The sun beat down on Hyunjin's back as he picked some Foxglove and Valerian from a patch underneath a large oak tree. 

He put the herbs he had collected into a basket and let out a sigh of relief, sitting back on his knees and wiping the sweat from his forehead. 

When he had finished collecting enough medicinal herbs, Hyunjin picked up his basket and walked down the stone path leading back to his village. 

Other women and men waved to him and said 'hi' as he walked back to his house and he acknowledged them, but when he caught sight of Han Jisung laughing with a group of men he picked up speed. 

Jisung noticed him however and started running after him. 

"Hey Hyunjin! Out in the woods again?" He asked, a beautiful smile on his face as he tried to peer into Hyunjin's basket. 

Hyunjin groaned and pulled his cloak off, shoving it into the basket to cover the herbs. 

"It's none of your business, Jisung, but yes I was out in the woods. Why do you care?" 

Jisung shrugged and fiddled with his sleeve cuffs. 

"I heard the council talking about finding a few witches in the woods. You ought to be careful or you'll get bewitched!" 

Hyunjin snorted and moved his basket higher up on his arm, closer to his body. 

"All this witchcraft talk is utter nonsense. You better be careful not to fall for the council's lies!" He objected, raising his eyebrows at Jisung. 

Jisung chuckled and placed a gentle hand on Hyunjin's back, trailing to his lower back ever so smoothly. 

"Then I'll only listen to you from now on, oh wise Hyunjin." Jisung teased, walking with Hyunjin up to his house. 

Hyunjin scoffed and turned to face Jisung, giving him a tight lipped smile. 

"Good day Jisung, please go bother someone else with your news from the council." He insisted before heading inside. 

Jisung smiled and shook his head, opening Hyunjin's door to shout, "I'LL STILL KEEP YOU POSTED! I KNOW YOU LIKE HEARING MY NEWS!"

Hyunjin turned and stuck out his tongue at Jisung just as he shut the door. 

Hyunjin smiled and placed his basket down on the kitchen table. 

He took his cloak out and removed some Valerian root, bringing it over to his small coal stove and leaving it on the counter before putting on his stone tea kettle.

He grabbed a mug for himself and when the well water in the kettle began to boil, he took it off the stove and poured the boiling water into the mug. 

After dropping some Valerian root into the water he waited for it to cool before taking a sip, enjoying each earthy flavor dancing around on his palate. 

Hyunjin sunk down on the couch and drank the rest of his concoction, his eyes getting heavier with each sip until he eventually fell asleep. 

Hyunjin woke up later that night when the moon was just starting to come up. 

He rubbed his eyes and stretched, getting off the couch and going over to his basket still on the table. 

Hyunjin grabbed the rest of the herbs and took them to his room, where he kept his cauldron. 

After setting a few logs aflame under the small cauldron, Hyunjin dumped the Foxglove into the water and began to stir the water with a wooden spoon from his shelf. 

Once the water began to change color, Hyunjin grabbed a few vials off his shelf and slowly filled them one by one. 

When Hyunjin finished, he had filled fourteen vials with the poisonous liquid. 

He smiled at them proudly and set them back up on the shelf, taking a pot of cold water from his shelf and pouring it on the fire before getting into bed and falling asleep. 

Hyunjin was rudely woken up in the morning by a fierce knocking on his door. 

He stumbled out of bed and opened the door, squinting at the figure through the harsh sunlight. 

"Yes? What do you want?" 

The figure took a step forward and Hyunjin recognized it as Jisung, his eyes wide with fear. 

"Hyunjin! The council has accused another woman of being a witch! She's being hanged right now! Come see!" 

Jisung grabbed Hyunjin's hand and pulled him along to the village square where a woman stood on the gallows, a rope hung around her neck as she looked down at the ground in fear. 

A council member stood behind her with a script, a smirk on his face as he held it up. 

"Areum has confessed to being a witch and she will hang on this afternoon! Do you have any last words before your fate will be decided?" He asked, looking over at Areum curiously. 

Areum looked up and when she saw Hyunjin in front of her, she screamed and pointed her finger at him. 

"I'M NOT THE ONLY EVIL BEING IN THIS VILLAGE! HYUNJIN IS NOT AS INNOCENT AS YOU MAY THINK COUNCIL! IF I MUST DIE TODAY THEN SEARCH HIM AND CONVICT HIM AS WELL!" She bellowed, her eyes wide with fear as tears dripped down her cheeks. 

The council member glared down at Hyunjin and threw down his script. 

"Very well. MAY THE LORD HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOUL!" He shouted before pushing Areum off the gallows, the rope tightening around her throat and snapping her neck. 

Hyunjin shrugged as everyone in the crowd turned to stare at him in horror. 

Two council members came down from the gallows and walked over to him. 

"Would you mind taking us to your house so we can see if the witch was telling the truth?" One council member asked, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Hyunjin grinned and nodded, tightening his cloak around his neck. 

"I don't mind. Follow me my good sirs." He insisted, leading the council members to his house as Jisung trailed behind. 

The council members barged into Hyunjin's house and immediately began to search through every corner of his living room. 

Hyunjin crossed his arms over his chest and watched as they searched.

After finding nothing in the living room, the council members moved to Hyunjin's room. 

When they caught sight of his cauldron and vials of liquid they took the items out and shoved them in Hyunjin's face. 

"What are you doing with these items? Only a true witch would have these in their possession!" One demanded, staring Hyunjin down fiercely. 

Hyunjin sighed and pried the cauldron and vials from their hands. 

"I assure you I am no witch, just a simple medicinal doctor from outside the village. You do understand don't you?" 

The council members narrowed their eyes at him and they both grabbed his arms, starting to pull him out of his house. 

"If we're having a hard time believing you, the head council sadly won't believe you either!" 

Suddenly, Jisung blocked the doorway. 

The council members glared at him angrily. 

"Move back before we accuse you of witchcraft as well!" One snapped at him, trying to push through. 

Jisung held him back and gulped. 

"He's clearly not a witch! If he were a witch he would own a poppet! He knows his prayers too! I've heard him say them! Can't you just leave him be? We've already had one hanging today, isn't that enough?" 

The council members considered his statement and after a few minutes, they let go of Hyunjin. 

"This doesn't mean you're in the clear yet Mr. Hwang, just you wait, we'll get you for witchery yet!" One council member hissed at him before they both filed out the door past Jisung. 

Jisung immediately slammed the door shut once they had left and breathed a sigh of relief. 

Hyunjin chuckled at him and cocked his head, a pretty smile on his lips. 

"You didn't have to do that you know." 

Jisung smiled up at him and ran a hand through his hair. 

"No need to thank me. I'm just doing my job." 

Hyunjin burst out laughing and fell onto his couch. 

"No, you really didn't have to do that." 

Jisung looked down at him in confusion. 

"What do you mean?" 

Hyunjin smiled up at him and stretched, his shirt riding up to reveal his beautiful milky skin. 

"They were right, I am a witch. Just not the kind they're thinking of."