The sky had deepened into a muted blue, the last remnants of daylight bleeding beneath the horizon. The forest around them grew colder, shadows stretching long and thin across the uneven ground. A hush had settled over the trees, interrupted only by the distant calls of unseen creatures and the whisper of the wind rustling through brittle leaves.
Seo Reun exhaled slowly, his breath visible in the cooling air. His body ached from the long journey, muscles stiff from hours of walking. His gaze flickered toward the child beside him, the boy he'd unintentionally acquired somewhere along the way.
And now, after all their wandering, after retracing steps and following a path that had cost him half a day, they had ended up exactly where they started. The very junction where the boy had first begun trailing after him.
Seo Reun had known from the beginning that something was off about the child. He'd ignored it at first, brushing aside the instinct to take a closer look When he had first laid eyes on the boy, standing small and silent in the middle of the road, he hadn't thought much of it. He hadn't considered whether the boy looked relieved to see another person. Hadn't questioned whether the child might be lost. It was none of his business to question a child on the road, the world wasn't so safe that he would stop because of a child when it might be a trap set by some bandits. All he had done was walk past him. And now, that moment of indifference had cost him precious time.
Now that they were back at the junction, Seo Reun stood still, listening.
No one was waiting, no voices calling out in worry. No hurried footsteps. No signs of anxious family members searching for the lost boy.
Nothing.
It was exactly what he had suspected but that didn't make it any less frustrating. He had kept his ears open the entire way back, listening for anything, any sign that someone was looking for the boy. But the only sounds that had met him were the quiet symphony of the forest and the occasional laugh from the child.
Seo Reun sighed. The child, oblivious to the weight of their situation, was crouched on the ground, fingers absently digging into the dirt. He let out a burst of laughter as he unearthed an earthworm, holding it up as though their exhausting journey had been nothing more than a simple game.
Seo Reun watched him, unimpressed. He could tell the boy hadn't been abandoned. He was a little chubby, well-fed. His clothes, the jeogori jacket though old and slightly tight-fitting which means it was no longer his size, weren't tattered and his baji was just a ridding up a bit from his ankle. He didn't appear hungry or thirsty. That meant someone had been taking care of him and he had probably eaten before he got lost.
Which meant someone out there must be looking for him.
And yet, as the night pressed in around them, they remained alone.
Seo Reun sat down on a fallen tree trunk, allowing himself a moment of stillness. His wide-brimmed hat, no longer needed in the dimming light, now rested against his back, the strap snug around his neck. His long, dark hair had come loose, falling over his face, but he made no effort to push it aside. His traveling box lay beside him, along with the wrapped sword he carried. His small bag, which had once held smoked meat and fruit, was completely empty, and his water flask heavier in weight than in substance was dry.
He needed water. Needed food.
But more than anything, he needed to find the boy's people.
Not just for the child's sake, but for his own.
With a deep breath, Seo Reun shifted forward, lowering himself to the ground. Placing one hand against the dirt, he pressed his ear close, eyes slipping shut. He focused, attuning himself to the earth's subtle vibrations. If there were people nearby, he could sense their movements, feel the faint tremors of their steps. Perhaps even detect a nearby village unlikely, but worth trying.
He just needed silence.
Instead...
The unmistakable sound of dirt being shoveled aside met his ears, followed by another fit of childish laughter.
Seo Reun's eyes snapped open.
"Can you stop!" His voice came out sharper than intended, irritation seeping into his tone.
The laughter cut off instantly. The boy's mouth trembled, eyes welling up with unshed tears before he burst into loud, hiccuping sobs.
Seo Reun exhaled slowly, already regretting his outburst.
"Ahh! AHH!" the child wailed, louder than before.
Seo Reun pressed his fingers against his temple, willing away the headache that was rapidly forming. If the boy kept this up, he'd attract every wild animal within a mile.
His patience was wearing thin not just because of the crying, but because time was slipping away. He needed to act quickly.
If he didn't find water soon, his body would start giving out.
If he didn't find people, he'd have to make a difficult decision.
Either abandon the child and move on.
Or take him along and risk slowing himself down even further then he had to worry about what they would eat knowing that he had to feed well a growing child.
Neither option sat well with him.
Then...
A shift.
Faint, but unmistakable.
Seo Reun stilled, listening closely. It wasn't the erratic movement of an animal. It was rhythmic. Deliberate.
Footsteps.
More than one.
Humans.
His gaze flickered to the child, who was still hiccuping through the remnants of his sobs. If they were lucky, it was the boy's people. If they weren't…
It could be trouble.
Seo Reun didn't waste time. "What's your name?" he asked abruptly.
The boy, caught off guard by the sudden question, sniffled. He stared at Seo Reun with wide, teary eyes, his breath still hitching from crying.
Seo Reun's voice was unintentionally stern, urgency bleeding through. "Your name. Tell me."
The child hesitated.
Seo Reun clicked his tongue in annoyance. No time for hesitation. He slung his box onto his back, tightened the straps securing his sword, and grabbed the boy's wrist. His grip was firm but not painful. "We're going."
His pace was brisk, then steadily increased. The child stumbled over roots and uneven ground, struggling to keep up.
Seo Reun didn't slow down.
Then...
A voice.
Faint at first, distant. But undeniably human. Calling out.
Seo Reun halted, closing his eyes to focus.
Another call. Closer this time.
He turned his gaze to the child. "Are you Ah Li?"
The boy blinked, momentarily forgetting his fear. "How do you know my name?"
Relief settled over Seo Reun. That was all the confirmation he needed.
Without another word, Seo Reun adjusted his hold. In one swift motion, he tossed the boy up and caught him so that Ah Li was now sitting on his shoulders, legs dangling on either side of his head. The child let out a startled squeak but didn't protest, instinctively clinging to Seo Reun's hair.
"This will be faster," Seo Reun muttered before breaking into a run.
The forest blurred past them. The voices were clearer now, more desperate. Ah Li, finally recognizing the sound, twisted excitedly.
"Brother Dong! Brother Tein!" he shouted, voice carrying through the trees.
Seo Reun pushed forward, leaping over a fallen log. Ah Li bounced on his shoulders, gripping tightly to avoid slipping.
Then...
"Ah Li!"
A frantic voice echoed through the trees.
Seo Reun skidded to a stop, his chest heaving. Without hesitation, he lowered Ah Li to the ground. The boy's eyes shone with excitement, his exhaustion forgotten.
"Run," Seo Reun instructed. "They're waiting for you."
Ah Li hesitated for just a moment, then took off.
"Brother Dong! Brother Tein!"
Seo Reun watched as the boy disappeared into the forest.
But then....
Ah Li stopped.
He turned back, his face hesitant. "What's your name?"
Seo Reun blinked.
It was such a simple question. It wouldn't hurt to answer.
But for some reason, he hesitated.
Then, finally..
"Reun." he replied, voice carrying through the night. He had to quickly answer to prevent the boy from walking back to him when he should be going forward.
Ah Li grinned. "Brother Sa! Wait! I'm coming back for you! Don't go anywhere, okay? Let me see Brother Dong first, then I'll find you again!"
Seo Reun frowned. Sa? He hadn't said that.
Before he could question it, the boy ran off, his figure varnishing beyond the trees.
The sounds of reunion reached Seo Reun's ears, voices filled with relief and joy. He remained still, listening as Ah Li called out to his companions
Seo Reun lingered for a moment, listening.
Then, adjusting his hat, he turned and silently disappeared into the forest.