Chapter 20
Hanbyul's eyes sparkled as he talked about the magician; he was so amazed.
Jeong Jikhan responded, "A real magician? Wow, I haven't seen a magician yet. Lucky you, Hanbyul!"
As Jeong Jikhan spoke enviously, Hanbyul nodded vigorously.
"Right?! He was a real magician! Coins disappeared right in front of my eyes, and, like, straws were coming out of his ears, and stuff!"
It was just simple sleight-of-hand magic, but it seemed amazing to nine-year-old Hanbyul.
Jeong Jikhan asked with a pleased smile, "What about the others?"
"There was an old man in front of me, and he could make his fingers disappear and reappear!"
"That old man was also a magician?"
"Yes! There are so many magicians in this world; we just don't know about them!"
He was probably so excited that Hanbyul's eyes widened, and his hand gestures grew larger.
But as he was talking about magicians, another thought seemed to occur to him, and Hanbyul's face fell.
"But... my Mom kept crying."
"Your mom cried?"
"Yeah! Every time the magicians, and the old man, showed me their tricks, I'd tell my Mom, you know? Because I was so amazed! But each time, she'd laugh with me, and then she'd start crying."
A little boy with a terminal illness, smiling so innocently. Imagine how his parents must have felt...
Just thinking about it made Jeong Jikhan's heart ache. He bit his lip to keep from crying.
Then, Hanbyul saw Jeong Jikhan's expression, raised both arms, and shouted, "Roar!"
At the sudden action, Jeong Jikhan made a puzzled expression, and Hanbyul grinned.
'Could it be...?'
Had he seen his parents' sadness in Jeong Jikhan's face?
Whenever his parents were sad, he'd act out, trying to distract them.
He didn't want to see them sad.
Kids notice a lot more than grown-ups think.
Thinking about this, his heart ached even more.
He clenched his fists, trying to hide his feelings.
He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting back tears. Hanbyul, holding up his mug and hiding his face, asked, "Uncle... are you angry?"
"No, I'm not angry."
"You look scary when you stare like that."
"Oops, did I squeeze my eyes too tight?"
Jeong Jikhan sighed and breathed out, then smiled warmly again.
"Our Hanbyul..."
Just saying his name choked him up. He couldn't speak.
His throat tight, he grabbed a glass of water and gulped it down.
"Hanbyul, what's the first thing you want to do when you're all better?"
"Um..."
Hanbyul looked up at the ceiling, thinking, then smiled brightly.
"Amusement park!"
"You want to go to an amusement park?"
"Yes! They say there's a really fast train there. They say it goes super fast, and the wind blows in your face, and it's so much fun!"
"Anything else? Is there anything else you want to do?"
"Um..."
Hanbyul pursed his cute lips, thinking hard.
Jeong Jikhan watched him, chin in hand. After a moment, Hanbyul smiled shyly and said, "I want to say it's okay."
"It's okay? What is?"
"To Mom and Dad."
"Ah..."
"When I was in the hospital, Mom pretended not to, but I actually know. Whenever she came back from the bathroom, her eyes would be all red."
His parents must have been hiding their tears, crying only when they went to the bathroom.
Hanbyul said, with a brave little smile, "Later, we were going to go to the amusement park, and go to the mountains, and go on picnics together... but now we can't go together anymore."
"..."
"Mom and Dad were probably really looking forward to it, too... I feel bad I can't keep that promise..."
He's only nine, but he's so grown-up.
Feeling heartbroken, Jeong Jikhan frowned. Hanbyul pressed his finger to Jeong Jikhan's forehead and said, "No frowning!"
"Ah, okay... sorry."
"Anyway! So, I want to tell Mom and Dad. That I'm okay now, that I don't hurt at all."
"I see... our Hanbyul wants to tell Mom and Dad that?"
"Yes! But... they can't hear me. They can't touch me... or hug me anymore."
He'd obviously tried already.
He must have tried to tell them he was okay, that his hair was growing back, that they should go to the amusement park.
But his parents, who were still alive, couldn't hear him. He was a ghost now.
He realized, without even thinking, this was Hanbyul's biggest regret.
The amusement park and picnics, those were just extras.
What Hanbyul wanted most was to tell his parents he was okay.
He was gone, but he was still worried about his parents, about how much they must be hurting.
Is there any way to help Hanbyul?
Then, Jeong Jikhan had a sudden, brilliant idea.
It was such a good idea, he snapped his fingers and jumped up.
Hanbyul, sipping his caramel macchiato, stared at him in surprise.
"Uncle...?"
"Hanbyul. Uncle has a way."
"What is it?"
"A way for you to tell your Mom and Dad that you're okay, that they don't need to worry."
Hanbyul's eyes lit up, and he listened carefully.
Jeong Jikhan told him to wait a moment and hurriedly made two cups of coffee.
He handed Hanbyul the two cups.
"Drink these, Hanbyul."
"Yes? I haven't even finished the one I'm drinking now..."
"No, you can do it."
"I'm already full just from drinking this one."
"No. You can do it."
It might seem weird to force coffee on a kid, but it was the only way Hanbyul could say goodbye.
A coffee refill that gives the employee's bok (good fortune) to the mangja (deceased).
A spirit who receives good fortune from an employee can give that good fortune to their family.
This meant Hanbyul could visit his parents in their dreams.
Hanbyul gulped and asked, "If I drink all of this... what happens?"
"Hanbyul will be able to see and touch Mom and Dad."
"Really?!"
"Yep, one for your Mom, and one for your Dad. So you can talk to both of them."
Hanbyul stared at the mugs, eyes wide, then started gulping them down, not even noticing how hot they were.
[Transferring 1 'auspiciousness' from Jeong Jikhan to the deceased Lee Hanbyul.]
[Transferring 1 'auspiciousness' from Jeong Jikhan to the deceased Lee Hanbyul.]
At the same time, a message from Nahan appeared in front of Jeong Jikhan's eyes.
He closed the message. Hanbyul was rubbing his tummy.
"Ugh... I'm full."
"Now, listen carefully, Hanbyul."
"Yes!"
"Your Mom and Dad are probably asleep by now. You need to go into their dreams. Do you know how?"
"Can I go into dreams?"
"Yeah, you can go in because you drank the coffee Uncle gave you."
"How do I get in?"
Hanbyul had no idea.
Jeong Jikhan hurriedly picked up his cell phone and called Cha Seungpyo.
After a few rings, Cha Seungpyo answered.
"Hello?"
"Team Leader, are you busy right now?"
"I'm not busy. What's the matter?"
"Please come to the cafe for the deceased right now."
"Did something happen?"
He hung up without another word.
He'd heard that a mangja (spirit) who received gil (auspiciousness) could be attacked by aggwi (evil spirits).
So he needed someone to protect Hanbyul and get him to his parents safely.
He wasn't sure if he could just use a grim reaper as a bodyguard...
Hadn't Team Leader Cha Seungpyo told him to call if he needed anything?
Jeong Jikhan wanted to go himself, but he couldn't leave the cafe, so he called Cha Seungpyo as a backup plan.
Whoosh-
Suddenly, Cha Seungpyo appeared in a puff of black smoke. The other spirits in the cafe quickly looked away.
They probably thought he was there to collect someone.
Was Sukhee the only spirit who felt comfortable talking to Cha Seungpyo?
"Jeong Jikhan-ssi, what's going on?"
Thinking it was an emergency, Cha Seungpyo pulled out a long, glowing blue sword.
Jeong Jikhan, startled by the meter-long sword, waved his hands frantically.
"Put that away! It's not that kind of situation. Put it back in the scabbard."
"Hasn't an evil spirit gotten in?"
"It's not that."
"Then why...?"
"Do you know Hanbyul here?"
Cha Seungpyo looked at Hanbyul next to him and raised one eyebrow, asking.
"Kid, what have you done?"
Hanbyul froze, hiccuping in surprise.
He seems to know him.
Of course, Hanbyul coming to the Yongsan-gu cafe meant they knew each other.
Cha Seungpyo must have been the grim reaper who told Hanbyul to resolve his regrets and find peace.
He couldn't just ask him to be a bodyguard, so Jeong Jikhan smiled faintly and said, "Team Leader, would you like a cup of coffee?"
"No, thanks. I was planning to read a bit before bed."
"You don't have work later?"
"We work in shifts. I need to get off work, too."
"Haha! Perfect timing!"
Jeong Jikhan's bright smile made Cha Seungpyo frown suspiciously.
"What is it? What's the meaning of that smile?"
"You'll need some coffee if you're going to read. Otherwise, you'll fall asleep."
"..."
"Please wait a moment. I'll make you an Americano."
"No, I'm really okay..."
Ignoring him, Jeong Jikhan made a steaming Americano.
He handed it over with both hands. Cha Seungpyo eyed him suspiciously, but took a sip.
He wondered if Jeong Jikhan was acting strangely because he was possessed by an evil spirit.
But the goblin mark on Jeong Jikhan's shoulder was still there, so he relaxed.
"Oh? You drank it."
"Yes?"
Jeong Jikhan pointed at the mug. Cha Seungpyo quickly pulled back, looking from the coffee to Jeong Jikhan.
Regardless, Jeong Jikhan said with a pleased smile.
"I called you because I have a favor to ask."
"What favor...?"
"Now that you've had the coffee, you have to do what I ask?"
"...Was it a bribe?"
Cha Seungpyo grimaced. Jeong Jikhan turned to Hanbyul and said, "Hanbyul, don't be afraid. Team Leader Cha Seungpyo is going to take you home."
Hanbyul glanced sideways at Cha Seungpyo and pouted his lower lip.
"But... that man is scary..."
"It's okay; he's a person who does good things."
When he looked back at Cha Seungpyo, the grim reaper was glaring at him.
Cha Seungpyo stood there, frozen like a statue.
So Jeong Jikhan spoke first.
"You're not going to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about after taking a bribe, are you?"
"Jeong Jikhan... that's not very honest of you..."
"Please."
Jeong Jikhan bowed deeply. Cha Seungpyo sighed, running a hand through his hair.
He stared at Hanbyul, narrowing his eyes, and asked, "Jeong Jikhan-ssi, did you refill this kid's coffee?"
"Yes, two cups at that."
"So you called me for that? To use me as a bodyguard?"
"Please."
"You think this will help him find peace?"
Jeong Jikhan nodded. Cha Seungpyo scratched his head and let out a huge sigh.
Soon, he looked straight at Jeong Jikhan and said.
"I've already heard the news."
"What news?"
"That you helped Lee Dongwook move on."
"Ah... yes. That's right."
"He was a spirit who seemed impossible to help. I was surprised to hear you'd managed it."
You needed Sukhee's jade ring to help Lee Dongwook.
The only person who could do that was an employee working at the cafe for the deceased in Yongsan-gu, and it was only possible by gaining Sukhee's trust.
Jeong Jikhan had done it. It really was almost impossible.
Cha Seungpyo drank the remaining coffee in one gulp and said.
"I think I'm starting to understand why Muchi saved you."
"Thank you for thinking kindly of me. And I'm sorry for suddenly asking you for a favor late at night."
Jeong Jikhan apologized sincerely. Cha Seungpyo gave a dry laugh and said, "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, they say."
"..."
"I'll take good care of this kid, so don't worry."
"Thank you."
Cha Seungpyo looked at Hanbyul and stroked his head, saying.
"Kid, you're lucky."
"...Yes?"
"Take my hand."
"Aren't you... the one who takes people to hell?"
"I'm here to help you. Now, take my hand, quickly, before I change my mind."
Whoosh-
As Hanbyul grabbed Cha Seungpyo's hand, the two disappeared in smoke.
