In This Life • Tale Of The Nine Tailed • Lee Rang

Chapter 13

10 Years Ago

It had been two months since Lee Yeon's return from death...and two months since Lee Rang's sacrifice. Nam Jia rolled over on the bed to find the spot next to her cold and empty, the last time she checked, she fell asleep with Yeon by her side and it was still dark outside.

Strolling out of their bedroom, she headed towards the living area. Sighing in relief to see the backside of her husband on the couch.

Approaching carefully from behind, she could hear the sniffs and hitches, and see the way his body jolted ever so slightly, "Yeon?"

Caught off guard by her presence, Yeon hastily collected himself, wiping the tears away with his sleeve and putting on a not-so-reassuring smile, "Oh-uhm hey"

"What's wrong?", Jia asked worriedly, settling down besides him

Yeon shook his head lightly, "Nothing, just...you know, thinking about Rangie"

Jia bit the insides of her lip, Lee Rang became a topic of pain and sorrow. No one knew how to talk about it nor did anyone know how to console the loss. All she could see in Yeon's eyes were despair and remorse, Rang was more than a brother to him. For over 600 years, Lee Yeon had raised him, taught him the skills to survive, gave him a home, care and love. And with the flow of time, they created their own story. A story with kinship, brotherhood, war, hatred, misunderstandings, and forgiveness. Besides Ah Eum, Lee Rang was the only person who managed to melt the mountain spirit's frozen heart.

"I'm a terrible hyung", Yeon confessed with a sigh, " I should've known better"

"You meant the world to him. It's hard to fulfil the expectations entailed by such views.", Jia assured, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder to make him turn to her, "Even you, Lee Yeon, a celestial fox and mountain spirit."

"All this wasted time...If I had told him sooner that I never abandoned him...that I never once forgot about him...", the Gumiho choked

"Better than not telling him at all, right? Even if your time together was short-lasted afterwards."

"I promised him that I would never leave him...I betrayed his trust. Rang was just a small child, and I was his only shelter from harm...And I just left.", Yeon's criticism towards himself did not seem to cease no matter what Jia said, "I'm no hyung."

"No Yeon. Lee Rang couldn't have asked for more. You were always his hyung whom he loved and he was always the younger brother you took in, despite all the horrible things he did, you never lost faith in believing that he never changed.", Jia explained with an adamant tone, searching for signs of understanding in the fox's lost eyes, "You sacrificed yourself for all of us and Lee Rang loved his hyung so much that he gave his life for you...And you know no one could've stopped him."

Yeon took a moment to let her words sink in. At last, he inhaled deeply and softened his gaze, "We're both stubborn idiots aren't we?"

Jia smiled reassuringly, "You're brothers after all"

Underground carpark, Present day

"Rang", Yeon nudged his brother's shoulder lightly, "Rang ah wake up"

The sleeping figure in the passenger seat stirred and cracked his eyes open, his mind completely blank, "Hmm?"

"We're here", Yeon announced, studying his brother with a weary gaze

"Mmph", Rang shifted uncomfortably in the seat, a hand pressed to his side to suppress the dull pain. Before he even realises, an involuntary grunt escapes his mouth.