Page 14 of Gumiho Kiss
Chin Sun approached the table, note in hand.
Her gaze darted to the back corner where a tall silhouette lurked, barely visible even with her fox senses.She whipped forward, unsheathing her sword and addressing the intruder.“Show yourself.”
“Is that any way to treat your partner?”
Chin Sun huffed as she put away her sword, annoyance overtaking her alarm.“You could have announced yourself from the start, Min Joon-ah.”
The young police inspector stepped forward, a grin on his lips.“Where’s the fun in that?”He lit the lantern and took a seat.
“I’d say not getting impaled is fun enough,” she replied gruffly.“I thought you weren’t returning until tomorrow.”
“I came back early when I heard you’d been wounded.”All traces of humor vanished from his face.“Are you all right?”
Chin Sun reached for the map on the table, avoiding his eye so she didn’t have to see the worry on his face.“News travels fast.I didn’t think you’d have heard about it all the way in Geungmeung already.Speaking of which, I need to tell you what I learned while I was there.”
Min Joon moved the map out of reach.“Don’t avoid the question.Did you really get shot?”
“I’m not that easy of a target,” she hissed, the lie stinging her lips.“Now, can we get on to more important things?”
Her friend’s expression remained hard, stubbornly resisting her attempts to ignore his concern.“It’s all right to be weak sometimes, you know.You may not be human, but you still bleed like the rest of us.”
When she didn’t answer, Min Joon sighed and relinquished his hold on the map.“What did you find out?”
Chapter6
The Goblin
After Chin Sun and Min Joon had gone over the details, they concluded that surveillance was the best course of action.Min Joon had a contact south of Sokju he wanted to visit to find out whether there had been any other pirate sightings in the next province.If this operation stretched beyond their city’s borders, it might be too big for them to handle on their own.Chin Sun would watch Hong for any other suspicious behavior, and then the pair would reconvene here the night before the magistrate’s planned deal.
Once they’d finalized everything, Chin Sun was quick to depart.Normally, she would have stayed longer to cross blades a few times, but she wasn’t up for the exertion right now, and she didn’t want Min Joon discovering the severity of her injury.He would have told her not to come when they went to spy on Hong’s operation.
Not that she would have listened if he’d urged her to stay away.Her healing abilities were more than sufficient to have her in good condition by the night of the deal.It was just easier to keep Min Joon in the dark; then she didn’t have to worry about questions—or worse, concern.
Chin Sun darted across the tiles of a rooftop, the crisp air invigorating her lungs.It would be Chuseok soon, a time which always evoked a pang of sorrow within her.The annual celebration of the harvest was a three-day holiday full of laughter and joy for most, but for Chin Sun, it was also a time of grief.As much as she loved her family and was grateful they’d taken her in, she couldn’t help but long for the mother and father she couldn’t remember.
A silly desire when they’d died long ago.
The story her uncle and aunt told of her origins was that Uncle’s younger brother had gotten a lowly peasant girl pregnant and agreed to marry her, but then he’d been killed by ruffians, leaving his bride-to-be penniless and alone.Uncle and Aunt had taken the girl in, but she’d passed shortly after giving birth, so Uncle and Aunt had raised baby Chin Sun themselves.
It had always been a sensitive subject that tended to make Aunt burst into tears.When Chin Sun’s gumiho abilities had emerged, though, she’d discovered their reluctance to talk about the past had really been because it was a lie.What had actually happened was far worse.
Chin Sun swallowed, hating the emotions such memories dredged up.She jumped to the ground as her family’s residence came into view.Her neighbors’ homes sat on either side of her, hidden behind their stone walls and eaves.As if they wanted to keep out anyone who didn’t fit the perfect mold they’d created.
She cut off the thought.She needed to focus on the present.That was what she could control.
A soft swish was her only warning before a blade arced toward her.
Chin Sun leaped into a front flip, then pulled her sword from its scabbard and swung around.The sharp ring of metal filled the night as the two swords collided.Her eyes widened when she recognized her assailant, foot slipping before she righted herself.
Mr.Park.She shouldn’t have been surprised to see him, but somehow, in all the planning with Min Joon, her nuisance of a bodyguard had slipped her mind.
Mr.Park pressed harder, straining to get the upper hand, but Chin Sun shoved him back.“Get out of my way,” she growled, then turned to leave.Despite the complications his presence brought to her life, he seemed to be a decent person.It would be a shame to have to kill him.
But Mr.Park jumped into her path once more, weapon raised.“I’m afraid I can’t do that.You see, I swore if we ever crossed paths, I would kill you.”
“I’m flattered.”Chin Sun noted the self-assurance in the man’s eyes, the wide stance of his legs.Curiosity sparked within her.“But what makes you so certain I’ll let you?”
She advanced, not moving at full speed, but he easily deflected the blade.She struck again, faster this time, but the result was identical.
