RAP Chapter 2

I Will Protect You

 

” I need the Yeouiju to ascend,.”

 

Yeouiju, at a loss for words, rolled her eyes. It seemed that the man claiming to be a dragon had mistaken her for the Yeouiju because of her name.

 

“Uh, I’m sorry to say this, but my name is Yeouiju, that’s true…”

 

“Yeah. I know.”

 

“But it’s just my name. As you can see, I’m a person, not a pearl.”

 

“No, you are the Yeouiju.”

 

“I think you’re mistaken…”

 

“I’m not mistaken. The Yeouiju I’ve been searching for is you.”

 

Do-cheol’s overly confident response made Yeouiju’s voice tremble miserably.

 

“You can’t exactly bite me and ascend…”

 

That was a valid point. Do-cheol also had no idea how he could achieve ascension. But with such an overwhelming aura of the Yeouiju radiating from her, he couldn’t just give up. To figure out a way, he needed Yeouiju.

 

“So just come out for a moment. I just need to check.”

 

“No.”

 

“Really? Then I’ll wait until you want to come out.”

 

There was the sound of someone plopping down outside the door, as if he meant what he said.

 

I’ve really run into a crazy one. If he’s that kind of lunatic, he might just squat there all day.

 

She had absolutely no intention of stepping outside, but a chilling sense of danger wrapped around her entire body.

 

“If you confirm that I’m not the Yeouiju, will you leave immediately?”

 

“Of course. If not, I have no reason to bother you.”

 

She had to end this insane conversation and get away from this man as soon as possible.

 

Determined to leave the house, Yeouiju thought of the nearby park.

 

There were many people exercising in the park, and a police station was right next to it, making it a safer place than here.

 

“Hey, if you go straight down the hill, there’s a park there.”

 

“Oh, I saw it on my way here. The one next to the police station?”

 

“Yes, yes. Go there first. I’ll be out soon.”

 

She heard the sound of someone standing up with a grunt, then silence fell as if all noise outside had been cut off.

 

“Hey?”

 

She called out again, but no response came. Carefully opening the door, she saw that the spot where Do-cheol had been standing was now empty.

 

Could he have already left? When she opened the door fully, the scenery outside was as usual, as if the man had never been there in the first place.

 

Letting out a sigh of relief, Yeouiju quickly went inside and packed pepper spray and a small frying pan in her bag.

 

If necessary, she planned to spray the pepper in his eyes, hit him with the frying pan, and run away. Clutching the strap of her bag, Yeouiju set out with a determined expression.

 

“Took you long enough.”

 

Do-cheol, sitting on a park bench as if he were part of the scenery, greeted her naturally.

 

He looked so at ease that for a moment, she almost mistook him for someone she had known all along.

 

“Okay, look. What part of me looks like a Yeouiju?”

 

“Hmm. No matter how I look at you, you’re human…”

 

“Exactly! I’m just named Yeouiju!”

 

“Strange. Then where is this aura coming from?”

 

To Do-cheol’s eyes, she was undoubtedly human. Yet, the presence of the Yeouiju was still unmistakably emanating from her.

 

“Let me check something.”

 

As Do-cheol closed the distance between them, Yeouiju tightly gripped the frying pan handle inside her bag.

 

“This should be enough.”

 

Since Do-cheol maintained an appropriate distance, it seemed she wouldn’t need to use the frying pan.

 

Releasing her grip on the handle, she still held onto her bag strap, ready to run if needed, while staring blankly at Do-cheol.

 

“Let’s see, the Yeouiju…”

 

Do-cheol closed his eyes and began murmuring incomprehensible words.

 

You said you were checking something, so why are you closing your eyes?

 

Just as she was contemplating running while his eyes were shut, a sudden sharp pain shot through her heart.

 

“Ah!”

 

The sharp sensation intensified, turning into an unbearable pain as if her heart were being torn apart. Yeouiju clutched her chest and collapsed. The longer Do-cheol murmured, the worse the pain in her heart became.

 

Just when she thought her heart might actually burst, Do-cheol’s murmuring subsided.

 

As soon as he stopped, the excruciating pain, which had threatened to rupture her heart, disappeared.

 

“It’s you. You are the Yeouiju.”

 

She hadn’t even recovered from the pain when those shocking words reached her ears.

 

“It’s in your heart. The Yeouiju I was searching for.”

 

“What?”

 

“That’s strange. Why would the Yeouiju be hidden inside a human heart?”

 

This was absurd. Since childhood, she had always chewed and swallowed her candy. She had never swallowed a bead or anything similar in her life. She had never undergone surgery, let alone heart surgery.

 

Dragons, Yeouiju—those were things that only appeared in folktales read to her by the director of the orphanage. And yet, something like that was inside her? Overwhelmed by the unbelievable reality, Yeouiju dragged her trembling legs toward the bench in front of her.

 

“Who could have hidden the Yeouiju in your heart? Does anyone come to mind?”

 

Do-cheol’s words barely reached Yeouiju’s ears as she sat in a state of panic.

 

She had come out just to humor a crazy person and send him on his way, but instead, she had learned that the Yeouiju was inside her own body.

 

It still sounded insane, but the lingering tremors in her chest reminded her of the pain she had just endured. Her heart hurt, the man was terrifying, and the situation was overwhelming. Feeling on the verge of tears, Yeouiju hugged her knees and clamped her mouth shut.

 

“Think carefully. Who could have hidden the Yeouiju inside your heart?”

 

Do-cheol, his patience running thin, pressed her for an answer. Peeking up timidly, Yeouiju hesitated before responding firmly.

 

“No. That doesn’t make any sense. I never imagined I’d get caught up in something like this my whole life.”

 

Do-cheol, who had been recalling his first encounter with Yeouiju, snapped his fingers with a sharp sound.

 

“Right, your name! Isn’t it strange? You have a Yeouiju inside you, and your name is also Yeouiju. Who gave you that name?”

 

“The director… Ah!”

 

Yeouiju, who had been thinking about her name, suddenly stood up as if something had come to mind.

 

“Why? Did something come to you?”

 

“Samsin!”

 

“What?”

 

Samsin was involved? Do-cheol, doubting his ears, asked again. Recalling the story of her name, which she had heard countless times, Yeouiju nodded.

 

“Our director originally worked as a preschool teacher.”

 

“Director?”

 

“The director of our orphanage.”

 

“That person gave you your name?”

 

“Just listen for a moment!”

 

Until just moments ago, she had been trembling in fear, but now she was scolding him. Feeling a bit offended, Do-cheol crossed his arms and stood askew.

 

“When the director was in her tenth year as a preschool teacher, she suddenly developed a spiritual illness. She had to quit her job, accepted a divine calling, and lived as a shaman. Later, after the deity she served left, she established the orphanage.”

 

“Can you keep it short?”

 

So impatient. Yeouiju cast a glance at Do-cheol before continuing.

 

“One day, she had a dream. An old woman called Samsin appeared and told her to bring in a crying baby outside and to name the baby Yeouiju, no matter what. When the director woke up to the sound of a baby crying and went outside, there really was a baby there….”

 

“That was you.”

 

“Yes. I always thought it was just something she made up to comfort me because so many kids teased me about my name. But… how is this connected?”

 

“Samsin….”

 

Do-cheol frowned at the unexpected complication.

 

He had encountered Samsin a few times after his coming-of-age ceremony, but she always appeared in different forms.

 

It had been 300 years since he last saw Samsin. There was no way to know what form she currently took or where she was.

 

“If Samsin really exists… wouldn’t we find some answers if we sought her out?”

 

[T/N : Samsin , a Korean deity associated with pregnancy and childbirth.]

 

Unaware of anything, Yeouiju seemed eager to set out in search of Samsin right away.

 

Compared to Samsin, Do-cheol was still an inexperienced fledgling who had not even ascended. He was no match for her at all.

 

“You can’t find her.”

 

“What? Why not?”

 

“She’s always so busy with divine matters.”

 

At Do-cheol’s resigned tone, Yeouiju’s budding hope was completely crushed.

 

“Then what do we do now?”

 

“We need to find another way.”

 

“Can’t we do it quickly? I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but having something like this inside my body is…”

 

Yeouiju wanted to distance herself from this absurd situation as soon as possible. Do-cheol felt the same. He had to resolve this issue quickly so he could leave this tiresome world.

 

“I’ll try again, so can you endure it this time?”

 

“So, that pain in my heart earlier… that was you, wasn’t it?”

 

“According to the ancient texts I read, reciting that incantation should allow me to obtain the Yeouiju.”

 

Yeouiju hesitated to agree.

 

If they could remove the Yeouiju, that would be great, but experiencing that excruciating pain again was terrifying.

 

“Well?”

 

“Wait a minute. What if my heart stops or bursts?”

 

“Would the Yeouiju shatter then?”

 

Do-cheol was only interested in the Yeouiju, regardless of whether her heart exploded or not. If I don’t look after myself, no one else will. Yeouiju adjusted her bag to cover her chest entirely.

 

“I’m not doing it.”

 

She couldn’t risk such a dangerous act again.

 

For a moment, she had wished to escape this world due to her misfortunes, but now, in this situation, she wanted to live. Yeouiju wanted to survive. More than anything, she didn’t want to sacrifice herself for a man she had just met.

 

“Fine. If the Yeouiju shatters and you die, it would be a loss for me too. Let’s not take such a dangerous gamble.”

 

“How is that only a loss for you? I’m the one dying because of you!”

 

“If you die, it’s over for you, but I have to live in this tedious world for thousands of years. I’m the one who really loses.”

 

“Wow, unbelievable.”

 

Yeouiju couldn’t help but scoff at Do-cheol’s shamelessness.

 

“Are you always this selfish?”

 

“What?”

 

“You didn’t even ask for my permission before trying to take out the Yeouiju inside me. That’s completely selfish.”

 

Feeling wronged, Yeouiju lashed out.

 

“Didn’t you say you wanted it out quickly?”

 

“I didn’t know it was this dangerous then.”

 

“So, are you going to live like this forever without removing it?”

 

“As long as it doesn’t harm me, I don’t care.”

 

At Yeouiju’s sudden shift in attitude, Do-cheol sneered mockingly.

 

“You think I’m the only one after the Yeouiju?”

 

“Huh? Who else wants it?”

 

“Do you have any idea how many non-human beings exist in this world? I’m not the only one who knows that possessing a Yeouiju grants ascension. My siblings know too. If I give up, others might come for it instead. Are you okay with that?”

 

Terrified by Do-cheol’s words, Yeouiju anxiously scanned her surroundings.

 

“Your Yeouiju is radiating energy. Do you think others won’t sense it?”

 

“B-but I’ve lived just fine for 29 years….”

 

“29 years?”

 

Frowning in thought, Do-cheol muttered as he stared at her.

 

“Could it be related to the Nine Misfortunes?”

 

“The nine misfortune…? You mean like when you’re nine or nineteen years old?”  

 

“Yeah. So you know about it too?”  

 

“That’s because the director…”  

 

Yeouiju trailed off as a memory suddenly surfaced in her mind. She rummaged through her bag, searching for her wallet. When she pulled out the talisman she had tucked deep inside, she clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a scream.  

 

The talisman, which the director had urged her to always keep with her before passing away, had turned completely black, as if burned.  

 

“Why is this…?”  

 

“A talisman?”  

 

“Yes. It’s never been like this before…”  

 

Do-cheol, alternating his gaze between Yeouiju’s panicked face and the talisman, snatched it from her hands.  

 

Closing his eyes, he focused on the energy of the talisman. When he reopened them, he examined it carefully.  

 

“There’s a protection spell on it, but its effect is gone.”  

 

“What?”  

 

“It looks like the person who made this talisman is no longer in this world. The letters disappeared along with its owner. This was from that director too?”  

 

“Yes…”  

 

“This is the first time I’ve seen such a powerful talisman. Seems like the Three Gods lent their power to it.”  

 

Protection spells and the Three Gods didn’t matter to her. What pained her was the fact that the keepsake from the director, which she had always carried, had been damaged.  

 

Even if it had lost its effect, she couldn’t bring herself to throw away the only keepsake she had. Yeouiju snatched the talisman back from Do-cheol’s hands and desperately tried to put it back into her wallet, even though it was completely burnt.  

 

“You shouldn’t keep it. A powerless talisman is the perfect thing to attract stray spirits.”  

 

Ignoring Do-cheol’s warning, she stubbornly tried to place it back into her wallet, but the talisman simply crumbled apart.  

 

“Stop. It’s useless. The ones who can sniff it out have already done so.”  

 

“Then… Then what am I supposed to do now…?”  

 

Yeouiju asked in a trembling voice, her face filled with despair. At her well-timed question, Do-cheol smirked and confidently declared,  

 

“You’ve got me. I’ll protect you.”