SAFBIAN Ch 142

Chapter 142

…I was almost caught.

Jipyeong only exhaled the breath he’d been holding after confirming that the room had fallen silent again.

He had been deliberately moving during the night while Dori was sound asleep, but the young eunuch, unable to bear the weight balanced on his head and back, stumbled, dropped the objects, and collapsed with a loud crash.

Though Jipyeong immediately caught the eunuch, the noise of the dropped items crashing would have certainly woken anyone, no matter how deeply asleep. Fortunately, since Haban hadn’t burst through the door, it seemed Dori remained asleep.

Jipyeong helped the weakened eunuch stand upright.

“Be careful. I know the light is dim and it’s hard to see, but what if His Majesty or His Highness had come out? You’d be severely reprimanded.”

“…I-I’m sorry.”

The young eunuch looked as if he might cry at any moment. His trembling hands made it clear he couldn’t carry the load again.

So Jipyeong called over one of the guards, who gathered up all the dropped items. With the bundles lifted swiftly in both hands, the guard silently escorted the eunuch out of the house.

Jipyeong briefly glanced toward the room where Haban and Dori slept before resuming his watch.

One, two, three, four…

‘…Huh? Why are three missing?’

Again, one, two, three, four…

Because it was cold, Haban forbade the door from being opened wide. Dori had barely wedged a paw through the narrow gap in the door, peeking out.

Counting the eunuchs coming and going, Dori tilted his head in confusion. Indeed, three were missing. Were they shirking their duties somewhere? If they were caught by Lady Jang, they’d be severely scolded.

That morning, while airing the room by opening the window, Dori had seen three eunuchs covered in leaves. Because they were still young, he was more concerned. His paw twitched anxiously.

Meanwhile, Haban watched him. Unsure what he was doing, he wagged his rear back and forth as he paced by the door.

“Is there something amusing out there?”

“…Kaang?” (fox bark)

“Or maybe you should get ready. The appointed time is near.”

“Kyang!”

Today was the rare day Haban had suggested going out.

Dori quickly hopped onto the chair with his forepaw, grabbed the clothes on the table in his mouth, and leapt onto the bed. Tugging the ribbon with his paw, the cloth cascaded down.

“Why hide when there’s nothing left for you to see?”

Haban’s mischievous voice came from behind the curtain.

“What nonsense is that?”

Dori instantly transformed into human form, grumbling as he picked up his clothes.

“You disappoint me. I never hide anything from you.”

“…Haban, you need to hide some things.”

Especially that huge, overwhelming one.

Unintentionally muttering this, Haban overheard.

“Well… since I don’t know what you’re talking about, why don’t you show me?”

“No, don’t come!”

Creak. The chair scraped on the floor, and Dori shouted in fright. They had lost the ability to move on that bed more than once from undressing and touching like this!

Hurriedly donning the last of his clothes without tidying up, Dori threw the curtain aside and slid off the bed. Surprisingly, Haban still sat on the chair, smiling softly.

“It suits you well.”

“…You’re hopeless.”

Only then did Dori realize he had been teased from the start, and he wrinkled his nose in displeasure.

Haban rose and approached, comfortably straightening Dori’s shoulders and sleeves. Wrapping him in a thick scarf, the room felt noticeably warmer even with the door open.

Armed thus, they went outside where Jipyeong and the guards waited. …But why did they all look so strange?

“We shall follow behind you.”

Suspicious behavior continued. Usually, the guards would watch all sides—front, back, and flanks. Now, they naturally stepped away, keeping a distance.

Then Haban took one of Dori’s hands and wrapped the other arm around his shoulder, pulling him closer. …Something was happening! Dori unconsciously followed, but his mind spun wildly.

Their footsteps gradually led them into the mountains.

Ahem!

Cough!

Ahem!

Coughing sounds emerged from various places, interspersed with light, frivolous laughter. Then—smack!—the sharp sound of a blow silenced the laughter.

Since Haban remained silent, it seemed all knew what was going on except Dori.

Feeling dejected, Dori lowered his gaze. He felt singled out and isolated. Continuing like this, sorrow and hurt welled up.

‘…I should ask plainly, without misunderstanding.’

Just then, Haban stopped. As Dori raised his head and parted his lips to speak, lights flickered on one by one in the forest.

“…Ah.”

Lanterns.

Dori’s eyes widened, lips trembling.

The forest grew dark early at night. Soon, ten or so lanterns illuminated the area. Though he’d recently strolled there, he had never seen them before—so they must have been newly placed.

“You once said you wanted to see the Lantern Festival,” Haban said in his usual indifferent tone.

[“The Lantern Festival… I want to see it too.”]

“…Did I say that?”

Dori muttered, bewildered, trying to recall.

“Was it not as expected? Were you disappointed?”

“….”

“Sorry. It’s a pity, but this year’s Lantern Festival has already passed. Next year, we’ll see it together.”

[“What’s the point of you wishing on lanterns? If you truly want something, wish to me with that shameless body of yours.”]

A sharp pain blossomed in Dori’s chest. He held back his breath, blinking rapidly to shed the spreading tears.

It wasn’t he who wanted to see the festival—it was ‘Dori’ himself.

“If there’s anything else you’d like to do, just say.”

Unaware of Dori’s feelings, Haban kindly pulled him into an embrace. Holding him tightly from behind, he gently clasped each of Dori’s hands and massaged them softly.

Without realizing it, Dori’s clenched fists relaxed, intertwined with Haban’s firm fingers through his slender ones.

Haban carefully kissed Dori’s ear.

These were the things he had always regretted. Dori’s wishes were always small and humble, yet he had repeatedly crushed them with cruel words.

“I’ve set the day we will return to the palace.”

Even after Dori’s memories returned, Haban wished he would not leave him. He wanted to overwrite Dori’s painful memories with new ones to bind him close.

“Do you like it?”

“…Yes.”

Dori’s voice was thick with moisture. He was easily moved to tears by even small gestures. The clear droplets that fell onto the back of his hand felt warm.

“I want to see it again next time.”

“I will show it to you every year, if you wish.”

Haban whispered sincerely.

The two stayed entwined for a long while, watching the candles burn inside the lanterns.

The glow spread warmly in the black darkness.

Wonwoo lay on his back staring at the ceiling. The house was silent, with no one else inside.

Yesterday, Hori—who barely stayed home for a few days—had sneaked out at night to meet that Red Fox. What he saw was that fox rolling around with another. Their shouting and fur pulling fights caused all the foxes in the village to learn of Hori’s affair.

The elder foxes (noho) sympathized with Hori despite their shock at how he could betray his mate Wonwoo, while the younger adult foxes (seongho) cautiously doubted if the two were truly mates. The newest adults and kits already believed stories told by the Red Fox Hori trusted wholeheartedly, and they spread the rumors widely.

Because of these circumstances, until late at night, the Red Foxes’ footprints lingered around the newlywed home of Hori and Wonwoo.

Hori, likely passed out at the elder’s house, cared little about this. Wonwoo preferred the now quiet atmosphere. His problem was not whether Hori was truly his mate, nor whether the rumors spread.

‘Huu…’

Wonwoo shifted his body.

Only one day remained until the day promised with Yungak. He had to decide tonight but had many doubts.

‘Will that one be fooled again?’

He carefully rubbed the spot where his mating mark had appeared on his palm. Even incomplete, just thinking of his mate made the imprint burn hot and warmth spread through his body.

Using someone whose pain worsened the farther from their mate, tracking Dori’s hiding place was no issue. But his body was still weak, and he worried something might happen to Dori while he recovered. Or worse, that cruel human emperor might capture him.

Therefore, Wonwoo planned to pretend to hide Dori’s location from Yungak, using Yungak to catch him.

‘Tomorrow, I’ll speak directly to him.’

Both sides had their own schemes clearly. Frustrated, Wonwoo thought to get a drink of cold water.

‘Strange, why is it so bright outside?’

Was the fox who deceived Hori, the fox who already became his mate, and Hori himself causing another ruckus? Village foxes had lit torches and gathered to watch.

Wonwoo shrugged it off as he opened the door to step outside.

“…Hey! …Hey!”

Only then did he realize the source of the noise.

“Fi-fire! Fire!”

The village was ablaze.

Footnotes:

 

 

1. Banryeo (반려) — The term for a bonded mate or life partner, often used in folklore to denote spiritual or fated connections. 
2. Noho (노호), Seongho (성호) — Categories or age-group divisions of foxes; elder foxes and young adults, respectively.