The first thing that Hyungseob noticed when he woke up was warmth. Warmer even than his mother’s tent during the cold winter months, before he and Woojin had moved out. The second was that his body ached, his arms and legs were leaden, and he imagined that if he tried to move they would fall right off. His eyes felt glued shut, but after working for a while he was able to open them, only to see nothing but pink. He tried to focus, but couldn’t make out what he was looking at, his vision still blurry. Hyungseob wondered for a moment if he really had died, or maybe he had gone blind and this is what he had to look at for the rest of his life.

If this was what death was, it sure had comfortable clothes. He was covered by a blanket, but even then he could feel soft pants, softer than any he had worn in his life. If this is some compensation for everything I'm sure not complaining. The blanket on top of him was also soft, everything seemed to be soft and comfortable in the afterlife. If there wasn't a confusing pink thing with him he might consider it perfect.

Whatever the pink blob was began to move, and soon Hyungseob found himself looking into the face of a very furry, smelly “thing”. It looked like when the younger wolves tried to shift but got stuck half way. Hyungseob realized that whatever “it” was probably waiting for him to say something. “Um, hello?” Hyungseob’s voice was scratchy and hoarse, “Who are you?” the thing grunted in response, so Hyungseob kept on, “Where am I? Did you bring me here?” Did he hear footsteps from somewhere around him in this- tent? It wasn’t made of cloth like the one’s of his clan, but he sure wasn’t in a cave. Hyungseob’s eyebrows knitted together, “Wood?” The footsteps grew nearer.

“Um, I don’t mean to pry, but are you talking to my pig?” Hyungseob’s head snapped to where the voice came from. A boy stood in the room now. He smelled strange, not like any of the boys from Hyungseob's clan. This boy smelled like flowers, and the sun, and a thousand other things he had never even heard of. His face looked kind, but Hyungseob knew what could hide behind kind faces. Just to be on the safe side Hyungseob let out a low growl, hoping that this stranger wouldn't know that Hyungseob doubted that he could even raise his arm, let alone fight.

Apparently, his message was heard loud and clear though because the boy quickly stumbled back with his hands raised. Emboldened by this small victory Hyungseob decided to question this boy, obviously his pink friend was much less talkative. “Who are you?” he barked out. The boy retreated even further into the background. Hyungseob got a much better view of the space he was in, it was like a box, a big one, even bigger than his father’s chests. On the far side of the box was a fire, and on the other side was the boy. The pink thing hung close to Hyungseob, and looking down he realized he was in one of the most comfortable mats he had ever laid on. There was only one of them in the box, and Hyungseob suddenly felt a little bad about being so mean to the boy, he must have given him his mat.

“Listen, I’m not going to hurt you if that’s what you're worried about.” The boy began, voice trembling, “I found you by the bank of the river, and you looked hurt. I’m sorry if I should’ve just left you alone. You've been asleep for a few days, but you're free to go anytime, I'm not keeping you captive.” Hyungseob could feel the fear coming off the boy in waves, this was the first time anyone had ever actually been afraid of him. He refused to meet Hyungseob’s gaze, and Hyungseob wondered how he looked at that moment. He imagined he looked fearsome and commanding, someone that his father would be proud of. Somehow the thought didn’t sit as well with him.

Taking pity on the boy, he decided that honey would work better than vinegar right now. Especially because whether he knew it or not, the boy had complete control of the situation. If he wanted to kill him right now, Hyungseob doubted he could do much about it, seeing as how the simple action of moving his head sent a painful jolt right through the center of his brain.

“Hey, hey, I’m not gonna hurt you either. I’m sorry for scaring you.” The boy seemed unconvinced, so Hyungseob continued, “Even if I wanted to, I feel like a light breeze could end me so please, don't think I’m gonna leap out of this mat and kill you.” At this the boy seemed to relax a little bit more and began creeping closer to Hyungseob, stopping a few feet away, prepared to run if Hyungseob so much as moved a finger. At this distance, Hyungseob could tell that the boy was probably younger than him, or maybe he wasn't, maybe he only looked like it and he was actually a thousand years old. Hyungseob was so out of his element nothing would surprise him now.

“Could you tell me why I am in a box, and why your friend looks so strange?”

The boy’s eyes widened and he squawked out a laugh, “Um, excuse me what?!”

“I asked why I am in a box and why your friend looks like he got stuck mid shift, pretty understandable questions, given the circumstances.” Hyungseob shot back indignantly.

“Um well firstly you aren’t in a box, you’re in- well I mean, you’re in my room, and it may be a little small but it’s no box!” The boy crossed his arms, definitely not afraid of Hyungseob anymore. “Secondly, shift? He’s a pig I don’t know how he could “shift” to anything, let along get stuck in between.” He took a few steps closer to Hyungseob, knelt down and felt his forehead before he could think better of it, “Is your head okay? You don’t have a fever but you were pretty beat up when I found you.”

“I mean I feel like I lost a wrestling match with a boulder, but I’ll live.” He brought his attention back to the “pig”, “So he just looks like that?”

The boy pulled back, and sat down in front of Hyungseob “Yep! His name’s Sprout, by the way.” Sprout grunted at this.

Hyungseob was able to get a better view of it now, and it was huge, easily bigger than him in either form and maybe even bigger than Woojin. Hairy too, with crossed eyes and giant ears perched on top of its head. “He doesn't look like a sprout to me, he’s the whole tree!”

“Hey! Don't insult him, he’s sensitive!” The boy crossed his arms again and pouted. Definitely a child then. Probably.

“Could I at least know the name of the owner of the biggest animal I've ever seen, who lives in a box, and kidnaps people that he finds passed out on river banks?” Hyungseob fluttered his eyelashes for comedic effect, causing the boy to scoff.

“It's still a room, not a box, and my name is Lee Euiwoong, and like I said, I didn't kidnap you, you're free to leave whenever you like.”

“Like I said, I didn't kidnap you, you're free to leave whenever you like. Also, still a room, not a box.” The boy flashed a coy smile, “The name is Lee Euiwoong.”

“Come again?”

“What?”

“I'm sorry it's just I've never met someone whose name is the sound of someone throwing up.”

His eyes flashed with anger, “Don't test me, I dragged you out of the ravine, I can throw you right back in.” He sighed, “Of course the first person I decide to help turns out to be a jerk!” The boy- Euiwoong- stood up and stalked off to the other corner of the room. “Yeah yeah, laugh it up! Haha, right?! Let's make fun of our savior's name! I guess you must be feeling all better if you feel up to tormenting me, how would you feel if I kicked you out now, huh? I bet that would feel great!” Euiwoong huffed and looked at anything but the boy on the mat.

“Listen, I'm sorry, I've just never heard a name like that. Please don't get angry, if you leave I think Sprout is gonna eat me!” Hyungseob whined, doing his best imitation of grabby hands even though he was pretty sure every bone in his hands was broken.

Euiwoong sighed and took his spot back near Hyungseob. “Anyways you never told me your name, either.”

“Ah, I’m Hyungseob!” Euiwoong starts laughing hysterically, grabbing at his stomach and pointing. “Hey! What’s so funny about that!”

“Nothing, it's just now you know how it feels.” Euiwoong settled back into his seat, obviously very pleased with himself. Immature too, I see. “So, Heong Seop-”

“Hyungseob.”

“Sorry, Hyungseob, how did you even get here? I've never seen you, and I know everyone in this village. I assume you aren't human, so what are you? You said something about shift, so fairy? Or maybe a mermaid, wait don't tell me, you're a dragon!” Euiwoong’s eyes lit up at this, and he stared down at Hyungseob in anticipation, as if he expected him to start breathing flames, or sprout wings.

“Wolf, I’m a werewolf.”

Euiwoong raised a bemused eyebrow, “I'm sure you are, and I’m the Great Giant Bilmidor, slayer of Kirsot the Black.”

“You're Bilmidor?! I thought you would be taller! Or is this the work of the trickster nymph, Eiersodi?! Is that why you're in the mountains? You're waiting for your apprentice Semadil to find a cure, aren't you! But then why are you going by Euiwoong? Is it so that word doesn't get out that Great Bilmidor is small and weak, causing your old rival Timisor the Corrupt to attempt to slay you for once and all?!” Looking back at Euiwoong, Hyungseob noticed that the boy’s eyes had glazed over slightly, “Hello? Bilmidor?”

“Hyungseob?” Hyungseob nodded eagerly, We’re gonna have to work on your sarcasm detection.”

“Yes sir, Bilmidor!” Euiwoong swore his soul was about to leave his body.

“I’m Euiwoong, you're not a werewolf, and it's it's probably time to eat, you're hungry aren't you?” Of course the moment he said that, Hyungseob’s stomach grumbled, loudly. That was all the answer Euiwoong needed, and he left the room with Sprout waddling in tow.

Hyungseob wondered what else there was besides this room. What if this room was just a room within another room? Or maybe they were far below the earth, and the sun had never touched this wood. Looking around Hyungseob saw a big stool, with a piece of wood on the back of it, like the supportive beds pregnant women in his clan sometimes used, except this wood went straight up and down. I wonder if that’s an expecting bed too? Can Euiwoong give birth? The thought caused him to shudder, and he went no further with that train of thought. On the other side of the room, opposite the strange stool was a blanket hanging on the wall by a rod. It reminded Hyungseob of the tent flaps that the older women would always decorate with intricate stitching and colorful beads. It was too far off the ground to be a tent cover, so he added that to the already very long list of things he needed to ask Euiwoong.

“Dinner’s ready!” Euiwoong walked back into the room holding two steaming bowls of something. He set one down in front of Hyungseob and his mouth immediately started to water. Hyungseob couldn’t place most of the smells, but all he knew was that he wanted it in his mouth now.

“Euiwoong!” He whined, “What is that and why aren’t I already eating it!”

Euiwoong chuckled, “It’s just some soup, calm down.”

Hyungseob tried to sit up, but grimaced in pain, “Woongie!” He whined, “It hurts! But I want soup!”

Euiwoong laughed at his childish companion, “Woongie, huh? We haven’t even known each other for a day and already the nicknames.” Hyungseob rolled his eyes and laid back down again. Euiwoong settled himself on the floor again and decided to feed the both of them.

They ate in silence for a while before Hyungseob’s curiosity got the better of him, “Woong? Why do you have a pregnancy stool in your room?”

Euiwoong eyes bulged, and he choked on his mouthful, “H-Hyungseob, what?!” He sputtered, clutching his neck.

“Your stool over there,” Hyungseob pointed as best he could, given the circumstances, “It’s for pregnancies right? That’s why it has the back on it! Though why is it straight up and down? Don’t pregnant people like to recline?” He paused for a moment, seemingly planning what he was going to say next, meanwhile Euiwoong tried to clean up the soup that lay in a puddle around him. “Euiwoong, can you get pregnant?” The soup spilled again as Euiwoong jerked his  head towards the boy in his bed.

“Hyungseob, what?!” He looked at the boy as though he had just grown another head, “Hyungseob, that’s a chair that you sit on. Pregnant or not.”

“Well then why does it have a back?”

“Why shouldn’t it?! Where do you come from where chairs don’t have backs?!”

“The valley,” Hyungseob stated simply, “We aren’t lazy, and can sit straight without help.”

“Well excuse me for wanting to be comfortable when I sit down.” Euiwoong grumbled.

They began to eat again in comfortable silence until, “Euiwoong why do you have a tent flap on your wall?” Euiwoong sputtered and spat for the second time that day.

“Seob, would you stop doing that?!” Euiwoong wiped his chin, glaring at Hyungseob.

“Seob, huh? We haven't even known each other for a day and already with the nicknames.” This earned him another glare from Euiwoong. “Seriously though, what is that thing?” gesturing to the “tent flap”.

“Hyungseob that’s a curtain,” Euiwoong stood up, walking over to the offending article, “It blocks out the sun.” With that he grasped the fabric and yanked, blanketing the room in bright light.

“Woong, what the heck?!’ Hyungseob screwed his eyes tightly shut, covering his head with his blanket, “Stop it! It burns!”

Euiwoong chuckled, and tightly pulled the curtains back together again, “That, Seob, is sunlight here in the mountains. Specifically the “Midnight Sun”, it’s never dark here this time of year.”

Hyungseob peaked his head out again, “So when do you sleep?”

“When we’re tired.” Euiwoong said simply. Hyungseob nodded, head filled with a thousand questions. Euiwoong seemed to sense this and set their soup far away, he’d had enough of choking that night.

The barrage started simply enough, “Where am I?”

“In my house, in a village called Résoro.”

“Résoro?” Hyungseob cocked a confused eyebrow.

“Named after Némoro Résoro, he was a wizard guy who hiked up this mountain a few thousand years ago and dropped dead here a day afterwards. It's why we can grow plants up here, or something like that.”

“I think I knew a Résoro once…” Mused Hyungseob, eyes lost in thought.

“Probably, there’s like ten of them in this village, popular name here. I assume your “valley” is nearby, wouldn't surprise me if it was one of ours that you've met.”

“Probably..” Hyungseob's eyebrows knotted in deep thought, as though he was trying to call forth some long forgotten memory. Nothing came from it though, so he focused back on his host.

“Anyway, my question now. Where is your valley? You keep talking about it, but I know every nook and cranny near here and there’s no valley.”

Hyungseob’s eyes lit up in delight, though many of his memories from the valley were unpleasant, the valley itself was one of the things he loved most in this world. “Ah! I’m not sure exactly where it is, but it lies between two mountains, that a river runs through, so we get water! It’s spectacular, there’s even one part of it completely covered in purple flowers, and then near the river there's trees everywhere! There’s some plains where the young boys hunt, but I never liked it...”, He purposely left out the part about the old lady, and all the magical creatures he had dreamed up as a kid, “Near the center is where our camp is, and to the north it opens up more, and there are other clans, though we were never close with them.” Hyungseob paused to catch his breath, while Euiwoong raised an incredulous eyebrow.

“We? Who all else lived with you?” Hyungseob could tell that Euiwoong wasn’t taking him seriously.

“Well there were the tentmakers, and the warriors, and the teachers. All kinds of people really, the people who cooked, the people who sewed clothes, the people who hunted, though they were usually also warriors.” Hyungseob paused for a minute, eyes seeming suddenly very far away, “And then there was my family, my mom, dad, and Woojin.” He said no more after that, and Euiwoong decided not to press, he knew what that silence usually meant.

Euiwoong decided to clean up and call it a night after that. He was in the process of washing their bowls when, “Euiwoong!” Even in another room Hyungseob's voice was loud and clear, his voice seemed to be specially made to whine.

“Seob, what is it?” Euiwoong tried not to sound as exasperated as he felt, but it was hard when his guest was so time consuming. He walked in to find Hyungseob haphazardly tucked in, with only his head peaking out from under the blanket.

“Euiwoong, where are you gonna sleep? This is your room after all.” Hyungseob looked so genuinly worried, that Euiwoong couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Where I’ve slept for the last few days Seob, in the kitchen.” It was warm in the kitchen, that’s where the main fire was, so Euiwoong really couldn’t complain as long as he kept it clean.

Hyungseob’s distress only seemed to mount after that comment, “Woongie! That’s a horrible place to sleep!”

“Seob, do you even know what a kitchen is?” Euiwoong crossed his arms as he leaned on the door frame, waiting for his answer.

“No, but I know that it can’t be better than this! Euiwoong, it’s so comfortable! You didn’t even know me, how could you ever give this up!” Euiwoong let out a bemused laugh, Hyungseob’s complete lack of knowledge of pretty much anything would be annoying, if it wasn’t so funny. Maybe his valley story was true after all.

“Hyungseob it’s fine, I don’t mind, really.” Euiwoong was really too tired to deal with his toddler of a guest having a tantrum over sleeping arrangements. He’d been awake pretty much nonstop the last few days, with the exception of a few naps here and there, waiting for Hyungseob to wake up. Granted the thin air up in the mountains meant that he didn’t need that much sleep to begin with, but he could feel the lack taking its toll.

“It’s not though…” Hyungseob’s puppy eyes were the thing that finally did him in. Curse whoever made him a sap.

“Would it make you feel better if I slept in here?”  

“Yes please!” This is a bad idea Euiwoong, the murderer option is still on the table. But nobody could ever say Euiwoong was cold hearted. He gathered his blankets and pillow and brought it all into the room. As he was setting  up his makeshift bed he could feel Hyungseob's eyes on him.

It wasn't until he was comfortable and slowly drifting off that Hyungseob finally broke the silence, “Euiwoong?”

“What?” He didn't want to be annoyed with Hyungseob but he had wanted to be asleep a half hour ago before he’d been forced to move, and his patience was thin, to say the least.

“Where are your parents?”

Euiwoong sighed, “There are wolves in the forest who fear nothing, Hyungseob.”