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Red. That's the first thing Gunwook saw when he opened his eyes. Surrounding him are what seems to be thousands of torii gates, lined up to resemble endless tunnels.
Frightened, of course, but he tries not to panic. He doesn't believe in higher beings, but he prays for the universe to not play a silly prank on him. For fuck's sake, he had been nice for all 29 years of his live.
Now, how did Mr. Nice Guy gets into this situation?
Well, Gunwook remembers making a small offering at the honden, paying respect to the resident deities as told by Keita. Keita had suggested that he visit this shrine. He also said Gunwook needs to ask for good luck in his love life while visiting, which he's right.
His mom has been nagging for him to find a partner, his peers getting married here and there didn't help with his situation either. Hell, even this trip was sponsored by Keita, who is also getting married.
But life isn't anything but entertaining. His last situationship—at the ripe age of 27—had left him for another person, which apparently is their ex. The whole thing was to make their ex jealous, and they eventually got back together. What a sick joke.
Case in point, after that, he had been too lazy to search for a new potential partner. He did not have a lot to ask for, maybe somebody who's heart is as warm as a sweet coffee mid-winter, with smile as blinding as the sun, and will care for him for what he is.
Oh how he wishes he could find that somebody who can be his forever someone.
So he wishes, or rather, prays, to whichever deity is hearing, so he could be less lonely. That's what he had written on the back of the fox-face shaped ema, and—
A ringing of the bell brought him back to where he is. Gunwook startles, he calls out for anyone–anything. Nothing but the silence of the forest greets him. Then he sees it.
White.
A flurry of silky white with vermillion red passes by him. Gunwook has been too stunned to react. He calls again, turning to his back—
“Boo.”
“Fuck!” Surprised, Gunwook falls on his ass. He looks up to see the perpetrator, “What on Earth…”
God, what on Earth.
In front of him stands a slender body, clad in pearly white haori, its intricate texture caught by the lights, with another soft white yukata beneath. The vermillion red lining of the inner garments added a sense of fierceness in the sea of purity.
The figure laughs. His warm timbre and vibration of little squeaks travels sweetly into the air, oh so sweet Gunwook would love to hear them for the rest of his life. He brought his hands to cover his mouth, feeling rude to laugh at the misery of the other. His sandy-brown hair sways with the movement, looking soft to the touch. Two big ears akin to that of desert-fox's sat on top of his head, while his tails swishing behind him.
“Sorry, you're fun to tease,” He talks, voice laced with unending humour. “I'm Matthew, by the way. The Deity sent me because apparently I'm the first fox statue you laid your eyes on, pretty sure you don't remember that.” He reaches out a hand to help Gunwook get up.
Gunwook, still in his stupefied fervor, takes a chance to properly look at the figure–Matthew’s face. If his voice is sweet, then the face is—
Beautiful.
So, so beautiful.
Slanted eyes mirrors that cunning of a fox, an angular nose gives his face a striking edge, small lips that's perfect for him to ki—that's proportionate to the small face, Gunwook means, and litters of moles shaping constellations prettier than those in the night sky. Several markings in red vermillion adorn his feature.
“What are you?”
“Me? A kitsune. Look at these ears, and my tails. They fluffed-up quite easily by the way, you will need to brush them often,” Matthew answers, bringing his tails upfront to caress them.”Anyways, to make your wish come true, we need to be wed. Only then I can be your forever someone.” He ends cheekily, sending a wink towards Gunwook.
Gunwook eyes him warily, “How can I trust you?”
“Dude!”
Dude?
“I'm a kitsune! A messenger of the Deity, how can I lie?” Matthew laughs that sweet melody again, “Well, if you don't want me then it's okay, you can reject me. See, three tails, I'm 3200 years old. Countless of your kind had rejected me before this.”
He dismissed the rejections like nothing. But sadness clearly lingers in his voice, or at least that's what Gunwook can hear.
“C'mon, make your decision, either way I'll need to send you back ASAP. Or else you'll be stuck in the spirit realm forever and even I cannot help you.”
Well, Gunwook thinks, since the Deity had been generous to grant his wish this soon, he might as well accept it. Or maybe, he just needs to believe that this time, Fate is kind enough to bind him to his someone forever.
Plus, he can't ignore that Matthew is just his type.
“Okay, I— I want to be with you.”
“Yay!”
The fox smiles, again, beautiful.
The bell rings, and he is back where he last stood before. At the inner shrine, instead of endless torii gates and the silence of a forest, there is a bustling of humans surrounding him.
He feels a tap on his shoulder, turning on his back, he sees none other than—
Matthew.
No fox ears, no tails either. Just an ordinary guy like him. He is dressed in a black t-shirt, (snugged around his arms and chest, Gunwook noted) paired with black washed-out jeans, and a shade perched on his head. A total 180° from his traditional clothing earlier.
Smiling brightly at him, Matthew says, “Ready to explore Kyoto together, husband?”