Grabbing my arm and crossing through the door, he spoke quietly.
“After sending off the guest, let’s also talk about the curse bit by bit.”
Only after crossing through the door did I remember, so I politely raised both hands and pointed, then quickly shook my head.
“But who is that person? …Ah, you don’t have to tell me. No, just don’t tell me. I don’t need to know.”
I roughly guessed who it was, so I didn’t think I needed to hear it.
Going to the yard, seeing the fox and tiger’s eyes widen as they welcomed him while also treating him respectfully told me everything.
Listening to my rapid words, Bihyeon laughed lowly, “Hahaha.”
“The White Tiger of the Five Directional Deities. Right now it’s between summer and autumn, so it’s about time for him to move.”
Though that too is gradually disappearing. Bihyeon, who muttered that, passed through the yard and headed to the pavilion where the White Tiger was sitting.
The White Tiger, who had been exhaling with a somewhat tired air, lay down completely comfortably and swished his tail. Breathing the clear air, his energy was gradually becoming clearer. But even that felt weak.
Anyway, Bihyeon-nim. I said you didn’t need to tell me.
The White Tiger of the Five Directional Deities. As expected, that means…
‘A deity…’
I squeezed my eyes shut and firmly grabbed Bihyeon’s arm.
I should have paid more attention and made a different drink instead of yujacha. Should I have just given him everything on the menu…?
“Mm?”
Looking at my expression, he laughed quietly.
Ha, I sighed and pressed my eyes. Bihyeon, who sat me down next to the White Tiger, moved toward the dining room without even saying where he was going. I noticed that smile had a strange playfulness to it and shouted with my eyes “Where are you going!”, but it was already too late.
The place left with just the two of us was both awkward and uncomfortable.
That said, I couldn’t show it, so I glanced at the White Tiger who was lying down swishing his tail repeatedly.
The one who had been looking at me with calm eyes raised his head.
“If you’re uncomfortable, go inside a room.”
“Pardon? No, no…”
You know that feeling? That uncomfortable tension like meeting and being with a very successful chairman… And it was more uncomfortable for him to avoid me. Ugh, I scratched my cheek, then made myself comfortable and smiled slightly.
“Are you alright, White Tiger-nim? With me being next to you.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
Because you might be uncomfortable with humans like Bihyeon-nim…?
I couldn’t quite say this and laughed awkwardly. Bihyeon, who came out of the dining room with snacks and tea on a tray, approached us with slow steps.
When I got up from my seat to receive it, the White Tiger carefully sat me back down by wrapping his tail around my waist.
The tail, the tail…
“A guest doesn’t do things. That’s rude to the host.”
I-is that so…
Though blunt, it felt kind somehow, so I laughed and nodded.
“Yes, I’ll stay still.”
At my answer, the White Tiger’s tail fluttered.
Now I understand. This seemed to be an expression of being in a slightly good mood.
“Baekryeon. Your body?”
“I’m fine. Being here, I’m recovering.”
“Go to the lake.”
Bihyeon, who had set down the tea and snacks beside us, sat next to me.
The White Tiger, who raised his body and reached out to take the tea, drank slowly. Then he shook his head as if it was fine.
At his refusal, Bihyeon’s eyes sank sadly for a moment, but it was truly fleeting.
I stared at them, then smoothly turned my head pretending not to have seen.
“I should eat this and get some sleep. Will you give me a room?”
“Alright.”
Though so big, strangely I thought he seemed delicate and fragile. An atmosphere as if he would disappear soon…
Blinking while staring at the White Tiger, I soon picked up a yakgwa and chewed on it.
Ah, it came out really crispy today.
“Oh, try the yakgwa. It’s always delicious, but it’s even better today.”
At my words, the White Tiger came to sit near the plate and ate the yakgwa. He swallowed it in one gulp, nodded, and looked at me.
“Yes… as you said, it’s especially delicious today.”
I thought his blunt eyes were strangely smiling.
At his kind eyes, I smiled along with him and put the rest of the yakgwa in my mouth. Bihyeon, who had been watching us with calm eyes from the side, slowly drank his tea while looking up at the sky.
Those eyes again. Eyes filled with longing. Is he thinking of someone he misses while looking at me?
“You’re a kind child…”
The White Tiger, who was about to say something, soon shut his mouth tightly and shook his head.
“…No, you’ll find out someday.”
Saying so, he looked at Bihyeon, then turned his gaze elsewhere.
He who had set down his finished teacup got down from the pavilion on all fours and headed to a room following the fox who had appeared at some point. Watching that retreating figure, only after they completely entered the room did I lose energy and stretch out my body.
Watching me like that, Bihyeon laughed.
“I’ll receive Heavenly Punishment because of you, Bihyeon-nim…”
“I think you should worry about the curse before the Heavenly Punishment.”
Bihyeon, who had been laughing, tapped the phone in my hand.
“If it’s strong enough to overcome even my energy, they must have really done a lot.”
“Pardon?”
Bihyeon looked at me and grabbed my arm as I tried to put the phone in my pocket.
“Usually, for humans who serve evil deities and those deities to become strong, they have to commit murder.”
Murder…
I fidgeted at the tremendous word.
“Not just any murder. They have to trap clean and pure souls, then kill them with cruel methods. And if they repeat that, they gain power too great for humans to handle.”
Aunt…
As I frowned and pressed my eyes, Bihyeon pulled my arm slightly and took the phone from my hand.
Then he removed the case, took out the paper that was now more than half blackened, and burned it in the air.
“I’ll draw you a new one. Haru.”
Hmm, he who had been pondering called the fox. She, who had guided the White Tiger to a room, entered one of the rooms and came out with a fine white cloth, a brush, and ink.
Bihyeon looked at the cloth and nodded. Then he placed the large cloth on the floor and began drawing some kind of pattern on it with the brush.
“Bihyeon-nim?”
I’m getting anxious about something.
After writing unfamiliar characters inside the pattern, he bit his own finger to draw blood, then traced over it once more with the red blood. Then he clapped his hands once.
Then the cloth folded in half, then folded once more. After becoming smaller several times like that, it changed into a very small talisman. I stared blankly, then met eyes with Bihyeon.
Just what tremendous price is he going to demand… I have nothing to give. No money, and my body doesn’t seem healthy anymore either…
As if reading my thoughts, he laughed.
“Let’s say it’s payment for the cookies I’ve eaten so far.”
Even if I brought them for a lifetime, it wouldn’t be enough. A talisman made directly by a deity.
As my hands trembled, unable to readily accept what he held out to me, he took my hand and placed the talisman on it.
“Isn’t this too much?”
You said giving too much isn’t allowed either.
When I asked worriedly, Bihyeon smiled again.
“If you think so, bring me more snacks from now on.”
“That’s not difficult but…”
He must have liked what I make. Or maybe he’s concerned about me bleeding that ominous blood and having a nosebleed? Anyway… In the end, I clutched the talisman tightly in my hand, put it in my pocket, and fidgeted anxiously. I was anxious. There are two important things in there, for goodness sake.
I held it tightly together with the pocket watch in my pocket, then withdrew my hand and sighed.
“Now take your medicine and sleep. They said they’ll make samgyetang for the meal later.”
“Samgyetang!”
When I looked at him with sparkling eyes, he smiled with his eyes.
* * *
Crash! Thud. Thud.
Ugh, wh-what?
I clearly ate samgyetang, took a little nap, the Mountain God came to visit and we had a conversation together…
After eating dinner, I had another very brief conversation with White Tiger-nim… Did I fall asleep again? Wow, in someone else’s house. And in a deity’s house at that, why did I sleep so much?
I’m going crazy… I think I’ve been sleeping too much lately.
Thud!
Ah, it was a loud noise that woke me up. While rubbing my eyes in a daze, I came to my senses with a start, put away the blanket, and burst out the door.
“Huh? Wow…”
An exclamation came out reflexively.
The White Tiger, Mountain God, and the household members from the palace were gathered in the yard.
Beings that gave off beautiful light, perhaps fireflies, were flying around, and jewel-colored birds floated in the air.
The palace gate was wide open.
As if they were the culprits of the loud noise, huge somethings were gathering around the palace.
Among them were giant trees that looked different from the Mountain God, and mountain dwellers like deer and wild boars poked their heads over the fence and dropped what was in their mouths.
Starting from small berries, flowers, and fish fell to the ground with thuds.
Bihyeon, who had been watching the scene with kind eyes, smiled when he discovered me.
“You’re up?”
“Happy birthday. I didn’t wake up too late, did I?”
“It just became midnight.”
Then I should give him a gift too.
I went back into the room and handed him the cake I had brought. Then the White Tiger beside him also took out the cookies from his front pocket and gave them to him.
Bihyeon, who received them directly, took out the cake, smiled with satisfaction, and placed it in the pavilion.
“But that…”
“They’re beings from the mountain who came to congratulate me.”
The expressions of the animals who dropped their gifts and bowed their heads toward us all seemed bright. Should I say they looked happy, or should I say they looked joyful?
Ah… I see.
Everyone on this mountain likes Bihyeon-nim.
“Hey! Hey, human!”
Hm?
As I smiled and looked at the things in front of the gate, I heard a small sound from way below and looked around.
Then when I looked down, there was the rat-nim stomping his feet on the ground.
“Oh? Rat-nim!”
“How do you do, Bihyeon-nim. Congratulations on your birthday.”
“Yes, thank you, Seodam.”
When I reached out my hand, the rat who climbed onto my palm huffed and turned his head. Soon he took out two rice cakes with very pretty flower patterns from his front pocket. They were a bit big for a rat to carry. The rat, who had been muttering something with his eyes closed, held them out to Bihyeon.
“May Bihyeon-nim and all your precious things become happy.”
At the rat’s words that whispered softly as if casting a spell, Bihyeon smiled.
