- DO KYUNGSOO -

"Well that's the first." was Grandmother's greeting as I pushed open her cottage door. I gave a small smile as i closed the door behind me, the smell of cinnamon filling my nose. Grandmother is beside her cauldron again, mixing a clear blue liquid and herbs.

I removed my riding hood and draped it over my favorite chair. "He's from my school." I said as i sat across from her. "How's your day, Grandmother?" 

Grandmother placed her hand over the mixture, and as usual, she started murmuring unintelligible words. I think they're in Latin. Or Greek. Some old language. I waited for her to finish and as I do, I started traveling my eyes all over the cylindrical cottage where she lives.

There's no divider. Her bed is located at the north, kitchen at the south, fireplace and sofas at the east, and shelves at the west. The wooden floor is covered by random carpets of different colors and prints. Different sizes of colored bottles which contain unknown liquids and solids lined the shelves. There are also thick and old worn out books that are piled over the tables and the floor. 

The place is dusty but neat. And it never fails to fascinate me.

"Aha!" Grandmother exclaimed and I turned to look at her. Suddenly, the blue liquid started bubbling from the middle and the color slowly turned to a bright red. Almost the color of blood.

I walked closer to her. "Woah." i breathed in awe. "That's wicked." 

Grandmother grinned at me. "Wicked, isn't it?" she gestured to the red liquid. "It's for werewolves' bite." 

I nodded thoughtfully. "Only if they're fast enough to get one before they turn into wolves themselves." Then i grinned, putting one arm over Grandmother's shoulders. "How's your day, Grandma? I hope you didn't stay all day doing this potion." 

Grandmother laughed and she leaned her head on my shoulder. "I'm fine, Kyungsoo, my dear." she smiled, patting my face with her free hand. "And i didn't stay all day in here. I went to the market to fill my storage."

I nodded in appreciation then i held her hand and led her to the sofas. Grandmother let go of her wooden stirring rod and she let me help her walk. She's not really weak. I just like doing this for her. 

She slowly settled on her giant cushion, pulling a blanket over her legs. "So back to my first statement." she said in a serious voice. 

"Got some tea?" I blurted out, walking to the kitchen and rummaging through the cupboards. I pulled a box of tea bags and started heating up some water. Grandmother still uses the oven in here.

"Kyungsoo..." Grandmother called. "He's dangerous."

For once, that line didn't terrify me.

"I know." I muttered, my back to her. "Don't worry, Grandma. We just happened to see each other along the way. He's a schoolmate."

"And what do you think he's doing here?" Grandmother asked, her voice challenging. I heard her picking up a book from the center table. I slowly glanced back at her. 

I gave her a shrug. "He said he's hunting." 

Grandma raised her brows in surprise. "Hunting." she repeated.

I nodded. "That's his term." I said on Jongin's defense. "He was holding an apple in one hand. I guess he went to gather some fruits." 

Grandmother slowly shook her head as she leaned back on her seat, opening her book. "Hunting..." she trailed off. "Hunting for some fruits..."

I sighed, walking to her side. I sat beside her legs and pulled a blanket from the floor for myself.
The heat from the fireplace is warming the whole place but the air is still a little chilly. I decided to drop the subject about Jongin so i gestured to the still warm potion with my lips. 

"What's with the red potion, Grandma?" I asked her. "Someone's being bitten by werewolves now?"

Grandma looked down at me. "I heard the news about a student in your school." she said in a quiet voice. "The one killed inside the men's washroom."

"Grandma, please don't tell me it's a werewolf." I sighed, hugging my knees to my chest. "It's just the gang. Hanjeon was a troublemaker. Of course he has enemies. They killed him. Not a werewolf." 

"Kyungsoo, werewolves are real." she said in a firm voice. "Why can't you believe that? Our village was once governed by them."

I leaned on her legs as i closed my eyes. "Grandma, those are legends and myths." I muttered. "They aren't real." I say that all the time. But I know I'm  trying to convince myself more than I am convincing her.

I felt her hand on my hair. "They are." she disagreed. "They are strong, powerful, and they could be as large as cars. They are cruel and terrifying with their canines as sharp as knives. They could be evil, my dear. But beautiful... too beautiful, indeed." she started brushing my hair as she said that.

"If they are strong and powerful, why aren't they governing us now?" i asked. "Why are they not our leaders anymore?"

Grandmother sighed. "Werewolves could be immortals," she started. "In one condition."

"What condition?" I asked, purely curious now.

"They should prey on humans." she said and that made me shiver despite the warmth. "Legends say that werewolves prefer beautiful women or men because their blood is different. They say it gives them power... and youth."

I opened my eyes and stared at the carpet with a tribal print. "Then the villagers protested?" I guessed. "And they tried to drive them off the place?"

Grandmother laughed softly. "You're a smart child." she said and i have to grin. "They could be cruel, Kyungsoo. But werewolves are the most faithful creature i have ever heard of."

"How?" I asked her. 

"When werewolves fall in love, it's the kind of love that could only die with them." she said in a quiet voice. "They imprint on their mate and their love would be for forever. And forever does exist with them because they could be immortal. Romantic, isn't it?"

That made me grin. "How do they imprint?" i asked.

I felt Grandmother shrugged. "No one knows." she muttered. "But books say that the first time the werewolf sees its mate, he or she would be enveloped in a kind of feeling no one can understand. Like... you're being drowned in a pool of water where you can breathe and there's something tugging on your heart. And you'll feel like... like..."

"Like falling?" i asked, brows raised.

Grandmother sighed. "Indeed. Like falling." she agreed. "And they'll imprint, as if connecting their heart with yours."

I gave a small half smile. "That's romantic." i muttered. "Really."

"But that happens between two werewolves only." Grandmother said in a suddenly tight voice. "Falling for a different kind of creature would be different."

"Different creature?" I mimicked. "Like... humans?"

Grandmother flinched. "Y-yes." she whispered and just like Mother's, her eyes started to grow distant. She stared into space as if she's seeing some memories from her past. I reached out to her knees, comforting her.

"Grandma..."

"You'll wake up with a bloody tooth on your bed." she whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's the proposal. And you'll wrap a thread around the tooth and put it around your neck... means you're saying 'Yes'."

Image of Mother's necklace flashed in my mind. "Grandma... Mother's wearing a wolf tooth." i muttered. "Does that mean...?"

Grandma is still staring into nothingness. "Once you wear it, no werewolf could touch you." she muttered. "It's your protection. You'll have that certain aura. Terrifying... chilling... Until that werewolf is dead-- the one who asked you for marriage-- And you're fragile again." 

I squeezed her knee and Grandmother blinked her eyes, startled. She finally looked down at me and her eyes seemed wet with tears. "Grandmother..." i said gently. "Are you okay? Aren't you reading too much werewolf books?" I tried humoring her and Grandma smiled back. She has always been like this since my father died-- Sometimes distant and indifferent. 

She reached down for my face, brushing my cheek with her rough fingers. "You wouldn't be here if it didn't happen." she whispered. "And i am forever thankful for that, my dearest Kyungsoo." 

I tried to smile though i don't have any idea what she's telling me. I reached for her hand that's on my face as i remembered my question from earlier. "Grandma, Mother's wearing a wolf tooth." I repeated.

Grandmother pulled her hand back and she suddenly started reading. "Y-your Father was a hunter." she said. "He found that when he was hunting."

I nodded. "That's what Mother told me, too." Then i smiled. "But Grandma, you said Father is not your real child, that you found him on your doorstep one night." 

Grandmother nodded at me. 

I leaned closer, grinning. "Do you think he could be a werewolf?"

Grandmother winced and she shut her book a little loudly which made me gasp. "No." she said in a firm voice. "Your Father is a normal human being, Kyungsoo. Please don't say that."

"I-i'm sorry, Grandma." I breathed, reaching out for her knee again. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

She finally sighed and she reached for my face again. "Please don't think that you're different, Kyungsoo." she whispered as she looked into my eyes. "You're normal, believe me. There's nothing to feel different about."

I nodded against her palm. "I understand." I whispered back. "I understand, Grandma." 

Grandmother was delighted about the fruits we gave her. She also loved the flowers, said they're too beautiful she can't believe her eyes. I didn't tell her Jongin showed me where to get them.

She started keeping the fruits in her cupboards and then decided on just reorganizing everything. While she's busy doing her job, i caught sight of a thick book with the word 'Werewolves' on the black cover printed in gold.

"Grandma, can i borrow your book?" i asked, holding the book for her to see. 

But she didn't even look as she nodded her head. "Take anything, Kyungsoo dear." she called as she placed a box of flour back inside the cabinet. I shrugged and put the book inside my basket. 

No matter how many books i've read about werewolves and other creatures, i still feel like i know very little about them. I don't know but they make me curious. Who wouldn't be curious about the things you had never seen or experienced before?

Could they be real?

Are they even there, lurking behind the shadows? 

Who killed Hanjeon? Or maybe... what did?

I want to know. I really want to know. 

But i must admit... I'm afraid to know the answers.