𝖬osiac || 𝖲𝖵𝖳 𝖠𝖴

The Cat and the Fox (pt. 4)

   "Jisoo-san, why don't you try some of this?"

   Jisoo nodded and silently cursed as he took a bite out of the food handed to him. His supposed Angel kept on looking at him from across the table every second, meaning he had found out who he was. It's not like Jisoo wanted to hide his identity from the other, but that was soon forgotten and left in the past. Now, he wanted to hide from the other more than ever.

   You see, Jisoo felt betrayed. He felt lonely and rejected. Why would his stupid Angel do something like this? Did he take too long to come back to the other? Jisoo thought it might be ridiculous to think this way, to feel this paranoid about such a thing. Perhaps the fox like creature had other plans, perhaps he had a debt to pay. But what would he find more important than their relationship? Jisoo felt like crying.

   "Jisoo-san, are you feeling well?" Yumi asked as she hugged the Kitsune's arm tightly.

   "Hmm! Don't worry about me!" Jisoo smiled and looked out into the field, watching the snow imitate a petal motion as it fell to the ground. He sighed.

   "I apologize, but, I must head home. It's getting quite late and I don't want to interrupt your reunion any longer" He looked at the fox. "I wouldn't want to get in the way of your relationship" Jisoo saw Angel tense.

   "Why don't you stay here for the night?" Yumi's father suggested. "It's safer than being out in the open, and I think it's a better choice for your son" He said as he gave the youngest one in the room a look. Indeed, Hansol was slowly falling asleep and his head was slightly hanging over his plate. The older had a point, Jisoo didn't want anything to happen to Hansol even though the other was soon to be a powerful Yokai.

   He sighed. "If it's not too much trouble, we'll accept the offer"

   "Great!" Yumi smiled widely.

   "One of our servants will guide you to your room" Her father said as he motioned dto a man that stood by the door. "It's a pleasure to have you over, Jisoo"

   The fox smiled. "A pleasure indeed"

   Jisoo ignored him and picked Hansol up while bowing in the process. He followed the servant into one of the rooms of the house and watched him prepare the futon(*) for them. After a couple of minutes, he thanked him and laid Hansol down on it. Jisoo smiled. He didn't need that Kitsune to be happy anymore, he had another being to care for, shower with love day and night, and to be with for a long time. He would get over these feelings. Jisoo would eventually forget him and their stupid promise.

   But, for now, it was so hard to do that, especially when the fox was standing outside his door at this very moment expecting Jisoo to let him in, as to which, the burnett played dumb and ignored the faint knocks in the door.

   "Jisoo.." He heard the other breath out. "Open the door, please!"

   "What do you want?" Jisoo said from inside. "Isn't Yumi there for you? Or are you perhaps not satisfied with her just like how you weren't with me?"

   He heard the other sigh. After a couple of seconds of silence, Jisoo thought the other had left for good, that he had finally left him all alone. So out of mere curiosity, Jisoo stood up and headed to the door. He opened it and looked around. It was true, his dear Kitsune had left. Or at least, that's what Jisoo thought. Suddenly, two arms surrounded him and brought him closer to a hug. Jisoo tensed and tried to pull away, but the feeling was so familiar, so warm and nice, and so longing for him to reject it.

   "I missed you so much" He heard the latter said. "You don't know how much I've been wishing for this moment to come"

   Jisoo chuckled. "Really? Cause I think that's not the case" He pulled away harshly. "Why are you doing this, huh? Why are you pretending to be someone you're not?!" He felt tears fall from his eyes. "Do you really think I'm that stupid?! Did you really think you can come to me whenever you feel like it and fill me up with false hope?!" He sighed. "Seriously, was our relationship that superficial to you that you went ahead and found someone else?"

   Angel looked down and held onto the clothes of the other. "I love you" He cried. "I love you"

   Jisoo hugged him and placed the other's head in his chest. "Do you?"

   "I do" Angel cried. "I love you so, so much"

   "Let's escape then" Jisoo looked at him. "From all of this. From this village, from this way of life. From her" Jisoo pleaded with his eyes. "Please, escape with me" 

   Angel gently pushed Jisoo away. "I love you" He looked down. "But I, I can't.." He said. "I can't leave her"

   Jisoo chuckled. "So this is how it'll be huh?"

   He pushed the fox away and walked into the room. Jisoo picked Hansol up and called a servant to him.

   The fox watched him with curiosity. "What are you doing...?"

   "I'm leaving" Jisoo said while looking straight at him. "I can't stand to see you right now. I can't stand the thought of seeing you marry someone else and break our promise. The promise of marrying me instead"

   Jisoo walked past him and turned around. "Goodbye Angel" Jisoo smiled.

   "I loved you"

[(*) Futon: a Japanese traditional style of bedding]