NTFT | Volume 2.2

“Man, the blood stew here is truly a masterpiece.”

A sigh of admiration escaped him with just one sip of the broth.

Wi Beom gobbled up a hearty spoonful of steaming rice soaked in the spicy chili oil-laden blood stew, blowing on it to cool the steaming heat before taking a big bite.

The robust and spicy flavor warmed his organs, instantly relieving his fatigue.

“Look who decided not to kick the bucket and showed up again.”

A generous serving of kkakdugi (spicy radish kimchi) came into view. Mi Hong, who had been filling his mouth with blood stew, put down his spoon and looked up at the owner.

“You remember me?”

“Of course, you always show up with the same young face.”

The restaurant owner casually placed a generous helping of kkakdugi on the table for the perennially youthful customer who had returned after several years.

The restaurant had been boasting delicious flavors at the same location for over 50 years. The place was steeped in the passage of time, maintaining its old and worn atmosphere without any remodeling.

“I’ve been here for 50 years. I’ve been thinking of closing up soon because of my back pain. But at least I got to see your face again.”

“What, you’re closing this place?”

“Next month, it’s closing.”

“Why? I don’t eat blood stew from anywhere else!”

“Well, it’s nice to hear that, but no one’s here to take over, and if you really liked it, you should have come more often.”

“No…! I… this place…”

He had been a regular for nearly 50 years.

He was at a loss for words and set his spoon down.

The blood stew he was eating suddenly seemed to stick in his throat. His gaze unintentionally drifted to the face and body of the restaurant owner.

Was this how he always looked? He seemed to have more vitality and clearer eyes before. Now, his face bore deep wrinkles, sagging around the eyes and looking dry.

Especially, the rough hands marked by hard work were coarse, the knuckles thickened, and the fingertips were calloused and reddened.

Mi Hong had been coming to this restaurant since it first opened. Though his visits were infrequent, he had been a loyal customer for almost 50 years.

“You always sit in that corner, eat up your blood stew without leaving a trace, and leave. Now I finally get a good look at your face at the end. You haven’t changed a bit. Only I have gotten old.”

He turned and walked into the kitchen. There seemed to be no hint of regret in the owner’s departing figure.

Mi Hong stirred the cooling blood stew again and scooped up a spoonful.

“I don’t even eat kkakdugi, why did you give me so much?”

Although foxes are omnivores, they prefer a carnivorous diet. Mi Hong picked up a clean pair of chopsticks and grabbed a piece of the heavily stacked kkakdugi, popping it into his mouth.

The well-fermented kkakdugi crunched satisfyingly between his molars, bursting with sourness.

“It’s ridiculously overripe…”

Not only was there a lot of blood stew, but the quantity of kkakdugi was also substantial. Mi Hong alternated between bites of stew and kkakdugi, finishing all the kkakdugi he had been given. The bowl was now empty, with only the broth remaining, and the blood stew was eaten clean as if it had been washed.

“Let’s pay.”

“Alright. Did you enjoy it?”

She glanced at the corner table, noticing that the overly generous portion of kkakdugi had vanished without a trace.

“Do you need to fill up on kkakdugi? If you do this again, I won’t let it slide.”

He pushed forward a 50,000 won bill at the counter, half-jokingly.

The restaurant owner, surprised to see cash instead of a card, spoke up.

“Planning on coming again before we close?”

He made the change without waiting for an answer and turned to leave the restaurant.

“I’ll come whenever I feel like it. I paid in advance, so wait for me. I don’t eat this stuff anywhere else!”

“Ha, that kid.”

He left the restaurant, sliding the metal door behind him with a clatter. The door prominently displayed the last day of operation.

“Just like that fox, making it impossible for me to quit my business.”

The restaurant owner patted her back as she walked back into the kitchen where her son was helping.

“Youngsik, take that sign down.”

“Huh? Why? You said you were going to stop.”

“Just do what I tell you.”

“Mom!”

“Ah, my back. All because of that wretched guy.”

She stirred the boiling blood stew with a ladle, a faint smile on her face. Her son, concerned, quietly removed the paper sign marking the last day of business from the entrance.

“Tsk, tsk, I’m full, now where to?”

Food remnants uncomfortably stuck between his canine and molar teeth annoyed him. He regretted not picking up a toothpick on his way out in his haste.

“Who decides to close up shop? They need to keep going.”

Muttering to himself, he was bothered by the fact that he had only paid with a single 50,000 won note. Despite its shabby appearance, the restaurant had been in business a long time and wasn’t exactly short on money.

Mi Hong considered gathering some quality herbs and sending them as a health tonic.

“Isn’t that a bit too much?”

He wasn’t particularly interested in humans, but parting with the blood stew made by this particular human was still regrettable.

Mi Hong walked with a full belly, spreading his tail and moving through the sparsely populated alley. The distance was considerable, but that hardly mattered.

After all, he was on the run.

He had been staying long-term in a guesthouse near the coast of Gangwon Province, having moved away from his usual haunts.

“I’m getting tired of staying in guesthouses. Where should I find a place?”

Finding a new home was always a hassle. Drifting without a fixed home wasn’t bad, but living without one during a season like winter was somewhat miserable.

“Everything’s fine except… it’s just too cold.”

The seaside scenery was nice, and staying near the coast in a guesthouse was pleasant, but it became uncomfortably cold in winter. A few days ago, the pipes had frozen due to a cold snap, and he had spent the day feeling grubby without a shower.

“Ah, only the times have changed. Living conditions are worse than in the old days.”

As times changed, finding a house became more complex with all the paperwork and other details to manage. Having money wasn’t enough to secure a home anymore.

Getting a new place seemed like a real hassle. But living this way didn’t suit his temperament either.

“Hey, lad! Got a moment?”

The guesthouse owner popped her head in unexpectedly.

“Why do you always come in before getting an answer?”

“Oh, did I? Never mind that, weren’t you looking for a house?”

“What, you got one for me?”

“I was thinking about it. My brother’s moving abroad because of his kids, so his place is available. Want to move in? He’s in a rush to sell, so the price isn’t bad.”

“Your brother?”

“Yeah, want to see a picture? He looks nothing like me.”

She pulled out a red leather case and started showing pictures on her phone. They were unmistakably siblings, faces exactly alike.

“I’m much better looking, right? My brother lacks sophistication.”

Covering her mouth, she laughed merrily before showing him the house.

“Not bad, right? It’s an apartment in a new town built a few years ago, good size, several rooms, well laid out. You interested?”

Mi Hong needed to discern whether the guesthouse owner was overstepping or if there was a scam behind her offer.

“Are you serious about this?”

His voice echoed strangely as he spoke, his pupils briefly glowing a bright color before settling down.

“Of course. I know you’ve got money. You came here with a bag full of cash. That damn brother of mine suddenly screwed up his business and fled overseas… poor guy.”

It seemed there were hidden truths, but the offer to sell the house appeared genuine.

“How much are you asking?”

“That house originally cost a fortune… but since he needs cash right now… the price is…”

The number the guesthouse owner mentioned was quite tempting.

“Oh, to solve my housing like this? Well, thank you very much.”

Mi Hong managed to secure the house using his skills, skillfully leveraging the guesthouse owner and smoothly completing the house contract.

***

Moving day.

It seemed like a good day for moving, as someone was also moving into the neighboring house.

“The house looks pretty decent, doesn’t it?”

Regardless, the new shoes trod through the still messy interior of the home. Though I had quickly looked over the house during the signing, it felt quite different now filled with my own belongings instead of the previous occupant’s.

I had purchased all new furnishings. It felt like I had used up most of the cash I’d been lugging around.

And now I need to find more money. It’s quite bothersome and tedious, especially for someone who isn’t human. Do I really need to be tied down by money?

‘Think I should just live carefree without worrying about money?’

I’ve had that thought before, but being non-human, money turned out to be a necessity.

Money served as a primitive shield that allowed me to live easily and securely in a non-human realm. It was also a shallow tool that made everything about my exterior and my life appear most human-like.

With money, many things were simple to resolve, and while my Gumiho abilities were impressive, they had their limits due to a curse.

Especially since the curse altered my lower half, causing me to bleed once a month, during which all my powers would vanish. If anyone exploited my abilities and then saw them suddenly vanish, it caused confusion.

This brought about a chaos that was hard to discern whether it was fiction or reality, and although it sometimes led to unfortunate incidents, I had managed to survive and live without major problems so far.

“The neighbors seem busy with their move too. Must be a good day for it.”

A mover muttered to himself as he carried a box past me. Normally, I would’ve ignored such a comment, but the mention of the neighbor made me curious to catch a glimpse of their face, prompting me to step outside to check.

“I’ll handle that box. It contains some important items.”

A man with bright brown hair and a well-proportioned build stood up with a box. His back and shoulders were impressively aligned.

‘Hmm, the neighbor guy seems decent enough. Not bad.’

I had no plans to get close, but it wouldn’t hurt if I ran into him from time to time, especially if he was good-looking. Curious about more than just his back, I watched him under the pretext of checking how the move was going.

Maybe I was staring too obviously, because he noticed my gaze and our eyes met.

“Uh…?”

“Ah… You’re moving in today?”

The man walked toward me with the box in hand. Even from a distance, he seemed large, but up close, his presence felt even more imposing.

His broad shoulders were particularly striking, and his face carried a gentle, kind expression.

His scent was warm and fresh, like soap, mingling with a unique dye-like aroma.

When he smiled, his eyes curved into a gentle arch that matched his face perfectly.

“It’s a coincidence we’re moving in on the same day. Would you like to come over for a drink later? It must be fate.”

“Ah… sure, why not.”