Chapter 40
Sookhee fidgeted restlessly, hopping in place. She was clearly happy, but the suddenness of it all seemed to have left her flustered.
"Am I... am I acting weird right now?"
"No, you look lovely."
"Where’s the mirror? Where’s the mirror?!"
There was a full-length mirror by the entrance, and Sookhee hurried over to it. She stared at her reflection, smoothing her hair and taking deep breaths to calm her pounding heart.
Jeongjikhan held his phone to his ear again and spoke.
"Boss, can I call you back in a bit?"
—Of course. Do we need to prepare anything?
At Park Hyunwoo’s question, Jeongjikhan glanced at Sookhee’s back and gave a wry smile.
"Well... what if Mr. Kim Deokbae doesn’t want to meet Sookhee...?"
—Haha! No, that’s not it. I only found out today. The person Mr. Kim Deokbae has been waiting for is Sookhee.
"Really?!"
—Why would I lie? He never mentioned who he was waiting for, but when I told him the information you provided, he was utterly shocked.
"Understood. Then... please make the necessary preparations."
As Jeongjikhan let out a sigh of relief, Park Hyunwoo’s voice came through again.
—Should we decide on a meeting place now?
"We’ll come to you."
—No, Sookhee can’t enter the restaurant, so let’s meet at the subway station. I’d like to accompany you, but that’s not possible right now...
"It’s fine. We have someone here who can help us."
—Ah, is that so? Then let’s meet at Exit 2 of Nonhyeon Station.
"Got it."
As soon as Jeongjikhan ended the call, he checked his contacts and dialed another number. The repeated ringing tone made him even more anxious. If they didn’t meet today, he feared Sookhee and Deokbae might never get another chance. Jeongjikhan grew increasingly impatient.
The line clicked.
—Hello, Jeongjikhan.
"Team Leader Cha, are you busy right now?"
—No, it’s fine. Another coffee refill today?
"No, this is more important. We’ve found Sookhee’s brother."
The line went silent after those words. Instead of a reply, black smoke appeared in the café as Cha Seungpyo materialized in person. He looked at Jeongjikhan with an intense expression and asked in a heightened voice:
"You found Mr. Kim Deokbae?! Is this true?"
"Yes, I just got word. We’re supposed to meet at Exit 2 of Nonhyeon Station. Since I can’t go myself, Team Leader Cha..."
"Of course. It goes without saying that I’ll help."
Cha Seungpyo smiled brightly and called out to Sookhee, who was still standing in front of the mirror.
"Ms. Kim Sookhee, shall we leave right away?"
The two were familiar with each other and often exchanged greetings, so there was no awkwardness in Cha Seungpyo’s actions. But what was going on?
Sookhee just stood there staring blankly at the mirror without moving a muscle.
When Jeongjikhan and Cha Seungpyo approached her side, they noticed she was trembling slightly—her fingers fidgeting nervously with an anxious expression on her face.
"Sookhee?"
Jeongjikhan called out softly. She turned toward him with downcast eyes and asked:
"What if... what if he doesn’t recognize me?"
"Huh?"
"It’s been seventy years... enough time for my brother to forget what I look like... What if I don’t recognize him either?"
Though she’d thought herself mentally prepared, her anxiety had only grown. Seventy years of waiting had made this moment all the more poignant and cautious.
Jeongjikhan looked at her kindly. "He’ll recognize you. Definitely."
"But..."
"Our Sookhee’s acting like a young girl now! Usually so bold, aren’t we?"
"I’m human too—it’s only natural to be scared sometimes!"
Cha Seungpyo interjected, "Jeongjikhan, shall we get Ms. Sookhee some warm coffee?"
"Ah, yes!"
Jeongjikhan snapped his fingers and hurried to the counter.
It’s said that spirits blessed with good fortune (吉) are easily noticeable even to other spirits. Though they risk becoming targets for malevolent or vengeful spirits, Cha Seungpyo’s presence would prevent any issues.
A spirit blessed with good fortune (吉). Even if Sookhee failed to recognize her brother first, he would surely recognize her.
Jeongjikhan hastily prepared a warm vanilla latte and handed it to Sookhee.
"Drink this, Ms. Sookhee. It’ll calm your nerves and help your brother recognize you."
"Haa..."
Sookhee exhaled the turbid air from her lungs and drank the latte.
[Jeongjikhan’s ‘Good Fortune (吉)’ has been delivered to the spirit Kim Sookhee.]
She coughed slightly, likely from tension, but stubbornly finished the entire cup. Letting out a held breath, she declared:
"Alright, I can do this!"
"That’s the spirit! Confidence!"
Jeongjikhan clenched his fists and beamed. Sookhee offered a faint smile.
"Thank you, Jeongjikhan."
"You can thank me later. Focus on your brother now."
"Got it. I’ll be back."
"Safe travels."
With a poof, Sookhee and Cha Seungpyo vanished into smoke.
Darkness had settled around Exit 2 of Nonhyeon Station. A few taxis idled for passengers, while groups of people clustered for second-round drinks or trudged home with shoulders slumped like wet towels.
Appearing in a swirl of smoke, Sookhee and Cha Seungpyo scanned their surroundings.
"Can’t you find him with your abilities?"
Cha Seungpyo smiled ruefully. "Spirits bound for the Restaurant of the Dead without lingering grudges are hard to locate. Mr. Kim Deokbae didn’t pass away in my jurisdiction—I only oversee Yongsan-gu, Jung-gu, and Seongdong-gu."
Sookhee clasped her hands to her chest, scanning the area with restless eyes.
"...Sister?"
A voice weathered by time echoed through the air. Both turned to see an elderly gentleman in a checkered suit holding a cane.
Despite her fears, Sookhee recognized him instantly. Wrinkles covered his face and his posture was bent, but beneath it lay the brother from her deepest memories—the little boy who’d clutched her hand and cried silently each night.
Her lips quivered like a fish gasping for air. "Deokbae... is that really you?"
"Sister... is it truly you?"
Sookhee covered her mouth with both hands, tears welling up. She rushed to his side in one stride.
"Deokbae! My dear Deokbae! It’s really you!"
She grabbed his bony arm, its frail muscles twitching violently at the shock of their reunion.
"Sister... Sookhee!"
Kim Deokbae dropped his cane and embraced her with wrinkled hands.
"You haven’t changed at all... How did you endure all these years?"
"Deokbae, my dear brother!"
Any initial awkwardness vanished—or perhaps never existed. Their overwhelming longing left no room for hesitation.
"I’m sorry... I should’ve been by your side..."
"I know why you couldn’t stay. I understand."
Hot tears streamed from Deokbae’s wrinkled eyes. Though over eighty, his face now mirrored the boy who’d lost his family.
"Why linger here, Sister? Why not rest in peace?"
"How could I leave you alone in this harsh world? I worried so much!"
"Don’t mind me—what about you? Seventy lonely years..."
"I wasn’t alone! I had Team Leader Cha and good friends. I lived well—better than anyone!"
Deokbae’s voice rasped. "I searched five years for you... Five lonely years. But you... seventy..."
"No, Deokbae. I’m fine. Really."
Sookhee patted his back, her own tears flowing freely.
The two embraced each other, pouring out their overwhelming emotions through endless tears.
Cha Seung-pyo, who was watching the scene, scratched the bridge of his nose and turned his head away.
Sook-hee gently touched her younger brother’s cheeks and asked, “How… how have you been all this time? Were you hurt anywhere? Do you… do you have a family?”
“Yes, I do. I met someone as kind and gentle as you, older sister, got married, and even had three precious children.”
“Well done, well done! Our Deok-bae has suffered so much.”
“Suffered? No, I was happy. So happy that I felt sorry to you, older sister, to my brother-in-law, and to our parents.”
“What are you sorry for? If you’ve lived well, that’s filial piety enough. What’s there to be sorry about?”
“I felt guilty for being the only one living happily… You and my brother-in-law suffered because of me and left before me… I felt guilty for being the only one living happily…”
“No, no, Deok-bae. It’s enough that you lived happily. That’s all that matters. In fact, I’m grateful. Thank you for living happily, thank you for doing well… thank you so much.”
“I missed you. I missed you so much, older sister. Every ancestral rite, I thought of you and cried alone. I regret so much the time we ran to Heungnam Port holding hands. I hated myself for being so weak.”
“No, no. Don’t hate yourself. Don’t blame yourself. I’m the terrible one for leaving you, a child, alone… I’m… I’m…”
“Why are you terrible? You saved my life! Don’t even joke like that.”
“Sob… Deok-bae… Deok-bae…”
The two poured out seventy years of longing in that moment.
Meanwhile, Cha Seung-pyo’s expression hardened. Frowning, he scanned his surroundings warily.
An ominous aura seeped through the chilly winter air. Nearby evil spirits had sensed the auspicious energy (吉) Sook-hee possessed.
“Auspicious energy (吉)…”
A chilling voice hissed behind Cha Seung-pyo, making his spine tingle. When he whipped around, a blue-skinned evil spirit was staring at Sook-hee and Deok-bae.
Cha Seung-pyo rushed to their side. “Sook-hee, give the auspicious energy (吉) in your embrace to your brother. Now!”
“Huh?”
“Hurry!”
Sook-hee couldn’t sense the auspicious energy (吉) Jeong Jin-han had given her. Lee Han-byeol and Park Sang-bong had been the same. The deceased could be seen with auspicious energy (吉), but the living couldn’t feel their own—just as humans rarely realize their blessings.
When Cha Seung-pyo pressed his left hand to Sook-hee’s back, a warm golden light burst forth like a lantern flame. He closed his eyes, shaped the energy, and offered it to Kim Deok-bae.
A message appeared before Deok-bae’s eyes:
[Invitation to the Café of the Deceased]
The evil spirit shrieked, veins bulging in its neck: “Give it to me!! It’s mine!!”
A frigid aura radiated from its body. Cha Seung-pyo drew his sword and swung.
Swish—!
The spirit contorted to dodge, stretching out its hands. Its erratic movements were no match for Cha Seung-pyo. He struck its nose bridge with the hilt, reversed his grip, and plunged the blade into its heart.
“Kaaaahhh!!!”
The spirit crumbled to ash. But more began converging, drawn by the auspicious energy (吉). At least six now loomed in Cha Seung-pyo’s sight.
Damn… Gangnam, of course.
Where crowds gathered, so did spirits—and evil ones. Cha Seung-pyo swallowed dryly, eyes locked on the horde.
