’s brain can’t quite understand Yoongi’s words as they waft into space and then settle into silence. He blinks, once, twice, three times, and still can’t fully comprehend it.

“Huh?” Jungkook all too dumbly replies, the breathy chuckle Yoongi lets out fanning his face. 

“I said, the person I was talking about that night, the person I said I came to like, romantically, is you,” Yoongi patiently repeats, gaze zeroing with Jungkook’s and thumbs caressing the supple area under his eyes. 

“I assumed you knew, after those- awkward things I said, and that’s why you left. I mean, I assumed a lot of things and possible explanations for you not showing up, but,” he not so gracefully chortles and it spins something at Jungkook’s core, making him laugh a bit too. 

“Namjoon is always telling me I shouldn’t assume things and that I should treat myself the way I treat others… Hate when he’s right.”

Ducking his head, Jungkook nibbles on his bottom lip, barely containing both the happiness and relief that overtakes him. He feels his eyes prickle with fresh-born tears, glistening as Yoongi scoops them up with his fingertips. 

And his magic, in this altered new state, unlike what he believed at first, is a whole mess. Jungkook’s height is different, and his wings are tucked in, but his magic remains the same, strong and vivid and responding directly to his emotional state. 

The sizzling burning low on Jungkook’s belly intensifies and he feels ticklish all over, and before he knows it bristles are reaching the surface from within. A tiny iridescent flower blooms out of his skin. 

It’s a rare occurrence, not something he has ever experienced in the past, but possible under the right circumstances. Sun fairies can emit more light naturally, winter fairies can feel colder to the touch, and garden fairies can sometimes make plants grow out of themselves. 

It’s all a result of the powerful magic that gives them life and courses through their veins.

“Hyung…” Jungkook whispers, not knowing what to say, all letters are stuck on his palate and their taste is pleasant honeyed-sweet. 

Quietly, Yoongi gingerly brushes the brittle flower petal that sprouted on his forearm, fascinated by it. And Jungkook thinks it’s funny. The sole purpose of his magic — his whole existence — is to help plant life to thrive, to have it glow in the face of new beginnings each year, and to offer a delightful sight in all senses. 

But now, it’s Yoongi who brings Spring into Jungkook’s life, he’s the one that etches it into his body, and makes all colors blossom.

Jungkook shortens their distance and rests his forehead against Yoongi’s hot one, not bothering over the other’s weak protest of “I’m sick, Jungkook,” replying with an easy “Fairies don’t get sick like that, hyung.” 

“You called me petal,” Jungkook says after a while. 

Yoongi draws in a thin breath. “It slipped. I was so happy while piecing everything together that I- just uttered the first thing that came to mind.”

“I liked it,” Jungkook answers, bubbly and open, nose scrunching cutely. “I like you.”

The affirmation seems to put Yoongi at ease, “I know that now,” Yoongi hums and he pulls Jungkook into his arms, “I like you too,” he speaks directly into Jungkook’s ear and makes an upward and willful movement of his hand over the arch of Jungkook’s spinal column, and it causes the tiniest of sighs to fall past Jungkook’s mouth.

As the night gets older, the shape of their tangled bodies is lit by the silver moonbeams, and Jungkook’s skin begins to tingle in an abundance of goosebumps, stronger than all other times before. He first attributed the sensation to Yoongi’s touches, but soon he realizes that it’s actually the last traces of Jimin’s magic leaving his body.

Suddenly, Yoongi is so, so tall, so much so that the tendons of Jungkook’s neck hurt when he strains his head up to look at the human. Jungkook is back to his natural form, a tiny fairy that now rests on top of Yoongi’s lap. He wishes it would’ve lasted longer, but he couldn’t ask more of Jimin, he’s already grateful enough as it is.

“Hm, h-here, cover yourself with this,” Yoongi stutters while fumbling to get a tissue and handing it to Jungkook. It didn’t occur to him that he was standing stark naked in front of Yoongi, the embarrassment coming to him much later but just as intense. 

Jungkook flushes a deep red color, a strawberry in harvest, and wraps the paper tissue around his body the best he can, his glittery wings now making the task a tad bit more difficult. “Thank you, hyung,” he says and, oh, Yoongi won’t understand him anymore. 

Nonetheless, Yoongi smiles at him. “I have to say, I love your voice as a human, but I also love listening to these bells ringing when you’re a fairy.”

Jungkook relates to Yoongi in that sense. He too loved Yoongi’s bolder touches in his human form, but he’s endeared by the other’s carefulness when he’s a fairy, how he handles him with such care. And a new flower blooms in Jungkook as a result of his flurrying emotions, this one at the back of his hand. 

It seems Yoongi’s Spring is set on making a garden out of him.

Jungkook takes flight then. He feels brave. He has an idea that didn’t come to him until now, and slight hints of confusion can be seen on Yoongi’s face the closer Jungkook gets. Once the fairy stops at a distance shorter than a leaf from Yoongi’s face, it’s a sense of comprehension that settles on him.

Pressing a kiss on Yoongi’s skin, Jungkook knows that he’ll keep choosing Yoongi no matter what. 

❁

Seoul is always busting with chaotic energy, something gritty that percolates the concrete and then flows out in constant waves. People are always coming and going in center areas, always busy, sparing little time to grasp onto the whimsical that scurries right by their side. In this case, something magical in the shape of one Jungkook.

As for Jungkook himself, a fairy turned human to spend more time with his significant other, he still has a hard time relaxing fully. A few months have passed, and Jungkook’s hair is longer, as well as Yoongi’s, but he still walks looking over his shoulder, just to make sure no other fairies are perceiving him, aware of his trespassings. 

Nevertheless, he would be lying if he said this isn’t equally exciting and fulfilling. Going out with Yoongi on a date, as humans call it, gives Jungkook a giddy feeling, butterflies flying down his stomach. 

It’s Yoongi’s birthday too, which makes the occasion even more special. And since Spring shows itself by March, in an explosion of colors and melodious symphonies, Jungkook is celebrating both his favorite season and his lover’s birthday today. So he truly wants to focus on the good feelings swirling through instead of the apprehension that unwantedly keeps lurking.

“Everything alright?” Yoongi asks worriedly, lightly squeezing their clasped hands together. 

Jungkook faces forward, realizing he stops on his track and Yoongi stands a step ahead of him. “Oh, it’s nothing, hyung. I’m just, you know, checking things around.”

Yoongi chuckles, walking to Jungkook and placing a fleeting kiss on his lips. “Let’s just hope no other fairy can tell you’re one of them,” he says, fingers casually slipping inside the edge of Jungkook’s shirt and touching the necklace that hangs on his collarbones.

Jungkook shivers a little at the contact, distracted by it, but he also hopes Yoongi is right. Jimin worked hard to help him, this time doing the spell with all the right ingredients and mixing it with his magic, creating an artifact that allows Jungkook to turn into a human. 

It’s both more convenient and a more precise enchantment, the piece having a clear diamond pendant containing Jimin’s magic, potentialized by seawater, so they don’t need to worry about a time limit for as long Jungkook wears the necklace. The thought gives Jungkook much-needed solace. 

“We’re here,” Yoongi says after a while, as they stop by a glass door that leads to a small cafe. 

The signboard reading Moon Rabbit Coffee Shop is complemented by the painting of a rabbit on the moon with a piece of cake by its side — the image inspired by the folktale of the Moon Rabbit, as Yoongi pointed out earlier. 

From the outside, Jungkook watches the lush green vines elegantly dripping down from their vases, white and baby pink flowers peeking out. It’s always a good time to meet new gardens and Jungkook is excited to introduce himself, even if still needs to be careful not to call too much attention.

Entering the establishment, the balmy scent of baked goods grazes Jungkook’s nostrils, and the soft lighting offers a cozy ambiance. Jungkook takes not-so-subtle sniffs of the air wafting around him and sighs in appreciative hums, fully understanding why Yoongi likes this place so much. 

But there’s one thing that immediately bothers Jungkook once he notices it. There are plenty of plants decorating the cafe, sure, lots of light and darker tons of green creating a pretty arrangement. But, upon a closer look Jungkook sees that they’re fake. And he doesn’t like that one bit.

It’s not just the artificial shine of the plants, beautiful but lacking life, that makes Jungkook so sure of it. It’s their breathlessness, the absence of nature’s smell, and how none of them greet him when he walks past the door. 

Plants and flowers alike usually pick up on his identity, identifying a fairy with ease — and Jungkook knows they can do it even in his human disguise. So it feels… odd when none of the plants speak to him, disappointing and sad also comes to mind.

Jungkook’s glaring, distraught, and the greeting coming from the owner of the coffee shop is almost lost amidst his gloomy thoughts. He only comes to when Yoongi squeezes his hand yet again. 

“Oh,” Jungkook startles, gaze moving away from the mock-up plants to focus on the man before him, plump lips calling his attention, cotton-fluffy hazel hair, and eyes squinted in a smile. “H-Hi.”

“Hello, and welcome back,” the man says playfully. “I’m Kim Seokjin and I’ll be taking your orders. I see you liked the plants,” he points to one of the vases near the counter. Unfortunately, he couldn’t be farther from the truth. 

“Well… they’re fake. Aren’t they?” Jungkook comments, concealing his accusatory tone just in time, although he can’t help feeling upset by the whole thing. Sure, he knows about the existence of artificial plants, but it was the building expectation of encountering something and the complete opposite of the situation that makes him feel a bit fidgety.

“Jungkook prefers real plants. He’s very good at taking care of them,” Yoongi explains, tucking a strand of Jungkook’s hair behind his ear. 

“Ah, I’m not good at it,” Seokjin laughs, a high-pitched sound but cute in a way. “I thought it would be better to have the fake ones and make the place pretty than having nothing at all.”

“I’m not good at gardening either, so I understand you,” Yoongi says with a sympathetic smile.

Seokjin claps his hand together and then gestures between himself and Yoongi. “We could make a good pair then, Yoongi-yah.” 

At that Jungkook raises one eyebrow, clutching at the hem of Yoongi’s shirt and pulling him close, lips puckered due to the unpleasant taste on his tongue. “ I’m hyung’s pair.”

His statement causes an interesting response from Seokjin, who stares at him somewhat confused, wide eyes oscillating between Yoongi and Jungkook as if looking for an answer he can’t catch. 

As for Yoongi, a lilt of a giggle leaves him as a reaction to Jungkook’s jealousy. “You’re so adorable. What am I going to do with you?” It’s a rhetorical question, that much is obvious, something uttered with utmost endearment, a tender confession sealed as his lips mold themselves against the curves of Jungkook’s. “He didn’t mean it like that , petal.”

Jungkook flusters beyond belief, face heating with embarrassment as he steals glances toward Yoongi. “I- I thought- I thought he was… flirting with you,” he fumbles, eyes veering at the counter and finally falling on Seokjin, self-consciousness at its peak.

“Ah, don’t worry about that,” Seokjin laughs. “I have a boyfriend, you know. And Yoongi is my friend. A good friend before being a client.” 

That settles well on Jungkook, indeed, his nerves subsiding considerably. “I’m sorry for assuming, Seokjin-ssi. I was planning on praising your cooking once I arrived. Yoongi-hyung and I always eat your desserts during the evenings, so I wanted to let you know how important your cooking is to us. But I ended up acting like this instead. I’m sorry.” 

And Jungkook recalls the first time he spoke to Yoongi and how something similar took place. It makes the fairy think he still needs some growing to go through. 

“I’m not mad or anything like that, Jungkook-ssi, really. And you can still praise my cooking all you want,” Seokjin says animatedly and Jungkook likes how he makes things easy, much like Yoongi, even though their energies are very different. 

“You guys can make your order now, but don’t think I forgot what day it is today,” Seokjin adds a wink at the end of his words, and Yoongi smiles shyly at him.

With that, after deciding what they’re going to eat, Jungkook and Yoongi move to a table near the window, a secluded place for themselves, as the cafe slowly fills in with small waves of clients. 

Cackles fill the air, cutlery hitting against each other vibrates along with the weak ambient music. It’s a nice place to spend some time, bring friends, a lover, or even alone, and watch the changing sky outside with a cup of coffee.

“Enjoying our first date?” Yoongi questions fondly, reaching out to clean a speck of whipped cream dusting the corner of Jungkook’s mouth, both of them devouring the delicious cake Seokjin prepared for Yoongi’s birthday. 

Jungkook’s giggle is muffled behind his palms as Yoongi retreats his hand. It’ll never not amaze him how quiet yet open and loud Yoongi’s affection is. The small touches, the small gestures, the soft mouthing of a praise, his heart fluttering every single time.

“Absolutely!” Jungkook beams. “Enjoying your birthday so far?”

“Absolutely,” Yoongi says with a grin. “You’re making it special.”

“Hyung, you’re so bold in the things you say,” Jungkook breathes, timid and so, so blissful. “I need to work harder,” he groans weakly though determined to improve his flowery speech.

Yoongi blinks, scratching his earlobe. “Thank you, but I just spill out anything that comes to mind,” he chuckles a bit taken aback “But, don’t worry. If that’s something you want then you’ll get better with time,” he reassures Jungkook, and then takes another huge bite of cake, gulping down the last remnants of his ice coffee next. 

“Will your friends visit us later? I know I said this before, but, they… they don’t have to if it’s too much trouble or risky for them. I understand if they’d rather take their time,” Yoongi tells him gently. 

Jungkook comprehends his worries, and his friend’s too, but he also notices how they are opening up to the idea, especially Hoseok and Taehyung. It’s a positive sign, their growing interest aligns with Jungkook’s wants, since he wishes them all to be good friends if possible, and that seems to be the same in their minds.

“Thank you for understanding, honey. But they’re excited to meet you today. Nervous, but excited,” Jungkook offers just as gently. “Me too. I want you to meet them. They’re my family here, so… I’ll be happy if you get along.”

The shimmering glass of the window reflects the afternoon light, splintering in a swaying dance of yellows and oranges across Yoongi’s frame, his features flattered by the warm colors, so as his dazzling smile. “I’d like you to meet my family too, my parents and my brother. Eventually. I know things can be a bit, you know, complicated, with-”

“Me being a fairy and you being a human,” Jungkook completes, mimicking Yoongi’s voice and playfully rolling his eyes, nudging Yoongi’s leg beneath the table. 

“Yes, yes, that. But,” Yoongi begins between peels of good-hearted laughter, lightly pushing Jungkook’s leg back, “just so you know that I thought about it. And that we can figure things out.”

“Just like we’ve been doing since the beginning, right?” Letting his fingers slot together with Yoongi’s above the wood surface of the table, Jungkook continues. “I’d like you to meet my parents and my sister one day too, you know?”

“Yeah? It makes me happy to know that,” Yoongi breathes out, bringing their joined hands toward his lips and he kisses Jungkook’s knuckles, like tiny little promises of a future together. “How about we go home now? Let’s talk to Seokjin-hyung and Joohwan-hyung, now that he’s here. Then we can prepare things to welcome everyone.”

As the city is draped by hues of indigo that fade into the night sky, Jungkook and Yoongi return to the human’s apartment and place their grocery shopping over the kitchen counters and cabinets. 

Along with the traditional miyeokguk , the menu for the gathering will be a more elaborate one, with a few more dishes than what they’re used to daily, but Jungkook’s a lot more familiar with Korean cuisine now and feels equipped enough to assist Yoongi with cooking. 

While Yoongi is setting the ingredients for galbi-jjim , and side dishes, such as japchae , Jungkook gives some attention to Sugar, the cat allowing Jungkook to pet his belly and he purrs loudly, meowling happily with each stroke. He takes Sugar into his arms and walks to the balcony, the sound of rustling plastic going off in the distance.

Moving his eyes through the garden in full bloom, Jungkook compliments the flowers, proud, and sparkling. Modest and cheerful marigolds, loyal pansies, energetic daffodils, comprehensive hydrangeas, cute and demanding buttercups. His gaze drips with the purest form of love as it rakes through their splendor. 

Except for the chrysanthemum, patiently waiting for its time to blossom, every plant is livelily exhibiting its beautiful shades, an open invitation for those around them to stop and admire. 

A new addition to the garden slowly lets itself show, the iridescent flowers born out of Jungkook’s magic, the sprouts that came out of him from within, nurtured by his and Yoongi’s love. Jungkook hardly has favorites, but this one… if he had to choose, this one might be it — he just won’t tell the others.

“Jungkook!” He hears Hoseok’s soft voice then, joined by Taehyung’s deeper one. 

“Hobi, Tae. You’re here already!” Jungkook nearly runs to where they stand in their minuteness amongst the flowers both Yoongi and he tended to with so much thought.

Hoseok and Taehyung look more magical if possible, glowy, bold flickers of magic sizzling in the air. Another reason why Jungkook loves Spring so much. It’s the season that allows all of them to flourish in their respective talents, prosperous and strong.

“I’ll never get used to you in this size,” Hoseok comments forlornly, though it's merely a lighthearted complaint, not judgmental or taunting, so Jungkook doesn’t take it seriously.  

“It’s just the second time we see him like this, so it won’t be so weird next time. I guess…” Taehyung trails off but keeps a more balanced reaction this time around. 

It’s a perfect contrast to how dramatic the water fairy was before, having only calmed down after a long and serious talk about how Jungkook would never stop being a fairy and that he wouldn’t be stolen away by the “big and bad pale human wearing glasses.”

“It was weirder for me,” Jungkook points out. “Okay, enough about my size! Yoongi is preparing dinner and I’ll help him, so come join us and I’ll introduce you for real,” Jungkook says, swaying from side to side, visibly thrumming with energy.

“Calm down, raindrop,” Taehyung chuckles, ocean waves ebbing and then rushing back to the beach. Taehyung flies above Jungkook’s head and covers him in purplish fairy dust, and Jungkook giggles at Sugar’s momentary spike of curiosity at the newcomer. “Your human won’t go anywhere and neither will we.”

“I can’t help it. I’m excited,” Jungkook’s voice edges into a whine that only peels more laughter out of his friends.

“We know,” Hoseok grins, as he looks fondly at Jungkook. 

At the same time, the doorbell rings and Yoongi’s voice emerges from inside the apartment, calling to Jungkook. Sugar jumps from his lap and Jungkook thinks that maybe it’s time for them to join the others. He turns around and sees Jimin and Namjoon in the living room, the couple arriving earlier than predicted. 

“So, are you guys ready?”

“Can’t believe we’re about to meet a human face to face,” Hoseok says, wings fluttering nervously with shards of sunlight.

“Me neither,” Taehyung replies, sharing the bubbly sentiment of venturing into uncharted territories with Hoseok, the same Jungkook felt when he realized what he’s capable of doing now, of walking between two different words and being loved in both. 

“Don’t worry,” Jungkook tells them softly. “Yoongi-hyung is my Spring. And nothing bad has ever happened to us during Spring.”

And, as they walk back inside, in the presence of all his friends, old and new, Jungkook’s chest feels fuller, it soars, his heart permeated by branches of cherry blossoms dressed in delicate veils. 

A reminder that no matter the season, be it the smudgy heat of Summer, bursts of color that preceded the falling leaves of Autumn, or the ice-cold misty feeling of Winter, there will always be Spring, with its teeming breath of life and sweet scents. For Spring will never leave his side.

❁