Bittersweet Memories (A Stray Kids Short Story Collection)

Magic VII

     December 24th, 2016.

     Minho never gets any more spells. He doesn't expect any; not when he and Jisung are practically glued side to side. He tries to erase them from his mind entirely.

     That's until he wakes up on Christmas Eve with something he's sure can't be a spell, because he doesn't remember his first spell being this damn painful . He wakes up at 8, drifts back to sleep until noon, and then lays in bed feeling like he's burning hot with a fever while his forehead is ice cold.

     Jisung left early this morning to go ice skating with Felix and his classmates. Minho's fine with that. He knows he gets Jisung for the evening, and either way, he's happy about the equal time Jisung is getting with everyone he cares about. Minho doesn't miss him, but his body disagrees with that notion.

     A text from Jisung chimes in around the late afternoon.

     Jisungie: Will you order pizza, or will I?

     Minho feels guilt so strong, it's almost worse than the spells. This is their last Christmas together. Moreover, they have planned to complete another item on the List, Minho's idea. Pull an all nighter. Staying awake until Christmas morning is so damn perfect for a final Christmas but in the state Minho is in, he's doing everything not to throw up.

     Minho: I'm sick. We have to call it off :(

     If Minho feels any pain from feeling Christmas slip away from him, the spells still overtake it. The spells are controlling him like a puppet on a string and there's nothing he can do about it.

     Time blurs together when you're in a spell and that's no exception for the stupid manifestation of separation anxiety in his body. It's evening when the doorbell rings and Minho's phone chimes at the same time.

     Jisungie: surprise!!!!! open door!

     Making his way downstairs, Minho feels himself recovering with every step. His energy is back and his head is no longer spinning. It's perfect timing.

     He smiles as brightly as he can when he sees Jisung at the front door with a bowl of soup in his hand.

     But Jisung frowns.

     "Your right ear... isn't red."

     Jisung looks so heavily hurt by that one statement that Minho is left startled. True, red ears have been a constant symptom for him whenever he gets sick, but he's never thought of them as the be all and end all. Jisung apparently has.

     "I... guess not-"

     Before Minho can even finish, Jisung's hand is on his head.

     "It's not hot."

     "I've gotten better."

     "You look just fine."

     "I've gotten better."

     "Then why didn't you call me?"

     Jisung sounds so accusing that only air leaves Minho's mouth. What can he say? That Jisung's arrival has magically cured his ailment? That his particular sickness is because of Jisung and shows no regular symptoms? Minho can only speak the truth and has nothing to say when not even the truth will be able to convince someone.

     "Did you... lie to me?"

     Minho can suddenly speak again. "What!? God no, why would I-" Now, Minho's the one who feels a knife to the chest, because this might be the worst accusation he has ever received. From his Soulmate, no less. One he would never lie to, and Minho has stopped counting the first instance a long time ago. "Why would you think that?"