The early morning in Jungjin City was enveloped in a chill that crept through every layer of clothing, a sign of the impending winter. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows that stretched across the streets. The air was crisp, and each breath felt like a visible puff of mist in the fading daylight.
Amidst this cold, a large congregation of people began to gather. They came from all walks of life, bundled in coats and scarves, their breaths forming fleeting clouds as they spoke to one another. The city seemed to buzz with anticipation, a palpable energy that hung in the air. Families arrived, parents holding the hands of their children, their faces flushed with excitement. Groups of friends huddled together, their laughter creating a warm contrast to the chilly surroundings. Even strangers exchanged knowing glances, united by a common purpose.
In a city as staid and composed as Jungjin, the sight of a massive crowd converging in one location was a rare and extraordinary phenomenon. And as the crowd continued to swell in size, it became evident that something significant was about to take place, something that had drawn people from every corner of the city to this very spot on this cold early morning. The air was charged with curiosity and expectation, as all eyes turned toward the source of the gathering.
It was a momentous day for all of them, as the long-anticipated City Park was officially unveiled, with grand aspirations to rival New York City's Central Park. The citizens of Jungjin had never dared to hope that the park would come to fruition, especially after the disgrace of the project's progenitor, the ex-mayor Shin Myeong-Hwi. Shin, along with his partners-in-crime Cho Tae-Sin, former chairman of Taesin group, and Noh Hang-Gyu, had been exposed for their criminal activities. Many had assumed the City Park project was dead and buried the moment they were arrested; however, they were surprised when the official construction resumed six months after Shin Myeong-Hwi's sentencing, drawing laborers from both within and outside the city. Rumors swirled about a wealthy benefactor who had resurrected the project, though nothing was ever officially confirmed. The local government ensured that they will closely monitor the progress to make sure that no illegal waste would be dumped at the site this time.
Now, more than three years later, the City Park's construction was complete, and the entire city of Jungjin had been invited to celebrate. Elation radiated from every face, and vendors and food stalls had sprung up throughout the park.
Among the stalls was the beloved ice cream vendor, a favorite among children and adults alike. Amid the bustling crowd of eager buyers, a young girl in a pink dress with hair tied up in ribbon pigtails emerged, clutching her newly acquired ice cream cone with sheer delight. Her happiness was palpable as she savored the sweet treat.
"Eomma!" she joyfully cried out, waving her free hand enthusiastically. A few feet away, her mother sat on a bench, cradling a baby in her arms, returning her daughter's wave with a warm smile. As the little girl began to run toward her mother, she painfully collided with a passerby, letting out a pained yelp before tumbling to the ground, ice cream splattering everywhere. Her mother's eyes widened in shock as she called out her daughter's name.
"Haeun-ya!" the mother exclaimed, rushing to her fallen child while still holding the baby. The commotion quickly drew the attention of nearby festival-goers. Ha Eun was already crying when her mother reached her, kneeling in front of her daughter surveying her elbow and knees that were bruised from the fall.
"Eomma, it hurts," Haeun sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
Her mother cradled her tightly, her worry etched across her face, before remembering the stranger who had caused her daughter's mishap. She looked up and saw the man, wearing a green varsity jacket with gray baseball hat on his head, standing over them, his presence imposing as he gazed down at them, particularly at the injured child. A hint of trepidation tugged at her as their eyes met. His gaze was devoid of emotion, devoid of remorse, it was an unsettling sight. Concerned onlookers began to gather around the mother and daughter, inquiring about their well-being.
"We're fine, right, Haeun-ya?" her mother asked with a reassuring smile, running her hands gently up and down her daughter's back to soothe her. Reassured by her mother's comforting touch, Ha Eun nodded in agreement.
An elderly man stepped forward from the crowd, directing his attention to the man who bumped into the little girl.
"You," he pointed, his tone dripping with condescension, "are you not gonna apologize? You should watch where you're going."
The stranger didn't move his gaze from the mother and daughter, maintaining his rigid posture but remaining silent.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" the old man continued to reprimand, oblivious to the tension building around them.
"Not even an apology? You could have seriously hurt this child, and you're just standing there like a fool! Are you deaf?" he shouted, gesticulating wildly as he approached the silent stranger. Nearby bystanders rushed to help the mother and daughter to their feet.
As the old man closed in on the stranger, he noticed the young man's head was slightly bowed, half of his face concealed by a baseball hat. This sight further infuriated the elderly man, who felt offended by the stranger's deliberate indifference.
"You! Look at you, being disrespectful. Can't even meet my gaze," the old man bellowed, his voice escalating with each word. He reached into his back pocket and retrieved his folding cane, extending it to its full length before lightly tapping the unresponsive young man's arm in an attempt to gain his attention.
"What's wrong with you, young man? I said, look at me!" After waiting a few moments without a response, he added. He raised his cane again, intending to strike, but the young man's arm suddenly seized it mid-swing.
The gathering crowd collectively gasped at the stranger's sudden movement, while some men in the crowd tensed in anticipation, ready to intervene if the situation escalated.
"What...?" The old man managed to utter, taken aback by the unexpected turn of events. He attempted to wrestle the cane from the young man's unyielding grip, but it remained firmly in place. His gaze shifted to the young man's partially obscured face as the stranger slowly raised his head to meet the old man's eyes. A jolt of fear coursed through the elderly man upon locking eyes with the stranger, causing him to release his hold on the cane and retreat several steps in shock.
"D-de..." The old man stammered, struggling with his words as he continued to back away, trembling until he fell down on his butt. His reaction captured the crowd's attention, including the mother and daughter. Two men stepped forward to assist the old man in standing. "His eyes! They're all black!" He exclaimed upon regaining his feet, scanning the area for the young man, but to his dismay, the stranger had vanished.
"Huh?"
"Black?"
"How's that even possible?"
"Maybe it’s just a contact lens" murmurs the crowd. Slowly, the gathering crowd returned to their spots earlier before the commotion, losing interest the moment the elderly man started spouting nonsense.
"Where is he?!" He shouted in panic, prompting those nearby to glance back at the spot where the stranger had stood just moments ago. All they found was the old man's cane lying on the ground, bent at the exact spot where the stranger had grabbed it earlier.
A couple of stalls down, another type of chaos erupted. Eonni's Noodle team was hard at work, transforming a modest corner of the park into their very own food stall. Tables cluttered with pots, pans, and utensils, and boxes upon boxes of fresh ingredients were scattered around in a controlled disorder. Ms. Chu, the driving force behind the operation, moved with an air of urgency, orchestrating her small team like a seasoned conductor.
She directed Somun, Jeokbong and Ungmin who's wrestling with cardboard boxes, their contents threatening to spill out at any moment to put those on the stall's makeshift counter. While Hana and Juyeon took charge of arranging the goods with meticulous care.
"Motak-a," she called out in a tone that was more resigned than angry, "please tell me you loaded the garnishes onto the truck."
Motak, who was busy wrestling with a stubborn tablecloth, froze in place, beads of sweat forming on his brow. He scratched his head, a sheepish grin playing on his lips as he stammered.
"Garnishes? Oh, uh, I must have...forgotten those. My bad, Ms. Chu."
Without missing a beat, Ms. Chu let out a weary sigh. She stepped up to Motak and, lightly but continuously smacked him on the arm.
"Motak, we can't run a food stall without garnishes!"
"Oh sorry. I'll rush back and get them." The slap on the arm served as a wake-up call for Motak, who blinked and nodded vigorously, regret evident in his eyes.
Somun, ever the reliable member of the team, stepped forward, stopping Ms. Chu from smacking Mo-tak any further, volunteers.
“Chu sang-nim, don't worry. I can head back to the warehouse and grab those garnishes. I need to pick up grandma and grandpa anyway" he said while smiling slightly, "They wanted to see explore the Park and visit the stalls"
"Thank you, Somun-a. You're a lifesaver. Take Ungmin and Juyeon with you. We need those garnishes as soon as possible." said Ms. Chu as she nodded, her face a mix of gratitude and relief.
Somun turned to his friends, Juyeon and Ungmin, who were standing nearby, eager to lend a hand.
"Guys, let’s go," he declared with a grin. Juyeon flashed a thumbs-up as she put down the napkins she’s arranging. Ungmin, though not as vocal, simply nodded in agreement, his expression conveying his readiness to assist. Motak, who looked relieved at the save, offered a grateful nod to Somun, Juyeon, and Ungmin.
"Thank you, guys. We'll have everything ready when you get back."
Once the trio departed, the remaining members of the team resumed their individual tasks in preparing the stalls. Suddenly, a resounding clang reverberated through the air, prompting Hana and Ms. Chu to glance up just in time to witness the conclusion of Motak’s seemingly never-ending battle with the tablecloth. In its final moments, the tablecloth took a few pots down with it, adding to the chaos. The two women watched in silent exasperation as Motak struggled. Without intervening, Ms. Chu couldn't help but comment.
"Aigoo, being the strongest on the team doesn't grant him any finesse; in fact, he seems clumsier than ever." She shook her head in mock disappointment then returned her attention to her own tasks, leaving Motak to his mishaps.
The murmur of the crowd circulating through the park had become a strangely soothing backdrop for the four of them. It was a rare occurrence for the Counters to experience downtime in their pursuit of troublesome evil spirits plaguing the city. That's precisely why they had taken part in setting up a stall for the City Park's grand opening. Their motive? To seamlessly blend in, have a good time and keep an eye out for any evil spirits drawn to the bustling gathering.
Ms. Chu had been called by the event organizers, who had suggested she open a stall, showcasing her renowned noodles. It didn't take much persuasion from her fellow Counters before she enthusiastically agreed. It was like hitting two birds with one stone—a chance to both hunt evil spirits and serve up her delectable noodles to the eager crowd.
As Hana meticulously worked on dismantling anchovies, she posed a question to Ms. Chu, her brow furrowing in curiosity.
"Chu sang-nim, what's the plan if we spot an evil spirit and all of us need to leave? Who's going to handle the stall?"
"Naturally, the duty shall fall upon my capable shoulders." Before Ms. Chu could respond, Chairman Choi made a grand entrance, proclaiming with an air of confidence.
"You always manage to show up at the most convenient times, don't you". Ms. Chu, taken aback by his sudden appearance, remarked with a hint of irritation.
Chairman Choi chuckled in response to Ms. Chu's comment. He gallantly positioned himself beside her, extending a helpful hand. However, she swiftly swatted his hand away, asserting her self-sufficiency.
"I've got this, no need for help." With her declaration, she gracefully moved away, making her way to the other side of the stall. Undeterred, Chairman Choi wore a broad, playful grin, casting a mischievous wink in Hana's direction before trailing after Ms. Chu to the other side. As Chairman Choi helped with the task of preparing the stall, Motak suddenly walked over to them, his eyes gleaming with optimism and remarked.
"You know, we might just get lucky here, and there might not be any evil spirits around. We could actually enjoy the festival."
His words earned skeptical looks from four, knowing all too well that Motak's optimism often had a way of attracting the opposite outcome, as they'd experienced in the past. As they were on the verge of scolding Motak for tempting fate with his words, Hana abruptly rose from her seat, her expression changing.
"Hold on a second," she interjected, her tone serious, "I think we just stepped into one." This declaration drew the attention of Jeokbong, who had been quietly attending to his task in the corner, causing him to snap to attention at Hana's words.
"An evil spirit? Here?" Jeokbong exclaimed, setting down the utensils he had been arranging and turning his gaze toward the rest of the team. Sniffing with his nose, trying to catch the smell of the evil spirit, he added, “I can’t smell anything. It means it’s far away from here”.
"And Somun hasn't arrived yet." A hint of panic crept into his voice as he continued
"Hana, what's the spirit's level?" Ms. Chu inquired, her voice laced with concern
"It's level 2. He’s wearing a green varsity jacket and a gray baseball hat" Hana's response was somber and serious as she replied.
At her grim declaration, the previously playful atmosphere among the team members took a sharp turn. The realization that they were dealing with a level 2 spirit in the midst of a crowded park cast a shadow over them all, as they contemplated the potential witnesses or victims amidst the festival goers.
Motak inquired further, his curiosity piqued, "Hana, can you pinpoint the exact location where you spotted the evil spirit?"
Hana replied thoughtfully, "I can't give you an exact spot, but it seems to be following an elderly man. They're in a less crowded section of the park."
With a slight tilt of her head, Hana closed her eyes in deep concentration, attempting to glean more details from her visions, particularly any distinctive surroundings or landmarks. Her eyes opened suddenly as she caught something specific.
"I saw a sign that reads 'E-5W'."
"I know those. Those signs are used for parking. They mark designated areas to help park visitors locate their cars among the hundreds parked here." Chairman Choi chimed in with his knowledge, confirming.
Upon receiving the crucial information, Motak, Hana, and Jeokbong swiftly prepared to pursue the evil spirit before it could harm anyone. They adorned their distinctive Counter jackets, each a black zip-up hoodie adorned with red stripes accentuating the sleeves. Ms. Chu also reached out for her own jacket, but Motak intervened, placing a firm hand on her shoulder.
"We've got this. Call Somun and have him return." He urged her.
Chairman Choi joined in, adding, "And what if someone wants noodles. Like our patrons back in the old shop. Didn’t they say that they’ll visit our stall? I don’t know how to prepare them, Chu-san"
Hana and Jeokbong nodded in agreement with Motak and Chairman Choi's suggestions. Jeokbong assured, "We've got it covered, Chu sang-nim."
With a hint of reluctance, Ms. Chu acknowledged that she was outnumbered. She retrieved her phone, intending to call Somun. Before dialing, she issued a stern warning to Motak, Hana, and Jeokbong,
"Be careful, and don't do anything reckless."
Motak offered a reassuring nod, and with Ms. Chu and Chairman Choi watching, the trio swiftly departed, sprinting in the direction where Hana had sensed the presence of the evil spirit.
What do you think about Chapter 1? Let me know! If there's mistake, be it a grammar or anything, let me know too 😊