He’s a Fox Ch 71

Chapter 71

“Oppa—Oppa tried to eat Moongmoo Oppa!!”

As if the sky itself were collapsing, Yuri’s little tiger face twisted in sheer panic. She rushed, paws battering, until she skidded in front of the sofa. Then she lunged forward, grabbing the fox’s bushy tail and yanking frantically to pull him free from her big brother’s jaws. Kangwoon, recognizing there was no use locking horns with a toddler, obediently parted with his captive. If he resisted, the one hurt would be the fox caught in-between, not himself.

The fox landed awkwardly, one paw damp, the others thudding the floor. His front paw—slick from exploring the tiger’s mouth—lifted in embarrassment. Meanwhile, Yuri, proud of having rescued him, bent low and blew warm breath on his tail.

To soothe it, clearly. Don’t be hurt.

Except what had gone into the tiger’s mouth just now hadn’t been the tail—it had been the paw. Still, the little puff of air tickled. Ineffective, meaningless—and impossibly cute.

Done with her “treatment,” the cub glared fiercely at her protector.

“Oppa. Moongmoo  is not food.”

“Of course not.”

“……”

The quick admission only deepened suspicion. If he knew that, why had he…? Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

The tiger sighed, resigned. “I wasn’t going to eat him. I was just… kissing.”

“…That’s not a kiss,” she shot back.

Yuri knew what kisses were. Every time she met their father she was nearly smothered in them: lips pressed, rubbing cheeks, loud smacking noises. A kiss was clearly defined. Shoving Moongmoo Oppa’s whole paw into his mouth? Absolutely not in the category. She shook her head vigorously. No way.

Yet her brother didn’t bend. Serious golden eyes calmly insisted. The cub frowned, confused. Into the silence stepped the fox himself.

His paw damp, but unhurt. He lifted it high and, for the first time, pushed himself to force his throat to change—

“I’m fine! Not hurting at all!” he declared, in real words, not Canidae yips.

“…!”

Yuri’s mouth dropped open. A fox—talking while still in beast form. She circled him in wonder, bombarding him with shrill questions.

“How’d you DO that?!”

“Mm. I really wanted to keep talking with Yuri even as Puppy.”

“WAAAH! You’re amazing!!”

Delighted, she bashed her striped forehead straight into his chest—a tiger’s “head-bunting” gesture of affection. The fox staggered but held firm, prepared this time.

Finally, she squeezed him in her paws and purred her goodnight. Though longing to beg “sleep here with me,” she managed restraint, remembering earlier scoldings. Relieved, the alligator led her away to her bed.

Left in quiet, the fox turned to his employer curiously:

“Boss,” he blurted, “that thing she did just now—her, um, headbutt. What did it mean?”

“Ah. That’s head-bunting. It’s how felines show affection.”

So—it wasn’t violence, but love. Just as Canidae plunk their rumps in your lap, Felidae thump heads against you. Joy bloomed.

But a thought stabbed: Then why… has the big tiger never done it to me?

His ears drooped. Of all things to look hurt about. Kangwoon, trying not to laugh, exhaled in disbelief.

Meanwhile, the fox mumbled his complaint: “…I even showed you my butt, Boss…”

By that, he meant the time he had deliberately plopped beside him, presenting “trust and claim” in Canid language. But to an eavesdropper, it had all the scandal of a pornographic confession. Luckily, the cub was already gone with the alligator, or someone would surely have fainted.

The tiger sighed. What nonsense to look so dejected over. Well—there was only one way to silence it. He scooped the fox up and strode.

This time, destination not his own den, but the fox’s room. Setting him on the bed, he ordered firmly:

“Change back.”

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

Still baffled, the fox obeyed. His pajamas rustled; once clothed again, he looked up nervously—only to watch the tiger crouch suddenly, sitting heavily on the floor before him.

And then—press his striped forehead square into his stomach.

The fox toppled flat on the bed, eyes going wide. Head-bunting. His headbunt.

The room lit with his grin. He laughed aloud. The tension broke; even the stoic tiger found himself smiling in return.

That quiet laugh made him hesitate—his expression softened, unusual—so unusual the fox blushed, fumbling to hug a pillow over himself, desperate to cover betraying evidence below.

Panic flashed. If he sees I’m…!

He’d rather drown in shame. But the tiger only ruffled his hair, murmured “Sleep well,” and left. Relief tore from him in shaky breath.

Mission accomplished. He had his precious head-bunting, proof of affection. After that, he proudly and openly pressed close at every opportunity. Sitting side by side, light touches, even timid kisses—he managed without spasming like a fish.

No longer flailing meant success, he thought. He forgot one thing: the target of his “practice” was not a wooden dummy, but a living tiger.

Kangwoon didn’t mind. If his fox blushed near purple every time fingers laced—so be it. If kisses made him bolt screaming—so be it. He relished each vivid color painted across his fox’s face.

And yet, though the tiger had patience to wait, “the moment” arrived sooner than either expected.

Footnotes

1. Head-bunting – Common feline behavior (cats rubbing heads against owners), interpreted here in anthropomorphic beast society as genuine declaration of affection.