Mudoo - Chapter 59

The rumor that Yeomra had taken Kang Tae-shin’s memories spread through Cheonghae-dong like wildfire.

The moment Hobun heard it, she rushed straight to Tae-shin’s house.

“Kang Tae-shin! Dong-gil!”

She pounded on the closed gate with her fist, and before long, it creaked open. Tae-shin appeared in the gap, his face twisting into a full scowl when he saw him.

“What the hell is this?”

“K-Kang Tae-shin?”

Hobun swung the gate wide and stepped inside, seizing his chin to examine his face carefully, as if trying to see whether he still remembered her. Tae-shin quickly slapped his hand away and muttered under his breath.

“A fox, huh.”

“Do you… remember me?” he asked in a careful, trembling voice.

Tae-shin narrowed his eyes. “Great. A talking dog and a sly-looking fox. What a circus.”

Even without his memories, that abrasive personality of his hadn’t gone anywhere. Still, there was a strange, unfamiliar look in his eyes, scanning Hobun from head to toe, as if he’d never seen a fox like him before.

Hobun swallowed hard and murmured to himself, “So the rumor’s true.”

From deeper inside the yard, Dong-gil trudged over. Hobun quickly checked his expression.

“You okay, Dong-gil?”

Dong-gil blinked slowly, then let out a sigh. “Not sure if I should say I’m okay… or not okay.”

Tae-shin was standing with a broom in hand his face set in a look of deep annoyance.

“I don’t remember inviting you in. Who said you could barge into someone else’s house?”

The lazy, can’t-be-bothered tone was still there, but now his voice carried a sharper, harder edge than before.

Faced with a Tae-shin who was clearly wary of him, Hobun wasn’t sure how to even introduce herself.

“I’m…”

He glanced toward Dong-gil, but he just had a half-resigned look that said he wasn’t about to help. Hobun looked back at Tae-shin and tried again.

“…your close friend.”

“Bullshit.” Tae-shin let out a short, incredulous laugh.

“First that mutt, now you, why the hell is everyone insisting they’re my friend?”

“I told you, I’m not a mutt! My name’s Dong-gil! I’m a spirit beast, how many times do I have to say it?!” Dong-gil growled, baring his sharp fangs.

“Oh, what, you gonna bite me now?”

Without even glancing at him, Tae-shin brushed past and went back to sweeping the yard.

Hobun watched his back in silence for a moment, then moved to sit on the wooden porch beside Dong-gil, his face serious.

“You met Yeomra at Pungwol-gak, didn’t you?”

She was the first to break the silence. Dong-gil nodded and answered in a subdued voice, “We were looking for Gangnim… and just happened to run into her. Just happened to.”

“What were you looking for Gangnim for?”

“Kang Tae-shin… asked him to take him to the afterlife.”

“…Ah.”

Tae-shin had shown signs, here and there, of being tired of living a life he couldn’t end. But he was a strong, resilient man, someone who always tried to find a reason to keep going, no matter what.

After Seula was gone, though, it was like he’d completely fallen apart. His face had grown dark, his frame thinner by the day. He skipped meals, shut himself in his room, and stopped going out entirely.

It had already been half a year, and still, Kang Tae-shin hadn’t returned to who he used to be.

Before heading to Pungwol-gak to find Gangnim, how many thoughts must have run through Kang Tae-shin’s mind? How long had he been fighting that lonely, exhausting battle all by himself?

Hobun couldn’t even begin to imagine what he must have felt, walking up to a grim reaper on his own and asking to be taken to the afterlife.

“Maybe… this is for the best,” he murmured.

After all, this meant Kang Tae-shin could finally grow old and die like a normal human being, just like he’d wanted.

“But… for him to forget everything, to forget all of it…”

Dong-gil still wasn’t sure which was the better choice. Hobun smiled faintly and ran his hand gently through his fur.

“The only ones who feel sorry about him losing his memories are probably us. Maybe… this time, he actually chose something for himself.”

“But… couldn’t there have been a way for him to grow old like a normal person without losing his memories?”

“There’s something called the law of equivalent exchange. Nothing’s ever given for free.”

Dong-gil turned to his with wide, curious eyes, as if suddenly impressed.

“Wow. You’ve gotten smart. Really smart.”

“I’ve been studying for the GED lately,” Hobun said with a shrug and a bright smile. “I want to go to college.”

***

Seula stepped out of the company building and quickened her pace toward the subway station. Should I grab dinner before heading home? Order delivery once I’m back? Or maybe cook for the first time in ages?

The subway entrance was swarming with people getting off work. The sight alone made her grimace. If she got on the train now, it’d be nothing short of a battlefield. It was probably better to eat somewhere near the office before heading home.

She slipped past the crowded main road and ducked into an alley. It was a bit sketchy, but it was the quickest way to the restaurant district.

“Who’s the one who batted their eyes and started all this, and now you’re playing dumb?”

A loud, unfamiliar man’s voice echoed through the alley, making Seula’s heart drop. A dull thud followed, then a low groan.

Should I just walk past? Or call the police?

Her heart was pounding, but she crept toward the source of the noise, her footsteps as quiet as possible.

A narrower alley branched off from the one she was in. There, a big, burly guy was cornering a tall, slender man against the wall.

“Tell me the truth. What’s your deal, huh? You got some trick for reeling men in?”

Without even seeing his face, the big guy’s rough, intimidating presence was obvious. He slapped the other man across the face, hard, over and over.

“Trying to seduce rich guys and sell your ass?”

Then came a series of vicious kicks.

Seula instinctively stepped back into the shadows. Part of her wanted nothing to do with this mess, but another part screamed that she couldn’t just ignore it. What if she stepped in and got hit herself? That’d hurt like hell.

Even knowing it was cowardly, that was her first thought.

She had just gripped her phone, ready to call the police, when the tall man ran his fingers through his hair and lifted his chin.

His face, half-hidden behind the big guy until now, suddenly came into view.

“Hobun…!”

The name slipped from Seula’s mouth before she could stop herself, pure shock hitting her.

Both men turned their heads toward her at the same time.

Well, too late now.

She pushed down the fear rising in her chest and ran toward Hobun, planting herself at his side as she glared up at the big man.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? I’ve got your assault on video.”

She raised her phone, still clutched tight in her hand. The man’s face twisted into a scowl.

“What’s this? You with him?”

“I was just passing by and heard the noise. If I wanted to make this a big deal, I’d have already called the cops. I’ve got solid proof right here, so what’s it gonna be? Want to see me in court?”

Her voice rang out steady and bold.

The man spat on the ground. “Tch. Can’t believe you’ve got women falling for your crap.”

He looked between the two of them, then slowly backed away before turning and disappearing down the alley.

As soon as he vanished around the corner, Seula turned to check on Hobun.

“Hobun, are you okay? Are you hurt? Let me see.”

His left cheek was red and swollen, a clear handprint standing out against his pale skin. Bl00d dripped slowly from the corner of his split lip.

“It’s been a while, Seula,” he said, forcing a small lift to his lips, neither quite a smile nor a grimace. Bl00d had even smeared onto his white, perfectly aligned teeth.

Seula pulled a tissue from her bag and gently wiped his mouth.

“How did you even get caught up in this, ugh, no, that’s not important right now. Why were you here? You’re heading home now, right? Can you get there on your own? Do you want me to walk you?”

Hobun’s eyes softened, the corners lowering in a tired sort of way. He accepted without hesitation.

“If it’s not too much trouble… I’d appreciate it.”