Young Saeng felt really light. All the weight of sickness got out of him. Suddenly, yesterday, not soon after Aeri left, he started to feel dizzy. His whole body was sore, so he lay down on the bed. He didn't remember anything that happened later. He probably passed out.
He heard as water stopped boiling in the kitchen. His first thought was that she must've already woke up and is preparing the breakfast, but then reality hit him. He rushed out of the bed, as he realized, that in that state of her she wouldn't be in ability to do that. Then who was in the apartment? Min Jisoo? Yejun?
He run into the kitchen and noticed a woman he never seen. She was making herself a coffee. 'Who are you?'
Shaman waved her hand. 'Oh, hello. Are you feeling better? I decided to serve myself and made some coffee. You want some?'
It was too much of mysterious things happening in his life. Young Saeng needed help. 'I'm calling the police.'
The woman was not threatened, she calmly sipped her drink. 'Oh, still hot... Your dead friend let me in. I'm the shaman, that helped her out. I hope she mentioned me.'
'Aeri? Let you in?'
'Well, you see, door is closed, I didn't either climb through the window, look at me.' She pointed firstly at the door and later at her body.
'Then where is she now?' Young Saeng looked around, but no one could be seen. Also, if Aeri was there, she definitely would let him know about it, in example giving him a heart attack.
'Yeah, that's the problem we're facing now. She's gone.'
'Gone? Like up?!' He showed at the ceiling and had to sit on the chair, as he heard that words.
'Oh, not like that, even if I wish she would. It's rather a problem, that she's not back. We discovered something.' She started to explain what happened in the day before, not excluding the vengeful part as well the curse. Then she continued why Aeri is not with them. 'She was supposed to be back early in the morning. But she's not, so I would assume the worst.'
Young Saeng tried to process everything that she has said. He was utterly shocked and dumbfounded. His life hitherto was like a big puzzle with many of the pieces missing. Now, the pieces that came were like they were from another set, totally not fitting in size or colour. What curse? He's cursed? That's why he doesn't remember anything? But what he has done to deserve that? It didn't feel right, it was huge deal. But ever larger and heavier felt the news about Aeri. She's going to be lost forever, again because of him. The guilty feeling was engulfing his heart.
'You think she changed completely?' He asked quietly.
Shaman was again calm and indifferent in this hard situation. She was stirring her coffee, when she delivered worst news. 'I would bet even worse. She met that person which gave you the curse.'
'And how that's worse?'
'Look at you. Everything around you in affected by it. It's extremely powerful. No human being is in ability to came up with anathema like this. And if it's not a human being, then lets better pray Aeri is going to be careful around it.'
'We have to help her!'
'Of course we will. We have to go to my home. But first dress up. It's nice view for my old eyes, but I don't like when people look into my direction.'
Young Saeng noticed only now. He was still in the clothes he had yesterday, now all tangled and disordered. The buttons on his shirt were open to the middle of his torso, expanding it and showing his chest. He rushed back to room and put some normal clothes on. Before leaving he asked shaman. 'What if she'll be back and we won't be here?'
'I doubt it. Besides, she knows where to look for me and we can leave a note. Come.' She left and he walked out after her.
***
Aeri already went through something similar, in less than 24 hours ago. She run around and asked every ghosts she found, if they recognize the sign. She stuck to the instructions and were very careful with the symbol, trying hard to not put that last line on it.
Unfortunately, no one, she met, had any idea of it, no one ever saw it or even heard of it. There was no clue at all. She even found the police officer and Byul, hoping that they broad knowledge may give her answers, but sadly they didn't have any memory of the sign.
She tired really hard to think of some alternative way, but even looking around temples was underperformed. The time was going forward and she was in despair, but no answer could be found.
It was already dawning when, suddenly, some woman materialized in front of her. She was wearing white, mourning clothes. Her hair was tied in the back and she wore bare face, which was in some way friendly, but in other – filled with sadness. She stood proudly and was slightly taller than Aeri. She spoke first. 'It got to my ears that some lost soul is looking for something.'
The nurse weighted her words in her head, becoming silent for a minute. Then, deciding, that this may be her last hope, she decided to answer this woman. 'Yes... Can you tell me, if you know that sign?'
Aeri unwrapped the paper she was holding in her fist. She gave it a quick glance and with horror she noticed that one crack on it placed ideally where it should not. With a shaking hands she passed it, hoping that it won't explode, since she thought that this may happen. When the piece touched the woman's hand, she even closed tightly her eyes, but thankfully nothing blasted. She opened the eyes and noticed the asking expression of the stranger, as they both froze holding the paper. She quickly removed the hand and let the other person examine it. Woman gave looked at it for a second and smiled.
'It your lucky day, I guess.'
Fortune finally smiled on Aeri. 'Do you recognize it? What is it?'
'Pardon me, but I'll skip the explaining. Instead come, follow me.' She scrunched the note and threw it somewhere on the ground. The wind appeared and it was blown out of their view. Woman offered her hand and smiled.
Aeri didn't know what to do. She promised to come back, but on the other hand something like that may not happen again. She tried to back up, to see if she had some chances to talk with shaman and Young Saeng. 'But I can't go there alone. I'll just let them know and I'll be right back...'
The woman kept her hand in the air, still smiling. 'But this person is not fond of waiting. If you want your wish to be granted, you have to come with me.'
'Person? Wish? What are you talking about?'
'You don't have anything particularly that you want to be cured? She's the one that can help you. You'll see. So?'
Aeri took a deep breath. Last time, she went alone, it didn't end up well. But if they offer such an opportunity, she can't say no. She deliberated what to do. Finally, in a rush of courage, she grabbed woman's hand.
The woman stopped her grin. 'Good choice. Just to warn you, my lady is really sensitive. Be as much humble as you can.'
And they both disappeared.
***
Young Saeng and shaman walked through the neighbourhood. Young Saeng noticed that many people just stopped in the middle of their way and observed them. He started to worry, if with his appearance is something wrong, until he noticed that those eyes were directed not at him, but at Shaman.
'Ignore them, it's the best way.' She said, still walking and not looking behind, at him.
Young Saeng was intrigued. 'Why they're looking at you?'
'They see that I have a gift. If I would even look at one of them, they all would jump on me and wouldn't let me go.'
He looked at her from the top to the bottom. 'You don't have an aura...'
'For a living not, for ghosts – yes.'
He felt the chill down his spine and reduced the distant. He gasped and started to whisper. 'They are ghosts?!'
She abruptly stopped, so Young Saeng bumped on her. 'Wait, you see them, right?'
He nodded as faithful dog. 'Yes!'
'But you didn't know they were spirits?'
'How would I know that?!'
She clapped once and looked up. 'Such an ignorance certainly is a bliss! New thing to add to curse effects list... Come on, we don't have whole time in the world!'
'But what does it mean? That I see them?'
'Iwould interpret it in a good way. At least you were a mortal, not deity. Onlyhuman would be in ability to look at ghosts and see them as other humans. Comeon!' She accelerated, while Young Saeng glued his eyes on the ground, tryingnot to be spooked by the idea of so many spirits seeing him.
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