fifty-one

Sinking to his knees, he sat on the soft moss-covered forest ground and listened to the sounds of nature; the quiet chirp of the birds and the rustling leaves. The atmosphere around him was peaceful, a stark contrast to the raw power that raged through him.

Orbs of light floated around him, changing their shape, brightening, and dimming. His hands radiated brightness and heat that was beginning to get uncomfortable.

Recalling Jeongin's words, he attempted to calm his mind first which was easier said than done. There was so much pain and emptiness in his heart that made him have trouble focusing.

He remembered seeing Minho create a ball of light on his palm on that same day he had left him. It had looked so easy and effortless, but to him, it was impossible to do. The light did not want to do what he wanted, it seemed to have a mind of its own.

He remembered Minho's gorgeous smile, the one which always made his heart pound faster. It had been brighter than any light and had filled him with warmth and happiness. He found himself wondering if he would see it again, but somehow he doubted it and it made him sad.

When he reopened his eyes, he was surprised to see the light magic that had been swirling around him gone. No trace of it was left. Its wild flow had calmed down along with the emotions in his heart.

He was surrounded by rays of sunlight, but those were completely natural; a beautiful sight. He smiled, reaching his hand out to touch one of them, feeling warmth and a pleasant feeling on his fingertips.

Curiously, he observed his hand, seeing the light shining brighter around it. He blinked, watching tiny orbs of white light appear and float around his hand. It was a foreign yet incredibly beautiful sight. If this was light magic, then he wouldn't mind it being a part of him.

As soon as he ended the thought, golden shimmering particles formed in his palm until a ball of light came into existence. It was small, not nearly as big as the one Minho did, but it was an achievement that he was proud of.

However, it did not hold for long. After he exhaled, losing his focus for only a second, the ball dissolved. He stared at his empty palm with wide eyes. "Did I do that?" He breathed in awe.

"Yes."

He winced, turning around to see Jeongin leaning against a tree, watching him attentively. His earlier anger seemed to be gone; he appeared to be much calmer now, but his expression was still unreadable.

"Where did you come from?" He asked embarrassedly.

"Your ten minutes were up a while ago, but I did not want to disturb you," he said and shrugged. "That went better than expected. What were you thinking of so intently?"

Jisung looked at him, his eyes widening. "It was... um... not that important..." He trailed off, prompting Jeongin to lift an eyebrow.

"Mhm, nice try. You can't hide your thoughts from me. I can read minds anyways," he said, sticking his tongue out at Jisung.

"W-What?!"

"And I also know about what had happened between you and Minho. I guess he needs a good beating, huh?"

Jisung sighed and felt the weigh on his shoulders lighten. Raising his chin, he met Jeongin's gaze and attempted to smile at him. "No. Don't bother. Even if he had left me just like that... I'm sure that he has his reasons."

Jeongin grimaced. "Typical human. Always so forgiving and naïve," he muttered to himself.

To be continued...