“Are you ready?” Yeji looks at Yuna who’s sitting next to her.
Yuna nods and takes a deep breath.
“Okay. Here goes.” Yeji presses the green icon and waits until her father picks up.
When they finally see the man’s face, Yeji greets him, waving at the screen. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, Princess.”
“Dad!”
“Princess?” quips Ryujin from behind Yeji, looking up from the game she’s playing.
Yeji ignores Ryujin and quickly launches into an introduction, telling her father about Yuna.
“Hello. So you’re Ryujin’s friend?” he looks at the woman sitting next to Yeji who bows to him politely.
“Good morning to you, Sir. I’m sorry to disturb you on a Sunday morning.”
“That’s okay. I have nothing to do today anyway. How can I help you?”
Yeji pushes her chair away to give Yuna more space and stops next to the bed where Ryujin is sitting. The woman has stopped playing her game and is now listening to the ongoing video call.
“Well…” Yuna begins, unlocking her phone. “I got this message early this morning. It’s from someone I’ve never met before and it contains a request to honor our oath in helping our kind when they need to move on from this world.”
Yeji gasps. “Oh my god. Is that a request to…” She can’t even say it.
Ryujin looks at Yeji. “Unfortunately so.”
“Who sent it?” asks Yeji’s father.
Yuna reads the name and he sighs after hearing it, leaning back in his chair.
“I know that family and that name. I used to travel with some of them. That person who sent you the message is the last descendant. She’s from your generation. Last time I saw her, she was still a little girl,” he says, reminiscing. “So it has come to this, huh? And she chose you?”
Yuna nods. “Although I’ve never met her, their family and mine are supposedly old friends back in the homeland so I guess she thought I could help her.”
“Have you ever done this before?”
Yuna shakes her head. “I never want to, if possible. Can you please advise me on what to do, Mr. Hwang?”
“Did you reply to her message?”
“Yes. I told her to wait because I needed to think this through and gave her the option to find someone else if she wanted it done fast.”
“Which option did she choose?”
“She said she’d wait.”
“Where does she live?”
“I’m not sure but the number is a Korean mobile number. I’m hoping she lives in the same city.”
“Well, you can always meet with her and try to talk her out of it but if she wouldn’t change her mind then I’m afraid you have no choice but to fulfill her wish,” says Yeji’s father.
Yuna instantly deflates, cradling her head in her hands. “How am I supposed to do this, Mr. Hwang? I can’t take a life. I don’t want to take a life.”
“I understand. It’s never easy to do, I can assure you that.” He takes a deep breath then checks his phone’s calendar. “I tell you what. Ask her where she’d want to meet and I’ll come with you. If she really wants this and if she allows it, I will take over your task.”
“Dad!” Yeji rushes towards the laptop. “I don’t want you going around killing people,” she hisses.
“I’m not doing that, Yeji, but this is something that we can’t refuse. When our kind grows tired of living and they want out, we have to honor their request. It’s an oath our ancestors have taken. One that must be carried out by every one of us,” he explains.
“But-…”
“Let’s not argue about this now, okay?” He turns his attention back to Yuna. “Let me know when you’ve received her answer. I’ll arrange my schedule and fly to Korea to accompany you. Yeji has my private number. From now on, I want you and Ryujin to have it too.”
“Thank you, Mr. Hwang,” says Yuna, relieved.
Ryujin stands up and approaches the laptop. She, too, thanks the man for his kindness.
“Ah Ryujin. Can I have a word with you?”
“Yes, Sir.”
Yuna gives her seat to Ryujin and the latter nervously faces the camera.
“Can I assume that you and my daughter have taken your relationship beyond friendship now?” he asks.
“Um…”
“What makes you say that, Dad?” quips Yeji from beside Ryujin, trying to somehow buy more time before letting her father know the truth.
“It’s nearly midnight and you two are in your comfortable clothes at Ryujin’s house,” he states, frowning.
“Haven’t you heard of friendly sleepovers?” asks Yeji.
“At your age and after what I’ve seen?” He snorts. “Give your old man some credit, Yeji.”
“It’s okay,” Ryujin tells Yeji. “He should know.” She then looks at him and says, “We have indeed agreed to be more than friends, Sir, but it just happened earlier today so it’s not like we’re trying to hide it from you. We need to get used to it first before we start telling people.”
“I see.” He pauses for a moment. “I suppose you have a guest bedroom?”
“Err… no but I have set up an extra mattress on the floor for myself. I can even show you if you want,” Ryujin says.
“Oh my god. Enough!” Yeji cuts in, pushing Ryujin aside. “Dad, I am not a baby, okay? I know what I’m doing and nothing is going to happen so please don’t embarrass me like this.”
“You do realize that she’s hundreds of years old, right?” he asks.
“Yes but so what? How old were you when you married Mommy?”
“Touché.” He can’t help but grin for a second before turning serious again. “Look, I’m just looking out for you here. You’re too young to be in such a serious relationship.”
“Too young? I’m gonna be thirty in a couple of years and most of my friends are married, Dad. Some even already have kids,” argues Yeji.
“I know but they only have about sixty to seventy years left to live whereas you-…”
“So you want me to date a mortal and watch them leave me? Is that how it is?”
“No, I’m not saying that you should date a mortal but I’m just…” He sighs. “You have all the time in the world. What’s the rush?”
“There is no rush. It’s not like we’re getting married tomorrow,” says Yeji in a calmer tone. “We might never get married, for all I know. It’s something that we still haven’t discussed. We’re taking it slow but I want this, I want Ryujin. Now. Not tomorrow or next month or next year. I’m ready for this, we’re both ready for this, and without making it official, I’m afraid that one of us would get hurt. That’s something that I’m sure you also don’t want to happen, right?”
Ryujin can feel her heart soaring but she suppresses her smile, choosing to just quietly watch Yeji. She’s a bit embarrassed to have Yuna and Mr. Hwang there, listening to Yeji defending their newly acquired status but in a way, it feels as if she’s in a family meeting where they’re discussing her well-being and that makes her feel good since she can’t even remember the last time she was involved in a family discussion or argument.
“Or do you prefer I go back to that idiot whom you hated so much?” continues Yeji.
“Which one? You dated plenty of idiots,” retorts Mr. Hwang.
“Thank you for the insult,” says Yeji, glaring at her father. “You wanted me to break up with them and find someone better. Now that I’ve done that, you’re still not satisfied. What is it do you want from me? I can’t grow old and die so do you want me to live forever alone instead? That’s so mean, Dad. I can’t believe you want your only daughter to suffer like that.”
“I’m not saying that you can’t date her or anyone else, for that matter. I’m just saying that you don’t have to rush it.”
“My life, my decision.”
Ryujin clears her throat and tries to stop the arguing. “I promise to take very good care of your daughter, Sir. Like she said, we’re taking it slow. She means a lot to me. As for how long it will last, I’m aiming for forever, of course, but should we fail halfway through, I will hold nothing against her. We will still be friends. We’ve made that promise and I know that we’ll be able to keep it.”
He scrutinizes Ryujin, narrowing his eyes at her. “You know that I can easily do a full background check on you, right? I held back because of my daughter but I’m not going to hesitate to go all out now. I will dig up all your secrets, Ryujin.”
“Feel free to do so, Sir. I have nothing to hide. I don’t even mind telling you everything in person.”
“I might take you up on that since I’ll be heading your way soon.”
“You’re welcome to ask me anything, Sir.”
He points his finger at her. “You better keep your word, Ryujin. If you hurt my daughter…”
“I understand, Sir,” replies Ryujin, feeling slightly intimidated by his threat.
“Alright. Enough,” Yeji speaks up. “It’s late here, Dad, and we have to go to work tomorrow.”
“Fine. I’ll talk to you later. Good night, Ryujin, Yuna.”
“Good night, Sir.”
Yuna comes to stand behind Ryujin so the man can see her as she bids him goodbye and thanks him again for his help.
Yeji hangs up and sighs. “Sorry about that,” she tells Ryujin.
“That’s okay. It’s just how parents are,” Ryujin says. She then turns around to see Yuna lying down on her bed. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll do what Mr. Hwang suggested and we’ll see what happens,” answers Yuna. “Thanks for your help, Yeji unnie,” she tells Yeji as she closes her eyes.
“You’re welcome. Don’t think about it too much, okay?” says Yeji, earning herself a nod from Yuna.
“Rest well.” Ryujin stands up, bids Yuna goodnight and pulls Yeji out of the room after turning the lights off.
“Poor girl.” Yeji sits down on Ryujin’s bed, hugging the bear. “I can’t imagine what she’s feeling right now.”
“Neither can I,” Ryujin says as she plops down on the mattress next to the bed. “Your father is scary.”
“He’s just overprotective.”
“Still scary. I’m afraid he’d come after me if I accidentally hurt his princess,” teases Ryujin, laughing when Yeji throws the bear at her. “Yah! Be careful! Don’t hurt Jinnie!” She catches the bear and pats its head.
“Which Jinnie? The bear or the human?”
“Both.”
Yeji grabs her phone and sets her alarm.
“What time are you supposed to be at work tomorrow?” asks Ryujin.
“Nine.”
“Then you better sleep now.” She gets up, places the bear next to Yeji and switches the lights off. Then she goes to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
When she returns, Yeji’s still awake, playing with her phone in the dark.
“Sleep, Yeji,” Ryujin says as she walks past the bed.
Yeji turns her head, following Ryujin’s movements with her eyes. “You’re seriously going to sleep on the floor?”
“I’ve explained why and you said you were cool with it.”
“I am but now that I think of it, we’re kinda overdoing it, don’t you think? Nothing’s going to happen. We’ll just sleep or maybe cuddle. That’s allowed now. You don’t even have to sneak out in the middle of the night again.”
“W-wha… how did you know?!” exclaims Ryujin in surprise.
“I heard the door closing and when I turned around, you were gone. I was too tired to say or do anything though so I just went back to sleep,” explains Yeji. “Look, I appreciate your consideration but I can assure you, sharing a bed won’t mean anything. Nothing is going to happen. I won’t let it.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am. What are you going to do anyway? Feel me up in your sleep?”
“Ooh! That’s not a bad idea,” says Ryujin with a smirk. She dodges the incoming pillow missile and laughs. “Yah! You’re the one who suggested it!”
“I was trying to make a point!”
“And I am trying to be considerate!” argues Ryujin. “It’s been over thirty years, Yeddeong. My subconscious could go crazy and I don’t want to be held responsible when it happens. Besides, you agreed that it’s better to get to know each other without ‘it’ first.”
“I know but ‘it’ is not going to happen tonight or any time soon, Ryujin. Trust me. I know how to defend myself.”
“Oh so you’re going to go all karate-chop on me?”
“If I have to.”
“Hm… You won’t tell your father about this, right?”
“Are you crazy? Why would I tell him details about my love life and our sleeping arrangements?”
“Because I promised him that I’d sleep down here and I don’t want him obliterating me for breaking that promise.”
“For someone who’s supposed to be hundreds of years old, you’re very easily intimidated.”
“I’m not intimidated. I just don’t want to dishonor my promise to him.”
“You’re not dishonoring anything!” Yeji groans, frustrated by this silly argument. “Fine. Go sleep wherever you want. I don’t care. I’ll just cuddle with this Jinnie because at least she’s not being difficult and making a fuss over nothing.” She hugs the stuffed animal and lies down, her back towards Ryujin. “And to think that she’s okay with kissing and touching me like that and even took a nap with me on top of her,” she mutters under her breath.
Ryujin laughs quietly and climbs onto the bed, hugging Yeji from behind. “Okay. You win.”
Yeji immediately turns around, grinning at Ryujin in the dark. “See? It’s not so hard, is it? We already shared a couch today. What’s the difference with sharing a bed?”
“Alright, alright. You’ve made your point. Just don’t tell your father and we’re good.” Ryujin lets go of Yeji so she can fix the blanket that covers them then lies down again, smiling when Yeji snuggles close. “Good night.”
“Good night.” Yeji kisses Ryujin good night and closes her eyes.
———————
Yeji groans when her phone alarm rings and searches for it with her eyes still closed. She finds the device, taps the snooze button and resumes sleeping.
“I knew this would happen.”
She hears the voice half consciously but ignores it. All she wants is a few extra minutes of sleep.
“Yeji, wake up.”
Yeji feels a gentle pat on her arm but refuses to open her eyes. She pulls the blanket high over her head and curls up into a fetal position.
Ryujin sighs, lies down next to Yeji and tries to pull the blanket down. “Wake up. You have to go to work.”
After a lot of groaning and resisting, Yeji finally gives in and lies on her back with the blanket now discarded.
“Wake up, please,” whispers Ryujin in Yeji’s ear before she kisses her cheek.
Yeji huffs, furrows her brows and finally squints a little.
“Wow. This is harder than waking a hibernating bear,” remarks Ryujin, chuckling at the lazy yet cute woman.
Just then, Yeji’s alarm rings again and she searches the bed for the phone before finally dismissing the alarm.
She stretches noisily then blinks several times before turning her head, staring blankly at Ryujin.
“Good morning,” Ryujin says, pressing her lips against Yeji’s forehead. “I don’t know how you manage to get up every morning and not be late for work.”
“…”
Ryujin laughs then scoots off the bed. “Go get ready. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
It takes another minute before Yeji is able to sit up. She spaces out again then slowly drags herself to the bathroom.
Twenty minutes later and she has finished getting ready for work, not bothering to put on make-up before the shoot.
She finds Ryujin sitting on the couch, watching morning cartoons on TV while munching on a bowl of cereal.
Ryujin turns her head when she hears Yeji coming down the stairs and smiles. “Do you know how hard it is to wake you up?”
“Yes.” Yeji approaches Ryujin, places her bag on the chair then bends down to kiss her cheek. "Jisu has complained about it many times,” she says, walking away towards the kitchen.
“There’s cereal and bread. Eat whatever you want,” Ryujin says, returning her focus to the TV.
“Where’s Yuna?” asks Yeji.
“She’s left for work. Got a morning class, I think,” replies Ryujin.
Yeji soon returns to the living room with a sandwich in her hand. “You’re driving me to work, right?”
Ryujin nods.
“Then let’s go. I don’t want to be late.”
Ryujin turns her head. “What about breakfast?”
Yeji shows Ryujin the sandwich and takes a bite. “Come on.” She grabs her bag and makes her way to the front door.
Ryujin puts another spoonful of cereal into her mouth, takes a sip from her glass, switches the TV off and rushes to the kitchen to get a bottle of water out of the fridge.
“Ryujin-ah!”
“Coming!”
She runs to the door, takes her car key and phone then puts on her shoes in record time.
“Here.” She hands Yeji the bottle after they’ve gotten in the car.
“Aw… thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Now step on it.”
“Yes, Miss Hwang.” Ryujin laughs at herself and begins driving. “Not one day into this and you’re already bossing me around.”
“I’m sorry. I just don’t want to be late.”
“Then you should’ve woken up earlier.”
“I prefer skipping breakfast so I can have a few more minutes of sleep.”
Ryujin just shakes her head, glancing at Yeji who’s finishing her sandwich.
“I’ll be done in a few hours. Pick me up? We can go grab lunch ‘cause I have no other schedule today,” says Yeji.
“Sure. I will be your personal driver until I decide to paint again.”
“When is that?”
Ryujin shrugs. “When inspiration strikes. I’ve made enough from that last exhibition to not be a burden to Yuna for at least the rest of the year.”
“That’s nice.”
When they arrive at the studio half an hour later, Yeji thanks Ryujin with a kiss and steps out of the car with a huge smile on her face.
“Now this is my kind of Monday,” Ryujin mumbles to herself. She turns up the volume of the radio and happily sings along all the way home.
———————
Yuna enters the café and goes directly to her favorite table at the corner.
Morning class is over and she’s now on her lunch break, hoping to get a quiet moment alone before her afternoon class starts.
After placing her order, she takes out a book and starts reading.
The talk with Yeji’s father last night has helped set her mind and heart at ease because she knows that he will be there to guide her through it, maybe even take her place.
Halfway through lunch, she senses someone approaching and looks up to see a woman roughly her age walking towards her, wearing a pair of sunglasses, a cap and a hoodie.
She’s surprised to find that woman pulling out the empty chair across from her, sitting on it.
“Excuse me?” she says. “I think you have the wrong table.”
The woman calmly takes off her sunglasses and lifts her cap a bit, showing Yuna her face.
She is beautiful, thinks Yuna the moment she sees the woman’s face. She looks familiar too and a bit… sad?
“Hello,” says the woman, extending her hand. “It’s Yuna, right?”
“Um… yes?” Yuna hesitantly shakes the woman’s hand. “How do you know my name? Who are you?”
The moment her hand touches the woman’s she feels a tiny jolt and goose bumps begin to spread on her arm and legs, all the way to the back of her neck. She gasps as she realizes what this woman is.
The woman cracks a small smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “I guess you know what I am,” she says. “As for who I am, I go by the name Lee Chaeryeong these days.”
Yuna furrows her brows, finding the name familiar although she still can’t recall where she’s heard it before.
“I’m an actress.”
“Ah! No wonder you look familiar.” Yuna then frowns. “But… how do you know my name and what I am?” she asks in a low voice.
“I’m the one who sent you that message yesterday.”
Yuna’s eyes widen with shock and her jaw drops at the revelation.
“I’m sorry to surprise you like this but I’m wondering when you will be able to help me,” asks Yuna in a flat, emotionless tone.
“I-I…” Yuna closes her mouth and gulps. “I’m not sure yet. I… I need more time. I’ve never… I mean… this is just…” She sighs, looking down at her unfinished meal.
“I understand and I apologize for burdening you. It’s just that my parents told me to go to your family whenever I need help. I’ve survived and I’ve come this far on my own but I’m tired of this. I want out and I don’t know anyone like me except for you. My parents had told me about you before they died in the clash. I looked you up and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we happen to be living in the same country at the same time.”
Yuna slowly lifts her head, looking into the woman’s lifeless eyes. “Can I… Can I change your mind?”
Chaeryeong shakes her head. “I’ve made up my mind. I’ve had enough.” She puts on her sunglasses and fixes her cap. “I know this is a lot to take in so I will wait until you’re ready. Please don’t take too long though. Every day on this planet is torture for me.” She stands up. “You have my number. Kindly contact me when you’re ready. I will see you again, Yuna.”
The tall woman keeps her head down as she walks out of the café, ignoring the stares and whispers from other patrons who have started to realize who she is.
Yuna stays frozen in her seat until the waitress comes to offer a refill for her tea. She politely declines the offer and grabs her phone to dial Ryujin’s number.
————————————————————
so... chaeryeong finally entered the story