IB | Chapter 8

As before, I quickly b200c0eb28 made my escape.fe5b97d16256f99a

“Just dropping off the alcohol here before I go park the car.”661369c4ae58e0c6

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A lively voice came from behind. It wasn’t Lee Hyejun’s voice, though it was vaguely familiar.29e39dee24145c14

“Oh, alcohol! What did you bring? We brought two boxes each of soju and beer, and planned to get more from the island’s store if needed.”889e8cf997d699ad

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“This is ten bottles each of whiskey and wine.”941e1c8a7258c344

“Oh, quality over quantity!”1ac4dd759e0f4907

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“A true sponsor! I respect you! You’re a friend of Hyejun sunbae, right?”c8855bef1a177d20

The unfamiliar voice seemed to 347bd5fb50 belong to someone Lee Hyejun 86df6cfb5d had brought along.f687d75cfae8abc0

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“Yes. We’ve lived in the same neighborhood since we were kids. And I’m not the one who bought it, so I’m not really the sponsor. It’s all from Hyejun’s house.”3b35f596e6ac1c5f

“Wow, does sunbae like alcohol and collect it?”9ae8894e24b00e73

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“Not really. No one in the family drinks, so his mom told me to take it and get rid of it.”fb6b7bc92854ef06

The smooth voice followed 7e51ae5b26 the unfamiliar one, wrapping 13dee6e4ca around my ears. Despite rarely attending department 5311ba7e05 gatherings and not hanging 0c61ef3079 out in groups, his 68ce069e30 gentle demeanor earned him 102c162c3b a reputation for having 7f16f3c375 a good personality.2a628feb338b76a4

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In my opinion, that wasn’t entirely true, but everyone is free to have their own misconceptions.19b49cebd0fe782f

I hurriedly closed my ears 5152dbbac5 and entered the building.f8166715021af4ae

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The upper floor was 1e4b1fcc5e reserved for female students, 6262f23ec1 so I searched the 4c23441c98 lower floor for a 29705ffa45 space large enough to 23000ad2c7 accommodate dozens of people. I placed the snack 9332624a43 box in the largest a78fd53397 room and took the f43fa18a45 ramen box to the a70d39bf1a kitchen.eabcc4a8897cb513

“Kang Ji, where should we put the alcohol?”3f3135c9ad53e8b7

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On my way back, I 24651691ac ran into Seol Jungwoo in e77a49bc45 the hallway. Behind him, the porters d03debde82 were coming in one 5908f5eeed after another.a994ed7a3a7133c8

“Everything except the food goes in the room with the door wide open down the right hallway.”d33ae7299e101cf1

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“Is the fridge big enough to hold all the bottles?”3db1618217600386

“Yeah. There are two commercial fridges. The kitchen’s this way.”c43fcc84c7e8e3ba

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I pointed behind me. As I stepped aside 28a1778fd2 by the entrance to 24e33bb02f let people pass, a d320163566 gentle greeting reached my 7f1611741e ears.590e1604f46ec23f

“Kang Ji, long time no see?”b844a0a414915c9b

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“Oh, yes. Hello. …Hello.”7f83c689d502da5e

I gave a half-hearted greeting over Lee Hyejun’s shoulder and pretended to warmly welcome his friend who followed him in. His friend was a tall, model-like handsome guy.b96397bd4b85ab78

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I was annoyed by this c4a353491c situation where I had to aed2b762d1 respond just because my name 8abd808f58 was called. It felt like they ce6f2a8d9f were playfully repeating the d0161a6541 nickname others used for f67a51b08e me, not even knowing 4691f64de2 my real name.e7b283abb532e6d0

“Hello. You’re the one hosting this mudflat experience, right?”fd06bd34463a0ef9

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His friend asked.149efd93f49f1e9c

Hosting, my foot.fce353a96b836f7b

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“I didn’t expect so many people to come. The clam digging was supposed to reduce the numbers, but it ended up making things bigger. Aren’t you going out for the low tide?”b24ed775923d1a00

“I’m just the driver following Hyejun around. He should be the one mingling with the business students.”10a27c1395cb661e

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His friend looked expectantly at c75fff9372 Lee Hyejun.de61506157d2a080

Exactly. Why is he lingering here? Would you please 2432b67e4e head to the 559430398a mudflats?70b8641f3257fd69

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“Oh, I see.”ce76e77dee4510d3

I smiled politely, stepping back to hint that they should be on their way. Lee Hyejun’s friend passed by, carrying a wooden box filled with various liquor bottles. Just glancing at the labels, they seemed worth millions of won. I almost felt my goodwill rising unintentionally.b0786f00b9bc1126

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“Kang Ji, what about you? Are you staying here to prepare the barbecue with them?”25cd4b9ba4c57f37

Lee Hyejun called c7ed4b1780 me by the ab7f2d2032 nickname again, acting 96f245093c familiar.5ab864b95a103a06

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Why is he acting f81493a7ee like this all of 4672f8490f a sudden? Did he get heatstroke?1ebab7f4ec1525b8

I was bewildered ed884eb5a5 because I had 686de2b50b never had a ba9fb38d0f close conversation with 4af23497e8 Lee Hyejun before.c0b0e1e96bf5ee01

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“…….”eeaf0b5450a285e8

I was about to ignore him and head outside, but the sound of approaching footsteps made me rethink. Just like in the past two semesters, no one should know that I was consciously avoiding him. If I ignored a sunbae’s question and didn’t greet him, I’d likely end up being the bad guy.6af1343c01fc58ad

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Surely, he didn’t time this just to talk to me, right?27e9a48f48e1b2f3

“I’m just going out for some personal errands and will come back to help.”db37da2083eec65f

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I replied, keeping my eyes lowered. I hadn’t done anything wrong, but for some reason, meeting his gaze felt difficult. My neck tingled, and I felt uneasy.08ebbafbaa744480

Why am I like this?e7c5e20a253afd89

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“What errands?”97b06167b4ca4a7a

Why do you need ad5546549e to know?f9edf66940c1ab9b

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“…….”38aca55aeb2ed403

I was momentarily speechless, and 9a82ea860c the porters who came up 6ceaa90421 beside me chimed in unnecessarily.06a9d44f4e3c22df

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“Kang Ji hyung is going to greet his grandma.”23482bd369c2be73

“This island is Kang Ji’s dad’s hometown.”748e58471bce6e98

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“…….”4a69f929d326277a

I silently clicked my 8dc5d9194d tongue and followed my 16374e0c5e peers and hoobaes out, e433d2225c hearing faint laughter behind 4e3191bff1 me. It sounded like a 1aa85edf18 mocking laugh, reading my ab852bf0a3 rising annoyance.bd1220b5eecf6545

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With the help of Lee Hyejun and his friend, we emptied the bus’s luggage compartment after a few trips. Leaving the box dismantling and remaining tasks to Seol Jungwoo and the hoobaes, I set off. I found a path leading deeper into the island’s village.8b6a6f4cf61d6ba5

My father was someone who valued his duty as a son over his child’s exam studies, so I was dragged here even during my senior year holidays. If not for that, this would have been a familiar path I visited annually out of obligation.7db8ff685e94d21a

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Unlike the bustling fe6cef5278 pier preparing for 293417d722 the Baekjung day c47e05de5b event, the inner 6e051ded0f village alleys were 86e515908d quiet and deserted.b8926c3c31892eb1

As I followed my steps 8f434733b9 to a certain house, doubt a4cb37d304 crept in.741d4a30c0996a81

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“……?”a0fddffe429fedd8

Is this the right place?1661485ef1e34712

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Feeling unfamiliar, I tilted aec9bbfdae my head back to 27653b257b check the nameplate. Kang Ilmok. I had found the right 7f162833dd place. However, the once neatly bd2ca3675c maintained wall paint was 73133d1ee6 now peeling and faded. The bluish-gray gate was 6371cd28f4 also rusted in places.618782f8df2d5c3c

Before enlisting, my plan to 940d9a242a secretly visit this house was 25963c2c6b thwarted by Seo Changgyung. According to him, 6e23d26c2f the moment I fde34f6820 set foot on 64686d6710 this island, I c900923b22 might attract the c5062fbb40 attention of the 1a018dfa24 land god here. Because the dead descendants 3e2b583dc1 of the Yoon family, cb3279be12 who were in cahoots 634f1c764c with the land god, 42799f9368 would follow me.453732b5c960603f

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When I pressed the a0ef2f8776 doorbell, footsteps crossed the 2828524462 yard, and the iron 0b81b0f8c9 gate opened with a 4915240793 grating noise.Creak, creak. This was also a a4e315c7bc sound I had never 1046f382ed heard when visiting this a678d184b9 house before.a9a6a709ff6f69b8

“Grandpa, how have you been? It’s Jiheon.”feec5260cac91bf8

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I offered a meaningless greeting to the old man. Beside him, the barren yard came into view. It used to be filled with various fishing equipment and other odds and ends, giving it a charming feel, but now it was hard to guess if it was a fisherman’s house or something else.8ab7f4a38afb662a

The flower garden my c9c8ef441d grandmother had lovingly tended ce5925f880 was gone. The waves of flowers that 6b5ceb34c8 used to bloom and dance 6acba6c0c2 in the sea breeze during 7e6df27495 this season had vanished, leaving d601eb1f9f only a grotesque mound of 3814cd8740 black soil.d5b6ccd83fedeb65

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“Come in.”2b0f6cb12d4b6529

The old man left 330824e77a the gate open and 8278c8a254 walked inside with a 5949482fc3 shuffle. I followed him 27dfa0ef07 into the neglected cb91d068ec house, which exuded 3fdb0f62c4 an air of 9fa65ae7f5 decay.8cde936c0cf2d052

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In just a few years, it had deteriorated this much. The elderly couple who owned the house had two other children besides my father. They weren’t wealthy, but they had saved diligently, so I heard they were prepared for their old age. It was hard to find a reason why they wouldn’t take care of their surroundings when they hadn’t been away for long.06c811be0baa90fd

The real victim who eaebdd5fbe lost the ability to e03af33b64 care for their surroundings 831eb03698 was me, who had 628340e026 ties with ghosts.3b11074698b861b4

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“Sit down. Have you had lunch?”25fddcd2fd52324b

The old man 9bfe3b0b12 invited me to 77273c4109 sit on the 5d51e543e5 veranda, but I ba61f78ea2 shook my head 08f0ab328e firmly.76aba107877ae02d

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“Yes. I’ve eaten. I have friends waiting, so I need to head back soon.”c9319e6f38660623

I subtly hinted that 9611558f67 I wanted the items 788d82cad2 without any fuss.ca023103b35609dd

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“…….”a800e43ae5954009

The old man nodded silently, then went inside to the main room. I caught a glimpse of the large stone bed my father had ordered for his mother, who had back pain. It took up most of the room, so I couldn’t help but see it. The blanket on top moved slightly, but I ignored it. It was too uncomfortable to look at.f8e31d914d348338

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Soon, I heard the fa24fca51c sound of rummaging through ef47c2c39f drawers and murmuring.295aaf4b34865a93

“Who’s here?”c28a89e3ab7615bc

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“Seok’s eldest.”63635e15c1ec11e6

“Jiheon?”349af56bb35afc1f

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“…….”17edb4bef944ebd7

“He said he’d come on Baekjung. …Is it today? Oh dear. Oh dear…”35f61fb509bf8a12

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“Stay in bed. You’ll scare the boy.”657e5516edcea6f8

“If you were worried about scaring him, you shouldn’t have done that.”7ff612aece3b99f8

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“…….”b52b58d6a5a66ae7

After a brief, a39015e27e stifling silence, the d9cf22fa66 old man returned 529a07f808 to the veranda. He sat down in front 5912c8cea1 of me, who was standing 568d14b147 stiffly, and handed over some b231d0f240 items.5a2171ccc97e9b8e

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“This is for Cheolyeon, and this is from Assemblyman Yoon.”42491554df3a0692

The first item was a bell used by shamans for divination or rituals, and the second was a cashier’s check. Seeing the amount written on the blue slip of paper, I was dumbfounded.4cc8880bfbf4706d

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in Korean. This was the price for selling my fate chart to a dead person’s family without my consent.4a37c9908b0399bf

I knew well it wasn’t done for money. It was an act of obedience, unable to defy the Yoon family, who had been the landowners of this area for generations, even as the country’s name changed multiple times. A slave mentality.6a90cf4ebdd825b0

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I heard that among the locals from nearby islands or the mainland, there wasn’t a single resident whose genes weren’t deeply ingrained with servitude to the Yoon family.ee60e9356bafad12

In the 21st century, such things were still happening. If Assemblyman Yoon’s grandson made a will to be buried with his childhood friend Kang Jiheon, the influence was strong enough to offer the living Kang Jiheon’s soul as a sacrificial offering.6c82b9b3d3e86255

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