#6 Hello!
The whole world seemed shrouded in silence. It was so still that he wondered if this was what weightless space felt like. Time itself appeared to have frozen. The wind, the moonlight, the starlight—all of it hung motionless, pouring down upon the earth.
It was bright! The entire world blazed with overwhelming light.
Chitter-chitter!
The slumbering ice fairies had awakened unnoticed, drawn as if entranced toward Seolhwa's egg, gazing at it.
Crack!
The egg was stirring. After an eternity of waiting—a wait that now seemed like a lie—something inside was moving.
Thump—thump—thump—
Kang-ho's heart pounded. Without realizing it, he edged closer, step by hesitant step.
Suddenly, he sensed the presence of monsters.
One? Two?
No.
What?
Kang-ho turned. From all directions, something was surging in—not on the ground, but filling the sky.
Ice fairies?
Their identities revealed themselves. Thousands of ice fairies, swarming from every side. They gathered around Seolhwa's egg as the focal point, settling quietly in place.
Crack!
Then, movement from the egg again.
Kang-ho turned his gaze back. In the profound silence, only the sound of the shell breaking echoed.
Crack!
A large fissure split across Seolhwa's egg. At the same instant, the thick blanket of snow covering the ground erupted upward with a pang!
The soaring snowflakes scattered like white mist in all directions. White snow blossoms bloomed.
Craaack!
Three major cracks formed on the egg. Like music, the snow danced in the air.
Spliiit!
Finally, the egg shattered into four pieces. From within, a small white life bounced out—boing!—and landed on the earth.
In that moment, moonlight and starlight alike seemed to shine solely upon it. The ice fairies encircling from all sides widened their eyes and dropped their jaws.
“......!”
Kang-ho stared at the creature. It resembled a fox. Tiny and pure white—like the hue of fresh snow or shimmering moonlight silver. Its damp fur gleamed beautifully nonetheless, and its small, plump muzzle sniffed busily.
Its eyes... like the sapphire eyes of Seolhwa, lost as the price for defending Incheon. No—even more brilliant and radiant, like diamonds.
Those eyes stared straight at Kang-ho—staaaaring.
The moonlight blazed radiantly. Bathed in it, Kang-ho gazed at the fox. The fox gazed back at Kang-ho.
What's your name...?
-Kiiing...
Shall I give you one?
A scene from the past surfaced. In Cheorwon's forest, barely escaping alive—not hellish, but blooming with snow flowers—he had named her amid that beauty.
From today, your name is Seolhwa.
Fifty years later. Here in Cheorwon, Kang-ho met this fox that looked just like her.
Hwa-ya, I'm sorry.
It was the one he had sent off once before.
I'll miss you so much.
He had missed her terribly.
And now. Calming his trembling heart with effort, Kang-ho slowly opened his mouth.
“You've awakened...!”
The fox looked at Kang-ho. It tilted its head curiously, then—hop!—leapt onto his shoulder.
As if beginning a full exploration, it sniffed at Kang-ho's scent: nape, hair, arms, legs—here and there.
Tilting its head again, it hopped down—boing!—and headed to the remnants of the egg it had broken from. Sniffing there too, it bounced back to his shoulder and stared at his face.
Then, its eyes curved into half-moons.
Slurp-slurp!
It licked his cheek. Then rubbed its head against his cheek. After, it patted his hair with its front paw.
Just as the old Seolhwa had done for him.
“......!”
Unthinkingly, Kang-ho gently lifted the creature onto his palm. Perfectly sized for his cupped hands, it fixed its eyes on him.
Those eyes were asking:
Hello!
“......”
His throat tightening, Kang-ho murmured softly, almost without knowing.
“Hello......!”
He brought his forehead to the fox's brow. Gently nuzzling and stroking its fur.
Just as he had done for Seolhwa in her final moments.
Nng! Nng! Nng!
Delighted, it cried out happily.
Kang-ho cradled it close. The encircling ice fairies began emitting light from their bodies. In an instant, they swirled like snow crystals, flying busily to herald the new life's birth.
Sparkle-sparkle-sparkle!
The world filled with the fairies' beautiful crystals. Their dance continued for a long while, until at last—
Whiiiish!
The sharp winds returned. Winter, paused to witness this birth, resumed with a blizzard.
The white zone dyed white once more, like its name. Heavy snowflakes poured down, and the fairies' dance reached its peak.
Kiiing! Kiiing! Kiiing!
Overjoyed, it cried out. Kang-ho's shoulders trembled faintly too.
It wasn't the only one crying.
......
Back in his cabin, Kang-ho slumped at the simple table. He'd lived a long life, but starting the new year with this—it was overwhelming.
The fox sniffed his shoulder incessantly, hopped onto his head, then back down. Exploring Kang-ho seemed its mission: sniffing, nibbling his ear lightly, licking his cheek.
Thump-thump-thump-thump—
His heart raced. Thirty-five beats per minute—a sign of deep calm. Certain of safety with a trusted presence.
Then it hopped onto his palm again. Eyes curving like half-moons, it nodded side to side, utterly pleased with Kang-ho.
“You look just like her.”
He knew this species well. SS-rank Fantasy Beast, White Fang.
Monsters were classified into three main types: Disaster, Safe, and Fantasy.
Those causing catastrophes were Disaster-types; innately peaceful ones, Safe-types. And those so rare a lifetime might pass without sighting one: Fantasy-types.
The old Seolhwa was a White Fang, and so was this one.
But.
It's a bit different from Seolhwa.
Kang-ho tilted his head, scrutinizing it closely. Its fur was far more lustrous, a brilliant silver-white. And the eyes—unlike Seolhwa's sapphires, these sparkled like diamonds.
Krreung—
Unable to wait, Furball growled lowly from outside, demanding to see.
Kang-ho opened the window. A massive eye rolled, peering at the fox.
Sparkle!
The fox perked its ears at the eye, eyes gleaming. No fear—instead, it stood tall on all fours, fur bristling.
Arrrf!
It growled a warning.
“......”
Kang-ho couldn't help chuckling at the absurdity. Furball, taken aback by the bravado, retreated hesitantly from the window, eyes full of question marks.
Krrung... krrung...
As Furball rolled its king-sized eyes, Kang-ho beckoned lightly.
“Come here, Furball.”
To the fox, he added:
“That's Furball. Good boy. He's family.”
Krreung! Krreung!
Delighted at “family,” Furball nodded proudly. The house-sized beast's vigorous nod snapped a protruding roof beam—crack!
“Hoo......”
As Kang-ho rubbed his forehead, the fox—ears perked—hopped from his hand to the windowsill. Tilting its head at Furball's eye, it blinked.
Soon, its eyes curved into half-moons.
Evidently pleased, it pressed its nose to Furball's brow.
Grrrumble—
Furball rumbled happily. Sticking out its tongue—lick!—it lapped at the fox, which startled and leapt back in surprise.
What to name it.
Kang-ho pondered as he watched.
The fox, now bored with Furball, hopped around exploring the cabin.
Suddenly, it sniffed a garment on the rack—eyes widening.
Sniff-sniff!
It was the brown sweater Seolhwa once loved. Frayed, worn thin with age.
But the fox adored it, sniffing eagerly before—chomp!—grabbing it.
Nng-nng!
It tugged, but too weak yet. These pups had strong legs from birth, but jaw strength grew with time.
Kang-ho walked over and took the sweater.
“You like this?”
Nng! Nng!
He rolled it into a cozy nest by his bedside. Perfect fit.
The fox dashed over, leapt high onto the bed, and settled in blissfully.
“I see. You're Hwa's child.”
Seolhwa's offspring—Seol-a fit perfectly.
“From today, your name is Seol-a.”
From today, your name is Seolhwa.
The past overlapped with the present.
And—
Kiiing!
-Kiiing!
This beaming smile of delight was just the same.