Chapter 75
“I’m not a pervert!”
Eun-hwi exclaimed defensively without realizing it.
“You may not know what sex is, but you seem to know what a pervert is?”
“I do! It’s someone who secretly peeps at other people’s bodies!”
Long ago, Lee Maeng-gon, who is now a Mongdalgwi, had once made a hole in the window paper and was caught by the village chief secretly peeping at another Mr. Kim’s naked body.
The chief had slapped him so hard, saying, “That pervert brat is up to no good again.”
Eun-hwi had never intentionally peeped at someone’s body, but it was true that he had been observing humans while hiding his appearance. Feeling a bit guilty, he had been extra careful around the village since that day.
He was afraid of being pointed at as a pervert dokkaebi if he got caught.
“If someone who peeps at others’ bodies is a pervert, isn’t someone who shows their body to others also a pervert?”
“…Huh?”
Is that how it works?
Thinking about it carefully, it was just as he said.
Even if he had worn the dokkaebi hat to hide his appearance, the very thought of going home with his pants off was no different from being a pervert.
“I was planning to wear it properly so it wouldn’t come off…”
Eun-hwi smiled awkwardly while scratching the back of his head. Yeo Moon-beom spoke in a low and secretive tone, as if he fully understood his feelings.
“Actually, I’m a pervert too, so I’d like it if no one but me knew that Eun-hwi is a pervert.”
“Why is Moon-beom a pervert?”
“Because I devoured a baby rabbit with soft fur all over.”
Not because he was wearing tattered clothes with all buttons torn off as if he had enjoyed a night of passion, but because he had devoured a rabbit, meaning Eun-hwi.
“How is that being a pervert? I ate Moon-beom too.”
Thinking that it was ridiculous to call everything perverted when they hadn’t done anything bad in secret like Mongdalgwi, Eun-hwi pouted his lips.
Yeo Moon-beom laughed, shrugging his shoulders as if he couldn’t bear it, and persuaded Eun-hwi in a casual tone.
“Anyway, there’s nothing good about letting others know, so let’s keep it a secret between us.”
“…A secret?”
“Yes. A secret.”
The number of secrets that he couldn’t tell Gabi or Dr. Hong was increasing one by one. When Eun-hwi nodded with an understanding expression, Moon-beom bent his knees and presented his back as if telling him to get on.
“Come on, piggyback.”
“Okay.”
Although he couldn’t shake off the feeling of being somewhat manipulated, Eun-hwi obediently got on his back as it would be difficult to walk in this state.
“Hup.”
His muscular arms supported both legs. Yeo Moon-beom stood up straight from his position without even a slight change in his breathing, as if he had picked up a light feather.
The broad back, which had room even with his chest leaning on it, was so reassuring and dependable that it wasn’t at all uncomfortable to cling to with his whole body.
His heart fluttered at the suddenly enveloping scent and the warmth of their bodies touching again. He felt a little embarrassed that Moon-beom could probably hear his loudly beating heart.
“Am I not heavy?”
“Heavy? You’re too light. I need to feed you more and fatten you up.”
“I’m already eating a lot.”
“You can eat more. You, Eun-hwi.”
“What if I turn into a pig dokkaebi?”
“That won’t happen, so just hold on tight.”
“Okay.”
As instructed, he tightened his arms around Moon-beom’s neck and buried his face in the nape of his neck. His view was much higher than when standing alone, allowing him to see the scenery that Moon-beom was looking at.
How long had it been since he had seen things he usually couldn’t see while riding on someone’s back like this?
Suddenly, a faint nostalgia washed over him. The half-dokkaebi spoke quietly while leaning comfortably against the broad back.
“Hey, Moon-beom.”
“Hmm?”
“My father used to carry me like this sometimes too.”
When he was being bullied by the goblins and crying, his father would somehow find him, pick him up, and take him home.
Although he couldn’t feel the warm body temperature transmitted through the chest like now, it was always a comforting back that he could lean on without worry.
“I wonder if father is doing well…”
Hearing the barely audible mumble, Yeo Moon-beom, who had been walking silently, replied in a low voice.
“He’ll be fine. It’s a full moon tonight without a single cloud.”
“You’re right. The full moon is clearly visible without any clouds.”
If the positive energy of the sun is the source of life for humans, the negative energy of the moon is the source of power for goblins.
Eun-hwi gazed at the round moon in the night sky, where the jade rabbit pounding rice cakes was clearly visible, and prayed earnestly in his heart.
May he stay healthy, receiving the mystical energy of the moon.
May the day we meet again come soon.
May we be able to spend happy and joyful times together with Yeo Moon-beom.
As he was praying for his father’s well-being over and over again, thin lines resembling rain streaks appeared around the brightly shining full moon.
“…Huh?”
Although it appeared and disappeared in the blink of an eye, the half-dokkaebi clearly saw it. The long tadpole-shaped line with a tail falling and cutting through the dark sky.
It was a shooting star.
Eun-hwi quickly tapped Yeo Moon-beom’s shoulder to stop him.
“Moon-beom. Stop quickly.”
“Why? What’s wrong? Are you hurting somewhere?”
“No. A shooting star just fell from the sky. We need to make a wish!”
“A shooting star?”
“Ah! Another one fell!”
Strong, bright streaks repeatedly drew across the sky full of stars. Eun-hwi quickly closed his eyes at the sight of the meteor, which was much brighter and clearer than the one that had fallen earlier, and made a different prayer than before.
Star.
Please let me become Moon-beom’s soulmate and be together for life.
He wondered if he was asking for too much, but it seemed okay since he had made different wishes to the moon and the stars.
Moreover, today was a day of receiving rewards. It was alright to be a little greedy.
Yeo Moon-beom, who had stopped briefly to watch the rain of stars with him, readjusted his hold on Eun-hwi with a slight bounce. He asked in a pleasant baritone voice.
“Did you finish making your wish?”
“Yes. Did you make one too?”
“Of course I did.”
“What did you wish for?”
“It’s a secret.”
“You always say it’s a secret.”
Even while replying grumpily, he couldn’t shake off his curiosity. Eun-hwi gently pulled on the arms around his neck and asked him once more.
“Can’t you tell me just a little? Mine was related to you…”
“…Hmm.”
“Tell me, please?”
“My wish is related to you too.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
He had thought it would be a wish like not being hated by the villagers anymore or becoming extremely rich, but it wasn’t.
Could it be that Moon-beom also wants to become my soulmate?
It was just a hopeful guess, but the mere thought of it made his heart swell with indescribable joy.
Since meeting Yeo Moon-beom, things he had only vaguely hoped for were gradually taking shape and coming true.
The past days when he had only grown more frustrated as his desperate wishes seemed to slip further away now felt like a distant memory. His past sufferings had become nothing, to the point where he felt ungrateful for thinking so.
“I’m glad. Receiving rewards from Moon-beom.”
Not being lonely, watching fireflies, doing something like sex, and making wishes upon shooting stars.
“I’ll give you more, so keep receiving them.”
“…Can I receive more rewards?”
“In exchange, I’ll ask harder questions next time.”
“I’ll still do it. I’ll definitely solve them.”
He never thought he would become so interested in studying, which he had only avoided before because it gave him headaches. It was something that would shock Gabi so much his eyes might pop out.
They say nothing changes you as easily as love, and Gabi was right.
Giggling, he rubbed his cheek against the mint-scented nape. Yeo Moon-beom tightened his grip on Eun-hwi’s legs, pulling him close to his body.
It was a quiet night where the warmth lingered longer in their chests as the wind blew slowly.
* * *
“Eun-hwi.”
“…Mmm.”
“We’re almost home. Wake up now.”
He had fallen asleep while listening to the story about numbers he would learn from tomorrow.
Embarrassed that he had drooled enough to wet the collar of the shirt after declaring he would study hard, Eun-hwi pretended to respond in his sleep and deliberately shifted his body.
However, it wasn’t enough to fool the perceptive Yeo Moon-beom. A small chuckle gently vibrated through Eun-hwi’s chest.
Reluctantly opening his eyes, he was checking the position of the stars and moon in the sky to gauge the time when suddenly,
“Where have you been to return only now?”
A gravelly voice, strangely grating on the nerves and filled with hostility, rang out.
Startled that he couldn’t sense any goblin energy, Eun-hwi’s gaze shot forward. At the same time, Yeo Moon-beom, who had been walking diligently, stopped moving.
“It’s been a while, son of the Jangseung dokkaebi.”
At the end of their gaze were Dr. Hong, who had fainted and was lying in front of the gate, and an old man wearing a prayer bead necklace made of longan wood, who had concealed his presence.
The old man, wearing a black durumagi and with long white hair like a mountain spirit, was Eodukseoni, the monster symbolizing darkness.
