Whisper Chapter 13

^{“Does ‘Little Miss’ sound acceptable to you? I’ll just call you Heewoo. Our first meeting was a little rough, but let’s get along while we see each other.”}  

 

^{After exchanging greetings, it somehow felt like they had grown a little closer. Lee Heewoo felt a bit elated at forming relationships like this. But then, a thought suddenly crossed her mind, and the corners of her lips, which had been lifted, gradually lowered. If Cha Gyeol or Jang Pal-yong knew she could see ghosts, they wouldn’t be so kind to her. They wouldn’t smile at her like that, and the thought dampened her mood.}  

 

^{“That’s enough greetings. Pal-yong, get to work.”}  

 

^{“Oh, right. My name isn’t actually Pal-yong, you know—”}  

 

^{“Shit, Pal-yong.”}  

 

^{That fool—was he trying to test his luck? If left alone, he seemed ready to start reciting his hobbies and even his entire asset list.}  

 

^{Cha Gyeol emitted a cold aura as he pushed up his eyelids, which had been lowered. His gaze, cold and sunken, revealed the whites of his eyes, and Jang Pal-yong rose from his seat.}  

 

^{“Alright, alright. I’m going, I’m going. You have such a temper. Hey, are you by any chance bothered by me?”}  

 

^{He couldn’t leave without provoking him just a little.}  

 

^{“Shit,” Cha Gyeol muttered under his breath, slowly straightening his upper body. His fluid movement was reminiscent of a beast.}  

 

^{“Fuck. You’re bothering me so damn much I want to crush you, Jang Pal-yong.”}  

 

^{With a smirk, Cha Gyeol curled his lips into a smile. Seeing that, Jang Pal-yong bolted as if his pants were on fire. The door slammed shut with a bang, and Lee Heewoo stared blankly at it. Cha Gyeol then turned to her.}  

 

^{“You’re playing favorites, sweetie.”}  

 

^{“……P-Pardon?”}  

 

^{“That introduction—you didn’t do it for me.”}  

 

^{Caught off guard, Lee Heewoo blinked her large eyes blankly. …That was—her dark pupils rolled slightly, and she heard a faint rustling sound.}  

 

^{Cha Gyeol, who had risen from his seat, approached the desk, picked up a lighter, and spun it between his fingers.}  

 

^{“It’s always going to be *me* first, right?”}  

 

^{Keeping his gaze fixed on Lee Heewoo, he placed a cigarette between his lips and flicked the lighter, inhaling deeply until his cheeks hollowed. Lee Heewoo nodded her head vigorously.}  

 

^{Like a doll moving.}  

 

^{Cha Gyeol exhaled the smoke and laughed.}  

 

^***  

 

^{Heo Gwiryeon’s face, having fasted, was as pale and sharp as could be. She spent most of her day in prayer, leaving her physically drained, but her gaze remained piercing.}  

 

^{Seating her weakened body, she closed her eyes as if the effort was too much. The god, exhilarated, stirred within her. The surroundings were silent, and the air was thick with the malevolent energy she had gathered.}  

 

^{Because of that energy, even the people who resided in the house had been forced away.}  

 

^{Dressed in a pristine hanbok, Heo Gwiryeon quietly opened her eyes and carefully examined everything she had prepared since the early morning.}  

 

^{“Do you hate it that much?”}  

 

^{The voice was Heo Gwiryeon’s, yet it was not hers—it flowed out joyfully.}  

 

^{The top-quality materials provided by Assemblyman Im were repulsive.}  

 

^{“…Please.”}  

 

^{A shrill, quivering voice barely escaped her lips.}  

 

^{Do it as you always have. Just make it stronger this time.}

 

^{She had been casting curses that sent killing intent upon others at the cost of her own life. She knew it was something she should not do.}  

 

^{But this was the only way to prevent Heewoo from living like her. She would take all the sins upon herself.}  

 

^{If she had to give her life, she would. If she had to die, fall into hell, and suffer eternal punishment, she would.}  

 

^{But this—this had to end with her.}  

 

^{Heewoo wasn’t just an ordinary child; her spiritual sight had already awakened, making her an easy vessel for possession.}  

 

^{“A vessel is needed. A broken vessel is no fun.”}  

 

^{Muttering, she picked up a brush. Her gaze, fixed on empty space, alternated between hollow emptiness and an eerie glow. Her hand holding the brush trembled violently.}  

 

^{“Foolish thing.”}  

 

^{She did not hear what words spilled from her lips as they moved of their own accord. Her body, worn to the brink, had reached its limit but did not collapse easily.}  

 

^{If she was going to live committing only sins like this, why had she even been born?}  

 

^{Hff… I-I did w-wrong… b-but, b-but Grandma… I-I am, I am alone, a-and I don’t kn-know what I sh-shouldn’t say… Hff… I-I did w-wrong, s-so Grandma, please d-don’t cry… Waaah!}

 

^{She was only four years old.}  

 

^{A child too young to understand whether what she saw were ghosts or something else—just that they were simply there.}  

 

^{Several times, Heo Gwiryeon had scolded her strictly, but in the end, she had held the child in her arms and wept.}  

 

^{That day, Heewoo had sobbed uncontrollably, her face a mess of tears and snot. She had been a child far too small for her age, shaking as she cried.}  

 

^{That tiny, trembling wail had lodged itself in Heo Gwiryeon’s heart like a nail, never to be removed.}  

 

^{Dipping the brush into ink mixed with her own blood, Heo Gwiryeon’s face contorted. Behind the mask-like expression, her true face was shedding tears of blood.}  

 

^***

 

^{I have no idea where to start.}  

 

^{Cha Gyeol, sitting at his desk, looked straight ahead. Sitting on the edge of the sofa, Lee Heewoo gazed at the various desserts spread across the table with eyes full of wonder.}  

 

^{Seeing Lee Heewoo just staring without touching them, Cha Gyeol’s eyes narrowed slightly.}  

 

^{Should I fix that hastily cut hair first, since it suits her only because it’s Heewoo? Or should I throw away those rags she calls clothes and get her something proper to wear first? Oh, I need to get a phone, too.}  

 

^{Whatever I do, I should get everything done at once. With that thought, he picked up his phone and dialed an extension.}  

 

^{“It’s me. Get a new phone and bring it over.”}  

 

^{“Yes, boss. What model should I get?”}  

 

^{“The same as mine.”}  

 

^{“Understood. I’ll set the number to match yours if possible.”}  

 

^{“Alright.”}  

 

^{The guy was sharp and knew how to get things done, making it easy. As he set the phone down, Lee Heewoo glanced at him.}  

 

^{“Aren’t you going to eat?”}  

 

^{Lee Heewoo looked at the table and then turned her gaze away, as if unsure how long she could just stare.}  

 

^{The desserts had been set up by someone at Cha Gyeol’s request, meant to be eaten while he handled some work, but they only made Lee Heewoo feel uneasy.}  

 

^{“…Just a little longer.”}  

 

^{Cha Gyeol, who had said he would be working, seemed to be looking at documents but actually spent more time watching Lee Heewoo. He didn’t seem to notice it himself.}  

 

^{“They’re not just for display. Eat. I’ll buy more later.”}  

 

^{“More? Really?”}  

 

^{Lee Heewoo’s eyes sparkled so much that it was almost unbelievable.}  

 

^{“It’s just dessert. I’ll buy them for you anytime, so eat up. No one else here is going to eat them except you, little lady.”}  

 

^{At Cha Gyeol’s words, Lee Heewoo carefully picked up a fork. Everything here was unfamiliar, and being with Cha Gyeol made it feel like stepping into a new world. It was overwhelming, making her eyes widen constantly, and, yes, it was exciting.}  

 

^{But at times like this, memories of her grandmother came rushing back. She wished she could see this too, eat this with her… and then wondered what she was doing now, when she would come. That thought made her feel unsettled.}  

 

^{These beautiful treats on the table—grandmother would probably like them too. They weren’t meat or spicy food, so maybe she would take at least one bite.}  

 

 

^{“Heewoo, what are you looking at?”}  

 

^{“Flowers. They’re pretty.”}  

 

 

^{Lee Heewoo liked looking at wildflowers in the mountains. There were so many types, different shapes, different colors—it was easy to lose track of time just admiring them. That was one of the few things to do in the mountains. Watching flowers, observing leaves, drawing on the dirt floor, lying down and watching the clouds drift by.}  

 

 

^{“Yes, they’re beautiful.”}  

 

^{“Grandma, do you like flowers too?”}  

 

^{“…I do. They’re as pretty as you, Heewoo.”}  

 

 

^{So grandma liked pretty things too. The thought that they were alike made Lee Heewoo happy, and she smiled brightly.}  

 

^{Grandmother rarely expressed emotions, so hearing her say both the flowers and Heewoo were pretty made her heart swell with joy.}  

 

^{Thinking of her made her nose tingle, so she decided to focus on the table instead.}  

 

^{Still holding the fork, Lee Heewoo hesitated, unsure where to start. Destroying something so pretty felt wrong.}  

 

^{Knock, knock.}  

 

^{A timid knock sounded before the door opened, and Jang Pal-yong, who had previously run away in a panic, stepped inside.}  

 

^{“Oh, Heewoo, you’re having something tasty.”}  

 

^{Jang Pal-yong, avoiding Cha Gyeol’s gaze, walked straight to the seat across from Lee Heewoo. Then,}  

 

^{“The macarons here are the real deal. Even with my unsophisticated taste, I can tell these are good.”}  

 

^{He grabbed one of the neatly arranged macarons from the box and stuffed it into his mouth in one bite.}  

 

^{His movements were so quick that Lee Heewoo could only stare blankly at his mouth and the now-empty spot where the macaron had been.}  

 

^{“I should’ve beaten that bastard up earlier. Damn it.”}  

 

^{Cha Gyeol, looking irritated, got up from his seat and moved next to Lee Heewoo in long strides. Lee Heewoo looked up at him with wide eyes.}  

 

^{You said no one else would eat them – It was as}

^{if she were asking that with just her gaze.}  

 

^{As he patted Lee Heewoo’s head, Cha Gyeol shot Jang Pal-yong a look that made it seem like he was about to beat him to a pulp.}  

 

^{“Wh-what?”}