Just Like Magic

Forever Together

The laugh that floated through the air belonged to Taehyun, no doubt. But looking around, Kai couldn't see him anywhere. He wasn't even sure if he would recognize the elder when he saw him, after so long. The laugh hadn't seemed to come from one particular direction either. It echoed through the entire courtyard, rising above the voices of the other students gathered in the area. None of the students seemed familiar either, probably because Kai rarely went this way, and when he did he was usually in a rush.

Kai sighed, giving up after scanning the area a few times. Maybe he'd just imagined the laugh, the flower bringing back memories from so long ago. Or maybe the flowers were common in the magical world, and Taehyun wasn't the only one who could create them with just a laugh. Kai picked the flower, giving himself a moment to smell it, smiling sadly at the scent- like lavender, mixed with something else he could never identify. Knowing what he did now, he figured the scent was generated by the magic used to create the flower, something that he'd been noticing with magically-created plant matter. It wasn't unpleasant, just odd.

Then, exhaustion regaining its footing over Kai, he walked back to his apartment, eyes heavy.

For a while, Kai forgot about the flower. He left it on his bookcase, noticing it occasionally until it fell between the wall and the bookcase and vanished from his thoughts. He was too busy with his friends, schoolwork, and job to think about the possibility of finding Taehyun again. Besides, Kai didn't know Taehyun anymore. They might not get along, or be friends like they had been before. Maybe Taehyun didn't even want to be friends- he had cut off all contact the first moment he could.

So Kai forgot, and life continued as normal. At least, it did until Kang Taehyun fell right back into Kai's life, in the most cliche way possible.

Crashing into each other as they both hurried to their respective classes.

Kai had been in a rush, running to class so quickly from the morning shift that he'd covered for Park Jay that he'd forgotten to tuck his nametag into his bag. He was almost there, speed walking around the corner- running was prohibited and staff members had an incredible ability to show up just in time to catch offenders- when he slammed, bag first, into a slightly shorter black-haired boy.

"Woah, sorry!" Both boys apologized in sync, stepping back. "I should've been-" they both paused, realizing their synchronism, and broke into laughter.

"Sorry about that," Kai said, recovering first. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"You're fine, I wasn't either." The other boy laughed, and Kai paused. That laugh... "I'm Kang Taehyun," the elder said, and Kai froze.

"Taehyun?" he asked, staring at the boy. He looked familiar, but Kai still wasn't entirely sure. Could he really have good enough luck to run into the one person he hadn't expected to see again? Or was it bad luck?

"Yes? What's your-" Kai could see the exact moment Taehyun made the connection. His eyes focused on something on Kai's chest and Kai glanced down, catching sight of his nametag from the library. "Kai." The name was more of a breath than a word, but Kai could hear it perfectly.

Before Kai could realize what was happening he had his arms full of the older boy, who, Kai quickly realized, still hugged like he was a python trying to kill something for his next meal.

"Ow Tae-" Kai's bag dropped to the floor as he reached to hug the older back, tucking his face into the other's hair. It still smelled like the blue flowers that followed him wherever he went, and Kai felt tears spring to his eyes at that.

"Kai I didn't know you were here! How are you here?" the ball of sunshine that Kai was now holding asked, though it was more of an exclamation than an actual question. "Did you have magic and just didn't tell me? That was rude! I wanted to write you after I had to move but my mom said you had to forget about magic, and by the time you didn't have to forget I didn't know how to contact you. I missed you!"