Epoch 32: The heart to heart talk.
Tang Tang and Yul were walking together towards the east forest, carrying a basket full of tools that Tang Tang thought they might need.
After learning about the sap produced by the flesh-eating tree, Tang Tang insists on seeing it. Xue and Hou strongly rejected the idea because, even though there are no monsters living there, it is still a dangerous place for a sub-beast to roam.
Tang Tang understands the concerns of the two beasts, but if he doesn't take the risk, it will be impossible to finish the quests on time. All he intended to do was personally check the tree's sap. He can then organize the following action if it truly can be used as an adhesive. If not, he can resume his search for alternatives.
When the two reluctantly agree at the end, the next problem is who will accompany him on his journey into the forest.
Hou and Xue wanted to go with him, but he refused.
Hou is scheduled to patrol today. He has been neglecting his duty for a long time. Tang Tang doesn't want Hou to be irresponsible and pass his work on to others again, that's why he didn't let the man come with him.
While Xue is the only one on whom he can rely to do his chores while he is away, Yul said that it would take five hours back and forth from that place. It will already be sunset when they return, so he will leave the cleaning and cooking to Xue. He will also need to arrange the dried bricks and check the newly molded bricks that they made today.
Hou and Xue made a lot of excuses just to make him agree, but Tang Tang's decision is already final.
He then asked Yul if he could come with him. Since he is the strongest next to Xue, he also has a lot of experience. That's why he will be reassured if the man accompanies him, which Yul easily agreed to.
The twins both have a dark expression, but they also both know that if Tang Tang has already decided on something, it will be hard to change his mind.
Tang Tang coaxes the two beasts for a long time before they finally agree. They even had a serious talk with Yul before they let them go.
"Stay here and wait for me, okay? I will reward the two of you when I return," he mischievously whispered before leaving with Yul.
Hou and Xue's faces reddened. Different scenarios that might happen tonight flashed through their minds. They immediately turned around to hide their protruding desires and busy themselves.
Toa and Cain looked at each other, confused as to why the twins suddenly became flustered, but still followed the two to continue their own work.
Pen was left alone. He was in a daze, looking at the direction where Tang Tang and Yul went. His admiration for Tang Tang already reaches a different level.
Unlike him, who is always timid and easily gets shy, Tang Tang was a strong, brave, and smart sub-beast. He is even willing to go to places that are known to be dangerous just to achieve his goal. A total opposite of him.
"I want to be like him," Pen murmurs.
Yul and Tang Tang were already far away from the tribe when Yul stopped walking and suddenly asked. "Aren't you afraid of me?"
Tang Tang steps were halted. He looked at the tall man beside him. "Why would I get afraid of you? Are you planning to hurt me?"
"No," he said, continuing to walk again. "There are a lot of terrible stories about me spreading in the tribe—so many that it is impossible not to hear one, and with this scar," Yul said, tracing the large scar across his face.
Tang Tang really heard some of it. One of them is that Yul is such a bloodthirsty beast, worse than monsters, that he even killed his own parents when he was young. "Are those true?" he asked.
The man didn't look at him and just plainly said, "No."
Tang Tang smile. "Then there's no problem. You see, I'm the kind of person who doesn't believe everything I hear from others without proof unless I see it with my own two eyes," he said, looking intently at the man. "That scar is not scary at all. Sadly, you look handsome without that."
Yul flinched. He didn't know what to say. He tried to compose himself and act normally. "But you seemed uncomfortable when we first met," he said.
"Hmm, that's true. I was a little uncomfortable at that time, but not because of your scar or those stories. It was because you were Gio's husband," Tang Tang honestly said. "I know that you and Toa know what Gio did to Pen. I am afraid that the two of you want to threaten Pen for reporting it to the tribe leader."
"Then why do you agree with us helping you guys?" Yul curiously asked.
Tang Tang, with a stick in his hand, was following behind Yul like a duckling. "Who would decline free labor? And I also want to monitor the two of you to see if you were planning something."
"Then did you see anything?" Yul looked back at the sub-beast following behind him.
Tang Tang also looked up, and their eyes met. "Yes. I see that the two of you can really be trusted."
Yul was mesmerized by those light brown pupils that were shining brightly. He chuckled, restraining any thoughts he shouldn't have. "How can you trust so easily?"
"I'm not," Tang Tang said, and he resumed tracing lines on the ground using the stick. "I just trust my judgment, and my own two eyes have never failed me so far." His voice is full of pride.
Yul just tittered and didn't reply.
Tang Tang realizes that the man doesn't have a plan to talk anymore, so he also keeps quiet and silently follows.
Only a few minutes pass, but Tang Tang already feels bored. They were walking for a long time, but all he could see were trees.
"Are we still far?" he asked.
Yul answered immediately. "One more hour."
Tang Tang yawns and asks. "Can I ask you something personal?"
"What is it?"
"Why did you and Toa marry Gio?" Other than feeling bored, Tang Tang was also curious about this after meeting Yul and Toa.
Yul was surprised by Tang Tang's question but still answered. He can't help but sneer after remembering the past. "Two years ago, Gio wanted to marry Xue. Rejecting a proposal is not taboo, but it will disgrace the sub-beast. That's why instead of rejecting him, Xue just ignores Gio as if he didn't hear anything, even though it was done at one of the tribe gatherings and in front of everyone."
Imagining the scenario and the cold face of Xue while acting dumb to ignore Gio's proposal, Tang Tang can't stop laughing. "Xue really did that?"
"Yes." Yul laughed too. "Gio was so embarrassed that time, but he still acts like it was really a mistake, and the one he is actually proposing is the one beside Xue."
"Oh!" Tang Tang was surprised that Gio could still pull that off. "And that person is you?"
"No. It's Toa." Yul's expression darkened as he continued. "Toa really likes Gio. That's why he believes that Gio really wanted to marry him and agreed without a second thought."
'The drama is getting intense.'
[Do you want popcorn, Tang Tang? (⌐■-■)]
"Then what happened?" Tang Tang asked seriously. He became invested in Yul and Toa's tragic love story.
"The next day, Gio visited me and also proposed for us to get married. He said that he liked me, but I doubt that it is true since we never talked before."
"Then why did you agree?" Obviously, Yul agreed because they were married now.
Yul chuckled because of the indignant look on the sub-beast's face, as if questioning his sanity. "Marrying a female is impossible for me, especially a sub-beast, because of my face and all the stories spreading. Everyone was scared just to even talk to me. Even though I doubt Gio's motives, I still agreed because I believe that if I do my best to give him everything he wants, we can have a happy family."
Tang Tang can feel the sadness and disappointment in Yul's voice.
"We were already living together for months when I learned the reason why he chose me."
"Why?"
"Because of my terrible reputation that he can use anytime to scare others," Yul said nonchalantly, as if he were not talking about himself.
Tang Tang was looking down, thinking what he could say to make Yul feel better, when he felt a warm hand on his head, slightly ruffling his hair.
"We are here," Yul said.
Tang Tang looked at the way ahead of him, then looked up. The sun is still high up, but the way in front of them is already dark.
Seeing that the sub-beast was not speaking, Yul asked. "Are you scared?"
"A little," Tang Tang replied. He will be a hypocrite if he acts brave now and then cries later.
This place is really eerie. It is like the forest in those horror movies on Earth.
The trees in that part were much taller and bigger compared to the other trees in the surrounding area. The branches were spreading like umbrellas, full of big leaves cascading down and covering the sky. Inside, only the howling of the wind can be heard.
Seeing that Tang Tang was really scared, Yul suggested that they should get the sap from the flesh-eating tree at the entrance so they wouldn't need to go deep inside.
Tang Tang agrees. He was really afraid that when they went in, someone would jump out of nowhere and hunt them down.
They went to the nearest flesh-eating tree. They first get a small amount to try on the two bricks they brought.
Tang Tang spreads the sap to one end of a brick using a makeshift brush from dry grasses, then sticks the two bricks together.
In just a few minutes, the sap dried, and the two bricks were inseparable. Even though Yul used his full strength, the bricks broke, but they were still bound together.
Tang Tang was so happy about this discovery. But now the problem is how they will transport it back to the tribe, avoiding letting it dry.
But before he could think of anything, he saw Yul stab the flesh-eating tree with a wooden tube with a pointed, sharp tip they had prepared earlier and let the sap flow down from it to the big pot they had also brought.
"What if it dried when we arrived at the tribe?" Tang Tang worriedly said to the beast. He is afraid to waste the man's effort.
"It won't dry fast," Yul said with certainty.
"Are you sure?"
Yul nodded and explained. "Inside, there's a pool made of the flesh-eating tree's sap. It didn't get dry as long as it didn't stick on other things."
Tang Tang heaved a sigh of relief. If that is the case, then the problem is solved, but what Yul said piqued his curiosity.
'I want to see the pool made of sap.'
[I thought you were scared, Tang Tang.]
'hehehe.'
[...]