Another Tale Of A Nine Tailed

Chapter 23: Days without you

Yu Ri arrived a little later, since she was driving the car, excited to tell her husband the good news.
When she found him in the living room of their apartment, she immediately knew something was wrong.

„Hey. Don't make such a face! You know what?" she knelt down in front of Shin Ju, took his hands and ginned. „Guess."

„Yu Ri... I'm not.."

„Guess!" she interrupted and he dropped his gaze. „Woo Bin-nim.. I think he's gone."

Now Yu Ri's smile vanished. „What are you talking about? Yi Jeong-nim and I... we found the bead. It's all gonna be okay! Woo Bin-nim is going to come back for sure!" she smiled, her eyes bright with happiness, but Shin Ju couldn't share that feeling.

„You found the bead? Yeon called me to lure Yi Jeong away, so Woo Bin could go alone with the fairy. But he was already gone when I..." his eyes widened and he stared at his wife. „He left before he got the bead..."

Yu Ri's smile vanished. „Does that mean it was all for nothing? Yi Jeong-nim gave up a lot to get the bead. And now he's gone without it?" she asked but Shin Ju was already on his phone, calling Yeon. Maybe it wasn't too late yet.

It was. Yeon told him on the phone, that Woo Bin was really gone and asked him to prepare the room for Yi Jeong to move in and to cook Rang's favorite meal.

Yu Ri was biting her fingernails while she watched her husband on the phone, barely able to breathe. Shin Ju ended the call and buried his face in his palms.

„He didn't make it in time. The fairy took Woo Bin..." he mumbled, then took a deep breath. "But he has Yeon's bead. Yi Jeong wants to move back in. He doesn't want to stay in his apartment without Woo Bin."

Now Yi Ri's face lit up. „Yi Rang-nim is coming home?" she whispered and a weak smile flashed over Shin Ju's lips. „I guess so."

-

In the evening, everything was prepared for Yi Jeong to move back into his old home. He hadn't told them yet, that his memories were back, because that's nothing to tell on the phone.
It took him all his strength to think of Woo Bin as just being temporarily gone. If he would just think for a second, that he died that day, his heart would shatter into a million pieces and never recover.

Yi Jeong was wearing his boyfriend's leather jacket over his new sweater, had a shoulder bag in one arm and his plush fox in the other, when he arrived.
He looked like a lost boy who was just meeting his foster parents for the first time, but when he saw Yu Ri and Shin Ju, a little weight fell off his chest.

The apartment suddenly smelled familiar and he stepped inside. Yu Ri was the first who greeted him with a tight hug.
„I'm so sorry.." she whispered, „I had no idea what they were planning."

„I wouldn't have told you either.. You would never have let them do this behind my back.. not my Yu Ri.." he mumbled and tried a smile when she stepped back and stared at him with wide eyes.

„Yi Rang-nim.." she breathed, now looking into the eyes of her mentor and savior instead of a stranger who just looked like him. „You.."

„I remember it all. My past life.. You..." he looked over to Shin Ju. „Him.." He tried to look annoyed, but he couldn't fight back a smile and Shin Ju jumped into his arms. „Hyung!" he yelled and Yi Jeong laughed.

„Where's my dog?" he asked but Su Ho wasn't around.

„He's still out, trying to get your favorite dessert. Are you hungry?" Yu Ri asked and Yi Jeong nodded though he wasn't. He remembered it was Rang's favorite. It smelled good.