Art by Princess Mariel (fb)
Jihye’s journey had begun as an innocent quest for self-discovery, but her path took a treacherous turn when she found herself in a rundown guesthouse in a nameless town. Once a flourishing port, the town had long since fallen into despair, and its shadowy streets were now controlled by organised criminals. Poverty had opened the door for corruption and fear, and the residents had learned to keep their heads down, hoping to avoid the wrath of those in power.
The guesthouse’s owner, a shrewd and opportunistic woman named Elenora, had taken a peculiar interest in Jihye. Rumours about Jihye’s unique abilities had spread like wildfire. She was said to be more than human, a Gumiho with the power to shape-shift into a fox. Elenora saw potential in Jihye—not for companionship or camaraderie but as a tool to exploit for profit. She attempted to coerce Jihye into unsavoury work, promising wealth and protection if she complied. But Jihye, fierce and resilient, refused to yield to the owner’s demands. Determined to survive on her own terms, she turned to a life of grifting and conning, using her wit and cunning to navigate the treacherous waters of the town’s criminal underworld.
Adapting to this dangerous new life, Jihye built tenuous connections with some of the town’s smaller-time criminals. Among them was a pickpocket named Eric, a sly yet good-hearted man who admired Jihye’s tenacity. There was also Suna, a resourceful woman with a knack for forgery. Together, they operated in a fragile alliance bound by a loose code of honour. Trust was a luxury none of them could afford, but within this makeshift family, Jihye found a semblance of belonging. The thrill of the con became her solace, and she learned to wield her powers in ways that ensured her survival and success.
Yet, her world tilted on its axis on her eighteenth birthday. By then, Jihye had grown into a formidable young woman, her fox-like instincts sharpened by years of hardship. Her small circle of allies decided to throw her a masked ball to mark the occasion. The celebration was lively, filled with laughter and sly references to the many cons they had pulled off together. But what began as a night of lighthearted revelry quickly turned sinister.
Unbeknownst to Jihye, the son of a powerful crime kingpin had caught wind of the gathering. A spoiled and entitled man named Victor was infamous for his cruelty and arrogance. Intrigued by tales of Jihye’s beauty and rumoured powers, Victor crashed the party with the intention of making her his. He cornered her in a dimly lit hallway, his breath heavy with the stench of alcohol and entitlement.
“You belong to me now,” he declared, reaching for her arm.
Jihye’s heart pounded, but her resolve remained unyielding. “No one owns me,” she said, her voice cold and steady.
Victor’s eyes darkened with rage at her defiance. He lunged at her, his aggression escalating into violence. But Jihye’s instincts took over. In a flash, she shifted into her fox form, her rusty fur shimmering in the moonlight that filtered through the window. With a fierce snarl, she attacked, her sharp claws raking across Victor’s throat. He fell to the ground, his life draining away with each shallow breath.
Panicked, Jihye fled the scene, her heart a tempest of fear and guilt. She hadn’t meant to kill him, but the instinct to survive had overridden all else. Her actions, however, did not go unnoticed. Word of Victor’s death spread like wildfire, and soon, the entire town buzzed with the news.
The kingpin, Valerian, was a man whose power and ruthlessness were unmatched. The loss of his son ignited a dark fury within him, but his anger was tempered by curiosity. He had heard of Jihye’s transformation and was impressed by her ability to fend off his son. Rather than seeking immediate vengeance, he saw an opportunity. He sent his most resourceful hunter, a man named Seokjin, to track Jihye down and bring her to him alive.
Seokjin was relentless in his pursuit, and it wasn’t long before he cornered Jihye in an abandoned warehouse at the edge of town. Exhausted and outnumbered, Jihye had no choice but to surrender. Seokjin bound her hands and led her to Valerian’s lair—a grand but foreboding mansion perched atop a hill that overlooked the desolate town.
The meeting between Jihye and the kingpin was tense and shrouded in shadows. Valerian, a man in his late fifties with piercing eyes and a calculating demeanour, studied her with interest.
“You are quite remarkable,” he said, his voice smooth but dangerous. “Few have ever stood up to my son and lived to tell the tale.”
Jihye remained silent, her gaze unwavering.
“I’m not here to punish you,” he continued. “On the contrary, I see potential in you. Strength. Resilience. Traits that are valuable in my line of work.”
“What do you want from me?” Jihye finally asked.
“Join me,” he said, his eyes gleaming. “I can offer you protection, resources, and a place in my organization. You’ll never have to run or hide again. You’ll have a family—of sorts.”
The offer was tempting, but Jihye’s mind swirled with doubts. Could she trust him? Would aligning herself with such a man mean losing what little humanity she had left? Yet the weight of her curse, coupled with the isolation she had endured for so long, pressed heavily upon her. The prospect of safety and belonging was a powerful lure.
Valerian leaned forward. “Think carefully, Jihye. This is a crossroads for you. Choose wisely, and you can carve out a future for yourself. But defy me, and there will be no place in this world where you can hide.”
Jihye’s heart was a storm of conflicting emotions. She had spent her entire life fighting for survival, always on the fringes, never truly belonging. Now, she stood at the edge of an abyss, faced with a choice that would define the rest of her life.
With a deep breath, she met Valerian’s gaze. “I need time to decide,” she said.
He nodded, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Very well. But don’t take too long.”
Jihye was escorted out of the mansion, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The road ahead was uncertain, fraught with danger and difficult choices. But one thing was clear—no matter what path she chose, her life would never be the same again.