TCGAD 27

The sky has been exceptionally clear these days. Truly, it was not just blue but held a light as clear as a river, and the clouds drifted in leisurely flocks like lazy sheep. A time when peaceful and bountiful days continued.

The puppies, who should have been running and playing excitedly under the full sunlight, were gathered around the bed. Wondering what was wrong, I approached to find Haengbok lying there, listless.

“Why are you so low on energy these days?”

The sunlight seeping in from the window pooled on the little deer’s small face. Worried it might be too bright for his eyes, I raised my hand to create a shade. Haengbok lifted his head as if to give a kiss, but it was only for a moment; his nose failed to reach my palm and dropped, thud, back onto the bed.

“He really does look like he has no strength, doesn’t he?”

Hmm, Lemon drew out his words. Soon, he let out a little “Ah!” and exclaimed as if he had remembered something.

“Don’t you think he might be faking it to get the priest’s attention?”

But that couldn’t be it, because he didn’t even eat well when I hand-fed him grass. Haengbok really liked rosemary, which had a subtle fragrance, but even that, he would chew a few times and then push aside. And then he would just keep trying to sleep.

“Ae… Aet.”

At times like this, it pained me that Haengbok could not speak. If we could converse, I could have asked in detail whether he was simply not in a good mood today, or if he was sick, and if he was sick, exactly where it hurt, and I could have heard his answers.

If his mother deer were here, would she be l**king his fur? Since I do not have that ability, I slowly stroked his cheek with my thumb instead. Haengbok’s ear twitched slightly. Normally, he would have made a fuss as if he had grown wings. Even this was too listless.

“Do his bones ache?”

Lately, he couldn’t even stand properly in place and kept lying down. I wondered if there might be something wrong with his bones.

“Ah, could he be feeling growing pains?”

Growing pains. I looked back at Lemon.

“It is the time when he’s growing a lot. He might need some nutritious food!”

If that was really the case, I felt like I should be decocting some ginseng for him to eat. Though I wondered if ginseng could even be found in a place like this. Still, I had hopes that there would be some medicinal herbs that showed some effect.

“Whimper.”

The puppies looked up at me with faces that said they had no idea what was going on. I gently petted Kkakkai’s head and gave Bono’s bottom a couple of pats.

“Haengbok is a little sick because he’s growing big and strong. Don’t worry, let’s go out and play.”

Even though I coaxed them well, the little ones were worried about Haengbok, so they didn’t go out to the grassy field they loved so much and stayed by Haengbok’s side all day. The three little fur balls tangled together and spent their time lying on the bed. As I was lying with them, combing through the puppies’ and Haengbok’s fur with my hands, I asked Bulkan, who had returned from his hunt, if he might know about such things.

“Bulkan, they say Haengbok is suffering from growing pains.”

I thought that since Bulkan is half-dog, he might know a thing or two about it. His sharp gaze went over my shoulder.

“I suppose there’s no ginseng or anything like that here, right? It seems like he needs to eat something good for his body.”

“I know all about things like that.”

He placed a hand as large as a cauldron lid on the wall next to me. I was completely trapped within his arm. It was seriously a pose like getting money extorted by a gangster. His confidence was so very suspicious that I gave him one more reminder.

“But Haengbok is a herbivore, different from babies, so he has to eat something that’s easy to digest. It’s a bit different from just plain grass. You know what I mean, right?”

“Of course, I always know what you mean.”

His lips tilted crookedly. It was a smile that was clearly a smirk. It was a little suspicious, but since he was so confident, I decided to trust him for the time being.

…Ah, after making such a bold declaration.

Held in one of his hands as he returned to the cave was a plump, chubby white rabbit.

“Kae?”

Haengbok looked down at it quietly, then pointed his ears straight up and hopped up and down on the spot. It seemed he had immediately recognized it as a fellow herbivore. He even offered his own grass to the rabbit, placing it in front of it, and chirped, “Aet,” happily.

“Haaah.”

I let out a long sigh. It was a big problem that he had made a friend out of what was intended as food. The rabbit, which had probably been in its burrow before having its scruff grabbed and being dragged here, was so fat its belly was almost dragging on the ground. Because it was so fat, it was as lazy as could be and looked utterly uninterested.

“Where on earth did you catch such a fat one?”

It was because he was this fat that he got caught on Bulkan’s radar. Thinking what’s good is good, I tickled the rabbit’s cheek with my finger. The feeling of its soft fur brushing against my skin was very pleasant. It was cute how it perked up its ears on both sides as if annoyed, and a smile crept onto my face without me realizing.

Just then, an indifferent voice drifted from beside me.

“You only know how to love things that are small and weak.”

Glancing to the side, I saw his tanned skin. The light in his eyes was also so nonchalant that it was not easy to read his inner thoughts. I was curious about the implication behind what he had just said.

“Me? …That’s not true.”

Bulkan doesn’t know the history of the animals I have cared for and fed. Among them, there were certainly small ones, but there were also definitely some intimidating-looking guys whose gazes alone made my throat tighten, gasp, as if it was closing up. The best among them was, of course….

“But were you really that fighting dog?”

At the dogfighting ring I had followed my father to, there was no place for me to rest my heart. My father had given that young kid the insane errand of buying him cigarettes, and I had been wandering around looking for an exit when I heard a loud noise from somewhere and turned my head.

‘Grrrrrrrowl!’

At the far end of the hallway, a loud crashing sound was erupting from a door with a skull sticker on it.

It was a terrifying picture for a child to see, but I approached as if bewitched. And that was where I first met the fighting dog. I came face to face for the first time with the fighting dog, who was locked in a raised cage. His eyes, revealing sharp wounds, were howling.

“Yeah.”

There was no excess in the low-spoken reply. Bulkan leaned his back leisurely. His hair, with a texture as wild as a black horse’s mane, stuck out in all directions; his jet-black eyes, as dark as the night sea; and his thick, muscular neck truly resembled the dog from my memory. I stared at him blankly before shaking my head slightly.

“I don’t only love things that are small and weak.”

I stated it clearly to dispel the misunderstanding.

“I loved that fighting dog, too.”

Every night, the memory of that fighting dog’s gaze kept me from sleeping. It was the first friendship I had ever felt, and it was compassion, and it was commiseration, and it was longing.

“He was the first animal I ever gave my love to.”

He was a friend who had been a comfort to me. I don’t know how it was for him, but despite my poor circumstances, I wanted to give that dog food, so I would skip my school lunch and pack it separately in a container. Even when they served my favorite stir-fried mushrooms and round patties, I would only gulp down my saliva and fill my stomach with water.

Bulkan was what you would call a money-making dog. Whenever he was put in a match, he would bring in money without fail, so he was often called to the ring. The sight of the black dog, gripping the ring with his large forepaws before shooting out like a bullet to tear at the enemy’s neck in a single bite, naturally sent the crowd into a frenzy.

That utterly barbaric match would only end when one of the two collapsed, bleeding. Watching it made my heart pound so much that I would be on the verge of tears, but to look away made my heart even more anxious.

What if the black dog came back dead after the match was over? With that thought, my heart was in knots, but I always entered the dogfighting ring.

The spectators called that dog ‘Black Bear’ because he was pitch black and had big forepaws. Since he was so large and fought in so many matches, it was clear he would expend that much energy. I thought it was only right that I, being small and weak, should give up my food for him. In a typical dogfighting ring, they would at best only give slop meant to bulk up a dog’s body. Of course, Black Bear won countless matches and received special treatment, but still, my heart felt the same for him.

Like that, I ran there every day as soon as school ended. My grandmother was busy dealing with people anyway, so there was no one at home waiting for me. The only one waiting for me was that black dog at the fighting ring.

One day, it rained heavily. I didn’t even have an umbrella, so I ran through the rain with my bag over my head. The raindrops lashed at my cheeks indiscriminately. I hugged the lunchbox to my chest to keep it from losing its warmth as I ran, but my heart sank when I saw the empty raised cage.

Could he be out in another fight? With that thought, I wandered all over the dogfighting ring, but Black Bear—that is, Bulkan as a dog—was nowhere to be found.

‘Who’s there! This is no place for you! Get lost!’

While searching like that, I was caught several times by the staff and got a good scolding before being kicked out. After returning home with futile steps for a few days, they eventually gave a warning to my grandmother, and I was forever barred from setting foot in the dogfighting ring.

“But why did you suddenly disappear?”

Even after that day, I often thought about Black Bear. The thought of why he had disappeared that day kept me awake for many nights. To say he was sold off to another place, Black Bear was as good as the goose that laid the golden eggs for that dogfighting ring. There was no way they would sell off a dog like that, so all that was left for me were anxious delusions.

Did something happen while he was trying to escape? Or did something bad happen while he was fighting a match without me? Like that, I made anxiety my bed and longing my pillow, and I passed the dawn in tears.

“There was a war in Olympus, and they needed me.”

However, the answer that came from Bulkan’s lips was not of that kind. But, I just blinked my eyes slowly. No, wait a minute….

“Then how old are you right now?”

I furrowed my brow into a tight frown. Hmph. Bulkan snorted as if it was ridiculous.

“Kid. I lived as a dog for several hundred years.”

Ah. I let out a sound of admiration with my mouth slightly open. If he had lived as a dog for that long before becoming a god in human form, it made sense that he would be clumsy at walking on two feet and using his forepaws like hands.

Anyway, I shook my head slightly to continue with what I originally wanted to say.

“Anyway, there are all sorts of types of love.”

Hmm, Bulkan rumbled in his throat. His eyes were narrowed into slits. The dog had a look steeped in suspicion. It seemed a further explanation was needed.

“Even sunlight isn’t all the same color when you look at it. It looks different depending on where you see it from, or what kind of vessel it’s held in…. Just like that, love also has different colors.”

I continued to speak haltingly, but my face grew inexplicably warm with embarrassment. My words were becoming more and more rambling. Even though I was spouting such things, was I not, in fact, single since birth? It was not like I had grown up showered with affection in a family overflowing with love, either. I felt rather awkward, as if I were discussing Korean cuisine without ever having properly tasted a single bowl of kimchi stew.

“I do not know of such things.”

I felt a wave of relief at his abrupt words. Bulkan was a guy who couldn’t understand things if they were said in a complicated way, so I even thought it was fortunate that I had spoken so naively. However, the words that followed carried a completely different color.

“There is only one thing for which I have held love in my organs.”

My heart sank with a thud. My insides felt uncomfortably as if I had indigestion, and I shifted my body restlessly. This feeling, which would occasionally visit me and churn my stomach to the point of making me wonder if it was motion sickness, was increasing its frequency of visits. I hated this unfamiliar intruder. It was frightening and strange, making me feel as if I were not myself. It made me keep creaking like a robot and feel awkward like a ball-jointed doll being manipulated by someone.

I turned my head slightly and smiled awkwardly.

“Okay.”

But suddenly, a hand reached out from the other side and grabbed my chin. My cheeks were completely squished as I looked back at him.

“What is that called?”

His eyes glinted sharply, as if aiming at something. I wondered what on earth had caught his attention again.

“What?”

“This thing you have here.”

His rough thumb pressed firmly on the corner of my mouth. It was the very spot where an awkward smile had just been hanging. My lower lip trembled involuntarily.

“I am asking what this is called.”

His tone was utterly plain, but the gaze looking down at me was burning with a heat like a lit match had been thrown into it. Love. I rolled my tongue inside my mouth, forming the word. Bulkan was talking about his love for me right now. That was why he kept looking so deeply into trivial things about me, and considering them special.

“It’s just nothing.”

My throat felt inexplicably tight. It was hard to maintain my composure. I deliberately tried to think of other things at random.

For instance, I idly tried to recall what I had for lunch. Bulkan had stolen delivery food for me again. I had mentioned in passing that I was craving soft tofu stew, and he had once again snatched the delivery food from that Yeon’s Snack Bar midway. A feeling of guilt towards the owner was always stuck in a corner of my heart like burnt rice at the bottom of a pot. I had asked Bulkan to secretly leave a pile of gold and jewels at that shop for them. At some point, I saw the delivery bag was advertised with ‘A famous restaurant so delicious even a dog steals from it, a massive hit!’ and I was happy as if it were my own success. The food had been that delicious, so it had become a massive hit through word of mouth. It was a real relief. The thought of Bulkan, who must have climbed a cliff, digging his claws in, and chased a speeding motorcycle for that, made a smile appear on my face for no reason.

I was just smiling to myself with the corners of my mouth turned up. Bulkan, who always flustered me with unexpected words, attacked me again with something completely out of the blue.

“I finally understand why my organs have a reddish hue.”

What on earth is he trying to say now. I have a foreboding feeling that my efforts to remain calm are about to go down the drain. The organs of most animals are originally reddish in color….

“Mine were born from you.”

But I do not know why Bulkan finds that meaning in me. Bulkan, why do you keep feeling and talking about me as if I am something great? I am just a powerless and moneyless human.

I clenched and unclenched my fists for no reason. The sunlight is shimmering too widely in the cave. This means my face must be brightly visible to him. I wanted to just run away from this spot and hide. Like a complete coward who knows nothing else but that.

“That can’t be, you said you were born before me. And organs are originally re, red because of the blood flowing in the body.”

I mumbled whatever came to mind as I slowly pushed my body backward, with my heels on the ground. But he quickly noticed I was trying to back away.

“Where do you think you are sneaking off to?”

I was immediately swept into his arms, which were as firm as tires. Our bodies collided with no space between them. His body was overwhelmingly large and hot, his presence immense. He was nothing short of a living boulder. With my escape route truly blocked, I did not know what to do. I wished something, anything, would appear and break this situation. Haengbok, Kkakkai, Bono, Lemon….

As if hearing my prayers, crash! The sound of something breaking followed. My mind snapped back to attention. It was a tremendous crashing sound, enough to shake the cave. I quickly pushed myself out of the thick arms wrapped around my waist.

“What was that sound just now?”

D**n it, a curse formed on Bulkan’s lips. His indifferent expression just looked utterly languid. The roar was loud enough for me to hear, so there was no way Bulkan hadn’t heard it, yet he looked excessively calm. I placed my hand on his bare, hard chest and shook him.

“I think something happened.”

Supporting my heavy belly with my arms, I walked down the hallway. Looking at the ground, I saw a shadow following slowly behind me. Haaah, a cold sweat ran down my back. I did not know what kind of trouble they had caused, but for now, I was nothing but grateful.

And the inside of the bathroom I arrived at was such a complete mess that it made me feel foolish for having been grateful for the commotion even for a moment. The bathtub had broken, causing the green bathwater to overflow everywhere. It was truly a maddening situation.

“It broke again?”

Bono was rolling around haphazardly on the floor, and Kkakkai’s head was stuck in the bathtub. He was lying there without a single movement, as if he had actually fainted. A chilling feeling crossed my chest. Worried he might be hurt, I quickly approached.

“Kkakkai!”

As I got closer, the black dog who had been unconscious with his eyes white opened them and got up, barking, “Woof woof.” Two black dogs rushed frantically towards me and screeched to a halt, skidding on their front paws, then sat down obediently with their front paws tucked under them. Judging by their twitching front paws, it seemed they were dying to pounce on me at any moment, but they had been disciplined quite well, so they waited patiently. Bulkan had taught them this by biting their necks and hitting their noses with his forepaw several times.

Kkakkai and Bono were growing bigger by the day, to the point where their chests were now quite dignified. The puppies couldn’t contain their overflowing energy, and thanks to that, the cave was being destroyed every single day. Yesterday, they were playing, biting and nipping at each other, and rolled around, completely demolishing a bed. It was already the fifth one.

We were somehow managing for now, but if they got any bigger, the cave might really collapse and bury us all. Bono and Kkakkai were growing bigger by the day, and the cave was too gloomy and dark for a human baby to live in, so we were in the middle of building a palace. The problem was that it was still far from completion. It would be a huge problem if they got hurt while playing like this.

“Haaah.”

In any case, it seemed they were not seriously injured, which was a relief. I let out a small sigh. They thought I had come to see them, but when I just stood there with my hands on my waist without a word, they seemed to have sensed the serious atmosphere. Immediately looking crestfallen, the two dogs flattened their upper bodies to the floor.

“Aet.”

Haengbok, who had been fidgeting on one side, came over and nudged the back of my hand. It seemed he had been watching them, sensing that the babies were causing trouble. It was pitiful to see him so droopy and dejected.

“Did you want to go for a swim?”

I leaned my upper body down slightly and touched my nose to Kkakkai’s. His droopy eyebrows went up, and he started to laugh, “Hehe.” I could catch a glimpse of his molars, which now looked quite sturdy. When Bono came over to my side, I gave him a kiss on the cheek and ruffled his fur all over.

“Should we go outside and have lunch today?”

The weather was clear. I thought it would be nice for all of us to go out and have a meal. The water was now not just flowing but starting to pool around my ankles. The water seeping between my toes was warm. Bulkan pulled me by the waist and lifted me into his arms.

As the forest brightened and beautiful flowers bloomed in profusion, the nymphs who lived in the river all came out to play their lyres and sing. They laughed amongst themselves, sharing joyful stories, and played by splashing water. Seeing the beautifully formed rainbow along the stream of water, Haengbok perked up his ears in delight.

“Oh my, what a truly cute and pretty deer.”

The nymphs came over one after another and stroked Haengbok’s fur. Haengbok, who had gone through a round of growing pains, was now a mature deer. His neck was even longer, and his fur was a little glossier than before, showing a transformation as dramatic as an ugly duckling becoming a swan. When I looked into his eyes, as clear as a lake, I would even fall under the illusion that there might not be any specks of dust or dirt in this world at all.

“Pretty deer, where is your mommy?”

When asked such questions, Haengbok would make a “Kaeae” sound and come over to rub his nose against my cheek. Seeing him occasionally pluck some grass and offer it to me, I wonder if he mistakes me for a deer. Whenever Haengbok did that, Kkakkai would follow him around and snatch the leaf he had given me to eat.

The nymphs, after fawning over Haengbok for a while, did not forget to subtly make passes at Bulkan.

“Mr. Bulkan, it’s such a lovely afternoon. Come play in the water with us!”

“On a day like this, don’t you want to have a secret rendezvous for two in the forest?”

Sway, sway, they even waved their white, delicate hands. Their eyes unabashedly roamed from Bulkan’s arms and thighs down to his g**in. The clothes in this country did not effectively cover a person’s body at all, and thanks to that, the bulky outline was often exposed. At the sight of that massive form, every single one of them had blushing cheeks.

“Bono, eat slowly, you’ll get indigestion.”

I glanced at Bulkan out of the corner of my eye while tearing off pieces of meat and feeding them to the puppies. Even with them seducing him so openly, he remained as indifferent as a stone.

At times like this, I had no idea how I should act. To cut them off myself seemed a bit strange, for some reason. But to just stay quiet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being some kind of pushover.

Instead of me, Lemon shot a venomous glare. He shooed the nymphs away, pointing his finger at them.

“You b**ches, won’t you get lost? Whose territory do you think you’re spreading your scent in?”

“Goodbye, Mr. Bulkan! Let’s meet again!”

Giggle, giggle, they scattered with high-pitched laughter. They plunged into the river and swam with flair, looking just like living mermaids. Their long hair, fluttering along the current, looked like embroidery stitched onto the river, appearing like a scene from a painting. I silently followed their forms with my eyes.

The s** culture here was incredibly promiscuous, even though they pretended it wasn’t. Sexual relations occurred frequently even in non-marital relationships, and I had more than once stumbled upon embarrassing sights while wandering through shady alleys.

Besides, Bulkan, though he acted like a neighborhood thug dog, looked perfectly fine based on his appearance alone. His physique was overwhelmingly superior, and his eyes, which made it impossible to know what he was thinking, exuded a languid, unspoken atmosphere.

He looked like he could have come out of some pornographic movie. As if he were lounging in bed, enjoying the afterglow after a passionate session.

“…….”

Especially after the Olympian Games ended, the interest in the winner was ceaseless. Of course, since he had participated in the competition by buying the identity of a passerby, nobody knew any information about Bulkan.

However, only the rumors seemed to remain among the people, making the women’s hearts flutter.

One day, I was eating clay-baked meat at a restaurant with Lemon. The women at the next table were engaged in a heated debate. They were all so excited that even though I tried not to eavesdrop on their conversation, their words kept drifting over to our table.

The man with jet-black hair had a body as massive as if it were carved from Mount Olympus, his strength was greater than that of Heracles who had beaten down several monsters, and between his legs hung what was rumored to be the c**k of a horse.

‘Come on, a horse c**k, really…. A real horse’s p**is is this big.’

As one of the listening women grabbed her own wrist with her other hand, the woman leading the conversation waved her hands frantically.

‘I’m telling you, I saw it clearly with my own two eyes!’

‘What, where?’

The women gathered around in a circle, as if they were dying of curiosity.

‘Well, you remember my child was sick with a cold last week, right? I saw him then when I stopped by the hospital. If you don’t believe me, go out to the square right now and take a look at that statue.’

That statue, she was referring to the one that had been e**cted to commemorate his victory at the Olympian Games. The one that was a perfect replica of Bulkan’s actual size….

‘You mean that size isn’t an exaggeration, but real?’

‘Yes, you idiot!’

The gathered women, their faces flushed, let out a sigh, “Haaah.” Every single one of them had a face red as a beet. For some reason, I felt my appetite waning, and I had to put down the food I was eating.

‘Priest, are you alright?’

‘It’s just that my stomach feels a little….’

Even to Lemon’s question, asked without knowing the reason, I could only make the excuse that my stomach was upset.

Bulkan lazily opened his mouth wide in a yawn, then brushed off his behind and stood up from his seat. Something stirred between his legs, which were loosely draped with only a single piece of cloth. My own face grew hot with embarrassment at the sight of the sharp outline revealed beneath the thin fabric.

If he had walked around like that in the Republic of Korea, he would have been reported for public indecency long ago.

“Where are you going?”

Where on earth was he planning to go looking like that. I felt inexplicably tense and cast my gaze towards the riverbank.

“My body feels stiff.”

I wondered if he was planning to go soak his body because it was hot. Bulkan nimbly transformed into a dog and ran into the forest. He approached the puppies and hid in the bushes, waiting for the right moment. Kkakkai and Bono, sensing something was amiss, lowered their upper bodies and tensed up, their bodies stiffening.

“Grrrrr!”

As he soon burst through the thicket and flew towards them, the puppies were startled and scurried away in a panic. He was chasing them closely from behind to build up the strength in their legs.

With the dogs engaged in their hunting game at a distance, I felt a sense of relief. At times like this, I was very grateful for the fact that Bulkan was a mentally unstable dog.

After a long session of hunting, Bulkan returned with his body covered in blood. Kkakkai and Bono placed the things they had caught in front of me and wagged their tails, asking for me to look and praise them quickly.

“Wow, you guys are improving by leaps and bounds with each passing day.”

The beasts, drenched in blood, were a sight I felt I could never get used to, no matter how many times I saw it. Nevertheless, I praised them with all my heart and soul to boost the puppies’ self-esteem.

“Kkakkai, your fur is even prettier than yesterday.”

Kkakkai laughed, “Hehe,” and rolled around and around on the ground. After giving his grass-covered belly a good scratch, I also praised Bono, who was waiting anxiously for his turn next to me.

“Uh….”

No matter how fast the puppies were growing, not everything changed every single day. By now, my creativity had almost hit rock bottom, so I had to rack my brain like crazy. Worried that I might disappoint Bono, a cold sweat trickled down my back.

“Your forepaws seem bigger than yesterday.”

Bono panted, “Hick, hick,” and slammed his forepaw onto the ground with a thud! It seemed he was trying to imitate Bulkan, but for now, it only managed to rustle the grass a little. Beside him, Haengbok, quick-wittedly, jumped up with a start! pretending to be surprised.

Bono also laughed, “Hehe,” and started rolling around wildly in the grass. Likewise, I stroked the curly fur on his belly generously, showing him affection and care.

With three dogs hunting at the same time, the cave was always overflowing with meat. I was thinking that some of them should be put out in the social circle and was mentally sorting through which ones to choose when something caught my eye.

“What’s with the flowers?”

I reached out, picked them up, and looked at them with a puzzled expression. The demure red petals were in full bloom. If it had been Haengbok, he would have brought back a few blossoms in his mouth at most. But this was a whole armful. As if he had grabbed a whole bunch and ripped it out.

“Haengbok, did you pick these?”

Haengbok tilted his head to the side. Mistaking it as an offering for himself, he opened his muzzle cutely to eat it, when a lion’s roar was heard from behind.

“How rude!”

It was none other than Bulkan. He pushed Haengbok’s rump away with the back of his hand, looking extremely displeased. It might have felt a bit rough, but there was almost no force behind it. He seemed annoyed to the tips of his hair, but he appeared to be holding back his anger for my sake. Feeling sorry for the whimpering Haengbok, I stroked his ears.

At the same time, I glanced at Bulkan out of the corner of my eye. Seeing him get so angry, it was certain that Bulkan had been the one who picked the flowers. His diet couldn’t have suddenly changed, so I wondered what had brought about this change of heart.

“Bulkan, did you pick these?”

When I asked Bulkan, there was no particular answer.

“Why the flowers all of a sudden?”

I brought the flowers to the tip of my nose and gently inhaled their fragrance. The scent that seeped into my nose was very sweet and pleasant.

“They resembled you. When I thought of that, I wanted to pick them.”

Bulkan drawled languidly with a hand resting on his g**in. In the Republic of Korea, people would place a hand on their chest when they wanted to emphasize something, but for some reason, the people here would place a hand on their t**ticles when they spoke.

“Oh, thank you…. They smell amazing.”

I tried not to let my gaze linger on the space between his wicked legs and smiled slightly. The corners of my mouth quivered. Bulkan grunted, “Hmph, hmph,” and for no reason picked up a kindling stick and started a fire. Perhaps it was because of the fire, but the tips of his ears, visible through his sparse hair, were tinged with red.

Bulkan personally built the fire and grilled the meat. The largest chicken leg naturally became my share. Though I could only eat a few bites at most. With the armful of flowers on my lap, I busily moved my mouth.

The sunset began to cross over the horizon. The shadows of the beasts and the man gathered around the bonfire in the middle grew long.