Tired of thinking too much about what I saw in the morning, I never realized I had fallen asleep on the chair itself. I woke up to the sound of cackling in the fireplace. I opened my eyes and found a shawl covering me and Hoseok putting wood in the fireplace. I smiled to myself and thought 'It wouldn't be so bad to have some company, I guess'. I shifted a bit, causing Husky to wake up and growl. "Sorry to disturb your sleep boy" I say and find Hoseok looking at me. I smile and he smiles back.
"Thank you for the shawl and the fire." I thank him.
"Just my way of repaying your kindness." He replied and shoved the last bits of wood in the fire. "So, how do you usually spend your evenings, Y/N?"
"Oh, I just go around the village taking care of the regular patients. There are a lot of them. Do you want to come with me? I'll be taking Husky with me."
"Husky?" He makes a confused face and I realize, I haven't told him.
"That's my dog's name."
"Oh, I see, that's a sweet name. And for your offer, no. I have some business I need to take care of." He smiles. As much as I want to ask him what job he needs to attend, I resist the urge.
"Okay, I guess I'll be off, then." And I grab my coat and make my way out. "Husky?" "Woof, woof."
My first stop should have been at the old farmer's house, who, no matter how much the villagers tell him not to work, he continues like some stubborn five-year old, despite being near seventy. But, instead of going there I am following Husky because, he has again picked up some scent. Normally, I would have stopped him from going but the fact that there might be someone, hurt and mysterious, living among the forest and giving me a fright every morning, I believe I have to find out who that being is. And stupidly enough, I have believed that what I am going to find out, I am going to find out in the evening when there is literally no light and by today itself. So I am neglecting my duties and following Husky who is thoroughly enjoying the evening, scampering around. As soon I look up, coming out of my thoughts, I see Husky getting excited and his hairs on the back are rising up, bit by bit. I look around and realize we are at quite some distance away from the village. I brace myself and bent down holding Husky by the scruff of his neck. He looks up, and gives my face a lick. I feel a bit of courage being restored in me and I start making my way to whatever lies ahead.
For the first time I realize that, there is no wind this evening and my tongue and lips are going dry. I am scared and nervous like I've never been before. Suddenly, Husky barks and starts running to some direction. I move my feet too, not letting him out of sight. Then, once again in this day, I stop abruptly.
I can't believe my eyes because, I see Husky scampering around a big patch of burnt ash. 'Fire.' I conclude. 'There was someone here who built a fire, most probably had a meal. But the main question is why isn't, that person coming to the village? I'm sure he must've seen the lights and men and women working.' I look up to see Husky is not following some scent anymore, instead is helping himself with a mega-sized bone from somewhere and is feasting on it while I am trying to figure out who in the world would build a fire here. Then I realize, it could have just been Hoseok. Agitated, but not disappointed or giving up my willpower on the fact that someone else is here, I try to think of some other way. How could I be such a dumbass that I blindly follow my dog to some place who probably thinks of nothing but food? Argh, I can't even blame him. And this specimen is not going to move from his place until he finishes that bone. So making myself comfortable I sit down and see him enjoying his meal. I can't help but smile at my stupidity. 'Well I will still ask Hobi once whether he built some fire around here or not, because he was starving when he made his dramatic entry in the village.'Then, I decide to still leave some medicine around here, in case that bleeding person comes by or something. Yes, I'll do it even if it sounds stupid. So, I leave some medicine to apply on bleeding wounds and leave a note and cover it with a piece of bark which was left in the bag when I was scraping some herbs from the body of some tree. Then, I rush Husky to finish his bone and make my way back to the village because I still have patients to take care of.
I arrive at the old farmer's house surprisingly, not too late from the usual time. And, I manage to make him agree to a two-day rest because, his body will break if he toils like he does every day. He then looks at me and says, "I heard you are keeping that new guy at your abode?"
"Yes, why?"
"Nothing, it's just..... Nothing, leave it. I thought I had seen him somewhere." He replied.
"Sir, you also said that when Jin came in our village." I say, lightly chuckling, "You sure remember a lot from your younger days, don't you?"
"Young lady, don't make fun of this old-timer's memory. It was a hunch. I may be wrong but, I still can't ward off my feelings. Anyway, now that you are keeping a man at home, be careful. No matter how friendly he may seem you should never lower your guard around strangers."
"Fine. I get it. I'll be careful. But promise me that you will maintain that two-day rest?"
"OKAY OKAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SO BOSSY, I PROMISE." He grumps. "Now go and help yourself to what you need from the kitchen, because you will need it as you are having a guest."
"Thank you so much for your generosity, sir." I thank him and go to the kitchen to find his daughter.
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"Hey Hwasa, I'm here to raid your kitchen again."
"Oh, Hey Y/N! Should I just pack you the usual in double amount? I heard the new guy is living at your home." She replied.
"Jesus, is everyone talking about that only? Will you please do that? And make sure your father has his two-day rest properly because if not, I'll be after him and your kitchen two-times a day."
She giggles and packs me what I need. They are always generous and give me loads of food. After I leave their house, I make my way to the next patient's. Then the next. Everywhere the topic of discussion is same, the new guy. It's like some hot transfer student in high school. I finally make my way to Jin's house where I tend to both the elderly people. I go in, finding the door ajar and find out that Jin has gone to my cottage with some meat he got from hunting. I chitchat a bit with the pair and give them their everyday dosage of medicine while Husky jumps around and enjoys the attention of the old lady. Then I go back to my cottage excited to see what Jin caught. After all, who doesn't love meat?
When I reach my cottage, I look through the window pane to see Jin and Hoseok talking. I was about to smile and call out, when I saw the expression on Jin's face. He portrayed a shocked expression while Hoseok looked at him with intense seriousness. The air was heavy and I was hesitating to go inside. Then, the decision of what to do was made by my dog again.
