As Young Saeng woke up, he got dressed and went out, on the way throwing out some of the bags. He got to the shop and bought necessary ingredients to make himself a proper breakfast as well survive the upcoming days. He got back and prepared the food. Then he went out again, throwing out the rest of trash and headed to the museum.
Little did he know about the date and faced the problem: it was Monday. The art gallery was closed and no one was to be found inside. He had an idea to call Min Jisoo, but he gave up. Giving it a second thought, he decided it was too much. He has to start living without someone's help. He has to fight for his own and apologize everyone alone. It's not something he can avoid, but as for now, he has to postpone it to the next day.
He went to the flower shop and grabbed some bouquet. After that he headed to the columbarium, where Aeri's urn was located. It was his first time visiting that place. Earlier in the days Jisoo messaged him where it was. He looked at the address and headed to that place.
As he got there he found her. Aeri's picture was displayed in the front. It had to be an older photo, because she had different haircut on it. Beside laid her watch, that she always had on her wrist. On the glass was one note attached: 'I love you' and signed by her best firend. He put on it the flowers and added his note: 'One again, I'm sorry'. With solemn face he left that building.
When he got into the flat he opened Aeri's laptop. He used it before, therefore he knew the password. He had to have a plan B, if the gallery director will not hire him back. Since he already had identity, he decided to look for a job online. Anything, that would give him money was enough. He aimed for some physical work, because, as he found it yesterday, it can stop him from overthinking.
He made something to eat and time passed as he was writing down job offers, reading pieces of advice how to find a good occupation and watching some show on the TV. It got dark and he decided to get himself do bed.
As he switched off all the lights in the living room and entered the bedroom, he fell onto the ground and crawled to the opposite wall of the small corridor in horror. There was a person sitting on the bed.
With her face all sad, Aeri was looking at him. 'I did not ascend. I'm still here.'
He grabbed the wall behind him and gasped for air. 'I can see! B-but why?'
'I don't know!'
He rubbed his face, asking the question he already knew the answer for. 'It's really you?'
'Do you want to call Jisoo again?'
'If I can, I would prefer not to. What happened?!' He got himself up from the floor and sit beside her on the bed. His body did sink into the duvet, her didn't have any impact on it.
'As if I would know... I disappeared, you saw. It was like in the begging, it felt like I was beside the time. I thought it was the right way. But then opened my eyes and I was still in the same place! I went to see Yejun, maybe he did not receive the letter. But he got it!'
While explaining the situation she forgot to focus and slightly flew into air. Young Saeng had to remind her to stick to the ground. 'And...?'
'Well, I think that he was mainly shocked. But he definitely read it and checked this account! So he got the money! Then why I can't rest in peace?'
He cracked his fingers while thinking out loud. 'Did you find the shaman?'
'Yeah, I went straight to her. But she was asleep and as a shaman, for peaceful sleep she puts a lot of traps. So I couldn't wake her up. Therefore I'm here again. I didn't want to scare you, but...'
'I think no matter how you would appear in front of me, I would still have a heart attack...' He smirked and grabbed his chest.
Aeri hung her head low and put her face in her palms. 'At this rate I'm never going to die!'
'Technically you're dead...'
'Oh, you know what I mean!'
Young Saeng weighted his words, roaming in his head, and decided to say something. 'Don't get me wrong... But I'm glad that you're here. For no matter how long, having you around is just... nice.'
'It will end like this, that you'll die and I will still be a ghost!'
'Then we'll be ghosts together.' He smiled, hoping it will cheer her up.
'It's not funny.'
'And I'm not laughing. I will do everything to help you. Don't worry.'
'You? Help me? Of course I will worry!'
He jumped out of the bed, spread his arms and turned around. 'Hey, look I cleaned here! Praise me! Doesn't it show, how responsible I am?'
She just glowered at him. 'If you were, you wouldn't get it in that state in the first place.'
'Always complaining... At what hour does shaman wake up?'
'Before 6 o'clock, I think? I found her once in the temple, she goes there to pray.'
'I guess that's what the temple is for...'
'You know how I wish I could smack you?' She raised her hand and waved it, but it just again passed though him.
'We will do it like that: I will stay with you whole night and in the morning we'll pay her a visit.'
'But what are we going to do? I can't do much, you know?'
'Neither you can sleep, right?' She nodded. 'We'll watch some movies, how about it?'
'Not bad...'
'Great! Come with me!' He walked from the room using doorway, but Aeri just went through the wall. Young Saeng just watched it quietly. 'I have to get used to it.'
He switched the TV on and started to pick the movie. The titles did not tell him anything, but the nurse was saying that she saw most of them. Finally it landed on some horror with ghosts in it.
'Erm, is that ok?'
'Well, I will just verify what is correct.'
'Sounds good.'
Unfortunately for Young Saeng, it was not okay. He was screaming almost all the time, whenever something jumped on the screen and Aeri, on the other hand, was commenting whole the time, unimpressed.
***
Aeri tried to wake him up. She really did. After second movie, she noticed that his head was slowly lowering to finally rest on his chest. He was sound asleep. It was at the dawn and even when she put her hand to his cheek, to wake him up with her coldness, he just shoved the hand and lay down on the sofa. So, she really did try her best.
She went out to look for the shaman for herself and she did find her at the temple. She was praying, ignoring Aeri, so she had to wait until the prayer will be done.
Shaman was an elegant women, over her 50's. Her hair was neatly done, her clothes always matching. She was slightly overweight, but more in a healthy way. Unfortunately her face was cold and distant. She always had with her a small, black backpack, where you could hear some of the bells randomly ringing.
Nurse waited for her in the front of the building. Shaman finally came out and approached her. 'It's rude to interrupt a pray.'
'Do you even believe in that religion?'
'I believe in everything that brings the souls eternal rest.'
'And money.' Old lady smiled mischievously. Aeri continued. 'But that's not what I wanted. I came back.'
'You went somewhere?'
'I fulfilled my wish! I should go!'
Shaman waved her hand at Aeri, to quiet her down a little bit. 'Oh, like this. Come, sit.'
'You know I don't rest?'
'I'm the one who told you that and also I'm the one that need to rest.' Aeri dutifully obeyed, so she and Shaman sat down on a bench near the tree. 'I will go straight to the point. Sometimes it's not our ambitions, that are holding us down here, but our curiosity. Think, were you immersed recently in something, that kept you occupied?'
Aeri bit her lip, as in her habit. 'I just worked...'
'And nothing in meanwhile?'
'Well... I helped my friend to get back on his feet, I would say...'
'And he did start? Why he was in bad situation? Tell me more.'
'He lost his old life. He had an accident and ended up with amnesia. He didn't know who he was, neither his name or origin.'
'Did you also helped him to find his past? And did he remember?'
'Yes and no...'
'Then I would bet on it. That's the reason you're still here.' Shaman opened her backpack and took out tangerine. She started to peel it.
Aeri opened her mouth in surprise. 'But it's his life, not mine!'
Old lady started to eat the fruit, sucking on the insides. 'But you were curious about it? Right?'
'Yes...'
Shaman swallowed the food and cleared her throat. 'I will explain it like this. You found a good book, drama or whatever. And it's only half finished. As for me, even though I know that I just have to wait for this to be finally finished and world won't end if it will get to be dropped, I can't stop myself thinking about it all the time. This is this curiosity, how it'll end.'
Aeri stopped speaking for a while, thinking what those word meant. 'Had you ever have a ghost who stayed just for the drama to end?'
The lady was cleaning her hands. 'It happens all the time.'
'So I have to find his identity just to allow myself to rest in peace?'
Shaman got closer to Aeri and made a wave with her fingers, imitating the fire. 'It's the fate of the people with passion.'
Aeri shook her head. She had a hope that she won't bother anyone anymore and vice versa. But if she wanted to rest in peace some things had to be done. 'Oh goodness... Nevertheless thank you. I think I know where to start.'
Lady stood up and started to walk, leaving Aeri behind. 'No problem. But tell me, who helped you with this first wish of yours?' When she turned around, she noticed the nurse was already gone. 'Right. Just the normal thing. Not even a 'bye, bye'. I wonder, if they ended their phone calls in the same way.'
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