SEVENTEEN | Imagines

The8 (V)

The8

A human who falls in love with a fairy that had wandered down from the Upper Realms.

. . .

Minghao's life can be summed up by one word: unlucky.

Parentless, his uncle and his bratty cousin moved into the small house in the hills in order to 'keep him safe'. Of course, their intentions couldn't have been less honorable since the very first thing they did when they arrived was kick him out.

What was a young boy of seven to do, all alone in the world? Well, he wasn't totally alone. There was one other member of the family that he still had left, the old bull that had lived with him ever since he was a baby. The bull was a kind companion, the only companion that little Minghao had.

Every morning, Minghao would take the bull past the river, past the first hill filled with sunflowers, past the second hill filled with thistles, to the third hill filled with the sweetest grass. He's made this journey every day for nearly his entire life, but he never really got tired of it.

Perhaps it would've been lonely, but with his friend, the trusty bull, each day was different filled with a different adventure. When they reached the hill that they would spend the rest of the day, Minghao stared at the bull as if he was waiting for something.

As the animal began to glow, a happy little smile makes its way onto his lips. In a few moments, a handsome and tall male appeared in place of a once ordinary bull. As per routine, he stretches out his muscles before turning towards Minghao.

"How're you feeling, Mingyu?" the young boy asks curiously, "You haven't shown this form in a while."

Mingyu smiles at the young boy, "Thank you for worrying about me, I'm fine. I just had to recuperate, I took a little trip a couple of nights ago."

Minghao's head tilted to the side, "Where did you go?"

"Don't worry about it," Mingyu forces a smile onto his beautiful face as he recalls what the Old Man Under the Moon had told him about his young charge, "Just a little field trip."

"But we go to a field every day..." the young boy mumbles under his breath as he lays down on the fragrant grass. "Say, do you think that my parents can still see me?"

Mingyu smiles sadly, "I'm sure that they're watching over you even now."

Minghao's eyes slowly close, "I hope they aren't disappointed in me."

The old bull spirit sighs softly in his heart wondering if it would've been better if this kind boy was simply never born. It would be impossible for him to find a good ending, from his birth it had been planned and written by the Star Lord.

. . .

The years passed by quickly, a once youthful and vibrant boy became an eye-catchingly attractive young man. His life, however, did not change as dramatically, he still took his bull out every day to the third hill past the river, although now he brought along a few goats with him. However, as he and his bull had never been seen apart, Minghao was known as the cowherd.

Yet, life does not allow anyone to live smoothly so one day, Mingyu became sick. It started with nothing more than a loss of appetite, but soon his skin became a sickly pale and clung to his bones. It became so bad that in his final days, he was unable to take human form.

In his final hours, Mingyu calls his friend to his side. Minghao couldn't stop his heart from hurting, this spirit was the only person that he had by his side for his entire life.

"Minghao," Mingyu's voice was withered and shaking, "I wondered for many, many years if I would tell you this. But I've realized that fighting fate does absolutely nothing, I mean, look at me. I left the skies to escape, but here I am being called to return."