The Sound of Magic (Ri Eul x Reader)

"Do you... believe in magic?"

Even now, there are times when you can't quite tell. Like when he asks if you believe in magic. Despite all that, he remains your one and only friend.

During the time you visited him in the hospital, you even developed feelings for him. You tried not to let it happen because you were positive he wouldn't reciprocate--at the time, his mental state wouldn't really allow him to be in a relationship anyway. But you couldn't help it. There was something so mysterious and charming about him, and getting to know him better made you see that he had a heart of gold. Before you knew it, you had fallen head over heels.

And when you both graduated, he wasn't forced to stay at the psychiatric hospital. He had developed a fascination with magic (or he had continued to nourish the fascination he already gained in highschool. You still aren't sure which). He became a magician. His parents essentially disowned him. And he now lives in an abandoned amusement park at the top of a hill....

You shake your head to clear your mind a little. You always try your best not to think of his sad past, but sometimes it just surfaces without warning.

You glance up briefly and to your surprise realize you're at the top of the hill and the amusement park gate looms before you.

"Thank goodness..." you choke out

You step inside the gate and make your way to the theater, where Min-hyuk lives. It's as run-down as always. You start to approach the door. As if on cue, the man himself slides out. He always seems to know exactly when you're coming, even when you don't bother telling him beforehand. His figure is framed by the faint light coming from the doorway behind him. Though you can't quite make out his expression as you continue to approach, you do see a twinkle in his eyes as he sweeps his arm out and gives you a graceful bow.

"Aigoo!!" you groan, clutching at an imaginary stitch in your side. "You must want to kill me, seeing as you make me climb this hill to come see you all the time."

He lets out a breath of a laugh and gestures toward the door. "Maybe the climb wouldn't be so difficult if you came more often," he shoots back good-naturedly. Touché, you think.

"Come in." he adds with a chuckle, eyes twinkling again.

You're already in the act before he can finish. Pushing your way past him, you enter his meager home. It looks the same as always. Then a familiar voice greets you.

"Sqwawk--Hello, pretty friend. Pretty friend is here." Bella, his parrot, squawks at you and you can't help but smile. She's in her cage, staring intently at you.

"Bella! Oh you're so cute! I missed you!" you say as you pet her through the bars of the cage. She nuzzles into your hand slightly. Then, turning to the magician behind you, you say "I still can't believe you taught her to say that. It's so embarrassing."

You don't tell him that it's embarrassing because it makes your heart flutter. Obviously if the bird was taught to say "pretty friend," that must mean that the owner himself thinks you're pretty, and you just don't know if your heart can handle that information.

"I told you before," he replies with a mysterious smile. "I haven't taught her anything."

You roll your eyes and let out a chuckle. Does he really expect you to believe the bird just speaks on its own, without being taught words? That WOULD be magic.

You both sit and talk a while, catching up as you drink some of the tea he brewed for you. It's been a few months since you visited last time, but nothing much has happened to either of you. Eventually, the conversation peters out into comfortable silence. You take a sip of your tea, a small smile touching your lips. When you lift your eyes to look at him again, he is staring intently at you. You feel your heart flutter a little as he continues to hold your gaze.