Chapter Text
MINHO
For the last few decades of Lee Minho’s life, he hasn’t truly been Lee Minho. He’s been the mysterious Lee Know. Lee Minho was as good as dead if he had any say in it.
It took only a knock on the front door for that well-crafted life to come crumbling to pieces. More and more people he tries to keep at a distance are finding some sort of residence in his quaint shop. Minho finds himself wishing this was happening to literally anyone else.
He sets the worry of Jeongin’s entire existence aside as he finds ways to fix his wards, deeming them faulty enough to let a human inside his shop. He’s in the midst of slowly retracing one on the front door when his apprentice comes bursting from the backroom with the same panic he’s had on his face since the human first stepped inside.
“Minho–”
“Please, Kim Seungmin,” Minho groans as he puts the finishing touches to the ward. “No more bad news.”
“Uh, well–”
“In fact,” he interrupts Seungmin once more. “If it’s anything other than good news, I’m going to fire you and throw you on the streets to fend for yourself.” He turns to fully look at Seungmin, who has his lips pursed like he’s trying to hold in the inevitable bad news. Sighing, Minho waves a hand and walks to the front counter to pet a resting Soonie, hoping it would ground him. “Whatever. Just tell me. How much worse can it get?”
“So glad you asked, Minho, because it certainly does get worse,” comments Seungmin. “The charm activated.”
The petting comes to a complete halt and Minho has to take his hand off of Soonie before clenching it into a shaky fist. “What?”
“The charm. The magic-checking one you used on Hyunjin. It, um, detected… magic.”
Minho doesn’t even get a chance to think before the shop’s phone rings. Usually, it’s a soft ring that barely even goes off because witches and such these days still hate using any form of technology. Right now, though, it’s shrill in Minho’s ear.
“Should you… get that?”
The only answer Minho gives Seungmin is picking up the phone, answering with an instinctive, “Lee Know’s Magic Shop and Custom Potions. This is Lee Know.”
“Just the person I wanted to talk to,” drawls the voice from the other end. At first, Minho is on edge, not fully connecting who this person is. It isn’t until the person continues on that he understands what might be happening. “Even for you, Lee Know, this is crazy.”
Choi Soobin , a whispery voice nags Minho’s mind. Even with the limited interactions the two of them have had, Minho is aware of most witches in the city. Choi Soobin and his small coven are not a hard one to point out, mostly because of their young age. The anger in his voice, however, doesn’t really suit him and it brings Minho a little more on edge, though he would never admit it.
“Choi Soobin,” Minho calls out, watching Seungmin’s eyebrows disappear into the mess of his hair with how high he raises them. “What do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected call?”
“Whatever you did to Hyunjin, that’s what,” Soobin’s voice is sharp, but is controlled and calm.
Now, Minho is confused. He thinks he would remember doing something to Hyunjin. This, he makes sure to tell Soobin. “I didn’t do anything to the human.”
“If you think I can’t recognize a charm this far into my life, you must not be as smart as I thought,” says Soobin, like he doesn’t believe Minho for a second.
“Well, yes, I did put a charm on the human, but if you can recognize it’s a charm, you should be able to tell which one it is,” Minho can’t help but rebut. Seungmin, still standing across from him, looks a little pale under the shop’s warm lights.
“A magic-checking charm doesn’t do this,” comments Soobin, causing Minho to furrow his brows. “So, what did you do, Lee Know?”
“I did just what you said, Choi Soobin. I checked him for magic, and it seems to have detected some.” Minho can’t shake that something is very, very wrong, however.
“But-But Hyunjin is… He’s human.” This was the first time Soobin’s voice falters.
“Then how did he find my shop? Why did the charm activate at all if there was no magic in him?”
“...I don’t know.”
“Choi Soobin…”
Soobin hums as if distracted.
“What exactly is happening to Hyunjin?”
“I’m not sure, Lee Know. He all of the sudden got feverish and hot. He-He… He’s human, though,” explains Soobin, but he sounds unbelieving in himself now. “I would know… Wouldn’t I?”
Minho tries to ignore the quiet questions Soobin is trying to reassure himself with as he tries to come up with his own conclusions of what’s happening to Hyunjin. Sure, late activations can happen, though they are super rare. The symptoms, however, never happen for a charm as simple as this one. The effects are similar to one accidentally breathing in some pepper, just sneezing here and there to flush it out. Fevers should not be a part of that list of symptoms.
“Choi Soobin, bring Hyunjin back to the shop. I can look at him and see what happened,” insists Minho.
“What? No,” says Soobin, voice back to being firm and unwavering. “I have Beomgyu here to look over him with me, I don’t need your help.”
“Then, why did you call me?”
“Just– I don’t know.”
“Choi Soobin–”
“Lee Know, I don’t trust you not to make it worse.”
Ouch… but understandable.
“Choi Soobin, is anything you and Beomgyu are doing working?” Even as he asks the question, he knows Soobin’s answer.
He can’t help but feel a bit bad, though, as Soobin sounds less put together as he answers Minho with, “...No. He’s not responding to anything.”
“Then, bring him here to the shop and I can look over him for you,” and with a bit of humor he hopes Soobin can detect, adds on, “Free of charge, of course.”
Soobin doesn’t laugh, but sighs, defeated. “Give us ten minutes.”
“Don’t speed,” Minho attempts another jest.
“Just be ready for us, Lee Know.”
Minho doesn’t say as he stares at his apprentice, who looks like he’s trying to listen in on the phone call, that he doesn't think he’ll ever be ready.
JISUNG
From the moment the three of them left Lee Know’s shop to right now, Jisung can say that he’s doing a pretty good job ignoring his friend’s existence, no matter how much they try to get him to talk to them.
He can understand that he doesn’t need to be told everything, but he thought that with it being something as big as a fucking Gumiho , this would be an exception. Apparently, it wasn’t. He’s trying not to feel bitter about being kept in the dark ( like always ), but anyone from a ten mile radius can tell by the scowl carved onto his face.
His negative energy radiates off of him so much that he feels Chan and Changbin tense from where they sit on opposite ends of the couch, where Jisung has taken the middle for himself. They’ve tried to get him to look at them, but Jisung has his eyes burning into the coffee table with his arms tightly crossed over his chest, refusing to even give them a gaze.
He swears he can feel the sigh that leaves Chan before he says, “Jisung, you can’t be mad at us for this.” Jisung can beg to differ. “I get why you are, but you have to understand the severity of it.”
“It’s not like we wanted to keep it from you,” chimes Changbin.
“Then, why did you?”
Jisung doesn’t have to look up to know what expressions his friends wear on their faces. He knows them just as well as they know him, so he knows they are looking at each other, trying to figure out what the right thing to say is. Trying to silently communicate what they can say that might keep from setting Jisung off, but he thinks they forget that Jisung hasn’t been that angry in years.
“Well, we weren’t even supposed to know,” is what Changbin decides on. Jisung scoffs and lifts his head only to glare at him.
“Ji,” Chan calls out quietly. Jisung holds Changbin’s unblinking stare, not wanting to be the weak one again. “Jisung. Look at me.” He hates that Chan sounds so soft, even as he demands Jisung’s attention. “We never want to keep anything from you, but we really weren’t supposed to find out about the Gumiho. I went to Lee Know’s to get your charm and Jeongin was found–”
“-By a human.”
“-by– Yes, by a human, but he was found in a storm, so Lee Know was looking over him to make sure he was okay and… he kind of tried to kill us. But as you can see everything is fine… and Jeongin is… also fine now. The point I’m trying to make here is that we’re trying to keep him and you safe.”
Despite knowing the rarity and danger of his own existence, Jisung still feels like a kid sometimes in moments like this one. It’s a feeling he struggles to push away.
“You’re always trying to keep me safe,” mutters Jisung, not sure if he wanted either of them to hear him, but their ears never miss anything.
Chan’s eyes are soft as they stay on Jisung, “Of course we are.”
Jisung stands abruptly from the couch, making both of his friends tense further. Without saying anything, he beelines for the front door. Chan and Changbin both get up from the couch and begin to follow him.
“Jisung–”
Holding up the protection charm Chan had picked up mere hours ago, Jisung doesn’t stop as he continues out of the house. Before he crosses the threshold of the outside world, he calls out for them both to hear, “I need to think.”
YOONGI
There are many places Min Yoongi’s mother thought he would be in. She always said, “Min’s are made for greatness, my dear.” He thinks there’s no greater place for him to be than at home with his coven.
The seven that make them up are considered unconventional, but Yoongi was never one to care how people look at him. All he cared about was having them close and happy. They have an unbreakable bond, built on trust that Yoongi would never take for granted. He is hoping that, right now, the years they’ve built together can excuse this one little secret he’s attempting to keep.
Now, he knows secrets help no one, but he’s hoping with the circumstances of what’s going on, they might forgive him. He’s not even keeping from everyone, Jeongguk is technically his partner in this whole thing, no matter how much he wants to keep his youngest coven-mate/sort-of apprentice as far away from it as possible.
“Why can’t I help?”
When Yoongi says technically his partner , he really means that he’s giving the non-dangerous research to Jeongguk.
“I already told you,” responds Yoongi without even looking up from the book of mythical creatures that lie on his desk. “Looking for reasons the wards failed is just as important.”
Jeongguk is pouting, Yoongi can tell by the little huff the younger witch gives him. “But you get to do all the fun research.”
“This is not fun, Jeongguk.”
“What’s not fun?”
The two of them jump as a new voice calls their attention. Yoongi’s head whips up to see another member of his coven has walked into Yoongi’s small office. Jung Hoseok is all smiles as he looks from Jeongguk, who always has trouble hiding anything, to Yoongi, who is seriously thinking about buying a lock for the door.
“Nothing,” Jeongguk rushes out, sounding like he’s got things to hide. Hoseok hums like he already knows, and it has Jeongguk gulping the lie back down. “Yoongi told me not to say anything.”
“Thank you, Jeongguk, for… that,” Yoongi decides to speak up, turning Hoseok’s attention to him. His eyes are full of an equal amount of amusement and curiosity. “You can go elsewhere now.”
What he gets in return is some sort of choked response and then Jeongguk books it with a book he had taken from Yoongi’s shelves just a moment before. Hoseok’s attention fully on Yoongi leaves him more nervous than before. It’s something only Hoseok can seem to do to him; after years of being close, Hoseok makes him feel like every time they meet is the first time.
“What are you two working on?” Hoseok asks. He walks closer to Yoongi’s desk and only stops when he’s right up against it, leaning atop it to get closer. His eyes flicker to the book on the desk and when they meet Yoongi’s once more, he looks even more curious.
“Like Jeongguk said, nothing,” says Yoongi.
Hoseok raises an eyebrow, “Then, what’s with the book of mythical creatures?”
“New spell?”
“Are you asking me or telling me?”
“...What is the answer you want?”
Hoseok’s laugh twinkles in the air around them, “Whatever you’ll give me.”
“Then, would you be fine with, I can’t tell you ?” Yoongi asks with a tilt of his head.
“That just makes me more curious, actually,” hums Hoseok.
“How about, It’s too dangerous ?”
“You’re not doing a very good job pushing me away.”
“Oh,” Yoongi feels his chest rumble with affection, “I would never push you away, my love.”
He is graced with watching the rosy hue light up Hoseok’s cheeks and the flustered wobble of his lips as if he’s running the words through his head over and over. “Flattery is not going to work on me.”
“I was hoping it would distract you enough to leave it alone,” admits Yoongi, never one to truly hide away from his beloved.
“You’re gonna have to try harder than that.”
A knock on the open door to Yoongi’s office interrupts anything Yoongi was planning to say, turning them both to see another one of their coven looking at them with a startled confusion. Kim Namjoon is the fourth witch out of the seven members of the coven; Yoongi, Hoseok, him, and their youngest, Jeongguk. Even if he adamantly disagrees, Namjoon is easily the smartest out of all of them, so Yoongi has little luck really keeping anything from him. If he’s here, looking at him like that, he must know something…
Jeongguk. Shit.
Namjoon has such a soft spot for Jeongguk, but it also goes both ways, Jeongguk startlingly unable to keep anything from him. The coven sometimes calls him the World’s Worst Secret Keeper.
“Joon… You need something?” Yoongi asks, hoping his voice is level and secret-free.
“Why did Jeongguk just tell me that there’s a centuries old spirit at Minho’s shop?”
Have mercy on him.
“Couldn’t tell you…”
“Minho? There’s something wrong with the shop?” Hoseok stands up straighter as he asks Namjoon.
“Jeongguk didn’t specify, but he did mention the dangerous thing residing there.”
“He–It’s nothing…” Yoongi mentally curses at his slip up that causes both of them to stare at him. “I have it under control.”
“You said he,” comments Hoseok, his eyes narrowing. “Did you see this… spirit?”
With the most tired sigh to ever leave Yoongi’s lips, he gives into their questions easily as pure concern covers their faces. “He’s not a spirit. Well… it is a spirit that has apparently found a new vessel.” He is very aware of how his roundabout way of answering is starting to get annoying, and he can see it on the blankness on Namjoon’s face. “Okay, maybe there is a centuries old… particular fox spirit being hidden away at… Minho’s shop… and he has asked for my help to figure out why it is there at all.”
“Fox… spirit?” Namjoon wonders out loud. “What particular kind of fox spirit, Yoongi?”
“Uhh… Not one too crazy… Just a… Gumiho…?”
The silence in the room could suffocate Yoongi. He looks from Namjoon to Hoseok to gauge any sort of reaction. So far, they’ve given him nothing and it’s starting to scare him a bit. He opens his mouth to fill the space, but Hoseok had other plans.
“A Gumiho?!”
Yoongi really hopes no one else is home.
“And you left it with Minho?!”
“Just to watch over while I do some research–”
“You left a Gumiho at Minho’s shop! Where he also lives!”
“You’re sure it was a Gumiho?” Namjoon’s softer, yet just as tense voice is steady as he asks.
The room is back to silence as they look at Yoongi for an answer. He wants to say it was all a joke, just poking a little fun with Jeongguk, but he knows something involving Minho and an old fox spirit that hasn’t been seen for… forever, really, is too serious to even consider being funny. Yoongi takes a deep breath.
“I’m sure.”
A knock has them all turning to the door to see Jeongguk brandishing Yoongi’s keys with a barely contained grin.
“To Minho’s, then?”
MINHO
Minho is beginning to think it was an understatement to say Hyunjin is feverish and hot . He’s practically creating his own ocean of sweat on Minho’s couch and all of his breaths are wheezes.
Soobin and Yeonjun are hovering over him as he takes in the pale figure of what he’s not so sure is a human anymore. Beomgyu is keeping himself entertained with Minho’s familiars, Seungmin right by his side to make sure he doesn’t touch anything.
Squinting at Hyunjin’s eyes moving under his closed eyelids, Minho asks either of the two basically on top of his shoulder, “Is he allergic to anything?”
“No,” Soobin answers. “He’s never even been sick before, Lee Know.”
Minho hums like this isn’t concerning information.
“Well, can you do anything to help him?” Yeonjun is the one to ask this time.
“He better,” answers Soobin for Minho. “He caused this.”
“Is that Hyunjin?”
An innocent, almost excited voice makes everyone whip around to see a widely grinning Jeongin standing at Seungmin’s side, yet the apprentice looks just as shocked as everyone else that he’s there.
“When did you get here?” Seungmin asks.
The look Jeongin gives him is soft as he responds, “I smelled another fox. And Hyunjin.”
Minho notices Yeonjun’s curious head tilt, but wants this whole thing to be over before the whole world knows about Jeongin, so he stands from his crouched position beside Hyunjin and claps his hands. When everyone is looking at him, he informs them, “My apprentice and I can whip up something to stave off the symptoms really quick if you all could just stay here and not touch anything.”
“You want to leave Jeongin out here?” Seungmin questions as he points at the boy, who is now looking at Hyunjin’s state with the utmost concern.
Minho winces, “Not particularly.”
“What’s happening to him?” Jeongin asks, his voice a little sad.
“Jeongin,” calls Minho, but the boy doesn’t turn away from Hyunjin. “Can I trust you to stay here without doing anything stupid?”
Seungmin gives him a look, which Minho ignores because he is aware this is not something Minho would usually do, but a lot of this is doing things he’s never done. Minho wants to keep Jeongin as close to his side as possible, not just because he can’t keep his mouth shut and doesn’t know what stranger danger means, but because he’s unsure if the fox part that wanted to kill them merely hours ago would make another appearance.
“What? Him?” Soobin doesn’t look too happy to be in the same room as Jeongin, which, understandable. “He’s not getting anywhere near Hyunjin.”
“I assure you, Choi Soobin,” starts Minho, trying to ignore the sad puppy eyes coming from Jeongin’s direction. “It’s probably better for everyone that Jeongin stays here.”
Soobin opens his mouth to argue, but Seungmin speaks up with, “Do you want to help Hyunjin or not?” Soobin’s eyes could scald Seungmin if they really wanted to. “It won’t take us long to make what we need to, so just wait a couple minutes. Please.”
As soon as Soobin lets out a defeated sigh, Minho and Seungmin make quick work getting everything they need in the back room. One thing Minho enjoys the most about having Seungmin as his apprentice is how quiet he is. The whole time they move and procure the potion, the room is silent other than some clinking of glass and bubbling of moon-water. It really only takes a couple minutes, just like Seungmin had told Soobin.
Minho holds the finished product in his hands as they both leave the back room. Soobin is sitting by Hyunjin’s head, lightly petting his hair and whispering comforting words. Beomgyu and Yeonjun are standing behind him, but Yeonjun keeps making very obvious unsure glances to Jeongin, who is sitting by Hyunjin’s feet. When Minho and Seungmin come back, all three of them turn to see them.
“Choi Soobin, excuse me,” says Minho. Even with how reluctant Soobin looks to move, he does it without complaint and lets Minho take his place. Hyunjin lets out a particularly nasty wheeze, making Minho hold back a wince. “Sorry about this.” He uses one hand to grab Hyunjin’s chin and the other to pour the potion into his mouth.
Hyunjin begins to choke, but Minho’s grip is firm as he closes Hyunjin’s mouth. He throws the empty glass somewhere away from him so he can pet some gentle strokes on Hyunjin’s neck, just like he had to do with Doongie when he gave him his antibiotics a while ago. Feeling Hyunjin swallow, he lets out a relieved sigh and only moves away when he feels Hyunjin’s breathing going back to normal. Now, he can inquire about something else he’s been curious about since Soobin called the shop.
Turning to look at Soobin, Yeonjun, and Beomgyu, Minho wants to feel good about the obvious relief on their faces, but something about this whole thing isn’t sitting right with him. So, he stands up and makes sure they can see the questions on his face.
“Why have you been lying to Hyunjin?”