Under The Fox's Tail ⁷

Another one

After some awesome hours of gazing at the night sky, you returned to the entrance of the hotel, where he had left you to wait as you had requested some snacks simply because you felt like eating something, despite the late hour and he had offered to go since he could be quicker than you.

The temperature was a bit lighter at night but still, it was warm enough to make you fan yourself a bit while you were standing by the entrance, waiting for Hoseok to pop out of nowhere as he usually does.

"Hey" A voice was heard behind you making you jump away startled by the sound that was heard really close to your ears. You were so ready to turn around and complain to Hoseok that scared you like this but as you opened your mouth and faced the person, your words left you as you realised that it was Hoseok but a stranger whom you didn't know.

He smiled as he saw your shocked expression and somehow you couldn't help but take a step back, feeling a weird aura around him. A vibe familiar with the one Hoseok usually emits yet this one somehow felt more negative and heavy.

"You look adorable when scared young lady." He uttered as he tilted his head to the side, flashing an appealing smile.

Some strands that had escaped from his blonde long-length hair that was tied in a man-bun swayed with the wind that rose out of nowhere as he kept staring at you with his sharp green-coloured eyes and his pinkish lips tagged slightly upwards forming a mischievous smile that made you feel unsafe however even though you tried to step away and leave, your body didn't move from its place.

"Captivated by my presence I see. Likewise my charming lady." The stranger commented as he started taking steps towards you and you just started to panic, not understanding why suddenly your body was not listening to your commands.

"You wouldn't mind giving me some of your energy now would you?" He murmured softly once he was closer to you than you would have liked and as you saw him leaning closer, you couldn't help but scream in your head Hoseok's name and in a blink of an eye, you felt a breeze of fresh air engulfing your body and his tails getting wrapped around you, soon pulling you away from that stranger.

"Now now. It sure is impolite touching people without their consent." Hoseok spoke as the usual polite facial expression was resting on his face.

"A  fox spirit? That sure is a surprise." The stranger seemed amused for a moment at Hoseok's presence while you remained still, not having regained control over your body.

"How does he know? Can he see  you?" You asked in your head knowing that Hoseok would hear you.

"I am as surprised to meet one like me. However, I am sure we aren't the same." Hoseok replied to that guy, making you understand that the stranger might have not been a human but a spirit just like Hoseok was.

"Just because you are legally around humans, that doesn't mean you are better than me." The guy claimed as he took some steps towards you and Hoseok.

"Good gracious, who said anything about such? I don't like categorizing beings however I am better simply because I have better manners than you. Trying to get the energy of a lady that already has a contract with another spirit is plain rude, gentleman." Hoseok flashed his usual playful smile as he pulled his tails away from you and took two steps forward, slightly shielding you.

"Oh, you sure are a funny one."

"Of course, I take high pride in my humour. Thank you for your compliment." Hoseok replied kindly even though he knew well that he didn't say those words as a compliment.

"Look. You know that since I am not bound by a contract I don't have a source to be fed from. At this rate, I will disappear. Just share with me this once. We are both spirits, you know the torture of starvation."The guy tried to appeal to Hoseok but his words only made his smile more playful.

"I am afraid I don't because I am not illegally in the human world. Like you. From which crack did you slip through I wonder? Was the guardian god doing a sloppy job? "Hoseok uttered as he took slow steps towards him.

"No, God's never do anything by mistake. You were brought here for a reason. Do you know what that reason is?" He questioned him, as he left his nine tails grow pride and tall behind him and his clothes changed back to the kimono which you had seen him in, the first time you had met him in that forest.

"Of course, you might not. You fulfilled that mission and now they are trying to dispose of you. You went against the God's will, didn't you?" Hoseok questioned him, and the guy fell quiet as he had discovered everything about him so quickly.

"It was a mistake. I didn't mean to spare that soul."The guy's expression became pitiful as he claimed so and for some reason, you felt a bit sympathetic for him. No matter what he had done, he sure was in a tight situation and was going to get extinguished, if he was not to find a source of energy soon.

"Please can't you just help me out?" He added and Hoseok fell silent for a moment then stepped away, leaving you exposed to him.

"I will show generosity just this once then. Go ahead, feed on her." He uttered and you couldn't help but panic inside as you still couldn't move to protest.

Yah! Are you serious right now? Hoseok!

You yelled at him in your thoughts as you saw the stranger smile widely and in a blink of an eye, he was standing before you.

No, no, please. Let's find him someone else. I don't want. I am scared. Hoseok, please.

You felt like crying at that moment as you thought those words in your head while watching the face of the stranger spirit now getting closer towards your face.

Wait, please stop him. Let's talk this out...Hoseok! I swear I will be really mad. Hoseok!

His lips were getting closer each second that ticked away and your thoughts froze for a second as a wave of fear and hopelessness hit inside you. 

I don't want to have anyone else touching me but you.

You thought and at that instant, you saw him suddenly appearing behind that guy whose movement came to an abrupt halt and his easy grew wide. His shocked figure before you lasted some mere seconds, as a wind blew out of nowhere and he became dust in the wind, leaving only Hoseok's finger in mid-air, which was what had brought his entity to an end.

"Gods never send spirits to kill humans. He was left here to die not because he spared a soul but because he must have taken one, unlike the wish of his superior. Thinking he could lie to someone like me, he sure was foolish." Hoseok spoke calmly with a satisfied smile on his lips but his expression changed quickly as you threw yourself in his arms and hugged him tightly.

"Oh, my god. I thought you were serious. I thought you were really gonna let him take my energy." You spoke softly, your voice showcasing the fear and stress you felt while in that situation and he froze for a moment, able to feel your feelings along with the warmth of your body that had engulfed him tightly.

"You shouldn't have been scared Y/N."He told you as he hesitated to place his hands around you, feeling awkward for some reason at that certain moment.

Probably it was because you had initiated that physical contact with him and it was more than a strange phenomenon. It was uncalled as you had never done so and -knowing your temper and the fact that you find him annoying and dislike him- he thought that you would obviously never do so in the future either. However, it seemed that your fearful feelings had taken over your logic for the moment.

"I know, I know. I will trust you from now on. I trust you." You uttered as you made your embrace tighter, somehow feeling secure and relieved with him there while Hoseok just fell quiet after hearing your response and his eyes couldn't help but grow wide in surprise.

To this day, no one had ever held him this tight, with a trembling body and a mind full of anxious and fearful thoughts as yours was at that moment yet still claim so confidently that you were gonna trust him. It was unexpected as well as unbelievable but most of all, it was something that made his heart suddenly thumb loudly, creating a beat that filled him with a confused feeling.

---To be continued...