By Zephyria 
Young-pa woke up with a start, thrashing his body. His arm swung wide and hit the wall, making him realize he had been dreaming. His naked body was drenched in sweat, and his heart was racing.
He was in a dim space. Beaded curtains covered the window, but light poured through a section that had been pulled aside.
Young-pa reached out, only to find the bed empty. In his longing, he pulled Biryoo’s pillow close and buried his face in it. Only then did his tension release, and his ragged breathing gradually steadied.
‘To think I’d dream of those days.’
Even after waking, a faint residue of frustration and terror remained—the feeling of having knelt before an enemy.
‘Ji Seo-gu… It’s been a long time since I’ve thought of that bastard.’
Ji Seo-gu, the enemy Young-pa had hated with every fiber of his being.
Decades had passed since that man vanished, and Young-pa had lived having completely forgotten him. Unlike Ji Seo-gu, the new Black Tortoise had groveled before Young-pa and tried hard to stay in his good graces, so there was nothing particularly irritating about them.
‘That’s an easy deal. I shall become the guardian deity of you humans.’
‘Guardian deity of humans… Yes. That was the conversation we had.’
The structure of the world remained largely unchanged. There was Azure Dragon for the dragons, Vermilion Bird for the winged creatures, White Tiger for the land beasts, and Black Tortoise for the serpents and fish. However, humans now had a secret guardian, though not a deity.
Over a considerable span of time, Young-pa watched over the mortal realm and helped countless humans. He walked alongside travelers on mountain paths at night and prepared meals for the hungry. He left medicinal herbs by the bedsides of the sick and helped lost children find their homes. Because he did all this in secret, the humans never knew who their benefactor was.
That wasn’t all. Young-pa returned the tiger tooth severing sword to White Tiger, urging them to protect the humans. He acted affectionately, running errands as if he were a subordinate of Vermilion Bird, thereby bringing them to the side of humanity. He threatened and intimidated Black Tortoise to ensure their underlings did not harm humans.
As a result, humans were living in an era of peace. The generation that had been tormented by serpents had long since vanished. Children of later generations had never even seen a monster, so the stories of those days were passed down only by word of mouth.
Not only Yeongparang, the hero of long ago, but almost everyone who knew the prisoners of the snake cave who had escaped from the underground had died. Only one person remained.
As his thoughts reached that point, Young-pa sat up and gathered his clothes to dress.
“Honey?”
Stepping out of the bedroom, Young-pa looked around for Biryoo, but he was neither in the great hall nor the main veranda. Even peering out the window at the pavilion and the lake, Biryoo was nowhere to be seen, leaving Young-pa worried.
‘I need to have my hair combed today; this is a problem.’
He sighed, looking at his disheveled hair reflected on the white jade floor. It was pathetic. Because Biryoo combed his hair every single day, Young-pa still didn’t know how to tidy his own hair to look presentable.
“Did you sleep well, Yeongparang?”
Young-pa ran into Cheon-hae, who was yawning loudly in the hallway. In the next moment, Suro appeared from the opposite direction, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
“Yeongparang, did you sleep peacefully?”
“Cheon-hae, Suro. Do you happen to know where Azure Dragon went?”
“I do not know.”
The two dragons answered simultaneously, as if they had rehearsed it.
“This is bad. I need to comb my hair…”
At those words, Cheon-hae perked up.
“I will comb it for you, Yeongparang!”
Suro shouted, as if refusing to lose.
“No. I will comb it. I am better at it!”
“That won’t do. Please leave it to me.”
“Yeongparang, trust me and let me do it.”
Their own hair was quite a mess. The young dragons had been raised as spoiled as Young-pa, so they didn’t know how to comb their hair, and the attendants had to do it for them.
“Enough. Just do something about your own hair.”
Young-pa further ruffled the two children’s messy hair and entered his room.
Young-pa’s bedroom, created next to Yeomdan’s now-empty room, was spacious and pleasant. In the center was a sleeping area large enough for two, and a wide window was set into one wall. Lying on the snow-white duvet, one could see a beautiful ceiling decorated with jade.
A soft carpet was laid over the white jade floor. The bookshelves, decorated with coral powder and pearls, were filled with human books that Young-pa had never once opened, and atop them sat a vase with fresh heavenly flowers.
‘The attendants are truly diligent.’
He marveled at the fact that there wasn’t a single speck of dust on the bookshelves.
Since Young-pa lived in Biryoo’s bedroom, he rarely entered this room unless he was changing clothes. If not for the efforts of the attendants, this room would have long since become a ruin covered in cobwebs and dust.
He opened the wardrobe and, after careful consideration, chose the most modest and inconspicuous clothing. Since Biryoo always made him flamboyant clothes, there weren’t many options.
He removed the earrings from his ears and left the annihilation command, which he always wore on his wrist when descending to the mortal realm, in the cabinet. The best he could do with his stray hairs was to smooth them down with his hand and tie them into one.
“Well, shall we go then.”
Young-pa dusted off his palms with a few claps and called for Cheongsim.
≋ ≋ ≋
It was a season when the fragrance of the world vibrated with the blessing of lush greenery. Not long after the General of Winter had retreated, red peach blossoms, water azaleas, and dog-tooth violets bloomed profusely across the screen-like mountain ridges, and willow catkins flew in the spring breeze. Squirrels scampered through forests where orioles chirped, and mountain frogs croaked in the valleys.
On a day permeated by a languid spring energy, a certain household in Beolsuji was busy from early morning. While servants and maids hurried in and out frantically, the family members were busy dressing in fine clothes and applying camellia oil to their hair.
“Bring the food here. Be careful not to spill it!”
“Yes, Madam.”
This was a large family known to everyone in the vicinity. In the village built with a stream in front and a mountain behind, the estate consisted of fifteen large houses, with over a hundred family members living together.
“It is an important day. There must be no mistakes! Yeono, why are you getting things on your clothes?”
“I’m sorry, Auntie. I fell while playing earlier.”
“You clumsy child.”
The woman dusted off the child’s clothes and gave him a light pat on the backside. Then, crossing her arms, she sharply surveyed the grounds. Today was an important birthday feast. Since the villagers would be observing the family’s state, her nerves were on edge.
“Butterfly… butterfly…”
Someone waddled across the wide courtyard. The person with a vacant expression and open arms was an elderly woman with thinning white hair.
“But… terfly…”
She was preoccupied with chasing an insect. Her snow-white hair had been neatly coiled and pinned with a hairpin, and she was dressed in silk, but she seemed to have no awareness that she should behave calmly on such a day.
“Great-grandmother, come here. You mustn’t go that way.”
The woman gently coaxed the elderly lady with a warm tone and led her back into the house. Watching this, the servants whispered.
“Goodness, it’s her birthday today, yet she knows nothing.”
“Still, it’s a blessing that she can walk on her own two feet. At that age, she’s quite healthy.”
“I wonder how she lived so long?”
The grandmother celebrated her one hundred and sixteenth birthday today. There was no way to know the secret of her astonishing longevity. The grandmother herself was senile, and her children had died long ago. Even her grandchildren were nearing the end of their lives, so there was almost no one left who knew about her past.
“To live well over a hundred years, it’s truly strange.”
“And she’s healthy, too. They say her mind was perfectly clear until about ten years ago.”
There were stories that the grandmother had wandered every corner of the land in her youth and left behind several poems and paintings. However, the only certainty was that she had settled in Beolsuji with a man and bore five children, which was the beginning of this great family. Thus, the family and villagers, though not knowing much about her, called her ‘Great-grandmother’ and respected her vaguely.
When the time came, guests poured in, each carrying a bundle for the eldest elder.
“Happy birthday, Great-grandmother!”
“Great-grandmother, it’s me, Deokgu. Do you remember?”
The adults warmly exchanged greetings, and the children ran around the grounds with giggles. The elegantly dressed family members broke a sweat welcoming the guests. Amidst it all, the grandmother wore a vacant expression.
Once the guests gathered around the table, the meal began. A hot pot with beef and mushrooms and boiled chicken were served. Sticky rice and barley noodles were distributed to all the guests, with pickled eggplant and seasoned cucumber as side dishes. Pancakes topped with azalea petals and rice cakes were also prepared.
“The table is practically bending under the weight!”
“I shall eat well, Madam.”
The guests began to enjoy the abundant feast. The table emptied as everyone praised the food until their mouths were dry.
Thump!
At the sound of the main gate opening, the people eating looked up. Outside the wide-open gate stood a man and a creature that looked like a massive tiger.
The animal had a terrifyingly distorted face and fluttering gray fur. The human beside it was dressed in a deep navy-blue robe, with long hair tied loosely. His appearance was so beautiful that he didn’t seem to belong to this world, yet he emanated an untouchable energy from his calmly sunken eyes.
As the man walked in steadily with the beast, the feast fell silent as if cold water had been thrown over it. It was clear he was not an invited guest, yet no one dared to stop him.
“Brother…”
When the grandmother sitting in the seat of honor murmured through the silence, the people exchanged bewildered glances.
“Grandmother, what is it?”
At that moment, the grandmother stood up. The family tried to stop her before she embarrassed herself, but it was too late. She had already stumbled forward toward the man.
“Brother…”
The man’s eyes curved into a smile, and he held out a bouquet of flowers he had been carrying behind his back.
“Happy birthday, Dallae.”
The grandmother took the bouquet and beamed with a wide smile. It seemed to be a mix of deep pink azaleas and other flowers, some of which, by their appearance, were not flowers of this world. Their scent was so profound that people tilted their noses and sniffed.
The awkwardly frozen feast resumed, and the man naturally sat beside the grandmother. The mysterious animal he brought with him lay down quietly in a corner of the courtyard and fell asleep. The grandmother’s eyes, which had regained clarity for a moment, became cloudy once again.
“Where is the chicken soup our Dallae likes?”
When the man asked loudly, someone hurriedly placed a bowl of boiled chicken before him. From then on, he shredded the chicken meat and placed it on the grandmother’s spoon.
He waited for her, even though she ate with an agonizing slowness, and whenever the spoon was empty, he placed chicken, rice, and seasoned vegetables on it again. Seeing this, the villagers found it strange.
“That person is likely the immortal from the rumors.”
“The… one who came from the heavenly realm? I thought he was no ordinary person.”
“I only heard rumors that he looks after this family, but I didn’t know he would be such a handsome man.”
People far from the seat of honor whispered in low voices. Then, one of the village women said with a smile,
“When I was twelve, I fell in love with him at first sight and childishly asked, ‘How can I marry you, Young Master?’”
“And? What did he answer?”
“He said it would be difficult as he was already married, and he gave me a peach—it was a taste not of this world. Yet, even though I am over fifty, that man hasn’t aged at all.”
Whether the humans whispered or not, the mysterious man stayed by the grandmother’s side, devoted entirely to feeding her. He wiped her chin if she drooled and tilted a water glass to her lips if she seemed to be choking.
After a long time, the grandmother emptied her bowl and murmured.
“Flowers… flowers.”
The man quickly placed the bouquet in her arms. The grandmother closed her eyes, inhaled the scent of the flowers, and wore a satisfied smile.
When she opened her eyes, a spark of intelligence returned to her pupils. The grandmother spoke haltingly, but clearly.
“Thank… you, Brother.”
The man’s eyes grew moist as he looked at the grandmother. He covered his face with his palm and did not lift his head for a long time. The table was as silent as if no one were there. Even the children did not make a single sound.
By the time the man lifted his head with a lonely expression, the grandmother was nodding off. He tidied her hair and stood up.
“Are… are you leaving?”
The grandmother’s great-grandson asked.
“There is still plenty of food left, won’t you stay longer!”
The grandmother’s great-great-granddaughter shouted.
Instead of answering, the man leaned down and lifted the grandmother in his arms. The grandmother, fallen into a deep sleep, only snored even as her body was lifted.
Though no one showed him the way, the man laid the grandmother in her quarters and covered her with a blanket. As he crossed the courtyard again, everyone’s gaze concentrated on him.
“Cheongsim, let’s go.”
He called out in a small, whispering voice, and the sleeping beast opened its eyes. It stretched luxuriously and trotted along to match the man’s pace. The eyes of the children, seeing the strange monster—a combination of various animals—up close, grew as wide as trays.
“Safe travels, Lord Immortal!”
“Please visit us again!”
The adults, realizing the man was no ordinary person, shouted with earnest hearts. As he exited through the main gate, silence descended.
It was only then that the excited whispering erupted. For those who attended the feast, it was as if they had gained a topic to talk about for the rest of their lives.
≋ ≋ ≋
“Dallae is the same, right?”
At Young-pa’s question, Cheongsim barked.
“Really? She looks the same to me.”
In his eyes, Dallae only grew deeper wrinkles each year, but didn’t change much. Perhaps it was because the eight-shaped eyebrows she inherited from Yeogo remained the same.
Hearing a noisy commotion, Young-pa looked back slightly. Through the wide-open gate, humans were looking at him with eyes mixed with curiosity and longing.
‘This is why I tried not to come if possible.’
It had been a long time since Young-pa revealed himself before humans. This was because too many people tried to follow him, worship him, or use him. From demands for wealth to petitions to eliminate enemies, and pleas to become the king of humans, Young-pa had grown tired of hearing absurd stories and chose to hide his identity.
Young-pa was still human, but he had gained a perspective close to that of a deity. Most of the countless humans whose lives he had saved lived ordinary lives and died, but occasionally, there were those who stood out and had a positive influence on the world, making Young-pa feel proud. Conversely, among those he had saved, there were also vicious villains.
Now, Young-pa could understand Biryoo’s perspective. His assessment that humans were both loathsome and brilliant beings.
‘Still, I couldn’t miss Dallae’s birthday feast, which might be her last.’
One hundred and sixteen. For a human, for whom even passing sixty is difficult, it was a miraculous age. In other words, it would not be strange if she drew her last breath at any moment.
‘Don’t you want to live forever like me?’
‘No, Brother. I like growing old like this.’
‘Really? Why?’
‘Because I’ve done everything I wanted to do since I was born. It’s all thanks to you, Brother.’
Though it was a world difficult for a human woman to live in, Dallae lived freely, trusting in Young-pa’s backing. When she said she wanted to learn poetry and painting, Young-pa provided her with the most famous teachers in the world. When she traveled throughout the land, he filled her pockets and cast sorcery to protect her. When she said she wanted to marry a man she met during her travels, he personally prepared the wedding and set up a bridal home in a place with a beautiful mountain view outside the window.
As years passed, the eight-room house grew into fifteen buildings, becoming the most famous house in Beolsuji. On the veranda of that estate, babies with eight-shaped eyebrows crawled about. As the children grew and had children, and those children had children, Dallae grew old. It was an unavoidable fate for those born as humans.
‘Now, this really might be the last.’
Because he didn’t want to lose Dallae, there was nothing he hadn’t tried. He brought health-boosting foods every season, and when she fell ill, he sought out yeongyak to save her and prolong her life. But seeing her unable to even hold a spoon with her own hand, it seemed she had reached her limit.
As Cheongsim nudged his waist lightly with its snout, Young-pa snapped out of his thoughts.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
Woof! Woof!
Cheongsim barked as if scolding him, telling him that wasn’t it. The place he rushed toward was beneath a massive, ancient tree.
The sight of a man standing in the shade looked like a painting. A deep smile spread across Young-pa’s lips.
‘This brings back memories.’
As it happened, Biryoo was dressed exactly as he had been the day Young-pa first met him. He wore a deep-colored robe, like the bottom of the deep sea, a bamboo hat, and his black hair was tied back in a single ponytail.
Feeling playful, Young-pa took off his robe and let down his hair. Then, just like that day, he stepped forward wearing a white jeogori and pants.
Biryoo absentmindedly played along, stroking the head of Cheongsim, who was frolicking in greeting. However, as Young-pa approached, Biryoo played innocent and pretended not to recognize him.
The two stood at a distance, gazing at one another.
“You look like some pretty thing raised in luxury. What brings you here?”
As Young-pa spoke with his arms crossed, the corners of Biryoo’s mouth curled upward.
“I’ve come to find a treasure that ran away from home.”
This steadfast man remained unchanged even as time flowed. The hollow feeling in Young-pa’s chest dissipated, and a sigh of relief escaped his lips. Young-pa ran to him and wrapped his arms around his waist.
An orchid scent that calmed his anxious heart as if by magic. Long fingers touched the crown of Young-pa’s head and stroked down his hair.
“Did you go to a feast without even combing your hair?”
“You weren’t there.”
“Still, it was Dallae’s birthday feast; you should have dressed up brilliantly.”
“I didn’t want to stand out.”
“Though it doesn’t seem like things went according to your plan…”
Biryoo said, gesturing with his chin toward the humans watching from afar on tiptoes. Young-pa burrowed into his embrace as if it didn’t matter.
“Good idea. You stand out too much.”
Biryoo took off his bamboo hat and placed it on Young-pa’s head. Then, holding both of Young-pa’s cheeks, he leaned down and kissed him softly. Once the sweet kiss ended, Biryoo grabbed Young-pa’s wrist and pulled him toward the forest, away from the eyes of the humans.
The scenery of the blue forest, where a refreshing breeze blew, was invigorating. Bright spring sunlight poured through the leaves, and mountain birds chirped amidst the blue mountains and green waters. Young-pa, Biryoo, and Cheongsim walked beneath the shade of wisteria.
“Where did you go?”
Young-pa asked, interlacing his fingers with Biryoo’s.
“Yeomdan’s new bathing place.”
“Did you fight with the river deity again?”
Instead of answering, Biryoo clicked his tongue as if disgusted.
Since Yeomdan had reached the appropriate age, he wanted to spend his time traveling between the heavenly realm and the mortal realm, like other dragons. Biryoo had forbidden it for a long time on the grounds that it was dangerous, but once Yeomdan passed a thousand years, he had no excuse to stop him and had granted temporary permission.
The two had been visiting bathing places together since last year, but as expected of whose daughter he was, Yeomdan’s tastes were so fastidious that he found fault no matter how wonderful the location.
Eventually, they found a river that Yeomdan liked and barely settled there, but unfortunately, the river deity of that place was so meticulous and nagged about every little thing, leading to conflict.
“So how did you resolve it? Did you grab that river deity by the collar?”
“I went and reasoned with him kindly.”
“What? You, personally?”
Young-pa burst into laughter upon hearing that.
That river deity must have been acting out, having no idea whose subordinate Yeomdan was. If Azure Dragon had shown themselves, the deity would have fainted.
“I don’t think Yeomdani would have liked that.”
“He asked for my help, and now he’s pinning everything on me. He’s throwing a fit, saying he’s too embarrassed to ever go back to that river.”
Biryoo sighed, rolling his eyes. Young-pa smiled, imagining the sight of Yeomdan venting his frustration.
“I told you, playing the father isn’t easy.”
“Father? It’s not like that.”
As they walked, the forest ended and an open beach appeared. The deep blue of the ocean shimmered in a turquoise hue, churning under the afternoon sun. Cheongsim leaped around like a puppy and rubbed his back against the sand. They spent their time strolling along the ten-ri of white sand and throwing branches for Cheongsim to fetch.
“You don’t even know what day it is today, do you?”
While Young-pa was smiling at Cheongsim, Biryoo asked bluntly.
“Huh? What day is it?”
As Young-pa spoke without much thought, Biryoo’s brow furrowed. As Biryoo tried to release his hand, Young-pa interlaced their fingers more deeply and clung to his arm.
“Why? What day is it?”
“You remember Dallae’s birthday so well, yet you have no regard for your own partner.”
“I only knew it was springtime. You know I visited recently after hearing there would be a large feast.”
As Young-pa offered a sincere excuse, Biryoo’s expression softened slightly.
“Right. I know.”
Biryoo’s hand slipped from Young-pa’s grasp, and he vanished. In his place, a dragon with shimmering blue scales appeared. He stretched out his long body, looked up at the sky, and then lowered his head to Young-pa’s eye level.
“There is a place we must go.”
There was something suspicious about Biryoo’s attitude. Was he taking him to a scenic spot as usual? Or did he want to engage in erotic affairs in a secluded place where no one knew? Occasionally, Biryoo would show him strange things, like an old tree struck by lightning, a newborn wolf pup, or a rare flower.
Young-pa was curious about his intentions, but knowing he wouldn’t tell him anyway, he climbed onto his back without a word.
Woof! Woof!
Cheongsim asked if he was being taken along. When Biryoo said no, Cheongsim barked back as if saying he expected as much, then dove into the seawater and splashed around.
As the dragon ascended, the wind whipped up and grains of sand lifted. Biryoo quickly distanced himself from the mortal realm and soared toward the clouds. A few cranes flying low were startled by the sight of the Azure Dragon and bowed.
Biryoo flew through the clouds in silence. Even though he must have watched what Young-pa did at Dallae’s birthday feast, he asked nothing.
Young-pa usually loved being with him in silence, but sometimes there were moments when he wanted to pour out his emotions exactly as they were.
“Biryoo.”
“What.”
“A long time ago. When we first met Dallae at Bipung… do you remember Suryeong’s birthday feast?”
“Of course.”
Young-pa smiled bitterly, recalling that day which felt as vivid as if it were yesterday. This was because the image of the young and healthy Dallae from those days flickered before his eyes.
“Then what about the day Dallae got married? Dallae was truly beautiful then.”
“I remember. Especially the way you cried as if your eyes were going to pop out.”
Young-pa let out a short laugh, burying his forehead in Biryoo’s mane. Biryoo added irritably,
“Even if I were to marry, you wouldn’t cry that much.”
“How long are you going to keep talking about that?”
After the wedding ceremony, Biryoo had been sulky for about three days and refused to speak with Young-pa. This shameless dragon had utterly detested Young-pa crying in front of others. Despite how much he loved making him cry in bed.
“Still, when Dallae fell gravely ill after giving birth to the third child, you stepped up and found precious medicinal herbs. Thanks to that, she was barely saved. Right?”
“I only did it because I feared the heavenly realm would collapse from your sighs and tears.”
Despite his words, Biryoo also had affection for Dallae. However, that tenderness was incomparable to Young-pa’s. Dallae was the only descendant of Yeogo and Seolji. Having watched her since she was sixteen, she was like a niece to Young-pa.
“That year is particularly memorable. Wasn’t that also the year Yeomdan grabbed that blockhead by the collar and fought, and I had to mediate?”
“That was the following year.”
Biryoo answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“You remember everything. Then what about the time I acted as the heavenly scribe when Seo-o went on vacation? That was around then too, wasn’t it?”
Biryoo shook his head as if disgusted, as if it had happened yesterday.
“That was three years after the year Yeomdani knocked down the prince of seorabeol.”
Young-pa laughed heartily, recalling that chaotic month. At that time, Young-pa learned what he was good at and what he was not. He also learned how strong Biryoo’s patience was and what a remarkable bird Seo-o was.
“Then… the year I had a huge fight with you and went down to the underground?”
“If you mean the incident where you turned my insides upside down, that was seventy years ago.”
“But we spent an amazing night after that. On the windy hill… after you spilled wine all over my chest… hm?”
Young-pa whispered with a giggle. However, Biryoo’s response was blunt.
“That happened in the summer of that year. It was snowing on the day you went underground.”
“Come to think of it, we spent the night in a narrow hot spring that day. That day was equally wonderful. You told me to keep a camellia flower in my mouth. You said you’d punish me if I dropped it. See, I remember everything.”
“You probably remember that you dropped it on purpose the moment I put it in your mouth, too?”
“I didn’t do it on purpose because I wanted to be punished. It was because the feeling of you filling me up was so good… I was so overwhelmed I didn’t know what to do. Truly.”
Young-pa lowered his upper body and hugged Biryoo.
‘How does he remember everything?’
Finding it amazing that Biryoo knew exactly when every detailed event occurred, Young-pa decided to test him.
“When was the year I almost got covered in volcanic ash?”
“Twenty-eight years ago, autumn.”
“Then… the year you teased me because my hiccups wouldn’t stop all day?”
“Fifty-seven years ago, spring.”
“The time we played erotic yutnori and you didn’t win a single time?”
“You are mocking me. That happened three days ago.”
“The year I first made clothes for you?”
“Ninety-five years ago… autumn.”
Though Biryoo’s face wasn’t visible, Young-pa knew he was smiling. Biryoo had cherished and kept that crooked thing, which barely looked like clothing, all this time.
“How do you remember it all?”
Throughout the long years they had been together, Young-pa had loved Biryoo deeply, yet he often got distracted by this and that, much like a human. Even when Young-pa’s gaze was directed elsewhere, Biryoo had looked only at him. Young-pa felt a warm emotion welling up from the bottom of his heart.
“Regarding you… I forget nothing,” Biryoo answered in a murmur.
Young-pa felt his heart tighten and tears welled up, but he didn’t let it show. They flew in silence for a while.
“If your questions are finished, I shall ask mine.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you still not know what day it is today?”
Young-pa scratched his forehead, feeling awkward. It had been ages since he stopped counting the days; how could he know what today was?
“You can’t even guess?”
“What is it? Just tell me.”
Instead of answering, Biryoo flew faster.
They moved over the vast ocean where turbulent waves crashed and passed through layers of mountain ridges. They flew above thin clouds, riding a pleasant westerly breeze. Meanwhile, the sun dipped lower, and the world began to be submerged in the evening glow.
Young-pa looked down at the myriad forms of nature cast in the sunset, then buried his face in Biryoo’s mane and lay flat. Just as he thought it would be nice to fall asleep like this, Biryoo descended, circling a pillar-like cotton cloud. He flew low over the blue forest and descended to a calm riverside.
The riverside, surrounded by lush forests, was a place Young-pa knew well. Had it not been for the nights they spent together here?
Once Young-pa jumped down, Biryoo raised his head. Against the darkening sky, the blue dragon looked down at Young-pa, his mane fluttering.
‘Thinking of the old days again.’
Young-pa smiled and looked up at his partner. Unlike the time he had threatened him to hand over the divine artifact, his two eyes were now full of affection.
“Why? Do you want to finish the stories we couldn’t complete?”
Biryoo simply gazed at Young-pa in silence. He seemed to have something he wanted to say, or perhaps he was waiting for something.
In the meantime, the world grew dark, and waves of light exploded and spread from the west. They faced each other, submerged in the sunset.
As Biryoo closed his eyes, a blue energy flowed from him. Young-pa watched as the divine art spread and enveloped the mountain ridge behind them. The illusion peeled away, revealing the hidden form.
“Ah…”
The mountains and rivers were flashing with brilliance, as if wearing magnificent clothes. Radiant light rose wherever his gaze landed.
Looking closely, the mountain slopes had been decorated with countless beads, pieces of curved jade, and other shining objects. Because of this, it looked as if the Milky Way had unfolded across the mountain ridges. As the river reflected this sight, the eyes grew dizzy with a dazzling halo of five-colored lights.
‘It’s like an illusion nest.’
Young-pa could not close his mouth.
As the sunset spread, red, orange, purple, and deep blue hues glistened over the large and small jewels. Biryoo’s scales, fully immersed in that breathtaking scenery, wavered like a fantastic wave.
“No matter how many jade beads I gathered to decorate it, I wasn’t satisfied. So, for today only, I borrowed the entire illusion nest.”
Young-pa could only blink, unable to answer. Although Biryoo had been going out frequently without a word recently, he had never dreamed that he had prepared such a thing.
“I heard from Yeon Mu-geum that you once said that place was the most beautiful in the world.”
As Young-pa approached, Biryoo curled his body and lowered his face to eye level. Young-pa buried his forehead against the bridge of Biryoo’s nose and murmured.
“That… was something I said before I went up to the heavenly realm…”
Young-pa had once thought the illusion nest was the most wondrous and mysterious place in the whole world, but that was before he saw the cloud palace. Young-pa’s home was the most beautiful place in the world, and the place he loved most. Regardless, it was true that it was difficult to decide between the restrained splendor Biryoo liked and the dazzling brilliance Yeon Mu-geum enjoyed.
“It’s beautiful, Biryoo.”
Young-pa murmured in a trembling voice and hugged Biryoo’s neck.
When he first came here, Biryoo had filled Young-pa’s heart with excitement by showing him the sight of wind flowers fluttering. What had they done on the second, third, fourth, and fifth visits? Unlike Biryoo, Young-pa did not remember those many days accurately. But his heart must have pounded just as it did now on those days.
“Today is the day that marks one hundred years since our bond began,” Biryoo murmured softly.
Young-pa smiled, recalling Biryoo’s very suspicious attitude.
“I see. I came out of the underground on such a wonderful day.”
On that day, Young-pa first met Biryoo at the market in sabi. He couldn’t remember why he had jumped into a gambling game, but the shock of Biryoo hitting the back of his hand with some stick was as vivid as if it were yesterday.
‘He’s openly engaging in trickery.’
Back in the days when Biryoo loathed humans and hated even touching them. He had swung the stick to keep Young-pa from coming close.
“One hundred years…”
Young-pa murmured unconsciously. Had a hundred years already passed? The memories accumulated day by day, the traces he had stepped upon until now, seemed to flow vaguely like that jasper-colored river.
‘Until then, I was trapped in the underground.’
When a thread of hope arrived in the darkness, Young-pa did not hesitate to seize the opportunity. Everything began from this miracle-like event.
What would have happened if Lee Shim hadn’t held his breath when he entered the prison? What if someone more cunning than Lee Shim had come as the warden? What if he hadn’t met Cheongsim while escaping? What if he had been burned or crushed by a pile of rocks along the way?
He would have died without seeing the sunlight once, or suffered eternally in that cave. More than that, the assumption that he might never have met him was far more agonizing… would Biryoo know?
Young-pa hugged Biryoo even tighter. Soon, Biryoo was enveloped in light and transformed into the form of a man.
“It seems you like it.”
Biryoo said, brushing back Young-pa’s hair. Young-pa nodded with his forehead buried in Biryoo’s chest.
“You should look at the scenery; why are you staying like that? Everything you like is here.”
What Biryoo said with a smile was true. The stars in the night sky, the warm spring weather, the brilliant halo, and even the wind flowers floating down the river. This place was filled with things Young-pa loved.
“Biryoo, do you know what I love most among these?”
“The night sky, probably.”
“Nope.”
“Then the wind flowers?”
“No. Silly.”
Biryoo remained silent for a while, as if lost in thought. He stroked the back of Young-pa’s head and asked cautiously.
“Then it must be the light brought from the illusion nest.”
“All wrong. It’s you.”
A spring breeze blew over the river. While they shared a soft kiss, white petals scattered and fell over their heads.
Young-pa stood on tiptoe and pulled Biryoo’s neck toward him. A man who always descended to lower places to mingle with humans. It was hard to believe he had held onto this undeserved man for a hundred years.
As he tilted his head, Biryoo pressed in. A man who didn’t even count his own age, claiming it was meaningless, yet remembered each passing year just like a human. Young-pa loved him to the point of shuddering.
Biryoo’s lips slowly parted. His breath was as ragged as Young-pa’s. Young-pa whispered playfully in his embrace.
“How was it? Did my dear lord enjoy himself over the last hundred years?”
Biryoo lifted Young-pa’s chin with his fingertips and looked into his eyes, which were shimmering with moisture.
“You are the treasure that saved me from boredom. But because of you, I came to know a different kind of fear.”
“Fear?”
A warm gaze poured over Young-pa’s cheeks like moonlight. A sorrow, unbecoming of a divine beast, clouded Biryoo’s face.
“I was afraid that one day… you might want to live like an ordinary human. I feared that bringing you back to life and giving you vitality was merely my own greed.”
Young-pa tightened his arms around Biryoo’s waist. His face crumpled with overwhelming emotion, but he did not avoid Biryoo’s gaze.
“…You thought that?”
“Because by giving you immortality, I essentially passed my boredom onto you as well. And yet… you never seemed bored.”
Young-pa burst into a bewildered laugh, and tears streamed down his cheeks.
Young-pa had been very busy over the past century. Sharing affection with his partner, wandering every corner of the land in search of delicious food and fragrant liquor, roaming for beautiful scenery, saving humans in distress while hiding his identity, playing with dogs, learning how to cook and weave, and practicing sorcery. Since he had done all these things with Biryoo, their deep memories sparkled like the constellations embroidering the sky.
Biryoo gently brushed the tear-stained cheek with his thumb.
“And… I am afraid that once Dallae is gone, you will not stop weeping. For my sake, please grieve only a little.”
Young-pa wore a lonely smile.
“I’ve already been through this several times.”
Biryoo’s grip dug into Young-pa’s shoulders.
“You know that humans are beings who forget. I’ll be sad because I can’t believe that child is no longer in this world. But since I am human, I will eventually get used to it.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. After that, I have to look after Dallae’s descendants and take care of other humans. We still have Cheongsimi, yeomdani, Cheon-hae and Suro, Seo-o, and even the earthworm.”
A faint smile bloomed on Biryoo’s previously stiff lips.
“Above all, I have you.”
Young-pa spoke with conviction, looking up into those two eyes shimmering in indigo. Those pupils that remained mysterious even after a hundred years.
Pulled by the force against his back, Young-pa was enveloped in Biryoo’s embrace. His heart throbbed and thudded. Within his partner’s arms, Young-pa faced the fear lurking at the bottom of his heart.
“I… have a fear too. I wanted to become like you… but I wonder if I’m doing well. I wonder if I’m just shaking and manipulating someone who is too good for me.”
Instead of answering, Biryoo hugged Young-pa tightly.
“I’m afraid that because of a mistake I make… we might drift apart one day.”
As he closed his eyes and rested his cheek on Biryoo’s shoulder, his lips trembled. It was a thought he usually didn’t dwell on, but it seemed to have seeped into his heart in an unpleasant form.
“But what I fear most is…”
The hand clutching Biryoo’s back tightened.
“That I will eventually become like Yeon-hwa.”
The words left his lips heavily.
Young-pa consciously avoided mentioning Yeon-hwa in front of Biryoo. Furthermore, he had strove to treat him as a man, not as a deity. Even when acting as a guardian for humans, he would borrow the power of other divine beasts, but he never requested anything from the Azure Dragon.
“That I might end up hurting you and trying to use you.”
Young-pa had worked tirelessly, mindful of what happened with Yeon-hwa, but he knew he was a frail, weak human. Falling from grace was still the thing he feared most in the world.
Young-pa broke the embrace and stepped out of Biryoo’s arms. With a tearful face, he looked up at Biryoo’s composed countenance. His face distorted, and tears flowed down his cheeks.
“Azure Dragon. Do you love me?”
At the softly whispered words, a warm hand enveloped the back of his hand.
“More than this world.”
Because his attitude was as solid as a rock, the turbulent winds of Young-pa’s heart gradually subsided. Young-pa squeezed Biryoo’s hand firmly and spoke.
“I am an imperfect human. You know better than anyone that I am a person who harbors both light and darkness.”
“I do.”
“Please lead me. So that I do not make mistakes. So that I do not fall. So that I do not turn my back on you.”
Biryoo pulled the joined hand toward him and pressed his lips to the back of Young-pa’s hand.
“We committed many wrongs, but in the end, we came to be together.”
His wrongs. His own wrongs. Events that happened in the distant past flashed through Young-pa’s mind. Biryoo looked down at him with eyes full of certainty.
“There is no need to fear mistakes. I was a cold man who believed in nothing, but I believe in my vigilance and your resilience.”
His blue hair fluttered beautifully in the blowing wind.
“A hundred years. For a human, it is a long time, enough to encompass a lifetime, but not for a dragon.”
Amidst the dancing fragments of light, Biryoo smiled with a look that one could long for even in dreams.
“Our story has only just begun.”
Looking at the iridescent view, Young-pa thought it felt like the endless time stretching out before them. The reason anticipation outweighed fear was that he was not alone.
Biryoo was right. Since even a hundred years was as short as a blink of an eye, he feared not even eternity as long as he was with him.
“Are you finished saying what you wanted to say?”
Young-pa had not yet confessed his overwhelming heart and desperate affection. However, his thoughts scattered as hot lips overlapped his parted mouth.
Within the breath of the man he loved, fear and anxiety were helplessly shattered. Young-pa curled the corners of his mouth and pulled at Biryoo’s cheeks.
“Young-pa.”
From the name whispered between hurried breaths, wildflowers scattered in the air and the wind cleaved the mountainside. The sensation of scattering, breaking, and blooming. That was Young-pa’s place in this world.
“Young-pa. My love, who cannot be replaced by anything.”
A strong power that survives from the ruins even after being broken and trampled. A call imbued with the meaning of being unbearably lovely, referring to a common and humble existence that covers the world.
The wind blew strongly, and scales of light shimmered on the river. Wildflowers blooming on the mountainside fell, throwing themselves into the brilliant scenery. A white rain of flowers fell endlessly over the sparkling riverbank.
Like that river that flows ceaselessly. Like the night sky whose end is unknown.
Like the unknown stretching before them. Like the time where every scene will pile up as a memory.
— <Mythical Realm> END —