The Dokkaebi Waiting for the Moon

Chapter 21

“Kim, the first guest to visit our home!”

Is there anything as special as a first? He, who had given me so many firsts, was no longer a stranger.

Eun-hwi, beaming brightly, exclaimed the correct answer and put a spoon in his mouth. The buckwheat jelly that had tormented me with its delicious appearance crumbled in his mouth, creating the unique dry and rough texture of buckwheat.

“How is it? Does it taste good?”

I couldn’t answer, focusing on the taste of buckwheat I hadn’t experienced in ten years. Eun-hwi chewed busily with his small mouth, enjoying the taste of vegetables enhanced by savory seasonings and the plain yet mild flavor of the jelly.

His peach-colored cheeks, full of joy, puffed up. He couldn’t even remember the taste of the buckwheat jelly Gabi had made before.

“Eat slowly. You might get indigestion.”

“It’s so delicious, I can’t stop.”

“I’m glad. That it’s delicious. There’s more, so eat plenty.”

“Yes! If Yeo Moon-beom opens a tavern in Hanyang, he’ll become filthy rich!”

I was reminded of the story of the highest-ranking court lady from the royal kitchen who became wealthy after opening a tavern near the city gates after leaving the palace. With his incredible cooking skills, he could become even richer than the highest-ranking court lady if he became a professional cook.

Of course, his appearance was more suited to a constable.

“Should I? Maybe I’ll try becoming filthy rich this time?”

Yeo Moon-beom, lifting one corner of his mouth in a loose smile, scooped up more jelly with his spoon. He seemed to be in a good mood after receiving such high praise, even though I could eat on my own now.

Eun-hwi quickly ate the piece of buckwheat jelly covered in seaweed flakes, savoring the taste and aroma by rolling his tongue, then asked him:

“By the way, Moon-beom, what’s a boarder?”

“Oh. You don’t know what a boarder is.”

“No. I don’t.”

“Hmm… How should I explain it.”

Yeo Moon-beom’s head tilted diagonally. Thinking it must be a difficult word to explain, I tilted my head along with him. He squinted, scanning my face, then smiled gently and began to speak.

“A boarder is…”

“A boarder is?”

“Someone who pays rent to live in a house because they want to get close to the owner.”

“Why do they want to get close?”

“Because they want to be friends.”

Friend.

Something like a star in the night sky that can’t be grasped no matter how desperately you wish, yet you keep looking at it.

I was called a cursed monster spreading plague or a half-breed with human blood mixed in. Not belonging to either humans or spirits, I had never been able to have such a thing. At the mention of this concept, my heart suddenly beat faster.

Eun-hwi softly pronounced the word that had been difficult to even utter throughout his life.

“…Friend.”

The awkward word quietly echoed in the air. Unexpectedly, the loneliness that usually followed didn’t come.

Perhaps it was because there was someone beside me listening to my voice.

Eun-hwi stared blankly at the tiger-like man who made him forget his loneliness, even if just for a moment. As his gaze slid along the ridge of his prominent nose and deeply set eyes that gave a strong impression, Yeo Moon-beom asked with a more intense gaze:

“Would you prefer me to be a guest who will leave someday, or a boarder who can stay anytime?”

Though his tone was light as if asking without much meaning, Eun-hwi quickly grasped the intention of the question. The intent to ask for an answer about becoming closer than they were now.

“…”

Always keeping his father’s words in mind to stay away from humans, Eun-hwi had always treated Yeo Moon-beom with the thought of parting. He believed there was a clear wall between them, as he was Gabi’s guest and hadn’t come here to find him.

But if he became friends with Yeo Moon-beom, a hole would form in the wall before him, and he wouldn’t be able to stop his feelings from flowing towards him.

‘But I like humans. I want to become human and live like one.’

Fulfilling the wish he had longed for so long was more important than making friends.

He should have firmly said to just stay as a guest until Gabi returned, but due to his desire not to lose either, he couldn’t bring himself to say it. The shadow of his eyelashes under his wave-like eyes trembled slowly.

“…Later.”

After much deliberation, Eun-hwi slowly opened his mouth.

“Can’t you become a boarder later, not now?”

“When later?”

“…When father returns?”

“That’s difficult. That is.”

Yeo Moon-beom replied in a calm, subdued voice, as if the answer wasn’t very satisfactory.

Even after ten years, Gabi hadn’t returned. While it might not be a long time for me, it would be an indefinitely long time for him as a human, so it was natural for him to firmly refuse.

I guess later isn’t possible after all.

Feeling like he might have been too greedy, Eun-hwi dropped his head and fiddled with the innocent sleeve of his garment. The rough texture of the thin ramie cloth felt on his fingers was just like the atmosphere flowing between him and Yeo Moon-beom.

“Eun-hwi.”

“…Yes?”

Eun-hwi raised his lowered head and looked up at him, who called with a gentle tone different from before.

As if changing his voice suddenly was awkward for him too, Yeo Moon-beom cleared his throat repeatedly before looking into Eun-hwi’s eyes and beginning to speak.

“Have you ever done something you weren’t particularly interested in for someone else’s sake, and even enjoyed doing it?”

In truth, wanting to become human, I had observed the villagers’ behavior and tried to imitate it.

For example, plopping down in the shade of a tree and putting Gabi’s unlit pipe in my mouth, puffing my lips, or trying to speak in a rough manner and act deliberately rough. Things I had no real interest in.

But even if it was fun to imitate at the moment, I quickly became depressed because there was no one to show it to.

As Eun-hwi quietly shook his head, Yeo Moon-beom sent a meaningful look and slowly began to speak.

“I’ve never done that before, but I’m like that these days. Since I started living in this house, cooking has become fun. I want to work harder to make food because I want to see a happy smiling face eating what I’ve made deliciously.”

Yeo Moon-beom put another piece of buckwheat jelly in Eun-hwi’s mouth as if nothing had happened. Then, with a bitter smile on his lips, he said:

“So I wanted to stay as a boarder while I’m here and be friends with Eun-hwi. It’s disappointing that you don’t want to. The reward for my hard work in cooking seems to disappear.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to…”

As Eun-hwi hurriedly swallowed the buckwheat jelly he was chewing to explain, Yeo Moon-beom cut him off as if there was no need to answer.

“Friends are supposed to be made together, not alone. There’s nothing we can do. If that’s really how Eun-hwi feels.”

Slowly bending his waist to narrow the distance, Yeo Moon-beom whispered close to Eun-hwi’s ear:

“The oblivious guest will have to leave on his own.”

* * *

Creak―

The old, worn floorboard twisted, unable to withstand the passage of time.

Startled by the loud noise breaking the silence of the night, Eun-hwi abruptly stopped his quietly moving footsteps.

…Had he been caught?

Holding his breath, he peered into the dark room. Fortunately, there was no shadow visible on the paper door, as if no one had noticed the sound. Only a faint lingering scent of mint wafted around.

“Phew…”

A thin sigh settled on the white sleeve covering the back of his hand.

In truth, he had come out to check the situation, worried that Yeo Moon-beom might pack up and leave right away. Seeing no signs of that, it seemed safe to relax for tonight.

“What are you doing there?”

Just as he was about to turn around quietly, putting aside his anxious feelings, Yeo Moon-beom’s low voice rang out as the sliding door opened smoothly.

“Eek!”

He had been caught red-handed sneaking around. Flustered and not knowing what to do, the half-dokkaebi desperately covered his blushing cheeks.

Forgetting that he was wrapped in pitch-black darkness.

“Oh, you weren’t asleep?”

“I was lying down thinking.”

“Wh-what were you thinking about?”

“About Eun-hwi.”

Yeo Moon-beom replied in a light tone, unclear whether it was a joke or serious.

‘The oblivious guest will have to leave on his own.’

Thinking he might be angry because he had been quiet throughout dinner, Eun-hwi was surprised to see his expression was unexpectedly soft, and he lightly rubbed his eyes with the hand that had been covering his face. A faint smile spread across Yeo Moon-beom’s lips, settling on his clean retina.

“What’s the matter? At this hour.”

“Just… I was curious if you were asleep or not.”

“You’re curious about so many things, Eun-hwi.”

Yeo Moon-beom stepped aside from the sliding door as if inviting him in. The disheveled bedding, Gabi’s book spread open on the small table, and the items he had brought from the human world came into Eun-hwi’s view one by one.

While one might have frowned at the messy room, Eun-hwi felt relieved inwardly. It didn’t look like the room of someone planning to leave at dawn.

“No, it’s fine. Go to sleep. I’ll just take the mirror stand.”

After hesitating for a moment, Eun-hwi waved both hands. Unlike him, who was wide awake from napping late into the day, Yeo Moon-beom had gone to the sea to catch seafood and even cooked dinner. Though he didn’t say it, he must be tired, and Eun-hwi didn’t want to bother him and take away his rest time unnecessarily.

“Alright then.”

Yeo Moon-beom picked up the mirror stand intricately decorated with mother-of-pearl and handed it to him directly.

As Eun-hwi received the small but heavy mirror stand, tensing his hands, the warmth from the brushing fingertips seeped into his skin.

Footnote:

1) Suksoo (熟手): A male professional cook