Humans throughout the centuries spoke of how Lucifer descended from the heavens. The brightest of all angels and God's favorite. In many religions it was a popular topic of how the mighty have fallen.
Actually, in the spirit world that scandalous topic became the story of Lee Yeon which was centuries old and a legend between the gumihos. The story of how the great mountain spirit abused his power and fell from greatness. Just like many wars that have been waged, Lee Yeon fell for his love of one woman.
A woman named Sun Hee.
If he could go back to the beginning eons ago, he would. He would go back and stop it. Stop her little self coming to his forest and befriending him. Erase ever knowing her and ever seeing her grow up into a beautiful woman he fell in love with. But Sun Hee had a hard life, coming from an abusive household so Lee Yeon became her bright light in a dark tunnel.
"You brat... Get away from me. Go back to your mother or something."- He warned the little girl for the thousandth time but she wouldn't budge. Sun Hee only giggled looking up at him with those eyes that turned into crescent moons whenever she smiled.
"But Gumiho-ahjussi, I told you we met on purpose. Mom says whenever you meet someone like that, your stars align."
So it was, after that he gained a life long friend and later on a love like no other. There were breaks in between when they didn't see one another. For some period of time, she was sent away to her grandmother's village and so he got back his monotone life in the mountains. Training Lee Rang and taking care of his mansion became such boring activities without the little girl around.
Though when she did return, Sun Hee was no little girl anymore. The once childish features faded and over time their friendly connection transformed into something more profound... It didn't take a lot to recognize her as his mate and it was inevitable ever since her scent started invading all of his senses. When she was in question, a mountain deity like him suddenly was helpless.
However, as she grew into an adult so did the problems in her household.
"Yeon... My father wants to marry me off..."
That day she sought him out in her sobbing state. Those words enraged him. They wanted to take her away from him and the great mountain spirit he was- Lee Yeon would never let that happen. Although, it was looked down upon and Sun Hee might never return to her previous life, he intended on taking her as his mate.
His calloused hands brushed away the tears on the soft skin of her cheeks.
"I won't let it happen."
"How?"
"Marry me and become my mate."
A long pause followed after his proposal, so long that he feared she might turn it down. He waited patiently for her to take in the possibility of leading an immortal life next to him. Fox spirits mated for life and even after death the bond continued on and transcended many lifetimes.
Then she nodded and gave him the happiest smiles he ever witnessed on her face. That moment he couldn't control himself anymore. Lee Yeon kissed her lips hungrily as if it was the last moment. No more words needed to be said, that kiss spoke on its own.
What followed after that was their blissful life. Lee Yeon couldn't get enough of his wife, of their conversations, games, laughter. He couldn't get enough of the feel of her naked body under his. He made love to her, afraid that everyday it would be the last time. Lee Yeon knew every inch of her body. What made her moan in pleasure, gasp and writhe under him. He also knew her heart. What made her laugh, cry, smile, angry... Every day there was something new he learned about her.
"Yeon-ah, I want to have a baby with you. I want to carry something that is a part of you."
As a mountain deity he never heard words that brought more warmth to his immortal life. Sun Hee did that, she lit up his lonely world. Then like every great tragedy ever written, when their happiness was at its peak, his love's life faded.
Sun Hee's life was taken too soon. The mountains shook from the cries of the mountain spirit that was holding her dying body in his arms soaked with her blood. Her body got colder, her skin paler, but those loving brown eyes still looked up at him making him think of what could've been.
What if, what could've been, almost, hopefully one day...- their love was bound by those words only.
Then he did the unthinkable. Abusing his power, he froze the river taking her to the underworld not wondering just how much that would've cost him. Yeon knew the punishment that followed, but he wanted to look into those tearful eyes one last time.
His fingers brushed her soft brown hair that got in the way of her eyes. This time his kiss was full of longing. With that kiss he gave her his fox bead with which he intended to recognize her with.
"Please... Reincarnate."- Lee Yeon pleaded helplessly. A deity never let himself stoop so low and feel helpless and yet there he was.
"If our stars align again, we will meet."- She said while her figure was being carried away by the boat.
"Live happily."- Were the last words he shared with her before watching her being taken away by the waves of that river.
After that, his search begun.
Through the centuries Lee Yeon found her in the faces of many women. Each time his heart would leap happily only to be devastated when he didn't find the fox-bead in her. Fast forward, 21st century, there she was.
As he promised to himself, he would not bind her to him. Sun Hee or as her name from this life Oh Yeon Seo, still was the same bright girl. It definitely was the same soul residing in her. As if she had remained unaltered over the course of the centuries. That was definitely, the gumiho's bride even though her memories were gone.
Lee Yeon swore to let her go.
The silence in the living room was broken by the sound of glass cracking under forceful pressure. The small, sharp shards dug into the skin of the inner side his hand, the little remaining whiskey drops mixing with the droplets of blood.
Anger burned in his now glowing amber eyes that brightened up the dark room. Lee Yeon still couldn't get over her retreating figure after she delivered him the news of her resignation. Even if her future departure was obvious, it didn't make it any easier.
Now he had the deities laughing at his ass again. The fox spirit thought about getting a therapist ever since he noticed how he wanted to rip every male's guts out whenever they flirted with her. The symptoms of desiring his mate only for himself were pretty accurate.
The small amount of rationality still advised him to free her. But there was still the overpowering will to keep her near at all cost forgetting that she is human. A human that would look for affection which he couldn't give.
***
The morning after he cursed like a truckdriver at his overindulgence in alcohol. Waking up on the couch made sleeping uncomfortable and as a consequence his whole body ached. His neck cracked when he relieved the tension of the muscles there.
He even cursed her whole existence for messing up the remnants of his sanity. The cold shower did wonders in alerting his body that it was time to get moving. Driving to the workplace he prayed to see a cup of 'Americano' on his desk instead of a resignation letter.
Of course, Yeon Seo was there waiting for him in her signature high-waist-ed skirt and ponytail. As always she looked captivating and kept-together, even if the world was crumbling she would remain such a way.
That morning he was frustrated even with that innocent smile she addressed towards him. Without a word he told her to follow him to his office. There just as he suspected, on the black wooden desk was laying the letter of her freedom. So it was, she couldn't wait to liberate herself from the walls of his office and of his life.
He couldn't help but grimace when he saw it as if he was seeing a dirty sock. He grabbed it tightly showing it in front of her face in a questioning manner.
"What is this, Oh Yeon Seo-ssi?"
"My resignation letter, sir."- She gestured towards the white envelope, stating the obvious.
"And why is that?"
"Why is what, sir? I informed you last night."- At that Lee Yeon held back a growl that tried to escape his throat and reveal the truth of his nature.
"Why are you resigning, Oh Yeon Seo-ssi? Give me one good reason."
"Do I need to have a reason?"- The girl asked confusedly. Lee Yeon never pestered the employees that wanted to resign. He just showed them the way out.
"Yes. A good one."
"Well, sir as you may or may not know... I hardly have a life here."
"What do you mean? Working next to me is not your life?"
"It is... What I meant to say was... I hardly have a private life. Constantly being next to you, every business trip, every meeting, every event made my private life suffer. Don't get me wrong, sir, I'm extremely grateful to you but... I am nearing my thirties, I plan on getting married and having a family. If I remain here that would hardly happen."- Lee Yeon gulped hearing that.
With every fiber in her body, Yeon Seo intended to depart from her place beside him. All that time he grew comfortable of her assuring presence, that Lee Yeon forgot about the possibility the future held. More so by satisfying her every basic need, he doubted she'd want to escape.
"You still have 15 days until I find another secretary. Until then I hope you work diligently as you did for the past five years."- Those words tasted like poison, he uttered them like something was weighing on his chest. "You may leave my office now, Oh Yeon Seo-ssi."- The woman bowed respectfully after her dismissal and left. Yet, there was a suspicious look on her face probably questioning his weird behavior.
His Sun Hee was leaving his life and it was as much as painful as before. His intense eyes carefully captured her figure rearranging the pile of documents on her desk. As if trying to freeze the picture in his memory.
She seemed satisfied with the outcome of their conversation while he thought of every possible way of making her stay. Trapping her in his cage came to mind... His situation was laughable for a creature like himself. Staking a claim on his bride while he himself didn't wish to claim her officially in a proper way.
The office suddenly became a place with a lack of oxygen. The walls inside were closing in, becoming a prison. Lee Yeon abruptly left the place leaving a confused Yeon Seo questioning where he left to and whether she could call of the meeting.
Lee Yeon walked away from her as if he had been facing an abrupt break up.
He couldn't care less about any meeting in that moment there was only one place to go to. Also one person who might give him a piece of mind. His servant and friend, Goo Shin Ju who as the waitress took their order couldn't stop laughing his ass off. Lee Yeon regretted texting him to come along. As his laughter prolonged he wanted to dig out his eyeballs with the chopsticks on the table.
"Sorry, sorry... I just remembered you saying 'I will certainly let her go and make her move countries away from me'... But in the end, she was the one that couldn't stand your ass anymore... Oh God."- The man stopped mocking and picking fun at him the moment he saw his master's amber eyes ready to pounce and kill.
"She said she wanted to get married and have a family..."
"Good for her. Hope another man makes her happy."- Lee Yeon growled at the thought of it which alarmed Shin Ju to change the topic.
"What I meant to say is... You should rejoice after sacrificing so much so that she can live and breathe happily. Now it's time to work on your karma and enjoy your immortality. Forget about her."- Lee Yeon contemplated whether he wanted to. Was a life without her a life at all? He lived it for the past centuries. Now all he could think of, was ways to make her stay...
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A/N:
The second episode was just wowww amazing. The character suits Dong Wook way too much, I'm drooling.
Hope you are having an amazing day guys <3