Chapter 49 (1/2)

‘If you feel like crying, cry between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.’

Miho shut his eyes and opened them again. They felt hot, but no tears came out. Myohan could have just told him he could cry if he wanted, but he even picked the right time for him? It was really hard to know him.

‘You may cry during that time.’

However, his voice was too kind. He even gave him permission, as if he knew why he couldn’t cry. Miho closed and opened his eyes once more. He had made a promise only a while ago. Well, it had been more of a demand, but still….

“I promised to be at school…”

“So you do remember.”

He heard a familiar voice. He flinched and turned back slowly. Myohan was standing there, wearing his school uniform properly, which he never did. He was even wearing the jacket. He was leaning against a wall with his hands in his pocket. He checked time and sighed.

“Five minutes left, Miho.”

Why are you here? What about school? Miho had so many questions to ask, but his voice was gone. It felt so strange. He hadn’t planned on crying, but the moment he saw his face, his sight got fuzzy. Myohan pulled him in, as if he knew what he was going through.

“Trust me.”

I shouldn’t cry. I really shouldn’t cry here. But tears were already running down and Miho couldn’t stop it. Myohan pitied the drops of tears running down those soft cheeks. He embraced Miho.

Miho sobbed. How many years had he been holding back tears for? Myohan thought he had been right to pretend to be ill and leave school to come here.

‘He’s going after the sheep.’

That was what O Shin said he saw him leave. I wish I wouldn’t catch him. That was what Myohan thought, but he didn’t say that out loud.

He’d even been kind enough to tell him which time he couldn’t transform, and he was wishing Miho would cry during that time so his visit wouldn’t be in vain.

However, Miho didn’t cry. He was crouching hard like a sheep in front of a wolf, but he remained emotionless till the end. It wasn’t that he couldn’t trust Myohan; he just didn’t know how to cry. Myohan couldn’t even guess how lonely and sorrowful he must have been.

“I know.”

“I- shouldn’t cry, but…”

“….I know.”

I know it all, so relax.

2:59. Instead of telling him to stop crying, Myohan just stroked his hair. He was wailing now. He wailed in Myohan’s arms like a child. I should have come sooner. Myohan regretted it, but it was too late. The second hand slowly moved. Myohan closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

The sound of sobbing faded away. He could feel fluffy fur on his cheek. Miho soon started to cry again. Baa- Baa… To that sad crying, Myohan just muttered, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Miho cried like that for a long time, letting out all of his sorrow.

Now the morning and the evening were cold, it felt like the scorching sun had been a dream. It was hot when the sun was in the sky, but it was cold when the sun was gone. The season was changing, which meant it was easier than usual to catch a cold. Myohan started wearing a thin hooded jacket to be cautious. He looked at people moving around busily.

Some had luggage. There were flight attendants moving in groups, and foreigners who were trying desperately to get decent help from their translator apps. He frowned and O Shin made a joke.

“A cat in a strange place.”

“Whatever.”

Despite his cynical reply, it was the truth. They were at the airport for a school trip to Jeju Island. Half of all those people were Myohan’s schoolmates, and he recognized more of them.

“Class 1! Stand in two lines!”

Yuja yelled on top of his lungs to make the boys stand in line. However, Chookjae, who usually helped him, wasn’t nowhere to be seen. He had to be taking substitute classes for the school trip at school instead of coming, probably because his grandmother wouldn’t let him go.

But Sinsul was there, jumping even more than usual. Myohan laughed, thinking if he put a tail on the boy’s butt, it would start spinning like a propeller right away.

“Ha…”

In the midst of organizing the boys, Yuja suddenly let out a sigh. Sinsul went to him with large eyes.

“Yuja! What is it? Is something troubling you?”