Jinyoung is the one who finds him this time.

Jaebum can only be so glad because he’s been stuck in a lamp for 3000 something years without company and that amount of time is bound to make anyone stir crazy.

Jinyoung is 15, a rascal on the streets without parents and Jaebum becomes his best friend.

“Three wishes,” he offers and Jinyoung quirks an eyebrow.

“Only three?” he groans, counting them with his fingers. “Can’t I just wish for more wishes.”

“Nope,” Jaebum counters. “No wishing for more wishes. That’s cheating.”

“How about some lunch?” Jinyoung wonder aloud. Jaebum is about to snap his fingers when Jinyoung panics. His eyes go comically wide and Jaebum lowers his fingers.

“So if not lunch, then what?” Jaebum offers and the grin on Jinyoung’s face looks close to bursting.

----

“What do you want then? What do you wish for?” Jinyoung asks. It’s a warm summer day. Jinyoung is resting by the river, letting his feet dangle right above the waterline. Jaebum floats beside him, just as relaxed

“I wanna be free” Jaebum lies. He’s more than happy to be chained alongside Jinyoung for as long as Jinyoung needs him to be. It doesn’t quite register to him what he’ll do inside the lamp for the next thousand years when Jinyoung isn’t.

---

“She said she wanted to see my house,” Jinyoung panics. He’s 22 and the horror in his eyes is flat out comical.

“Say the magic words,” Jaebum prompts and Jinyoung smiles broadly.

“Jaebum, I wish for a house,” Jinyoung grins and Jaebum snaps his fingers obligingly.

Jaebum conjures up a fucking castle for Jinyoung to bring his date to. She’s pretty, soft hair, round eyes, beautiful even. Jaebum watches them fly on a magic carpet from afar and loses sight of them among the clouds.

Jinyoung doesn’t come back that night. Jaebum retreats inside the lamp, a little bitter but colder than he ever remembers being.

---

Jinyoung is 45 by the time he opens Jaebum’s lamp again, looking older and far too sad for Jaebum to bear.

“Long time no see,” Jaebum says softly. He floats alongside Jinyoung as they walk down the riverside together. Jinyoung lets his feet dangle over the side of the bridge, just above the waterline. For a moment it feels familiar, a boy and his magic lamp that should have brought him happiness. Only it’s been 30 years since Jinyoung first stumbled upon him and Jaebum has failed spectacularly.

“What’s wrong?” he asks. He lets the wind carry his voice effortless to Jinyoung’s ears.

“I want to fall in love,” Jinyoung whispers miserably.

“Fall in love with me,” Jaebum wants to whisper, but it’s not going to be. It’s not meant to be. Not this time or maybe even the next three times.

“Ask me to make you fall in love with someone,” Jaebum offers softly. “Ask me to do it and I will.”

Jinyoung shakes his head. “What kind of love is that?” he scoffs and it twists something dark and hurtful in Jaebum. “I want to love someone, not force them to believe they’re in love.”

“Whatever it is that you want,” Jaebum answers coldly. “Just wish for it and I’ll do it.”

What Jinyoung says instead breaks his heart, “I want you to be free Jaebum.”

The wind lifts and around them the world blends into colors. Jaebum sees light, Jinyoung’s aged smile, and then nothing.