Beomgyu tiptoed in trepidation as they adventured into the woods of the west. A wicked gust of wind bashed through their flowy blouse as a warning, even so the fairy let it slip, mind taken over by curiosity.
The forest in dusk was enchanting, dots of fireflies illuminating their steps in the fathomless path, cool earthy scent and calmative stream of waterfall cleansed his senses. It was a romantic experience, in Beomgyu's opinion, having two feet set into the forbidden rule already.
A magical trance, that's it? The fairy had looked for more dramas, not just an ordinarily tranquilizing night, except the deeper they explored, the quieter it gained. Animal friends, where were they?
Strange
—as if the wild lives had been avoiding a certain spot.
Beomgyu gulped at the thought but there was no way back, coming so far to defy the regulation.
Dive in, they opted for.
"Beomgyu-ssi. You should not be here."
The fairy almost shrieked by the sudden hush from a pair of pixies holding torches on patrol. Beomgyu knew they hit the jackpot, if something needed to be guarded ahead.
Behind the dark shaded leaves, they picked up the glints of metal as light rays streaked from the moon inadvertently, framing a spotlight over a voluminous cage that would accommodate a unicorn, if not a beast–
Well, the subject being enclosed was highly questionable.
"What is he doing in there!?" Though in shock, Beomgyu lowered their voice as they seeked an explanation, when the one in the cage was no other than the owner of the Ark– Taehyun, himself.
"He stays there, until the sun removes his magic." The pixie stated in grief, her partner slammed her arm harshly for the revelation– a top secret to be hush-hush and would never make it to the surface, according to their master.
"Magic?"
Through the glass windows on the ceiling, the shaft of moonlight beamed over the man, golden hair started to grow from his arms and nails lengthened to become claws. He hissed, suppressing a groan of pain as his whole body scaled up, fur emerging rapidly.
–He transformed into a lion.
Beomgyu's mouth agape with incredulity, but covered it in an instance before they made a sound. The process was clean and fast before their wide eyes, staggered by what they had got themselves into.
Magic– A fairy believed in it as much as people believed in fairies, however, not in this way, not a curse that would devastate a young man with a promising future.
"Is it necessary? You don't cage other animals." Beomgyu reasoned.
The pixies shook their heads, smiling bitterly at Beomgyu. "He wants no one to know, he wants to hurt no one."
"But he looks... lonely." The fairy mumbled in a pout, seeing the lion sauntered aimlessly in the confined space.
"He once hurt a deer."
That explained– his redemption of guilt behind his love for the animals.
"But what about his family?" Beomgyu reflashed their memories, it seems like no other humans actually lived in this giant craft.
A moment of silence for the pixies to exchange a look, agreeing the fairy carried no malice, although Taehyun might get back to them afterwards.
As they quieted behind the bushes, the pixies told a chronicle, under the ambience of rustling leaves and spinning cogwheels–
Humans used to live in sync with nature, guided by spirits that gave them inner wisdom. Answers came to them so easily, effortlessly like the flow of water. Source was powerful and surpassed their logic, creating harmony in all lives.
And there came the 'Science', or what led to an industrial revolution. The beginning of civilization was also the birth of fear, the fear of the unknown and what was out of control. Excessive desire to know the mechanics of everything contributed to a new hierarchy, where humans dared to override mother nature.
Laboratories after laboratories, nature was seen as combinations of objects while unexplainable phenomena or miracles were devil's temptation. Heroes like Jeanne d'Arc were executed for listening to their spirits. Because humans feared the supernaturals, and would rather call them devils.
Thus, the disconnection with nature carried on generations.
Desire to control spread like fire and it did, destroying the world in the form of conflagration during war times, not even the green lands could get away from it. Even the forest fairies lost their hideouts and were hunted down by humans.
Taehyun's parents were ecologists. But they preferred to call themselves 'biologists' to gain approval in the science-based society. They had good hearts and always taught their son about morals by actions. Therefore they rescued wild animals from the ruins in the post-wars, conserving them in their Ark.
That was until one combustion, when Taehyun was 15, the Kangs were taking the animal survivors in the burning woods with them. A resentful witch was as well buried by the flames, full of hatred towards a logical world that made her an outcast, she cursed the family with her last breath–
Taehyun's parents were turned into birds and their son was jinxed to become a lion whenever the moon rose, so that no one would love him and he would love no one. The boy could never hold his lover nor kiss them in their sleep.
6 years passed, the wars also settled. With the help of the family pixies, the curse didn't refrain Taehyun from growing into a man who had a vision for his parents' legacy. The smart young lad didn't waste their love and peace propaganda on a piece of paper, knowing his vision would need his wealth, he allied with Yeonjun's trading business.
The assets inherited from his family and his work gave him joy but they failed to make him whole, when he had an ugly secret to keep from the crowd. He kept journeying, not leaving the Ark unless necessary, avoiding people, avoiding love.
After Beomgyu absorbed the long narration, they left the scene. The pixies sighed in relief– only temporarily since the fairy surprised them by coming back to the same spot in 20 minutes, with a fiction book.
"I'm reading a story and you may join." Beomgyu bounced enthusiastically to take a seat before the lion cage, the pixies didn't even manage to stop them.
The lion's fierce stare through the steel bars didn't make them back off, they even proceeded to open the book with a smiley face.
"He might not remember you." The pixies reminded them.
"That's okay too." Beomgyu acknowledged.
Every fairytale needs a fairy, Beomgyu dreamed of being one. A fairy had no capability in breaking a curse but they could at least, be his Tinkerbell.
"Once upon a time, there lived a young lady named Belle from a French village. The townspeople viewed her a little weird because she was a bookworm for romance and fantasies... Oh, she is just like me, heh. I wonder what kind of prince is waiting for her!" Beomgyu giggled to themselves, intrigued from the start. The lion gave a polar opposite response— he huffed, turning away from the fairy.
It didn't discourage Beomgyu from enjoying a night read. Just like nature doesn't judge by appearance, a fairy like Beomgyu perceived intuitively that feels and emotions were as real as the wind, that a lion would also long for a companion.
𓃭 ༺♡༻ εïз
The sun made its attendance on time for the lion that had become a man stretching their limbs.
He pushed the door of the cage after the pixies unlocked it, noticing the fairy was lying on the grass before him, snoring cutely, hugging a book.
"Beomgyu was trying to accompany you." Hueningkai addressed when he appeared with new clothes for Taehyun, he was still naked after the transformation.
"Yeh, I... kinda remember a bit." Taehyun searched for the fragments in his brain. His memories felt like fuzzy dreams when he shapeshifted.
"Ungrateful bitch. You just don't understand how much the universe loves you and decided to send you an angel." Hueningkai shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't?"
Putting on his clothes nicely, Taehyun carried the sleeping beauty in his arms, the latter snuggled against his warmth subconsciously, bringing a little curve to Taehyun's lips.