Yeonwoo was in an unfamiliar room. An unknown little boy was squirming and groaning, and Yeonwoo was desperately trying to climb up beside him to stay by his side.

​However, no matter how hard he struggled, his feet floating in the air were far too short and stubby, and there was no strength in his legs.

It's okay. I'll give you mine. Then it won't hurt.

He wanted to shout that, but only the whimpering sounds of a fox came out of his mouth. He ran until his paws bled, chasing after the boy who was becoming faint, but he couldn't get any closer.

Tears spilled over from the overwhelming sorrow, repeatedly clouding his vision. Yet Yeonwoo couldn't stop running. What finally brought Yeonwoo to a halt was a massive cluster of light rushing toward him with a blaring horn.

“Hah!"

Startled, Yeonwoo sat up and gradually regained his senses. He wiped the moisture from his eyes and cheeks and sat with his back straight, dazed.

Whether it was cold sweat or tears, his pillow was soaking wet.

"What time is it now?"

Seeing the sunset glow through the window dyeing the room red, it seemed a whole day had already passed. Yeonwoo, checking his phone screen blankly, jumped to his feet.

"I'm late!"

As he rushed to the bathroom, Yeonwoo remembered the fact that he had become completely unemployed as of yesterday.

Recalling the man's harsh shouting telling him never to show his face near the diner again, he collapsed onto his knees. In truth, Yeonwoo agreed that continuing to overwork wasn't good for the owner either. But whether her children decided to sell the place or take it over, Yeonwoo's job was gone all the same.

Yeonwoo typed out a message to the owner, which he hadn't been able to send yesterday, wishing her a speedy recovery, and let out a deep sigh.

"Haa..."

Reality was too bleak to keep blaming himself and feeling anxious. He had already been fired from several part-time jobs in a row recently. It was the result of taking the blame for another colleague's mistake.

They had turned all the blame and criticism toward him, claiming he brought bad luck.

The fact that he was a fox beastman was a very convenient excuse for them. Boss Soonhee's diner had been his sole reliable source of income, and now even that was gone.

Scratching his messy hair, Yeonwoo headed to the bathroom and looked at his body reflected in the mirror. Though they had faded quite a bit, the marks from that night still remained stubbornly on his body as if telling him not to forget.

Yeonwoo picked up his phone to look for a day labor position for now. Then he saw that there were five missed calls from Hyunmin.

He hesitated for a moment, but seeing the string of worried messages, Yeonwoo quickly called him back.

Before it could even ring a few times, Hyunmin's urgent voice came through the speaker.

-Where are you?

"I'm at home."

-I was worried because you left so suddenly yesterday and I couldn't reach you. I thought you might have gotten into a big accident. It seemed like you came home late yesterday, too.

Hyunmin was someone who knew better than anyone else how many incidents and accidents Yeonwoo got caught up in. Yeonwoo apologized, feeling bad for making him worry.

"Sorry. Something happened yesterday. But did you come to my place?"

-I went there after work to give you the cake I bought. Oh, right. I left the cake in the corner of the rooftop, so eat it.

"You should have just opened the door and gone in."

-I forgot to bring the key.

"I made you go through all that trouble for nothing. Sorry."

Yeonwoo opened the door and checked the rooftop. The midwinter wind was fierce, but the cake box was waiting patiently for him. Peeking inside the box, it was a cake covered in strawberries, which Yeonwoo loved, and it looked expensive at a glance.

"Found it. Why did you buy something so expensive?"

-Forget it. You're crazy about strawberries. I specifically asked them to put in a double serving of strawberries. I couldn't put it in the fridge, but it should be okay since the weather is cold, right? If it seems spoiled, don't eat it.

"What do you mean 'double serving,' it's not a Chinese restaurant."

Even as he said that, the corners of Yeonwoo's mouth tilted up slightly. For a moment, the shadow lifted from Yeonwoo's face, which had been continuously dark.

Just as Hyunmin said, he loved strawberries enough to easily eat several boxes in one sitting. However, strawberries were inherently expensive, so he only bought them on special occasions, and even then, he barely managed to buy low-grade ones in small boxes after much deliberation. Since he had been getting by on strawberry candy lately due to his decreased income, he was even more glad to see them.

"Thanks. I'll enjoy it."

-So, what happened yesterday?

"Ah... you know boss Soonhee. The owner of the restaurant where I've been working."

-I know. I went there to eat before.

"She collapsed last night, so I was at the emergency room."

-What? Is she okay?

"Yeah. I'm not sure yet, but I think she's going to be okay."

-That's a relief. So that's why you weren't home.

"Mhm. Right."

He had been scolded by the owner's son for having his ears out in the emergency room, and he had stayed in the hospital parking lot until past midnight thinking about the things that had happened to him lately, but there was no need to say all that.

Perhaps because his flight time was approaching, Hyunmin's voice talking to someone else could be heard for a moment over the phone. Since Hyunmin was quick-witted, Yeonwoo, who was trying to change the subject, took the chance to cut in.

"You said you were going on a business trip, right? You'll be boarding soon. Have a safe trip."

-There's still time, but my senior is just impatient.

"I should get up now, too. You should get going. Thanks for the cake."

-Okay, got it. See you when I get back.

Hyunmin grumbled about him being cold-hearted, but he seemed to be in a hurry as a voice presumed to be his senior's urged him from a distance.

Just before hanging up, Hyunmin asked quickly.

-So, nothing else happened, right?

When Yeonwoo asked what he meant since he had just told him everything, Hyunmin added.

-No, not the owner. I mean you.

It seemed he had noticed from his voice that he was already hiding something. But Yeonwoo tried to reassure him by acting as if nothing were wrong.

"No. Really, nothing happened. I'm just worried about her collapsing, that's all."

Hyunmin was the only person Yeonwoo could talk to openly, but for that very reason, Yeonwoo had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

There was no need to make him share his burdens. He was even more cautious because he knew Hyunmin would help him without hesitation if he told him about the current situation.

"Don't worry and get going. I'm heading out to work now, too."

Fortunately, Hyunmin didn't ask further and hung up. After the call, Yeonwoo put the cake in the fridge and crawled back under his blanket.

Normally, he would have looked at the strawberry cake for a long time and happily tasted it, but right now he didn't want to do anything.

***

After Soonhee collapsed, Yeonwoo holed himself up at home without leaving for several days straight.

​Hiding under the covers, Yeonwoo dragged himself up at the sudden ringing of his phone.

"Who is it... I don't have anyone to call me."

However, as soon as he checked the name on the screen, Yeonwoo scrambled to press the button, fearing the call might end.

"Boss!"

As if he had never been drained of energy, Yeonwoo loudly called out to Soonhee over the receiver. Because he hadn't spoken for several days, his voice was hoarse and cracked.

-My eardrums are gonna burst. Is that you, Yeonwoo?

Yeonwoo, who hadn't dared to contact her out of guilt, first asked how she was doing.

"Yes, yes, it's me, Yeonwoo. Are you feeling any better?"

-I survived thanks to you, Yeonwoo. Thank you, really, thank you.

The moment he heard that she was okay, the heavy weight on his shoulders seemed to lighten significantly.

"......No. I should have stayed at the diner a bit longer. I'm sorry."

-What's there to be sorry for? The doctor said it would've been a disaster if it wasn't for you that day. I was very lucky thanks to you! You're my lifesaver.

When Yeonwoo didn't respond, Soonhee added more, sounding apologetic instead.

-I heard my son said some harsh things that day, and I'm sorry. Even if he's my son, I think he just spoke out of turn because he was worried.

"I'm fine. Please don't worry about it."

That level of treatment was nothing compared to what he had endured so far.

-It's all because I'm old and my body is failing me, so I don't know why that brat is blaming others.

"Don't say such things!"

But she swallowed a small sigh and didn't correct her words.

She had truly been a benefactor to Yeonwoo. Even after finding out he was a fox beastman, she had accepted him. She was a precious person who allowed Yeonwoo, who had been struggling alone in a desolate world, to dream. Yeonwoo didn't know if Soonhee knew, but that was how he felt in his heart.

"You have to stay healthy. Grandma."

Yeonwoo, who had always politely called her Boss, spoke his heart for the first time. A very brief silence followed over the phone. Then, a warm voice reached Yeonwoo.

-......Alright. You stay healthy too, Yeonwoo. You're definitely going to be happy. I guarantee it.

As if he had never been gloomy, Yeonwoo's tail, which had slipped out from under the covers, wagged gently.

The police officer was right. Even without this specific incident, Yeonwoo thought he was a very lucky person.

-What are you doing now that you had to quit so suddenly? Have you found a new job? Are you eating properly?

​She knew all too well how hard it was for Yeonwoo to find a part-time job. She also knew how large a portion the salary from her diner made up in his livelihood.

​Even if he lied and said he had found a part-time job, he would have nothing to say if she asked where. Still, Yeonwoo lied to put her at ease. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that he had been cooped up at home for nearly a week.

"A lot of short-term part-time jobs have been popping up lately, so I'm working hard to save money."

-Is it that delivery work or manual labor again? You don't have much strength, and you used to come back injured all the time.

"Maybe it's because I've gotten the hang of it, but I don't get hurt much these days."

-Don't lie to me. Rather than that, since you haven't settled down yet, I'm asking because there's a good opportunity. Do you want to try a job?

"What kind of job?"

***

The biting dawn air froze his cheeks. Yeonwoo, who had been curled up under his blankets in his small rooftop room until he was restless, had come out early this morning and was waiting for someone.

A delivery truck came to a stop in front of him with the sound of brakes. There was no specific explanation, but after confirming the large business name "Dino Food Truck," Yeonwoo quickly hopped into the truck.

"Hello, sir. I'm Hong Yeonwoo, starting today. I look forward to working with you.”

Yeonwoo was a veteran of part-time jobs, but this time he was particularly disciplined. It was partly because it was his first time working a food truck, but more so because this was the position Soonhee had introduced him to.

Despite Yeonwoo's polite greeting, Yong Mancheol, the owner behind the wheel, merely nodded with a blunt expression. Mancheol got onto the highway familiarly without even using a navigation system.

"I have a Type 1 driver's license, and I've also done delivery work."

There had been no resume or interview process; all he had received was a text message on his phone saying they would depart at 5:00 AM and to send his home address.

He thought today was practically an interview, but no questions came back from the driver's seat.

"I can drive..."

"Forget it. We'll be there in a couple of hours, so get some sleep."

Silence filled the car. Nevertheless, Yeonwoo brought up the words he absolutely had to say.

"I am a fox beastman."

Because he was nervous, he cut out the context and abruptly confessed he was a beastman. Soonhee had said it wouldn't matter, but Yeonwoo knew better than anyone that for most people, it mattered a great deal.

The sound of him gulping loudly echoed. He glanced at the road signs to check how far the car had come. If he was told to get out immediately, he had to think about how to get back home.

He expected a reaction like being criticized for being unlucky or someone trying to hide their discomfort. However, an unexpected question came back from Mancheol.

"Do you have nine tails?"

"What? Oh, no. I only have one tail."

"Then it's fine."

​As tense as Yeonwoo had been, his strength drained away all at once.

"Ah..."

Yeonwoo, lost for words, stared blankly out the windshield. The corners of his mouth, which had been stiff with tension, now formed a comfortable curve. Morning was gradually breaking over the dark road.