The Guide - Chapter 4
04. The Second Confession
Early in the morning, when most of the pubs that had been bustling all night had closed their doors, a middle-aged man in a half-taken off jacket was staggering dangerously through a secluded alley, which had become even more desolate because of the drizzling rain. The tie that had been neatly tied around his neck in the early evening had disappeared, probably because he had tied it around his forehead at the karaoke bar and then came out without it.
“Ah…, seriously. I can’t go to the fifth round…, Assistant Manager Lee. I’m dead if I stay out all night. Stop… holding me back. Seriously, don't… you guys, really…. I said stop it.”
The man, who still clearly remembered that he had gone to the fourth round, was starting to talk nonsense as his body had become heavy from all the alcohol. A couple of passersby had noticed that the man wasn’t in a good condition, but they quickly avoided him by moving to a different alley since they didn’t want to make eye contact with a drunk man.
“Ah…, restroom. Did I drink too much beer? No, that can’t be it. Assistant Manager Lee, that bastard, kept putting more soju in the poktanju…. Was he trying to kill me?”
The man, who had been wandering the alley for a while, stopped in front of a gloomy, half-built building. The man, who had been looking for a restroom with his blurry vision, entered the only building with an open entrance. It was a building where construction had been halted due to funding issues, and the interior was completely empty, not even having any railings, but the drunken man did not notice that there was something wrong.
“Seriously…. Why is there no restroom in such a huge building?”
The man, who had been going up the stairs slowly while looking for a restroom sign, stopped when he reached the eighth floor. Although he still couldn’t grasp the situation properly, he was too out of breath to continue climbing the stairs.
“Huff…, huff. What kind of building is this? Why is it so dark inside? Ah…, is there a power outage? That’s why the escalator is stopped….”
The man, who had been catching his breath with his hands on his hips, rubbed his eyes roughly when he saw something appear in front of him. When he looked closely, a young child with a sad expression was staring at him. It seemed like a boy with a pretty face, and he looked about the same size as his seven-year-old daughter.
Looking at the time and place the child appeared, and its translucent figure, it was clearly a ghost, but unfortunately, the man had lost most of his judgment.
“Huh? Why is a little kid wandering around at this time? Kid, where’s your mom?”
“I don’t have a mom. I lost her.”
“Then let’s go together. I’ll find your mom for you.”
“My mom told me not to follow strangers.”
“I’m not a bad person. I’ll just take you to the police station. It's dangerous for a child to be alone in a place like this. This place is…”
The man, who had suddenly come to his senses, looked around slowly. Come to think of it, where am I? Only then did he notice that he was inside a messy, almost abandoned building.
Is this a building under construction? Wait a minute, there are no… walls? He realized that he could see his surroundings even without any lights because there was nothing blocking the light coming from outside.
The moment that he realized that there was a hole in the floor that went straight down to the first floor, he was covered in goosebumps.
By the way, why is a child alone in such a dangerous building…. The man, who had looked forward again, finally noticed that there was something odd about the child's figure and let out a scream. The translucent child was surprisingly floating in the air.
“Aaaah! A gh, gh, ghost! Don’t come near me! Aaaah! Help me! Help me!”
The man ran in the opposite direction while avoiding the child who was tilting its head innocently with wide eyes. The child's lips curled up into a smile. The man, who was being chased by the child like a rabbit being hunted, realized that the building had no walls only after both of his feet were in the air.
“…!”
He was too shocked to even scream. They say that people usually think of their loved ones or reminisce about their life when they are facing death, but strangely, the man realized a scientific truth that he had known but had never experienced himself during that critical moment.
Gravity is such a terrifying force. It was the man’s last thought as he was helplessly pulled towards the ground.
“Tsk, boring. It would have been more fun if he ran away longer.”
The child, who had been watching the man's death while floating in the air, turned away with a pout. And then, he disappeared into the darkness.
“A fall accident at Suwan Building? Again? Isn’t this already the fourth time this month?”
“That’s right. This time it’s a 47-year-old drunken man. Instant death. It seems like he was on his way home after a company dinner and entered the wrong building. According to his family and colleagues, he had no signs of being suicidal, and no suicide note has been found yet.”
“No, how much did he even drink…. What is the owner of the building doing? Even if he doesn’t have any money, how can he just leave a building in the middle of the city like that? He should have at least put up some safety nets. He killed someone.”
“Exactly. He only put a ‘Do Not Enter’ sign at the entrance, but it seems like it had been blown away by the wind.”
“Ah, a human’s life…. Just because someone is breathing doesn't mean that they are alive. Let’s go to the scene. He might have left something behind.”
“Yes, I understand.”
When Yun-hoo, who had responded energetically and saluted, got up from his seat, Team leader Jin, who had been stroking his beard, added with a serious voice.
“Detective Sung. It seems like an accidental death, but you know we have to consider all possibilities, right? If we miss even a single thing, we’ll have to deal with it for at least half a year.”
“Of course. I’ll consider accident, suicide, and homicide.”
“Ah…. I really hope it’s not homicide.”
Yun-hoo, who had been nodding vehemently at Team leader Jin’s words, gritted his teeth as soon as he arrived at the place where the man had fallen. Team leader, unfortunately, it’s homicide. Although we can’t press charges since the perpetrator is a minor and a ghost. And he doesn’t even feel guilty at all.
“Team leader, I’ll go upstairs just in case.”
“Okay. Don’t damage anything. And call me right away if you notice anything strange.”
“Yes.”
Yun-hoo, who had been slowly going up the stairs, quietly took out a small wooden sword shaped like a pencil from his inner pocket as soon as he was out of Team leader Jin’s sight. It was a yew wooden sword that most guides carried. Although it looked very thin and fragile, it was the only way for a guide, who could only see ghosts and had no ability to suppress them, to protect themselves from the attacks of evil spirits.
“Deceased, I’m Sung Yun-hoo, a guide from Jungcheon. You are currently a deceased being who cannot remain in this mortal realm and must immediately move to Jungcheon to be judged for your good and bad deeds in life. Even at this moment, your deeds continue to be recorded, and I inform you that failure to comply with the guide's instructions or attempting to flee may result in significant disadvantages in determining your future destination. Also, if you do not pass through the gate that you see now, the high-ranking guide who will forcefully escort you will…”
“Hyung, what are you saying?”
“…may physically force you to comply without any prior warning.”
“I don’t know those difficult words since I’m seven years old.”
Yun-hoo, who had calmly explained the rules while staring directly at the child, who was blinking innocently with wide eyes, laughed softly.
“What do you mean you’re seven years old? You’ve been dead for over five years now.
“That’s so mean. I’m still seven years old…. I couldn't even go to elementary school….”
The child’s face darkened instantly, and he started trembling his lips sadly, but Yun-hoo did not budge. When he first started working as a guide, he would be tricked by these performances, but he should never believe the words of an evil spirit who had harmed people, no matter how young they looked.
When the child saw that Yun-hoo wasn't at all affected by his tears, he stopped acting pitiful and smiled slyly.
“What am I going to do? Since I died before I turned ten, I’ll be reincarnated without any judgment even if I go to Jungcheon. It’s a shame that I won’t get any disadvantages like you said, hyung.”
“Kid, where did you even pick up that misinformation? It seems like you’ve been tricked. There’s no way that everyone is going to tell you only the truth when even a little kid like you lies all the time.
Sometimes, there were malicious ghosts who approached the souls of children who died at an early age and told them to do evil deeds. They would tell them that those who die before turning ten are never punished, so they can do whatever they want until their frustration is resolved. If they end up hurting other people and miss the deadline to get a new opportunity, of course no one will take responsibility for them.
“It is true that those under ten are immediately sent to be reincarnated, but that only applies to the ones who move to Jungcheon before spending ten years in the mortal realm. You lived in the mortal realm for over ten years, and you even killed someone. Unless it was self-defense, all murderers are sent to the netherworld.”
“I’m still only twelve years old, though?”
Yun-hoo’s face hardened slightly at the child’s protest. Twelve is indeed too young to be held responsible, and it’s completely different to live until twelve normally while being taken care of by your parents and teachers compared to living as a seven-year-old for five years. Still, Yun-hoo took a deep breath and spoke coldly. Deceased who had a lingering attachment to the mortal realm were very keen, so you shouldn't let your guard down for even a moment.
“You’re already dead. Juvenile law only applies to humans.”
“Liar! You’re lying to try and send me away! That lady clearly told me that I would never go to hell!”
The child, who had been yelling while clenching his fists, glared at Yun-hoo for a long time before turning away and disappearing like the wind. Poor kid…. That’s why you shouldn’t be here. Yun-hoo, who had closed the gate to Jungcheon with a couple of swings of his wooden sword, took out his phone right away. If he was dealing with a living criminal, he would follow them risking his own life, but there’s an expert for this kind of thing.
“Assistant Manager Ahn, this is Sung Yun-hoo. I found a corrupted deceased at Suwan Building in XX-dong, but he ran away after I gave him my instructions. He looks like a seven-year-old boy, and it seems like he has been living in the mortal realm for over five years after his death. He is an evil spirit who has committed several murders, so he needs immediate action.”
Just past midnight. Ji-won and Do-gyeom, who were dressed in black, were quietly sneaking into Suwan Building, which had become even more gloomy because of the police line.
“Is he inside the building now?”
“Yes. He seems to sense that something is off and he’s hiding himself diligently.”
Ji-won, who had been at the scene for two nights in a row, had a very frustrated face. It was an escort request that an ordinary guide had given up, so he received a call right away, but Hae-su was already at training camp, and Do-gyeom had said that he had an important schedule that he couldn’t miss last night.
“So, how long were you here yesterday, hyung?”
“Three and a half hours.”
The child, who had been acting brazenly even in front of the guide, disappeared the moment Ji-won showed up, and didn’t show himself until late at night. Ji-won had to see his face to escort him, but the child was very cunning, so there was nothing he could do since he didn’t respond to any kind of persuasion or threats.
He was clearly listening to my words, though.
“But why won’t he leave this place? People keep coming here to catch him.”
“He probably lived in this neighborhood. Kids don’t usually go too far from their homes since they think something bad will happen.”
“He’s pitiful either way. He didn’t even get to live properly. If he had been discovered earlier, he could have moved to Jungcheon before turning ten.
“That’s why he shouldn’t have killed someone in the first place. Even if he’s seven years old, he should know that he shouldn't kill someone for fun. He should learn how big of a mistake he has made, and even if he doesn’t reflect on it, he should at least regret it.”
Ji-won, who had snapped coldly, stopped when he sensed the child’s presence. And then, he pointed at the ceiling and whispered.
“He’s right above us.”
“Okay. Let’s start.”
Do-gyeom cleared his throat and started to sing in a low voice. Although it sounded quite sweet to a living person, it’s said that it sounded like scraping a rock with a piece of metal to a ghost.
“…You can’t go to the Pure Land because you don’t have enough coins, you can’t go because you’re too hungry, you can’t go because you’re too thirsty on such a long journey, you can’t go to the North Mang Mountain because you’re lost….”
It was a song that Ji-won could never get used to no matter how much time passed. The combination of Do-gyeom’s beautiful voice, sophisticated melody, and melancholic lyrics was always so strange.
- Do you… really have to write those kinds of lyrics?
- Any song is fine as long as the ghosts can hear it, but if I start singing random songs, I won’t be able to sing normally. I never sing lyrics like that usually.
He said that he took the lyrics from one of the songs that shamans sang in cleansing rituals. Ji-won, who had been listening to the song while crossing his arms, thought that the lyrics about comforting the deceased were slightly funny. Isn’t this fraud from the deceased’s point of view?
“The dark night is lit by a lamp, the narrow path is paved, the thorny vines are burned away, the deep holes on your path are filled with pebbles….”
It’s not like all ghosts who hear this song and go to Jungcheon go to a good place. Especially that kid with scary eyes, he definitely won’t be going anywhere good.
“Shut up, shut up! Shut up!”
“What a temper for a kid. That’s why you should listen when people talk to you nicely. You should have listened to the police officer when he came here. Do you even know how many people are having a hard time because of you?”
Ji-won, who had been glaring at the child who had been fuming with a frustrated expression, was about to take out his notebook when he ran his hand roughly through his hair. Although he wasn’t actually burning the child with real fire, he still didn’t want a child, who was barely half his height, to go to Jungcheon engulfed in flames and fear.
Damn it. It’s always this useless sympathy that causes problems.
“This is your last chance to go nicely. I’ve never waited this long for an adult. Make your choice. Are you going to walk there yourself?”
The clever child seemed to understand right away that Ji-won’s words were not an empty threat. Ji-won felt bad while watching the child's wide eyes become droopy.
“If I go there…, I’ll go to hell, right?”
“That’s what happens when you kill someone. Didn’t you know that it was a bad thing to do?”
“She said I could do it. Waaaaah.”
“Who?”
“Sob, a lady in weird clothes! Like the guards in historical dramas!”
Ji-won and Do-gyeom, who had been staring blankly at the child who had suddenly burst into tears, exchanged awkward glances and sighed at the same time. Neither of them was good at comforting children, and they couldn’t send a crying child away, so they had no choice but to wait for almost an hour until the child had calmed down.
“Are you done crying?”
“…Yes.”
“Then let’s go. You did something wrong, so you need to get scolded, and when you’re born again next time, you should live a good and long life.”
Do-gyeom, who had been relieved as the child, who was still sniffling, nodded at Ji-won’s words, quickly opened the gate to Jungcheon. And then, he carefully guided the child and gave him one last piece of advice.
“When you go to the underworld, you’ll see scary-looking men in black clothes. You have to beg for their forgiveness no matter what. Tell them that you didn’t know, that you won’t do it again, that you’re sorry. Okay?”
“Yes.”
“Then…, goodbye.”
The two, who had finally finished their task and left Suwan Building, entered the street food stall at the end of the alley without saying a word. And then, they each finished a bottle of soju even before the snacks were served. Although the alcohol was going down smoothly since they were feeling complicated, the taste of the alcohol was just as bitter as the taste in their mouths.
“Even so…, it would have been nice if they were a little more lenient.”
“That’s right.”
Although their meaningless hopes did not offer them any comfort, the two sincerely wished that the child would be treated with some leniency. They felt like they should at least wish that much as adults who had failed to raise a child properly.
[Around 11 AM local time, there was a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Nonseum, a small island nation in the South Pacific. The epicenter of the earthquake was Rarehan, a beach town where a large-scale festival was taking place, and since a swimming competition, which was one of the festival programs, was being held at the time, over 800 participants were swept away by the waves without even a chance to scream.
The situation in the town is even more serious. Over 40,000 people had gathered in Rarehan, a small rural town with a population of about 7,000, because of the festival, and a landslide occurred right after the earthquake, burying half of them, and most of the people who were buried have lost their lives. Even the ones who managed to escape the landslide are not safe. Casualties are still rising due to collapsed buildings and cracked roads, and many of them are classified as seriously injured….]
When the news of the accident that happened on the other side of the world was reported, Jungcheon was in a state of emergency. Not only were there a lot of casualties, but since those who died from accidents were usually not prepared for their death, there was a high chance of them causing a commotion when they arrived in Jungcheon. Therefore, they called in the employees who were off duty and prepared themselves thoroughly, but less than fifty deceased from Nonseum had arrived even after half a day. It was less than 0.2% of the total casualties.
“Check if there are any guides among the deceased that arrived in Jungcheon.”
Ga-on’s prediction was correct. Since the four guides of Nonseum had all died at the scene, there was no one to guide the deceased in Nonseum right now. Only a few with the second sight, including the four guides, had been able to find the gate to Jungcheon on their own and move there, and the rest were wandering around without knowing where to go. It was time for Jungcheon to step in.
“Assistant Manager Kwon, prepare a chartered plane. As soon as possible. Also, check how many guides are available to leave for a few days.”
Four hours later, the Jungcheonju, her secretary, and fourteen guides who had arrived in a hurry boarded the chartered plane that had just finished refueling. Everyone was slightly nervous since it was their first time being dispatched for a task like this.
“But, will we be able to communicate with them?”
“It’s an English-speaking country, so we should be fine. And we are supposed to memorize the Zenith rules in different languages. All we need to do right now is explain the rules, and that should be fine.”
“Ah, I memorized it when I first joined the company, but I forgot everything since I haven’t had to use it.”
“Then memorize it now. We have a lot of time. It’ll take at least fifteen hours to get to Rarehan. We have to take a small plane after arriving in New Zealand, and then it’ll take another three hours by car from Nonseum airport to Rarehan.”
Ji-won, who had been observing Ga-on while listening to the conversation between his fellow guides, couldn’t hold himself back any longer and got up from his seat when it had been over thirty minutes since they had taken off. Ga-on, whose wistful expression from a few days ago had disappeared and had been replaced by the cold-hearted gaze of the Jungcheonju, had been diligently looking over the map of Nonseum without even thinking about eating. She was so focused that it seemed like she might burn a hole through the map.
“CEO.”
“Huh? Ah, Director Cha. Are you going too?”
You just realized now? We said hi right before we boarded the plane. Although he felt slightly hurt at his insignificant presence, Ji-won pretended to be calm. He couldn't be with Ga-on if he kept feeling upset at things like this.
“Yes. I thought that at least one high-ranking guide should go, but Hae-su is at training camp and Director Seo’s drama schedule is too tight.”
“I see. I feel reassured that you are here, Director Cha.”
“Are you looking at the map? It’s a very small island, do you think all of the deceased are still in Nonseum?”
“Yes, most of the deceased stay in the area after their death. They can cross the ocean once they realize that they are no longer restricted by space, but they are probably still… scared. Of course, there might be a few who are brave enough to leave their homes already. There’s nothing we can do about that.”
Ga-on still hadn’t taken her eyes off of the map while she was talking with Ji-won. Ji-won, who was displeased at the entire situation, bit his lips to keep himself from clicking his tongue. He was annoyed that Ga-on, who hadn’t even had dinner, was still looking at the map, and he also didn’t like the fact that there wasn’t even a partition to separate the space, let alone any separate bedrooms.
She’ll definitely not be able to sleep properly in a place like this, and even if she takes a nap, everyone passing by will be looking at her sleeping face. Then it would have been better to just take a commercial flight. Well, it would have been difficult to transport everyone at once, but still.
By the way, it’s already past nine o'clock, what is the secretary doing not taking care of her meals? Even if he’s only in his second year, shouldn’t he know such a basic thing? No, the chief secretary or the security chief should have come here. The guides have their own work, but aren’t those people supposed to assist the CEO?
Just like Ji-won had said, it was a rule that at least the chief secretary or the security chief should accompany Ga-on when she’s on a business trip. But, neither of them was available this time. The chief secretary was the only one who could cover Ga-on’s suddenly empty schedule, and the security chief was the only one who could manage Jungcheon in Ga-on’s absence.
Also, most of the employees, who had a lot of experience with overseas business trips, were married, so it was hard for them to leave suddenly after four hours and go on a trip without knowing when they would be back. Eventually, Hyeong-woo, who didn’t have any experience but was single, was chosen, and he himself was not that happy about it.
He could roughly guess how things had transpired. Still, he was frustrated when he saw the secretary calmly working while sitting right beside Ga-on. It seemed like he was summarizing the precautions that the security chief had told him, as he was diligently taking notes with his earphones in his ears.
If they were going to send a rookie anyway, they should have just left it to me. Ji-won, who had been staring at the ceiling while suppressing his frustration, tapped Hyeong-woo’s shoulder.
“Assistant Manager Park.”
“Yes?”
“It’s quite late, shouldn’t the CEO have dinner now?”
“Ah, yes!”
Only then did Ji-won feel slightly at ease after finally getting her to have dinner by poking at the secretary’s sides. However, Ga-on, who hadn’t even noticed that Ji-won had schemed to get rid of the secretary and sit by her side, opened the map again right after finishing her dinner. Ji-won, who couldn’t just stand there and watch, snatched the map and turned off the light.
“Director Cha…?”
“Please get some rest, CEO. We’re going to be on this plane for another ten hours, and we don’t even know if we’ll be able to rest once we arrive. So, you should conserve your energy now. I’ll memorize the map, so please get some sleep.
“I just ate. How am I supposed to sleep?”
“You’ve just finished your meal, so it would be even worse for you to look at those small letters. If you don’t want to fall asleep right away, then walk around in the hallway. If you just sit for a long time, it will affect your blood circulation.”
Ga-on, who had been listening to Ji-won’s nagging, chuckled and slowly got up.
“You’re too much for me with words.”
“I apologize.”
“You don’t have to apologize, I know you’re doing it for me.”
Ga-on, who had been walking up and down the hallway as Ji-won told her to, said that she would try to get some sleep now since her food seemed to have gone down. Ji-won, who had pretended not to notice Hyeong-woo’s anxious expression, finally laid Ga-on down on the fully reclined seat and covered her with a blanket.
“Are you not going to wear an eye mask today either?”
“No, it’s too stuffy.”
As Ga-on’s breathing had become steady, Ji-won looked around with cold eyes. It was a signal for the others to be quiet and not disturb her rest, but they were already being quiet, so it didn’t change anything.
‘Who is that person? How is he treating the CEO like that?’
‘He’s a high-ranking guide who joined last year. I heard that he runs a gallery or something, and is very rich.’
‘Is he dating the CEO?’
‘What nonsense are you talking about? Is the CEO someone who can just date normally? And the employees always take care of the CEO like that.’
‘I heard that he is a guide. How can he take care of her so naturally like that?’
The two guides, who had been whispering, raised their heads as soon as they felt a sharp glare coming from one direction. And then, they shrank their necks as they noticed that the glare was Ji-won’s.
Can’t he not hear us because of the airplane noise? The two thought that he was overreacting, but they still continued their conversation in writing. It was a surprising survival strategy of guides who had been developing their sixth sense for their entire lives.
The situation there was much more disastrous and dire than they had imagined. Although the capital, where the airport was located, was just slightly chaotic, as they got closer to Rarehan, they could hear horrible screams that could not be heard by ordinary people everywhere. It was almost fortunate that they couldn't understand what they were saying.
“Ugh. This is hell.”
No one could deny the words that had been uttered unknowingly as soon as they arrived in Rarehan. Since the aftershocks had not stopped, the survivors had all left the village, and only the bodies and ghosts were left. Most of the guides, who had never seen so many souls gathered in one place, were greatly shocked. At least the bodies were quiet, but the ghosts were not.
There were various types. Some were crying over their bodies, some were bewildered at their death, some were cursing randomly while furious at their death, some were showing signs of mental breakdown while trembling in fear….
Among them, there were some who were naturally gifted and could use their power in the physical world right away. It was fine if they were just causing small problems, like kicking a utility pole and causing sparks or pressing the car horns to make noises. However, if they were doing things like shaking the ground or creating waves, which reminded them of the earthquake, the children, who were already scared, would start crying all at once, and the entire area would turn into chaos.
Clang! Ga-on, who had been calmly observing the situation, summoned her sword. As the sword flashed with a sharp sound, the bustling air was instantly silenced.
“It is very unfortunate that most of you have died painfully without fulfilling your given lifespan. However, this is the land of the living. There is no place for the dead here, so do not add to the sins you have committed and leave for Jungcheon immediately.”
When Ga-on, who had given a stern command, swung her sword widely, the clear sky was slightly distorted, and then a huge hole appeared. It was the gate to Jungcheon.
“If we go there…, what will happen to us?”
“You will be judged for your deeds in life, and then sent where you belong.”
“Is there no way for us to stay?”
“There isn’t.”
At Ga-on’s resolute answer, the deceased, who had been hesitating, started to pass through the gate one by one. But, there were also many who were looking around and trying to escape. It seemed like they were afraid of being judged for their deeds since they didn’t think that they had lived a virtuous life.
Of course, Ga-on did not let them go easily.
“I will forcefully send those who try to escape to Jungcheon. It might be slightly violent, but do not forget that this is something that you brought upon yourself.”
While Ga-on was blocking the path of the escaped deceased, the guides, who had scattered, opened gates and guided the rest of the deceased. Most of them listened to the guides’ instructions, but it wasn’t an easy task since there were so many of them. It was especially difficult to persuade those who refused to go. Sometimes they had to use gestures, and there were times when they had to swing their wooden swords despite feeling bad about it.
For the first two days, they set up a temporary shelter with tents and focused on escorting the deceased. Then, on the third day, volunteers from all over the world started coming to Rarehan to recover the bodies and rebuild the village. Since they couldn’t keep talking to the air in front of them, the Zenith employees moved to a hotel in Tasi, which was a thirty-minute drive from Rarehan. And then, they rested during the day and only went to the scene at night. Fortunately, all of the tourists had left the island, so no one looked at them suspiciously.
After five days, the scene started to become somewhat organized. Although everyone showed off their amazing capabilities, Ji-won's ability stood out among them. Everyone was in awe of Ji-won who had drawn over four thousand portraits in five days. It was a task that required a great amount of spiritual power, not to mention the effort of simply drawing, but Ji-won had drawn almost ten times more portraits than other guides without even breaking a sweat. So, it was natural that he was completely exhausted.
“Director Cha.”
“Yes, CEO.”
“Your face… doesn’t look too good.”
“I’m a little tired, but I’m fine. Everyone is having a hard time.”
Ga-on, who had been looking at Ji-won’s pale face for a moment, sighed briefly and walked away. It was obvious that Ji-won was pushing himself too hard, so she was worried, but since there were still thousands of deceased who had not moved to Jungcheon, she didn’t have the energy to take care of the living employees as well.
“The last deceased has been escorted. Thank you for your hard work.”
The Zenith guides, including Ga-on and Ji-won, had sent over 24,000 deceased to Jungcheon in nine days. It was a huge number. According to the Nonseum government, the total number of deaths and missing people was expected to be about 25,000. Even if there were a few who were not included in the statistics, it was mostly over.
Of course, Ga-on and Ji-won were the ones who had escorted most of the deceased, but the other guides had to take care of over one hundred deceased per day. Considering that they handled about two or three deceased per day on average in Korea, it was an unbelievable amount of work.
“Ugh…. I’m going to lie down for half a month once I get back to Korea.”
“Me too. I was trying to wash my hair last night, but I couldn’t even move my shoulder. I guess I swung my wooden sword too much.”
“Doesn’t it feel like a miracle when we think about the scene when we first arrived?”
Everyone nodded their heads at the youngest guide’s words. They felt a sense of accomplishment that they could leave the scene, which had been like hell, in such an organized state. Although almost no one knew it, the guides, who had come to the horrifying scene with so many casualties, were the ones who helped handle the situation quickly and calmly by escorting the souls that might have had a bad influence on the living swiftly.
“It was worth all the trouble. Ah, our kids haven’t seen their mom and dad’s faces for ten days.”
“Why? Ah, your wife is a judge, right?”
“Yeah. She said she couldn’t go to the scene since it was too scary, so she picked office work, but realistically, the judges are the ones who see the most horrific things. At least we can just pass on the evil spirits to the high-ranking guides.”
“Ah, didn’t Director Cha Ji-won say that he’s staying here for a few more days?”
“Yeah, with the CEO. There are still some escaped deceased left.”
“Wow, speaking of which, that person is really amazing.”
It was something that no one could deny. Although they all knew that high-ranking guides took care of the deceased that ordinary guides couldn’t handle, it was their first time seeing a high-ranking guide in action.
Ji-won had sent a total of 7,000 deceased to Jungcheon in nine days. It was an incredible amount. If you exclude the minimal sleeping, eating, and travel time, it meant that he had drawn almost one portrait every minute. Even if it was just a simple doodle, his arm would have hurt after that. Not only that, but Ji-won sometimes memorized the faces of dozens of deceased at once when the situation was difficult, and then drew portraits continuously for over an hour later. People even stopped what they were doing to watch him draw.
“He seems so smart…. I think I would have fallen for him if I were a woman.”
“I’m a man, but I think I would have fallen for him too. It was my first time seeing someone so handsome even while covered in dirt. The moment he swept his hair back… it was like slow motion.”
“Me too! Especially when he grabbed the neck of the deceased who was trying to attack the CEO from behind! The way he was glaring at him with one hand around his neck! Ugh.”
As the floodgates opened, people started sharing their stories, and the female guides were especially excited.
“I tried asking him, and it seems like he doesn’t have a girlfriend. Why don’t you make a move if you like him that much?”
“Yes? No way, it’s too much pressure to date someone like that. He seems like a perfectionist. Don’t you think he’ll look down on you if you make a mistake? He also seems like he nags a lot. If he even nags at the CEO, imagine what he’ll be like to his girlfriend.”
“Nagging is a disease. I dated a guy who used to nag at me about everything, and whenever I caught a cold, he would say it’s because I didn’t wash my hands properly, whenever I had a stomachache he would say it’s because I ate something weird, whenever I said I was tired he would say that taking care of your health is also a skill…. I don’t think I can handle that.”
“Don’t worry, Ms. Ye-in. Judging by how he looks and acts, Director Cha probably has high standards.”
“Oh my, what do you mean by that?”
Hyeong-woo, who had been sitting among the guides who were chatting loudly while enjoying their last meal in Nonseum, couldn’t say a word for over an hour since he felt a little pathetic. He had been processing documents in the office and it was his first time seeing a guide's true abilities in action. The guides who had been fighting against evil spirits looked like superheroes in a movie.
Of course, he wouldn’t have felt this discouraged if he had shown off his own skills since their natural talent was very different in the first place. However, Hyeong-woo, who had come to Nonseum as the Jungcheonju’s secretary, had barely exchanged even two words with Ga-on for the entire time he was there. Since Ji-won always showed up and solved Ga-on’s problems whenever she needed something, he hadn't had a chance to put the precautions that he had memorized to use.
- Assistant Manager Park.
- Yes, CEO.
- Assistant Manager Park, you can go back to Korea with the other guides. Thank you for your hard work.
That was the longest conversation he had had with Ga-on in ten days. Ga-on hadn’t felt any discomfort since Ji-won, who knew her so well, was right there, and it was just an efficient decision since she thought that she didn't need two caretakers, but Hyeong-woo felt very discouraged as he felt like he wasn’t recognized by his boss. Even he himself thought that he was the only one who didn’t pull his weight during the business trip.
Unfortunately, Hyeong-woo never found out that the reason why he had been deprived of his opportunity to display his abilities was because of someone’s meticulous plan. He also didn’t realize that someone was smiling secretly as he was finally alone with Ga-on after getting rid of all the obstacles.
Ga-on and Ji-won had decided to go around the country, starting from Tasi where they were staying, and escort the hidden deceased one by one. Although they couldn’t do anything about the ones who had already left the country, since the total area of the country was only about twice the size of Jeju Island, they thought that they could scan it at least once in a week.
The problem was Ji-won’s health.
“Director Cha, are you really going to be okay?”
“Of course. I’m perfectly fine.”
Although Ji-won answered without any hesitation, his face was not as lively as usual. Ga-on started to worry. This scene had been the easiest one she had ever been to in this century. It was all thanks to Ji-won.
Even in Ga-on’s personal life, not just the guide duties, Ji-won had perfectly taken care of Ga-on’s needs more and much faster than her secretary. She couldn’t believe that she had only known Ji-won for eight months. Until now, she had not cared about who was next to her. Whenever a spot was empty, someone else would fill it, and it was not something that Ga-on had to take care of herself. But, things changed when an irreplaceable person had appeared.
It would be problematic if Director Cha collapses right now. Realistically, I can't take care of anyone. It’s true that he pushed himself too much. I should have let him rest for at least a day. Now that I think about it, it’s not good for living people to be exposed to negative energy for such a long time. He should probably get some sunlight today and recharge his energy. Ga-on, who had made her decision, nodded her head.
“Director Cha. Let's rest here today.”
“I’m really fine, CEO.”
“I’m the one who is tired. I think I have a headache.”
Ji-won’s face darkened instantly, and he took out a thermometer from his bag and pressed the button after placing it on Ga-on’s forehead. 37.3 degrees Celsius. His voice that was reading the number was very cold. Ga-on, who had made up an excuse to let Ji-won rest, was flustered at the number that was slightly above normal.
“CEO, since when did you have a headache?”
“Um…? Well, I don’t know when it started….”
“Is there anything else that bothers you?”
“I’m fine.”
Ah…. I should have said my stomach hurts. I didn't know that he would immediately bring out something to measure it. I shouldn’t have tried to improvise when I’m not even good at it…. Ga-on felt slightly awkward at Ji-won's increasingly worried face. They say that kindness is a disease. He’s too kind for someone so young.
“Director Cha, we both pushed ourselves too hard, so I thought that we should rest for a day. I’m not really sick or anything.”
“…Yes.”
“It’s not good for a living person to be exposed to negative energy for too long. I’m also human, and it’s especially bad for you, Director Cha. The weather is nice, so let’s just take a break for today.”
“Okay.”
Although he agreed, he didn’t seem convinced. What should I do? I can’t think of anything else to say. Ga-on, who had been making a frustrated face, noticed a swimming pool sign. Ah, right. I should ask him to go swimming.
“Director Cha, do you know how to swim?”
“Yes.”
“You told me to do some aerobic exercise, right? How long does it take to learn how to swim?”
“It depends on the person and also the level that they want to achieve, but in your case, I think it would be enough to just walk in the water. Since you don’t really exercise.”
“Then should we try that today while we’re resting?”
Ga-on was greatly relieved when Ji-won, whose face had been serious, relaxed slightly. She didn’t realize that she was also smiling as she was looking at Ji-won, whose eyes had softened.
Ji-won, who had quickly bought two swimsuits at the hotel store, felt dizzy when he saw Ga-on in her swimsuit. Although he had thought that it would be nice if they got close enough to swim together, he had never imagined her in a swimsuit. Whenever he thought of Ga-on, it was always in a dark-colored suit. He had never, ever expected her to be in such light clothing.
He couldn’t bring himself to just give her a swimsuit, so he had given her a beach cardigan, but as soon as she got in the water, her swimsuit that looked like lingerie was visible through the cardigan. It was fortunate that there weren’t any tourists since it was a disaster area. He felt like he would gouge out the eyes of anyone who saw her like that. It was today that Ji-won realized that he was capable of such violent thoughts.
“Ah…!”
Ga-on, who had been walking around in the water, stumbled greatly as if she had slipped. Ji-won, who had been following her closely, quickly rushed to her side and held her waist to help her up.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Then, since we’re here, should we at least learn the basics?”
He had thought that she was a person who wasn’t afraid of anything, but surprisingly, Ga-on was scared of water. It seemed like she hadn’t even known it herself.
“You won’t fall, CEO. Your feet are touching the floor right now. You just have to dip your face in the water slightly and practice your breathing. You do this much when you wash your face.”
“…”
“I’ll be holding your hand, and even if I let go, I’ll catch you within a second. Don’t you trust me?”
“I do trust you, Director Cha.”
“But?”
“I don’t trust myself.”
She should at least know how to float in case of emergency, even if she can’t swim properly. At this rate, she’ll never learn how to swim. While he was worried, he couldn’t stop the corners of his lips from rising as he saw Ga-on tightly holding onto his hand as if she might lose it. Ever since they first met, Ga-on had always been much more mature than himself, but seeing her terrified like this was very cute.
I lost. There’s nothing I can do.
“CEO.”
“…Yes?”
“Okay. Just do what you want. But, if you ever go near water, please call me.”
“There are so many things that I do only with Director Cha. I only eat junk food with you. And you’re the only one who brings me coffee.”
When Ga-on, who hadn’t let go of Ji-won’s hand, smiled brightly, Ji-won laughed in disbelief. He felt slightly annoyed that she didn’t realize how dangerous her smile was as she was playing with his heart, and he was also dumbfounded by how giddy he felt at this small contact. Seriously, am I supposed to be this happy just by holding a woman’s hand at the age of thirty?
“I’m already hungry even though it hasn’t been that long since breakfast.”
“You use up a lot of energy when you play in the water. They sell fig tarts at the bakery, do you want to have one before lunch?”
“Should we? I really like how we have similar tastes, Director Cha.”
Well, it’s not necessarily true, but…. Ji-won, who had swallowed his words, pulled Ga-on’s hand and helped her out of the pool. He deliberately turned his head away as he saw the curves of her body as the water dripped down, but it was already too late since his eyes had already scanned her silhouette at the speed of light.
“I’m hungry, should we have some snacks before we shower?”
“It would be better if you showered with warm water first. You had a slight fever earlier. It would be a problem if you catch a cold.”
“Okay.”
I’m sorry, CEO. I am worried that you might catch a cold, but I also really don't like you walking around in front of other people like that.
The two, who had started from the southern end of Nonseum, had reached the northern end in a week as planned. As they moved farther from Rarehan, where the earthquake had occurred, the number of deceased decreased significantly. However, the quality of the evil spirits they encountered became increasingly worse.
“It seems like a high-ranking guide hasn’t been in this area for a long time.”
“The high-ranking guide who was in New Zealand recently passed away from old age, and now there’s only one left in Australia. A high-ranking guide probably hasn’t visited Nonseum since the last century. It was too far for me to come here.”
“You can’t possibly take care of all the evil spirits in the world at once, CEO.”
“Yes, I know.”
Ji-won gritted his teeth while staring at the evil spirits who had covered their faces with hair or masks and were watching them from a distance. It seemed like the rumor that a ruthless guide, who sent ghosts to Jungcheon as soon as he saw their faces, had come with the Jungcheonju, had spread.
Since he wasn’t the type to care about his reputation in human society, he didn’t care what the ghosts called him.
However, he was annoyed at the bitter look on Ga-on’s face. Why are there so many inconsiderate beings in the world? It would be easier for everyone if they just went to Jungcheon when they died. I’ve been telling them countless times that their sentence will get longer if they stay here, why can't they just understand? Why are they making such a righteous and dutiful woman suffer so much?!
He was also concerned about Ga-on, who had been deep in thought whenever they encountered a particularly malicious and powerful evil spirit. It was even more problematic when she lost her focus. They had almost been in serious danger a few times.
“CEO!”
“Ah…! Sorry.”
Ga-on would take out her sword whenever she ran into a corrupted deceased. However, she would only use her sword to control the surrounding air and block the path of the deceased. Even when she encountered a deceased who was laughing as he tripped pedestrians on the street, Ga-on had pointed the tip of her sword at his chin before eventually lowering it again. Ga-on and Ji-won had to spend another day chasing the ghost who had barely escaped and sending him to Jungcheon.
“I’m sorry, Director Cha.”
“You don’t have to apologize to me, CEO. There must be a reason why you don’t use your sword.”
“…Yes.”
“I’ll listen if you want me to know the reason. If not, I’ll just assume that you have your reasons. Just do as you please.”
How can someone so young be so mature? Ga-on, who had been smiling faintly at Ji-won’s words, hesitated for a long time before starting to tell her story.
Not long after Ga-on had become the Jungcheonju, a deceased, who had died nine times and had been sent to the netherworld each time, had come to Jungcheon for the tenth time. He was a soul that seemed irredeemable, so he had naturally been sent to hell. After serving his sentence of 300 years, he was given his eleventh life, but he was almost the same as before. He became even more cruel and vicious, and caused a lot of trouble to humans and guides even after his death.
- Report to me immediately if you discover the deceased Lee Man-seok. This time I will cut him down myself and send him to the abyss, and he will not be given a twelfth life.
Ga-on hadn't used her sword carelessly before, but she did not hesitate to use her sword when a soul, that was irredeemable and that was causing great harm to the mortal realm, appeared, in order to protect the safety and happiness of other humans. The reason why Ga-on couldn't cut down Lee Man-seok herself was because he was escorted to Jungcheon by a high-ranking guide before Ga-on found him. He was sent to the netherworld again and was sentenced to 500 years, and then he was given a twelfth life about a hundred years ago, which everyone thought would be his last.
However, there was an unexpected variable.
“He was born as a little girl. She was very cruel and ill-mannered from a young age, and caused much trouble to those around her. I saw her once when she was about eight years old, and she was throwing rocks at a cat with kittens. I was certain that this would be his last chance.”
However, the child's father never gave up on her. The reward for raising her with love, care, and affection started to show after puberty.
“When she came to Jungcheon for the twelfth time twenty-three years ago, the scale of judgment tilted to the left for the first time. If I hadn’t held back and cut her down, that miracle wouldn't have happened. Fortunately, she was given a thirteenth life.”
Ga-on, who had been staring off into the distance, trembled her lips. She still felt chills when she thought about how she had almost missed that moment.
“That child is Hae-su.”
…What? Ji-won, who had been quietly listening with his head down, raised his head sharply. He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t find the words.
“I first saw him when he was eight this time as well, and he was the prettiest child in the world.”
- CEO, I’ll definitely come help you when I turn fifteen!
Ga-on would never forget young Hae-su’s bright smile as he proudly told her about how he could see ghosts and catch them with his slingshot.
“I have not cut down a deceased with my sword since Hae-su was born. I actually think that it’s already too late, but… my resolution wavers sometimes.”
“Even if the deceased that you cut down had been given more chances, they wouldn’t have changed.”
“…”
“I think that was possible because it was Hae-su. You were just doing what you had to do, and now you just have to stick to your new belief. That should be respected.”
Ji-won’s determined voice had a hint of resentment and frustration.
- Is your belief more important than our lives?
It was the moment when a part of the nightmare that had been haunting her dreams for a long time was finally gone. Ga-on, who tried to smile but failed, just nodded calmly.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The last evil spirit they encountered in Nonseum had completely exhausted them. He lived in a coastal village and would cause storms whenever he was bored, so one or two people would drown every year.
He seemed to have heard the rumors about Ji-won as well since he had his back to the sun and his face was covered in shadows, and he kept floating in the far-off sea, not wanting to get near Ga-on. He didn’t run away completely as if he was trying to provoke them. Whenever the two started to get tired, he would fly close to them and cause a commotion, and whenever Ga-on swung her sword, he would retreat back into the sea.
After a whole day of fighting, the sun went down, and there was no way they could identify his face in the rural village, which was only dimly lit by a few streetlights. But Ji-won, who didn’t want to give up since he would be too frustrated to sleep, finally came up with a plan after much thought.
“CEO.”
“Yes?”
“You can make it rain, so can you also make lightning?”
“I can, but….”
“We can’t keep being played like this. I don’t care about myself, but I can never forgive him for trying to trick you. When he gets as close as possible, if you strike him with lightning, I’ll try my best to identify his face and draw a portrait.”
The plan worked perfectly. The moment that the ghost let his guard down, intoxicated with the joy of playing with the Jungcheonju, a huge lightning bolt struck down as if it was splitting the sky in half. The intense light lit up the entire area, clearly showing the ghost’s face, and Ji-won, who had been fully focused, did not miss the opportunity.
“What are you bastards doing?!”
When Ji-won quickly started to draw a portrait, the evil spirit, who bared his teeth fiercely, charged at Ji-won as if he wanted to tear him to pieces. When the ghost scratched Ji-won’s shoulder as if he was ripping it off, Ga-on became furious, which was something that hadn’t happened in a long time.
“Director Cha!”
“Don’t! I’m done!”
Ji-won, who had quickly finished his portrait, set it on fire while stopping Ga-on who had been about to attack with her sword. The horrifying screams that felt like they were about to make his eardrums burst faded away.
“Director Cha, your shoulder….”
“Ah….”
Ji-won, who had been relieved, glanced at his shoulder and smiled at Ga-on. Although it stung slightly, it wasn’t unbearable, and he was satisfied that Ga-on had not been injured during all the chaos.
“Anyway, I’m glad that you’re safe, CEO, and that we were able to take care of the deceased.”
“Glad?! Do you even know how much you’re bleeding?”
“It’s fine. It doesn’t even hurt that much….”
“Let me see.”
Ga-on, who had been frowning, unbuttoned Ji-won’s shirt without hesitation. Ji-won, who had been watching her, hardened his expression and grabbed her wrist.
“CEO.”
“I just want to see how bad it is.”
“Please don’t do this, CEO. Have you forgotten that I like you?”
“…What?”
“I know you didn't think much of it. But when I said I like you, it’s not about revering you as the master of Jungcheon or respecting you as my boss.”
Ga-on’s face, which had been blank for a moment, slowly turned pale with shock. Even if Ga-on was inexperienced in this kind of thing, she wasn’t completely clueless. Still, the conversation she was having with Ji-won felt unreal.
Director Cha… likes me? Does this… really mean what I think it means?
“I want to hold your hand, I want to hug you, I want to kiss you…. I like you in a way that a man likes a woman.”
Ga-on, who had been shocked at that comment that had cleared all her doubts, let go of Ji-won’s shirt.
“It’s really not that serious. I’ll get it treated as soon as we get back. Don’t worry.”
“Director Cha…”
“And…. You should be more careful when you’re taking a man’s clothes off. Unlike your pure intentions, a man might have other thoughts.”
Ji-won, who had been giving her serious advice, smiled faintly as he saw Ga-on’s eyes shaking. Ha. I really do like this woman. The fact that he was worried that she might be too shocked, rather than feeling happy that he had finally made her realize his feelings, was proof enough.
Ga-on, who couldn’t say anything, closed her eyes tightly. Ji-won quietly waited for her to open her eyes again without saying anything. Fortunately, he still had some patience left.
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