Wow. I don’t think I’ve passed out like this since I left that house.
With this guy, would he just dump me on the ground and leave? The ambulance needs to get here fast.
Even while I was collapsing, I managed to think that—and then everything went completely dark.
Who the hell put a curse on me?
Someone who could lay something this strong… around me…
I tried to comfort myself that it wasn’t, but when I thought about it now, there was only one person who came to mind.
Ah… I don’t know.
My head was spinning so badly, I gave up on thinking and let my consciousness go completely.
*****
I saw a child’s wrists carved with countless scratches, and scars and bruises all over their body.
I saw my younger self, curled up inside the biggest jar among many jars.
A narrow attic with no windows was bad enough—inside a jar on top of that.
Just looking at it made my chest feel tight.
I was wearing white, sobbing so hard I sounded like I might stop breathing, murmuring for someone to please let me out—
and I dropped down in front of that scene with a thud and let out a long sigh.
I haven’t had this dream in forever.
Is it because of the person I thought of at the end?
Please… let me out… please, Aunt. I’m so hungry and it hurts….
Then just… just take me too… take me too, Mom… Dad….
Since I’d realized it was a dream, I figured I’d wake up soon, so I spoke softly to that crying child version of me.
…Don’t die yet.
You made it out of that house. You’re living—stubbornly, bravely.
Sure, the debt piled up, and you’re working part-time until your body feels like it’s going to fall apart, so it’s… really hard.
But you’re free. You’re doing what you want.
Yeah, you’ve met beings that aren’t human, too, but—
Still. Life right now is livable.
Ah. I think I’m really waking up. Everything’s getting hazy.
*****
I exhaled a long breath and opened my eyes, blinking slowly at an unfamiliar ceiling.
In dramas, isn’t it always a white ceiling that smells like a hospital?
So why are there animals in elegant hanbok staring at me?
A tiger in gorgeous traditional clothes, and a white fox—
Wait. Those two can exist together?
And… is that even a fox? It looks like it has at least three tails.
Aaaagh.
I stared at them for a long time, thinking I still had to be dreaming, then shot upright.
A white towel went thud onto the pretty-colored blanket.
A white towel? And this isn’t even a hospital bed—it’s a nice blanket?
The fox smiled and picked up the towel. Oh. Did they take care of me?
“Um… hello. But… who are you…?”
“Oh my, he’s awake!”
“Let’s tell Lord Bihyeon.”
Lord Bihyeon? That name sounds familiar.
Ah. Right. That man’s name.
So he didn’t dump me on the ground!
Just that alone was weirdly moving, but… I had this ominous feeling I was in his territory now.
I mean, these cute animals wearing hanbok weren’t exactly screaming normal.
I watched the tiger and fox hurry outside, then fidgeted with the blanket. As I glanced around—taking in the door and the old-fashioned furniture carved with raised patterns—the paper-latticed door slid open and a familiar man strode in.
…Is this guy going to a fashion show or something?
He was wearing a black hanbok with the collar slightly open, and a black overcoat draped over his shoulders, embroidered with beautiful golden thread that matched his eyes.
He shifted those snake-like pupils and looked at me.
Not in a suit, he looked even less human.
His presence, his aura—
“Uh… um… thank you for helping me—no. Thank you for saving me…?”
Maybe my reaction amused him, because he laughed lazily and leaned against the door.
Lord Bihyeon motioned to the fox. The fox scurried in, set a small table in front of me, and poured tea. Then they dropped a round pill beside it with a soft thud and stared at me with eyes that sparkled to an almost burdensome degree.
“It’s medicine that calms your mind and body. Take it.”
“Yes… thank you.”
“It’s best if you chew it, but it’ll be very bitter. You can just swallow it whole.”
The bitter smell was so strong it seemed to rise from across the room.
My hands were trembling, but I still forced a smile at the fox.
If I take this… I’ll live, right?
I glanced at the man. He was leaning against the wall like he was thinking about something else, then looked at me.
He didn’t seem like he had any intention of stopping me.
“Take it. It’s fine right now because of my presence, but you’ll suffer quite a bit later.”
Is this man actually… incredibly kind?
He didn’t dump me, and he even brought me something to calm down.
Sure, the smell was horrific, but still.
Hands shaking, I put the pill in my mouth, swallowed hard, then quickly chased it with lukewarm tea.
…It tasted as awful as it smelled.
I covered my mouth and turned my head slightly. The fox went heh-heh and pulled out a piece of candy from their pouch, handing it to me while patting my back like, Go on. Eat it.
“Th-thank you.”
I shoved the candy into my mouth and rolled it around with my tongue. Finally, sweetness spread through my mouth.
Fuu— I let out a small breath.
That was when the tiger walked over on two legs and stared right at my face.
I leaned back a little to avoid the tiger’s muzzle and laughed awkwardly. The tiger’s tail swished lightly.
“This is fascinating. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a human’s energy this clear. And you didn’t even scream when you saw us.”
“Right? And it’s so sweet, too.”
So the tiger talks too.
The teeth I saw when they opened their mouth were terrifying, but I desperately pretended not to notice and slid my gaze away.
I don’t taste good, everyone. I’m broke and starving—there’s no meat on me….
Still smiling awkwardly, I sent Lord Bihyeon an intense, silent SOS with my eyes.
He’d been watching with a smile, leaning against the wall. He stepped closer, took my wrist, and rolled up my sleeve to check.
…Wow. My skin bruises easily, but—
Maybe because he grabbed me hard during the accident, my arm was so badly bruised it looked like I’d gotten beaten.
Only then did it really register.
I lightly caught his hand and pulled my sleeve back down.
“Um… where are we? This is… Lord Bihyeon’s place, right?”
“Well… yes. Haru. Go get the ointment.”
Lord Bihyeon spoke with that lazy smile. He obviously wasn’t talking to me.
Haru…?
I glanced behind me. The fox lifted their head immediately and beamed.
“Yeees—.”
Drawing out the end of the word with a giggle, the fox hopped onto the tiger’s back and went out into the hallway.
Lord Bihyeon lifted my sleeve again and checked the bruising, then gave my body a quick once-over to see if anything else was hurt.
He was smiling, and his eyes were as cold as ever, but… somehow, he still seemed oddly attentive.
For some reason, it made me laugh.
What is this?
Maybe he doesn’t hate me that much.
All those cookies weren’t for nothing.
The rule is real: in front of tasty things, everyone gets gentler.
“Put on the ointment and go home. I’ll open the door for you.”
“Yes. I will.”
It’s not like my hand’s injured—I can open doors myself.
And I could honestly put ointment on at home too, but…
…How am I supposed to get home?
When I peeked outside through a gap in the door, it looked like the whole area was mountains.
There aren’t mountains near my place.
You’d have to drive a long time to reach even a low one. Did he bring me all the way there?
“Um, Lord Bihyeon. Do buses run here?”
“I said I’ll open the door for you.”
He laughed as he said it, and I nodded for now.
…Yes. I can open this door, but I guess you need to open the front gate for me to leave.
A gate several times bigger than my body looked impossible for me to open alone.
Once I realized he wasn’t going to explain any further, I shut my mouth.
An awkward silence settled in. I turned my head and scratched my cheek.
Then I heard light footsteps in the hallway, and the door opened again.
Lord Bihyeon took the ointment the fox brought and slowly pulled back my sleeve, applying it.
His touch was careful—almost cautious.
He’s ridiculously meticulous. It’s ticklish….
Oh. Right. Earlier I was so flustered I don’t think I even greeted him properly.
He saved my life. Ending it with a half-assed thanks felt wrong, so I bowed my head and spoke seriously.
“Thank you for saving me.”
Even if he hadn’t, I would never have blamed him.
When he finished applying the ointment and I lifted my head, he was looking at me.
It was a strange look.
This time, there was an emotion in it that I couldn’t quite define.
“Thank you.”
He never answered.
He just stood, then jerked his chin like he was telling me to follow.
I followed behind him and bowed to the fox and tiger.
At the front gate, Lord Bihyeon opened the door and looked at me.
I wondered if I could even catch a taxi out here as I pulled my phone from my pocket.
The moment I slowly lifted my head—
my house was right there, directly in front of the gate.
…Huh? Wh-what?
Thud.
Lord Bihyeon gave my back a light push, sending me outside, and without any farewell at all—
THUD.
He shut the door.
Aaaagh. My eyes went wide. I stumbled, barely catching myself.
When I turned around, the giant gate was gone. There was only the alley I always had to pass through on the way home.
‘What… what is this, seriously?’
It felt like I’d been bewitched.
So that’s what he meant by “open the door.”
Wow. That is, honestly, a skill modern people desperately need.
With that thought, I slowly turned and headed home.
There wasn’t anything like a talisman stuck to my door today, but I still felt oddly unsettled.
I sighed, went inside, and immediately flopped down in front of the entryway.
Wow. I don’t even have the strength to crawl to the mattress.
After lying there blankly for a while, something hit me late and I grabbed my phone in a hurry.
Missed calls. Texts. Messages.
It was chaos.
More than anything, there was a message from the convenience store owner saying they were sorry, and thanking me for everything up until now.
Haaah…
I pressed a hand to my forehead and squeezed my eyes shut.
Why does my life never have an easy day…?
‘No way. It can’t be.’
I stared blankly at the family photo a little ways away, then closed my eyes.
‘Back then, and now… it can’t be my aunt.’
Or… am I just hoping it isn’t her?
Yeah. That’s what it is.
I was hoping it wasn’t her.
Haa….
I let out a heavy sigh, then opened my eyes and stared blankly into empty space.
*****
Sleep paralysis, nightmares, the whole night…
In the end, maybe because I was coming down with something, my condition was a complete wreck.
With a hollow face, I held a shopping bag packed with walnut pie, egg tarts, and even apple pie, and dragged my trembling legs into the café.
Ding-a-ling—
The moment I opened the door and stepped inside, Boss Bbiik and the regulars who’d gotten a little closer to me rushed over like they’d been waiting, checking my condition.