Chapter 1: Oh dear
Notes:
this is the first chapter which is prewritten and i know its bad okay? dont gotta rub it in my balls
Chapter Text
"Get back here you-!" A voice yelled, frustration rippling through the air, panting as they sprant across the open field. The number of footsteps seemed to increase as dirt packed under the force of boots.
"Just give up already!" A mocking voice exclaimed, breaths coming out in ragged huffs as he was being chased by the small mob of police, reaching the edge of the town where a cliff dropped off into a large river that screamed and raged as it thrashed around in the confines of the stone and dirt walls enclosing it. "That's a long drop, will I make it?" He'd murmur questioningly to himself as he glanced at the policemen closing in on him with their weapons in hand- and without a second thought, he jumped.
"Hey- Hey!" A policeman yelled, peering down from the edge of a cliff, "That's the Daecheon river, the locals will eat him alive!" He'd observe, wiping his hands across each other and calling the men back.
"Hah, maybe the Yako man'll get him! 'Heard he lives 'round there." A younger officer blurted, only to be whacked in the head by his annoyed superior.
"Oh shush with your paranormal crap." The older man spat, continuing to walk back along with the few other police officers with them.
Descending from the cliff, he'd hastily glance around his surroundings, searching for anything to potentially grab onto and stop him from plummeting into the rushing water below. Awkwardly maneuvering through the air, he'd try to grip onto a nearby branch as it painfully grazed past his gloved hand just moments before he hit the water, plunging deep underneath the cold and wet blanket of gushing liquid. He'd kick his feet as fast and hard as he could, attempting to resurface as he was fished along the powerful current before he was smacked in the head by a falling piece of rubble and his world slowly drained of all its colour.
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Hours, or maybe even days later. A disoriented figure awoke on a sandy riverbank, the grains itching against his skin as he immediately jolted upright- coughing up water. For a moment, the man sat there for a moment, regaining himself before he hastily checked his belongings. His frows furrowed in disappointment as he had come to realise that his bag had emptied out almost completely!
Perhaps it wasn't the end of the world, though to see the meats and fruits he had stored up just completely lost in the current was troubling to no end. The man would feel around his waist, finding at least a little relief wash over him as he noticed that his sword had stuck loyally to his body, even when he was being dragged around by that river.
A burst of wind harshly flew by when a pang of frigidity hit his dripping body like a slap across the face. His face would contort grimly; the cold embraced him like a hug. He sat there, arms wrapped around his shoulders before he heard something rustling among the trees, catching his interest as he slung his soaked bag over his shoulders and headed towards the source of the sound.
He would quickly duck behind a tree, watching closely as the source of the noise revealed itself to be an elderly villager, carrying along a sack of, presumably food. The old man was all alone, making him the perfect target to rob.
As the old man walked past him-painfully slowly-he lunged out of the bush and unsheathed his blade. He stood tall and imposing, a stark contrast to the frail elderly man. "Strip and drop your bag," he demanded, the tip of his blade glinting in the sun, inches away from the man's chest-to which he quickly complied, lest he lose his life.
Yet the sight of the poor, frightened senior seemed to tug at something hidden deep in his chest. His hand faltered, grip loosening on the blade. "Hmph. Take this and scram." The younger man spoke, his voice authoritative and almost menacing as he slid his sword into its sheath and scooped up the discarded clothing. He reached into his bag, pulled out a sum of money, and tossed it at the man's feet before turning around and silently walking away, his brows furrowed in a slight scowl.
By the time he had gotten changed and picked some small fruits, darkness had already begun seeping into the blanket of the sky. Though, something felt awfully wrong about this particular night. The forest fell too quiet, and the winds whistled with speed-as if warning him to turn around and leave right then and there. However he persisted, having spotted a path somewhere deeper into the forest earlier as he was picking fruit.
His walk seemed fine, even peaceful at first as he easily found his way to the path. Though with the moon serving as his only guiding light, he couldn't help but feel his skin crawl every time something moved, or the goosebumps that raised from his skin like hackles every time the winds blew too harshly. It was as if-he was afraid of an entity that wasn't even there, or was it...?
He froze when he felt something brush past his ear, like a twisted whisper. The man whirled around, a pit forming in his stomach, "Who's there!?" he barked, glancing wearily at the trees. Though nothing came out, nothing responded, nothing happened. His face shaped itself into a frown, maybe his mind was just playing tricks on him. After all, the deep paranoia he felt seemed almost unreal. Nevertheless, he turned around and marched onwards, taking deep breaths as he walked faster and faster. "It's just my imagination. It's just my imagination" he muttered repeatedly to himself, struggling to keep his composure.
For as long as he could, he'd speedwalk forward, haunted by the ghost of his own imagination, up until dawn when nature had finally decided to give him a rest from his silent suffering. The man would take a break and hunt some meager prey before setting out on his journey again, following the same path he did since last night.
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The last shreds of hope in which he had desperately clung onto were beginning to diminish, when a gate loomed ahead, bold letters reading 'DAECHEON VILLAGE' carved masterfully into its arch. The stars twinkled in rhythmic patterns, though compared to the bright and colourful lantern light illuminating stalls and houses, they seemed almost disappointing. The sound of song and conversation roared from within the walls, luring him through the gates of this seemingly festive village. Something about the glowing lanterns and the hum of voices made his chest tighten with anticipation, urging him forward.
Passing through the doors, he was struck by a whirlwind of color and sound. Lanterns were strung above crowded streets where men and women clumped together in tight clusters. Some gawked at eye-catching fire displays, while others bargained at stalls laden with silks and accessories. The warm scent of delicious pastries wafted through the air of food stalls as he passed by, though the thought barely registered. Exhaustion dragged at his limbs, his relief brittle and fleeting. All that mattered now was finding somewhere to rest. Slipping further into the festive chaos, he veered towards an alleyway, draped in eerie shadows that begged him not to go near. The previously festive and bright atmosphere shifted abruptly-cold, watchful-before an unknown force yanked his fatigued body from the street, slamming him against the wall.
"And what's your name, hm?" A voice uttered-too bright-too excited, an unusual contrast to the darkness of the alley.
"None of your damn business-and let go of me! Who are you!?" the man snarled, his voice cracking as he writhed in the stranger's grip, a dangerous glint in his eyes. With a sharp kick, he broke himself free, shifting to the side and unsheathing his blade. It gleamed faintly, reflecting the light of the festive lanterns and colourful spectacles outside the alley, where crowds chattered and laughed, oblivious to the rising tension within. His eyes narrowed at the stranger, dropping into a defensive stance.
"Oh~ you're quite feisty," The unknown man laughed softly, stepping back just out of reach of his kick. His expression shifted abruptly, a glimmer of epiphany reaching his eyes. Moving with deliberate ease, he sidestepped to block the man's exit.
The unfamiliar man leaned in closer, grabbing him by the shoulders. Inspecting his face for a moment before letting him go, a curious glimmer in his foxlike eyes. "You... you have the residue of the Daecheon River on you. Why is that?" he asked, voice taut with suspicion.
"Tch, like I said. None of your damn business" came a callous reply from the smaller one, his grip tightening on the handle of his blade, eyes transfixed on him, as if daring him to make a move.
A defeated sigh escaped the stranger's mouth, his posture slightly slumping, "Very well, how about I introduce myself then. My name is Kita, and you?" Kita tilted his head, his gentle voice tinged with an undertone of impatience, as if he had previously expected him to unfurl with the slightest provocation.
Narrowing his eyes at the figure in front of him, he weighed his options-distrust clawed at his gut, but something in Kita's tone hinted at opportunity. Opportunity that he just couldn't miss, "..Just call me Ao" He mumbled, the uncertainty of his voice made Kita raise a brow, sensing weakness, he could feel the ghost of a grin creeping up on his lips as he turned around, almost making Ao jump as he noticed the fox-eared man gesturing for him to follow along.
As they navigated through crowds of people, Ao's cautious glances would not go unnoticed as Kita made sure to keep him guessing, stopping randomly to glance at performances before heading back on his merry way and making sudden movements-It was all so amusing to him that he had almost lost track of where they were heading.
Ao, who was on the receiving end of Kita's silent torment, seemed to jump every time he'd make any sort of movement, his heart racing with anticipation-until he caught himself staring for an awfully embarrassing amount of time. His eyes would try to look elsewhere, landing on Kita's tails which provoked a question within his mind, "Kita, or whatever your name is. What are you?" He asked, turning his head forwards and crossing his arms over his chest as he tried to act as if he wasn't just staring.
"Oh, me? pfft! ..And you seemed like a smart fellow" Kita chuckled softly, bringing a hand to his mouth to mask his mocking smile. "Okay. I'll quit jesting. I'm what's known as a Kitsunho, we come widely from the mountains and valleys that serve as the border between Hosunhwa and Jiwon. Even the farmers in Jhyangphedi would know this" Kita explained briefly, a small snort coming from his mouth as he uttered that last comment. Ao frowned, his eyes darting sheepishly to the ground due to his lack of knowledge about these sorts of things. Eventually he composed himself enough to take a look around at where they had ended up, shooting a suspicious glare at Kita once he noticed their completely unfamiliar surroundings.
"Why'd you bring me here." Ao's words cut through the air like an invisible blade, he wasn't asking for an answer, he was expecting an answer, leaving no room for any buffoonery as he gripped the handle of his blade, pointing the tip at Kita's throat in one fluid motion.
Kita held his hands up near his shoulders in surrender, an amused smirk plastered across his lips . "He's too guarded" He thought, observing the shorter man's expression, searching for any sign that he actually intended to swing. "Now, now. I'm not one to cause trouble, so rest assured. And besides-you still haven't answered my question. So tell me, why do you give off the essence of the Daecheon river?" Kita spoke, skillfully turning Ao's question against him.
Ao gave him a slightly jaundiced look though lowered his blade regardless, he'd sheathe his sword, arms dropping to his sides in a more relaxed manner than before. Perhaps there could be some merit that came from answering his question, "I had stolen some things from a town and beat up a couple officers. Then some more came and chased me to a chasm of sorts- there was a huge river below, and I jumped. Then I passed out and woke up on a riverbank." He spoke after a small pause, explaining what had happened just days prior to reaching Daecheon village. "..I'm guessing that river was your Daecheon river?" added the man, a hint of hesitation betraying his cool demeanour.
Kita closed his eyes for a moment, slowly nodding his head. "That would be so." he paused for a moment, trailing off as golden irises fell on the face of the other man. "And what made you come to Daecheon, hm?" Kita asked abruptly, taking a few steps back to sit on a concrete slab, he patted the space beside him with an inviting smile on his face.
"It was by chance. I found a path and followed it since I needed to gather my bearings.. However they say it" Ao replied, perching himself next to the fox-eared man, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly.
"Mhm, and I'm guessing you aren't very familiar with the lifestyle over here. Why not stay with me while you're in the village?" Kita spoke, his ears shifting to the top of his head from their previous tilted posture. Ao's eyes narrowed at him, his gaze sharp and watchful-as if suspicious of his existence in itself. He crossed his arms over his chest, though they dropped to his side again as he stood up,
"Whatever, lead the way I guess" Ao sighed, his hand resting on the grip of his sword as he turned around and began heading towards the main section of the village
Watching Ao's back as he walked off, Kita felt a softer smile drift across his features, his gaze lingering for a moment longer than it should have. Realising his behaviour,
he quickly shook his head and followed after him, leading him to his home
Chapter 2: Idiot
Summary:
Ao and Kita visit Ms. Yua’s home, where Ao finds a hidden box but keeps quiet. Kita warns him about dangerous travel ahead. That night, Ms. Yua’s frailty shakes Kita, and Ao quietly offers comfort. The next day, Ao follows Kita and rescues a woman from an abandoned building, earning Kita’s teasing. They end the day sharing dinner with Ms. Yua—Kita cheerful, Ao grumpy.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Upon arrival, he was greeted by the sight of an old fashioned house surrounded by a thick garden full of common flowers and various lesser valued crops. They were arranged in beds with rotting wooden frames built around them, laid out in rows with a small path carved inbetween, leading to the front door.
Kita walked forward, a sense of familiarity in his steps as he knocked on the old planks,
"Haah? Who is it!" squawked the voice of an elderly woman from inside the home, causing the fox-eared man to laugh softly, sliding the door open as he gestured for Ao to follow him in.
"It's me, Ms. Yua. I've brought someone over for a change" He spoke, his voice uncharacteristically delicate as he carefully thawed off his footwear and approached the frail old woman in the kitchen, the smell of stew wafting through the air coming from a pot on the stove.
Ao cautiously glanced around, taking each step with calculated precaution as he stuck to Kita like a wet cloth."Uh—hello ma'am. He said I could stay for a bit" The man muttered, his words leaving an awkward silence in the air as he seemed to shrink behind Kita, finding refuge behind his large tail.
Unexpectedly, Kita's tail curled around his body, pulling him forward and knocking him out of the kitchen. "Be a dear and make yourself at home, okay? We shall discuss your stay here shortly." The taller man smiled, moments before he slid the kitchen door shut, leaving only his muffled voice and the silhouette of him and the old lady behind the door.
"What a jackass.." Ao thought, his eyes narrowing slightly as he grounded himself and walked around the house, familiarising himself with the layout and any escape routes in the instance of anything happening. In his mind, he'd take mental notes about every small thing in the house. The way some of the floorboards screamed as he stepped on them, or how some of the doors and cabinets were close to snapping right off the hinges.
"He really lives here?" the man mumbled to himself, crouching down to inspect one of the floor tiles in the bathroom—when it came loose, revealing a small compartment with a small box nestled inside
Ao stared blankly at it, his eyebrows furrowing. Something about the box—the nature in which it had been hidden, it lured his hand closer. Like a sirens call, his fingers curled around the lid, slowly pulling it open in anticipation. "Ao! Where did you run off to?" Kita shouted, the floorboards creaking as he walked around the house in search of him. Without even realising it, he'd already dropped the box back into the compartment and secured the tile back in place, returning within sight of Kita.
"Quit yelling.. It's a small place," He grumbled, approaching Kita who had already set up a futon for him on the floor next to his own bed."Yeah, yeah.. So how long will you be staying?" Kita asked, sitting on his bed with his tail arched up between his legs as he ran a brush through the thick fur.
Ao paused for a moment, closing his eyes thoughtfully as he perched himself down on the mattress, "Maybe a few days, but no longer than a week." he replied, setting down his belongings—an empty sack and his sword.
"Is that so? We'll get to know each other quite well then!" The Kitsunho smiled, a small, amused exhale escaping his mouth as he got up to fetch a change of clothes from the closet. His tail sprang him up onto his feet and whipped back to his behind in one fluid motion as he sorted through the few layers of cloth.
"You can forget it—I just need somewhere to stay while I recover. I did get pretty beat up on my way here after all" Ao retorted, almost too quickly. As if he'd wanted nothing to do with him in the first place.
"Hm.. Very well. But do tell me, where would you be heading after your departure from the village?" He asked, ears moving to the side to listen to his response better,
"Jiwon. There's someone I need to see," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone, having found a cloth somewhere and was now wiping his sword of any substance it may have caught.
Kita paused for a moment, his tail now fixed into an upright position as he heard the mention of Jiwon, "I see. And how do you intend to get into Jiwon? The only way from Daecheon is through the mountain ranges," He said, grabbing his clothes from the hanger and turning to face Ao, "And the mountains can be quite dangerous. Believe me—I grew up there."
Listening to Kita's lecture about Jiwon, he scoffed, sheathing his sword, "I'll figure something out. You, of all people, shouldn't worry. We've only just met after all," Ao callously remarked, holding his arms in the air and stretching for a moment before climbing into the futon. "And I'm going to sleep now. Try not to wake me up, okay?" he added as he closed his eyes, even flipping the covers over his head to drown out any outside noise.
Kita frowned, his ears pulled back as he stared at Ao's sleeping body with a slight scowl on his face. Nevertheless, he would take a deep breath and walk to Ms. Yua's room, checking up on the elderly woman. "Ms. Yua? Have you taken your medicine yet?" He asked, his expression loosening up as he approached the frail lady, who was on the floor next to a spilled bottle of pills.
"I'm sorry, I- I was going to, but I fell" Ms. Yua replied, her words shaky and unsure. Kita immediately dropped to her aid, carrying her to her bed.
"Please don't push yourself too hard, if you ever need something just call me, and you shall have it." He spoke, tucking her in and then proceeding to clean up the various pills scattered around the floor, placing them back into the bottle.
The fragile lady just chuckled softly, "You've always taken care of me Kita—now more than ever," her face twisted, a hint of concern showing in her eyes, "You know my health is getting worse, right?"
Kita stopped dead in his tracks, a small silence befalling them. His ears flattened against his head as he slowly put the pills onto the bedside table, his voice coming out quiet. Quieter than he, himself would've liked,
"I understand. I'm grateful to you, really." he said, hands trembling slightly as he quickly left the room without a word."Kita.." Ms. Yua's voice trailed off as she stared at his form, leaving the room. She knew that Kita hated talking about it, and it only worried her. Just what would he do when she moved on from this world?
Ao jolted awake as Kita burst into the room again, not having expected to see him so heightened at a time like this. After a moment, he spoke, "I thought I told you not to—ah..." his voice trailed off, noticing the grim look on Kita's face. Ao let out a long sigh, as if he's done this a thousand times before. He threw the covers off of him and led Kita to his bed, pushing him down, "Maybe it's better if we both get some rest" he added, sitting down and putting the light out.
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The next day, Ao would stir awake as sunshine streamed in through half-drawn blinds, filling the room with warmth. As he sat up and groggily rubbed his eyes, the smell of food invaded his nostrils as he made his way to the source, sliding the kitchen door open to find Ms. Yua cooking some stew,
"Oh—uh. Good Morning Ms, um.." Ao mumbled, stiffening as he came face to face with the old woman,
She chuckled lightly, playfully tapping his arm with the back of her spoon, "You can just call me Ma, no need to be so formal young man,"
"Uh, okay. Ma," he answered awkwardly, the words coming out like a band playing together for the first time. "Where's Kita?" he glanced outside the window,
"Kita? Well, who knows. He's a free spirit after all—he could be out playing shogi or playing with the village children. You'll never know where he is for certain, though." Ms. Yua replied, tasting the stew with a spare spoon.
And before he knew it, Ao was wandering the open village, directionless in the sprawling space. Children whirled past him, old folk conversed, merchants yelled and animals roamed. All these new sounds and sights seemed to embrace him like an uncomfortably tight hug as he navigated through the unfamiliar paths.
First, he wandered off into what seemed like farmland—with no sign of the fox-eared man anywhere. Then he found himself stuck in the middle of some grumpy old geezers arguing about things that might as well have been in another language. Until finally, he caught sight of Kita in a quiet part of the village near a few flower stalls, cozying up to a young woman—probably no older than himself.
He stopped in his tracks, raising a brow at the unexpected scene of Kita talking with the girl. Ao was about to approach, when suddenly he noticed him wrapping an arm around her hips and walking off somewhere. Ao's heart skipped a beat—for the girl's sake, and definitely not his own curiosity. Slowly, reluctantly, he started trailing them. His heart thumped against the walls of his chest as he observed the two.
"That Kita.. Is he secretly a pervert or something?" Ao wondered, ducking behind a stall as he stalked the pair through the village. Until Kita began heading out of the village, walking through some bushes and eventually to some weird place he definitely didn't recognise.
Kita had led them to some sort of abandoned building surrounded in thick forest. From where Ao was hiding, he could make out some sort of speech between them, though whatever they were talking about wasn't clear. Until Kita led the woman in further, and came out empty handed, snickering to himself.
With a sudden leap, he sprang from the bushes, catching Kita off guard, "huh? Eek!" Kita whimpered as Ao grabbed him by the ear and dragged him into the building,
"Where is that girl." he demanded, his words a command, not a question,
"She's somewhere in there, just let go of my ear!" Kita whined painfully, breathing a sigh of relief as Ao let go and trudged through the dirty halls of the abandoned building.
He'd navigate through maze-like corridors and disgusting sights as he searched for the woman, eventually stumbling across her in a room full of broken, burdened furniture.
"AHH! Please don't hurt me, I repent, I repent!" the lady screamed as Ao walked closer. Though he just scooped her up in his hands and brought her out, glaring at Kita as he saw him leaning near the entrance.
Ao made his way back to the village with the woman in hand and Kita shamelessly walking with them. Once they arrived, he turned to her and spoke,
"You shouldn't trust a stranger like him so easily. Look out for yourself" his expression remained serious. Though for some reason the woman blushed and quickly scampered away, clutching her chest.
Kita whistled, patting him on the shoulder, "Seems you're not so bad with ladies yourself" he chuckled softly, a mischievous glint striking his eyes as he recognised his potential.
"I think we have bigger fish to fry. Kita." Ao retorted, his eyebrows furrowing as he dragged him along, scolding him as they walked the path to Ms. Yua's house.
And at the end of the day, Ms. Yua found herself serving dinner to a laughing Kita, and a grumpy Ao.
Notes:
This is also very buns but bare with me pls its prewritten
Chapter 3: Crinkle
Summary:
i actually can't be bothered IM SORRY
Notes:
Hi it took a while but updates will probably be reaaaaaaaally slow from here on out since I'm working on a webtoon version of this!
Though the webtoon and the written version will most likely be a little different from each other (as this is less polished)
Chapter Text
Yet again, Ao awoke in the morning, though this time to Kita nudging him up. His brows instantly furrowed, his hand swatting the fox-eared man away,
“It’s too early, go away” Ao mumbled, his voice croaking slightly as he talked,
“It’s good to be out early, come on. Why not a trip to the market, hm?” Kita replied, grabbing the smaller man by the shoulders and pulling him to his feet.
Ao was certainly not amused, though nevertheless; he got ready and headed out of the house with Kita towards the market. As the two men left, Ms. Yua stood by the door, a soft smile on her face,
“He’ll be just fine.” She coughed before slowly sliding it shut and disappearing into the house.
Meanwhile, Kita and Ao had just arrived at the bustling market. They’d walk through busy stalls and bustling streets, as Kita blabbered on about some random topic that would put even a grown adult to sleep with how boring it was. Ao trailed after Kita in a daze, until he noticed that familiar glint of mischief as the fox-eared menace chatted up a merchant.
“You see that troubled man over there, with the sword? He’s been seen scribbling verses by the river at dawn, a true poet at heart. Wouldn’t you say?” Kita whispered, grinning as the merchant immediately began to spin the tale louder, shouting about the tales of the mysterious village poet.
Ao shot him a deathly glare, his face scrunching up slightly as he took a deep inhale and shook it off with an exhale, “Who even cares about these things anyways, I don't see the poi—” he stopped, jaw slightly agape as he noticed the crowd the merchant had gathered. Village girls giggled, and older women nodded with approval. Though the only disapproving look was from the “poet” himself.
Kita laughed, he laughed so hard that his sides began to burn. Ao just dragged him along, a fiery rage brewing deep within his soul—growing more uncontainable as Kita kept on getting on his nerves,
“You damned idiot..” He muttered, letting go of Kita once they had strayed away from the scene,
“Pfft—I don’t recall the ‘mysterious village poet’ being so foul-mouthed! But I suppose the stronger the language, the better the writer—as they say.” the fox-eared man giggled, making a writing gesture with his hands as he continued to poke fun at the frustrated man.
“You’re a pain in the ass…” Ao muttered, exasperated as he walked towards a food stall, hoping to buy something to ease his frustrations. “You’re treating me, by the way” he added, picking up a couple kebabs.
“Well, this should set us even then.” Kita replied, placing his money back into his pocket after paying,
“Huh? In your dreams.” Ao remarked curtly, giving him a jab with his elbow.
As they explored the market, he couldn’t help but feel eyes on him everywhere he went, and then came a young, bashful maiden. Who approached Ao as he was leaning against a wall, waiting for Kita to finish bargaining over something he couldn’t even care to remember.
“U-uhm, are you the poet everyone’s been talking about?” she spoke, her cheeks tinged with a faint pink hue as some of her friends waited across the street,
Ao observed her for a moment, she looked no older than 14. He let out a small sigh, “I don’t write poetry” he answered callously, annoyance flaring at having to deal with a bunch of kids.
Though this seemed to just fan the flame, as he noticed her face flushing slightly. She seemed awestruck; the exact opposite of what he wanted to happen,
“T-Thank’s for talking with me, Mr. Poet!” The girl spoke quietly as she noticed her friends beckoning her back, hesitantly waving to him before running back,
“I’m not a—ugh.. Just forget it” he sighed, shoulders slumping as he stared at the young girl's disappearing form. Ao then turned to the shop Kita was in, it was about time he cut their shopping spree short.
But the moment he stepped into the shop, all eyes were on him as murmurs about the alleged ‘village poet’ began spreading around,
“He really is as handsome as they say” One mumbled under her breath,
“He looks tough, but I bet he’s all mushy on the inside” Another whispered
Ao’s eye twitched, walking forward and grabbing Kita by the scruff of the shirt and dragging him straight out of the shop.
“I’m gonna kill you.” Ao hissed, his words laced in venom.
“Oh what big words you’re using~” Kita teased lightly, his tail springing him to his feet, making Ao lose his grip. Though he didn’t even bat an eye as he just stormed off in a random direction.
Ao’s racing thoughts seemed to drown out the noise of the bustling market as he walked off from Kita. Eventually, he would find himself settled down at the edge of the Daecheon river, wallowing in his own irritation. The water seemed to reflect his frustrations, like a mirror to his soul as he blankly stared at the image of himself—when his eyes drifted to something tangled in the reeds; a piece of old paper, wet and stained with regret.
His eyes narrowed at the item as he unfolded it, reading its smudged text written in vaguely familiar handwriting: “Throw it in the river, to be swept away by the sea. Yet it will always find its way back to me.”
Upon further inspection, Ao carefully read over the words numerous times. Until his eyes widened in realisation, it was his handwriting—he’d never written something like this before, yet it felt strangely like his.
Just then, as he stood absorbed in his own thoughts, Ao was interrupted by a small gust of wind blowing against his nape. It felt too warm—too controlled to be natural, and when he turned around, there loomed the very fox that had driven him here in the first place. Kita stood slightly bent over, his face mere inches away from the other man.
His brows shifted, a pang of annoyance striking his chest, “And why are you here?” Ao asked, placing a hand to Kita’s chest and giving him a firm push,
“Hm~ you could say that I have a nose for troubled, mysterious poets,” He answered, lips curling up into a smirk. Then his eyes seemed to drift down to Ao’s hand, lids widening slightly as he reached towards the paper, “Say, let me take a peek at that paper?” he begged, stealing it from Ao’s grip without any warning,
“Whatever, just take it.” He sighed, letting go of it easily as the small paper rectangle was snatched from his hands.
Kita unfolded the paper, eyes narrowing as they scanned over the paper—suddenly he crumpled it up, his features tightening as he threw it back to the river, “That paper… Where did you find it?” he muttered, hands trembling slightly, his ears erect and alert,
“Huh? They were in the reeds. You’re acting weird.” Ao answered, his voice low and steady, a stark contrast to the shaky mess Kita was. He squinted slightly, jaw tense—not angry, just caught in the grind of some slow-turning thought.
Kita paused for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose before relaxing, “It’s nothing, let's just go home. Ms. Yua needs her medicine” he muttered, already walking off, his eyes facing forward, yet his mind seemed to be elsewhere. Ao stared at his back for a moment before quickly hurrying beside him,
“I’m home~” he called out as he opened the door, sliding his footwear off and greeting the old lady who stood nearby,
“Well it certainly took you two long enough. Dinners on the table—dont let it get cold!” Ms. Yua chuckled lightly, closing the door after Ao and Kita. Then, she turned her attention to the bathroom, approaching with slow, steady steps. She coughed softly, cracking the door open and stepping through into the cold, damp room.
With delicate fingers, she thawed open a couple tiles, revealing a small compartment with a box. Securing the tiles back into place and carrying the box away, Yua walked past the kitchen, listening to Kita laugh, the sound of utensils clinking against plates echoing through the house. Her lips curled up slightly, taking the box into her room
“Haah, that Kita. He’s always been such a playful child, I hope he won’t drive Ao mad with his antics,” she laughed, “oh what a sweet child he is…” Yua then felt around the lid of the box, her fingers slowly pulling it open.
“Do you ever shut up?” Ao grumbled, shoving a spoonful of rice into his mouth,
Kita giggled, “Huh? Come on, you know I’m right! Don’t act like I don't see the random notes you scribble down when you can’t sleep at night.” he retorted, pointing his spoon at Ao, only for him to push his hand away,
“I’m not gonna say this again. I’m not a poet, never was, never will be.” he spoke, face tightening into a small scowl as he shoved another spoon of rice into his mouth, “And quit buggin’ me about this whole ‘maybe you should learn to flirt with women too’ bullshit. I’m not interested in that, okay?”
The fox-eared man laughed, small grains of rice flicking into the air, “pfft—bwuahaha! Y-You’re taking this way too seriously, grumpy!” he stammered, struggling to catch his breath.
Ao clenched his jaw, fury bubbling up in his chest as he stood up and stormed out of the kitchen, “I’m going to bed.” he muttered as if speaking to himself as the sound of a door closing echoed throughout the quiet home.
Kita slumped into his chair, a long sigh escaping his lips, “that guy…” he mumbled, cleaning up the table with a cloth, stuck in his own thoughts now that Ao had left. “That note…How did it even latch onto him in the first place?” his eyebrows furrowed, staring at the ground with a broom in his hand, idly going through the motions of sweeping around.
The noise of the door sliding open disrupted his ponderings, his ears darting to the top of his head.
“Kita get over here” Ao called, beckoning him closer,
He raised a brow, “Oh? What happened” yawned the fox-eared man, dropping the broom,
“Well come see for yourself” Ao sighed, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him to the room. Upon entering, he was met with the sight of a fairly normal bedroom, with Ao’s futon laid out on the floor—until he glanced at the window, a blue paper stuck to the outside of the window. Something about its essence… it was offputting
Ao stared at him intently, “Well? Know anything ‘bout it?” he asked, his expression very matter-of-fact.
“Wait.. Ao, did you try touching it or removing it?” Kita replied, his eyes trained on the piece of paper, squinting slightly as he tried to catch a closer look.
He tensed up, noticing the weird body language Kita displayed, “I was about to, but something about it.. Feels weird” Ao answered, his eyes narrowing slightly
Kita touched his shoulder, not once tearing his gaze away from the paper stuck on the window, “When you fell into the river. Did you feel anything grabbing at you? Or did you experience any intense pain?” he asked, tail swishing behind him,
“I passed out a bit after I fell in, dunno,” he mumbled, fixing his sword onto his hip, brushing Kita’s hand off him.
His grip tightened and then loosened, releasing a long sigh from his mouth, “Interesting. Well—I’ll take care of it, so no need to worry!” his demeanour shifted, a more cheerful expression coming over him
“Right..” Ao replied, raising a brow as he watched Kita approach the paper stuck on the window
He clasped his hands together, using his tail to shield himself from Ao’s view, before shortly disposing of the blue paper, a smug smirk spread across his lips. Ao grimaced slightly, “What’re you givin’ me that look for?” he asked, walking forward.
“That note.. It came from your little book! Kita snickered, “Oh how romantic you are! Shall I say what it rea-” he gasped slightly as Ao placed his hand on his mouth,
“Shut up.. You meddling fox” Ao spoke, his voice low and dangerous.
Kita chuckled softly, gently pushing his hand away. “Woah, didn’t mean to touch a nerve there~” he taunted, dodging a smack to the shoulder,
“Tch. I’m goin’ to bed, don’t wake me up.” he turned to his futon, setting his sword down beside the thin mattress and climbing into the sheets.
“What a day.. I don’t wanna wake up, ugh.”