1. EH Return

I crossed the borders of a country I haven´t visited for three years. The inhabitants told me that the summer was coming but it honestly didn´t feel any different from winter or other seasons. Maybe I needed only one less sweater than the last time. The surroundings were picturesque and my mind once again slipped into thinking, that this was the most peaceful place on earth. Green fields and even greener meadows looked like a green sea and small houses and farms settled around the dusty road felt homey. I was sure that if I knocked on any of these blue and red painted doors, they would open like arms of a mother. Yet I didn´t try as there was a certain door in my mind. I wouldn´t knock on any other.

A wooden sign informed me that the village I was looking for was only short walk away and I quickened my pace to be there before the sun sets. When I stepped inside the village, all dogs began barking. They might have remembered my smell or maybe they simply caught onto who I really was. I even thought of taking on a different form, only to make them shut up. Alarmed villagers were peeking from their windows but nobody yet dared to greet me. I grinned, a small community like that was hospitable but wary. I didn´t blame them as I was a foreigner in black long coat with wild eyes. Chuckling for myself, I decidedly walked to the big house near the end of the village. Knock on the door or try the window again? The door was it.

“Good evening,” I greeted the older woman that opened for me. At first, she seemed confused so I lowered the scarf around my neck in order to show her my face. She recognised me.

“Eunhyuk!” She seemed flustered. “It´s been three years already?” She laughed awkwardly and she opened the door wider for me. I walked inside.

“Yes, the time flies,” I told her. The house was exactly the same as this whole country, never-changing. Everything looked and smelled the same as I remembered, my sharp senses not finding anything out of place. That means I´m just in time for men to come back from the workshop.

“Would you like a cup of tea or rather lemonade?” The lady of the house got used to my presence and was offering me various refreshments. I told her that anything from her would be great, even going as far as comparing her cooking to delicatessens I ate in the palace on the east. For the good choice of my words I was given her homemade lemonade and even biscuits with jam. That jam-

“They are coming,” I said when my ears picked a quiet sound. My hands abandoned the plate with biscuits, my legs straightening. I was shaking with expectation, my eyes glued to the front door. I shouldn´t be this nervous, I thought. It´s only Donghae.

“Hey, mom,” a man with curly brown hair entered after his father. “What, a guest?” He was speaking with his mother, I couldn´t even move. Donghae? This person? Can´t be.

“Hyuk-,” Donghae saw me standing in the room but the black man suddenly disappeared from his sight. Instead it was a big silver wolf running to him.

Donghae´s father escaped to the kitchen and mom yelped aloud startled. Donghae made only one step back before I appeared next to him. I needed to sniff him, I couldn´t believe those poor human eyesof mine. This man was Donghae? That childish young boy who wanted to see the world? No, certainly not, this man was different. A little bit taller, yet still shorter than me by a few inches. Muscular arms and sturdy thighs, broad chest and strong jaw. He wasn´t that big of a man but definitely bigger than the last time I saw him. How old was Donghae when we looked for the treasure island together? How old was he now? I was confused and Donghae felt it. Bending to me, he rubbed me behind my ears.

“Are you happy to see me or not?” He asked. Even his voice was deeper.

“I am,” I growled, “just that I couldn´t recognise you.” After that I took on my human form again and Donghae suddenly embraced me, squeezing me with those strong arms. I was shocked, failing to react anyhow.

“I already forgot about that werewolf friend of yours,” Donghae´s father returned but didn´t go very close. Still he tried to smile at me out of politeness.

“Eunhyuk is not a werewolf, those don´t exist. Eunhyuk is a morpheles, he can take more than just one animal form like a deer and mouse and bear,” Donghae explained.

“Actually,” I turned to him, “I changed my repertoire quite drastically.”

„Really? Show me!” He inquired but Donghae´s mother stopped him from embarrassing me because the dinner was apparently ready.

But through the whole meal, the atmosphere in the peaceful house was awkward. Donghae´s parents were unsettled, glancing here and there, gesturing secretly between themselves. Donghae was talking, this thing about him didn´t change. I also wasn´t in my skin, glancing at Donghae all the time, trying to understand that change. I was the morpheles here, wasn´t I?

After the meal, Donghae took me to his room. I sat down on his bed and my memory brought out the first time I came here, jumping through the window from the garden. I was looking at the bedding, green as the meadows, at pictures and maps stuck to the wall, at Donghae´s magical diary filled with miscellaneous knowledge. I breathed in but it felt off again, Donghae´s smell was more intensive.

“Why does it seem like you don´t want to be here?” He asked me from his seat in front of the desk.

“No,” I sighed, “I was just thinking that three years were a long time.”

“I was already expecting you,” Donghae changed the topic, “I have everything prepared already. We could go even tomorrow if we decided!” He was excitedly showing me a backpack that he had under the desk. “I´m much better prepared this time, you will be surprised, Hyuk!”

“Are you sure?” I asked him. I half expected to come here only for a meal or something. I didn´t believe Donghae would want to go on a journey again. This country was perfect for him, safe and sound. Why would he want to throw himself in another danger?

“Yeah! I had something about the city in my notebook but I asked around too. I´m sure I can find it, I found the treasure island before too, after all. Only there wasn´t any gold there at that time. It will be different with the city of gods,” Donghae´s mouth was like a windmill, it didn´t stop until he ran out of breath.

“The city of gods,” I mumbled, “how much are you going to pay me, Donghae?” I said with a solemn face. “My guide services are now even more expensive, I raised the price.”

Donghae suddenly stilled, he was looking at me with questioning eyes. My words were like a cold bucket of water, he realised that something was wrong with me. It was quiet in the room for a long time, I was watching him with my beastly eyes, the long coat I was wearing was lying on his bed. But this Donghae wasn´t the same as I remembered him, he didn´t shake in his boots.

“Just see if you can take me to the city of gods and then we can talk about price, Eunhyuk.”

Finally, it´s here, everyone. The story you´ve been hopefully waiting for! Eunhyuk and Donghae are about to begin another adventure but why is it so awkward? Do you want me to continue? Thank you and have a nice day! - PandaHero