The Story Of A Small Fox Who Has A Star - Chapter 11

The moon was rising high and illuminated the mountain path. The path that Ho-Chi was walking, however, was located deep within a forest that even the moon could not help light it.

About six to seven steps away, the guy was following Ho-Chi.

Because Ho-Chi was a fox, he navigated his ways okay even in the dark but the guy had to stumble and fall on his knees several times. Even with the scratches and bruises, the guy hastily recovered his stands and walked along the tracks behind Ho-Chi in fear of losing him.

Sparingly, you could hear bugs in the forest.

“Please go back, it is already five Ri* away from your house.”

“If my bride is going then I will go to.”

*five Ri is Korean metric system which is equivalent to 1.2miles. *

Traces of tears were still visible on the guy’s grinning face as he answered Ho-Chi.

To the comment, Ho-Chi merely sighed as he kept on walking.

Gradually, the forest became denser and surrounding area became very quieter. Scared, the guy started humming to himself.

But soon his face became bright with anticipation as he said.

“My bride! Let’s go to Jeon-Ju! You remember the honey-filled rice cake, the area is famous for that! We can go eat!! I heard that they also have a power that is white as salt but sweet as honey called sugar!”

“Ah, if you don’t like that we can go to Jin-Sang instead. The silk seller told me that they have beautiful lotus flowers there. I know My bride likes flowers.”

Ho-Chi did not respond but the guy kept on talking. He told Ho-Chi everything he heard about famous regions and their stories.

When Ho-Chi still did not answer him, the guy would think of stories or products of another region to urge Ho-Chi for a visit.

From far far away, the light slowly seeped into the sky, making the stars disappear. Seeing this the guy became delighted.

The guy shouted as he watched the clouds tinted red and the sky brightened.

“My bride! It’s sunrise! Sunrise!!! Uhah! My bride and me are watching sunrise together!!”

Brimming with happiness, the guy turned to look back, but Ho-Chi wasn’t there.

The guy ran to search for Ho-Chi thinking that Ho-Chi went somewhere without waiting.

Unexpectedly, Ho-Chi was collapsed on the ground.

Ho-Chi’s face was white as a paper.

Heavy rain poured from the sky.

The sun was already high up in the sky but the murky sky blocked all the light away. It was neither a day nor a night.

A man dashed through the rain and slipped. He fell on the muddy pathway.

Along with him, a fox who was carried on the man’s back fell onto the mud. The cold rain continuously fell on the two figures.

“Bride! Bride!”

The guy hurriedly gathered his bride in his arms and worriedly wiped away the dirt on Ho-Chi’s face.

As the rain washed away the dirt, one could see the corps like complexion of Ho-Chi.

Without caring about his own mud stained face, the guy took off his fur vest and wrapped his bride with it after squeezing water out from them.

“Bride Bride”

Being close to tears, the guy’s voice was quivering, but it was not clear whether Ho-Chi could or could not hear the calling of his name.

The guy carried Ho-Chi onto his back once again and ran through the muddy road.

The rain fell like it would never stop falling.

The guy carried unconscious Ho-Chi down from the mountain and to the town.

However, because the story of last night about the young men and the guy spread throughout the town people of the town slammed their door on the guy’s face.

BANG BANG BANG

“Please open the door! My bride, my bride is sick!!”

The guy banged on the tightly shut door of the town’s doctor.

While pulling Ho-Chi’s lifeless form back up onto his back, the guy banged on the door until his callus hand became bright red.

“Go away!! Bringing in such a wicked thing!!! Let that thing rot and die!!!”

Suddenly, the door burst opened, and the doctor hurled expensive salt* at the guy.

*In the olden days, people drove bad spirits or bad luck away with a bucket of salt. *

Because the guy was crying loudly, the salt poured into the guy’s opened mouth. Holding mouthful of salt, the guy tasted numbing sensation of saltiness.

However, the guy did not care about the burning taste and swallowed them before hanging on to the doctor’s thigh.

“Help me, doctor. Don’t you remember, I’ve help you many times in the past!! I’ve cut firewood for you during winter, I’ve gathered herbs for you when you were busy, and even gave you the rarest games!!! Why are you treating me so coldly now that I need your help?!! Treat my bride!!!”

“Wwhy are you behaving in such a condescending manner now?!! You are, for sure, completely possessed by that fox!! If you don’t throw away that fox, no one in the town will help you, NO ONE!!”

The doctor spat out his words and kicked the guy away before shutting his door.

With a rattling sound, the latch came down from the inside.

The guy stared at the closed door as he adjusted his hold on his bride in his arms.

The guy’s face was full of water. Whether they were rain or tear, one could not tell, but the guy did not wipe them away. Instead, he tightened his hold on Ho-Chi as he left the door behind.

“Let’s go, my brideI will treat you”

The guy hugged Ho-Chi in his arm securely as he walked away.

TN: Thank you for reading!