MDOF | Chapter 2.1

“Got nothing for me? That’s cheap.”

The fangs that pressed down on his pouting lips glinted menacingly.

“You…”

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“Huh?”

A weak laugh burst from Seonwoo’s gaping mouth, a mix of sudden anger and an unexpectedly large sense of relief, making it a chaotic mess.

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“Where did you go, without saying anything…!”

Yeon, looking grumpy with half-open eyes, was unfamiliar without his ears and tail, wearing the short-sleeved shirt and jeans that Seonwoo had bought for him recently. His white hair, which stood out high above others, was the same, but seeing him standing on the crowded sidewalk in such a human-like appearance gave Seonwoo a sense of dissonance. Fearing that he might spill his guts if he opened his mouth, Seonwoo steadied his breathing.

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“If you were going to go, at least say something, being away from home for three days without notice…”

“Three days? Oh-.”

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Casually rubbing his chin and smiling, Yeon naturally took the ice chocolate from Seonwoo’s hand and started sipping through the straw. After a few cool gulps, he shrugged after eating some whipped cream.

“Time flows differently in the Underworld and this world.”

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It’s been a while since I’ve been out in this world, I forgot, Yeon explained nonchalantly, licking off the whipped cream from his lips.

So, he went to the Underworld. That creepy, spine-chilling place… A chilling sensation touched Seonwoo’s hand as he rubbed his arms, making his fingertips shrink. The sensation of his newly crafted arms and legs felt no different from before, but the unfamiliar coldness of this world was hard to get used to.

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And Yeon, who crafted these limbs, is not a being of this world. This realization suddenly made the noise of the bustling street seem quieter. Seonwoo wondered if there was something wrong with him for accepting Yeon’s existence so easily after having his limbs torn off by a goblin.

This feeling coming up now might be because he was anxious for three days, while Yeon looked so calm, which was irritating.

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“Why go to the Underworld?”

Seonwoo asked abruptly, not hiding his irritation.

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“Hungry. There’s nothing much to eat here.”

Even if he tried to eat, it would be like eating pomegranates to fill his stomach in this world.

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The ripe, thick-skinned pomegranate that opens its mouth tempts you, but you have to bear the sticky mess on your hands. When you pop a seed into your mouth, the sour taste envelops your tongue, but the small seed only teases your appetite. And even after eating them all, you’re not full, not satisfied, and you have to spit out the seeds. After eating, there’s the hassle of cleaning up the peels and seeds, not to mention washing your hands.

Moreover, the guardians of those pomegranate trees were quite bothersome. He didn’t feel like risking being chased by those things just to taste human food.

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But this guy was different. With his light brown eyes, which annoyingly showed a hint of anger, Yeon chuckled. There was another kid who looked at him cheekily before, a long time ago, before he went to sleep.

“…Are you full now?”

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As they started walking on a path where twilight was beginning to fall, Seonwoo asked. Confirming Yeon’s slight nod, Seonwoo exhaled, calming the inexplicable anger swelling in his chest. Yeon’s face had gained a bit of color, evidence that he had eaten something, with a slight flush on his cheeks, eyes scanning the street diligently, and his speech less lethargic than before.

“Yeah. Ate something pretty good… Do you like deer too?”

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“Deer?”

“This time, I saw some greenery that looked about 200 years old…, and Zhangdusha was around 100 years old, I guess. Yeah, about that.”

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“What’s that?”

“Greenery is a deer, but there’s a white one and a golden one. Zhangdusha is a huge snake. Ah, it looks like a deer’s head, so it’s quite ugly. It’s usually hard to catch because it doesn’t come out of its hole, but it was out for once.”

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Maybe he was quiet because he was hungry. As Seonwoo looked at him with narrowed eyes, Yeon’s eyebrows rose.

“Nah, keep talking.”

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“If he were the son of an immortal, it would’ve been troublesome. Seems the Underworld was quiet while I was gone.”

While walking in step, listening to words he couldn’t quite understand, Seonwoo’s eyes caught sight of black sandals identical to his own. Come to think of it, he didn’t even think about shoes since he had no intention of going out…

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“Yeon…, what are these shoes?”

They’re not mine, are they? Even at a glance, they look three sizes too big for me, and he’s not awkwardly wearing them.

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“They’re…”

With a snap of his fingers, the black sandals changed to the blue slippers that were at Seonwoo’s entrance.

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“…Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Seeing Yeon tilt his head, Seonwoo’s face contorted. If he could change them this easily, he wouldn’t have bought him a whole bag of clothes!

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“You didn’t ask.”

“Ha…”

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Yeah, it’s my fault for not asking. But more importantly, can he do such things so casually in front of so many people?

“What if you get caught?”

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“People don’t know. They wouldn’t know if I did some fox magic here.”

How do I know then? Seonwoo, barely holding back his question, walked past his apartment towards the park where he and Yeon used to take night walks. More precisely, the park where he used to carry Yeon for walks.

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He was more interested in sorting out his chaotic thoughts than wondering what answer he might get if he let go of his swallowed question.

Until Yeon returned, all he thought about was death. The high ceilings of his home made him consider if there was any place to tie a rope. His steps were mixed with regret for not having offered his life to Yeon sooner.

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Was this regret merely due to Yeon’s absence? Or was it his true feeling? If it was his true feeling, why hadn’t he expressed it earlier?

Beside Seonwoo, who was beginning to unravel the tangled threads of his thoughts, Yeon was humming and looking around the park. Despite having been carried here many times, he was now acting like it was his first visit, walking on his own. Yeon marveled at the well-trimmed bushes, the colorful flowers, and even the fountain reflecting a crude laser light. If he hadn’t hidden his tail, it would have been wagging. The thought alone made Seonwoo, who had been serious, let out a soft chuckle.

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It wasn’t fear that came over him now. It wasn’t a trivial decision to be swayed by the shallow kindness of others. A simple conversation in a café couldn’t compensate for a life of loneliness. In the end, he would return to the depths of solitude.

“What’s that?”

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“Uh… it’s a playground where water comes out from the ground for kids to play in…”

“Oh.”

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“Want to go in?”

There’s no rule that says adults can’t enter. By the time Seonwoo asked, Yeon was already examining the water outlets in the water playground. Even though it wasn’t just from the ground, water came out from the colorful sculptures around, and Yeon, walking among them, looked out of place yet beautiful.

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The light darkness that settled on his white hair as he passed under the bright primary colors of yellow and red plastic sculptures made it seem like he was moving through a palette where vibrant pastel paint had been spilled.

From a few steps behind, Seonwoo silently watched, his face twisting before he couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

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What timing. Just as water came out at the height to wet ankles, a rather thick stream of water poured over Yeon’s head, startling him.

Even under the dim evening lights of the park, his white hair brilliantly split the light. With his hair plastered against his cheeks, Yeon rarely opened his eyes wide. Seeing droplets incessantly jumping on his smooth face, causing him to frown, Seonwoo burst out laughing. As Yeon stared blankly at Seonwoo’s laughing face, he grabbed his arm and pulled.

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“Uah!”

Before his weakly pulled arm could push away the dampness, water poured over his head.

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“What, I hate water…!”

Shuddering at the sensation of the thin, wet shirt clinging to his shoulders from the water that trickled down his neck, Seonwoo closed his mouth, about to protest. His open mouth, like that of an immature child, was smiling innocently. The water stream, heated by geothermal energy, was surprisingly lukewarm, making the sensation of it running down his back feel slow.

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“This, it’s cool. You’re all wet too.”

It’s not that cool. The coolest thing is turning on the AC at home and having a glass of ice chocolate. And who made me wet?

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The screams and laughter of children running around didn’t bother him. Even Seonwoo, who was always in solitude, had avoided the sound of children’s shouts.

But that doesn’t mean he’s happy. He just wants to rest now. Turning back now would make all his past loneliness seem pointless. The greetings for well-being, the warmth from little acts of concern, those were not enough to make him feel less lonely, to the point he decided to die.

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Yeon might leave again. What if, like this time, he disappears without a word and doesn’t return? Isn’t the belief that we’ll be together forever the most foolish? Yeon is a being who would return once his hunger is satisfied. He doesn’t have the foolish thought of living here permanently.

Standing there, drenched in the middle of a playground bustling with strangers, Yeon shook his head like a wet dog, pulling Seonwoo away by the wrist.

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As Seonwoo blankly stared at Yeon, he opened his mouth without hesitation.

“Yeon.”

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“Yeah?”

“Are you still hungry?”

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“I am. Just ate two monsters, there’s no way I’d be full.”

The water droplet hanging from the tip of Yeon’s hair, stuck to his forehead, rolled down his cheek and perched on Seonwoo’s chin. Yeon’s cold touch, as he stroked Seonwoo’s chin with his straight finger, was cooler than the lukewarm water.

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“You said I smell delicious, right? Still the same?”

With this random question, Yeon sniffed around, lowering his head from Seonwoo’s neck down to his chest.

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“Yeah. Me.”

“Then…”

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The sensation of Yeon’s sharp nose slightly pressing against his chest was vivid. When their eyes met again, Yeon’s pupils, lit by the park lights, were slightly open, making his cold expression seem even deeper.

“Do you want to eat me?”

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If you want, you can take this silent, quiet life. Seonwoo smiled, closing his eyes, worried that the water dripping from his eyelashes might look like tears.

“Me?”

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He was planning to eat him properly once matured. Even now, with his green scent, he stimulated saliva, and once fully ripe, he would delight the tongue so much that he wouldn’t even think of the pomegranate’s guardians.

“Yeah.”

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However, unfortunately, humans fear death. Looking down at Seonwoo, whose eye level was lower, Yeon’s eyes were half-hidden by his eyelids.

There was no fear in those straight, laughing brown eyes, which was strange. He had seen those eyes before; they were from an old memory buried so deep it would take digging to find.

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Yeon, observing Seonwoo’s tense face, let out a chuckle. Do all fearless humans have the same face?