The Uncanny Counter - A Novel

Chapter V

If you squint your eyes a little, you will see a MunHana interaction.

The Eonni's Noodle stall had finally caught a brief respite as the lunchtime rush waned. Ms. Chu and Mr. Choi, who had been tirelessly serving the customers, took the opportunity to sit down and catch their breath. Their moment of reprieve was short-lived, however. A sudden, pained noise erupted from the corner of the stall, causing Ms. Chu and Mr. Choi to exchange bewildered glances.

It was Somun, still in the midst of summoning an evil spirit from within its own mind. His eyes remained closed, his body appeared relaxed, but the glistening beads of sweat that adorned his forehead betrayed the intense battle he was waging in the mindscape.

Alarmed, Ms. Chu wasted no time. She rose from her seat and approached Somun, who lay slumped on the corner wall of the stall with a pillow propped behind his back and a blanket draped over him, creating the illusion that he was merely resting rather than engaged in a mental fight with an evil spirit.

Kneeling down beside him, Ms. Chu grabbed a clean towel and gently began wiping the perspiration from Somun's face. Her keen eyes, however, caught sight of a red spot marring the otherwise pristine blanket. Concern etched across her features, she gingerly pulled the blanket away, her heart racing as she uncovered a bleeding wound on Somun's hand.

In a moment of panicked realization, Ms. Chu called out to Chairman Choi, her voice trembling with urgency. She instructed him to fetch the medicine kit with haste, her gaze never wavering from the injury that had mysteriously manifested during Somun's summoning.

With swift efficiency, Ms. Chu grabbed another towel, pressing it firmly against the bleeding wound in an effort to staunch the flow of blood. Anxiety gnawed at her as she tried to make sense of the unexpected injury. What had caused this harm to manifest within the mindscape, and why was it now affecting Somun's physical body?

The minutes that followed were charged with tension, the people outside the stall seeming like a distant echo. As Chairman Choi hurried to retrieve the medicine kit, Ms. Chu could only hope that her quick actions would be enough to ensure his well-being and uncover the enigmatic origins of this troubling wound.

The wailing sirens of approaching ambulance and police cars was their cue to leave the parking lot without delay. And with practiced efficiency, Motak, Hana, and Jeokbong fled the chaotic scene they had orchestrated, racing back towards the noodle stall. Their feet pounded the ground in a frantic rhythm, each step a heartbeat of worry and unease.

Amid the urgency of their retreat, they couldn't help but exchange anxious glances, grappling with the bewildering puzzle of how Somun could have sustained an injury within the supposed safety of their stall. Suspicion weighed heavily on their minds, and unspoken questions hung in the air.

One of them considered the chilling possibility that their modest stall had been the target of an unexpected attack, sending a chill through their bones. Meanwhile, another couldn't shake the haunting notion that Somun might have returned already wounded. Their collective hope clung to the belief that it wasn't a severe injury and that Ms. Chu and Chairman Choi were unharmed.

Their sprint quickened as the familiar silhouette of their noodle stall came into view, each heartbeat urging them forward, driven by the need to confirm Somun's condition and ensure the safety of their fellow counters. The flap on the front of the stall hung closed, a silent signal that their little noodle haven was temporarily off-limits to customers. It served a dual purpose, shielding the occupants from prying eyes and providing an atmosphere of privacy within. As Mo-tak, Ha-na, and Jeok-bong drew closer, the muffled cadence of conversation gradually reached their ears, confirming the presence of Ms. Chu and So Mun inside.