Gumiho.

Hello, I am Park Shinhye.

Shinhye is a beautiful name, isn't it,

I don't remember when I lived. Joseon Dynasty or somewhere in the later dynasties, oe even world War II. I been serving as gumiho for years. Thousands of years, nah. Not that long about a couple of centuries. When I turned older, I may becaome the top ranking fox deity in the future just like My memntor, Jung Ji hyun. To me, she is my mentor, never is the strict Song hye-kyo. Both are good sisters. I remmbered the happy days under the guidance of the once top ranking fox deity, Jihyun, But it changed. Something happened. That period of time was hectic. All I knew was she broke a law, a deadly law.She was sent to the heaven's prison, imprisoned for eternal. I never seen her for long since that day her sentence was gave. She was silently carried to the prison. From then on, the only day I would see her is the day of every June 19, her birthday, Her birthday, she was allowed few hours of meeting with me. We could talk and laugh. Song Hye-kyo became the top fox deity and trained us hard. She was formidable but her icy heart was difficult to please and I did not favour her. Her dark eyes constantly trained me to stay alert. Due to that, she always told me that I was the fruit of labour of Jihyun and her. She cannot let me do something wrong, she would definitely made me the best candidate for fox deity And no matter how I asked what went wrong with Mentor, her icy heart seemed to be smashed into pieces, she only muttered that she did something deadly and I am not supposed to know about it.

Today was just a beautiful day. I looked at the charts for best candidates for fox deity. And then my name was as usual on the top. Many envied how fox deity actually favoured me and though they saw me as a competitor, they were still clear minded and treated me like a sister. And for the male gumiho, I always felt that something must be wrong with the charts. How could... How could... Jonghyun be the top of the list? Jonghyun is super annoying and always get into trouble and was ever muddlehead. But all female gumiho said he was the most handsome and cute one. Hahah. Kinda true. I thought so too. He had a really refined look and surprisingly he always completed his tasks on time. He sang well and he was my best friend actually. But maybe i was too close to him , that I never fely my heart fluttering like others when I looked into his eyes. Hye-kyo mentor said he would most likely be my fiance. I was shocked. She said only best male and female gumiho could marry each other and birth a gumiho.

I never think this idea is revolting or what, Just weird. Weird. Jonghyun? Ehhh, Give me some time.

Just as I was wondering away in my thoughts, i could hear Sohyun running into the heaven garden where I was staring at the flowers. She ran over to me and told me to go to the Hye-kyo chamber, I did as told with her. 

"Hye,Shinhye."her habit in calling me was just weird too.

I nodded as she picked herself up from the grand looking chair and with the lightest smile, she said,"Shin hye, you can go the mortal world now with your seniors! You can help all of the people in the mortal world, your chances of being the successor would be boosted greatly!"

I just shrugged. Till now, I could not understand her weridness and obsession in insisiting me as a successor of her position.

She continued, "Your mission... Is Jung... Yong Hwa."she picked up a card and showed to me. A guy rather good looking appeared in the card. He was seen sulking away, looking at the guitar he had in his hand. I realised tthat he was in a room. With a poster on the wall. A girl poster...Hmmm. SUspicious.

Hye kyo could read my mind and of course told me to leave for the mortal soon to see the world,I nodded. I was sent down with a few seniors. Some male gumiho. It was not long that I realised Jonghyun was sent before me to another person. 

I wandered on the streets. 

In my faintest  memory when I was a human once, I could see girls in hanbok everywhere.But now, I see nothing similar to what I had in my human memory, Just people, pretty girls in some light shirts and cute while in the meantime short jeans. Time must have changed. Exactly how many years did I exist? And when did I died and became a gumiho?

I wandered on the streets. 

Then surprisingly, the heaven who sent me a light bag was filled with many items.

A gadget...Hmmm. Is it the one that the girl across of the streets is using to... wait? She talking to another person over this thing? Wow. Human are good inventors!

I fumbled with it. I was a quick learner and I mananged to figure the functions of the phone. I searched through the bag and found umbrella, torchlight ,a bunch of keys, three cards and a pouch with money. Also, other things, etc...

I was unsure of the cards. I immediately observed humans. There are a few machines...Then people are putting in these cards, and wow. they got money from the machine? The card they are using resembles the orange card I had in my hand.

Then this white card...? I walked on the streets and finally saw a department store with the same characters like on the card.

Gangnam Hope Department Store

It is an elegant place, a mall. I sauntered in. I was surprsingly greeted by some random people who were wearing uniforms. the phone beeped. I took it out of my bag and looked at it. A message. I opened it and out it came... 

Park Shin Hye

Secretary of Deputy head of Gangnam Hope Department Store

Known to be capable 

I shrugged. So that my human profile.

I nodded and put it back into my bag. Then I saw...Omo. Is...IS..BARO sunbaenim!

"Yo." He cstood in front of me and acted casually. 

"I am Deputy head of Gangname Hope." He explained,"I am specifically one of the trainers for gumiho."

Oh. So he was supposed to help me. I followed after him. We went into a big office.He started explaining what role I should have in the company. He told me the uses of the card I had in my wallet and many things I got in my suitcase. He gave me a card where my address in written inside.

"About my mission..." I asked but he stopped me,"I am not supposed to help you about that, I only helped you in blending into the humans."

I nodded sadly. Independence? That a bit too much since this world is too...different.

He nodded.

"And this card."he raised the transparent card,"It changes colour. danger will be red. Black would be telling you to avoid. Pink will tell you done well."

"Others?" I asked, he smirked,"You will know it later."

I nodded.

"Ground rules." he said,"Must be strengthened."

Rules... Argh. Hate them.

"First. "He smiled,"No interfering with lives of many humans. Don't cause an event to stop because of you."

"Next. Do help others when they asked you. "

"Thirdly, never ever respond to humans when they questioned about your identity."

I blinked."Why? What if.."

"We would settle that. By all means, Leave it to your trainers."

I nodded. Strict, huh?

"Lastly, one thing. ImportANT." he said. "NEVER EVER fall in LOVE with a human."

He leaned in and said," You won't want to break this law. "

I nodded, intimidated by him. "Because. I will tell you one day if you do fall i love with a human, how Jung Jihyun, your mentor was imprisoned for life."

I swallowed hard. I raised from the chair,"She broke it?"

He did not respond. He just quietly smiled. And then he got serious,"She got high expectations on you. Do well. She never want you to end up like her."

He turned and told me to report for work the next day. I nodded and left. 

For goodness sake, Baro is killing me with all these suspense!

"Hi. Ms Park." the security guard of my apartment building smiled at me which I smiled back.

I pressed the lift button. And was fascinated when I reached 18 storey, Humans...

I entered the house and then the sky turned dark. Wearily, I rested against a bed in a room.

I stared at my transparent card. It turned purple. I rubbed my eyes. Then it was gone. What does it signify? I think i should ask tomorrow.

But just as I want to put the card away, Yonghwa's face flashed ont he card. I was urprised. It was a guy in hanbok, olden days hanbok, he was hgging a girl who had her back facing me. He was crying. What?! What does it mean...? I frowned, Was that... a warning or...? URGH. I should ask tomorrow, I yawned and put the card away.

Just as Shinhye was quietly sleeping in the mortal world, Jihyun felt a shiver.

She saw something. A dark purple cloud fluttered into her prison. She stared at it. It was dismissed but then later a image appeared, a guy smiling at a girl who had her back facing her."I won't leave."

WHAT? She got a feeling, it is an omen. WHat did it say? Who is the woman. And that guy? Will he threaten the heavens? And... why did he look so familiar?