이무기의 복 (Mourning Bride)

19. Company

After Hongjoong's visit, San got two more days of peace. He relished in the clean air and in the rain trickling through the treetops to kiss his skin. He reinvented himself in that time of solitude. As he figured out his anger and promised himself to be less naïve and to stick to his worth, San found peace with his unrest.

Yet, he found no reason to return to the palace. Hangawi was coming up, and he saw it in the way animals stored their food and prepared for the mating period autumn presented for most of them. San yearned to become a proper dragon and to live peacefully in this place with his position secured, but at the same time, he was too stubborn to do a favour to those who had looked down on him. If he let them live through a year of bad weather and lacking resources after the prior dragon's blessing wore off, they would learn to treat San as he deserved.

If he explained the ever so repetitive arrogance of the humans to his elders, they would allow it. Hongjoong's reputation would dwindle for allowing his people to suffer for an entire year, and he would be left with no choice but to ask San for forgiveness. San doubted Hongjoong would sacrifice Seonghwa for the dragon's favour, but that was not what San sought, either. The sweet pain lingering in his broken heart begged him to forgive their misdeeds for how much he enjoyed their presence, even if they didn't deserve it.

From the beginning, he had found the two looked like fox spirits. Now that they had fooled his desires for them, San berated himself for his blindness.

Caught up in his grumbling to himself, San didn't notice a person nearing his nest yet again. The next time he peered at the forest floor by his side, he found Wooyoung blinking up at him with big eyes. Surprise that his senses hadn't alerted him sooner flooded him. When he glanced at the nightjar, it hopped in its spot as if to tell him he was too deep in thought to mind nature telling him about Wooyoung's arrival.

"Wooyoung, what are you doing here?" San swung his legs over the branch and jumped from his tree. His clothes fluttered with him and he landed on the forest ground gracefully as the earth softened his drop.

Wooyoung smiled at him, the birthmark on his lip inviting San in.

"I asked his majesty where to find you. I grew unsettled when I heard you ran away."

Touched, San beckoned Wooyoung to sit with him on the forest floor. They were so close their knees brushed, and San reached for a fallen leaf to fiddle with while Wooyoung worriedly searched his face.

"What happened? There was a massive storm that didn't occur naturally, and then the king and Seonghwa had a discussion about you running off. Did they drive you out of the palace?"

San lowered his head. He didn't want to dump his political concerns on Wooyoung, but the stable boy had come a far way to talk to him.

"It's like you said. I caught Hongjoong and Seonghwa together and exposed their lies that were dismissive at best. They brushed off all guilt and made it clear I was there and got attention only because they needed me for the ritual."

Wooyoung's brows drew together. His hands reached to hold San's claws, ever so tender in their touch. Soothed, San allowed the man's warmth to numb the pain in his heart.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I had hoped the king's interest in you was real. So you decided not to do the ritual?"

With a nod, San looked at their laps again, searching for words. In his claws, Wooyoung's big hands didn't look small, but were more vulnerable with his thin skin and short nails.

"I also want to be egoistic. My elders warned me of becoming a toy for humans to kick around as they pleased. I think if I give in now, it will get worse despite me knowing the truth now. I already feel so unwelcome."