SAFBIAN Ch 5

Chapter 5

 

However, for some reason, Dori avoiding him twisted Wonwoo’s mood. Every time the eyes that had once looked only at him began to gaze off toward the mountains, anger surged within him.

“Dori.”

Come to think of it, was there really any need to choose between Hori and Dori? Having both would suffice. No one had to know, after all.

He had already found a suitable place for Dori to stay through a worker at the merchant group. It was a remote house quite far away, but since no other fox would be searching for Dori anyway, it was actually ideal.

When Wonwoo slowly rubbed his soft lips with his thumb, the tightly closed flesh parted as if startled. The breath brushing against his fingertips was hot and uneven.

Was he nervous?

Or was he expecting something?

‘So, you’re like that too, aren’t you?’

A strange light flickered in Wonwoo’s eyes.

“…W-Wait a second.”

Meanwhile, Dori shrank back in alarm.

‘What the hell is this lunatic doing right now?!’

Each place Wonwoo touched sent a shiver crawling over his skin like bugs, but he couldn’t bring himself to resist.

“Don’t worry about anything. I’ve taken care of everything.”

It was because of those brown eyes that had been gleaming more often lately.

‘Hold it in.’

In just a week, Wonwoo would form a mate bond with Hori, and once that happened, he would become obsessed only with his bonded partner due to instinct. That was also why, in the original story, Wonwoo stopped appearing after the early part.

Dori turned his head to avoid the touch and gripped the doorknob tightly.

“The elders will be here soon. They said they’d decorate the backyard too. It’s going to be noisy until nightfall.”

“Right. Let’s talk the rest later. I really have to go now. If I get a chance tomorrow, I’ll stop by.”

Wonwoo looked at him with lingering regret, then tightened the sash of his robe more securely.

“Take care of yourself. Don’t act recklessly.”

It was a strange warning.

Dori was left speechless as he watched the red tail disappear, melting into the shadows of the night.

Finally, the day of Hori’s wedding arrived.

The red foxes swarmed like clouds to the elder’s house to enjoy what would be the grandest celebration the village had seen.

Everyone rolled up their sleeves and tied aprons around their waists. While the adults were busy focusing on their work, a small shadow moved behind them.

Pat-pat-pat. Small feet ran along the corridor and pressed tightly against a corner.

Dori peeked into the yard through the open window. Just then, Hori was stepping down from the red palanquin.

The red wedding robes embroidered with gold thread across her chest, arms, and hem sparkled beautifully. Unlike Dori, who was born under a cursed omen, the red fox who had been showered with love extended her hand with a bright smile.

Wonwoo, dressed in blue wedding robes, carefully took the beautifully adorned Hori’s hand.

The red foxes let out a collective gasp of admiration.

“How stunning she looks.”

“The groom looks dependable too. They make a perfect pair.”

Everyone was too distracted by work or the spectacle to notice him.

‘Now’s my chance!’

Creak. Dori opened the sliding paper door and quickly sat in front of the mother-of-pearl wardrobe.

Then, he folded half of his body into the worn-out piece of furniture, so old that one of the doors was barely hanging on. Even in the darkness, his golden eyes darted around restlessly.

‘It’s not here…’

After thoroughly rummaging through the wardrobe all the way to the bottom, Dori collapsed to the floor with a thud.

My money.

My jewels!

My treasures!

What on earth had happened?

He had moved the bundle he’d been hiding under his blanket to a more secure spot inside the wardrobe, preparing for this very day. But the bundle didn’t have legs. Where could it possibly have gone?

His eyes grew hot.

“…Sniff.”

Dori sniffled. The cold rejection from the red foxes hadn’t bothered him, but now that the fortune he’d worked so hard to save had disappeared in an instant, sorrow welled up inside him.

It wasn’t like he’d stolen someone else’s money.

It wasn’t like he’d tried to strike it rich overnight.

He had just frugally saved up enough for one little fox to survive—what was so wrong about that?

‘This isn’t the time to cry.’

Someone must have taken advantage of the chaos of the festival to steal from his room. Dori let out a poof and transformed into a human, jumping to his feet.

Who the hell was it?! I’ll get them right now!

“…Huh?”

But just as he was about to storm out in search of the culprit, Dori froze. A soft hiss of breath escaped his lips.

‘What the—?! Since when has he been standing there without a sound? Or did I just not notice?’

Wonwoo stood in the open doorway, hands clasped behind his back.

With a chillingly pale face and resentful eyes. Why was the groom, about to be wed, here?

‘…What the hell? What’s wrong with him all of a sudden?’

There was something unmistakably off about the way Wonwoo stood askew. Dori instinctively stepped back.

“You look busy. Something going on? Don’t tell me—you’re not trying to ditch your one and only sibling’s wedding, are you?”

Wonwoo, glaring at Dori—who blinked rapidly in surprise—gripped the creaky door with one hand. Already changed into his ceremonial robes, his attire stood out, and the creaking might call another fox over, which would be a problem.

Dori peeked outside for a moment, confirmed there was no one around, and hesitantly opened his mouth.

“It’s nothing. I was just looking for something. Anyway, people won’t want me at Hori’s wedding. I’ll only hear unpleasant things.”

His cheeks, usually pale, were flushed red as he mumbled excuses with a downcast face.

In truth, it was from bending down to search the bottom of the wardrobe, but Wonwoo didn’t know that, and his mood sank even further.

“Then you should’ve stayed quietly holed up in your room. Where were you trying to go?”

“Holed up—what? And what does it matter to you what I do—!”

“Is this what you were looking for?”

Wonwoo cut him off and held out what he’d been hiding behind his back.

“T-That’s… that’s mine!”

Dori’s gaze followed and widened when he saw the bundle in Wonwoo’s hand.

Watching him shout in desperation, Wonwoo’s expression darkened even more. So it was true. Confirming what he’d suspected only made his anger boil over.

“Give it back.”

Even in his shock, Dori reached out his hand.

“Do you want to leave?”

Wonwoo asked as if giving one last chance. Say no—now. But Dori’s lips hesitated, then shut tight again.

That was the final straw.

“Do you want to leave the village? Leave me?”

His bared teeth gleamed savagely. His sharp fangs were like weapons, poised to tear at the nape of the one who might flee.

Not knowing any of this, Dori was simply bewildered that Wonwoo had come looking for him in the middle of his wedding.

‘You crazy bastard. It’s your wedding day!’

This wasn’t how it went in the original story.

On the wedding day, Wonwoo had entered the bridal chamber with Hori without a second glance, and the abandoned Dori, standing alone and sniffling, was caught by the village elder.

With a thunderous face, the elder had declared that Dori must leave immediately. And so, Dori was cast out of the village.

With nothing but a shabby bundle tied around his waist, he had looked back again and again as he left—the sight of the white fox departing, full of regret, had torn countless readers’ hearts.

But why had this bastard Wonwoo changed so much?

Why was he so obsessed?

“Did you go through my room?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“I thought over what you said.”

Wonwoo stepped into the room. Clatter—the bundle he threw clattered noisily against the floor.

“…D-Don’t you have something more important to be doing? The ceremony’s about to start.”

“I do.”

Wonwoo brushed off his wedding robes and locked the latch. His voice and actions were calm, but there was a chilling aura about him.

‘What the hell. This is scary. This bastard’s snapped.’

As Dori’s eyes darted toward the door, Wonwoo let out a sharp chuckle.

“I have to go out soon. It’s a bit annoying, but the wedding will proceed as planned.”

Yes! Just go already! If someone finds that bundle outside, I’m done for! Especially that gold turtle—it took forever to get!

But as if unaware of Dori’s urgency, Wonwoo leaned leisurely against the wall.

“Instead, I’ll form the mate bond with you.”

…Mate bond?

Dori’s golden eyes, which had been focused solely on escaping, were filled with shock.

What the hell was he talking about?

The mate bond, said to be unbreakable until death—why would he want to form that with him? Shouldn’t he be doing it with Hori?

Why?!

His snow-white hair bristled with chills. He hadn’t even considered this possibility.

Where had things started to go wrong?

“I knew something was off.”

Wonwoo’s voice was as cold as betrayal. The fury flickering in his vertically slit pupils sparked like flames.

‘Why the hell is he acting like this?!’

Dori was the one being wronged, but he calmly asked,

“What do you mean?”

“Back in the day, you would’ve come running and clung to me. But lately, you’ve been too quiet.”

What am I, a dog? (Well, foxes are canids.)

Fury bubbled up again.

God, just how lonely had “Dori” been to fall for a bastard like this?

Then again, Dori didn’t know what I know—he hadn’t read the whole novel. How could my innocent Dori possibly stand a chance against this deceitful monster who fooled the entire village?

‘How do I get this bastard back on track with the original story? Should I pretend to cry?’

Just as Dori started straining his eyes for tears, Wonwoo furrowed his brows and sneered.

“So it was true, what she said. She said she saw another fox leaving your room.”

“…W-What are you talking about?”

Any hint of tears disappeared instantly.

“Hori told me. That she hears your lascivious panting and seductive moaning every night. Who was it? Who’s the bastard? You said you’d never give your body to anyone until you became a seongho(adult fox)—was that all a lie?”

Wonwoo’s eyes gleamed ominously with his emotion. The sense of danger finally began to dawn.