Yaksha Chapter 2

Due to its indistinct shape, the earthbound spirit’s facial features were completely unrecognizable. However, Anri strongly felt that it was staring at her with a frown.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

An Yul, who had been watering the flower bed, looked at Anri with a puzzled expression. Anri swallowed dryly and gestured toward the spirit with her eyes. An Yul glanced briefly in the direction she was glaring at and let out a sigh.

 

“I told you to stop having staring contests with ghosts.”

 

Anri and An Yul could see and sense things that others could not. Even though they witnessed floating spirits several times a day, most of them were so flustered that they disappeared from view without even thinking of bothering Anri.

 

Unlike those floating spirits, however, this earthbound spirit always stood in the same place, watching Anri. Anri stared silently at the spirit and muttered.

 

“Even if I don’t want to see it, it keeps coming into view, and it’s driving me crazy.”

 

“Just ignore it. Like I do.”

 

“Doesn’t it look like its feet are stuck there?”

 

“Probably. It’s an earthbound spirit, after all.”

 

“Ugh, then that means there was a murder here at the pool in the past.”

 

As Anri grimaced in disgust, An Yul’s shoulders flinched. At that moment, the spirit’s form began to tremble violently like rippling waves. Anri sighed as she looked at the spirit shaking anxiously, seemingly agitated.

 

“Why are we like this, really……?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean seeing ghosts. It’s not a normal situation at all.”

 

“…Our late mother was a shaman. So I wonder if we can see ghosts because we take after her……”

 

An Yul glanced toward the diving board and added,

 

“It was torture every day when I used to work at the hospital. Do you know how many ghosts are in hospitals?”

 

Anri quietly stared at An Yul as he let out a deep sigh. According to him, he had once been a capable doctor. Considering how he had diligently nursed and examined his younger sister for a year, it didn’t seem like an exaggeration.

 

But somehow, the word “capable” didn’t quite suit him. Could that coward really have worked calmly in a hospital teeming with ghosts?

 

“Be honest. You quit being a doctor because there were too many ghosts at the hospital, didn’t you?”

 

She asked teasingly on purpose, and An Yul grumbled, flicking water from the hose at her.

 

“There’s a limit to how much you can disrespect your only sibling.”

 

“Ah! Stop it!”

 

An Yul smacked Anri on the head and dragged the hose toward the other flower bed. Anri glared at the back of his head with a huff, then flopped down onto a beach chair.

 

At that moment, a pleasant breeze blew straight toward her. The refreshing scent of grass, mixed with the smell of water, tickled her nose and naturally brought a sense of calm. Her eyelids grew heavy and slowly closed.

 

Just as she was about to drift off into a light nap, savoring the breeze, she faintly felt a hand gently stroking her head. Someone was standing beside the beach chair, softly touching her hair.

 

‘Is it oppa? …Why the hell is he creepily petting my head…….’

 

Lost in that daze, she suddenly heard An Yul’s cheerful voice from afar.

 

“Yeah, Emma. I’m watering the yard right now. Right, we need to buy milk. And some fruit too……”

 

Anri’s eyes flew open with a chill running down her spine. In the flowerbed, An Yul was visible, talking on the phone with Emma as he watered the plants. He was too far away to have reached over and touched her head.

 

Blinking blankly, she slowly turned her head toward the pool. She gazed at the earthbound spirit hovering near the diving board. Beyond its translucent form shimmered the flowerbed, soaked in water.

 

“Was it you who just stroked my head?”

 

She casually tossed out the question, but of course, there was no answer. Anri quietly stared at the black form floating motionlessly in the air.

 

“…Forget it.”

 

She sighed deeply and shook her head. It had been a pointless question. What was she doing, talking to a ghost that couldn’t even speak?

 

“An Yul.”

 

Anri sprang up from the beach chair and approached An Yul, who was organizing the hose.

 

“Did you just touch my head?”

 

“Hold on, Emma. Rina’s talking to me…… What?”

 

An Yul removed the phone from his ear and looked back at Anri. She furrowed her brow and mimed stroking her head.

 

“Just now. Did you come over and pat my head?”

 

“Are you crazy? Why would I do that? Even imagining it gives me the creeps.”

 

“It creeps me out too, you know?”

 

Anri grumbled and turned toward the mansion. Passing through the sun-warmed terrace, she entered the living room.

 

The sofa was a mess with the random stuff Emma had left scattered around. Just as she swept aside some tossed clothes and a bag to sit down—

 

“…What’s this?”

 

Something cold as ice touched her thigh, making her skin crawl. Anri absentmindedly pulled out the object pressed against her leg.

 

It was a keychain with a pink feather. Narrowing her eyes, Anri examined the key. It was clearly the key to the attic room on the second floor—one that An Yul and Emma normally wouldn’t even go near.

 

‘Did Emma drop this?’

 

Anri glanced toward the terrace window. Through the glass, she could see An Yul’s back as he continued watering the flowerbed.

 

It was the perfect opportunity to satisfy her curiosity. If not now, she would never be able to check the inside of the secret room.

 

‘Maybe I could even find something like a photo album.’

 

Wearing a triumphant smile, Anri grabbed the key. Then, while keeping an eye on An Yul, she quickly headed up to the second floor.

 

She pushed the key straight into the lock of the door at the end of the hallway. With a click, the door opened, and she cautiously pushed it ajar.

 

“…What is this?”

 

The moment she peeked her head into the cold, lifeless room, a wave of disappointment washed over her. The only thing in the room was an old, yellow suitcase slumped in a corner. There wasn’t a single piece of furniture in sight, and even the window had a lock on the inside.

 

“Don’t tell me there’s gold bars in that or something?”

 

Could it be that the secret behind An Yul’s wealth was hidden inside that suitcase? Anri approached the suitcase, quieting her footsteps. Fortunately, it wasn’t locked with a password.

 

With a soft click, she carefully opened the suitcase. The moment she saw what was inside, her eyes widened. Staring blankly into the suitcase, Anri muttered.

 

“…What is this?”

 

Hardened, multicolored ink bottles, rolled-up computer paper, tattoo needles, and even a machine wrapped in wires. They were all tools used by tattooists. Atop the worn items sat a phone with the power turned off.

 

Why had her brother and Emma gone to such lengths to hide this in a room? Tilting her head, Anri picked up the phone. It seemed to have no battery; even when she held the button down, it wouldn’t power on.

 

‘…Should I try it?’

 

She didn’t know why the impulse came over her, but suddenly, she had the urge to complete the Chinese character tattoo that was missing one stroke.

 

She hesitated for a moment, touching her thigh. Then, Anri took out the tattoo tools from the suitcase one by one and laid them out on the floor. Without An Yul knowing, she quietly snuck into the kitchen and brought back latex gloves, plastic wrap, and a clean towel.

 

Even though she had no knowledge of tattooing, Anri skillfully put on the latex gloves and prepared the tools one by one.

 

She spread the plastic wrap wide on the floor, rolled up the hem of her pants and secured it. Lowering her head toward her thigh, she disinfected the tools and gripped the old tattoo machine tightly.

 

“Phew…”

 

Letting out a trembling breath, Anri pressed the machine’s power button. Fortunately, it turned on. Taking a deep breath with the machine gripped tightly in her hand, she carefully pressed the needle to the Chinese character tattoo.

 

“Ah!”

 

A sharp pain ran up her spine, and a scream burst out of her. It hurt so much that she almost threw the machine away.

 

“This is insane. How did I endure getting the dragon tattoo last time?”

 

Anri blinked desperately as tears welled up in her eyes and clenched her teeth. Then, she jabbed the needle into her skin again.

 

Since all she had to do was add one missing stroke, the task was quickly completed. She had done it on impulse, so she worried it might come out messy, but the missing stroke was surprisingly cleanly filled in. It was thanks to her hand moving instinctively.

 

‘Is this enough…?’

 

The moment she exhaled the breath she had been holding and set down the machine, a sharp pain shot from the completed character for “dragon” (龍). Anri gasped and let out a short scream. The Chinese character tattoo burned like it was on fire.

 

“Ugh…”

 

With trembling hands, she traced the swollen skin with her fingertips. Just then, dark smoke began to rise from around the Chinese character tattoo. Before she could even react in surprise, a pitch-black shadow engulfed Anri’s vision.