Hi everyone, thanks for coming back for more! I've decided to make this story longer and have increased it from two chapters to three plus an epilogue :)
Happy reading!
-PB
Soo gasped awake and immediately bent over, coughing and holding her throat as she wheezed, unable to rid herself of the scratchy dryness that burned her voice into raspy hisses. Her throat screamed for water, but when she looked around, she forgot her torment.
Alive?
Soo blinked at the bed she lay on. This was not Shin Myung's cottage. The bed was harder than Shin Myung's. The gray silk that covered it was frayed from overuse and feathers poked out from some parts of the lumpy mattress. A blanket made of rabbit fur – the softest she had ever touched – covered her body, and Soo gaped as she stared around her unfamiliar surroundings.
The room was illuminated by a small jug of fat with a lit wick, and stacks of clothes sat in the corners of the room. There were books in a pile at the head of the bed, and a cup and water satchel sat beside her left hand.
Soo reached for the satchel and, ignoring the cup, drank straight from the bag, filling her mouth with icy water and gulping the fresh, cooling substance that immediately soothed her ravaged throat.
Wiping her mouth with her hands, she frowned at the sight of the red picnic blanket she had worn on her first day in the forest.
"I left that at..." She wondered why Shin Myung had not told her to wear it. She remembered the events from before she had fallen unconscious, and nothing made sense. If the beast could smell her out and the blanket...
"The beast is a man," she whispered, clutching a shaking hand over her mouth.
Soo stared around the innocuous bedroom, suddenly terrified that she would find a corpse or a skeleton lying around. She worried the man had slept in the same room as her, or if he had used her.
A check beneath the blankets informed Soo that her clothes were still intact.
"Why didn't he kill me?"
"If you're awake, come out and eat," a deep voice called from outside.
Soo yelped and flew backwards, hiding under the fur blankets that covered her thighs. She covered her had with her hands and curled into a ball, her stomach knotting as she made herself small. It was a futile mission—trying to hide in plain sight—but Soo closed her eyes and pretended to be invisible, shivering as she begged not to be found.
Her trembling made the blankets shake, and she waited for the monster to come and tear her limb from limb, devouring her organs and shattering her bones to suck the marrow out—as her parents had described him to her.
"I'm not going to eat you," came the same, deep voice.
Soo's eyes slammed open and she gasped before pressing a hand to her mouth. It occurred to her that the man was able to read her mind, but those thoughts quickly dissipated into a terrified curiosity. A million questions flew through her mind, along with a million conflicting thoughts.
"Come on, Hae Soo," she whispered, biting the tip of her thumb until it hurt too much to continue. Soo gulped and took a deep breath, gasping when her stomach roared at the scent of something spicy.
The power of food was too much for her to resist.
Creeping out from beneath her fur cover, Soo took another long inhale before calming her shaking hands and silently setting the blanket aside. Her heart beat without rhythm, pounding out the erratic thrum of her fears.
"Just eat one meal. Then you can… you can die," Soo said to herself. She could barely hear her own voice over the roaring in her ears and the ache in her stomach that told her something was wrong.
It took every bit of remaining strength she had to grasp the sliding door that kept her separated from the one they called 'beast'. With equal parts anticipation and dread, Soo bit at her bottom lip and made peace with those around her.
To her parents, she hoped they lived long and prosperous lives. Her siblings were too young to miss her, and the ones that did would only care that she was not there to take food from the table.
The door made a soft grinding noise as she pushed it aside. Immediately, sunlight rained onto her face, and Soo blinked away from the glaring beams that left splotches of white dotting her vision even after she pressed a hand to her face to shield it.
Sun… this was another grove where there were no trees.
When she opened her eyes, Soo stared out at fields of lush green grass. Summer flowers grew around a field of crops on black soil, and just beyond the crops was a small shack.
A glance to her right and Soo's body locked. Then, it unfroze as she deciphered what she was seeing.
Beside the tiny house she stepped out from, a large tree cast its shade, and from one of the branches hung… the beast.
The beast was a cloak made of coarse black fur that shone in the fierce sunlight. A hood made from the wolf's head and skull stared at her, and Soo realized with wonder that her imagination had gotten the best of her.
The massive white eyes that had bored into her very being were just two cloudy, milk-colored circles encased in fur. They were no bigger than coins. The animal was a wolf, and its teeth were broken and yellow.
"Are you alright?"
A chill ran down her spine, and Soo hastily swivelled on one foot to address the voice that had spoken to her since she had awoken. Her hands began to shake again, yet when her eyes found the source of the voice, she stopped and stared.
He was tall.
Soo blinked at a man whose height made her seem miniscule in comparison. He wore a simple brown shirt and pants, his feet bare against the grass, and his muscular arms crossed. His black hair was shaggy and short, tied back to reveal an angular jaw and sharp features.
Soo stared into warm brown eyes that narrowed into a perpetual grimace. This was the person that had stalked her, strangled her… and his handsome face was marked with jagged slashes that sent red scars streaking over his features.
He took a step towards her and Soo instinctively took a step back, her chest rising and falling with long breaths as her legs tensed and prepared to run. Soo immediately noticed her feet were also bare, her socks and shoes neatly set beneath the dais the house stood on.
"Hey, don't… don't be afraid," the man said, uncrossing his arms. Soo watched his every movement, her hands clutching the door in terror. Her body trembled with anticipation, and every fiber of her being screamed for her to run.
He was faster than her—she could tell that much from his muscled body. She would never be able to outrun him, but she could try. There was always that hope.
But, instead of running towards her or trying to attack, the man slowly turned away from her, his bare feet flattening the grass beneath, and his hands falling to his sides. Soo stayed put as he walked away from her and towards a blazing fire pit where an iron pot bubbled.
"I'm going to take a walk," the man called over his shoulder. Soo listened to every word he said as he strolled away from her. He pointed to a small table sitting on a mat of long, woven grass. Soo noticed a bowl on it and flinched when her stomach rumbled. "Your food is right there. You can have as much as you want. Try not to take any unscheduled walks unless you know your way out of the forest… It's easy to get lost."
Barefoot, he strolled away from shining grass and bright sunlight, and into the shadows that encased the woods that surrounded the area. Soo stayed put even when he ceased speaking. She did not move until well after his silhouette disappeared into the wilderness.
Only when he was out of sight did Soo allow herself to let go of the doorframe and creep towards the steaming bowl that sent the most delicious scents her way. Her hunger drove her forward, and though she did not know if he was still watching her, she could not care over the ache in her belly.
She sat before the small table on her knees, unwilling to offend her host if he was still watching. The mat crushed the grass beneath her legs, providing a cushy seat and giving her the smallest of comforts.
Picking up the wooden spoon beside her wooden bowl, she dipped it into the white stew and uncovered hunks of radish, sliced green onions, and even a large fish head.
"He gave me the best part," she whispered softly, marvelling at the silver and white skin that lightly peeled over the cooked flesh.
Pulling the carved bowl to her lips, Soo drank the hot soup and sighed as the broth coated her bare stomach in warmth, giving her the strength to chuckle at the bland flavor. The ingredients were fresh and tasty, yet the broth was almost water and salt.
Soo picked the fish head up with her hands, using the back of her spoon to dig out the eyes and pop them into her mouth. She had never been allowed to have the eyes at home—the head and belly went to her father and brothers, leaving the fins and whatever meat was left on the bones for the girls.
She almost cried at the soft, succulent taste of the eyes in her mouth. The gooey texture and soft popping skin left her speechless, and she wondered how only her father and brothers had hoarded this to themselves. When she spat out the tiniest of gems from each eye, she forgot her fear to marvel at the little ball no larger than a pinhead.
Once she finished the eyes, Soo lifted a hunk of soft radish with her spoon and bit into the familiar vegetable, remembering how she only ate the radish and broth in stews. A single bite and she was done, unwilling to eat more radishes when a fish head was all hers to savor.
She cleared the first bowl in an instant, and crept over to the pot for seconds—a luxury she had never been able to afford. "If I'm going to die, I might as well do it with lots of food in me," she reasoned. She decided to eat the belly of the fish next, scooping the fattiest portion of the body into her bowl with a flutter in her heart.
She ate until there was no more room left in her belly. Her full stomach helped to ease the fright, and when she gazed around her new surroundings again, they seemed less daunting and more quaint and pretty
When she returned to the small house she had woken up in, Soo's mouth opened as her eyes fell on the man that had prepared her food as he worked in his garden.
He wore a cloth over his head to keep the sun from his eyes as he used a knife to cut green onion shoots and toss them into the basket by his thigh. Soo had no idea when he had arrived, but he seemed to have no interest in her. She could not see his eyes because they were covered by the cloth, but his sole focus seemed to be on the green onions before him.
Questions from all parts of her mind crossed her as she sat on the raised dais connected to the house and waited. What she was waiting for she had no idea. Whether it was death or conversation, she just waited, twiddling her thumbs in dulled anticipation as she watched the man pull weeds from the ground and toss them onto an ever-growing pile.
Hours seemed to pass in the warm sunlight, and Soo closed her eyes as a gentle breeze ruffled her undone hair. She leaned against one of the wooden columns holding the roof up, sighing as she closed her eyes. Beside her, swaying on a tree branch, was the man's wolf cloak, yet it did not scare her anymore—not when its owner was currently pulling radishes from his garden.
When Soo woke once more, the man was sitting beneath the wolf cloak, his back against the tree and his legs crossed before him. He held a book in his hand and his eyes flitted up and down over the words inside. "You're good at sleeping, aren't you?" he said, not looking up at her.
Soo blinked at how close he was to her, rubbing her eyes to make sure he was not about to attack her. The man seemed more interested in his book than her, and Soo hugged the column she leaned against, wondering what he was reading. Her nails lightly scratched the strong wood and she mustered just enough courage to address him.
"Why haven't you... killed me yet?" she asked, her voice starting strong but ending in a whisper when he turned his head to face her. He was clean from the dirt that had coated his knees while he worked in the garden, and he wore a black shirt and green pants to read in the shade.
The man set his book down onto his lap and set his hands down by his side. He did not look offended or angry, so Soo let just the slightest bit of her anxiety go.
"Do you have any intention to kill me?" he asked, his deep voice reverberating as he picked his book up again. Soo frowned and wondered if this was a joke.
"No."
"Then I don't have any intention of killing you."
She digested his words slowly, pondering why he had brought her to his lovely little home if he had no intention of killing her. She was nothing to him. He was the wolf that ate travelers and spit their bones out. "Then why did you bring me here?" she asked.
He turned the page and shrugged his shoulders, softly chuckling. "Knock you unconscious and then leave you to be eaten by the wolves or bring you here so you can recover in safety," he said. "Easy choice."
This time, he set his book away for good, pulling his knees to his chest and raising his eyebrows at her. Soo flinched as she wondered how someone so scary could be so handsome. She could not stop the words she blurted next.
"But Shin Myung said you killed all the wolves and animals in the forest."
Soo's eyes widened at her own words and she clasped a hand over her mouth in worry. "I'm sorr-"
"Is that what she says about me?" the man asked with a scoff. He sighed and shook his head with an annoyed laugh, his hair swinging with his movements. "Well, my mother told you wrong. I don't kill things for fun."
They met eyes and Soo stared into the warm brown irises that had looked into her the last day she had seen Shin Myung. His eyes were kind and sad, a combination that made Soo wonder how he had wound up in solitude.
"Mother…" she whispered. She remembered the man addressing Shin Myung as his mother, but she also recalled Shin Myung calling the man a beast—the one that had eaten her son. But all Soo could see was that the beast was a somewhat docile man who read and gardened alone, a far cry from the monstrous demon Shin Myung had described to have eaten her child.
"But I didn't see any animals in the forest and… and I never heard any wolves," Soo protested, her eyes never leaving the man's. "How are there no animals in the forest."
The man gave her a confused look, the corners of his eyes folding and a crease forming between his brows. "You saw a rabbit on your way here, didn't you? There are still animals here, it's just hard for them to survive without much to eat. The trees block the sun, so plants can't grow well. There are more animals on the eastern side of the forest. The wolves are there too, since there are few things to eat over here."
They stared at each other and Soo shook her head. "So you were following me." She released the column she leaned against and blinked as the man nodded his head. Internally breathing a sigh of relief, Soo realized that though she had imagined the massive white eyes that were tracing her every move, she had not imagined the being that had followed her from the beginning.
The man nodded. "I saw the boy kick you into the forest because you saved your friend. If I hadn't tailed you, the wild dog that was following you would have eaten you for dinner."
Silence followed, and Soo rubbed her eyes before gazing around at the pretty grove that shone in the dimming sunlight. She had not realized other animals had also been following her, and she chewed on her bottom lip before laying her hands in her lap. "Are you also a captive of this forest?" she asked. "Is there a monster keeping you locked here?"
"The only monster in this forest is my mother. You're safe with me," the man replied. Soo twitched when he moved to stand. He stared at her with an unreadable expression and Soo gulped, wondering what was going on in his mind. "What would you like for dinner?" he asked.
Soo blinked at his request, uncomprehending.
"What?"
He motioned towards the cooking pit and Soo nodded, slowly bringing herself to understand that this man wanted to feed her… and that he was letting her choose their meal. It still boggled her mind as to how the fearsome, man-eating monster in the forest was just a young man that lived alone. "Um… I don't know."
"I shot a rabbit while you had lunch. I can roast that if you want."
Soo immediately nodded and stood with a grin. "Do you have herbs or spices? I'm good at making rabbit," she immediately said.
The man raised an eyebrow at her before slowly nodding and offering her a little smirk. "You're not afraid of me anymore?" he asked. "A few minutes ago you looked ready to take your chances in the woods."
Soo paused as she stared at the tall man that stood just four paces away from her. He gazed at her with something akin to relief and Soo nodded her head. "I think you're lonely and need someone to talk to—you're not a monster. You're a man."
He stared at her, and his eyes reflected the setting sun. Soo saw beauty in the eyes that reflected so much emotion. The bright purple, pink, and orange sunset cast a warm glow over his face, and he chuckled before shaking his head. "It's quite strange how different men and women are. You're the first girl that's ever come into this forest, you know that?"
"I've been told," Soo replied, keeping her distance as she followed the man towards the firepit.
"The men… they look at me as if I'm deranged. I suppose the cloak doesn't help, but once they meet my mother and she feeds them her lies, some come deeper into the forest and try to hunt me. Others leave as quickly as they can. But you… you tried to help my mother out of the forest and you're not high-tailing even after you've seen my face. Why?"
Soo paused where she stood, halfway between the cooking pit and the cottage where she had woken up. She watched the man sit beside the pit and place blocks of wood where he meant to start a fire.
"I…" she began. She wondered why the man was keeping Shin Myung hostage. Her mind raced, and fear began clawing up her spine, sending shivers throughout her body. "She's a prisoner."
Am I a prisoner too?
She stood unmoving as the man lit a small fire and stood from where he crouched over the fire, his pants swishing as he made for wherever he kept his food supply. Soo followed him with her eyes, wondering what he would do if she tried to leave. Night was falling, and she would not make it out of the forest alive, but she dreaded being kept against her will.
"I have these herbs and the rabbit is already skinned," the man said as he returned, carrying a small satchel in one hand and a raw rabbit in the other.
He approached to hand the box to her but Soo took an immediate step back to avoid him. He paused at her defensive actions before smiling softly and setting the box down between where they stood. "You can choose what you'd like to make it with," he said.
Soo wondered how naive she was to have fallen for the man's charms because of a bowl of soup and the promise of rabbit meat. She internally berated herself for being so trusting.
Her limbs moved stiffly as she stooped to pick the herb box up and open it to see what the man had to offer.
Her nose picked up many familiar scents, and the man seemed not to care that she sat as far away from him as possible. The flames flickered with ghastly shadows over his friendly face, and Soo pinched the herbs between her fingers to test the freshness before looking up and staring when the man produced a knife.
The metal glinted in the fire, and Soo shivered as she wondered if this was the end… but he merely began cutting the rabbit into pieces and putting them in a bowl. "You can season them the way you like," she heard him say as the knife glided through the red flesh.
She accepted the bowl from him almost mechanically, sniffing her favorite herbs out and tossing them into the bowl along with some bean paste, and sliced peppers. When she handed the bowl back to the man, he smiled and began cooking the meat in the same pot that had held their first meal. The pot sizzled and smoked, sending wafts of delicious-smelling steam around them.
"W-When can I leave?" Soo asked softly, her voice barely carrying over the sound of the fire pit. She looked across the flames at the man that sliced radishes with the same knife he had used to dissemble the rabbit. She did not want to anger her captor, but she also did not want to be his prisoner.
The man hesitated and his knife stilled for a moment. It was in that moment that Soo realized she did not see a monster or a person that would keep others captive. Instead, she saw a lonely man with no one to speak to. "Whenever you'd like," the man said, continue to cut vegetables. Soo frowned at how easily he was sending her off, wondering how she was so afraid, yet so reassured of her safety at the same time. "Though, I'd like it if you stayed a bit. I've never had company before and… and it gets lonely out here."
Soo thought about what she had outside the forst. Her family was there, Eun was there, and society was outside the dark woods that held an old woman and her son. Soo was not sure who was evil in this story, but she knew she did not want to stay.
She chose the herbs she wanted to use on the rabbit and passed them over to the man.
"I'm sorry," she said tentatively, hoping not to incite the volatile anger Shin Myung had described the man to have. There was little for her outside of the forest, but Soo knew there was nothing for her inside it. "I'm sorry, but I'd… I'd like to leave tomorrow."
There was no way to avoid seeing the man's dejected expression, and Soo paused, reconsidering her decision at the way he averted his eyes and began seasoning their food. She stayed quiet and pulled her knees to her chest, suddenly overcome by the thick silence that coated their conversation. The air around them grew stale and awkward, heavily laced with the scent of their dinner.
The man passed her a flat plate made of wood, and Soo waited for him to take the best pieces of the rabbit for himself before she could take what was left, but she blinked in confusion when, through the smoke, his scarred hand passed the ladle to her first. "Take what you want," he said.
"What?" Soo wondered if she had heard correctly, and peered at the scarred face that gave her an equally confused look. "Can I… Can I eat first?"
The man raised an eyebrow before slowly nodding. Soo wondered why he looked perplexed. "You look skinny," he said as if it was an explanation for his behavior. "Are you not allowed to eat before others?"
"No," Soo said as she reached for the spoon and dug out a leg and half the ribs from the pot, a giddy smile on her face as she stared at the large portion of meat she never would have been able to eat at home. "My father and brothers always take the meat in our food before me or my sisters can have any… I've never had this much to myself before."
When she looked up at the man to hand him the ladle, she saw sadness in his eyes. He only scooped vegetables onto his plate and placed the ladle back into the pot. "Have the whole thing," he said. "I can have meat any day, but you're going back, so might as well eat as much as you can."
Soo instantly found herself shaking her head. "No! You should eat as well! I can't finish this myself anyways. Please eat some." She gave him a reassuring nod and motioned towards the pot where their food sizzled.
The man's expressions left her puzzled and Soo watched as he used the thick pieces of wood to protect his hands from the hot metal and took the pot off the flames. "You have a long way to travel tomorrow. I'll pack the rest for you to have."
She almost wanted to tell him she would not leave.
Once they finished a marvelous dinner, Soo sighed and held her full belly as she stared up at the stars. The dark sky was littered with an endless number of bright, sparkling lights that cheerfully lit the endless dark with sprinkled brightness.
The man returned from packing the remnants of their dinner, and Soo hardly flinched when he sat across from her. She continued to watch the stars.
"Do you have a name?" he asked.
Soo breathed her answer, a small smile appearing on her lips when a streak of white appeared in the sky, a star deciding to change where it wanted its place in the world to be. "I'm Hae Soo…" she turned to look at the man, whose piercing gaze rested against her. She did not feel so intimidated by him, even though the light from the fire licked ghostly shadows up the scars on his face. "What's your name?" she asked, extending the same courtesy.
The man paused, his mouth opening before closing again. Soo waited until he coughed and spoke. "I'm So. My name is Wang So."
Soo smiled and nodded her head.
He allowed her to sleep in the house alone, and for that she was grateful. Soo undressed until she wore her underskirt and undershirt, neatly folding her outer clothes and laying them beside the futon. She stared at the shadow that walked around outside. So's silhouette glided over the paper door, and the sounds of him cleaning around the area reached Soo's ears. She hid beneath the covers as she had that very morning, but the door never slid open, and So did not speak for the rest of the evening.
When she opened her eyes, Soo flinched awake and shouted at the sudden crash and smattering sounds that immediately drove her upwards.
A massive storm wailed around them, and Soo immediately dressed, wondering if So had slept outside in the rain.
She hastened to tie her belt around her waist and shoved the door open to be met with a gust of wind that blew her untied hair all about her face, a spray of mist sending a cold jolt all over her body.
"Sit down," So said.
Soo looked to her right and stared at So. He sat on the covered deck, his socked ankles crossed, and his back against the side of the house. He wore his wolf cloak, and peered at her from beneath the beast's maw, a little grin on his face. "Did you sleep well?" he asked.
Soo sank to her knees and closed the door behind her, sitting a few paces away from So. "I did," she said, raising her voice to be heard over the howling wind. "Did you sleep well? It must have been cold!"
Soo stared out at the torrents of rain that fell and blew in all directions. The trees around them swayed, and lightning crackled around them, swiftly followed by the rumble and crash of thunder. She looked back at So in worry, wondering if he had spent the night in the rain.
"Don't worry," he said back, his hand patting the wolf that blanketed him to his crossed ankles. "It started raining in the middle of the night, so I moved here and slept in my cloak. Were you uncomfortable?"
Shaking her head, Soo noticed the baskets that So had brought in to protect from the rain. She reached for one and pulled the woven lid off of it, noticing hastily tossed piles of dried herbs. "You must have rushed to bring these all in," she said, looking up at him. "You could have woken me. I would have helped."
So chuckled and shook his head. "It's fine."
He took his cloak off and laid it onto his lap. The fur covered half of the deck and Soo scooted closer to So when he reached for one of the baskets and opened the lid to sort its contents out. "I can take you back to your hometown if you'd like," he said as he opened another basket and selected herbs to properly organize them. "You can wear my cloak."
Soo moved until her legs were beside the edge of the wolf pelt. She reached for another basket and began sifting through its contents, picking out herbs and passing them over to So where she assumed he kept those kinds.
"It's raining. What if we get sick? I won't risk your health or mine. Plus, you have all these herbs to sort!" she declared, focusing on her work. "I can leave when the rain stops."
So chuckled and Soo continued sorting. So left a bowl outside of the deck, so the rain could fill it. He handed the bowl to her and Soo took three refreshing gulps of water before handing the bowl back to So for him to drink the rest. He set the bowl out again, and when it was full, he handed it to her so she could wash her hands and face.
"How old are you?" Soo asked as they sorted herbs. Soo tossed a dried weed away from the edible plants and glanced up at So who was busy working on his basket. Meticulously dried plants that crunched when grasped too tightly found their homes in different baskets, guided by expert fingers.
"I don't know," he replied. Soo frowned and So merely shrugged his shoulders. Around them, the storm raged on, but they sat in the cool gusts of wind, picking through herbs and doing whatever chores they could. "I came here when I was ten. I don't know how many years have passed."
"Shin Myung said you were in the forest for ten years," Soo replied, remembering what the woman had said. So's face contorted at the mention of his mother's name and Soo wondered how their stories intertwined.
"Then I must be twenty," he muttered.
"I'm eighteen," Soo said, offering the gloomy man a smile. So frowned at her before chuckling and smirking. "So, can I ask… what's your story? How did you come to live here?"
Lightning cracked like a slaver's whip and Soo flinched, shivering as thunder quickly followed the burst of light. She blinked when So moved forward, grasping the wolf pelt and tossing it onto her lap.
Immediately warmed, Soo thanked him with a smile.
"Did my mother not tell you some story about me eating her son alive?" So asked. He threw a weed out into the rain and Soo tipped her head to the side. She remembered what Shin Myung had told her, but wanted to hear from So. There had to be a reason why the kind old lady despised the equally sweet man that played host to Soo.
"I was born into a rich family," So began, his deep voice rumbling lower than the thunder around them. He maintained a low tone, but Soo heard every word he said, and her skin prickled as she leaned forward, pulling the wolf just a bit closer over her lap so she could give his story her full attention.
"I can't remember most of it, but I do remember my mother. She kept me inside the house because she said the sun would kill dark things like me. I was supposed to be something to her—I can't remember what—but as a child, I had an accident and this happened."
Soo's eyes widened as So tapped his cheek, motioning to one of the pink streaks of lightning that slashed over his features.
"She hated me because my deformity made me ineligible for something. I don't know what it was. She said I was no longer Air—whatever that m–"
"You were the heir to the Wang house?" Soo asked suddenly, remembering the story of the Wang child and Yoo woman that had been the beast's first victims. The two had disappeared, leaving only the bloody traces of their violent ends. She pressed a hand to her mouth and So blinked.
"Heir…" he said softly. "What is that word?"
Soo cleared her throat and shrugged. "I mean, um… I'm not sure either, but they use it to call the special sons in a rich family. The ones that will get the most things when the father dies."
She stared at So as he paused to collect himself, his face growing more and more downcast. His hands grew still as he ceased working, looking down at the black void of fur that covered his crossed thighs.
"I see," he finally stated. "She hit me and screamed at me for every day of my childhood because… because I was not her special child."
Soo remained quiet as So scoffed and continued working, his sadness disappearing beneath a glare. His hands trembled and he bit his lip as he grasped herbs between his fingers. They snapped and crumbled before they could reach the baskets, and So groaned as he failed task after task. Soo knew he was hurting inside, and she knew that it was her fault.
Unable to watch the internal turmoil that crashed in So's mind, she rushed forward without thought and held his hands, kneeling on top of the cloak and gazing into his wide, fear-stricken eyes. They were so close that their knees touched through the cloak, and Soo lightly opened So's shaking palms and held them until the trembling ceased. His hands were warm, his calloused fingers lightly holding her back. "Let me do the rest," she said softly. "You can rest now."
So nodded and Soo sat back, dragging So's baskets closer to hers so she could continued working. She gave So a reassuring smile and breezed through the menial task at hand.
He was an injured person, and Soo felt bad for ever thinking this man was a beast that would slay her and eat her corpse.
So sat with his back against the small house he lived in alone, his knees pulled to his chest and his face tucked into the elbows he curled around his legs. He was so small, curled into himself, remembering the years of pain. Soo wanted to learn more about him, but he seemed too distraught, so she did not ask him to continue. Her heart ached for the man whose oblivious life had been interrupted by her.
Soo did not know when she began singing, but when she glanced back at So, he was staring at her with tears in his eyes, his cheek pressed against his hand as he listened in silence. She swallowed deeply, her song cutting short at the sad intensity of his gaze.
"Is there a song you'd like me to sing?" she asked, hoping that would make his tears go away. She wanted him to smile even though she had known him for all of one day. Soo wanted to make him smile.
"I only know the songs the maids sang when I was a boy," he said, his voice just louder than a whisper.
"Well I'm poor, so if you sing, then I'll know them," Soo replied. She let her lips pull into a smile and encouraged So to begin a song so she could sing for him.
He mumbled through a familiar key, forming words that sometimes muddled and sometimes did not sound right, but Soo knew what song he asked of her, and she quickly followed, adding her high voice to his low, and gently guiding him through the parts he did not remember before concluding together.
"You have a beautiful voice," Soo said as she continued sorting the herbs. Her fingers smelled like all sorts of concoctions and she began growing a bit woozy from the smell, but nothing could overwhelm her as much as the grin that overtook So's face, erasing his sadness for the briefest of moments.
"I love your voice," he said back, his smile fading again. Soo missed the happiness she had seen on his face, but decided she would try to bring it back.
They ate their first meal of the day between breakfast and lunchtime, tucking into the nuts and berries So had picked just days before. Soo sat closer to So so she could reach into the bag and collect handfuls for herself, popping deliriously sweet berries and crunchy nuts into her mouth, enjoying the gloomy weather.
Quiet enveloped their conversation and though Soo felt freed out in the open, the lack of conversation constrained her and pulled at the back of her neck.
"I was eleven when my first marriage proposal came," Soo said to break their silence. She did not look at So, but she knew he was looking at her. "At the time my father made enough money to deny the boy… he was my friend, Eun. I loved him, but he was too young, and my father thought he was too poor."
She wistfully sighed and remembered when the nine-year-old had marched up to her father and asked for her hand. Her father had laughed before kicking Eun out of their house.
"He and I are good friends, but neither of us want to marry each other anymore. He has a girl… a slave that works in the same house as him." Soo ate more berries, popping the taut skin with her teeth and humming as sweet and sour juices filled her mouth. Her teeth would be black and red, but she did not care.
So said nothing, but Soo decided he was just listening.
"I was thirteen when my father's medicine stand was torn apart by a storm and then ransacked by people who wanted to steal his wares. We had no money and had to resort to farming to keep ourselves alive. I… I received a marriage offer from another man when I was fifteen. He was a blacksmith… twenty years older than me," she said with a scoff.
"Did you marry him?" So asked. Soo raised her eyebrows when he spoke but chuckled and shook her head. "Why not? You were poor and blacksmiths… don't they make lots of money?"
The rain seemed to gradually decrease, and the lightning ceased to strike. Light drizzles of rain punctuated by the distant rumble of thunder masked their silence, and embarrassment filled Soo's chest, oozing over her like honey and painfully fisting into her hair the way her mother had done to shout at her. Her breaths grew slow, and her hands held her thighs to keep from clenching into fists.
"I… I didn't want to be some old man's third wife," she uttered, her voice filled with shame. "I could have eaten meat every day, worn pretty dresses, and lived in comfort if I'd just given that man a baby or two, but… but I hate the idea of just being some… some thing." She huffed at her own arrogance but also fell prey to the sadness that seemed to want to overtake them both. There was no monster in the forest, but they held their own shadows within.
"My parents never let me go a day without knowing what I had given up. They were angry they still had to feed me." Soo shook her head as her eyes prickled, her chest clenching as the unruly vines of anger and melancholy tickled up her throat, trying to make her sob. Her eyes itched, but her hand immediately siped forward to erase any traces of tears. "I'm sorry, my problems must bore you," Soo said. More embarrassment pulled at the very roots of her hair as she vented the grievances that piled on her shoulders to a stranger.
Soo did not flinch but froze in place when So's hand fell onto her shoulder, gently patting it before disappearing without a trace of evidence as to if it was there or not.
"You value freedom," he said quietly. "I do too."
Soo nodded her head and leaned back against the house, letting the back of her head thunk against the wooden paneling.
The rain drizzled around them without pause, trapping them in places it could not reach. Soo heaved a sigh and pulled the wolf pelt over her legs once more, letting the animal warm her.
"I was ten when my mother took me out of the house for the first time," So said. Soo turned to look at him, tracing his long nose and sharp chin as he looked out at the rain. He was handsome, and he chuckled softly. "I know why you didn't want to be trapped in that blacksmith's house as his pretty little wife… It's the same reason why I always wanted to see what was past the high walls around our home.
"I can't recall all of it, but those tall, tall walls… the gray stones that built them up, the white plaster that held them down, and the black tiles that made them impossible to climb without slipping... They trapped me inside the house, and no one ever let me leave. My mother said I was too ugly for the world to see."
Soo knew which walls he was referring to. The Wang Estate's eastern wing was built like a fortress with barriers so tall, two men had to stand on each other's shoulders to clean the tiles on them. She remembered wondering what mysteries laid behind those tall walls, wondering if a princess resided inside the mysterious area like they did in the stories.
But now, she could see that there was no princess; just a poor, abused soul.
"One day, there was going to be a party. My grandfather invited many people and the whole house was preparing for something very very special…" So trailed off as he threw berries into his mouth and chewed before sighing. "My mother said that she was forced to bring me to the party, but I was so ugly that she would be forever shamed if anyone saw me, so she let me leave the house with her. She spoke softly and gently held my hand as she led me through town, and I was so scared, but I loved seeing and hearing all of the amazing things I'd never experienced before. It was truly spectacular."
His voice was something else in that moment, and when Soo closed her eyes, she could hear carts creaking over dirt roads, peddlers shouting for ladies dressed in vibrant colors to come look at their wares, and people from other towns shouting their news for lords to tut over, their beautiful, painted fans making the funniest noises as they popped open and shone like the feathers on a bird. There were warm smells all around, and food vendors sold everything from rice cakes drowned in honey and sweet barley powder to raw crabs marinated in red sauce that left the eater clamoring for water. Just around the corner from the food were women in sheer silks who peeked from outside the gibangs, enticing men into their open arms for shining coins.
"The marketplace," Soo said as she listened to So's description of the most wondrous time in his life. "I loved playing there."
They met eyes and So gave her a sad look that she could not read. "She led me past the marketplace. I held a stick of grilled quail and I followed her, too stupid to see that she was taking me away from people."
Soo closed her eyes as she realized this was where So's life in the forest would begin. She yearned to comfort him, to make the utter degradation in his voice disappear, but she held back.
"She brought me to the edge of the forest and and said said I was too ugly to be seen with her," So continued, his voice weak. Soo pushed her doubts aside and sat closer to So, touching a hand against his shoulder and letting it stay there. His muscles visibly tensed before relaxing at her touch, and he sighed. "She said she wanted me to see the outside world before I died because that was her kindness as a mother. She tried to kill me."
Soo did not react except to rub So's back as he wiped his eyes and coughed. The rough silk of his old shirt was worn and fraying, but it was because it was so thin that she could feel his warmth on her palm and reassure him as best as she could. "I… I fought her off and took the knife, but she cut my face, and I felt so angry that… I think I attacked her.
"I was stronger than her even at ten, and I pushed her down and dragged her into the forest. I took my chances and decided that she would feel how I felt. I wanted her to be as trapped and angry as I was."
When he stopped speaking, Soo nodded her head and blinked out at the sunlight that had quietly replaced the rains as So had told her his story.
The herbs were all sorted, the deck organized, and the baskets stacked to the side. The berries in the bag dwindled, and only a handful of nuts remained as the storm passed, and light shone all around, making the puddles of water that remained glitter like gems.
"You can leave now," So said, his voice flat and tired. Devoid of much emotion, he looked at her and Soo gazed into the lovely eyes marked by his mother's hatred. Soo wished she could touch his scars and ease the pain that must have accumulated over his two decades of living. "If we leave now, I can get you to your town by nightfall."
Soo thought back to the home that awaited her. She wished she could see how Eun was faring, but she did not want to return to her parents' home and disappoint them any further. She still feared being stepped on by those that lived above her in rank.
However, all those problems seemed insignificant when she gazed into the stark loneliness that echoed in So's warm brown eyes. He wore no expression on his face, but his eyes told her he would never have company again if she left him. No person cared enough about him to ever look for him, and no one ever came into the forest with the purpose of comforting the beast.
"I'm going to stay another day," Soo said, removing her hand from So to place against the wall and help herself stand. "The ground is too wet, so if I slip and fall, I might hurt myself. I'll leave when the ground is dry."
Soo swore she glimpsed the barest of smiles on So's relieved face.
They ate another small meal together, and Soo walked around the fence that kept animals out of So's land, dragging her hand over the wood and wondering how a boy that had entered the woods at ten knew how to do things like cook, clean, build, and hunt. When she glanced over at So, the axe in his hands glinted as he chopped dry wood to use to boil water for tea.
The muscles of his bare back rolled as he cleaved through wood as if it was nothing. There were countless remnants of injuries on his body, and Soo knew how her society treated those with marred faces and bodies. She wondered if exile had been the more prudent choice for So's life and sanity.
She rejoined him with a little smile, picking his shirt off of the ground and folding it, noticing how frayed it was in some areas, and how shoddy stitching had kept it together long past its retirement.
Soo peered over at So as he wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned towards her with a grin. "I can't light a fire yet because the ground is still wet… would you be alright with finishing the rabbit we had yesterday cold?"
His question was sincere, and Soo nodded her head. "I don't mind cold food," she said, stepping close to him.
They ate while sitting on the deck, their legs hanging off the sides—well, Soo's legs hung off the sides, So was tall enough to plant his feet onto the ground—and their eyes gazing up at the cloudless sky.
"It's so peaceful here," Soo murmured as she sucked on a bone to collect every last bit of food from it. She ate good food with nice company and a lovely view, which led to her spirits soaring. "Do you ever want to go back?"
So tossed his bare bones into the small bucket they used for food scraps. "I alternate visiting the five towns and villages around the forest," he explained. Soo frowned at his statement and wondered if she had ever seen him in her town before deciding that was impossible. She would have remembered a face as handsome as his.
"You go to the towns?" she asked.
"I don't grow rice, beans, or fruits, and the fish you had yesterday was from the ocean," So said with a laugh. "Do you see the ocean here?"
"But… money," Soo said, uncomprehending of how So had never been caught as the one who dwelled in the forest. She scooted closer to the man who shrugged his shoulders.
"The men that come to kill me usually have heavy purses. I have money and I can trade whatever I grow for whatever I need. The best berries are always in the forest. Those get me the things I need."
A comfortable silence rested over them and Soo nodded her head as a light breeze ruffled her hair. "The rain will bring cold winds," Soo said, holding her hand out to feel the cold air that blew past them in the dimming light. "You shouldn't sleep outside."
"My cloak will keep me warm," So said. "I'll sleep on the deck. The ground is still wet."
Guilt gnawed at Soo's chest. There she was, the stranger that had appeared in So's life and taken his food and his home without so much as contributing an ounce of work.
"Or you can sleep inside the house with me," she suggested. Soo looked over at So who nodded. "I noticed there were lots of blankets, so we can sleep separately and both stay warm."
There was a pause and Soo pressed a hand to her mouth, surprised at her own audacity. "I mean! Only if– I meant to say– um, this isn't in a sexual manner or–"
"I understood that," So said, giving her a confused frown. "Why would I want to have sex with you?"
"What?" Soo's mouth fell open and her hand dropped away from it, her expression pulling into an even more confused look than the one So wore. "I mean, I'm not completely, um—you know what? It's fine."
"Hae Soo, we're not having a child together, why would we sleep together?"
Soo stared with a new version of surprise written all over her face. In response, So stared at her with a frown. They paused, neither able to move from the deep and sticky awkwardness that pulled them into silence.
Does he think… Does he really believe sex is only for making children?
She realized that having left society and human contact at ten, there was only so much So would know, and his innocence brought a smile to her lips. "You're right," she said with a sure nod, "we're not having a child together. We can just sleep in the house, right?"
They stepped into the house together, and Soo accepted one of So's shirts and a pair of his pants. He handed her his underclothes and a pair of socks. "You've been in the same clothes for a week now," he explained.
Soo nodded mutely, realizing it had already been a week since she had entered the forest. She accepted the clothing from So as he laid their blankets out, making sure there was a space between the two futons. Soo noticed how he laid more padding onto her bed, giving her the fur blanket and soft pillow. "Why give me your nice bedding?" she asked, still clutching his clothes to her chest.
So patted the beds and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't remember much from my childhood, but I remember someone telling me women should be treated… treated with care. I think it was a maid."
He left the cottage when Soo asked him to. While So whistled outside, Soo stripped down to her skin, stretching her arms out and wishing she could wash. She folded her old clothes into a neat pile and dressed in So's much too large clothing.
The shirtsleeves fell past her fingertips, so she folded them to her wrists. The pants wrinkled around her feet, so she tied and folded the waist until her socked feet were visible.
"You can come it!" she called once dressed. Soo glanced at the door as it opened, noting So had also changed out of his clothes and into softer materials. He paused in the doorway and Soo raised her eyebrows at him. His eyes scanned over her as if she was an anomaly, and Soo felt herself frowning until So choked on his snort and barked a laugh.
"What?" she whined, suddenly self conscious at the young man's response to her new attire.
"You're so tiny!" said Wang So as he fell onto his futon, guffawing. "I've never met a person as small as you!"
Soo's bottom lip immediately jutted out into a pout and she huffed as she sat onto her bed, crossing her arms as So laid on his side to smirk at her. "You've only seen the bad men that come to find you," Soo said, defending herself as So asked if he could see her wrist.
Letting her fist shoot out and bump So's hard shoulder, Soo held her arm out and allowed So's rough hands to touch her skin. She paused at how warm his hands were, blinking at how gently he held her fist and compared his wrist to hers. Calloused fingertips brushed over her equally hardened palms, but for how menacing the scarred hands looked, they were surprisingly light.
"Three of your wrists could fit in mine," he muttered. "But your hands look like you labor for a living." He looked up at her and released her when Soo pulled her fist back. She nodded her head, unashamed of the menial work she did to bring a few copper pieces into her family's dusty bankbox.
"I scrubbed the bathhouse in town," she said, laying on her futon and pulling the massive fur blanket over her shoulder to cover her from toe to neck. The fluffy rabbit fur hugged her the way her mother had when she was a child, and Soo exhaled a relaxed sigh for the first time in years. Laying in the same room as a strange man in a strange situation, surrounded by strange woods, she felt safe and comfortable. "I made a little bit of money working and sometimes sold the herbs I picked behind our home. But I usually helped my parents garden."
She spoke of her parents, yet Soo's heart did not miss them, nor did she want to miss them. Her choice to remain unmarried and their resulting abuses had only left a dull ache in her chest. She did not want to hear their vile words ever again… it disheartened her to know she would be returning the next morning.
"I like you," So said. Soo turned her head to frown at him but the man laid with his head cradled in his hands and his eyes facing the ceiling. "You're loud and funny… and I still remember seeing you that first day, you were wrapped in that red cloth and crying. I thought you would give up but you didn't. So I decided I wanted to try to speak to you, because I thought you'd make a good friend."
Her heart warmed, and a little tingle of happiness moved from her fingertips to her palms. Soo pulled the blanket over her nose as So sighed and closed his eyes.
"You're not so bad yourself, Lord Wolf," Soo replied, pulling the fur away from her face. So snorted and she smirked.
I want to stay, Soo thought as she closed her eyes against her pillow.
The next morning, Soo stepped out of the cottage still wearing So's clothes. The young man waved at her from where he packed a satchel for their journey. He wore his wolfskin and thick, black clothes that only bared his face and hands. Beside his feet were two swords in their scabbards, awaiting their owner's commands. So frowned at her appearance in his clothing.
"Good morning," he said, leaving the leather bag on the grass and approaching her. His boots left marks in the lush greenery, and Soo smiled, taking his hand as he offered to help her down from the dais. Their fingertips met for the briefest of moments, and Soo inhaled the fresh morning air with happy little hums, taking in hints of grass, dew, and the rich scent of the earth around them. "Do you want to leave once you've eaten or would you like to eat along the way?" So asked.
Sighing, Soo shook her head. "I can't leave today. I have to wash my clothes and some of your clothes are filthy too. Ask me again tomorrow."
So gave her the softest of smiles, the scar on his face moving to accommodate an expression he seemed not to be adept at making. Soo returned the expression with her own warm grin.
"Then let me lead you to the river, my lady," So said.
"Are you ready to leave today?"
"I have to pick more herbs for you! I've eaten them all, so I can't possibly leave you with nothing to season your food with."
"Then I'll take you to the place with the best herbs in the entire forest."
"Are you ready to leave today?"
"My body is filthy. I want to bathe and rest. I want to swim and catch fish."
"Then let me take you to where the river is deep enough to swim."
"Are you ready to leave today?"
"We caught too many fish yesterday, so I have to help you dry them out. This food can't go to waste!"
"Then I'll get you rope and salt so we can tie the fish."
"Are you ready to leave today?"
"I want to hear a story before I go. A long one that lasts hours and hours."
"Bring me the red book with leather on it. I'll read you a story."
"Are you ready to leave today?"
"I loved the story you told me, but now I'm jealous. I don't know how to read. Teach me, please?"
"Bring me the book with black leather covering it and meet me beneath the big tree."
"Are you ready to leave today?"
"We sat outside for too long and I feel a chill coming over me. I'm too dizzy to leave bed today."
"Sit against the cushions, here is some soup. Ah…"
Soo stood from where she sat in the garden, pulling weeds that hoped to steal nutrients from the rich dirt that fed her radishes and carrots. Her hands moved deftly, easily spotting which plants belonged and which needed to go. Dirt caked her fingernails and sweat rolled down her forehead in waves. Her shoddily tied hair fell from its knot atop her head in wisps, and her knees ached from working while sitting all day.
A scream rang out from the forest, silencing the birds and reverberating over the tops of the majestic pines that filled So's property. The first of many abnormal noises left Soo speechless, and she stopped working to look up in terror, her hands stilling as yet another deep-throated shout called for another man.
"Kill it! Kill it! It has my arm!"
Soo stared in the direction of the wretched noise, the weeds around her forgotten, and her hardships erased in fear. The hunters. The men that dared to come into So's land and try to kill him had arrived for the first time since she had arrived, and Soo trembled at the prospect of them being so close to the cottage that she could hear them.
There were shouts, crashes, and shouts bled into gurgles as Wang So protected his home and existence. Soo could not despise him for killing those that sought to hurt him. She could not hate that he wanted to survive.
The wind rustled the metallic stench of blood through the tall grass that grew along the fence that hid the lovely little garden from the eyes in the forest that watched and waited, searching for weakness in the monster that owned the woods.
There was nothing Soo could do to help So, so she closed her eyes to the sun that glowered at her, and clasped her hands together. Kneeling in the dirt on her soiled apron, she ignored her aching knees and prayed he would be safe. She begged the gods to let him survive and to let him come back safely.
Her prayers were met with the shouts and screams of men that dared to cross the monster in the forest.
Soo forced herself to move through the gruelling hours that So was away. She stopped pulling weeds and instead washed her hands in the bucket of water they kept for that purpose. She started a small fire and put water in the pot, letting it boil as she added hunks of meat and vegetables, moving without thought as she threw in herbs and other ingredients to make a hearty stew.
She made rice afterwards, but throughout her entire cooking process, she could not give her attention to anything but the sounds that came of did not come from the forest. Nowhere was she able to discern So's voice. Nowhere was she able to hear if he was alright.
Silence fell upon the forest and the clearing, and so the end of the day approached as the sun began its descent from the sky. Soo sat beside her pot of stew, waiting with a trembling heart for So to return and put her fears to rest. She begged the gods to bring him back alive. They were heartless if they deemed it just to hurt a man that had lived alone for half of his life. They were cruel if they hurt the person who had opened his home to her.
The sun set against the melancholy heavens, and as hues of red and purple stained the sky, Soo stood and gasped at the sight of a familiar wolf with white eyes. A black shadow appeared from the forest as the birds sang their fanfare, declaring a victor.
He hobbled into the clearing, his cloak covering his body. His heavy steps brought him closer and closer, and Soo ran to meet him halfway, pushing the wolf off of his shoulders as tears of complete and utter relief blurred her vision.
"Hae Soo," he murmured, his red hands touching her cheeks. Soo grimaced at the stench of blood that lingered around his wet clothes, and when she pulled her hand away from his shirt, her palm was dyed with blood. It was sickening, but her prayers had been answered, and a relieved sob bubbled up from her chest, exiting her lips without much resistance.
Wang So stared at her with hollow eyes and gaunt cheeks, his exhaustion only too prominent in the dark circles that encased his eyes. He did not take his eyes off of her, and Soo touched his face, holding his cheek to bring him back to reality. Her heart stammered with joy as So gave her a faint smile, warmth returning to the brown eyes that bore into her.
"You're safe now," he said softly, his trembling hand meet hers and grasping it with a terrible gentleness that made Soo smile.
"Wash up," she whispered. "I have dinner ready. You can rest now."
She followed him to the bucket where icy water from the well stayed cool in the shade. Soo helped So out of his clothing until he stood before her in only his trousers, half caked in blood and half dripping it.
He sat on a tree stump and Soo picked up a rag to wet it and clean the blood from his bruised body. Her fingers grew numb as she wiped him clean, holding his hands and meticulously ridding his nails of grime. "What do you usually do after… after you've defended your home?" she asked as she stood to dab at the spatters on So's face. She wiped along his scars and leaned close to the dazed man before her.
"Collapsed under the tree… slept…" he mumbled.
Her chest ached at the thought of So returning home to loneliness, too tired to move or eat. She could see him falling against the tree and just sleeping, covered by the wolf cloak that accompanied him on his rounds in the woods. Soo did not have to imagine much until her breathing hitched and her hands grew still.
"Sit here," she said, setting the rag aside to run over to the pot and ladle a large helping of rice and stew into the largest bowl she could find. Soo chose the fattiest parts of the meat for So and ran the bowl back over with a spoon stabbed into the rice. She stood before the dazed man and passed the warm bowl over to him. "I don't want you going to sleep without eating anything."
So accepted the bowl from her without a word. Soo sat with him and watched as he dug into the food, scooping the rice and stew into his mouth and swallowing in his haste to fill his stomach. He only chewed the meat, inhaling the rice and stew as if it was porridge.
"This can't be the first time you've done this," she said, her eyes tracing over the faded scars all over his torso. "Are you always so affected?"
So paused his eating to look at her, and Soo reached a hand out to wipe his bottom lip with her thumb, cleaning his chin and idly sucking the soup from her finger. She sighed as she imagined a much younger So having to defend himself from men that did not understand.
"I never had to protect someone," So whispered. He stared at her with an expression almost akin to surprise, and Soo felt a shiver run down her spine at its intensity. "I always thought that it didn't matter if I died, but today… I knew that if I died, I'd leave you alone. And being alone is the worst punishment."
Soo bit her bottom lip and nodded, flicking a bug off of her skirt. She kept her attention on the tired man and took the bowl when he was finished. "You thought of me?" she asked, walking over to the well and using the water to rinse his bowl and spoon out. There was little to wash; he had scraped it clean.
So joined her beside the well, and Soo stepped back to allow him to pull a bucket for himself and pour the cold water over his head.
Rivulets of clear, reddened water fell down his chest, and Soo knew she would have to wash his clothes before they dried. "Put your clothes in a pile and I'll take them to the river to wash," she said as So scrubbed his hair and nodded.
"Stay with me tonight," he murmured, tossing the bucket back into their water. "Burn the clothes and just stay. I don't want you in the forest alone."
She wanted to say that she knew her way around. Though she did not exactly know her way out of the forest, she did know where the river was, where herbs grew the best, and where the berries were most bountiful. But there was something in So's voice that caught her, and she nodded her head.
She yelped when So pulled her close, and her hands immediately pressed against his belly as he laid his forehead against her shoulder and hugged her. His chest was cold from the water, but Soo smiled and moved her hands to his hips as he breathed a deep, prolonged sigh of relief. "I'm glad you're back," Soo said, lightly patting So's bare skin. "I would have been sad if you didn't return."
"That's why I came back," he murmured. Soo's heart grew warm and she smiled, shaking her head and guiding So towards the cottage.
"Time for bed, you," she decided. "You've had a big enough day. You need rest."
She let him change into a new, dry set of clothes and accepted the bloodied rags he had previously worn, burning them as he had directed.
When Soo glanced into the open door of their cottage, she pressed a hand to her lips and giggled at the sight of Wang So sprawled over the bed, a blanket over his stomach, and his mouth open in a loud snore.
"Are you ready to leave today?"
"There's a method for building a loom in one of your books. Build me a loom so I can make you new clothes to replace the ones I burned before I go."
"Read the instructions aloud while I sharpen my ax, please."
"Are you ready to leave today?"
"Your hair is so shaggy… I can't possibly leave knowing your hair looks like that. Let me cut your hair."
"Here are some shears. Try not to cut me, hm?"
"Are you ready to leave today?"
"Your bed is frayed and needs fixing. Kill me some birds so I can stuff your bed and mend it. For now, you can use my bed."
"Then let me catch as many as you want and we can feast tonight."
"Are you ready to leave today?"
"I'm sad that I'm leaving you. Talk to me, please?"
"Come here."
Soo sat beside So on the raised dais and let him hold her by the hip. He pulled her close and she followed willingly, laying her head against him as his wolf cloak fell over both their shoulders, and his arms encased her in the sweetest of embraces as his cheek pressed against her hair.
The painted sun set over the over the trees in a in a warming blaze that announced the day's finale. Soo rested her forehead against So and exhaled a calm, happy breath, warm against his chest. Her fingers tangled in the material of his new shirt, pulling him just a bit closer.
"Don't leave," So said as they watched the painted sun bid them farewell for Soo's hundredth day in the forest. "Stay with me. Be with me. Don't leave today or tomorrow or ever. Be mine."
Soo closed her eyes in content as his lips touched her forehead and his arms tightened their hold on her. She smiled softly, nodding her head. "Why would I leave my home?" she asked softly, pulling the wolf closer around their shoulders.
Looking up at So, Soo reached upward to touch the scars that laced his skin. She did not move as So leaned forward, his nose brushing against hers. "Is this your home now?" he asked, his voice low. A smile tugged at his lips and Soo merely giggled.
Closing her eyes, she leaned in and gently kissed So, touching his cheek and smiling when he held the small of her back and kissed her back.
Safe in each other's embrace, they did not notice the eyes that watched them from afar.