Chapter 2: They say it’s the blessing of the fox god?

“Haaaaah!!!”

Flip

A girl thrashed in bed, throwing off the covers. What was going on?

“Sob… Sob…”

It was me, Jeong Semin. The Jeong Semin who had almost been corrupted by a vixen just moments ago.

“Sob… Sob…”

I knew it was a dream, but it felt so real. The lingering sensations were intense. My memory was fragmented. What happened yesterday?

“…Oh… Uh…”

I remembered the talisman. Why didn’t I use it? I reached into my pajamas…

Rustle

“…Huh…?”

…and found only shredded pieces.

“…What the…”

I couldn’t understand. It was a dream. The fox spirit wasn’t real. Or was she? Damn it, I don’t know. No, that didn’t matter. Why was the talisman torn? I didn’t believe in this stuff. Damn it, damn it, damn it. It was just a dream, right?

“Aaaaaah!”

I’m scared, scared, scared. Am I really being violated? Am I really being… taken? The uncertainty fueled my fear. If I really lost my virginity to a ghost, then I… I…

“How will I ever get… married…?”

Not that I ever planned to, for reasons stated earlier. But still, what if? The shredded talisman, ripped apart like it had been clawed by an animal, intensified my fear of the future, the fear that the dream might be more than just a dream.

“…Haa… Haaa…”

This is hopeless. The morning sun was bright, but I had zero motivation to go to school. I fiddled with the talisman pieces, cursing the shaman under my breath.

“…Oh.”

I remembered. The free trial was one-time only. If I missed my chance, that was it. The shaman had only given me that one hint.

“…F*ck…”

Life sucks. Did I seriously have to pay another 10,000 won for another talisman? And if that failed, another one after that? What about my money? My wallet?

“Waaaaah…”

Tears blurred my vision. I just wanted a normal high school life. I just wanted to hang out with my friends. Just… Just…

“…”

Why did this stupid illness have such insignificant early symptoms? Ugh… All sorts of thoughts swirled in my head. It was overwhelming.

This was all so new, so confusing.

“…”

And thanks to the hectic work schedule the last two days, my body felt incredibly heavy. Oh.

“…Oh…”

It was Saturday. A day off.

“…He… Hehehe…”

A smile crept onto my face. No school today. By now, I wasn’t sure if I was more afraid of the ghost or of myself. But I was definitely unstable, on edge. My mind was a mess.

“…….”

But the smile faded quickly. If I fell asleep here tonight, I’d have the same dream again. I’d see that fox again, and then…

“…And then, and then, and then… Aaaaaah!”

Scratch, scratch, scratch

I clawed at my hair in frustration, making a mess, and then stormed out of my room.

“…”

This week had been exhausting. Work was crazy because of peak season, and my life was generally a chaotic mess. No wonder I felt so drained.

Thump

“…”

Mom was already at work.

My older siblings—wait, do I call them oppa and unni now?

(TL note: “Oppa” (오빠) is a Korean word that means older brother”. It’s used by younger women to address older men. In Korean, “unnie” (언니) is a term used by females to address older female siblings or close older female friends.)

No, f*ck that.

They’re still hyung and noona.

(TL note: In Korean, “hyung” (형) means “older brother” and is used by males to address older male friends or siblings, while “noona” (누나) means “older sister” and is used by males to address older female friends or siblings)

I’m sticking to that.
“…Haa…”

It’s lonely being home alone. Of course, it’s nice being free and comfortable, able to do whatever I want without anyone bothering me. But I could have plenty of that next year. Right now…

“…”

Right now, I actually prefer having someone around. That’s… That’s the only thing that feels normal, like a high schooler should feel. Like a student.

“…Hee…”

But time to have some fun. Enjoy the freedom while it lasts! Solo fun time! Yay!

“Yay~”

My energy renewed, I pushed aside my anxieties and made ramen.

“Heehee~”

Bubble, bubble

I rarely had time for ramen during the week. Ramen was my ultimate comfort food. Michelin-starred restaurants serving 200,000 won per person meals? Whatever. Anyone with money can eat that. But ramen… Ramen held special memories. It was intertwined with my identity. Ramen was my life, and my life was ramen.

(Sponsor me, ramen companies!)

“…Slurp…”

Oversized t-shirt, no pants, messy hair, and a small pot of ramen—pure bliss. This is what kept me going, what kept me smiling. Nothing could erase my worries like a good bowl of ramen.

“…Should I play some games…?”

After my happy time with ramen, I shoved the pot in the sink and went back to my room, turning on my computer. It was a bit slow after being off for five days, but I patiently waited, knowing it would come back to life. I launched my favorite game.

“…”

As I turned to open the window, a shiver ran down my spine. I took a deep breath, pushing away the unease, opened the window to let in fresh air, and immersed myself in the game.

“Mid lane, mid lane! I said mid lane, you—”

The virtual world was the perfect escape from the bleak reality. While gaming, I could forget all my anxieties.

Click, click, bang, bang!

“Why would you run in there and die?! Haa… Is this your first time playing…?”

Sure, I got frustrated sometimes, but even that was a form of stress relief. This was how I unwound after a long week.

“…”

But…

“…This is boring.”

Even a perfect Saturday, with its 24 hours, could become tedious. By 6 p.m., I was bored.

“…”

I could have hung out with Hyeji and the others, but I was scared of the potential consequences tonight, and I was exhausted. I turned off the computer and slumped onto the living room sofa.

“…….”

If Dad were here… If that jerk were here, would things be better? It’s a disturbing thought, but loneliness makes you think strange things.

Why am I alone? The sun hadn’t set yet. I could hear kids playing outside. My sofa was right next to the window, so I could see them.

“…”

Did I used to play like that when I was younger? How did I…

How did I end up like this?

“…”

The image of me lying on the sofa, arm propping up my head, staring out the window, looked so lonely. The feeling of observing myself was so cold. The dimly lit room, painted in pastel hues, reflected my solitude.

“…….”

Being alone still hurts. Everyone carries their own pain. Everyone lives a life that’s difficult in some way. But we all chase happiness. So why does being alone…

Why does being alone hurt so much? Why does waiting for Mom to come home after 9 p.m. feel so sad? Will I be able to handle the loneliness that will come when I have to stand on my own two feet?

I’m scared.

“…”

In the cold living room, I closed my eyes, still lying on the sofa, my arm under my head. I couldn’t see my mouth, and it felt like cold snow was piling up on top of me.

Desolate.

“…….”

Could I make it through next week? And the week after that? Would I even be able to function as a person?

I miss Hyeji. I miss Yura. I miss Taeyeon. Will I ever be able to see them whenever I want?

I’m cold.

“…”

Rustle

I must have dozed off.

“…Mm…”
“…”

I woke up with my face buried in something soft on the sofa. I didn’t remember grabbing a pillow. Confused, I slowly lifted my head…

“…….”

…and saw two fluffy, white tails beneath the soft… thing.

“…Oh…”
“…”

What… What is this? The feeling was indescribable. Fear? Worry? Or was it relief? Comfort?

I couldn’t pinpoint it, but one thing was certain.

“…You can sleep a little longer, Semin.”
“……….”

The fox-eared woman looking down at me, smiling so gently, so kindly… That smile… It warmed me. That much I knew for sure.

“… “

It was comfort. A splash of warmth spreading across the cold canvas of the living room.

I snuggled into the fluffy tails and closed my eyes again.

“…”

The soft fur against my face made me smile. Not bad.

I didn’t know why, but I liked it. I didn’t want to resist. I wouldn’t resist.

“…”

Stroke

The fox woman started stroking my hair. I felt so happy, like I was finally being rewarded for all the exhausting, lonely days and weeks I’d endured.

“…You’ve worked hard…”

Her whisper soothed me, and I drifted back to sleep.

Knock, knock, knock

“Semin, aren’t you cold?”
“…Huh…?”

I opened my eyes again.

“The window is open, and it’s getting colder… Anyway, I’m home. Go sleep in your room. You’ll catch a cold.”
“Oh… Okay, Mom.”

It was past 10 p.m. Mom had woken me up. I was asleep on the sofa, my arm dangling over the armrest. I wondered if that, too, had been a dream…

“…”

But it didn’t matter anymore. Dreams or not, they weren’t affecting my real life.

This was just a part of my life now. I had to accept it.

“…Haa…”
“Goodnight, my… Semin~”

I waved to Mom and went to my room, closing the door.

“…”

Just four hours ago, I couldn’t have imagined feeling this way. But that dream, the way she filled the emptiness inside me, the way she soothed my trivial anxieties…

“…I should just sleep.”

It meant so much to me. Loneliness was a deep wound.

Now, I could accept it. Her smile lingered in my mind.

“…”

Slide

The blankets felt extra soft tonight. I felt better than yesterday.

If she was aggressive in my dreams tonight… maybe… just tonight… I’d let her have her way. It was only the third time, after all. Just tonight…

Just tonight.

Drift

I fell asleep, melting into the softness like cotton candy.

And that night, I slept soundly, undisturbed, waking up refreshed.

****

G
u
m
i
h
o
?

(TL Note: This interlude plays on the suspense—is she truly a gumiho (nine-tailed fox), or something else?)

I couldn’t stand it. I needed to know what was going on. The fox spirit, so lustful before, had comforted me with a touch more gentle than even my mother’s. I had to understand.

So I went back to the shaman.

“Heehee~ Is that so~?”
“Yes! That crazy ghost… Last night… Last night she…”

The shaman smiled knowingly.

“You’re blessed, child.”
“Huh?”

She’d hit the nail on the head.

“You’ve been riding a wave of good fortune ever since you got that illness.”
“W-well…”

I’d felt pretty good about becoming a girl, but this fox spirit situation was still a mystery.

“That vixen has become your guardian spirit.”
“Guardian… spirit…?”

The shaman’s words triggered another memory.

“She must really like you to appear in your dreams and comfort you like that. Even ghosts trying to win over shamans don’t do that!”
“Is… is that so…”

The fox’s smile, the way her eyes crinkled…

“And the fact that she appeared when you were feeling lonely means you’re more precious to her than anything in the world.”
“…”

I was speechless. The shaman delivered the final blow.

“Foxes are hard to win over, but once you do, they’re incredibly expressive.”
“…”

I sat there, stunned, until…

“Oh, I wish I could live like you~ When I was young…”
“Thank you!”

Something clicked. I jumped up, threw a 10,000 won bill on the table, and ran out.

Tap, tap, tap

I ran home, a huge smile on my face. The happiest smile I’d ever worn.

“Haaaaah~!”

I laughed, filling the empty alley with my joyous sound.

“Hahahaha~!”

For 19 years… For that short, yet long and painful period of my life, I felt like I was finally being compensated.

It was… It was just…

“Hehehe~! Hehehe… Sob…”

Crazy.

Drip

“Sob… Sob…”

It felt like everything I’d gone through had led to this moment. Like my life was finally blossoming.

It was… It was truly…

I cried tears of pure joy. I was so overwhelmingly happy I could burst.

“Sob… Sob… Sob…”

I ran home, crying uncontrollably. I thought of my father’s stupid face and felt like I’d finally punched him.

Like I’d finally seen the face of the jerk who abandoned us crumble. I wiped my tears, smearing them across my face.

Ring

“I’m home—… Have you been crying?”
“Mm… No…”

Mom, who only had Sundays off, was doing the dishes. She came to greet me. Touched by her concern, I hugged her tightly.

“…What’s this all about?”
“…Nothing…”

It was Sunday. I decided to go to bed early to prepare for Monday.

“Are you going to sleep?”
“Mm… Goodnight, Mom. Get some rest.”

Click

The atmosphere in my room felt warm tonight. Even with the cool breeze coming in through the open window, a cozy warmth enveloped me.

“…Haa…”

Slide

I snuggled under the covers, enjoying the comforting sensation that washed over me.

“…”

I closed my eyes, a pleasant feeling settling over me, and drifted off to sleep.

Rustle

And tonight, as always, the tails swished between my legs.

Chuwp

“…Mm…”

Even with my eyes closed, I felt warm lips on mine.

“…”

As our saliva mingled, I slowly opened my eyes and looked at her.

“…”

Her smile wasn’t exaggerated tonight. It was a gentle, beautiful smile.

“Heehee…”

When she pulled away, I wrapped my arms around her waist and whispered,

“…You said you were lonely…”

I remembered her words from last night’s dream.

“…I’m lonely too…”

So, even though it was a dream, I confessed,

“…I understand…”

I understand you. Why you were so desperate, why you clung to me. Just like she understood my loneliness and showed it through her actions…

I wanted to do the same.

“…Will you… fill me…?”

Tears welled up in my eyes, my skin flushed. My hair, soft and flowing, shielded my face, hiding my tears from view. The intimate atmosphere deepened, and she replied in a voice thick with emotion,

“…I love you… Semin… Semin…”

I never imagined I’d fall in love with a ghost. I never imagined I’d whisper sweet nothings to a spirit.

But… it felt good. The sensations, the joy of that moment… It was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.

“…Be gentle with me tonight… okay…?”
“…Heehee… Mm…”

Even with this strange relationship, this messy life, I felt content. She made me feel that way.

Slap, slap, slap, smack

“Haa… Gasp… Hngh…!”
“Haa… Haaa… Mm… Chuwp…”

Of course, the idea of her being gentle with me was a fantasy, even in a dream.

“…Sh*t… Hic… You vixen… Hngh…”
“Heehee…”

Drip