He wanted to panic, but he thought, what was the point, no one was going to hear him anyways. He sat there staring at her with wandering eyes, not knowing what to do. He finally decided to go find help, but before he could, a monk rushed in and bumped him. He fell and instantly hit the filthy floor.

 

“JAEKYUNG, are you okay? Is it time?” the monk asked.

 

She nodded her head in pain. She began to scream even louder as she clenched onto the monk’s hand as he stood by her side.

 

He got up from the floor and walked out, believing she was already being helped. Heartless, yes. But it wasn’t any of his business anyways. As he was walking away, something stopped him, telling him to go back and help. Maybe it was his conscious, but all he knew was that he had to go back to make sure everything was okay.

 

He shouldn’t have come back.

 

Her eyes were luminous bright blue.

 

He should have walked away.

 

A white glowing tail started to form, and slowly, more appeared.

 

He counted them.

 

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight.

 

“N-nine?” the man stuttered as his eyes widened, “G-g-gumiho.”

 

The man quickly turned around to run out, but the monk stopped him, “Stay, if you want to live.”

 

 

An hour passed and she was still going through labor as her face was still as pale as ever. He never believed in mythical creatures before, until today. And based from his knowledge, he always assumed gumihos were capable of doing anything, even giving birth. He looked over at her to see how weak she looked. He suddenly had the urge to help her in some way, but he thought, what could be do? If he were to hold her hand, she would probably claw him to death. If he were to help the monk, he would have probably fainted. If he were to —

 

“Towel, hurry!” the monk hollered.

 

He quickly handed the monk a towel as he watched Jaekyung in pain, and at that moment, he felt something strange. He wanted to protect her, help her in any way he could. There was a feeling of responsibility, which he couldn’t fully understand. He knew he had to do something, he just didn’t know what.

 

What could a human possibly do for a gumiho?

 

 

“You did it Jaekyung. You really did it,” Monk Seon sighed in relief as he smiled at the baby, “She has your eyes and lips, and her father’s nose.”

 

He walked towards the man and as he approached him, the man quickly stood up and bowed.

 

“Who are you?” Monk Seon asked.

 

“Kijoon. Um Kijoon.”

 

The monk nodded. “I’m Monk Seon. I first want to thank you. Thanks to you, she will be able to live a little longer.”

 

His eyes widen from what he said, but before he could ask anything further, Jaekyung interrupted him.

 

One of her tails disappeared.

 

“Monk Seon… my child…” she said weakly.

 

Monk Seon immediately turned around and handed her the child.

 

“It’s a girl,” he said smiling, “What are you going to name her?”

 

Another disappeared.

 

Jaekyung thought for a moment and smiled, “Jaemi. Gu Jaemi,” she said.

 

“Jaemi, waeyo?” Monk Seon asked.

(Note: Jaemi means “fun” in Korean)

 

And another.

 

“Because… I want my daughter to grow up having fun… not worrying all the time like me,” she answered, managing to laugh a little.

 

Jaekyung looked over Monk Seon’s shoulder to see Kijoon standing there. With just one look, she nodded her head. The monk looked at Kijoon then back at her and he nodded his head to let her know he understood.

 

She looked up at her tails to see only one remaining, but it was slowly fading away. Almost out of breath, Jaekyung turned to Monk Seon, “How many?” she asked.

 

He checked her left ear and saw nothing. He turned to check her right ear, but stopped as he stared in shock with no change in his expression.

 

“There’s—there’s only eight,” Monk Seon hesitated.

 

Her eyes widened, but her body was too weak to panic, “Mwoh!? How… how can there only be eight? The ninth one should have shown up by now, how…”

 

Silence.

 

Monk Seon closed his eyes, trying to hold back his tears. When he finally opened his eyes again, Jaekyung’s body was gone—the spirits had already taken her body. He held Jaemi in his arms and walked outside to where Kijoon was standing.

 

“Follow me,” he demanded.

 

They continued around the forest until they reached Monk Seon’s cabin. He went into his book room and carefully placed Jaemi down in his hammock.

 

“Please, sit. Would you like some tea?” he offered.

 

Kijoon sat down, “No I’m fine, but what did you want to talk to me about?” he asked.

 

“Everything.”

 

Kijoon gave him a puzzled look, but didn’t say a word.

 

(Storytime!)

“I had a best friend, Park Byungho. He was a typical guy who wasn’t interested in love at all,” Monk Seon lightly chuckled, “Typical, huh? But fun was all that mattered to him. That was until he met Gu Jaekyung. I knew she meant trouble for him. She was a gumiho, and I knew that. However, during that time, villagers were out on the hunt for the last living gumiho. They wanted to get rid of all the so-called ‘dangerous creatures’. I warned Byungho, but he didn’t listen. He snuck out and went to the woods to find Jaekyung. The villagers were out there—hunting—and he knew. They heard rustling in the bushes then…” he took a long paused, “He was gone. He snuck out to protect Jaekyung since she was pregnant. After that day, I began to despise her. Everyone, including myself, saw gumihos as a threat and a monster. However, I soon got to know Jaekyung and realized that she wasn’t like the other gumihos we all thought we knew. That’s why Byungho loved her so much. She was different. Each gumiho has their own unique power and skill. Jaekyung’s was ilsin—renewal, life (e.g making plants grow). All female gumihos who give birth dies, and the baby is where the new life starts. Because of this, many gumihos kill their child before their tails could disappear, but not Jaekyung. To her, this was a way for her and Byungho. She wanted her child to live as their symbol of love,” he looked over at Jaemi, “But I’m afraid she won’t be able to grow any time soon.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“You see that gumiho mark behind Jaemi’s right ear? There are only eight tails—the ninth tail is still missing—and until that last tail appears, she won’t be able to grow up,” he turned back to Kijoon, “She will have to stay a baby forever.”

 

“Why are you telling this?” Kijoon asked, almost speechless.

 

“Because… I want you to take care of Jaemi.”

 

“What? Me? Why would you want me to take care of the child? Can’t you take care of her?” Kijoon asked back bewilderedly.

 

Monk Seon slightly tilted his head down, “It wasn’t my choice, it was Jaekyung’s. She wants you to be Jaemi’s guardian.”

 

Kijoon looked over at Jaemi and stared at her for a long time.

 

“So… are you willing to take care of Jaemi?” Monk Seon asked again.