Another Tale Of A Nine Tailed

Chapter 11: Fight the bad feeling

The group kept walking and Yi Jeong thought about his most important question, but he was a bit scared to hear the answer.

"Hyung..." he started and Yeon's heart almost exploded of happiness, hearing that word come from Yi Jeong so easily.

"I want to ask...." he took a deep breath, "The first time, I changed so suddenly.. I had no control over myself... Is it possible, that I could suddenly change at home and hurt Woo Bin?"

"You didn't hurt him the last time, right?" Yi Yeon asked.

"No. He was the fluffiest, cutest thing ever!" Woo Bin assured.

"But I still think it's a risk! I would never forgive myself if I would hurt him."

"Woo Bin is your mate. We stay with the one we chose for the rest of our lives, so I think even if you change and have no control, you would recognize him and not mistake him for prey. By the way, is red your natural hair color?" Yi Yeon asked casually and peered at his brother's boyfriend.

"It's mahogany, but yes." Woo Bin said dryly and already sensed what Yi Yeon was trying to ask again and rolled his eyes, starting to feel uncomfortable.

"You are Korean, aren't you?"

"As if that's what you're actually asking.." Woo Bin shook his head and Yi Jeong looked from Yi Yeon to Woo Bin and back with a puzzled expression.

"Why? What is he asking?" he wanted to know and Woo Bin sighed.

"Woo Bin told me how you guys met and I was wondering, if he was a Gumiho, too. That's all."

Yi Jeong looked at Woo Bin with wide, shiny eyes and he immediately felt the pressure again to be no disappointment.

"Awesome. Keep giving him ideas I can't live up to." Woo Bin mumbled and Yi Jeong took his hand.
"Hey, you don't think I need you to be anything but yourself, right? I mean.. it would be fun because I love to share everything with you, but... You remember what we talked about before, right? We are what we are."

"Sure.." Woo Bin said with a soft smile and Yi Jeong laced their fingers together when they kept walking. All the time, he was so focused on himself, he never even considered Woo Bin could start to have doubts not because of him being some other species, but for Woo Bin still just being human.

Yi Yeon felt bad for having brought up a topic again that he now understood was really upsetting for Woo Bin. He was wondering if Yi Jeong was already aware, that even as half Gumiho, he would live much longer than his partner. While he would stay like this, Woo Bin would grow older too fast and one day, he had to be without him with no guarantee, that they would find each other again. Yi Yeon himself had to wait 600 years to be with Ji Ah again and he wasn't sure if Yi Jeong was the patient type.

"I don't think you'll ever be able to accidentally hurt your partner. Also it isn't hard to control yourself. As soon as you know, it's just like deciding to lift an arm. You don't think to lift an arm, you just do it. And now, if you think to change into a Gumiho you will change and soon you even don't have to..."

"Yi Jeong?" Woo Bin asked, because his hand was suddenly gone and turned around. There was a pile of clothes on the ground and he looked at Yi Yeon.

"What happened now?" he exclaimed and Yi Yeon looked around, checking if someone saw something. "Grab the clothes and pray no one saw this!" he ordered and followed Yi Jeong's scent to a clump of shrubs.
"Rang-Ah?" he asked and heard a growl.

Woo Bin pushed Yi Yeon out of the way and tried to see something through the leaves.

"Babe?? Are you okay??" he asked a bit out of breath and got down on his knees to follow Yi Jeong into his hideaway. He accepted a few scratches, while crawling through the thicket, only thinking of his boyfriend.
"Yi Jeong?" he whispered and saw a yellow eye, glowing under a shrub. "Hey... It's okay.. no one saw you."
It took a moment until Yi Jeong came out, now seeking shelter in Woo Bin's arms.
"Hey, baby.." Woo Bin smiled and ruffled through his fur. "It's all good. See! You probably thought to transform and you did! Now think... transform back! I brought your clothes. I know you can do it. Otherwise, I will have a nice walk through the park with my rare breed dog. We bundle your tails and.."