Angelo Reyes sat across the dining table, his fingers moving listlessly around his glass of water as he stared intently at his father's face. His hair was long and extremely messy, as if it hadn't touched a comb since the previous week. His uniform was wrinkled and stained from playing basketball on the muddy streets of their shantytown.
"Are you never tired of cutting classes?! Huh?!" roared Mang Roberto, slamming his hand on the table so hard the plates rattled. "You haven't shown up to school in days! Your teacher called me earlier she said you have no marks on your exams! What do you plan to do with your life, huh?!"
Angelo only shook his head and looked down. "Dad, I'm not cutting class I hang out with my friends so I don't feel miserable at school," he replied in a voice that sounded indifferent. He knew this was the start of another endless argument always about school, about the future, about things being forced on him even though he couldn't understand them.
Mang Roberto suddenly stood up, his face twisted with anger but also marked by sorrow. "Son, I know you're not happy at school… but you need to get yourself together. Come on, let's go out. We'll get your hair fixed and buy you new uniforms. Maybe you'll see things differently when you look proper."
Even though he didn't want to, Angelo nodded. There was nothing he could do if he refused, their conflict would only grow deeper.
When they arrived at the salon in town center, the women there immediately turned their eyes to him. The hairstylist smiled when she saw him. "Oh my, child! Your hair is so long and messy! But don't worry, I'll turn you into a whole new person here!"
After a few hours, his makeover was done. When he looked at himself in the mirror, he barely recognized his own reflection. His once unruly hair was now short and neatly cut. His face looked fresher and more respectable. After that, his father took him to a clothing store to buy new uniforms, shoes, and a belt.
"Now you won't look like a vagrant anymore," Mang Roberto said with a smile as he paid for their purchases. "Tomorrow you'll wear this new outfit to school I'll take you there myself to make sure you get there."
But suddenly, rage flared in Angelo's chest. He felt like his freedom was being slowly stolen away. Ever since he was a child, he'd always been forced into things he didn't want. This makeover felt like a sign that he had to change who he was just to fit into the world's standards.
"Dad, can I go to the restroom first?" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
Worry showed in his father's eyes. He knew Angelo had run away using that excuse before. "Fine, but hurry up. I'll wait for you right outside the door."
But inside the bathroom, Angelo immediately looked for an escape route. He spotted a small window in the corner just big enough for a teenager like him to slip through. He quickly opened it and climbed out, running down the other street so he wouldn't be seen right away.
As he ran, he heard his father's furious shout from far away: "ANGELOOOOOO!!! COME BACK HERE!!!"
His older sister Mikaela soon arrived, breathless and searching frantically for him. "Dad! Why are you here? Did Angelo run away again?!"
But Angelo didn't look back. He headed to the bus and truck terminal near town—he knew drivers often stopped there before their trips. He saw a truck loaded with crates of vegetables. He quickly climbed onto the back and hid under some cardboard boxes, holding his breath so he wouldn't be noticed.
He didn't realize the truck had started moving until he felt them leaving the town behind. After a few hours, the truck stopped by the side of the road. He heard the driver say he was going to rest for a while. Angelo jumped out quickly and ran toward the thick forest beside the road. He didn't want to be caught and scolded by his father again.
The forest was quiet and full of trees. Their branches formed a massive roof that blocked out the sunlight. As he walked, he felt a knot of anxiety in his chest as if eyes were watching him from the darkness. He tried to push his fear aside until he accidentally stepped on a dry branch.
CRACK!
The sound echoed through the entire forest, like a loud gunshot.
"Who's there?! Who's out here?!"
Angelo turned and saw three men dressed in black, their faces threatening. Behind them was a fresh grave, and inside lay a cold body wrapped in white cloth. Only the feet were visible, but it was clear it was a person.
"You weren't supposed to see this!" one of them shouted as he rushed forward to grab him.
Angelo didn't hesitate. His heart was pounding so fast it felt like it would burst. Despite his legs being sore, he didn't stop running. He headed for the densest part of the woods until a steep cliff suddenly appeared before him. He tried to stop but tripped over a tree root and lost his balance
And he fell into the depths.
As he fell, he felt his vision slowly darkening. Pain crept through every part of his body. But before he could hit the ground, he saw a massive creature with pure white fur and countless tails nine tails that glowed with magical light. It moved closer to him, and before he completely lost consciousness, he watched the creature transform into a beautiful woman with silver hair and eyes that shone like gold.
"You cannot die yet," the woman whispered softly before darkness consumed Angelo entirely.
When Angelo slowly opened his eyes, he found himself in a small room filled with peace. The bed he was lying on was smooth and soft, as if made from clouds. The whole place was bathed in a gentle light that seemed to come from windows made of strange material, and the scent of wild flowers filled his nose.
"You're awake now."
Angelo jolted and quickly turned to the corner of the room. There stood the woman he'd seen before he blacked out. She wore thin, white clothing, and her long silver hair seemed to glow with its own light. Her golden eyes stared intently, as if they could see into his soul.
"W-who are you? Where am I?" Angelo stammered, trying to remember falling off the cliff. "How did I survive? I should have died from that fall."
The woman walked forward slowly, each step making no sound at all on the floor. "I am Alys," she replied in a voice like a soft musical melody. "Don't be afraid. I was the one who found you at the bottom of the cliff and saved your life."
Angelo stared at Alys's face. Despite her beauty, a sudden shiver ran down his spine. He remembered the massive nine-tailed creature he'd seen before he blacked out. He looked at the woman's pale skin and silver hair nothing like an ordinary human's.
White clothes… silver hair… golden eyes… his mind raced. I-is she… a White Lady?!
Overwhelmed by fear and the trauma of what he'd been through, Angelo scrambled backward until he fell off the edge of the bed. "G-ghost! Stay away from me!" he shouted, his voice full of shock.
"Calm down I am not what you think " Alys tried to reach out to soothe him, but Angelo only grew more panicked.
In his confusion and terror, Angelo didn't think twice. Even though he could still feel the sting of his bruises, he forced himself up from the floor.
"G-ghost! Don't come near me!" his voice was hoarse.
Before Alys could take another step, Angelo quickly made for the door. He ran out of the hut gasping for breath and didn't look back. All he could think about was getting back to the road, to the world he knew, far away from this pale woman who seemed like a wandering spirit in the middle of the forest.
He pushed through the thick undergrowth until he reached the base of the cliff where he'd fallen. Beside it was a narrow, slippery path leading up covered in roots and sharp rocks. Angelo was breathless, his hands scraped and bleeding from holding on, but fear that the "White Lady" would follow him gave him the strength to climb.
Every step was a struggle. His shoes slipped, and he almost fell several times, but he forced his body upward until he finally reached the top of the cliff.
Once he was on the flat part of the forest, he didn't stop. He kept running, his eyes fixed ahead as he searched for the road's light in the dark night. The only sounds he could hear were his own breathing and the rustle of leaves.
But in an instant, every hair on his body stood on end.
As he ran, Alys suddenly appeared before him—stepping out from behind a massive tree—as if she'd never walked or moved at all.
"I told you not to be afraid," she said calmly but mysteriously. "You cannot run from me, Angelo. Because from this moment on… your life… is no longer your own."
Angelo froze, his chest heaving with rapid breaths. Under the cold moonlight, Alys looked straight into his eyes.
"Don't waste your strength running, Angelo," the woman said gently. "I brought breath back to your body. Inside your chest lives my kama—my life and power. I am the Nine-Tailed Wolf you saw before you stopped breathing."
Angelo's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but fear outweighed his wonder. He didn't reply; instead, he turned and ran again toward town. He made his way through the thick forest until he saw the lights of civilization.
When he stepped onto the town's paved road, Angelo leaned against a lamppost and let out a deep breath. Finally… I'm safe, he thought. But before he could take another step, he was shocked to see a familiar shadow beside him. Alys was there again, as if she'd simply drifted along with the wind.
"If you want that heart of yours to keep beating in your chest, I have one request," Alys said, looking at a small eatery by the roadside. "I want meat. Treat me to some good meat."
Angelo stared at the woman. Despite her mystery, Alys's eyes seemed to light up as she smelled the cooking food. Angelo saw his chance.
"Alright," he replied quickly. "This is our deal: I'll treat you to all the meat you want, but after that, you'll leave me alone and never appear again. Clear?"
Alys only nodded, her attention already on the steaming food. They went straight to an open-air carinderia. When piles of meat were set before her, Alys seemed to forget everything around her and devoured each piece with intense joy.
While Alys was busy eating and seemed to have forgotten the world, Angelo slowly backed away. When he saw his moment, he turned and ran as fast as he could. He took the alleyways, weaving through dark streets until he reached his boarding house near an old basketball court where he often hung out.
Gasping, he opened his room door and locked it immediately. He leaned against the door, soaked with sweat, as he listened to the quiet of the night. She probably won't follow me anymore. She ate so much meat, he mumbled, trying to convince himself.
He went out to buy a cold bottle of Coca-Cola. Its chill seemed to cool the heat in his body a little. He headed to the nearby basketball court—the old concrete court lit only by a single tired bulb. There, he felt a small sense of peace as he dribbled his old ball.
Thud, thud, thud.
Angelo aimed for the hoop. He lifted the ball, took aim, and released it.
Swish!
The ball went in, but the force of his throw sent it bouncing away into the darkness, toward the forest beside the court. Angelo stopped. Everything seemed to go quiet.
Suddenly… thud.
From the darkness, the ball bounced back to him. Angelo stepped aside, his heart seeming to stop. Who's there?
Alys slowly emerged from the shadows. But she was no longer the simple woman he'd seen at the carinderia. Behind her, nine massive tails slowly appeared—white, long, and glowing with magical light. Her golden eyes shone with anger.
"Do you really want to die, Angelo Reyes?" her voice was cold, each word like a judgment.
Angelo stared, unable to fully understand what was happening. His mind was a mess of fear and confusion. He couldn't speak.
Alys walked slowly toward Angelo. Each step seemed to make the air heavy. In an instant, she was standing before him. Angelo couldn't move, as if frozen with fear.
Alys looked into his eyes, then brought her face close to his. In a gesture like a kiss, she pressed her lips to his.
Angelo felt a strange power drawing from his body. Small, glowing golden orbs like they had a life of their own rose from his mouth and slowly moved into Alys's. It was as if Alys was taking the kama his strength and life from inside his chest.
The whole area was bathed in mysterious light, as the concrete basketball court witnessed the start of a curse that Angelo would never escape.
As Alys slowly drew the glowing light from Angelo's mouth, the boy felt warmth leaving his body bit by bit. His knees shook, his vision began to blur into darkness, and each beat of his heart was like a heavy drum about to fall silent.
Angelo felt the cold of death. His fingers went numb, and with every second Alys drew from him, it felt like his soul was being pulled out of his throat.
Am I really going to die? was the last thought that echoed in his mind.
But in the middle of his struggle to breathe, Alys suddenly stopped. She pulled back and stared intently at Angelo, who was now kneeling on the concrete, gasping for air and barely able to keep his head up.
"Now do you understand?" she said coldly, as her nine tails rustled softly in the air. "The air that fills your lungs, the blood that flows again through your veins… all of that is because of the kama I lent you."
Angelo couldn't speak—only a whimper of pain escaped his lips.
"I did this so you would understand," Alys continued as she brushed her hand against his cheek. "You died that night on the cliff, Angelo. The only reason you can still run, breathe, and play basketball is because I planted a piece of my life in your chest. If I leave you, if I take this back completely… you'll only return to being a cold corpse at the bottom of the cliff."
Only then did everything become clear to Angelo. His running away, his avoiding Alys all of it was meaningless. Alys hadn't saved him just to be a "White Lady" in his dreams; she'd saved him because now, their fates were one and the same.
He was alive, but that life now belonged to the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Angelo sat down on the cold, rough concrete of the basketball court. There, under the dark sky, his chest finally gave way. He couldn't stop the tears from flowing not because he was afraid of Alys's nine tails, but because of the weight of truth that had just hit him full force.
"I'm sorry… Alys, I'm sorry," Angelo sobbed, his voice broken and full of regret. "I thought that if I ran away, I'd be free. I thought avoiding all my problems was the answer."
With every tear he shed, his father Mang Roberto's face came back to him. He remembered his anger, his hand slamming on the table but more than anything, the sadness in his eyes as he bought him new clothes and fixed his hair. Only now did he realize that all his father's "meddling" was just his way of keeping him from getting completely lost.
"I was so stupid…" Angelo whispered, his head bowed. "I ran away from school, ran away from home, ran away from responsibility… until I even tried to run away from death itself."
Alys walked slowly closer. Her massive tails slowly softened and faded from view, returning her to the form of a mysterious woman. The anger was gone from her eyes—only deep understanding remained as she watched the grieving boy.
"Running away is a temporary fix that leaves permanent wounds, Angelo," Alys said gently. She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. "But your tears are a sign that your heart is beating again not just because of the kama I gave you, but because of your own desire to change."
Angelo looked up, his eyes red and full of tears. "What do I do now? I have nothing to go back to… those men saw me in the forest. They know I'm still alive."
Alys looked into the distance, as if she could feel danger approaching. "You can't go back to being the truant Angelo Reyes anymore. From now on, you have to face a world that no longer fits you. And in facing it… You won't be alone."
Angelo didn't sleep that night. Every time he closed his eyes, he could feel the warmth of the kama in his chest and the cool presence of Alys watching from the corner of his room. For the first time, he didn't run away. He waited for dawn to break.
When morning came, Angelo put on the new uniform his father had bought him the very clothes that had sparked his final escape. His hair was neatly cut, his shoes clean, and though exhaustion still showed on his face, determination burned in his eyes.
"Are you ready?" Alys asked. She wore simpler clothing now to avoid drawing too much attention, though her silver hair was hard to hide.
"I'm ready," Angelo replied. "I have to do this."
They walked toward Mang Roberto's house. With each step closer, Angelo felt his feet growing heavier. When they reached the front door, he stopped short. There sat his father, at a table outside, staring blankly at his cup of coffee he looked as if he'd aged ten years in just one night.
"Dad…" Angelo called out softly.
Mang Roberto's head shot up. His eyes widened in disbelief at what he saw. He'd thought he'd lost his son forever.
"Angelo? My son?" the old man's voice trembled as he stood up.
Angelo couldn't wait another moment. He walked forward and knelt at his father's feet, his hands gripping tightly to his father's leg. "Dad, I'm sorry! I'm sorry for being so stubborn… sorry for running away. Only now do I understand everything."
Silence fell over them, broken only by Angelo's sobs. Mang Roberto slowly placed his rough hand on his son's head. Instead of anger, he pulled Angelo into a tight embrace.
"I thought… I thought I'd lost you," the father whispered, tears streaming down his own face. "It's alright, son. What matters is you're home."
From a distance, Alys leaned against a tree, watching quietly. But her golden eyes weren't fixed on the emotional scene between father and son they were on the road. She could feel the dark presence of the three men in black, who had been waiting at the corner for some time.
Alys knew the "normal" life Angelo dreamed of would be only temporary. Because those who had seen them in the forest would not give up so easily.
While Angelo and Mang Roberto held each other tightly in the yard, Alys remained alert outside. She could sense their malice, and the smell of smoke and metal coming from the corner the three men in black.
They moved closer slowly, their hands reaching for the hidden knives at their waists. They'd thought the boy they'd seen in the woods last night would be an easy target.
But before they could take another step toward the house, Alys suddenly stepped into their path. Silent as ever, she seemed to materialize out of thin air.
"W-who are you?!" their leader shouted, stopping short. "Get out of our way, miss. We just have something to finish inside that house."
Alys didn't reply. Instead, she slowly lifted her head. Her golden eyes suddenly blazed with bright yellow light. At the same time, the air around them grew cold, and a massive shadow enveloped the three men.
From behind Alys, nine tail-shaped shadows emerged slowly. This wasn't her full form only a glimpse of her true power shadows like black smoke with sharp, pointed tips.
"The boy inside… is under my protection," Alys's voice was no longer gentle; it rumbled like thunder, heard only in the men's minds. "If you wish to taste the agony of the afterlife sooner than your fate intends take another step."
The three men froze in fear. Their knees began to shake, and the knife one was holding clattered to the pavement. They couldn't believe what they were seeing a creature they'd thought existed only in legends stood before them.
"G-g-ghost!" one of them screamed, stumbling backward and falling to the ground.
"Do not return here. Tell your master… that the Nine-Tailed One has awakened," Alys continued as one of her shadow tails slammed hard against the wall beside the men, leaving deep cracks in the concrete.
The men didn't wait for a second warning. They ran away as fast as they could, tripping over themselves in their panic.
Once they were out of sight, Alys slowly returned to her human form. She took a deep breath and looked again toward Angelo's door.
"You'd better go inside and get ready for school, Angelo," she murmured to herself, a small smile touching her lips. "Looks like your drama with your dad is over."