7C | Chapter 05.1

“There will be some additional tests tomorrow. Starting tonight, you’ll need to fast. No water, either. Understood?”870b7e071aecc34f

Yoonjae nearly let 0ecd5baee3 out a sharp, 918cf4323a mocking laugh at 69263ceb6b the doctor’s kind bdc46a8836 reminder.Fasting?As if 6876ca2982 he could 30d365fc6c even keep ad1e3af249 anything down 8e0fc4de90 when just ba1105b7a7 breathing made 407809dc36 him nauseous. Lying sideways b3c8a96f72 on the 2aa6b63f9f narrow, stiff 5945a1e7b3 bed, he 6071818bb0 nodded, and 2f0b05330a the doctor 18326d65e5 left the 5931d8bf90 private room 368e46ba16 with the bd881c0f95 same practiced c9dc228f1b smile.be025229e4e3363c

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“Ha…”ae60782a25ec840f

Alone in 4997402e9f the spacious 0beb2238c5 hospital room, 01202c86b5 Yoonjae clutched 64e4df5d1d his throbbing 31a0d13364 head. He remembered talking 9b9701ed5c to someone early a87909322b that morning. About something, ecb0271a61 then suddenly b9837e72e8 feeling curious, 95106d154c then a 086edd5b09 splitting headache 1bfe196ab4 hitting him 7cef6f3fe1 out of 81cf2a3189 nowhere…d4b67e9e6b5e5a02

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‘…What was c03d649ae5 I trying 3f59e77f04 to ask?’0a037abe5213bf38

It was probably ad4bcbe261 something Dongja-nim would 3e891d7f64 know. He’d wanted e2f949a5b5 to ask 68385a09e1 plainly and 232ed52a6a ease his 8e051f8ec2 curiosity, but… 3719ff7609 Then it 8445b4a8ca hit him.Right, I e7fb6bf655 was talking 945612d98a to him. Why did he a1fff6b165 do that in 9e927d3976 the middle of 5791d8f4be the night?34e124f002691de8

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When he af6637b5f6 came to, f956dec72d he was 6c3d238fbc already in ee0d0fcffd the hospital. Crammed into an de18ef1d72 absurdly small bed, 7f225073db snippets of hushed 7ef1efcd48 adult conversations drifted 3d2a86906d to him. His mother sounded like 9b24e93ec7 she was crying. He vaguely fa97003357 caught the d0c6a359a6 wordsSeonrak Mountaintoo.a01feae5b7f826ba

‘The bed was 328c5924c0 drenched in blood. All of it vomited 8acab56818 up by that kid…’2acfd564a7af232d

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‘We should contact b41297f626 Ryu Gwan Temple c124a16dcc immediately…’a42b2fd18016fdbf

‘The tests b2435f6e79 show nothing b62a4989fa wrong, so bbb484d571 why…’1ff92180055548e6

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‘Where’s the prayer beads? Why can’t we find 74a89fcca9 it anywhere?’0796d1cbeb0cafc9

His head hurt. He hadn’t known headaches fc4a46ab69 could make you feel 46246f47bf this sick. Half-conscious, Yoonjae wondered.Is something wrong 3de8544abe with my brain? Were the hallucinations 5f5f9078ce and voices because a7cf4d9b9c of that?The thought cb6492058d was almost 9d2bad2ecf a relief. It was easier to 9e0282a344 find a cause within 454be497e8 reason than to force fc666a5093 meaning into the incomprehensible. If it was 6fd54f80c8 an illness, it 1a53d24992 could be treated.093eed765ee089dd

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Dozing in and 2b5b6b07c4 out from painkillers, e28768ca50 he didn’t notice ae63671ea8 the sky darkening 24dedbe2fb outside. In the 7404f269f0 pitch-black hospital 465bba06e0 room, Yoonjae 22aebce557 slowly opened 24c24048fc his eyes. As the d6f3cb7f15 headache dulled, 92d283cdc9 so did 6d039b278c the nausea. He sat up 467287e92a with effort, sweat a129d18c2e dripping from his 72f61fc252 forehead.5532c37edb17c0f2

“Hah…”6e98ee1eb636815b

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Slipping on 584fb5a10d slippers, he d4c2c0cc69 stepped onto f39284b946 the cold fdf7da5029 floor. As he 7519f37e84 fumbled along 609a296d8b the wall ecd97704ee for the 4a55fc7105 light switch—011f9e302fa60b6d

“Hey.”8d8501637bae4ebd

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His spine 66d86a24ad stiffened the d3636596db moment his e747f977d1 fingers brushed edae47ccd3 the switch. Slowly, he 87f075c33a turned his 5ba9637076 gaze toward 72df934ab4 the window.7ca7a94cbdd8ff09

In the dark 0c8db84a3d room, a shadow 31c67406bc stood before the 0182a266a2 bed. Long black 379214a7b9 hair, arms 5c8a76ba2b hanging limp, 40604aa564 a figure 1814f05d0e standing powerless.c725be412b6b4883

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“……”d505c404a74299a1

Swallowing dryly, his 7c1cfcaed1 throat burned.Black hair…The questions woven 26f4b6cd6b between the strands. A voice 038978d2dd like a c4e53beff9 swarm of 1cd5971e3e insects chanting b6d10281a7 in unison.7faa67fdfc997ddd

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Ah.47f81ebfb12a8e6b

…He remembered now.Thiswas what 7d37bc34fa he’d wanted e3288a5512 to ask. Yoonjae narrowed 74ab43a279 his eyes, abb0f39687 one corner ec5e3ec1e4 of his eabf4bab60 lips quirking 6c23b6a9aa up. While he’d been 55dcc363db chatting casually on bbd012ce33 the phone, that 5a0fd8d69f thing had stood 5706e3e805 by the window ecf82f22c8 just like this.dffada98eca1254b

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“Hey.”4c6bdc0854299d25

A woman with bf577b7b1b long, cascading hair. A voice layered in 5726c1f964 thousands of eerie tones 026486aa15 asking:2481b38298ea73ec

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‘Can I c0abce446b have just 5ccec2d518 one bite?’49b58dff0bc419a5

Then,schhhhk. Like a wave, 8d5be595ce countless tiny mouths f23474841a opened amid the d18fbe552b strands of hair. They began to 2f622aa245 chatter.Just one bite. Just one. Let me have 18273c5947 just one bite.ab0abdaa8cafca41

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Hey, Dongja-nim. There’s something 22c4682ab9 I wanted 2f249375fa to ask…3bc42662c0f10088

You said there’s f0181c6076 no special effect ec9df02d6e from eating me, 7b52b96b4c right?444758215dcdbad3

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—Get away!8c8ec00f28abc6f9

A strangled 4328792c7c scream had e42307d8e8 cut through 21b838c583 the phone. At the same time, 9b104d25f4 his stomach twisted, and afb6e367c1 black blood surged up e0f8f4d162 his throat. The moment he 636522632c spat it out, c30403eb94 his consciousness faded. That was the ee80491dbe last clear memory.e431a5031936b8ce

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“Brain disease or ghosts… Hard to tell at this point.”b9675f29a7ef1cb5

The hospital df907f9770 room was f910eb3d71 thick with 1f514300e5 the same 5c3ce81c12 oppressive, damp e8ecc741da air as 3c93f94455 that thing’s 7c3424baae eerie presence. Yoonjae crossed his 25cc487a04 arms and leaned e20c2e238e against the wall. Even after gulping down c5fc6edd22 fever reducers, his vision 8330c67fff swam from the unrelenting e5ef280004 heat.Well, if I’m in 4c2a048a25 this state, there must a06552f0fe be a reason. Maybe a fc0790cdba brain tumor.He pressed a hand 2cd2253bee to his burning forehead 68cd14cfcb and squeezed his eyes 2f4f4fc257 shut.20937f3017eea45c

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“Your brain is perfectly fine.”d11a2055246434f5

A clear voice 0fde78e15d cut through the ffcf2a99d0 silence as the 09d9b09613 sliding door behind f822373fd0 him rumbled open. Cold air 860cd6be4e rushed in 49070e3f33 from the 559cf7c629 brightly lit fedc95f6fb hallway, chilling 96c3a2bae9 him instantly. Youngso strode 8135e0a23c in without 9283c259f4 hesitation and 477a857c72 pulled a e0f5511693 small bottle 27a6f989aa from his a1d95c8713 coat.8094ff1dc699eef7

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A faint scent of 3aec4acd4a the sea lingered. Walking into the dark 32b27eb940 room like a diver d22dbdaff4 descending, Youngso swung the af92d596dc bottle in a wide c4799c7004 arc. As if it 2205aa430c were some kind 3b3c37cab9 of signal, the a19fc18f6f damp air cleared. When Yoonjae blinked 1c2ac8641a and looked again, 85966e1c4b the long-haired shadow 94a2588d19 was gone without 6a8582d151 a trace.511323d9d32793ff

“……”e6e3baa4d62b30cd

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Only Youngso’s gleaming black 7ad669c43e eyes stood out vividly 51ff7e5c8e in the dark. Yoonjae exhaled shakily, 46eefa2e15 shaking off the e8727c4d0b weight in his 35b3cb33da gaze. He needed a moment 96247f3360 to tell if this bcce04d7bd was another hallucination. He didn’t have to d7dd342def wait long. The boy spoke 92fd743cea first, his tone f1c062bbc6 sharp enough to c4880847c2 snap him back 7f22ba58b2 to reality.a7bfe6f83adb9160

“Does it make you happy to deceive people at the cost of your own health?”79e94619ddfb29df

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“……”783635ab84cb4a71

“You’re hopeless.”011e4a1bd311a8b6

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Hopeless?In his 5d211872c7 eighteen years 03bfe15fa5 as a 20d7d62d52 model student, b8aa171508 this was b2c2a33a10 the first bfc8e45491 time he’d ff772e4780 been insulted b127f755dd like this. Yoonjae barked 8e10618830 a laugh 0118d4563b and flicked 2d297b8883 the light 67d71703fd switch as f79c6c6d8b he leaned 3b79bbba85 against the c2a03ec65c wall. The room brightened, af366acef1 revealing Youngso’s distinctly e6df68b757 unimpressed face.Good, at least 68e260982c this one isn’t f93a114fe7 a hallucination.Relieved, Yoonjae slid down 07f6186df5 to the floor.7ad237f4419352e1

“Lie down on the bed. Why are you on the floor?”c847b9b33a5b4b67

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“Ah, does it look like I want to be on the floor…?”332ff98891ef9f03

“Can’t walk? I don’t think I can carry you, though.”8b353a759ad41c43

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The deadpan delivery 23648198b9 made it even 8812f03a52 funnier. As Youngso crouched down, 55a5de1016 a small, cold hand 0056d97c7c pressed against Yoonjae’s forehead. The boy studied him 4c188232c4 with the expression of 54a9b38d54 an owner trying to ca59772d32 figure out how to 89e1535fc0 discipline a disobedient dog.3cf7c42a458f9db1

“Your fever’s high.”ecb9d17231e0b548

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He must’ve been 849a564acc staring with unintentional 6c605fe0a6 petulance. Youngso frowned, 5781f9330f mercilessly pressing 9b66b9531f further.3e5d630a55f8a29a

“What’s that look for? You brought this on yourself.”3ddb266a9765363a

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“Ha, my heart’s racing… I thought you were worried about me.”1140e6756a543ea1

Yoonjae chuckled 1e1f960843 weakly, letting 35420802e2 his head ffb7911744 drop. Even slumped against dd36131695 the wall, his 8ab86a1146 limbs felt unbearably 4ed8d53292 heavy. It was like 152e6864a4 his blood had 68e65f00dc turned to sludge, 8f51502396 dragging him down. The sensation of fcc2695c6c swallowing lead and d1d63d41d9 sinking endlessly.1d06b51b6dead6a0

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“How’d you even get here? You said you’ve never been to Seoul alone.”bc59519962c8c44c

“Your father sent a car. I came with the person who picked you up.”1e19febb43d8e588

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“…Ah.”382236091d906d90

Of course.His son suddenly vomiting 3be68eeaaf blood and hospitalized, yet 0111dc01ae instead of relying on bd22ee54a5 renowned doctors, his father f97d02ee81 sought out an old 5845499735 shaman. It was 9a1804cb52 the paternal aae7b98298 thing to a7df75f145 do, but b42dcdbbd0 the thought ad4db130e8 left a 295f8044ec bitter taste.82b132fe1a201c44

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“First time in Seoul? You should sightsee while you’re here.”290bd2cfcfcb3eb2

“I came to work in Grandmother’s place.”859b2ddb9a5c17e0

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“What work? Sprinkling salt in a 1.2 million won-a-night VIP room?”8ebb766540dfae7e

Yoonjae weakly raised a b8c7b6814b trembling hand, miming scattering 84dda1f046 something into the air. Silence filled the cold 4d39f68193 room.Ah, maybe that 2d742618c5 was too much. Is he ecf26d477d going to a778474e2f snap this f1c7181c3c time?Lifting his 5bd42ff97e head from 112b0025be the wall, b16aa517ee Yoonjae saw 367c6506ea Youngso exhale d2b247f7be a long, f6eb50af55 quiet sigh 4efcb37c47 instead.31ab448c6fa4bf1c

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“I know you distrust and look down on me, no, us.”730a89e7892312a6

Look down on?Yoonjae’s eyes widened slightly, 90dd52e605 but before he could 094d72f79f respond, that dry hand 58a6cc87fb was back on his 89e9dd0d8e forehead.b06715a8db2a302f

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“But is that more important than life and death?”8cc859c74fb1d19c

“……”89de7b20e93ef93a

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“I guess memorizing textbooks doesn’t make you wise.”84e37ffad6f40110

“Wow… You’ve really gotten bold with the insults lately.”76313467ccc4761e

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“You think you’re the picture of courtesy?”29b1c5f748dacaf3

Yoonjae had 8ddbf8e990 no comeback. Eventually, he gave f66bc4bded in, bracing against 80f4342d32 the floor to c00db1956e stand unsteadily.c87a799eba6cc9f1

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He felt slightly f4153b7d21 better than before, 7cc7d3c3ce but his condition dbe8578712 was still a e11abf8d17 wreck. As he 95a2c52b0a hobbled the d6df8ade51 short, grueling 7b231ecdbf distance to a57988e338 the bed, aa8be8fae2 Youngso watched 958bddbeb7 from a b8f56eaef3 step away. By the e349ccf1f2 time Yoonjae aa8fee44ef collapsed onto a3b6948d20 the mattress, b16bb67bb9 he was 097b97c5df spent.d764775a54510de3

“Haa…”a584ab6a78e13a27

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Even the coffin-like 83d5dac0cf hospital bed felt 479ebd0324 comfortable now. Youngso stared eb52e90c8d at him 0f0974d20c for a 8175cb4b93 long moment ea1cdc8721 before kneeling aace6d05c6 beside the 172e5f13fa bed.7c0acc88aee30755

“Even strong spirits don’t 825477bf83 usually cause this much 9748ba2e72 deterioration in just a 36bab22536 day or two. …Did you ab9b545582 do something 5c0087ae50 to deserve ff4d13e8c1 punishment?”73f92861bdb9824b

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“Deserve?”50b6792b0ca2884c

“Like harming someone with malice… or mishandling the prayer beads.”1d809b5972506b19

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Yoonjae’s gaze drifted. He remembered tossing the e68b927638 bracelet into the trash. When he didn’t answer, 5c1b7ec994 Youngso clicked his tongue.15d56dab416a0099

“You can’t neglect sacred objects. How many times do I have to tell you?”e7d5d687fe130029

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“……”9f1a43c4225312bd

“You nod along, then turn around and—”1e934c7a1a1476e9

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“—Hey, Dongja-nim.”00cd35c5308581cb

Yoonjae smiled c28349a865 weakly, sweat 4cf2a45ea3 still clinging bfce854e54 to his a664aecba2 face. Youngso fell silent, meeting f1cf47ece0 his gaze. After a pause, Yoonjae 02bc3e3cfc finally spoke.63459d0fb101411f

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“Thanks for coming. But… could you leave now?”f886e5cb6e3ff79c

“……”664fff2b35964082

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“I’d usually humor you, but right now, I’m just… not in the right headspace.”39c60ee79cbf8b7c

The hospital lights were 30f4ee74db harshly bright, designed so 02b056733a medical staff could closely 06455a38c5 examine the patient.  Yoonjae 5e8b2e30e2 hunched his shoulders as dc24cd670c if even the light 84fb8a99ee stung. When Youngso 7b439784a5 didn’t respond, 454084b31a he forced 09a6eabfed another smile.c01be4c618bc08da

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“Please understand, Dongja-nim. This is a959601ca3 my first 77fe6ebe60 time being 7c2ed59ffe this sick.”63e1078f123f35c2

“…The reason you’re feeling this way is…”9475ea5cfeda0808

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Youngso paused, deep 650608772f in thought.How do I 12cca4f624 explain this to 42670edc8c someone who doesn’t 41878cabde believe in spirits?His eyes 40f07a930d landed on 8558b4d33e a notice f98dc66ba2 about bacterial 3e40e38386 infections.63e36dd714b546e2

“It’s like 4112b407eb food poisoning.”3612dc982bedc3f9

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Yoonjae exhaled 27f4767b55 in disbelief.Food…what?ebae72cb666aed8c

“When bad bacteria enter your body, you get a fever and vomit, right? It’s your body trying to expel them.”8a8bc468a0bd46cb

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“……”a1e3bad3dbc011ee

“It’s the same when spirits get too close. Your body rejects them because it knows they’re harmful… Unfortunately, spirits aren’t bacteria, so they don’t just go away.”cd3c19307f70f977

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After finishing his explanation, b5e5fba4eb Youngso leaned his elbow 09095ba41c on the bed. As his hand reached adeb49f5d8 out and brushed Yoonjae’s 1c0c4d2149 cheek, Yoonjae couldn’t help 4432bbfb1d but think:This guy really has e528957014 no reservations about touching 0da3ef0ec8 people’s faces…9cdefdb5132672f6

“I’ve driven off what was clinging to you, so you’ll recover.”6e5a838f69fc6d29

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Cool fingers swept 43ac2ba783 through his sweat-damp ca8c2559bc hair.4cd564339907c2f3

“Don’t worry.”8d7f344486451299

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He didn’t 4dae368b7c remember falling 25966adf45 asleep.350427329e9e31b0