After Soojin's cousin left, hesitantly I might add, Soojin led me to her room where we would do research about Gumihos, closing the door. She sat at a chair and opened a strange, square-shaped object that was placed on her small table, pressing a circle that made it light up and emit a strange humming noise. "What is that?" I asked her, slightly frightened by the unknown.

"What is what?" she responded in a confused tone.

"That lit up square on your table." I told her.

"Oh, right. I forgot. You're from a different century..." she blushed, scratching the back of her head. "This is a laptop. The lighted part is the screen. The easiest way I can describe it for you is that it's a machine that can be used for finding information on something we call the internet. It's like a library and much more."

I stared in awe and absorbed all the information she had just given me. "I guess I have more than just myself to learn about."

"Yeah, I guess so, especially if you want to fit in this century. And you might want to start with how you talk." she told me.

"What is wrong with the way I talk?"

"You talk way too proper. It makes you stand out too much. We don't talk the way you do these days. We haven't for quite some time. Just try your best to pay attention to how I talk and it should rub off on you." she said, before turning to her laptop and going onto her internet. "Aha. Here's a good site."

She pointed to characters on the illuminated screen, motioning me to take a look. "I don't understand these characters." I told her.

"You can't read?"

She seemed in complete disbelief and so I explained. "I cannot read your characters. We had our own way of writing. This is completely new to me."

"Oh, right. This writing is a few centuries after your time, isn't it? So you wrote in Hanja?"

"Yes." I nodded. "But how did you know?"

"I love to know these things. I studied art. In ancient Korean art sometimes I see Hanja characters."

"Really now? That's very interesting."

Soojin looked up at me now and smiled. "Look at that. You're already learning to speak like someone from this century. Congratulations. You sure are a fast learner."

"Thank you." I said, feeling my face turn red at this beautiful girl's compliment. I cannot believe I had tried to harm her not too long ago. She was really kind and forgiving, maybe even too much so, but I had no intention of hurting her yet again. Despite her personality, even if I wanted to hurt her, I couldn't. She looked so much like my Hyesun, only even more beautiful, something that I didn't even think could ever be possible. Her complexion was milky smooth and her eyes glimmered like stars in the night sky. Her smile was also something special down from the dimples on her cheeks to her pearly white teeth that sat between her perfectly shaped, welcoming lips. She was like a goddess. Only she was human.

"What is it?" Soojin asked suddenly, bringing my mind back to reality.

"Nothing." I smiled, patting her head. Her hair was so smooth and soft. "Do you think you can teach me your characters?"

"Of course." she told me. "But first, let us find out more about Gumihos."

And so that was what we did. I sat at the corner of Soojin's bed and watched her read for hours on end, listening whenever she said an important fact. Gumihos are usually women, but male Gumihos are not unheard of in China and Japan. We are carnivores and capable of shape shifting into humans. Traditionally, Gumihos are foxes that have lived for 1,000 years, which was my case. A Gumiho usually has a feature that makes his or her true form known. I suppose my eyes were that feature. After finding all these facts, Soojin finally found what I was looking for. A way to become completely human again. She read out loud to me. "It is said that a Gumiho who does not kill or eat humans for 1,000 days can become human. It is also said that a Gumiho can become human if a man, or woman in your case, sees the Gumiho's true nature and can keep it a secret for ten years."

"Perfect." I sighed. "The least amount of time it can take me to become human is 1,000 days. And the most is ten years."

"Well then let us hope for 1,000 days." she told me, getting up and patting my back gently. "That is just under three years. I'm sure if you have lived like this for 1,000 years, you are capable of doing so for three more."

"Okay." I said, soothed by her words and gentle hands against my back.

"Are you hungry?" she asked suddenly. "I am."

"Maybe a little." I told her, remembering that just a few short hours I had tried to eat her.

"Alright, well it's getting late so I'll cook something and you can go shower if you'd like. I take it you have no place to live?"

"Shower?"

She laughed. "Right, you still have much to learn. Here, I'll show you."

She led me to a smaller room inside her own. She pointed to a large bowl and told me it was called a sink, then twisted what she called knobs which made water came down a shiny, round metal thing which she said was a faucet. One side was hot water while the other was cold. She then pointed to another bowl that was closer to the floor. She called it a toilet and said it was where one would do their 'personal business.' After this, she pushed sheets aside to show me this so called "shower." It was like a giant sink. She showed me how to use it and then gave me a towel. "Do you need any clothes? I can borrow some from my dad. My brother and cousin would notice their clothes missing."

"No, thank you." I told her. "I made a friend who gave me some nice clothes like the ones I am wearing now."

"Okay, well I'll let you go and start cooking."

With that, she left and I showered. When I got out of the shower, I wrapped the towel around my waist and opened the bathroom door. The light smell of cooking meat filled the air. I felt a smile fly across my face and headed towards the source. "This smells amazing!" I exclaimed. Soojin turned around with a smile but the moment she looked up at me, she let out a small shriek and turned back around swiftly.

"What is it?!" I asked, slightly panicked.

"You're not wearing any clothes." she told me, looking back for only a moment.

“I am wearing a towel." I informed her, as if she couldn't already see that.

"Yeah, but you're... you're not wearing pants... or a shirt..."

I blushed a bit. "Oh. Does that bother you? I am sorry... I'm sorry."

Soojin turned back around and hesitated before looking back up at me. "It's okay."

"My clothes are here anyway. I forgot about them." I told her, walking over to her table and grabbing my bag from underneath it. "I'll get dressed."

After this awkward situation, I walked back to Soojin's room and put on a new outfit. Now changed, I looked at Soojin's laptop. Then suddenly, I noticed something I hadn't before. The screen of her laptop had the image of Choi Seunghyun. "What are you looking at?" I heard Soojin say suddenly. I turned to see her behind me with a plate of food.

"Do you know him?" I asked, pointing to my new friend's face.

Soojin laughed. "I wish I did. He's so handsome. He is my favorite actor and idol."

"Really now?" I sighed, beginning to feel a bit jealous of my friend. What did he have that I didn't? I walked over to Soojin's vanity and looked into her image reflector. I pushed my bangs up and then looked at my profile. In my own time, I was considered handsome. I was also educated. Many girls would have given up everything to be with me, however, Soojin seemed indifferent.

"I think if I met him I would be so happy." she continued. "I've been his fan since his debut when I was 15. It would be a dream to meet someone like him."

"Really now?" I repeated. I sighed and looked away from the glass-like circle that reflected my face. "Maybe... maybe I could make that happen."

Her eyes showed disbelief but nonetheless they lit up. "How?"

Without saying a word, I reached into my bag and pulled out my friend's autographed CD and handed it to her. Soojin gasped. "How did you get this?"

I couldn't help but laugh at the childish look on Soojin's face. “We are friends." I told her. “He is the one who gave me all these clothes. I am actually supposed to meet him today for his drama shooting. But I supposed we could go tomorrow instead since we are researching how to help me become human again. Would you like to come with me?" Why did I say that? I didn't want to lose the girl that looked like the love of my life to my friend. It would be like losing Hyesun all over again. But I couldn't help it. I liked seeing Soojin smile. Maybe she'd be grateful to me for this and like me even more.

"Absolutely!" Soojin exclaimed. But suddenly her smile faded. "But I have work tomorrow. I work nearly every day."

"Tell your boss that you are still not feeling well." I told her.

"I can't lie. I'm not a liar."

"Please do. I would like to meet with him as soon as possible, as I could not today."

Soojin thought about it for a few minutes. Her forehead creased a bit. "I won't lie." she said finally. "I'll just tell him I need a day off. I don't do that often anyway."

"Perfect." I smiled and then changed the subject. "So... that meat smells amazing."

Soojin smiled and told me to eat. After eating, she asked me again about where I was staying. I told her I had nowhere to stay and so she offered me a room. A secret room. She called it her safe room. It was a room connected to hers by a door hidden behind a moving bookcase. "It's a secret room for emergencies in case someone breaks into my house." she explained. "You can stay here. But please don't make too much noise. And don't come out unless I tell you it's okay. My brother and cousin can't know you're here. They won't allow it and they'll kick you out. Also, don't explore around the room. There is a way to the outside, but I'd rather you go out when I'm with you as a precaution."

I nodded and then looked around the room. "What's that?" I asked, pointing to a large square-shaped object against the wall that looked like Soojin's laptop.

"That's a television. A flat screen." she told me, turning it on. "This is another way people can research. They can also be entertained and informed. You can actually learn how we live in this century through dramas."

I stared at the screen and listened. Suddenly I heard a familiar voice through the flat screen. A male voice singing. Then my friend's face appeared. Choi Seunghyun. "He is really cool." I couldn't help but say.

"Yeah." Soojin sighed. It was the kind of sigh one does when in love. It stung my heart a bit. Similar to the way it stung as I watched Hyesun fall in love with another man. "You're in luck. This drama is re-airing a marathon. It's just started. You can learn a lot from him, so you should definitely watch him. I would watch with you but I am ready for bed. Also, my brother and cousin will be home any minute. Please take care."

I nodded and then looked back at the screen. "Thank you."

"By the way... are you sleeping in those clothes?" Soojin asked suddenly, a few minutes later. I had not even noticed her leave or come back. "They look too nice to sleep in and really uncomfortable to sleep in as well."

"Yes. I am fine."

"Oh. Well just in case, I brought you one of my father's old pajamas. So I guess... this is goodnight."

"Goodnight." I smiled weakly. After she left, I looked down at the sleeping clothes she had left me. They looked soft and comfortable and so I changed into them and then continued to watch my friend's drama, learning every bit I could about life in this century and also admiring my friend. He really was a cool man. I now understood why Soojin liked him so much. Not only that, but he was a kind man and good friend as far as I knew. And Soojin was beautiful and easily likeable. I sincerely hoped that my friend would not fall for Soojin. I really did.