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2021-10-09 13:38:40DO YOU WEEP for the battered, empty heart of the gumiho? You should. Though she has often yearned for love, she has always been denied it.
There is a tale that takes place long after the first gumiho had become nothing but myth. And many more had risen to take her place as monsters of the night. Humankind traded stories of their existence like they were fables warning men against temptation. And only a few knew that there lay truth in the terrifying stories.
During this time lived the son of a poor scholar, bright and precocious.
Along the road to his private tutoring sat a Chinese Scholar tree.
All were warned not to stand under the tree at night since the spirits liked to visit it when the moon was high.
One night, the boy walked home long after the sun had set. He spotted a figure under the tree and app
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Rejected Luna 48
JIHOON ZIPPED THROUGH traffic on the small scooter. A flag on the back flew the name of Halmeoni’s restaurant.The moped never hit over forty kilometers per hour and was always five seconds away from dying. A deathtrap on two tread-bare wheels. Really, Jihoon wondered why his halmeoni had such little regard for his personal well-being.He prayed it wouldn’t break down as he veered around a large bus spitting out exhaust.Here the neighborhood had given in to chain stores. Doors swished open to let customers out. Blaring pop songs followed them. Jihoon bopped along to the beat.The scooter protested as he turned onto a steep hill, and despite Jihoon’s urging, it gave up five blocks from the restaurant. He debated leaving it in the middle of the street, but dutifully pushed the scooter along. His halmeoni wouldn’t be happy if he abandoned the piece
Last Updated : 2021-10-10Rejected Luna 49
AS MIYOUNG MADE her way through the forest, unease sat heavy in her chest. Was she a fool to allow a person to roam free while he held her secret?Yena would just make him fall in love with her. She always claimed that when humans thought they loved, they’d do anything. Miyoung didn’t like the idea that love could be manipulated. Yena might be jaded about the human heart, but Miyoung wasn’t yet.Still, Jihoon worried her with his observant eyes, devil-like smile, and glib tongue. It was a bad combination. Someone who knew too much and cared too little.It felt like he could see right through her lies. Like how she claimed to control their shared dream. It had been as much a surprise to her as it was to him. But she needed him to believe she was more powerful than she was. She needed to scare him into silence. He’d given his word, but she couldn’t trust that. Ev
Last Updated : 2021-10-11Rejected Luna 50
MIYOUNG DIDN’T LIKE being home alone, but though Yena insisted on having everything just so, she rarely spent any time in the house. Perhaps she had more of a need for fresh air as a full gumiho. Or maybe she just didn’t like making awkward small talk with her daughter.The other night as they ate a silent dinner together, curiosity had pushed Miyoung to ask, “Mother, what do you do for fun?”“Fun?” Yena had said the word like it was a virus.“Yeah, do you knit? Play games? Read . . .” Miyoung trailed off at the icy glare from her mother.“What a strange question. I honestly don’t know what’s gotten into you,” Yena said.“I think I’m just tired.” And Miyoung had asked to be excused to her room.Maybe that was why Yena had texted saying she wouldn’t
Last Updated : 2021-10-12Rejected Luna 51
MIYOUNG DIDN’T LIKE being home alone, but though Yena insisted on having everything just so, she rarely spent any time in the house. Perhaps she had more of a need for fresh air as a full gumiho. Or maybe she just didn’t like making awkward small talk with her daughter.The other night as they ate a silent dinner together, curiosity had pushed Miyoung to ask, “Mother, what do you do for fun?”“Fun?” Yena had said the word like it was a virus.“Yeah, do you knit? Play games? Read . . .” Miyoung trailed off at the icy glare from her mother.“What a strange question. I honestly don’t know what’s gotten into you,” Yena said.“I think I’m just tired.” And Miyoung had asked to be excused to her room.Maybe that was why Yena had texted saying she
Last Updated : 2021-10-13Rejected Luna 52
MIYOUNG’S DAYS SLOWLY became routine. She was a fan of order. It ensured that there were no unforeseen variables. If she knew what each day would bring, she could better control her world.However, it felt strange to have a routine while a ticking time bomb sat in her pocket. The yeowu guseul was a heavy reminder that her days were not completely normal.Jihoon, on the other hand, was completely random. He never did anything consistently. He liked to goof off in class or sleep, but never with any rhyme or reason. More often than not, he’d be in the computer lab instead of class because he went there to play games.Jihoon had an odd skill for getting away with doing as little work as possible and staying in the teachers’ good graces. Probably because he had a wickedly boyish face with an equally mischievous grin. It worked well to get him his way.She hardly spoke to
Last Updated : 2021-10-14Rejected Luna 53
MIYOUNG’S DAYS SLOWLY became routine. She was a fan of order. It ensured that there were no unforeseen variables. If she knew what each day would bring, she could better control her world.However, it felt strange to have a routine while a ticking time bomb sat in her pocket. The yeowu guseul was a heavy reminder that her days were not completely normal.Jihoon, on the other hand, was completely random. He never did anything consistently. He liked to goof off in class or sleep, but never with any rhyme or reason. More often than not, he’d be in the computer lab instead of class because he went there to play games.Jihoon had an odd skill for getting away with doing as little work as possible and staying in the teachers’ good graces. Probably because he had a wickedly boyish face with an equally mischievous grin. It worked well to get him his way.She hardly spoke to
Last Updated : 2021-10-15Rejected Luna 54
JIHOON SAT IN a hard chair against a faded beige wall. A dozen police officers sat at desks placed in random jigsaw patterns around the room.He’d only been in a police station once before, when his mother had dragged him there to shout at the officer who’d arrested his father. A bad memory compounded by his current discomfort. And the cop currently questioning him wasn’t helping.“So tell me again, how did you break the window?” It was a question Jihoon had answered at least a dozen times already.“A rock.” He kept his answers short. Less chance of getting caught in a lie that way.“Why?”Good question, Jihoon thought. Why had he decided to cover for Miyoung? It wasn’t necessarily because he felt protective of Miyoung. Lord knew she didn’t need someone to take care of her. Perhap
Last Updated : 2021-10-16Rejected Luna 55
JIHOON SAT IN a hard chair against a faded beige wall. A dozen police officers sat at desks placed in random jigsaw patterns around the room. He’d only been in a police station once before, when his mother had dragged him there to shout at the officer who’d arrested his father. A bad memory compounded by his current discomfort. And the cop currently questioning him wasn’t helping. “So tell me again, how did you break the window?” It was a question Jihoon had answered at least a dozen times already. “A rock.” He kept his answers short. Less chance of getting caught in a lie that way. “Why?” Good question, Jihoon thought. Why had he decided to cover for Miyoung? It wasn’t necessarily because he felt protective of Miyoung. Lord knew she didn’t need someone to take care of her. Perhaps it was because he knew she’d expected him to do nothin
Last Updated : 2021-10-17
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Rejected Luna 111
EPILOGUETHE FOREST WAS dark despite the full moon. The branches now held so much foliage that it created a barrier between the earth and sky. The moonlight no longer hurt her, but still, Miyoung was grateful for the protection.She’d avoided the woods after losing her mother. But she’d missed her safe haven. The memories this place held were both comfort and pain. And now, as she picked her way over twisting roots and through reaching branches, she breathed in deeply. The scent of dirt and wood calmed her nerves.She loosened her grip on the flowers she carried. She didn’t want to break their delicate stems. Was it useless to bring such a token? Yena had hated flowers; she said they made a mess when they died. But her mother couldn’t voice her disapproval of such a gift. Not anymore.Miyoung swiped at he
Rejected Luna 110
Justice North sat behind his desk while Tiger and Fury had taken seats perched on the sides of the massive piece of furniture. Joy swallowed, waiting for the last person to arrive. Dr. Treadmont finally showed up for the meeting Joy had asked for. He closed the door behind him.“What did you wish to speak about?”“Moon believes he is at site four.”Silence greeted that statement until Dr. Treadmont asked a question.“What the hell is that?”“There were remote sites we were relocated to after we were freed from Mercile,” Fury answered. “We were hidden from the press and given time to assimilate into life outside of Mercile.”“They were motels,” Tiger added. “Out in bum-fuck nowhere that the government was easily able to buy or gain access to because they were abandoned. They sent in
Rejected Luna 109
That just made Jihoon more determined to get a reaction out of her. “One of my favorite champions is Ahri.” Jihoon chuckled. “If you played, you’d get the joke.” He leaned in and said in a stage whisper, “She’s a gumiho.”Miyoung glared at him. Jihoon grinned. She continued to glower, unmoved by his best weapon. His smile wavered. “Do you really not do anything for fun? Sports? Knitting? Ancient tea ceremonies?”“I don’t do things for fun,” she said.“Why?”“Why do you care?”Jihoon shrugged. “Because it looks like you could use a friend.”“I don’t need friends,” Miyoung muttered.“Everyone needs friends,” Jihoon countered, despite the frown Miyoung gave h
Rejected Luna 109
Stop embarrassing me.” Carl hissed the words, glancing around to make sure he couldn’t be overheard by anyone except his target. “My father said you’re surly. It reflects badly on him. I just got my ass chewed out. Keep smiling and nod, Vanni. He also said you were rude to a journalist.”“Did you hear what he preached up there?” She was angry too. “I agreed to put on this long skirt because your father has a problem with women wearing pants. I didn’t say I’d talk with reporters and repeat the hatred he spews.”“You’re not supposed to talk at all. I know he’s old school but he is my father. We’re here to represent him.”“Old school? I’d use way harsher words for what he is. No, I only came because I thought we were having a romantic weekend at a nice hotel. Instead, I discover you’re sharing a suite with your father and I’m stuck rooming with hi
Rejected Luna 108
# Upstate New York, 2018Wolves who drink smell like Baileys and kibble.It doesn’t matter that Ronan’s poison is a 7 and 7 and chimichangas at the casino over at Hogansburg, there’s something about our livers that still makes him smell like Baileys and kibble.He lies slumped partly on his stomach, partly on his side at the edge of the Clearing, the broad expanse of spongy grass and drowned trees that is what remains of an old beaver pond that fell into disrepair when the Pack ate the beavers one lean year. New beavers have established a new pond nearby. Eventually we will eat those too.And so it goes.The Clearing is used for ceremonies and rituals because it is open and accommodates larger numbers. Usually the Pack prefers the cool, muffled, fragrant darkness of the forest, treating the Clearing like an anxious Catholic treats the church. We shuffle in on major celebrations and otherwis
Rejected Luna 107
She licked her lips. “I believe you love me.” She stared down at his lap. “I said on the way here that I want to do things to you. Please stand up?”Blood rushed to his groin to make his dick painfully taut. He didn’t care anymore if it was a test. It seemed a win to him either way if she wanted his hips level with her face. He almost tripped on his way up, forgetting he hadn’t lost the pants entirely yet. He pushed them down and kicked them out of the way. His focus fixed on Joy when she reached out to brush the pad of her thumb over the crown of his dick.Her tongue wet her lips again and he knew what she was going to do. Her hot breath fanning across the tip of his dick forced him to clench his teeth. She deserved a mate who could control the sounds he wanted to make as she made one of his deepest fantasies come true.The first lick of her hot, soft tongue forced him to lock his knees. One of her hands braced on the curve of his
Rejected Luna 106
Darkness growled. “That’s it?” Almost-black eyes glared at Moon. “How did you leave? I’ve spent the past ninety minutes reviewing the camera footage along the walls and at both gates. You were not caught on any of them.”“Easy,” Fury warned. “We’ll get to that“If he could get out, someone could sneak in the same way,” Darkness protested. “We could be breached at any moment. My team needs to know how he did it“I exited from the hidden gate we recently constructed. I knew cameras hadn’t been installed there yet.” Moon took a deep breath. “It’s not True’s fault. He’s new and I’m higher ranking. I told him I was going on patrol on my motorcycle and used my authority, believing he wouldn’t question it if I lied by stating it was something I occasionally do.” He closed his mouth, not admit
Rejected Luna 106
Ellie laughed. “Come on, Monarch. You can totally do this.”Monarch, a blonde-haired woman just under six feet tall, examined the vacuum with disgust. “It’s too loud and I’m afraid it’s going to suck up my toes.”Ellie lifted her hand to cover her mouth, trying to hide her amusement. “We all think that. Trust me. I promise you, though, if you point it away from you, that won’t happen. You’ve mastered the washing machine and your cooking skills with a microwave are wonderful. You can handle this beast.”Monarch sighed. “Fine, but it hurts my ears.”Destiny, a black-haired woman, cheered her on. Monarch flipped on the vacuum and pushed it around the living room
Rejected Luna 105
front of the convenience store. The chill of the late-fall night made his cheeks red, and he wanted something hot to drink.To say his halmeoni was upset would be an understatement. But she’d needed to run the restaurant, so it had fallen to Jihoon to retrieve the scooter from the mechanic. The errand gave him a short reprieve from her wrath.Jihoon lingered at the case that warmed individual cans of coffee, his thoughts on things other than the toasty drinks inside. Turning toward the cold drinks, he caught a glimpse of movement outside.Like a vision called forth by force of will, Miyoung sat at one of the plastic tables. Her head hung low so her hair covered her face.Jihoon walked out and settled into the chair across from Mi
