CREATURE → JIGYU

four

the stranger's hand is not calloused as jihoon might expect it to be living out in the woods. when he takes it, allowing the boy to lead him closer to the garden, jihoon notices that his skin is remarkably soft, much like his touch.

the way he holds jihoon's hand is gentle, almost reverent, as if gripping it too firmly might insult him and drive him away. it's enchanting.

when the boy opens the gate and enters the garden, the heat of the sun washes over jihoon, causing his skin to prickle with warmth. in the light, the boy seems to glow like some kind of mythical creature of beauty. or a god.

"it's pretty, isn't it?" he murmurs, sitting in the dirt path beside a flower pot, leaning over to smell the fragrant bloom. "the garden,  i mean."

"it's incredible," jihoon marvels.

looking around, the garden looks like it takes up more space than the actual house. the flower beds are overflowing with healthy, colorful blooms and vines curl around the fence, ripe with berries. the food harvests look bountiful.

"you take care of it yourself?"

the boy hums, raising his hand towards a vine that perks up when he comes near. "i spend most of my time here." the vine seems to reach out on its own, wrapping around the boy's finger. it wriggles into his palm, and when he finally pulls away, he's holding several berries. "they're my friends."

jihoon steps forward and kneels beside the boy, taking his hand and marveling at the berries. "how did you do that?" there's no slide of hand trick that could have done this. the vine was bare when he touched it.

"what do you mean? the vines do that when i ask. would you like to try? they're very friendly."

"uhm..." jihoon stammers. he manages to hold his hand up the vines curling around the fence. he notices it shaking a little, nerves overtaken with shock.

surprisingly, the vines curl and grow towards him. jihoon has to fight his instinct to pull away when one curls around his pinky.  the vines twist around his hand and wrist, weaving between his fingers until his entire hand is trapped by the plant.

"i think it likes you," the boy giggles, moving closer. jihoon can feel his breath on his shoulder. if it wasn't already so warm, he would shudder at the sensation. "you can ask for some, if you want."

maybe jihoon's in over his head. maybe this isn't real. maybe it is and he's discovered something that will only bring him misfortune. either way, he's definitely in over his head.

"c-can i have some berries?"

before jihoon's eyes, berries sprout from the vines and fall into his still trapped palm. even after they fall off, more grow, soon overflowing and falling into his lap and onto the floor. the boy beside him laughs, giggly and bubbly and so, so prettily. "wow!"

maybe, he thinks as the boy struggles to collect the berries, maybe that isn't a bad thing.