Archive of Our Own

Yongbok was a cute child they said, well-behaved and with a big smile like they always taught him to behave, here in Korea, or there in Japan. His mother was a Japanese woman, from a small town but still, her family was old and known in the region for its ancestry. His father was a simple man, who happened to be in Japan one day and met his mother.

They were a solid couple, but they only had Yongbok—he learned later that his mother couldn't have more children after him—so he grew up loved, as the only child in a happy family, between daily life in Korea and holidays in Japan with his mother's family.

But his life changed after some events. First, when he was still little, a child of 6 years, it was determined that he would be the only heir of the Tsuneki family. But he was too young to understand or to bother.

What he does remember, actually, was the following winter, when they went to his father's family in a small town in the Korean countryside for Christmas. His parents went out while he was playing with his grandparents near the warm fireplace, and when they came back, his mother came to him and said in Japanese, as she always loved to use when she wanted to show warm feelings, "Yongbok-chan, we have a surprise for you."

"For me?" he answered in Korean, the first language that came to his bilingual mind.

"Yes, close your eyes, would you?"

He covered his eyes with his small hands; when he opened them again, he saw him for the first time.

Hyunjin.

"Here, Yongbok-ah, come meet your new little brother," his father said, and Yongbok didn't need to be prompted further because he knew at this very moment that Hyunjin was his.

No Christmas present could surpass this one.

It was easily found soon after that Hyunjin was a few months older than Yongbok, but it was too late; the two children's dynamic was already settled. They grew up as twins from then on, and even if Yongbok would act as the older and Hyunjin as the younger, to everyone else, they were twins by looks and by closeness.

They shared everything since then: parents, bedroom, toys… everything that you could think of. Yongbok grew to be polite but assured, and knew what he wanted, and Hyunjin grew to be the shy, polite one who tried not to bring too much attention to himself, so Yongbok was always there to make sure that his twin had everything he wished.

Hyunjin wanted friends? Yongbok would be his friend, and sometimes introduce him to new kids to play with. He wanted to play soccer? Yongbok asked their parents to enroll them in a junior soccer team. Later, Hyunjin got interested in dance, so Yongbok got them enrolled in dance classes. And when Hyunjin became interested in art, Yongbok would stay beside him as the other would draw or paint.

Some people might believe that Yongbok was forgetting himself here, but not at all. He was only caring for what was his. Like how you would polish your new expensive shoes, or water your potted plants, or walk your dog and buy him the best food to see him well-fed and happy.

Yongbok was caring because he loved Hyunjin, and because his twin was his.

Only his.

It was the autumn after their eighteenth birthday; Yongbok, now legally an adult, had to go back to Japan for him to start his training to be the new head of the Tsuneki, as the current one, his grandpa, was getting old. It was said that it was set for him to take the lead in the course of the next year, so he had a little less than a year to learn everything he needed to.

So the Tsuneki-Lee family moved for an undetermined time there; their father organized to be able to work from home, and their mother got transferred to the Japanese branch of the company she was working for.

And Hyunjin just followed. Yongbok knew the other probably wanted to go to an art school, but the best ones were in Tokyo and it was a bit far, so he promised his brother that after he had taken the lead, they would both go study in the capital.

But Yongbok knew Hyunjin's true apprehension was to move there. It had always been harder for him to find his place as the adopted Korean child. He knew Japanese, of course, because Yongbok taught him. So he would do anything to make sure he would like his stay here, even if it meant going against his family's so-called strict traditional rules.

They stepped out of the black car in front of the old, traditional Japanese house. An employee welcomed them; she was a woman in her fifties, probably, wearing a plain kimono, with neatly combed gray hair in a small bun. "Welcome, young master," she said as he stood in front of the small wooden steps. "Follow me, I'll show you your room…" Her tone deflated when she saw Hyunjin get out of the car too, and Yongbok barely acknowledged her to hold the hand of his brother.

"We will share the same room," he said, not asking, just notifying her and the rest of the inhabitants of that house.

She looked confused for a few seconds, then a wide smile that creased the corners of her eyes replaced the confusion. "Of course, young master, I'll make the arrangements," she said, sounding really pleased. "Follow me. I'll bring you some tea in the meantime."

Yongbok nodded and entered the house. Following the woman, whom he knew from before but didn't remember the name of, to a private room used only by the family members. She pressed a button on a phone in the corner of the room, as Yongbok and Hyunjin took their places in the center of the room. She then placed a small table in front of them, before getting up and bowing. "The tea will be here soon," she said, before leaving.

It was only Yongbok and Hyunjin for now because their parents were arriving the next day, as they needed to settle a few more things back in Korea.

"How are you feeling right now?" asked Yongbok in Korean to Hyunjin.

Hyunjin looked at his hand, "Not bad, I'm just wondering how things will go from now on."

A boy around their age entered the room quietly, and set the two cups and the Japanese teapot on the small table. He gave them a smile, giving him a fox-like expression, before retreating and leaving them alone.

Hyunjin served them the tea, as he always prettily did, and Yongbok felt his heart pang a little. "It'll be okay, I promise," he said, and his twin brother nodded softly.

Hyunjin woke up, and the first thing he found himself doing was sighing. He sat up and noticed that he was alone; Yongbok wasn't in his futon. Yesterday, they were installed in a room with two futons, per his brother's explicit demand. He knew he was probably supposed to stay further away from the headquarters of the future heir, but he was glad that they were able to transgress these rules, because without the other he would be really lost here.

He changed into the simple but elegant kimono they took out for him. This household was really traditional on every point. Yesterday after their tea, they were sent to change into even more expensive kimonos to share a dinner with the head of the Tsuneki family. Yongbok's grandfather, Kotoyuki Tsuneki, and his wife, Hinako-san, received them. They were nicer in a private setting like this than in official ones, and in reality, they were more welcoming to Hyunjin than everyone else in this family. They seemed to take Yongbok's affection for him seriously, even if he was only an adopted member of the family.

Yongbok's grandfather was ill, very ill, and it was rare to see him outside of his bed, but Hyunjin really appreciated seeing him take the time to have dinner with them.

After that, they went to bed in their new bedroom after showering and sharing a hot bath. Hyunjin fell asleep with a lighter heart than in the afternoon when they arrived, but his mood dropped again when he saw that he was alone in the morning.

He knew Yongbok was going to be busy; he had his training and started today. But still, being separated wasn't usual.

And again, he didn't feel in his place here.

As he finished getting dressed in the kimono, he thought that he should start unpacking his art material later in the day; the sooner he'll be able to draw and paint again, the sooner he'll probably feel better. But for now, he just heard car wheels and hoped it was their parents.

So he got out of the room and walked down the long hallway, took a turn, and walked again down a long hallway until he reached the entrance hall of the main house. "Eomma!" he said as he saw his mother, "Appa!" and went to hug them.

"Hyunjin-ah, our pretty boy, how was your arrival?" his mother asked.

"Good, we were well received," he said, not wanting to worry them too much. "I'm glad you're finally here."

"We are too, son," his father said; both shared the complicity of always feeling a little out of place here.

"Where's your brother?" his eomma then asked. "Is he already training?"

Hyunjin nodded. "Yes, I didn't even see him leave our room this morning," he said honestly.

His mother smiled softly, and she patted his cheek softly. "Did you eat already? We could have a brunch together."

"No, I haven't eaten yet," he said, "and that sounds nice." He realized how empty his stomach seemed.

Then his mother turned to the same lady in her fifties, probably the housekeeper, and asked that a brunch be served to them as soon as possible. Hyunjin felt better now that his parents were here with him. He followed them as they entered the private dining room, the one only the family members used. One of the family's maids opened the large sliding door opening onto the garden; it was a nice view at this time of the year.

The table was set for them, then the housekeeper brought them their brunch. He made small talk with his parents as he enjoyed the meal, savoring the taste of each dish. When he was full and one of the young maids came to clear the table, the housekeeper came with more tea in a teapot, and three new tea cups. They thanked her, and as she was getting out of the room, Yongbok entered, smiling softly.

"Did you have a good trip?" he asked as he sat down next to Hyunjin, his hand reaching to touch him softly.

Hyunjin noticed, as his brother and their parent were talking, that there were only three teacups on the table, as Yongbok arrived just after the young maid left. So he took his own, and offered it to Yongbok. The other smiled at him, and took it, not minding drinking from the same cup as his.

Their parents said nothing, used to them and the way they shared everything.

"How is your training going so far?" Their mother asked, her wide smile showing how proud she was of her son.

"I just started this morning," Yongbok said, rolling his eyes. "But it's nicer than I thought. I already have a lot of plans for the future," he said confidently.

"Really?" Hyunjin asked in a small voice, taken by surprise, and then pinching his lips as he noticed he said it out loud.

Yongbok smiled, "Don't worry, Hyunjinnie, my plans are always made for you, too." He was so confident and so sure of himself when he was saying this that Hyunjin couldn't help but believe him.

But still, Hyunjin looked down at his hands, shy after such a bold statement.

After the brunch, his parents and Yongbok all had things to do, so Hyunjin went back to their room. He didn't need to ponder for too long what he wanted to do. He took his sketchbook and pencils and went out into the garden. He sat down somewhere on the patio.

As he spent a few hours there, absorbed in his drawing, he noticed that the house felt so empty. He saw no one while he was out there; of course, he liked not being interfered with, but to not even see someone pass by was a little unsettling.

It wasn't until the sun started to get low in the sky and couldn't be seen anymore, hidden behind the house, that someone, another maid he had never seen before, came to fetch him, telling him that dinner was ready. He thanked her and followed her back to the private dining room.

He was happy to see his parents again, but Yongbok wasn't there. He expected to see him at some point, but his brother never came. So Hyunjin just went back to their room. He took a bath; apparently, one would always be ready in the evening for him, something again made for them in the shadows, but he tried not to mind it too much and just accept that it was probably going to be his new life.

When he was done with his bath, and dressed in a robe, a loose kimono wrapped around his body, he went back to their room to find it empty, again. But the two futons were made, so Yongbok would be here later.

He sighed; it was going to be okay. He just needed to get used to it. Hyunjin lay on his futon; the night was a little fresh but he kept one of the large doors looking out onto the garden open. He put his chin under the covers, his eyes looking outside as he waited for Yongbok.

But slowly his eyes felt heavy…

When he opened them again, it was still nighttime. Yongbok's futon wasn't how it was when he fell asleep; it seemed his brother had slept in it but got up in the middle of the night. "Yongbok?" he called softly as he sat up, noticing the door open wider than how he had left it.

The wind was softly blowing the trees' branches outside, and the moon was softly lighting the garden, giving it a sort of eeriness.

Hyunjin got up; he wasn't scared of the dark nor the silence of the night. He went to the edge of the room looking out onto the garden and called again for his brother. "Yongbok?" he said, his voice a little louder. He saw something move outside, and it made him jolt back a little.

He didn't know what it was, and he should probably go back to bed, but he started to feel a little distressed, and in his mind, it resulted in a stronger need to find his twin brother. He went back to fetch his sandals and went out onto the patio.

He walked a few steps around, trying to see if he could find Yongbok, but all the rooms had no light. So he went down to the patio and followed a small path.

The moon was his only light as he started to get out of the garden and into the forest bordering the house. He noticed that there was no distinct delimitation, as if the Tsuneki's property was just blending into the forest. Of course, it wasn't the first time that he had spent time here, but he hadn't noticed it like he did right now.

He followed the path, brushes whipping gently against his legs as the path got narrower, but it didn't make him stop.

"Yongbok?" he called softly, his sandals not making it the easiest to walk on the slippery stones covering some parts of the path.

He stopped as he heard other sounds. This time a lot more, and they seemed all around him, like circling him. Branch sounds such as small nocturnal animals can make when moving between bushes, but it wasn't only that. Some sort of vocal sound, not animal but not quite human. Low sounds, that he could hear but not perfectly.

He tried to step back, feeling this time real fear take possession of his body. A small sob escaped his lips as he took another step back, but the slippery floor made him almost fall.

He should have felt it.

But instead, he was caught from behind by someone.

Someone who placed his hands over his mouth. Hyunjin trembled; whatever was happening, whether it was a dream or not, he only wished to be back in his bed.

He tried to move out of the person's hold, of course, but they were much stronger than him. He could feel something strange and almost familiar, but he couldn't tell what it was.

"Not yet," the voice said, low but not menacing. As if it were a soft breeze caressing his ear.

Hyunjin woke up panting and sweating. All this was… just a dream? He thought, as he was in his futon, and the sun was already up.

"Did you have a bad dream?" asked Yongbok, and Hyunjin could start tearing up at how glad he was to hear his twin brother.

Hyunjin sat up, and Yongbok came next to him, gently pushing his disheveled hair back. "Are you okay? It's been a long time since you had one."

He nodded softly, "I… Yes, it's okay… It was nothing much, just unpleasant."

Yongbok smiled softly, the type of smile he reserved only for him. "You're okay now; don't worry, it's gone."

Hyunjin's heart settled instantly, and he felt better, happy again. He didn't know what time it was, but he was surprised to see his twin in their room, but at the same time, he hoped Yongbok would not leave. "Why are you here? Don't you need to attend your training?"

Yongbok smiled, probably guessing that Hyunjin cared, but partly because he wanted him to stay. "I'm getting ready to go, yes, but it's still a little early and I have some time left. Do you want to share breakfast with me? I can ask for them to bring us one to eat here, just the two of us."

Hyunjin nodded, blushing a little as he felt happy. "Yes, please."

Yongbok finished dressing in an elegant blue kimono, before leaving the room. A few minutes later, he came back. "It will be ready in a few minutes," he said, before opening the wardrobe again. "Let me choose your kimono for today in the meantime, okay?"

Hyunjin nodded, just now noticing how the sleek robe he was wearing as he slept slowly slid down his body, showing his shoulder and a part of his chest. Shyly, he put it back correctly, blushing.

Yongbok took out a matching blue kimono, but with flowers and softer colors. It was very feminine, thought Hyunjin, but he didn't mind; he even liked it a lot. Yongbok knew he liked soft and pretty things, and Hyunjin felt his heart warm as his brother showed, as always, how much he cared for him.

Yongbok was hanging the outfit he chose for Hyunjin before a knocking sound came from the door. He went almost immediately to open it, but no one was behind it, and the trays with their breakfast were left in front of their room. Hyunjin helped him get everything, and facing each other, they shared their meal.

Hyunjin felt the loneliness come back when he watched Yongbok leave for the day, and he was left alone, again. But he shook the feeling off his heart and mind, and dressed in the pretty clothes his twin brother chose for him. He also arranged his hair prettily, then took his drawing supplies and went out.

It was a beautiful summer day, less hot than the days of July or August, but the sun was still high in the sky, shining brightly. This time he walked a bit around the house, before sitting down near a tree close to the house, his legs hanging off the patio. He took one of his pencils, one Yongbok offered to him for his birthday, and started to sketch the pretty flowers embellishing the garden.

This time he saw a few people moving around the house, maids and other people probably working for the family. A boy working for the family, younger than him and with a playful fox-like face, asked him if he wanted a drink.

Hyunjin was a bit shy, as he had never talked to someone not from the family, but he nodded before saying thanks. And it was when he wandered off that he noticed he had talked to him in Korean and not in Japanese.

The boy came back with a tray; on it was a tall empty glass and a pitcher containing iced tea.

As he was serving him a glass of tea, Hyunjin couldn't help but ask, "Are you Korean?"

The boy looked at Hyunjin before smiling. "Yes, my name is Jeongin! My parents were working for yours back in Korea. Now that we're here too, I'm helping a bit around the house."

"Oh…" Hyunjin said, taking the glass that Jeongin was giving him. "I didn't know," he said, "but I guess it's better late than never. Nice to meet you, Jeongin."

Jeongin's smile widened, "It's okay. My parents are originally from Japan, like your mother. Then they followed your family to Korea when yours moved there, and had me there too."

Hyunjin listened and nodded; it was a curious story, maybe Yongbok knew about it? But he didn't want to invade Jeongin's life, so he didn't ask more.

Jeongin smiled, "I need to go, but if you need something else, call for me," he said, before waving and leaving, letting the trail to Hyunjin.

The drink was good, and perfect for the warm day. He kept sketching and drawing, so that tomorrow he can take out his watercolor paint and add colors to all the sketches and drawings he made today.

He almost forgot about lunch as he was drawing, but Jeongin came back with another tray, with more tea to change his pitcher, and a freshly made bento. He told him too that Yongbok was sending him, knowing that he would probably be too caught up in his drawings to think about eating something.

Hyunjin thanked the younger again before watching him disappear back into the house. He ate the bento, which was really good, like all the food he had eaten so far here. After eating and sketching a bit more, he started to get tired and thought about going back to his room to rest a little.

Taking his belongings and the trail Jeongin left him, he went back to his room. He was a little taken aback as he saw that his futon was already out and made… Someone definitely came and cleaned the room, and it wasn't surprising, but how did a person know that he was going to come back and take a nap?

Maybe the person who cleaned their room in the morning knew that Hyunjin was out for the day and just anticipated the night, but still… And Yongbok's futon would have been out too, if that were the case.

Hyunjin tried not to bother himself by thinking more about it, and honestly, he was getting too sleepy. He put down the tray in front of their door, as they did with the one for their breakfast, Yongbok telling him that when a maid would pass by, they'd take it back to the kitchen.

He then put back his sketchbook and pencil where they belonged, and changed clothes for something more comfortable. When he finally lay in his futon, he felt much more fatigued than he first was.

His eyes closed softly, and he didn't feel himself fall asleep.

Soft touches on his cheeks and a soft press on his lips are what fluttered Hyunjin's eyes open. His light confusion slipped away as soon as his eyes met Yongbok's, and he couldn't help but beam at his twin brother. "You're here," he said, pressing his brother's hand to his cheek.

"I am," Yongbok said, a smile highlighting his freckles. "I came to check on you, but you were sleeping so peacefully that I couldn't help but look at you." Yongbok's hand escaped his, and his thumb pressed against his lower lip. It made Hyunjin feel strange in his lower belly, a fluttering feeling like butterflies playing in his stomach.

Then the hand went gently behind his nape. Hyunjin was probably blushing. He was sure of it, but his brother said nothing. Yongbok's gaze was deep in his, and something, a faint light, seemed to flash through them. "You're mine, Hyunjin, you know that, right?"

Hyunjin nodded softly. Yes, he knew it. It was probably a strange concept, and even stranger to come to terms with it, but Hyunjin knew he did belong to Yongbok. He lived for him; without Yongbok, he would be nothing.

"Whatever happens, know that I will always be by your side," then he pecked his lips again, as they were used to doing.

Days passed, Hyunjin felt lonely most of the time, but drawing and the hope of seeing Yongbok at night kept him going. It wasn't the best, but he was fine. He didn't have other weird dreams, and most of the time his nights would be dreamless, or sweet memories from their childhood.

Hyunjin doesn't remember a lot of his life before Yongbok, as if it was erased from his memory, but he didn't really care. What he does remember was when he met Yongbok, after his mom and dad took him out of the orphanage. Yongbok was a cute kid, charming and confident, and when their parents presented them, he almost as soon adopted Hyunjin.

Since that day, Hyunjin has been Yongbok's.

He has spent another day feeling lonely in the back of his mind, or maybe in his heart. The feeling was persisting in this big, almost empty house, but he started to find comfort in its calm environment. It was the start of October, and autumn was slowly taking over. He was thinking of asking Yongbok if they could take a walk around town and do a bit of shopping. He could go alone or maybe with Jeongin to help him, but he preferred going with his twin.

He went to bed, their futon already laid out for them. Yongbok wasn't there yet. He was just out of his bath, his hair still a little damp as he was wearing a robe again, like a kimono made of a soft fabric. He turned off the light and went to sleep.

He fell asleep easily, like most of the time.

But this night wasn't dreamless.

His eyes opened again in the dead of the night. Yongbok wasn't there, and his futon seemed unused, but strangely, the sliding door opening onto the garden was open. He was cold, so he needed to close it. He got up, the moon was lighting the room in her soft bluish glow, making everything a little eerie.

When he got to the door, he could see that the little decorative lanterns along the garden's path were lit, something that he had never seen before. He was curious about it, and felt strangely drawn to them, as if he felt that he needed to follow them.

As he was still wondering if he should go or not, he looked down and saw that his Japanese sandals were there, waiting for him. If it was a dream, his subconscious wanted him to go. So he put on the sandals and went out of the room.

He followed the path lit by the warm orange light of the lanterns and went to the entrance of the forest. There the lanterns were fewer, making everything darker. The path went up, and Hyunjin had to walk slowly to not slip. The cold wind softly brushed his hair, making the branches of the trees and bushes around him move softly too, and the little bells of the foxgloves ring in silence.

He kept walking until he saw a torii lit by lanterns and candles drawn in front of him. He stopped in front of it. Should he really keep going? Was it polite for him to even go past it? He should probably turn around and go back to his bed, and it's what he was going to do, if it wasn't for the hand brushing his.

Hyunjin jumped a little, startled. Next to him was a masked man, a little smaller than him, with long pale hair in a low tail descending to his lower back. He was wearing a traditional kimono, and his glowing blue eyes were piercing through Hyunjin from behind a fox mask. "I was waiting for you, Hyunjin."

"Me?" he said, voice unsure. The stranger's eyes were so captivating that he had a hard time not looking at them.

The stranger had a soft smile; he said nothing as he took Hyunjin's hand in his. "Come, they're waiting for us," he said softly, his voice almost feeling like a breeze.

Hyunjin was so taken aback by this strange dream that he was unable to resist it. He walked side by side with the fox-masked man, his warm hand in his. It was warm and familiar, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly why.

The path transformed into stone stairs as they kept going up.

"Aren't the foxgloves pretty?" the fox man said, and Hyunjin noticed how many were around the stairs and further in the forest. "They're like double-edged swords. They can stop a heart, but if used carefully, they can make it beat again."

"I… I didn't know," Hyunjin said. "I have never seen so many. They're so pretty," he said, looking at their pretty colors in the night.

The man squeezed his hand gently, and they kept walking up. They passed torii after torii, but the path of stairs seemed to never end. Hyunjin started to feel troubled by it, and even a little scared. He stopped and looked back, but the way down made him even more anxious. "A-Are we arriving soon?"

"Do you believe in me, Hyunjin?" asked the fox-masked man, his inhuman blue eyes looking straight at him.

Hyunjin bit his lip, "I don't know," he said honestly.

"The only way for the path to lead you is for you to believe in me," the man said, his voice calm, not pressing nor resentful.

Hyunjin closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He felt the hand in his, and the way it squeezed it so familiarly. "Whatever happens, know that I will always be by your side," Hyunjin thought again.

His eyes opened and his heart settled; he nodded softly as the other smiled. "I'm… ready, I think."

They finally arrived at the temple. The place in front of it was lit by a lot of lanterns and torches; a stone chair and a stone table, and three fox-masked women were waiting beside them.

Hyunjin didn't have the time to wonder what he should do as he was led to sit on the chair. The man's hands gently lifted his face. Now, seeing him like this, with the warm lights of the lanterns, Hyunjin could see a few freckles escaping from under the fox mask. He smiled softly and Yongbok did too.

"I knew you were the one, Hyunjin," he said, his thumbs gently caressing his face. He kissed his forehead before letting go and walking a few steps back.

The women filled the space left by Yongbok. One came in front of him, holding an old-looking mirror. The other two each brought a wooden box. One contained a fox mask; the other was empty. It was also then that Hyunjin noticed the knife on the table, set on a pretty-looking piece of fabric.

One of the women moved without him noticing, and went behind him to hold his head up. Anxiety started to creep under his skin.

But nothing bad could happen, right? It was only a dream after all.

The hand was holding him firmly, as the third woman reached for the knife and held it in front of Hyunjin's face. Anxiety and fear filled his stomach, and he held strongly onto Yongbok's words.

Even more as the blade pierced through his skin, blood running down his cheeks as it slowly traced starting from beside his eyes, to his cheekbones, to over the bridge of his nose. It was slow and painful, the worst pain he had ever felt in his life. But he didn't cry, nor scream. He was silent, lost, and so scared and in pain that he was just trembling faintly, thanks to the hand holding his head straight.

He felt hands holding his own in a silent comfort as his eyes were watching in the mirror the horror they were doing to him, and he wanted to cry so much, but the pain kept going as the blade kept cutting his face, passing from his nose's bridge to the other side of his face, the same way, before going up his forehead. Tracing through his skin, the blade finally went back to where it started to cut him raw.

And in its bloody horror, the woman put the knife down before reaching to remove the upper half of his face. His so pretty eyelashes were now gone in the empty box.

Then the woman placed the mask where his bloody flesh was open to the cold air, and with a needle and thread, sewed it.

When the hands left his head, he could feel the mask impregnate his body, as his blood was mingling with it. His body felt so heavy that he had to muster almost all of his energy to just lift his head up again and look at himself in the mirror.

"You endured incredible agony," Yongbok said, as he moved closer, crouching down in front of him. "That was so brave of you, Hyunjin."

"N-no… No… No I-I… can't…!" Hyunjin mumbled. "It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts…!" He cried in pain.

"Look into my eyes!" Yongbok said.

"It hurts it hurts it hurts…!" His body and soul hurled in pain. "It hurts so bad—please… please, it hurts…!"

"Look into my eyes!"

The voice resonated, and Hyunjin stopped. He looked at the piercing blue eyes. "Calm yourself… There's no more suffering…"

Hyunjin finally noticed how the mask held, and he broke down in soft cries. "S-Sorry…" Suddenly not feeling strong enough, feeling pathetic.

Yongbok held him close, "Everything is alright, Hyunjin, I know you're strong." His hand gently caressed Hyunjin's back. "I know you can do it."

Hyunjin felt his heart settle, and his mind calm down. "It's true… no more pain… I can do it."

"Very good, that's my Hyunjin," Yongbok said softly with a smile.

"Thank you… very much," Hyunjin said.

Yongbok got up and extended his hand to Hyunjin. "Let's go."

Hyunjin took it and stood up…

He woke up sweating and panting. His hands went up frenetically to touch his face; his mind still caught in the horror of his dream, he didn't even notice the futon beside his, nor the person sleeping in it.

Smaller hands caught his, their warmth familiar and soothing. "It's okay…" Yongbok said softly, his low voice calming Hyunjin almost immediately. "It was just a dream," he said softly, coming closer, as he pushed Hyunjin's hands off his own face.

Hyunjin felt tears running down his face, "Why…" he said, voice trembling.

His brother looked at him softly, erasing the tears off his cheeks with his thumbs. "Dreams aren't made to be understood right after." He seemed so sure about what he was talking about, as if he already knew, but somehow it helped Hyunjin to calm down.

Feeling his cheeks flushing, he felt a little bit embarrassed; he shouldn't react so strongly to bad dreams. As real as he believes they are in the morning, they still are just dreams. "Did I wake you up?" he asked, almost like a whisper.

Yongbok smiled, "No, I was already waking up, don't worry," he said. Yongbok was leaning above him, their bodies close. He could feel a part of his weight on him, his body warmth and his scent; it was probably the first time he could smell his brother's scent so well. His gaze went down from Yongbok's eyes to his freckles, stopping on his lips, looking at his cupid's bow, and then following their soft curves.

His smile grew, and before Hyunjin could react he moved closer, kissing the corner of Hyunjin's lips. For normal people it could be seen as a clumsy cheek kiss, ending closer to his lips than it should have. But Hyunjin knew that it was meant to be a chaste kiss on his lips, something that they shouldn't normally do but that no one could really stop them from doing.

"Let's go get ready for breakfast," Yongbok said as he parted away. Hyunjin smiled back and nodded.

The rest of the day went well, probably better than the others. Even though Yongbok worked and studied all day, he made sure to be here for lunch and dinner so they could eat together. He claimed that he needed Hyunjin to be well-fed, but he knew it was probably just a silly excuse to make him smile.

"I still have things to do," Yongbok said after dinner. "I'll probably be back late tonight. You shouldn't wait for me."

"And what if I want to?" Hyunjin said softly. "It's not like I can't draw or even read until you come back; at least we could fall asleep together."

Yongbok looked conflicted and sighed. "No, Hyunjin… I would feel bad if I made you wait so long. Please, go to bed early for me, okay?"

Hyunjin felt a bit sad about it but nodded.

They finally parted and he went back to their room; as always, their futons were laid on the floor and ready for them. He went first to take a bath and was surprised when he found a small packet on the counter of the bathroom. He opened it and found a scented bath bomb, with a small note. "To help you relax," signed by Yongbok.

He smiled and went to use it in the hot bath. He could feel how it made his body relax. He closed his eyes and his mind went directly to thinking back on the day he just had.

They finally parted and he went back to their room; as always, their futons were laid on the floor and ready for them. He went first to take a bath and was surprised when he found a small packet on the counter of the bathroom. He opened it and found a scented bath bomb, with a small note. "To help you relax," signed by Yongbok.

He smiled and went to use it in the hot bath. He could feel how it made his body relax. He closed his eyes and his mind went directly to thinking back on the day he just had.

He had to force himself out of the bath, he felt so sleepy and his body so heavy. He took a robe put it tightly around him, and want back to their room. He was surprised again as he saw sliding door open, and how thick fog was filling the garden. But he was too sleepy to think more about it, he ignored the chill he felt running down his spine, and closed the door, before crawling in his futon and closing his eyes.

When he woke up, he was standing outside, facing the garden. His hand trembled as it went up, feeling the mask fused to his skin. "Everything is alright, Hyunjin" resonated again in his mind, and his racing heart slowly started to settle. The garden's lanterns were lit, and guided him through the fog. He knew where he needed to go as he entered the forest, knowing already the way toward the torii. He turned only once, and looked at how the house seemed to disappear behind the thick fog.

This time, when he reached the torii, he was already waiting for him. Smiling, he extended his hand toward Hyunjin. "You're beautiful, as always."

Hyunjin blushed and shyly took the hand. "Where are we going?" he dared to ask.

"To the temple; something awaits us," he said, his voice so calm that Hyunjin didn't even try to pry what was waiting for them.

They walked in silence, and this time Hyunjin believed so heartily that the way up to the temple seemed short, but the sight as they arrived took him aback, making his feet stop.

In front of the temple, there seemed to be installed an altar made of carved rock. Beside it were waiting four fox-masked women, making him shiver, and the whole place was illuminated by lanterns and lit torches.

"Don't be afraid," he said, gently squeezing Hyunjin's hand. "Remember, you're strong."

Hyunjin nodded, and he let himself be guided toward the altar. When they reached it, Yongbok let go of his hand and faced him. His piercing blue eyes looked into Hyunjin's. "The suffering is what will make us stay together until the end of time," he said.

Hyunjin felt the instinct to run away creep inside him, but he pushed down the feeling and nodded slowly. Yongbok didn't leave him for too long, as they were now moving to undress him.

"N-no…" protested Hyunjin, frowning at the idea of undressing in front of the unknown fox-masked women.

"It's okay, they're not looking," Yongbok said, not stopping as he stripped Hyunjin.

He shivered as the cold air brushed his naked skin.

Yongbok guided Hyunjin to lie on the altar. He kept Hyunjin's hands in his, not stepping back this time. Hyunjin couldn't help but feel anxious, even though he didn't try to fight back and run away.

Maybe he should have.

One of the fox women approached, and her cold hand parted Hyunjin's legs, holding them in place.

Another one poured a sort of cold liquid between his legs; it was reeking of alcohol.

He looked at Yongbok, his eyes searching for answers, but he got nothing. Instead, a third fox-masked woman approached and gave him a piece of carved and adorned wood, the size and thickness of a finger. Yongbok took it and gently placed it between Hyunjin's teeth before taking back his hands in his.

"Keep your eyes on me," he whispered.

Hyunjin nodded, his eyes not leaving the fox's blue ones, in a way that he didn't see the third and fourth women approaching between his open legs with sharp objects.

And the horror that followed can't be described in words. The sharp piercing pain, the feeling of being cut open, and the feeling of the blood running out of his body.

Hyunjin screamed, muffled by the wood piece in his mouth. He felt Yongbok hold his hand tighter and tried to set his mind only on the feeling of their skin touching. But it didn't work; Hyunjin still felt the pain, sweating and crying, and his mind becoming more and more dizzy, until everything went black.

When his eyes opened again, he felt lost, feverish, and his mind was dizzy. He was back in his room; he could feel the futon under his trembling body. He tried to move, but strong arms were holding him. "It's okay…" said his twin brother's soothing voice, "I gave you painkillers…"

"The pain…" Hyunjin's lips trembled, "What did they do… to me…" he said, unable to even look at his brother's face.

"Does it hurt again?" Yongbok asked, worried.

Hyunjin nodded weakly. "My stomach… no… lower…" he mumbled, words coming with difficulty out of his mouth.

"It's okay… it's going to be okay. I know it hurts, but soon it will not when your body gets used to the change," Yongbok said, his voice becoming somewhat distant. "Remember, you are strong, Hyunjin."

"The dream… my dream?" Hyunjin said, his voice unsure and unable to think straight.

"Shh… My Hyunjin, it's gonna be okay…"

The words resonated in his mind as his sight faded back to black.

When he woke up again, they were back at the temple's site. His head was lying on Yongbok's thighs, as his fingers gently carded through his hair in a soothing way.

"How are you feeling? Are you in pain?" he asked as he sensed Hyunjin was waking up.

Hyunjin felt weird, but he didn't feel the pain anymore. He had an idea of what happened to him, but he didn't want to think more about it.

It was just a dream, right?

"No," he finally answered, "I'm just feeling weird…" he said as he sat up. Yongbok smiled softly.

"You will get used to it, I'm sure you can," Yongbok said, making Hyunjin blush. "Are you ready to continue?"

Hyunjin nodded and they both got up. He looked down at his clothes and he saw how the lower half was stained in his own blood. He felt bad about it, but Yongbok assured him that it was okay; they would bring him new clothes after the last rituals.

They walked into the temple until they reached a part with a wide fire in its center. Hyunjin felt his heart waver again but he pushed the feelings down. Two women were waiting by it; one was holding something placed directly in the fire.

"This ritual shall be the last," Yongbok said, and Hyunjin looked at him before nodding. "Good."

Hyunjin was asked to sit down on his knees, then Yongbok did the same in front of him, his hand coming to hold firmly on his shoulder.

"Look into my eyes, Hyunjin," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument. And Hyunjin wouldn't have argued anyway.

The fox woman held with both hands a red-hot iron stamp; Hyunjin could see her pass next to them and he felt his blood run cold. The other fox woman approached with the same piece of wood to put in his mouth, like before. But this time Hyunjin shook his head when Yongbok moved to put it in his mouth.

He looked surprised but gave the piece of wood back, not forcing him. He held again on Hyunjin's shoulder.

Hyunjin tried to match his breathing to Yongbok's as he did when he was a child and anxious, and it probably helped at first when the stamp marked his back. But he couldn't contain for too long the scream that escaped his lips as his skin was burned to mark him.

Tears rolled down his eyes, but they never left Yongbok's eyes.

When they took the stamp off, Hyunjin was panting and sweating in pain again.

"You did so well, Hyunjin," Yongbok said as his hand gently pushed Hyunjin's long hair out of his face.

Hyunjin smiled faintly. He did it; it was the last one. He had been strong, right? So strong, even when it hurt so bad. He let Yongbok change him completely, inside and out. Was it enough to show how much he loved him?

Was it good enough?

Hyunjin woke up again with his head on Yongbok's lap. Everything felt different: him, his body, and everything around them. "Are you awake?" Yongbok asked, knowing already the answer.

Hyunjin sat up and nodded, "Yes."

Yongbok smiled, "You did so well, Hyunjin. We can move on now with the ceremony," he said as he got up and helped Hyunjin to get up too.

They walked toward the temple, but Hyunjin stopped just in front of the stairs.

"What is it?" Yongbok asked.

Hyunjin turned toward him. "Can I ask a few things first?"

Yongbok nodded with a smile.

"Can you remove your mask?" Hyunjin asked.

Yongbok said nothing as he reached up and took off his mask.

Hyunjin stilled until he could see clearly the face under it. "Ah… I was right," he sighed.

"Yes, you were," he smiled softly, "I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you myself."

Hyunjin shook his head gently, "No, it's okay… I'm just glad to know now." He felt tears threatening to fall. "Did I do well?" Hyunjin asked, his voice trembling.

"You were amazing, so strong too…"

Hyunjin smiled softly, looking down. "Where are we? Can I know now?"

Yongbok smiled, "I guess I can't pretend it's a dream anymore, right?" Hyunjin nodded and so he started to explain. "We're in the spirit world, a world between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Here things are different, but also linked to each other. As the world of the dead and the world of the living can't be connected to each other, the spirit world forms a bridge between the two. What happens here influences the world of the living. Making me different, and you will be too." He said, "It's a lot to explain, but the sacrifice you made will be what allows us to live forever together."

"Really?" Hyunjin asked, his voice trembling a little, heavy with conflicted emotions.

Yongbok got closer, his hands coming to rest on Hyunjin's waist. "You'll be mine after the ceremony. I carved you to be the bride I needed, to allow us to always be together."

"Will… I suffer again?" he asked. If he had to suffer again, he preferred to be prepared.

Yongbok smiled softly. "No, you're perfect now," he said, his hand gently caressing his cheek. Hyunjin looked into his brother's eyes and nodded softly.

Two fox-masked women appeared behind Yongbok. "They'll take you to get ready for the ceremony. Follow what they do and we will see each other after," he said, before parting and returning to his side. The two women waited for him as the temple's door opened. Hyunjin looked back to Yongbok before following them.

The atmosphere in the temple was heavy, cold and warm at the same time. He could hear voices, whispers, and sometimes even far-off laughs as he traversed a corridor with statues and statuettes of foxes. He couldn't really decipher what they said, as they were talking all at the same time, but he knew that it was somehow related to him.

He was brought to a room with a large copper mirror. What caught his attention at first was how his hair had changed; it was pale like Yongbok's in this world. But then they undressed him completely, and he could see how his body changed, how… his genitals changed. It was weird, but he looked as if he never had anything else between his legs. Was it some sort of magic? Probably.

His eyes changed too, matching the blue fox eyes of his brother, and now that he was thinking about it, the mask resting on his face felt different. It wasn't like the feeling of having something stuck in your bloody flesh, like before; now it felt like a real mask. With trembling hands, he slowly took it off, and to his surprise, the upper part of his face was back, without a single scar.

The way he was sure he was still hurting and bleeding between his legs not so long ago, now he was healed… No, he was changed. He wasn't healed; he changed. It changed him. They changed—

The pain in his back roared and the candles' light agitated until the light disappeared. He felt blood run back between his legs and on his cheeks. The pain—everything hurt so bad—his limbs trembled as he folded in on himself, hands covering his bloody face as he couldn't help but cry in pain.

"Remember, you are strong, Hyunjin," played back in his mind.

"You were amazing, so strong…" His ears rang at the words played again and again in his head.

"I carved you… You're perfect now." Right, he was perfect now; he was how he needed to be…

As he calmed down, everything seemed to calm down too… If he stayed calm and listened, nothing would hurt again. The candles lit again, and there was no blood, no pain anymore. He stood up again on trembling legs.

One of the fox-masked women took his mask from the floor and put it in a wooden box. Then, the two of them helped him to dress back in a long white kimono, before putting a wataboshi over his head—a white cotton hood—and then another wooden box was presented to him, with a fox mask more beautiful than the previous one. He looked at it and nodded slowly, before the other woman carefully took it and placed it on his face. It hurt a little, but then it felt light on his skin. At last, they put down straw sandals for him to wear.

He stepped into them, and then let them guide him toward the door. He turned back, a little unsure, but they simply bowed to him. So he nodded, and entered the corridor.

He walked, keeping his head low and ignoring the voices, until he reached a door, which opened as soon as he put his hand on its wood.

Yongbok was waiting for him on the other side. He gently took Hyunjin's hands in his and held them perpendicular to the floor. "You're beautiful, Hyunjin."

Hyunjin smiled, feeling his cheeks burn. "You too," he said, as he looked at his twin brother who was wearing the traditional kimono that grooms wear for their traditional Shinto wedding.

They walked inside the temple; the large room was filled with many fox statues and statuettes, candles lighting each of them. When they stopped before the steps leading to a shrine, fox-masked men appeared behind Yongbok, and fox-masked women appeared behind Hyunjin. They weren't the same as before; these women looked more like ladies than servants.

A Shinto priest, with his face hidden, started by purifying the shrine, then the couple, and they bowed back. Then a small cup is filled with sake and given to Yongbok. He drank a small sip before giving it to Hyunjin.

Hyunjin let his lips gently meet the cold brew, drinking the smallest sip possible so as not to be too taken aback by the strong taste of sake. Then, he was given a small cup; he drank another small sip before extending the cup toward Yongbok, who did the same. And they did it again for a third time, Hyunjin drinking last.

Then the priest took a piece of wood, Japanese evergreen if Hyunjin remembered well how Shinto weddings went, then walked up the steps and bowed in front of the shrine, before placing it on the altar. Two fox-masked women approached and gave each other a wooden box. Hyunjin looked questioningly at it, but Yongbok shook his head softly. "Don't open it," he says, whispering.

Hyunjin nodded, and alongside Yongbok, he climbed up the few steps, bowed in front of the shrine, and left his offering on the altar, alongside Yongbok's.

Then they turned around, went down the few steps, and bowed again. Voices rose loudly before slowly dying down, and in the blink of an eye, no one besides the two of them was left.

Yongbok looked at him with probably the brightest smile he ever had. "Finally, my Hyunjin…" he said, taking both of his hands in his, "I'll buy you a ring when we are back, to show that you're mine."

Hyunjin nodded, smiling back. "Can we—" His words were cut short as he saw Yongbok fold in on himself, grunting. He immediately went to help him stand up. "Are you alright? Does something hurt—"

Yongbok roared, and with an abrupt hand gesture directed to the room, all lights shut off. "Sorry, I can't wait anymore," he said, his hands gripping Hyunjin tightly.

"What—" Hyunjin tried to say, not understanding what was happening.

"I sent them all off; it's just the two of us now," he said, before crashing his lips onto Hyunjin's.

But the kiss was short before Hyunjin was pushed to the floor. When he opened his eyes again, a fox was standing in front of him. A white fox, bigger than him and with more than one tail, was looking down at him. Hyunjin felt small next to it, but as he looked at its blue eyes, he could tell that it was Yongbok.

He reached to touch its nose, and seeing that he didn't back up, Hyunjin gently caressed his fur. "You're beautiful," he said, before his brother licked his face affectionately.

But the fox didn't stop; in a sort of frenzy that Hyunjin couldn't stop, the fox stripped Hyunjin out of his clothes, using his mouth and paws to tear down the fabric.

"Mate, mate, mate," he could hear in his head, as if Yongbok's voice was in there. "Mine, mine, pretty mate mine,"

Despite the initial shock, Hyunjin giggled softly when he felt the warm tongue lick his skin. His head started to get fuzzy, as if something was affecting him too.

He was at the fox's mercy as his body started to lose strength and will; the floor felt cold under his warm body. He felt feverish, disoriented, and dizzy as he was turned around. The fox used his muzzle and paws to make his body stay as he desired.

Hyunjin felt exposed and uneasy too, not understanding what was happening. "Yongbok—?" he tried to call, but the voice in his mind didn't make sense.

"Need to make mate mine,"

"But I'm yours… Yongbok…" he called softly as his body warmed even more. His insides shifted, making him whimper. Yongbok licked his face again in a gentle way, as if to make sure that he was okay. Then the fox licked down his body, to the small of his back and the inside of his thighs.

Hyunjin moaned because everything felt sensitive on his now burning skin. Then Yongbok's fox tongue went over his sensitive area; the feeling felt so foreign, as he wasn't used to the fact that he had a pussy now. It felt even weirder to feel himself get wet, his body responding to the fox's touch.

"Yongbok…" he said, lips trembling, but his brother didn't stop. He could hear in his head how exalted the other was, and how he had waited for a long time to possess him. He felt his insides clench; it hurt as if a fire was consuming him from the inside. "Yongbok… please…" he whimpered.

His brother moved, and now he could feel his fox's warm fur above his burning body. His large paw held Hyunjin's upper body down as his lower body was kept up. He could feel Yongbok's hot breath over him. He was helpless, whimpering for something to ease his body and the way it was churning him from the inside.

Then he felt something hot and big press against him, and he didn't have time to react before it entered him. He gasped and whimpered at first, but then something changed. He could feel it, the way his body gave in to the pleasure, the way the pain gave way to pleasure. Every drag of his brother fox's cock hit somewhere it felt good.

Moans escaped his lips; he could hear how his voice made those pretty sounds without his control as the pleasure built inside him. He could feel how his hole clenched around Yongbok's, who stretched him to his fullest. It was a little overwhelming how big he was inside him, but not enough to overpower the pleasure he was feeling.

He could hear Yongbok's voice praising him, telling him how good he is, how perfect he is for him, and it was everything he needed to hear. He came first, but it didn't make the other stop. On the contrary, Yongbok started to use more force, as if he let go of his last restraints.

Hyunjin cried, his oversensitive body overwhelmed, and everything escalated until he felt something bigger press against him. "Yongbok…" he said, panting. "What—Ah!" With a rough thrust, it pushed inside him and locked them together.

He felt Yongbok shiver as his cock twitched inside him. Hyunjin reached another peak, coming so hard that he felt something burst out of him. Then his eyes faded to black…

When he woke up, he was still on the cold floor. Yongbok's outside robe composing his kimono was over his naked body. Hyunjin kept it on him as he sat up. It was at this moment he noticed the light coming inside the temple, the natural light, followed by the scent of rain.

Hyunjin got up on trembling legs, the kimono around his shoulders covering his naked body, as he walked toward the source of light

"You're up," said Yongbok, standing outside. "At the right time." His arm came to hold around Hyunjin's waist.

They weren't in the spirit world anymore, but back in the living world. "A sun shower…" said Hyunjin, as he looked at the sun rising in the sky as the rain fell down.

"Yes, it's said that when a sun shower happens, a fox wedding is happening at the same time."

"A fox wedding..." he repeated, looking up to the sky. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them. "Our fox wedding."

Yongbok looked at him with a smile before kissing his lips. "Yes," his forehead rested against his. "Now, we will be together forever, until the end of time."

In the back of his mind, the pain he suffered replied, but as he saw Yongbok stand so close to him now, he was able to push it back. He smiled back, choosing to see only the happiness.