Sihoo brought the healed field creature home. Unable to carry it freely, he bought a cat carrier at the animal hospital. Arriving home, he opened the carrier door.
The field creature, Yaongi, cautiously sniffed as it emerged. Sniff, sniff. Kuhh? It looked at Sihoo, seeming to speak.
The vet said cats are territorial, Sihoo thought, letting Yaongi explore the house. After wandering, Yaongi leapt onto the sofa table where Sihoo sat. Kuhh?
Sihoo sensed Yaongi was trying to communicate. Shaking his head gently, he said, “Yaongi, sorry. I know you’re saying something, but I can’t understand.”
Yaongi’s eyes curved like crescent moons, as if understanding. Swoosh. It hopped into Sihoo’s lap. Startled, Sihoo felt its warmth and hugged it. “You’re warm, Yaongi.”
Yaongi glanced at Sihoo, then nudged his hand with its head. “Want my hand?” Sihoo offered it. Yaongi’s eyes drooped, almost apologetic. Chomp. It bit Sihoo’s fingertip.
“Ow!” Blood beaded. Yaongi licked it. Sihoo, flustered—his first animal bite—yelled, “Don’t eat that!” He rushed to the kitchen, rinsing the blood under water. “A chef shouldn’t see blood…”
Yaongi stood nearby, watching. Sorry, it said. No spirit ring, so I needed blood.
Sihoo stumbled back, shocked. “You spoke?”
Yaongi nodded. My name is Yul.
“Your name’s Yul?” Sihoo asked.
Yul nodded again. Sihoo couldn’t process this. The bite wasn’t deep, but he disinfected and bandaged it in the inner room. Yul followed, inspecting the space. This place is warm.
Sitting back on the sofa, Sihoo watched Yul. Yul stared back. Thank you for saving me. It bowed.
Sihoo felt relieved communication was possible. “I saved you without thinking. No need to thank me.”
Yul shook its head. Your name?
“Sihoo. Kang Sihoo.”
Sihoo, thank you. Yul bowed again, front paws together. Sihoo, touched, petted Yul’s head. Yul accepted it, eyes closed.
Sihoo, you stole from the field, Yul said.
Sihoo’s heart sank. Yul explained haltingly: Sihoo’s presence was noticed by Ella, Yul’s younger sister, who told Aset, the village chief and wizard. Aset, seeing footprints, looked skyward and muttered, Sihoo, the prophesied one.
“Prophesied one?” Sihoo asked.
Yul said Aset called him that. Sihoo, chin in hand, listened. Grr. Yul clutched its stomach, blushing slightly.
“Hungry?” Sihoo asked.
Yul nodded. Sihoo realized he had no cat food. Guess I’ll cook. He told Yul to wait and opened the fridge, spotting raw chicken for fried chicken.
Chop, chop. Sihoo sliced the chicken. Yul watched. “Yul, it’s dangerous. Wait over there.”
Yul tilted its head like a child, eyes crescent-shaped. Sihoo thought, Cute. “Okay, sit at the table.”
Yul climbed onto a chair. Sihoo laughed. “Are you a cat?”
Yul shook its head. I’m a black goblin. I use spirit powers. A druid.
Sihoo, prepping chicken, thought, Reality or fantasy? Yul’s a black goblin druid? He gave up overthinking. The field’s discovery showed reality and fantasy coexisted.
Boil, boil. Sihoo cooked plain chicken for Yul and samgyetang for himself. The kitchen filled with savory aromas. Yul sniffed. Kukok scent.
Sihoo set a plate and fork before Yul, smiling. “Wait, I’ll debone it.” He placed chicken pieces on Yul’s plate.
Yul stared. Kukok was rare in the field, grown only in the Empire. Yul recalled its parents cooking it. Tears welled in its eyes.
Sihoo, noticing, grabbed a tissue and wiped them. “Why’re you crying?”
When I was young, in the Empire, my parents cooked kukok like this, Yul said, tears falling.
Sihoo understood. “Eat this, and we’ll go back to your home. Your parents must be waiting.”
Yul shook its head. They’re in the sky kingdom.
Sihoo regretted his words, continuing to debone chicken. “Eat when you’re ready.”
Okay, I’ll eat well. Yul used its paws, then learned to use the fork Sihoo showed. Munch, munch. So good, Mom, so good.
Sihoo smiled. After eating, he gave Yul warm milk. This?
“Milk,” Sihoo said.
Cowmil? Yul sipped. Cowmil’s only in the Empire.
“Is your home the Empire?” Sihoo asked.
No, we live far from it. I lived there once.
Sihoo learned: 1) Yul’s tribe feared him; 2) griffins left when he “stole” from the field; 3) some tribe members liked him; 4) black goblins lived near the field’s sea.
Sihoo’s eyes lit up at the sea mention, thinking of octopus and clams. Yul noticed. Sihoo, your eyes are scary.
Sihoo snapped back, smiling. “Really?” He petted Yul, who stayed still, enjoying it.
Sihoo, you come once a week? Yul asked.
Sihoo confirmed his theory: four real-world hours equaled a field day. He visited at dawn, around 5:30 or 6 a.m.
Deciding to take Yul back, Sihoo said, I’ll brag to Elder Aset about your kukok and cowmil.
Sihoo grinned, perhaps a fatherly smile. Heading to the inner room, Yul tilted its head. This warm place?
“Yul, see this?” Sihoo pointed. Yul saw nothing, shaking its head.
Sihoo lifted Yul, about six kilos, and carried it to the basement. Swoosh. Yul gasped as they passed through a wall.
It’s the way to the field, Sihoo said. In the basement, Yul saw the field. The plantation!
“You call it that?” Sihoo set Yul down, holding its paw as they entered. Whoosh. Wind rustled Yul’s ears.
Voices echoed: %#&^. Yul nodded, looking at Sihoo. Aset wants to talk.
Sihoo’s eyes widened. “Not today, maybe next time?”
Yul tilted its head. Why? He’s here.
Something rose from Yul’s shadow. Sihoo yelped. The figure bowed. %^&^.
Yul giggled at Sihoo’s face. “What’s he saying?”
Yul realized Sihoo couldn’t understand the tribe without blood. Whispering to Aset, the elder offered Sihoo something from his robes.
This is…?