Nine Tails

02

After our solo shots, as we posed with the designer bags that we were promoting, Soojin and I exchanged a quiet conversation between shots.

"Say, what's up with you? You're not your usual self; all full of yourself with dung under your nose," she asked, as she flashed a disarming smile at the cameras.

"I didn't know I looked like that," I hissed, wearing my usual Mona Lisa smile.

"You always do; but don't change the subject. What's wrong?"

The director asked me to sit on the plastic chair and Soojin to rest her chin on my head, while one of her hands rested on the chair and the other on my shoulder. I crossed my legs and the bags rested on my lap, arranged tastefully.

"Y'know what day it is, right?"

She hummed an affirmative.

I quietly relayed the entire incident that took place on the bus and my discovery in the Wendy's bathroom. While narrating, I felt her hand tighten on my shoulder several times.

I wasn't surprised by her reaction.

After all, she knew exactly what it was like - she had been in the same place two years ago. It took nearly a year for her tail to grow to its full potential; she had to wipe the mind of her perfect prey since their breakup had traumatised her "girlfriend" too much.

Evolution was the safest bet for us for it reduced us to cold, unsympathetic creatures. We feasted upon people's hearts, depriving them of the very emotion that we desired and then broke their hearts when we got what we wanted.

Most hunts were short-term ones, like a friendly neighbour or a loving babysitter. The heartbreak would be minimal when we parted from the prey (like resigning from jobs or moving somewhere) and sometimes, parting away wasn't even necessary.

Small talks and distancing oneself (or ghosting as the younger people call it) were all that we needed to do. We attach ourselves to them in the most minimal way possible, while getting what we wanted by drawing the necessary proteins from their presence. It didn't satisfy us completely but was enough to nourish us.

It was considered riskier to get closer to the prey, even if the results and the satisfaction rates were higher. Like visiting a gourmet restaurant that provides you with excellent food, only to drain your wallet in the end. Older prey are safer to hunt on since their memories tend to be dimmer and hearts not as fragile. A doting caretaker or the young co-member of the same tennis club; there were plenty of roles to pick.

Soojin's perfect prey had been a young girl in her early twenties. For cases like these, entering into romantic relationships was the best bet and sometimes, the only way out. Soojin found charismatic people the most delectable out of them all and this particular girl had the most charming personality.

Homosexuality is a rather taboo subject among humans, especially in South Korea and Soojin really lucked out when she found out the girl she was pursuing was bisexual. Things ended on a very rough note when Soojin had acquired her eighth tail. This was the first time the girl had entered into a serious, romantic relationship with a woman and Soojin's cold method of ending things hadn't elicited a pleasant reaction.

I couldn't blame Soojin for her decision; any longer with that human and she would've been an outcast in our community. It was less about indulging in a homosexual relationship and more about keeping in tune with the laws.

The most important law set by the Council of Seniors was that nine-tailed foxes cannot be romantically involved with humans on any grounds apart from hunting interests. We were creatures that specialised in deceit and seduction; love was a completely different matter.