In This Life • Tale Of The Nine Tailed • Lee Rang

Chapter 1

When a Gumiho owes a favour, a contract is made. The Gumiho must fulfil the contract at the will of the primary party. At the case the Gumiho dies before the contract is fulfilled, the contract will be continued on into the reincarnated form of the Gumiho.
——————————
Late April in Seoul, a hint of cold in the calming breeze and the sun high in the blue sky, completing the puzzle for the most perfect weather of the whole year. However, there are the occasional rain showers, the ones which have not been reported by the weather reports. This has been happening on and off for a week, people would think it's an error made by the forecasters but Jia knew it wasn't that simple.

It was Lee Yeon.

Lee Yeon's dream of being human was short lived as he revealed to her that he had somehow turned back into a Gumiho. Taluipa explained that he didn't really die because he was brought back to life, so his contract with the higher ups to work part-time for them and hunt down wanted criminals is still valid. Inevitably, he would have to be a Gumiho to do the job.

Human or not, Jia loved Lee Yeon. And now she is worried about him.

Jia approached the lonely figure next to the tombstone, "I knew I'd find you here"

Yeon smiles sadly and turns back to look at the scenery, "It's around this time that he...."

"Yeah...", Jia sat down

"He must be scared...and lonely", Yeon started, "That bastard, why pretend to be strong and put himself out there like that."

"Because he loved you dearly."

Yeon turned to Jia, she could see from his sulky expression that he had been crying.

"Just like me, he loved you. That was probably why he acted out and made life difficult for you. He was hurt but he forgave you long ago."

Yeon sighed, "All he had to do was reach out..."

"He chose not to"

"I'm the worst hyung ever", then the tears started to fall again, it felt like he failed Rang, he was never there when his brother needed and to ask so much of him when they finally made up —Rang ah, I want you to be my last weapon—

All he ever gave Rang was pain.

Jia pulled him into an embrace, "No you're not. While loving you, he received love from the people around him too, though he may have not realized..."

"He always picked the extreme way to love someone.", Yeon answers, "I miss him so much...I miss his mischief, his voice...his smile...", Yeon hugged her even tighter, burying his face into the crook of her neck, "What should I do Jia?"

Jia rubbed small circles on his back, "He will find his way back to you...So stay strong and wait for him. Just like how we waited for you..."

"What if I don't recognise him? What if he really turned into a Dokdo shrimp and got eaten?"

Jia pulled apart and wiped the tears off his cheek with her thumb,"Then you shall live with the knowledge that he's living a happier life than the one he had.", She then smiled,"Happiness is all we want for him, right?"

Yeon nodded and leaned on her shoulder, "I'll be waiting Rang ah..."
——————————
9 years later

"Jia!! Jia!", Lee Yeon came bursting through the doors of the apartment

Jia walked out from the kitchen, wearing a worried expression after hearing the urgency in Yeon's voice, "What is it?"

Yeon grabbed her shoulders and forced a smile as he tried to even out his breaths, "I-I saw him!"