Whisper Chapter 31

[ He brought a woman. The two of them were laughing together in the room we shared…So things like that don’t even surprise me anymore. No matter what I see, it’s always better than what I went through.]

 

[ But then he found the money I had hidden. That one million won. I couldn’t bring myself to spend it, so I hid it. Somehow, he found it. I begged and pleaded, saying it wasn’t his, but he took the money and left with the woman. ]

 

[ I couldn’t live like that anymore. At that moment, that was all I could think. I just wanted it to stop. I wanted to stop struggling. I wanted to stop living… So I hung myself right away. ]

 

***

 

One person and two ghosts gaped at the bob-haired ghost. She looked relieved after pouring everything out, but the expressions of the three listening were distorted.

 

– Why do you all look like that?

 

At the bright question from the bob-haired ghost, Lee Heewoo lost her appetite and put down her chopsticks. Most of the food was already gone.

 

– Are you stupid? Where is that bastard now? What is he doing?

 

When the pretty ghost suddenly shouted, Lee Heewoo’s ears stung, and she rubbed them lightly with her palm.

 

– Haa, I’m with her on this one. Where is that bastard? I’ll kill him for you.

 

Even the twin-braided ghost was completely fired up. Lee Heewoo also looked seriously at the bob-haired ghost. Seeing how cheerful she was even after dying and becoming a ghost, it seemed she had always been that way. She had just never had the opportunity to express it. It was heartbreaking and pitiful.

 

Suddenly, Heewoo realized something.

 

When she had listened to ghosts’ stories in the mountains, they had made her feel sad and depressed, to the point where she didn’t want to hear them. But although the bob-haired ghost’s story was sad, it didn’t make her feel depressed. In fact, she found herself thinking, from time to time, that her own life was much better than the ghost’s had been.

 

– It’s in the past. Why are you getting angry when you’re a ghost? How are you going to kill him?

 

The bob-haired ghost called it a past event, but the two other ghosts looked ready to storm off immediately.

 

The pretty ghost was unexpectedly loyal. As Lee Heewoo thought about this, the two ghosts moved closer, staring at her intently.

 

“What?”

 

– You have to kill him for us.

 

Forget it. Lee Heewoo looked at the pretty ghost, dumbfounded, and shook her head. Just as ghosts should not interfere in human affairs, humans should not interfere in ghostly matters. The twin-braided ghost sighed as if regretful.

 

– You must be crazy. You’re trying to turn her into a criminal!

 

The bob-haired ghost jumped up in protest, quickly clarifying to Lee Heewoo that she hadn’t meant it that way.

 

“Yeah, I know. But I asked you, do you really think it’s in the past? Are you really okay?”

 

Ghosts usually linger in the living world because they have committed many sins, bear deep resentment, or have lost their memories and wandered astray. These ghosts were divided into ordinary ghosts and vengeful spirits, but for some reason, vengeful spirits never approached Heewoo. Even if they appeared briefly, like at the hair salon the other day, they couldn’t stay long. That was also why she wasn’t afraid of ghosts.

 

But just because she was used to them didn’t mean she was unaffected. She had seen them for so long that she simply accepted them as an inseparable part of her life. When she was younger, she even considered them friends.

 

Since she had never asked a ghost a question like this before, Heewoo wiggled her toes for no reason.

 

– Yeah, I’m okay. But…

 

The bob-haired ghost hesitated as she looked at Heewoo. She clearly wanted to say something but remained silent for a long time, prompting the two ghosts to pester her impatiently. Finally, the bob-haired ghost slowly spoke.

 

– …There’s something I want to do.

 

***

 

Cold sweat dripped down. In the crowded subway station, Lee Heewoo stood stiffly, frozen by tension and fear.

 

– It’s okay. You’re doing great.

– Just get on the next train.

– Why am I even doing this?

 

The pretty ghost’s sentiment was exactly how Heewoo felt. Regret slowly crept up on her as she wondered why she had so readily agreed to help the bob-haired ghost.

 

Wearing a thin, long-sleeved, milk-white knit top, beige knee-length cotton shorts, and sneakers, Heewoo stood pale, staring at the ground. There were far too many people. Bumping into others was inevitable.

 

– You don’t have to do it. I was just saying.

– It’s not like you’re killing someone. Can’t you do at least this much?

– Let’s just kill him.

 

What had gotten into her? Why had she suddenly agreed to do something she had never done before and never even considered doing?

 

It had seemed like nothing. The distance wasn’t far, and it wasn’t going to hurt anyone. Just thinking about it made her heart tremble. It wasn’t a fear or discomfort, but an excitement that was closer to anticipation.

 

But it’s my first time in the city, so I don’t know how to do anything.

 

At Heewoo’s confession, the ghosts reassured her, saying they would help, flooding her with hope and courage. Even when it came to seeing other ghosts outside.

 

– We’ll stick right by you and protect you.

– We’re the mad dogs of this neighborhood! No one can come near!

– Don’t say ‘we.’ I don’t want to be grouped in the same class as you.

 

Even so, the pretty ghost followed along as if someone were dragging it away, and thanks to the three of them, no other apparitions could come near.  

 

– You have money, right?  

 

“Money?”  

 

– You need money. You have to pay for the fare too.”

 

She went to her room, opened her backpack, and pulled out a small, old purse she had hidden deep inside.  

 

“I have 150,000 won.”

 

– Is this enough?

– Yeah, that’s enough. 

– Huh, you don’t even have money?

 

That was how she ended up bringing the purse with her. Holding the purse and her phone tightly in both hands, Lee Heewoo hunched her shoulders, unable to adjust to the loud noise.  

 

Thanks to the ghosts, she had even managed to send a text to Cha Gyeol. Whether Cha Gyeol had checked it or not, there was no response.  

 

– The subway is coming. Step back.

 

The short-haired ghost spoke excitedly to Lee Heewoo. She quickly took a few steps back, pressing her lips together and shifting her gaze anxiously. She could feel glances sneaking in from all directions.  

 

Was she acting too strange? Had she worn the wrong outfit? Was it obvious that she didn’t belong here? A million thoughts raced through her mind as the subway arrived with a loud noise.  

 

– Watch your step.

– There are so many filthy ones here. Don’t relax your expression. Keep your eyes as fierce as possible.

– Even if you don’t do that, your expression isn’t exactly friendly.

 

The three ghosts were glaring as hard as they could, preventing other ghosts from approaching. Following the line of people, Lee Heewoo stepped onto the subway and stood in a corner. Ever since leaving Cha Gyeol’s house, the air had felt unpleasant, but as soon as she entered the subway station, it became even more revolting. The air inside the subway was worse.  

 

She wanted to smell the scent of Cha Gyeol. Lee Heewoo breathed as much as possible through her mouth, fiddling with her phone.  

 

– How long does it take?

– About 40 minutes. You know the Hongdae Entrance, right? There.

– This is a real mess.

 

The pretty ghost, who had been looking elsewhere, muttered cynically. Lee Heewoo glanced at the ghosts in the subway with an expression that said something felt off, but the ghosts were looking somewhere else.  

 

A boy and a girl, who looked like young students, sat closely together, clutching each other’s hands. They were practically pressing their faces together, engaging in shameless displays of affection. The three ghosts, who had also been watching, eventually turned away.  

 

No one paid attention to the couple. Everyone kept their heads down, staring at their phones. Only the ghosts clung to them, playing all sorts of pranks and making a ruckus.  

 

“You said it was close.”

 

Lee Heewoo covered her mouth with her hand and whispered as quietly as possible. She had expected it to take ten, at most twenty minutes. She was a little dumbfounded.  

 

– It is close. It takes less than an hour.

– You don’t even have to transfer trains. It’s great.

– How do you not even have a car? What do you even have?

 

Haah. Lee Heewoo didn’t even want to breathe in, but she let out an automatic sigh, feeling a wave of exhaustion.  

 

She hadn’t even done anything yet. She had only gotten on a subway, but it was several times more exhausting than climbing a mountain. The ghosts couldn’t come near, but she could still hear all their voices, which only worsened her fatigue.  

 

How was she supposed to endure 40 minutes of this? The thought was daunting. Leaning against the handrail, Lee Heewoo stared blankly outside the door.  

 

She had to keep herself together. She had to leave before Cha Gyeol arrived.  

 

She had lost count of how many stations had passed when a little boy, who looked about five or six years old, entered the subway holding his mother’s hand.  

 

Ah!  

 

Lee Heewoo, who had been staring at the floor, absentmindedly lifted her head and locked eyes with the boy. She quickly turned her head away when she saw the number floating above his round face.  

 

It was the first time she had ever seen a number on such a young child.  

 

Her heart trembled, a chilling sensation running through her. Her already cold hands turned an eerie shade of blue, devoid of any warmth. The mother’s face was full of laughter as she watched her chatty son.  

 

  

 

How would that child die?  

 

Lee Heewoo’s hands, tightly gripping her small purse and phone, fidgeted anxiously.  

 

Did that child’s mother know?