summer nights and morning dew | jjk

04

August

The sun is low when you look up between pages, a lot lower than you thought. It's crazy what a hold a book can have over you. You take the opportunity to scan your backyard, but it's just as quiet and empty as the last time you checked; no wolf in sight.

A light breeze hits you, and you pull the sleeves of your sweater further down your hands. An hour or so ago, you'd been cold and had gone inside to rummage through your clothes in search of the knitted, cream-colored sweater. It's clear that the seasons are changing, and fall is right around the corner.

You don't think the wolf is coming tonight. Not like he only visits you during work hours, but he usually doesn't come after eight p.m., and it's already after nine. You can't deny the slight disappointment coursing through your veins, but you decide to stay out a bit anyway. After all, it's a nice night, and you've got a good book in your hands.

Another hour flies by, and the only visitor you've had is a red little squirrel. That is until you feel something warm and fluffy against your skin, and you tear your eyes from the page to look down at the wolf getting comfortable at your feet.

"Oh?" you utter quietly, closing the book. "Hi, puppy."

He doesn't look at you, just curls up and lets out a tired sigh. You can't help but peer down at him with fondness.

"Are you hungry? I got some rabbit meat from the market earlier," you offer in your sweet voice.

But the wolf's breaths are slow and heavy, and you're almost certain he's already half asleep.

"Okay, I guess not," you laugh. "Wanna listen when I read even though I've read a bit without you?"

Of course, he doesn't answer you, but like always, you take it as a 'yes,' and so you pick up where you left off. And, of course, you make sure to reach down and pet the warm, black fur. He seems almost to be deep in thought, or maybe just tired, but when your card your fingers through his coat, he gives off satisfied sounds.

December

The days start to grow colder and shorter, much to Jeongguk's dismay. He's seen you swaddle yourself in more and more clothes, bidding him good night earlier and earlier as the sun sets.

Still, you do your best to sit with him for a while, but soon enough, you say that you can't read to him anymore since it's too cold for your fingers. A few times, you bring out a ball that you throw to him, saying that it's good to keep warm, but when it starts to snow, not even that will help.

Jeongguk has a bunch of feelings about the whole arrangement. He's tried to tell himself that he's just a wolf, sleeping in a human's garden and letting her put out water for him. Nothing more. That's why he's never stepped foot inside your house; not to follow you as you head inside to bring something and leave it open, not even when you asked if he wanted to.

He already feels bad for deceiving you, pretending to be just an animal when really... he's not. He can't even imagine abusing that trust to let himself inside your home.

But one late afternoon in mid-December, he stands on your snow-covered back porch, waiting for you to open the door. It's been snowing hard for the last week, and he knew you wouldn't come out into the cold, so he waited until the worst was over.

Still, snowflakes land silently on his black fur, glimmering where the light from your kitchen window spill onto him.

Suddenly, the door creaks open.

"Puppy?"

He watches you with wide eyes, excited to see you after more than a week and hoping that maybe you'll stay out to talk to him for a little. He loves your voice, loves hearing you speak about your life and insignificant things.